First Of Its Kind Ground Driven Baler

First of its Kind Ground Driven Baler HAY & FORAGE HARVESTING Balers (6) 12-5-3 "This baler is not designed for custom balers, who want to bale hay as fast as they can. The Econo Roll works best at 4 to 6 mph, compared to 6 to 8 mph for a conventional round baler. However, the Econo Roll is lower in cost and maintenance and has fewer moving parts to wear out. There's no pto, gearbox, or chains, and fewer sprockets and bearings," says Vander Werff. The baler has two wheel-driven sprockets that direct-drive interlocking sprockets on the hay pickup. As you hydraulically close the tailgate, the sprockets mesh together to engage the pickup. Dispensers for plastic, net or twine are located on the front of the baler. As the bale reaches full size, you release a lever to wrap the bale on-the-go. "Due to this design, there's less leaf loss during the tying process than with conventional balers," states Vander Werff. "However, because the Econo Roll doesn't apply as much pressure to the bale as most conventional balers, the bale is less dense. To prevent moisture spoilage, we recommend covering the bale with plastic." For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Vermeer Mfg. Co., P.O. Box 200, Pella, Iowa 50219 (ph 515 628-3141). The company that invented the round baler is test marketing a first-of-its-kind ground-driven round baler that has no pto or gear-box and sells for less than half the price of a conventional round baler. Vermeer Mfg. will demonstrate its new "Econo Roll" baler at farm. shows around the country this fall. Unlike conventional round balers that form bales inside a chamberor in a flexible"pocket" formed by belts, it rolls the bale on the ground between a hay pickup located at the rear of the baler, a compression-type roller in front and nine spring loaded belts over the bale. This con-tact takes place from start to finish of the bale. The hay pickup is ground driven by two 12.5 by 15 Goodyear Sure Grip traction tread tires. "The pickup throws hay forward under the belts. As the bale forms it picks up hay just like a rolling snowball picks up snow," explains Jim Vander Werff, ag sales manager. The new baler makes 5-ft. wide bales up to 5 ft. in dia. weighing about 1,000 lbs., which is 300 to 500 lbs. less than conventional bales. The machine wraps bales with plastic, net, or twine. Vermeer has built only three prototype models. The company expects to market the baler in 1989 for $5,995.

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