Abstract: An agricultural baler includes a bale chamber having a discharge outlet and a bale splitting system. The bale splitting system includes a cutting mechanism arranged downstream of the discharge outlet and configured to split the bale into two smaller bales. The cutting mechanism is angled forwardly or rearwardly relative to a top wall or a bottom wall of the bale chamber. A bale splitting system that includes two cutting mechanisms angled in opposite directions relative to the bottom wall or the top wall of the bale chamber is also provided.

Abstract: An agricultural baler includes a bale chamber and a bale ejection system that includes a chute with a first half portion extending along a first bale axis and a second half portion extending along a second bale axis that is parallel and spaced apart from the first bale axis. The chute receives a first bale and a second bale in the first half portion and the second half portion, respectively. The bale ejection system includes a first ejection ramp aligned with the first half portion of the chute that discharges the first bale along the first bale axis and a second ejection ramp extending from the second half portion of the chute that guides the second bale from the second bale axis to the first bale axis such that the first bale and the second bale are discharged in a single line onto the ground surface of the field.

Abstract: An agricultural baler includes a bale chamber having a discharge outlet and a bale density splitting system. The bale density splitting system includes a splitting mechanism arranged downstream of the discharge outlet, two pivoting doors arranged downstream of the splitting mechanism, and a wedge. The splitting mechanism splits a bale discharged from the bale chamber in half and outputs two smaller bales. The wedge moves the two pivoting doors away from each other to increase the density of the two smaller bales.

Abstract: An agricultural baler includes a bale chamber having a discharge outlet and a bale ejection system configured to discharge bales from the bale chamber on the ground surface of the field. The bale ejection system includes a chute with a first half portion and a second half portion that receives a first bale and a second bale discharged simultaneously from the discharge outlet in the first half portion and the second half portion, respectively, and an ejection actuator that pushes the second bale from the second half portion of the chute to the first half portion of the chute.

Abstract: An agricultural baler comprising: a frame; wheels; a gearbox; baler drive components configured to process crop material into bales; and a declutch mechanism. The declutch mechanism includes: an input shaft and an output shaft that both extend along a drive axis that is perpendicular to the baler's travel direction, with the input shaft connected to the gearbox and the output shaft connected to the drive components; a drive coupling positioned along the drive axis between the opposite ends of the input shaft and output shaft end, and an activation coupling assembly. The drive coupling is reconfigurable, by the activation coupling assembly, between an engaged position in which the drive coupling connects the output shaft to rotate with the input shaft about the drive axis, and a disengaged position in which the drive coupling does not connect the output shaft to rotate with the input shaft about the drive axis.

Abstract: A bale retriever includes: a chassis; a steering assembly carried by the chassis and configured to steer the bale retriever; a bale pick up carried by the chassis; and a controller operatively coupled to the steering assembly. The controller is configured to: receive a field signal corresponding to a field map; receive a baler travel signal corresponding to at least one of a baler planned path or a baler travel path of at least one baler; define an expected location of at least one bale on the field map based at least partially on the baler travel signal; generate a steering control signal based at least partially on the expected location of the at least one bale; and output the steering control signal to the steering assembly.

Abstract: An irrigation system includes: a pair of legs; an irrigation frame extending between the pair of legs and including at least one fluid conduit; a plurality of fluid dispensers configured to dispense fluid to a field, each of the fluid dispensers being fluidly coupled to the at least one fluid conduit; a trolley track coupled to the irrigation frame; and at least one trolley movably coupled to the trolley track and including a functional head configured to process plants on the field.

Abstract: An agricultural vehicle includes: a chassis; a crop material handler carried by the chassis and configured to handle crop material; a communication interface carried by the chassis; and a controller operatively coupled to the communication interface and configured to: define a field map corresponding to a field; receive a bale drop zone input signal; define a bale drop zone within the field map based on the received bale drop zone input signal, the bale drop zone defining a location and a bale drop area within the field map; determine if the bale drop zone is sufficiently sized for a number of bales formed from crop material on the field to be placed in the bale drop zone; and output a drop zone insufficient signal if the bale drop zone is not sufficiently sized for the number of bales to be placed in the bale drop zone.

Abstract: An agricultural bale detection system includes: a sensor apparatus being land-based and including a base and at least one sensor coupled with the base, the base being configured for being temporarily placed in a stationary position when the at least one sensor is operating, the at least one sensor being configured for: detecting an operative parameter of at least one object in a field, the operative parameter being associated with a location of the object in the field; outputting an operative parameter signal corresponding to the operative parameter; and a controller operatively coupled with the at least one sensor and configured for: receiving the operative parameter signal; and determining a position of the object based at least in part on the operative parameter signal.

Abstract: A bale retriever includes: a chassis; a steering assembly carried by the chassis and configured to steer the bale retriever; a bale pick up carried by the chassis; and a controller operatively coupled to the steering assembly. The controller is configured to: receive a field signal corresponding to a field map; receive a baler travel signal corresponding to at least one of a baler planned path or a baler travel path of at least one baler; define an expected location of at least one bale on the field map based at least partially on the baler travel signal; generate a steering control signal based at least partially on the expected location of the at least one bale; and output the steering control signal to the steering assembly.

Abstract: An agricultural vehicle includes: a chassis; a crop material handler carried by the chassis and configured to handle crop material; a communication interface carried by the chassis; and a controller operatively coupled to the communication interface and configured to: define a field map corresponding to a field; receive a bale drop zone input signal; define a bale drop zone within the field map based on the received bale drop zone input signal, the bale drop zone defining a location and a bale drop area within the field map; determine if the bale drop zone is sufficiently sized for a number of bales formed from crop material on the field to be placed in the bale drop zone; and output a drop zone insufficient signal if the bale drop zone is not sufficiently sized for the number of bales to be placed in the bale drop zone.

Abstract: A bale retriever for retrieving bales which includes a bale pick up configured to contact and pick up a bale, a steering assembly configured to steer the bale retriever, at least one sensor configured to sense at least one bale feature of the bale, and a controller operatively coupled to the steering assembly and the at least one sensor. The controller is configured to receive bale drop location information, receive at least one bale feature signal from the at least one sensor, identify an exact bale location of the bale based at least partially on the bale drop location information and the at least one bale feature signal from the at least one sensor, generate a steering control signal based at least partially on the exact bale location, and output the steering control signal to the steering assembly.