Abstract: A lateral offset mower implement may include a mower support frame, a pivot head, a curtain support apparatus, and a curtain. The mower support frame has a first end attached to a work vehicle and a second end spaced from the first end along a central longitudinal axis of the mower support frame. The pivot head is coupled to the mower support frame proximate the second end thereof. The pivot head defines a first curtain axis, and the first curtain axis is vertical during operation. The curtain support apparatus has a primary curtain support member attached to the pivot head and extending away from the pivot head to a distal end. The curtain is supported by the curtain support apparatus. The primary curtain support member is pivotably attached to the pivot head for relative rotation between the primary curtain support member and the pivot head about the first curtain axis.

Abstract: Provided is a hitching assembly for coupling to a hitch assembly on a vehicle. The hitching assembly includes a single point assembly including a first attachment area for attaching to the hitch assembly and a support passage extending through the single point assembly, a two-point assembly extending through the support passage, the two-point assembly having second and third attachment areas for attaching to the hitch assembly, and one or more manually-operated latch mechanisms configured to couple the two-point assembly to the single point assembly. The two-point assembly is movable from a raised position where the two-point assembly is coupled to the single point assembly, to a lowered position where the two-point assembly is decoupled from the single point assembly to move relative to the single point assembly.

Abstract: Crop conveyor systems having an enhanced resistance to crop material build-up and suitable for usage in agricultural machines, such as round balers, include a conveyor belt run extending along a primary direction of belt travel, as well as a runner assembly adjacent the conveyor belt run. The runner assembly includes, in turn, elongated runners extending substantially parallel to the primary direction of belt travel and spaced along a lateral axis perpendicular to the primary direction of belt travel. Belt guide surfaces are provided on the elongated runners and face the conveyor belt run. The belt guide surfaces have convex surface regions in a first section plane parallel to the lateral axis and perpendicular to the primary direction of belt travel. The convex surface regions increase conformity between the belt guide surfaces and the conveyor belt run to reduce crop build-up on the elongated runners during usage of the build-up resistant crop conveyor system.

Abstract: A method of controlling a wrap system of a round baler includes determining a current characteristic of a supply roll of wrap material related to a current weight of the supply roll, and controlling rotation of a pair of spool rollers based on the current characteristic of the supply roll. As the current characteristic indicates a decrease in weight, the rotation of the pair of spool rollers is controlled to achieve a desired acceleration rate of the spool rollers, such that a leading edge of the wrap material is ejected from a nip formed between the pair of spool rollers at an ejection trajectory that is within an allowable angular range relative to a tangent of the nip, so that the leading edge of the wrap material passes through an access and into a baling chamber of the round baler.

Abstract: Wrap material supply systems for delivering wrap material from a wrap material roll for application around crop bales include a baler housing containing a baling chamber, a drive roll rotatably mounted to the baler housing, and a pivoting frame coupled to the baler housing at a first pivot point. A feed roll is rotatably mounted to the pivoting frame and positioned to engage the wrap material roll. The wrap material supply system further includes a drive belt, which, when tensioned, transmits rotation from the drive roll to the feed roll. An actuator is controllable to rotate the pivoting frame about the first pivot point to move the feed roll relative to the drive roll, tension the drive belt, and initiate feeding of the wrap material from the wrap material roll into the baling chamber.

Abstract: A system for wrapping a material in a baler includes a feed element for feeding the material through a feed path. A drive element intermittently drives the feed element. A linking element couples the drive element with the feed element. A tensioning lever operates to vary tension on the linking element to intermittently drive or not drive the feed element. A knife mechanism operates to intersect the feed path to cut the material. An actuator moves the tensioning lever and the knife mechanism. A spring limits motion of the actuator based on a threshold magnitude of the tensioning lever so that the linking element is not over tensioned.

Abstract: Crop conveyor systems having an enhanced resistance to crop material build-up and suitable for usage in agricultural machines, such as round balers, include a conveyor belt run extending along a primary direction of belt travel, as well as a runner assembly adjacent the conveyor belt run. The runner assembly includes, in turn, elongated runners extending substantially parallel to the primary direction of belt travel and spaced along a lateral axis perpendicular to the primary direction of belt travel. Belt guide surfaces are provided on the elongated runners and face the conveyor belt run. The belt guide surfaces have convex surface regions in a first section plane parallel to the lateral axis and perpendicular to the primary direction of belt travel. The convex surface regions increase conformity between the belt guide surfaces and the conveyor belt run to reduce crop build-up on the elongated runners during usage of the build-up resistant crop conveyor system.

Abstract: A system for wrapping a material around a bale in a baler includes a feed system to direct the material through a feed path. A knife mechanism with a fixed knife and a counter-knife alternately cuts the material, and moves out of the feed path for feed of the material. The feed system includes a roll element configured to direct the material between the fixed knife and the counter-knife when the counter-knife is moved out of the feed path. A cylindrical brush rotates freely and is disposed between the roll element and the knife mechanism, the brush having a cylindrical shape. The brush is configured to remove debris when rotated.

Abstract: Wrap material supply systems for delivering wrap material from a wrap material roll for application around crop bales include a baler housing containing a baling chamber, a drive roll rotatably mounted to the baler housing, and a pivoting frame coupled to the baler housing at a first pivot point. A feed roll is rotatably mounted to the pivoting frame and positioned to engage the wrap material roll. The wrap material supply system further includes a drive belt, which, when tensioned, transmits rotation from the drive roll to the feed roll. An actuator is controllable to rotate the pivoting frame about the first pivot point to move the feed roll relative to the drive roll, tension the drive belt, and initiate feeding of the wrap material from the wrap material roll into the baling chamber.

Abstract: A system for wrapping a material in a baler includes a feed element for feeding the material through a feed path. A drive element intermittently drives the feed element. A linking element couples the drive element with the feed element. A tensioning lever operates to vary tension on the linking element to intermittently drive or not drive the feed element. A knife mechanism operates to intersect the feed path to cut the material. An actuator is engageable with the tensioning lever and with the knife mechanism. The actuator operates to move the tensioning lever and the knife mechanism independent of one another.

Abstract: A system for wrapping a material around a bale in a baler includes a feed system to direct the material through a feed path. A knife mechanism with a fixed knife and a counter-knife alternately cuts the material, and moves out of the feed path for feed of the material. The feed system includes a roll element configured to direct the material between the fixed knife and the counter-knife when the counter-knife is moved out of the feed path. A cylindrical brush rotates freely and is disposed between the roll element and the knife mechanism, the brush having a cylindrical shape.

Abstract: A system for wrapping a material in a baler includes a feed element for feeding the material through a feed path. A drive element intermittently drives the feed element. A linking element couples the drive element with the feed element. A tensioning lever operates to vary tension on the linking element to intermittently drive or not drive the feed element. A knife mechanism operates to intersect the feed path to cut the material. An actuator moves the tensioning lever and the knife mechanism. A spring limits motion of the actuator based on a threshold magnitude of the tensioning lever so that the linking element is not over tensioned.

Abstract: A system for wrapping a material in a baler includes a feed element for feeding the material through a feed path. A drive element intermittently drives the feed element. A linking element couples the drive element with the feed element. A tensioning lever operates to vary tension on the linking element to intermittently drive or not drive the feed element. A knife mechanism operates to intersect the feed path to cut the material. An actuator is engageable with the tensioning lever and with the knife mechanism. The actuator operates to move the tensioning lever and the knife mechanism independent of one another.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and control system for gathering material is described. One or more vehicles may include an intake mechanism for material and a location-tracking system. A current orientation of the intake mechanism is identified based upon location information from the tracking system. A current orientation of the material is determined based upon historical location information for the material. A target orientation of the intake mechanisms is determined based upon the current orientation of the material. Movement of the intake mechanism is thus directed toward the determined target orientation.

Abstract: An assembly is described for braking and indexing rotating components, including guide rollers of balers. A wheel is attached to a rotating component and is surrounded, at least in part, by a traction device. A tensioning assembly with a lost motion linkage is attached to the traction device and to a frame. A counterforce assembly is also attached to the traction device and to the frame. When a portion of the tensioning assembly is moved in a braking direction, the stop prevents further movement of the lost motion linkage to apply a tensioning force to the traction device. The tensioning force is resisted by the counterforce assembly to impose a braking force on the wheel and thereby brake the rotating component. Moving the portion of the tensioning assembly in a release direction moves the lost motion linkage away from the stop, thereby reducing the braking force on the wheel.

Abstract: A stripper band for a crop pick-up includes a U-shaped plastic body having an upper leg and upper bight portion reinforced by a sheet metal strap so as to stiffen the band for being able to withstand downward forces applied by heavy windrows of crop being picked up and conveyed over a top surface of the band. The sheet metal strap has upstanding bosses located about upper rear mounting holes against which clamping forces are directed when securing the band to the pick-up frame. Front and lower regions of the band are constructed only of plastic and remain flexible enough to absorb impacts from hard objects without permanent deformation of the band.

Abstract: A windrow merger having at least one pickup head member, the at least one pickup head member being selectively shiftable between a working disposition and a transport disposition and having at least a first pivot for shifting the at least one pickup head member from the substantially vertical transport disposition to a substantially horizontal intermediate disposition and at least a second pivot for shifting the at least one pickup head member from the substantially horizontal intermediate disposition through an arc to the working disposition.

Abstract: An assembly is described for braking and indexing rotating components, including guide rollers of balers. A wheel is attached to a rotating component and is surrounded, at least in part, by a traction device. A tensioning assembly with a lost motion linkage is attached to the traction device and to a frame. A counterforce assembly is also attached to the traction device and to the frame. When a portion of the tensioning assembly is moved in a braking direction, the stop prevents further movement of the lost motion linkage to apply a tensioning force to the traction device. The tensioning force is resisted by the counterforce assembly to impose a braking force on the wheel and thereby brake the rotating component. Moving the portion of the tensioning assembly in a release direction moves the lost motion linkage away from the stop, thereby reducing the braking force on the wheel.

Abstract: A stripper band for a crop pick-up includes a U-shaped plastic body having an upper leg and upper bight portion reinforced by a sheet metal strap so as to stiffen the band for being able to withstand downward forces applied by heavy windrows of crop being picked up and conveyed over a top surface of the band. The sheet metal strap has upstanding bosses located about upper rear mounting holes against which clamping forces are directed when securing the band to the pick-up frame. Front and lower regions of the band are constructed only of plastic and remain flexible enough to absorb impacts from hard objects without permanent deformation of the band.

Abstract: A windrow merger having at least one pickup head member, the at least one pickup head member being selectively shiftable between a working disposition and a transport disposition and having at least a first pivot for shifting the at least one pickup head member from the substantially vertical transport disposition to a substantially horizontal intermediate disposition and at least a second pivot for shifting the at least one pickup head member from the substantially horizontal intermediate disposition through an arc to the working disposition. A method of forming the windrow merger is further included.