Abstract: An agricultural baler including a bale chamber; a feeder duct communicating with the bale chamber; and a feeder operable within the feeder duct to accumulate a charge of crop material therein and then stuff that accumulated charge into the bale chamber. The baler further includes a conveying channel and a conveyor operable in the conveying channel to convey the crop material along a bottom wall of the conveying channel toward the feeder duct. The bottom wall of the conveying channel is adapted to be moved away from the conveyor; and the lower end part of the bottom wall of the feeder duct is attached to the movable bottom wall of the conveying channel.

Abstract: A rotor feeder unit for an agricultural baler. The rotor feeder unit includes a rotor feeder carrying a set of tines, a rotor feeder unit bottom distant from the rotor feeder forming a lower boundary of a conveying channel through the rotor feeder unit, and scrapers placed in conveying direction behind the rotor feeder. The rotor feeder is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The scrapers extend in between the tines and have a leading face cooperating with the tines. The rotor feeder unit also includes a scraper position adjusting arrangement adapted for displacement of the leading face of the scrapers relative to the rotor feeder unit bottom. The scraper position adjusting arrangement is further adapted for rotating the scrapers about the axis of rotation of the rotor feeder for angularly displacing the leading face of the scrapers relative to the rotor feeder unit bottom.

Abstract: An agricultural baler including a bale chamber; a feeder duct communicating with the bale chamber for charges of crop material to be transferred from the feeder duct into the bale chamber; a plunger reciprocally moveable within the bale chamber to compress successive charges of crop material received from the feeder duct to form a bale; and a feeder operable within the feeder duct to accumulate a charge of crop material therein and then stuff that accumulated charge into the bale chamber. The feeder includes at least one first tine and at least one second tine, each having a leading face for engaging the crop material. A width of a frontal area of the leading face of the second tine is smaller than a width of a frontal area of the leading face of the first tine.

Abstract: An agricultural baler comprising a baling chamber and a pre-compression chamber, wherein the pre-compression chamber is adapted to gather crop material and to periodically form a slice of said crop material and introduce it in a first segment of the baling chamber, the baling chamber comprising a plunger and a movable top wall, wherein the first segment is provided with at least one sensor for outputting a first signal relating to a height of the slice in the first segment, a second signal relating to a speed of introduction of the slice in the first segment, and a third signal relating to a position of the movable top wall, wherein the baler further comprises a processor adapted to receive the signals and to adjust baler operation parameters of the agricultural baler based on the received signals.

Abstract: An agricultural baler includes a pre-compression chamber having an outlet, and a main bale chamber adapted to receive crop from the pre-compression chamber. A plunger is reciprocally disposed within the main bale chamber, and includes a plurality of plunger slots which are structured and arranged to allow a plurality of needles to intermittently pass therethrough. The baler is characterized by a plunger cleaner which is structured and arranged to provide the dual functionality of: 1) cleaning the plunger slots, and 2) opening and closing the outlet of the pre-compression chamber.

Abstract: An agricultural baler includes a pre-compression chamber having an outlet, and a main bale chamber adapted to receive crop from the pre-compression chamber. A plunger is reciprocally disposed within the main bale chamber, and includes a plurality of plunger slots which are structured and arranged to allow a plurality of needles to intermittently pass therethrough. The baler is characterized by a plunger cleaner which is structured and arranged to provide the dual functionality of: 1) cleaning the plunger slots , and 2) opening and closing the outlet of the pre-compression chamber.

Abstract: A method for preventing or removing a plugging of a feeder duct of a baler. The baler includes a bale chamber including bottom wall in which an inlet opening is formed therein, and a feeder duct including a top wall and a bottom wall extending between a lower end and a upper end of the feeder duct, the top wall providing an upper boundary of the feeder duct and the bottom wall providing a lower boundary of the feeder duct. The method includes steps of increasing a distance between the top wall and the bottom wall of the feeder duct in at least a part of the feeder duct, while leaving an upper boundary provided by the top wall of the feeder duct and a lower boundary provided by the bottom wall of the feeder duct intact, and operating a feeder in the feeder duct.

Abstract: A rectangular baler including a baling chamber, an intake duct, a pick-up mechanism for picking up crop material and introducing it into the intake duct, and a stuffer mechanism to selectively execute a packer stroke to advance crop material partially along the intake duct and a stuffer stroke to transfer the crop material accumulated in the intake duct into the baling chamber. The stuffer mechanism includes a tine bar extending between two stuffer assemblies at each side of the baler. Each stuffer assembly includes a first stuffer arm connected at a first pivot point to a first crank arm of a first drive mechanism, a second stuffer arm connected at a second pivot point to a second crank arm of a second drive mechanism, and a coupling plate pivotally mounted around a stationary pivot point. The coupling plate couples the first stuffer arm with the second stuffer arm.

Abstract: A rotor feeder unit for an agricultural machine, such as an agricultural baler. The rotor feeder unit includes a rotor feeder, and a drive for driving the rotor feeder. The drive of the rotor feeder unit include an input that is configured to be coupled to a power source, an output coupled to the rotor feeder for rotating the rotor feeder about its axis of rotation, and a variable ratio transmission coupling the input and the output. The variable ratio transmission includes a variable-diameter input pulley, a variable-diameter output pulley, and a belt arranged between the input pulley and the output pulley.

Abstract: A method for removing a plug of crop material stuck in a feeder duct of a baler including a bale chamber; a feeder duct communicating with a bale chamber feeder operable within the feeder duct to accumulate a charge of crop material therein and then stuff that accumulated charge into the bale chamber; and crop holding fingers provided at an upper end of the feeder duct to hold back the crop material while the charge of crop material is being accumulated. The method includes steps of in case of a plug of crop material being stuck in the feeder duct with the crop holding fingers in their crop holding position, moving the crop holding fingers in their withdrawn position and causing the feeder to operate in the feeder duct with the crop holding fingers in their withdrawn position.

Abstract: A baler including a feeder duct and a feeder operable within the feeder duct. The feeder includes a tine bar holding member having rotatably mounted thereon at least one tine bar having mounted thereon a set of tines. The tine bar is rotatable about its own axis relative to the tine bar holding member and is rotatable together with the tine bar holding member about an offset axis. The feeder further includes a sun gear co-axial with and rotatable about the offset axis relative to the tine bar holding member; a mechanical coupling the tine bar to the sun gear; and an adjustment system configured for active adjustment of the angular position of the sun gear about the offset axis as the tine bar is rotated about the offset axis.

Abstract: A rotor feeder unit for an agricultural baler. The rotor feeder unit includes a rotor feeder carrying a set of tines, a rotor feeder unit bottom distant from the rotor feeder forming a lower boundary of a conveying channel through the rotor feeder unit, and scrapers placed in conveying direction behind the rotor feeder. The rotor feeder is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The scrapers extend in between the tines and have a leading face cooperating with the tines. The rotor feeder unit also includes a scraper position adjusting arrangement adapted for displacement of the leading face of the scrapers relative to the rotor feeder unit bottom. The scraper position adjusting arrangement is further adapted for rotating the scrapers about the axis of rotation of the rotor feeder for angularly displacing the leading face of the scrapers relative to the rotor feeder unit bottom.

Abstract: A baler including a feeder duct and a feeder operable within the feeder duct. The feeder includes a tine bar holding member having rotatably mounted thereon at least one tine bar having mounted thereon a set of tines. The tine bar is rotatable about its own axis relative to the tine bar holding member and is rotatable together with the tine bar holding member about an offset axis. The feeder further includes a sun gear co-axial with and rotatable about the offset axis relative to the tine bar holding member; a mechanical coupling coupling the tine bar to the sun gear; and an adjustment system configured for active adjustment of the angular position of the sun gear about the offset axis as the tine bar is rotated about the offset axis.

Abstract: A rotor feeder unit for an agricultural machine, such as an agricultural baler. The rotor feeder unit includes a rotor feeder, and a drive for driving the rotor feeder. The drive of the rotor feeder unit include an input that is configured to be coupled to a power source, an output coupled to the rotor feeder for rotating the rotor feeder about its axis of rotation, and a variable ratio transmission coupling the input and the output. The variable ratio transmission includes a variable-diameter input pulley, a variable-diameter output pulley, and a belt arranged between the input pulley and the output pulley.

Abstract: A method for preventing or removing a plugging of a feeder duct of a baler. The baler includes a bale chamber including bottom wall in which an inlet opening is formed therein, and a feeder duct including a top wall and a bottom wall extending between a lower end and a upper end of the feeder duct, the top wall providing an upper boundary of the feeder duct and the bottom wall providing a lower boundary of the feeder duct. The method includes steps of increasing a distance between the top wall and the bottom wall of the feeder duct in at least a part of the feeder duct, while leaving an upper boundary provided by the top wall of the feeder duct and a lower boundary provided by the bottom wall of the feeder duct intact, and operating a feeder in the feeder duct.

Abstract: A method for removing a plug of crop material stuck in a feeder duct of a baler including a bale chamber; a feeder duct communicating with a bale chamber feeder operable within the feeder duct to accumulate a charge of crop material therein and then stuff that accumulated charge into the bale chamber; and crop holding fingers provided at an upper end of the feeder duct to hold back the crop material while the charge of crop material is being accumulated. The method includes steps of in case of a plug of crop material being stuck in the feeder duct with the crop holding fingers in their crop holding position, moving the crop holding fingers in their withdrawn position and causing the feeder to operate in the feeder duct with the crop holding fingers in their withdrawn position.

Abstract: An agricultural baler including a bale chamber; a feeder duct communicating with the bale chamber for charges of crop material to be transferred from the feeder duct into the bale chamber; a plunger reciprocally moveable within the bale chamber to compress successive charges of crop material received from the feeder duct to form a bale; and a feeder operable within the feeder duct to accumulate a charge of crop material therein and then stuff that accumulated charge into the bale chamber. The feeder includes at least one first tine and at least one second tine, each having a leading face for engaging the crop material. A width of a frontal area of the leading face of the second tine is smaller than a width of a frontal area of the leading face of the first tine.

Abstract: A rectangular baler comprising a bale chamber delimited by a plurality of walls including a movable wall section, an actuator for exerting a pressure on the movable wall section, a plunger for compressing crop material in the bale chamber, and a density control system including: a position calculating module configured to calculate a new position for the movable wall section based on an input representative for bale density of compressed crop material in the bale chamber, and a position control module configured to control the actuator to position the movable wall section in the calculated position.