Abstract: A bale bagging apparatus is used for inserting bales in sequence into a tube of plastic film. The apparatus has a set of panels surrounding the bale at a bagging station of the apparatus and supporting the tube in a stretched state out of contact with the bale. As the bale passes through the bagging station, the tube is pulled off the panels and shrinks onto the bale. The bale support panel is equipped with a resilient sheet on the outer surface to distribute the stretching load over the bag to eliminate areas of high stress concentration on the bag. The panels have independently movable longitudinally spaced mounting points so that both the position and the angle of slope of each tube support can be varied to suit the bale size and shape. The taper of the tube support tunnel can be selected for optimum tube withdrawal.

Abstract: A bale bagging apparatus is used for inserting bales in sequence into a tube of plastic film. The apparatus has a set of panels surrounding the bale at a bagging station of the apparatus and supporting the tube in a stretched state out of contact with the bale. As the bale passes through the bagging station, the tube is pulled off the panels and shrinks onto the bale. The bale support panel is equipped with a resilient sheet on the outer surface to distribute the stretching load over the bag to eliminate areas of high stress concentration on the bag. The bales are supported as they travel through the apparatus on two parallel, linear rails to minimize the draft force on the apparatus. The tube support panels pivot on axes that lie in a common plane perpendicular to the bale path.

Abstract: A bale bagging method and apparatus are disclosed. Bales are passed through a collapsible tunnel, preferably formed of panels of flexible, yet self-supporting plastic material. A plastic film tube is supported on the tunnel as the bales are passed through. The tube has the same circumference as the bales so that the tunnel is held tightly against the bales. At the rear end of the tunnel is a retaining hoop over which the tube is stretched. Once the tube passes over the hoop, it contracts onto the bale to fit very tightly onto the bale, thus minimizing wind fatigue in the bag.

Abstract: A bale bagging apparatus for bagging round bales in tubes of plastic film includes a hoop and an annular flexible tube support projecting to the rear of the hoop. The tube support conforms to the shape and size of the bales being bagged, so that a tubing may be used that is fairly close in size to the size of the bales. This reduces the amount of air inside the bag and the ultimate looseness of the bagging tube on the bale, which affects its wind resistance and allows the bagging of bales in smaller tubes, which significantly reduces the cost of plastic film.