Abstract: A round baler having a main frame, a tailgate pivotally connected to the main frame and an apron extending around a plurality of guide rolls disposed in the main frame and the tailgate. A pair of take up arms, rotatably mounted on the main frame, carry at least one additional guide roll for the apron. A bale forming chamber, including the apron, varies in size from a bale starting position to a full bale position. A pair of levers, connected to rotate with the take up arms, have attached thereto a tensioning mechanism to urge the take up arms to the bale starting position of the apron. The machine is provided with an automated system for wrapping the formed bale with twine including an improved control system for tripping the wrapping apparatus.

Abstract: In a roll baling machine having a floor roller and an apron which cooperate in suitable manner to form roll bales, a sprocket-shaped member is provided to support the transverse tubes of the apron against bending and twisting loads during bale formation and thereby prevent damage to the apron.

Abstract: In a roll baling machine having a floor roller and a bale forming apron, a stripper bar is provided to remove crop material from the floor roller and thereby minimize the amount of crop material lost between the floor roller and the apron while baling.

Abstract: A roll baling machine includes a floor roller and an apron movable in suitable manner to form roll bales of crop material. A clutch mechanism is provided to connect the floor roller and the apron to the power take off unit (PTO) of a tractor so that they will be driven during bale forming. The clutch mechanism disconnects the floor roller and the apron from the tractor PTO while a completed bale is being discharged from the machine.

Abstract: A roll baling machine including a floor roller, a bale forming apron, and drive apparatus connected between the floor roller and the bale forming apron. The drive apparatus causes rotation of the floor roller in response to movement of the apron in a normal direction during bale formation. The drive apparatus includes a clutch mechanism which drivingly disconnects the floor roller from the apron in response to movement of the apron in reverse direction such as when a bale is discharged from the machine.

Abstract: A roll baling machine includes an apron supported on a base frame and movable in suitable manner to form roll bales of crop material. A bale retainer is mounted on the base frame to momentarily hold a roll bale upward in the base frame during its discharge therefrom. The bale retainer is movable from an inoperative position during bale formation to an operative position during discharge of a roll bale from the base frame.

Abstract: In a roll baling machine, a portion of the bale chamber is tapered in width from top to bottom or from rear to front to facilitate bale ejection.

Abstract: In a crop roll forming machine adapted to be towed across a field, a kicker means is fastened to the opposing sides of the frame and extends at least partially therebetween adjacent the conveying means and the rear end so that upon completion of the formation of the crop roll the roll is ejected from the bale forming region into contact with the kicker means which propels it rearwardly of the roll forming machine.

Abstract: In a crop roll forming machine having cooperating upper and lower bale forming means there is provided an improved automatic twine wrapping mechanism for binding a completed crop roll with binding material. The automatic twine wrapping mechanism is triggered by one of either two trip devices to automatically effect the serial steps of the twine wrapping cycle.

Abstract: In a crop roll forming machine which forms large cylindrically shaped bales in a bale forming region and wraps the bales with a binding material and which further has a wrapping means for controlling the wrapping of the completed bale there is provided at least a first and a second binding material dispensing means adjacent the bale forming region connected to the wrapping means so that upon actuation of the wrapping means the first dispensing means is driven across a portion of the bale forming region in a first predetermined path and the second dispensing means is driven in a second predetermined path. The predetermined paths are adjacent the completed bale to effect the wrapping of the bale substantially across its length as the bale is rotated by the bale forming means of the crop roll forming machine.

Abstract: Apparatus on a round bale forming machine for wrapping a strand of binding twine around a round bale of crop material prior to discharging said bale from the machine. Said apparatus includes a strand directing arm pivotally supported upon a fixed member adjacent the forward end of the machine for movement of the outer end of the arm by powered actuating mechanism between opposite sides of the machine to effect a roving of the twine feeding from said outer end of the arm around and between opposite ends of a round bale to place tension upon said twine as fed from said outer end of said arm, and including an auxiliary spring connected to said arm and operable to produce supplemental tensioning force upon said outer end of said arm as the same approaches the outer extremities of the path of movement thereof.