Abstract: A baler for forming large cylindrical bales of crop material is equipped with a wrapping mechanism at the rear side of the baling chamber for introducing wrapping material into the baling chamber for wrapping the cylindrical bales. A storage bin for storing extra rolls of wrapping material extends vertically above the wrapping mechanism and contains a plurality of extra rolls of wrapping material. The storage bin is mounted for pivoting about a connection at a lower end region of the bin so that the bin may be lowered to a loading position in which roll compartments of the bin are at a height commensurate with that of the waist of an average adult person standing on the ground so that supply rolls may be easily moved from these compartments to an operating position within the wrapping mechanism and new rolls may be used to replenish the rolls used from these compartments without an operator having to lift the rolls above his or her waist.

Abstract: A drive roller for flat belts is provided in various embodiments wherein the roller has improved characteristics for maintaining traction of belts, such as lagging applied to the roller.

Abstract: A drive roller for flat belts is provided in various embodiments wherein the roller has improved characteristics for maintaining traction of belts, such as lagging applied to the roller.

Abstract: A baler for forming large cylindrical bales of crop material is equipped with a wrapping mechanism at the rear side of the baling chamber for introducing wrapping material into the baling chamber for wrapping the cylindrical bales. A storage bin for storing extra rolls of wrapping material extends vertically above the wrapping mechanism and contains a plurality of extra rolls of wrapping material. The storage bin is mounted for pivoting about a connection at a lower end region of the bin so that the bin may be lowered to a loading position in which roll compartments of the bin are at a height commensurate with that of the waist of an average adult person standing on the ground so that supply rolls may be easily moved from these compartments to an operating position within the wrapping mechanism and new rolls may be used to replenish the rolls used from these compartments without an operator having to lift the rolls above his or her waist.

Abstract: A wrapping material for wrapping an item about its circumference having a plurality of wrapping portions forming a continuous roll. Each wrapping portion has a length that is greater than the circumference of an item to be wrapped with a width that is transverse to its length. Each of the wrapping portions include at least one fastener secured in an area there such that the continuous roll includes a plurality of serially disposed fasteners that are spaced from one another along the continuous roll. Each fastener includes a plurality of engaging elements for engaging a plurality of fiber elements of an underlying or overlying segment of a respective wrapping portion during a wrapping cycle. With this arrangement, the tail end of a respective wrapping portion will be secured by the plurality of engaging elements to the underlying or overlying segment at the end of a wrapping cycle.

Abstract: A large round baler is equipped with a combined belt-tensioning and bale ejecting arrangement including front and rear tensioning arm assemblies mounted at an upper front location adjacent a baling chamber. Extensible and retractable belt-tensioning actuators are coupled between the arm assemblies and serve to yieldably restrain movement of the arms, which support and or guide runs of bale-forming belts, in response to the growth of a bale being formed in the baling chamber. One end of each of the tensioning actuators is coupled to the rear arm assembly in such a way that the actuator may be cycled to move over center relative to the pivot axis of the rear arm assembly once the bale is completely formed so that the actuators may be used to aid in ejecting the bale once the discharge gate is opened.

Abstract: A wrapping material for wrapping an item about its circumference having a plurality of wrapping portions forming a continuous roll. Each wrapping portion has a length that is greater than the circumference of an item to be wrapped with a width that is transverse to its length. Each of the wrapping portions include at least one fastener secured in an area there such that the continuous roll includes a plurality of serially disposed fasteners that are spaced from one another along the continuous roll. Each fastener includes a plurality of engaging elements for engaging a plurality of fiber elements of an underlying or overlying segment of a respective wrapping portion during a wrapping cycle. With this arrangement, the tail end of a respective wrapping portion will be secured by the plurality of engaging elements to the underlying or overlying segment at the end of a wrapping cycle.

Abstract: A roller assembly for use with an agricultural baler is configured to be mounted to a housing of the baler in a manner that avoids transmitting an undue axial load to a bearing of the roller assembly. An assogated method is disclosed.

Abstract: A large round baler is equipped with an ejection ramp which operates such that it moves from a raised home position to a lowered ejection position, only after the discharge gate has moved to a raised discharge position, and moves back to a home position prior to the gate moving back to its lowered baling position. A hydraulic system for actuating a pair of gate cylinders and a single ramp cylinder incorporates a pair of relief valves located between a selective control valve and first chambers of gate and ramp cylinders so as to cause the correct sequence and timing of the movements of the discharge gate and the ejection ramp.

Abstract: Spring teeth for a harvesting machine are each constructed of spring wire having a square cross section and being wound so as to define a coil torsion spring section terminating in a tine, with the tine having a leading flat surface, considered relative to the engagement of tine with the crop during pick-up operation, and having a trailing flat surface disposed parallel to said leading flat surface. The coil torsion spring is mounted to a tooth bar formed as a channel member such that the outer surface of the coils make a relatively large area contact with the tooth bar at location spaced approximately 180° from where the tine joins the coil torsion spring. This together with the fact that the contact area of the flat sides of the wire in the coil region is also quite large leads to a damping action that lessens stress in the tooth assembly.

Abstract: A roller assembly for use with an agricultural baler is configured to be mounted to a housing of the baler in a manner that avoids transmitting an undue axial load to a bearing of the roller assembly. An associated method is disclosed.

Abstract: A controlled bale ejection mechanism for an agricultural baler is provided. The mechanism includes a bale support which is positioned below the bale when it is ejected, that catches and supports the bale. The bale support is then translated rearward by a hydraulic cylinder and guided by support rails. As the bale support and bale approach the desired location, the bale support is lowered by tilting the rail assembly downward. An articulating shoe is used to support and lower the rails. The bale support tilts as it is lowered, thereby creating a dumping action. If additional tilting is required due to geometry limitations, additional bale support tilt can be created by a weight shift of the bale support, changing the trajectory of the rail or torque induced by the bale support cylinder. The bale is set down on the ground and the ramp assembly resets to prevent the bale from rolling forward and preparing for the next cycle.

Abstract: A large round baler includes a combined tensioning and ejecting arrangement comprising a tensioning arm assembly mounted to an upper front region of the baler sidewalls. The tensioning arm assembly operates such that, after formation of a bale in the baling chamber and the discharge gate has been swung to its raised discharge position, the tensioning arm assembly pivots into a region occupied by the completed bale so as to positively eject the bale. The combined tensioning and ejecting arrangement includes front and rear arm assemblies which define a compact assembly and share a pair of double-acting tensioning actuators and a single-acting ejection actuator. The tensioning arm assembly may be used with a baler having a light weight bale discharge gate or with a baler having a discharge gate formed in part by rear sections of sidewalls forming opposite sides of the baling chamber. In an alternate embodiment, the ejection actuator is replaced with a coil extension spring.

Abstract: In known large round balers, a rotating side wall is provided that can be pivoted away from a baling chamber either in a straight line or about a pivot axis, so that the pressure on the end faces of the cylindrical bale is reduced during the unloading process. A large round baler is proposed in which a support structure provided with rolls for supporting one or more flexible bale-forming elements, which can be pivoted about a pivot axle that penetrates the side walls of the baling chamber. At least one side wall is provided with a ramp having an inclined surface which is ramped outwardly from the side wall from top to bottom. The support structure is provided with an abutment member that can slide on the surface of the ramp so as to move from bottom to top when the support structure is raised to effect a discharge of a formed bale.

Abstract: A shaft is disposed along an axis of rotation and a bearing failure indicator, in the form of a disk having protrusions or teeth spaced about its periphery, is provided on the shaft adjacent a bearing supporting a tubular roll for rotation relative to the shaft. When the bearing has undergone a predetermined amount of wear, which happens prior to bearing failure, the teeth or protrusions of the disk come into engagement with a contact surface due to non-concentric rotation of the roll relative to the shaft. In one embodiment, the disk is thick and the teeth make an audible knocking sound which warns an operator of an impending bearing failure. In another embodiment, the disk is relatively thin and a squealing sound is generated when the protrusions engage the contact surface. In addition to the bearing failure indicator, a slip coupling may be used to prevent the transmission of torque to the drive shaft when interference between the disk and the contact surface occurs.

Abstract: A bale unloading arrangement of a large round baler includes a bale take-up device mounted to a carrier which is in turn mounted to the axle of the baler for vertical pivoting movement beneath the baling chamber of the baler. A spring is mounted between the carrier and the axle for keeping the carrier in an elevated position until a completed bale is discharged onto the carrier. The carrier is shaped such that the bale take-up device, which is mounted for movement along the carrier, moves down the carrier to the rear and into a position for gently depositing the bale on the ground. The bale take-up device includes an upper bale-receiving structure that may be selectively pivoted about a fore-and-aft axis so as to deposit a bale on its end, and the carrier is mounted for being shifted sideways so that a bale deposited in this manner may be deposited outside the path traveled by the baler.

Abstract: A large round baler is provided with a crop take-up arrangement as well as a knife shaft ahead of the inlet of a baling chamber which carries knives that cooperate with blades of a first rotor to cut crop material into pieces before the first rotor delivers the crop directly into the baling chamber. A second rotor is provided between the take-up rotor and the first rotor shaft for narrowing the crop flow from that of the crop take-up arrangement to that of the first rotor. All of the rotors perform an overshot conveying that requires a relatively low drive energy and guarantees a continuous flow of the crop into the chamber.

Abstract: A crop pick-up arrangement and height gauge arrangement is proposed in which, on the one hand, a skid shoe and on the other hand, a wheel are attached to a pivot arm assembly and can be pivoted about a horizontal transverse axis located between the skid shoe and the wheel. The skid shoe extends under the crop pick-up arrangement and therefore does not increase its width. Crop pick-up arrangements and height gauge arrangements may be used on various kinds of agricultural machines for lifting crop into the machines for further processing or transport.

Abstract: A bale unloading arrangement of a large round baler includes a bale take-up device mounted to a carrier which is in turn mounted to the axle of the baler for vertical pivoting movement beneath the baling chamber of the baler. A spring is mounted between the carrier and the axle for keeping the carrier in an elevated position until a completed bale is discharged onto the carrier. The carrier is shaped such that the bale take-up device, which is mounted for movement along the carrier, moves down the carrier to the rear and into a position for gently depositing the bale on the ground. The bale take-up device includes an upper bale-receiving structure that may be selectively pivoted about a fore-and-aft axis so as to deposit a bale on its end, and the carrier is mounted for being shifted sideways so that a bale deposited in this manner may be deposited outside the path traveled by the baler.

Abstract: A large round baler is provided with a crop take-up arrangement as well as a knife shaft ahead of the inlet of a baling chamber which carries knives that cooperate with blades of a first rotor to cut crop material into pieces before the first rotor delivers the crop directly into the baling chamber. A second rotor is provided between the take-up rotor and the first rotor shaft for narrowing the crop flow from that of the crop take-up arrangement to that of the first rotor. All of the rotors perform an overshot conveying that requires a relatively low drive energy and guarantees a continuous flow of the crop into the chamber.