Abstract: A mechanism for enveloping a large round bale with a surface wrap material such as plastic sheet or net includes a housing for holding a supply roll of the wrap material. The mechanism and, hence, the housing is mounted on the rear of a bale discharge gate. The housing includes a front wall, defined by an upright panel secured across the rear of the gate, and a bottom wall sloped upwardly and rearwardly relative to the front wall. The bottom wall and front wall converge toward a wrap material passage defined between a forward edge of the bottom wall and the front wall.

Abstract: An elongated strip of baling material has opposite longitudinal edges, each of which includes an elastic element extending in the longitudinal direction of the strip. The width of the strip is greater than the length of the bale so that when the strip is wrapped around a bale, the opposite longitudinal edges of the strip extend radially inwardly to cover the outer peripheral portions of each of the end faces of the bale. The strip is held in place by the elastic elements in the longitudinal edges of the strip to protect the peripheral portions of the end faces of the bale.

Abstract: Typing process and apparatus, the articles (5) to be tied being placed on supports (6) subdivided in several planes and movable between several tying stations (3, 4), making it possible to carry out tyings in several planes on the articles (5) resting on the supports (6).The invention is used especially for the tying of meat-based products, for example meat olives.

Abstract: A system for tensioning the apron of a round baler includes a pair of springs and a pair of hydraulic cylinders connected between apron take up arms and a tailgate of the round baler. The springs normally urge the apron take up arms toward an inner position, and the hydraulic cylinders resist movement of the apron take up arms from the inner position to an outer position. The hydraulic cylinders provide a primary source of apron tension and the springs provide a secondary source of apron tension. During bale formation, the apron tension generated by the hydraulic cylinders increases while the apron tension generated by the springs remains substantially constant.

Abstract: A device for controlling at least one twine guide arm 23, 24 for tying cylindrical bales in a pickup baler. The twine guide arm 23, 24 is adapted to pivot under the action of a control cable 25 close to the bale resting on the driving roller 14, while a tension arm 18 acting on shaping belts 12, 13 rests on the bale. At the end of the bale forming process, the distance between the tension arm 18 and the driving roller controls elements 33, 38 for moving the guide arm or arms 23, 24 toward a starting position corresponding to the beginning of the tying. The portion of the twine which is wound around the bale is then caught during the rotation of the bale for constituting the control parameter for controlling a cam engaging mechanism 40 adapted to engage the guide arm actuating elements 33, 38 during the tying process.

Abstract: A potentiometer is driven by one of the serpentine arm assemblies used to maintain apron tension during formation of a round bale so that the output of the potentiometer continuously provides an indication of the size of a bale being formed in the baler. A microprocessor based control circuit senses the output of the potentiometer, converts it to a digital value, and compares the digital value with a value representing a desired bale size. When the two values are equal, the microprocessor computes the number of revolutions of a net feed roll that is required to wrap the bale a preselected number of times, energizes the net feed roll mechanism to feed net into the bale forming chamber, and counts the revolutions of the net feed roll. When the required amount of net has been dispensed, the microprocessor stops the net feed roll and activates a mechanism to cut the net. The size of a "full bale" is selected by actuating keys on a control panel.

Abstract: A roll baling press for harvest products for enabling a roll baling press to be operated in a continuous mode. A buffer store is formed for temporarily storing the continuously supplied harvest product during the typing and ejection of the finished roll bale. A flexible partition element (T) is provided in the roll-winding chamber (7) for temporarily establishing the buffer store (Z) within the roll-winding chamber (7).

Abstract: A baling machine adapted to a produce a rolled mat in the form of a bale comprises an inlet (10) for straw or other material to form the mat, a baling chamber (11) for progressively accumulating a rolled bale (41), rollers (12) for forming said straw into an elongate mat, a flow path for mat through the baling machine from the inlet (10) through said rollers (12) to the baling chamber (11), troughs (17, 18) for mounting rolls of net as encasing material adapted to supply the net progressively to the flow path so as at least to over and underly said mat, and a work station in the flow path comprising stapling machine (19) for attaching together over and underlying portions of the encasing material through said mat.

Abstract: A baling machine for forming large cylindrical bales of hay has a variable volume bailing chamber defined by moving belts with a crop inlet on the underside of the machine. When a bale has been completed it is wrapped with net stored in a holder on the back of the baler. The net is advanced by feed rolls through a cutting mechanism below the holder, and is then guided by a plate extending along the underside of a run of the belts to the baling chamber. The plate is in such close proximity to the run that the net is gripped between the plate and belts and is advanced by the moving belts. Finally, the net is cut by the cutting mechanism, the wrapping of net completed, and the bale discharged rearwardly through a gate onto the ground.

Abstract: A pair of twine arms are mounted for pivoting back and forth between first and second locations for dispensing twine into a bale chamber. The arms are oscillated by a reversible gear drive including a drive gear having a drive arm fixed thereto and coupled to an extensible and retractable hydraulic actuator through means of a resiliently extensible link which permits further extension of the actuator after the arms have engaged each other at their respective second locations. Accordingly, the arms dwell at their respective second locations, during such further extension of the actuator and then during retraction thereof until the link is restored to its normally unextended condition, thus permitting wraps of twine to be laid one on top of the other.

Abstract: A crop baler for producing rolled cylindrical bales prevents crumbling of the ends of the bale by positioning two twine guide tubes to simultaneously initiate wrapping at two positions slightly inboard of the bale ends, moving the twine guide tubes in opposite directions out to the ends, and then moving the twine guide tubes simultaneously back toward the center of the bale for completion and severance of the twine. The baler includes a positive feeding device for temporarily advancing a sufficient length of twine through the guide tubes at the beginning of the wrapping cycle to permit the rotating bale to grab the twine and pull the remainder of the twine from the tubes as the cycle continues. A control box moves the tubes along a path adjacent the periphery of the bale and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bale.

Abstract: A twine dispensing mechanism for feeding twine into the bale chamber of a large round baler includes a double twine arm assembly comprising a first twine arm driven for sweeping its twine dispensing end across the front of the bale chamber and a second twine arm pivotally mounted to the first twine arm and having a twine dispensing end which may be selectively spaced from the end of the first arm by an adjustable spring biased bar assembly.

Abstract: A baling machine for forming large cylindrical bales of hay has a variable volume baling chamber defined by moving belts with a crop inlet on the underside of the machine. When a bale has been completed it is wrapped with surface wrapping material stored in a holder on the back of the baler. The wrapping material is advanced by feed rolls through a cutting mechanism below the holder, and is thus guided by a plate extending along the underside of a run of the belts to the baling chamber. In order to avoid wasting wrap, a cutter is triggered by a peg carried by a metering wheel movable between an adjustable "home" position against an abutment or stop to a trigger position in which it engages and lifts a release lever to release the cutter, and this distance is a measure of the length of wrap material required for the completed bale. In respective embodiments, the metering wheel is in the form of a friction wheel, a worm wheel and a ratchet wheel with all wheels being selectively driven by one of the feed rolls.

Abstract: A round baler having a single bale forming chamber is provided with an electronic control circuit which makes its operation automatic except for the operator-controlled functions of starting and stopping forward motion of the baler. Under the circuit control the baler forms a bale, wraps it with twine, cuts the twine, raises the tailgate, ejects the wrapped bale and closes the tailgate. The control circuit energizes a first indicator when the tailgate closes to signal the operator to begin forward motion of the baler. When a point is reached in the bailing cycle at which the wrapping of the bale is to commence, the circuit energizes a second indicator to signal the operator to stop forward motion of the baler. The circuit also detects certain malfunctions and energizes a third indicator to signal the operator that a malfunction has occurred.

Abstract: An automatic twine wrapper (31) for a round baler (10) is provided comprising a twine dispensing arm (36) having a retracted home position and which is movable in the vicinity of the bale chamber inlet (41). A drive motor (42) is operably coupled with the dispensing arm (36) for moving the latter during the twine dispensing cycle and automatic control means (65) are coupled with the drive motor (42) for causing the drive motor (42) to move the dispensing arm (36) in accordance with a predetermined dispensing cycle from its retracted home position toward the bale chamber inlet (41) and in the vicinity thereof and back to its home position as the twine dispensing cycle is being completed. The control means (65) comprises a starter means (50) operable to initiate the predetermined dispensing cycle and detector means (61) operable to detect whether twine (32) is being wrapped upon the bale (R).

Abstract: In a hay baler for producing rolled bales of the type having a shaping chamber in which the hay introduced in the form of a sheet is wound on itself around a horizontal axis (XX'), a tying mechanism has two distributors for ties which are mounted to swivel under the action of a control means to perform a reciprocating movement along the shaping chamber from a rest position near one end of the chamber to an end-of-tying position near the opposite end of the chamber. The distributors are mounted to rotate around an axis (Y) fixed to one of the side walls of the baler while the control means is fixed to the other side wall. An actuator with a reciprocating movement controlled by the control means first successively drives the distributors from the rest position to the end-of-tying position in the vicinity of which a severing means interrupts the ties, then returns the distributors to the rest position.

Abstract: Apparatus (52) is provided for wrapping bales with twine in a round baler. The twine wrapping apparatus (52) includes a twine dispensing member (56) mounted for pivoting movement, a clamp assembly (100) to clamp the twine dispensed by the twine dispensing member (56), and a trip mechanism (114) connected to the clamp assembly (100). The trip mechanism (114) is actuated by engagement with the twine dispensing member (56) during its pivoting movement to release the twine from the clamp assembly (100).

Abstract: An automatic control device for tying large diameter cylindrical bales produced by a hay baler. A tie guiding arm has an end which can be driven back and forth over the entire width of the bale by an electric motor. A microprocessor receives inputs indicating the driving speed of the baler, the diameter of the bale and the desired number of turns of the tie. The motor driving the guiding arm is discontinuously driven by the microprocessor so that the arm is held in a stationary position for a predetermined length of time at a predetermined number of stops. The microprocessor may also operate in a learning mode where the operator sets the number of stops and the length of time.

Abstract: Apparatus (52) is provided for wrapping bales with twine in a type of round baler (1) having bale forming mechanism comprised of a plurality of conveying members such as rollers (36a-36f). The twine wrapping apparatus (52) includes a twine dispensing member (56) mounted for pivoting movement to dispense twine through a gap (35) between two of the conveying members (36d and 36e). A stationary member (88) guides the twine into the gap (35) during the pivoting movement of the twine dispensing member (56).

Abstract: An automatic round or roll baler includes a microprocessor controlled signal processing circuit for controlling the wrapping of bales in a predetermined wrapping pattern. The wrapping pattern is generated by selectively actuating switches to produce a wrap sequence table containing control words. The control words are subsequently accessed in sequence to control the application of control signals to a motor which drives a twine dispensing mechanism. The last control word stored in the sequence table includes a "home" code which causes the motor to be driven in a direction toward a home position. A home position switch is provided for sensing when the twine dispensing mechanism is in the home position. In response to the home code the twine dispensing mechanism is driven toward the home position until the home switch is actuated at which time the drive to the twine dispensing mechanism is terminated. This insures that each bale wrapping sequence begins with the twine dispensing mechanism in the home position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hay baling device comprising means (13) for defining a training phase working mode and an automatic flow working mode of a previously recorded reproducible program. Means (14) are also provided, operative in the training phase for controlling the movements of the part manually by selecting parameters of successive steps comprising at least, for each step, the duration of the step and the direction of movement, selected from among a forward position, a reverse position and a stationary position. In addition, included are means (10) for then recording the parameters of the successive steps in the form of a reproducible program.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for rolling and wrapping a crop bale are described. A baling press including a rolling chamber has an interior circumference lined with rotating conveyor elements. A crop entry port receives cut crops as well as a wrapping material. During a final layer formation of the bale, the crop material is fed to the entry port to roll with the baled crop exiting said entry port.

Abstract: A large bale press for cylindrical and/or rectangular bales of cut blade material comprises a compression chamber having an input opening for the blade material, a discharge opening for the finished bales, a take-up unit for the cut blade material, and a conveyer drum between the take-upunit and the input opening. One or more typing mechanisms each having a swivel yarn guide and swivel needle, effects wrapping of a corresponding number of yarn strands around the bale. The discharge opening is formed by pivoting part of the compression chamber about a horizontal axis.

Abstract: The apparatus for binding rolled bales comprises at least one reel of twine, a twine guiding device for guiding the hank of twine along the surface of the bale to be bound and a control device for the twine guiding device, comprising a rope sheave and a set of gears. The twine guiding device comprises two spaced twine guiding arms staggered with respect to one another which may be pivoted in the opposite direction one from the other from an initial position, in which the two arms cross over one another, to a maximum position, in which the two ends of the bale are simultaneously bound, to an end position, which corresponds essentially to the initial position.

Abstract: A breakaway mechanism for a twine wrapping apparatus on a roll baling machine couples a twine dispensing member to a pinion which is in intermeshing engagement with a gear rack. The pinion and the gear rack cooperate to effect pivoting movement of the twine dispensing member. The breakaway mechanism permits the twine dispensing member to be uncoupled from the pinion when a predetermined load is exerted on the twine dispensing member during its pivoting movement.

Abstract: A twine wrapping apparatus for a roll baling machine includes a shuttle member which carries a gear rack that intermeshes with a pinion connected to a twine dispensing member such as a twine tube. When the shuttle member is moved generally transversely of the roll baling machine, the pinion is rotated by the gear rack resulting in pivoting movement of the twine tube.

Abstract: A twine cutting and clamping apparatus for a roll baling machine includes an arm having one edge which cooperates with a cutting member such as a knife to cut twine therebetween. The arm has another edge which cooperates with a resilient member such as a spring clip to clamp twine therebetween.

Abstract: A twine cut and clamp mechanism for a roll baling machine includes a pair of arms and a pair of intermeshing spur gears connected, respectively, to the arms. A lever is connected to one of the arms to pivot it. The spur gears cause concurrent pivoting of the other arm when the one arm is pivoted by the lever.

Abstract: An automatic twine-wrapping mechanism for a large round baler. The mechanism comprises a twine dispensing mechanism for dispensing twine into the bale-forming chamber of the baler, a reversible hydraulic drive means for cycling a twine arm of the dispensing mechanism back and forth in front of the chamber, a twine wrapping control mechanism for initiating a twine wrapping cycle by sensing the growth of a bale to a predetermined diameter, by automatically actuating a pump drive means for driving a hydraulic pump and by positioning a hydraulic control valve to condition the hydraulic drive means to cycle the twine arm and for terminating a twine wrapping cycle by deactivating the hydraulic drive means following the wrapping of twine around the bale. The twine is automatically severed by a twine cutter responsive to the movement of the twine arm following completion of the wrapping of the twine around the bale. The bale operator actuates a bale ejection mechanism following the cutting of the twine.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for delivering twine to a baler knotter. The baler (10) which performs the method includes a bale chamber (16) having a forward inlet end. A knotter (64) is disposed to one side of the bale chamber and the baler is of the type having feeding means including a pair of rollers (36) which are moved back and forth across the inlet end of the bale chamber. A portion (90) of the twine is supported on the lower feed roller as the rollers are moved back and forth across the inlet end of the bale chamber. A pickup needle (110 or 302) is associated with the knotter, and at the initiation of the tying cycle moves from an at rest position towards the lower roller to pick up the twine and then to a position above the twine disks (140) of the knotter to deliver the twine to the knotter and then returns to its at rest position. The twine is tensioned by a twine drag (144) and a pigtail type tensioning mechanism (146) both during the formation of a bale and during tying.

Abstract: In a baler for forming cylindrical bales, a twine wrapping apparatus comprises a pair of twine guides and a drive mechanism for simultaneously driving the guides transversely of the baler and for feeding two pieces of twine through an opening in the bale forming chamber. In accordance with the improvement, the drive means includes a drive interruption means constituted by a differential for preventing the driving of the twine guides when only one of the twine pieces is being fed into the chamber and wrapped around the bale. The differential includes two pulleys rotatably mounted on a drive input shaft to the twine guides. Each of the wrapping twines passes around one of the pulleys and entrains it for rotation when the twine is being pulled for wrapping around the bale. A planetary gear is rotatably mounted to a support fixed to the shaft and is meshed with annular gears on the inner sides of the pulleys. The twine guides are preferably constituted by a pair of arms mounted on a pivotally mounted support.

Abstract: The dispensing end of a round baler's swingable twine dispenser projects outwardly through an aperture in the baler sidewall when the dispenser is in a standby position, and a twine severing blade is mounted to the sidewall proximal to the aperture. The twine is drawn across the severing blade and is thereby severed when the dispenser is returned to the standby position after twine has been dispensed along the length of a bale formed within the round baler's baling chamber.

Abstract: An automatic twine-wrapping mechanism for a large round baler. The mechanism comprises (1) a twine dispensing mechanism for dispensing twine into the bale-forming chamber of the baler, (2) a reversible hydraulic drive means for cycling a twine arm of the dispensing mechanism back and forth in front of the chamber, (3) a twine wrapping control mechanism (a) for initiating a twine wrapping cycle by sensing the growth of a bale to a predetermined diameter by automatically actuating a pump drive means for driving a hydraulic pump and by positioning a hydraulic control valve to condition the hydraulic drive means to cycle the twine arm and (b) for terminating a twine wrapping cycle by deactivating the hydraulic drive means following the wrapping of twine around the bale. The twine is automatically severed by a twine cutter responsive to the movement of the twine arm following completion of the wrapping of the twine around the bale.

Abstract: A method used to wrap roll bales of crop material with plastic film. The method involves holding the end of a supply roll of plastic film between stationary feed rolls as a bale is formed, and then delivering the end of the plastic film to the outer surface of a completed roll bale by driving the feed rolls. The method also involves wrapping the roll bale with a suitable number of layers of the plastic film by driving the feed rolls while rotating the roll bale, and then severing the plastic film at a location between the roll bale and the feed rolls by stopping the feed rolls and moving a cutoff bar into contact with the plastic film while continuing to rotate the roll bale.

Abstract: A baler is comprised of a plurality of rollers and two sets of belts supported on the roller and defining a bale-forming chamber for rolling crop material into a cylindrical bale. A guide is mounted on the exterior of the bale-forming chamber and generally parallel to its longitudinal axis. A control wheel is mounted on a support means for mounting the wheel on the guide for movement about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the chamber. By movement of the guide, the control wheel may be moved into and out of contact with one set of the belts. The support further carries a twine guide for guiding the entry of twine into the bale-forming chamber during movement of the support to and fro along the transverse guide. The movement of the wheel about the axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the chamber controls the direction of displacement of the support along the guide when the control wheel is engaged with the set of belts.

Abstract: A tying mechanism for a cylindrical baler is comprised of a twine guide movable across the baler chamber throat on a screw. The guide includes a pulley mounted on a screw such that the pulling of twine through the guide rotates the pulley and moves it across the chamber throat.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming roll bales of agricultural harvest material operating to helically tie the roll bales with twine is provided with a twine guide member moving along a front intake aperture of the baler and automatically controlled by a ratchet and pawl mechanism. The guide member is biased toward a lateral rest position by a spring. An actuating line is attached to the guide member to enable the guide member to be moved to an opposite lateral start position against the force of the spring. The actuating line is wound around a pulley of the ratchet and pawl mechanism. The ratchet and pawl mechanism includes a releasing disc which is driven by the twine itself during a tying operation and which carries a lifting cam which alternately disengages a pair of pawls of the ratchet and pawl mechanism.

Abstract: An improved method is provided for wrapping generally cylindrical bales of hay with twine to maintain the structural integrity thereof, in which a unique pattern of twine bindings is utilized to achieve greater strength and reliability. A related form of improved bale wrapping apparatus is also provided, in which the electrically driven twine guiding tube is electrically controlled in manner to automatically produce the pattern of bindings contemplated by the method, and which requires operator attention or control only for initiating the otherwise automatic operating cycle. The method and apparatus significantly utilize time reference techniques correlated with the known rate of rotation of the bale to produce the improved pattern of bindings and to control the production thereof automatically.

Abstract: A device for wrapping twine around a bale of fodder which is rolled in a baling chamber of an apparatus that moves along a windrow. The device has a twine arm which swings between a transversely extending rest position and a dispensing position extending rearwardly into the baling chamber, a twine clamp near the rest position of the free end of the twine arm, a twine cutting blade near the twine clamp, and a mechanism that operates automatically in response to swinging movement of the twine arm to release the twine clamp as the arm approaches dispensing position and to re-engage the clamp and sever the twine as the arm approaches rest position. The mechanism includes a tension spring that passes overcenter to rapidly release and engage the clamp.

Abstract: There is provided a crop material roll forming machine having a frame, means on the frame defining a roll forming region, a dispensing mechanism mounted on the frame and movable from a rest position across the roll forming region to dispense material for wrapping a bale in use formed in the machine, tensioning means associated with the dispensing mechanism and operable to tension the wrapping material as it is being applied to a crop roll, and means engageable with the tensioning means to render the latter inoperative at a predetermined point in the dispensing movement of the dispensing mechanism.

Abstract: In a round bale forming machine, a twine dispensing mechanism is provided having a twine dispensing arm pivotally mounted on the frame. A spring extends between the twine dispensing arm at one side of its pivotal mounting and a fixation point on the frame at the opposite side relative to the pivotal mounting of the twine dispensing arm. The spring urges the dispensing arm in a first direction away from the rest position, beyond an intermediate position closest to the roll forming region, and to a maximum stroke position. The arrangement is such that during pivotal movement of the dispensing arm from the intermediate position to the maximum stroke position the spring acts on the dispensing arm through a moment arm of increasing length. A rope control is provided to pull the dispensing arm in a second direction opposite to the first direction induced by the spring, and towards the rest position. A latch automatically latches the dispensing arm in the rest position.

Abstract: As the twine dispensing tube swingably approaches its home or standby position, the tube strikes one leg of an L-shaped, pivoting lever of the cutter to swing the opposite leg thereof up into edgewise engagement with the underside of the twine such that the latter is stretched between the raised leg and the end of the tube. A depending, swingable knife of the cutter which has been momentarily pushed by the tube out of its path of travel returns with its sharp edge engaging the twine stretch and depresses the latter out of a straight-line relationship between the tube and the raised leg of the lever such that, as the tension and stress in the moving twine stretch increase due to its deflected, serpentine condition around said knife edge and the lever and the opposite pulling forces exerted by the tube and the bale, the twine severs itself against the sharp edge of the knife.

Abstract: In a twine wrapping apparatus for a crop roll forming machine effective to bind the periphery of a crop roll with a binding material having at least a first binding material dispenser and a second binding material dispenser, drive apparatus connected to the binding material dispensers and overload protective apparatus positionable between a driving connection and a non-driving connection between the drive apparatus and the binding material dispensers, there is provided an alignment apparatus cooperable with the drive apparatus and the overload protective apparatus to retain the drive apparatus so that it is held in a fixed position while the overload protective apparatus is moved from the non-driving connection to the driving connection to thereby permit the binding material dispensers to be driven through their predetermined paths of travel.

Abstract: During the twine wrapping cycle after complete formation of the bale, the bale continues to sping in the baling chamber, and twine from a pair of separate dispensing tubes is wrapped around the bale in helical fashion as the tubes swing back and forth along the length of the bale. The tubes swing in mutually opposite directions during the cycle and start and finish in a crossed position, thereby each moving from one end of the bale to the opposite end thereof and then back again to complete the cycle. As the tubes cross each other near the midlength of the bale during their return strokes, the twine strands become interlaced so as to more effectively bind the bale and promote structural integrity thereof. Separate cutoffs for each tube sever the twine strands as the tubes approach their home positions.

Abstract: In pressing cardboard waste material and the like into a bale, the waste material is fed into a housing containing a pair of conveyor belts with a portion of each conveyor belt spaced from the other and forming therebetween a press chamber. The portion of the conveyor belts forming the press chamber are each driven in a different direction and the waste material is fed into the press chamber by one of the conveyor belts. As the waste material is rolled into a bale by the oppositely moving portions of the conveyor belts, the portion of the conveyor belts move outwardly away from one another increasing the volume of the press chamber and accommodating the increasing size of the bale. When the bale is completed, it is wound with a cord-like member and then one of the conveyor belts is pivoted away from the completed bale so that the bale can be displaced from the housing.

Abstract: A rotary baler is provided, front mounted on a self-propelled power unit, to ground roll cylindrical bales of fibrous material. A pick-up assembly at the rear of the baler lifts the fibrous material from the ground to engage a generally vertical rear belt assembly which moves the material upwardly. Rotating discs at the upper end of the rear belt assembly deflect the material forward to engage a forwardly extending upper belt assembly which biases the material forwardly. The upper belt assembly is pivotally mounted at its rear end so that it can rotate with the expansion of the forming bale. Flexible lengths of cable hang down forward of the upper belt assembly; these cables act to shape and contain the forward portion of the forming bale. A spring-biased arcuate arm assembly, positioned intermediate the upper belt assembly and the cables, guides and compresses the forming bale once it has reached a pre-determined size.

Abstract: A method of binding round bales by a rope guiding arm in a bale press which has a chamber and presses the bales while rotating them, the method comprises the steps of advancing the rope guiding arm from a rest position into a starting position before termination of the pressing step, inserting an initial portion of the rope into the pressure chamber of the press during the advancing step for engagement by and anchoring in the bale, thereafter returning the rope guiding arm back to the rest position thereof over a period of time which is longer than the time required for performing the advancing step so that the rope is withdrawn from the arm by the rotating bale and becomes convoluted about the same, and severing the rope when or shortly before the rope guiding arm reaches the rest position.

Abstract: An automatic bale wrapping assembly for a machine that forms round bales of windrowed crop material and includes a mobile main frame with a bale forming assembly operative to continue rotating a completed bale while a wrapping twine is wound thereon, and a pickup mechanism for supplying such material to the bale forming assembly. The bale wrapping assembly has an extendible and retractable elongated twine dispensing arm having a pair of sections longitudinally movable relative to each other from one of which extends a free end section of the wrapping twine. The dispensing arm is pivotally supported on the main frame for movement between an initial bale wrapping position and a final twine cutting position.

Abstract: In a crop roll forming machine of the type having a bale forming region defined by bale forming means movably mounted on a mobile frame and wrapping means to bind a formed roll of crop material with a binding material there is provided a plurality of independently operable severing means that, in synchronization, will be activated by triggering means to concurrently sever the binding material. The severing means are comprised of a plurality of cutting blades and striker plates which cooperatively interface at the conclusion of a bale wrapping cycle to sever the binding material.

Abstract: In a crop roll forming machine having cooperating upper and lower bale forming means there is provided an improved automatic twine wrapping mechanism for binding a completed crop roll with binding material. The automatic twine wrapping mechanism is triggered by one of either two trip devices to automatically effect the serial steps of the twine wrapping cycle.