Abstract: An agricultural baler includes a needle disposed within a baling chamber. The needle transfers a strap to a gripping device. A needle gripper is disposed on a distal end of the needle and configured to selectively secure the strap to the needle. The needle gripper includes a thumb gripper rotatably mounted to a wall of the needle gripper. The thumb gripper rotates between a first position configured to secure the strap against a surface of the needle and a second position configured to release the strap from the needle. The needle gripper includes a release arm coupled to the thumb gripper and configured to rotate the thumb gripper from the first position to the second position in response to rotation of the release arm about a release arm axis from a neutral position to a first release position.

Abstract: A large round baler is provided with a twine wrapping arrangement including a twine dispensing arm, a twine separating or severing device located between the dispensing arm and a baling chamber and a twine brake located between the separating device and the baling chamber. The twine brake is constructed of spring elements that are yieldably biased together, preferably in the form of a coil tension spring having a guide finger for guiding twine into a nip formed between the finger and a first coil of the spring, this nip receiving a length of twine extending between the dispensing arm and a bale being wrapped with the twine, with the twine becoming wedged between adjacent coils of the spring. As an alternative construction, a stack of Belleville springs are held together by bolt and nut assembly, with the nip being defined between adjacent springs.