McHale who have always been a company to react quickly to market demand and at the Irish Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Stradbally, Co. Laois this year, McHale will add two new machines to its straw blower and bale feeder range.
The McHale bale feeder & straw blower range consist of a versatile range of machines, which can be used for feeding short fibre silage and can also be used to easily distribute long fibre fodder such as hay and straw. The three models in the McHale straw blowing range can either feed round or square bales and share a number of common features which deliver optimum performance.
A key feature in the McHale Straw Blowing range is the machines twin speed independent gearbox, which allows the operator to easily adjust the rpm from 280 rpm for feeding silage or hay up to 540 rpm for using the machine to distribute straw for bedding.
Feeding:
The machines in the McHale Straw Blowing and Bale Feeding Range are ideal for feeding silage and hay, the two speed gearbox allows silage to be distributed exactly where it is desired. The speed of the conveyor is proportionally controlled, allowing the operator to adjust feeding speed depending on material density and composition.
Bedding:
The McHale Straw Blowing and Bale Feeding models can be used to distribute bedding material quickly and efficiently leaving a thick aerated bed of straw. In difficult to access bedding areas, the chute on the range can pass through 300 degrees for ease of feeding. Straw can be blown 18m on the right hand side and 13m to the left hand side of the machine.
1. Machine Body: The machine body on the McHale straw blowing and bale feeding range is compact which makes the machine easy to manoeuvre. The machine body is designed so that it is narrow at the bottom and tapers out as the machine gets higher; this is a design feature which keeps the machine low to ensure superior visibility. It also ensures that as a bale is turning in the machine any loose material which comes over the top of the bale falls within the machine body.
2. Fly Wheel (Straw Blowing Turbine): The 1.57m diameter flywheel on the McHale Straw Blowing and Bale Feeding Range is fitted with 6 blowing paddles, which provides a powerful blow for an efficient distribution of material. The flywheel housing design ensures that any loose material in the flywheel housing is blown out.
3. Floor Conveyor: The floor conveyor on the McHale Straw Blowing and Bale Feeding Range, consist of a hydraulically driven chain and slat conveyor. There are 10 slats, which are mounted on 11mm high tensile chain. The chain and slat format takes the bale into the machine; the slat format has been designed to ensure consistent and even feed to the rotor. The rotation speed of the conveyor is adjustable via a dial on the control box in the tractor cab.
The floor conveyor extends under the rotor and is positioned above the flywheel. As a result any material, which may gather between the conveyor and the bottom, can be removed by simply reversing the conveyor.
4. Blowing & Feeding Chute: The McHale Straw Blowing and Bale Feeding Range is fitted with a three-stage chute. The three-stage design minimises resistance and allows for maximum blow distances to be achieved. Chute adjustment moves through an arc to ensure that there is minimal resistance. The deep wide chute design reduces the risk of blockages and provides more even delivery of material.
The chute on the McHale Straw Blowing and Bale Feeding Range can pass through 300 degrees for ease of bedding in buildings with one opening. Straw can be blown 18m on the right hand side and for difficult to access bedding areas the 300 degree chute can blow straw up to 13m to the left hand side of the machine.
The chute is joystick controlled, allowing the operator to adjust the chute height and the shoot direction easily from the control box in the tractor cab.
5. Rotor with Hydraulic Feed:
The feed rotor is equipped with 48 blades mounted on six discs. The feed rotor is driven by a hydraulic motor, which is independent of the flywheel (straw blowing turbine). This reduces the amount of power required to start the machine.
6. Rotor High Torque Belt Drive: The belt system, which drives the feed rotor, can be hydraulically disengaged. The high torque belt drive system ensures that the flywheel (straw blowing turbine) can be worked independently of the rotor. This gives a number of advantages, namely:
– The flywheel (straw blowing turbine) can be at full rpm before the rotor starts to feed.
– The horsepower requirements are reduced.
– It ensures that the machine is less likely to block on start up.
7. Bale Loading: The tailgate on the machine can be used to load a bale onto the machine without the need for a second tractor. The cupped tailgate design means that when a bale is loaded into the machine, the bale can be held in the dip in the tailgate, while the twine or net is being removed. The ram mounting points on the tailgate ensure that maximum lifting power can be achieved so that the heaviest of bales can be handled. Tailgate and conveyor alignment ensure that square or rectangular bales can be loaded easily.
8. Electronic Controls: The McHale Straw Blowing and Bale Feeding Range is controlled via an electronic control console, which allows the operator to control machine operation from the tractor cab. Grouping the major machine function on one operator efficient control console allows the operator to adjust;
The direction and height of the feeding chute can be controlled via an integrated joystick on the control console in the tractor cab.
With the three models in the McHale range, there is a model to suit every user’s requirements.
The three models will be on display at the Irish National Ploughing Championships at the McHale stand Row 17 Stand 214.
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