Abstract: A stuffer assembly includes a stuffer chute and a stuffer for transferring crop material from the stuffer chute into a baling chamber. The stuffer includes a tine bar having a plurality of tines. Each tine is slidably connected to the tine bar to be linearly movable with respect to the tine bar between an extended position and a retracted position parallel to a radial direction of the tine bar. A method accordingly includes retracting a tine from the extended position into the retracted position in case of an overload.

Abstract: A stuffer assembly includes a stuffer chute and a stuffer for transferring crop material from the stuffer chute into a baling chamber. The stuffer includes a tine bar having a plurality of tines. Each tine is slidably connected to the tine bar to be linearly movable with respect to the tine bar between an extended position and a retracted position parallel to a radial direction of the tine bar. A method accordingly includes retracting a tine from the extended position into the retracted position in case of an overload.

Abstract: A knotter system for a baler, including a needle; a tucker arm; a billhook; and a driver adapted to make the billhook perform at least a first full rotation during the first knot forming cycle and a second full rotation during the second knot forming cycle. The driver comprises a pinion and at least a first and second gear stretch provided along a circumference of a disc. The disc is provided with a recess downstream of at least one of the first gear stretch and the second gear stretch. An obstacle is arranged for engaging the pinion when moving in the recess. The recess and obstacle are configured to rotate the pinion over a determined angle and back to move the upper lip of the billhook away from the lower lip and back after at least one of the first full rotation and the second full rotation.

Abstract: A knotter system of a baler for performing a knotter cycle including at least a first knot forming cycle and a second knot forming cycle. The knotter system includes a needle; a tucker arm; a billhook assembly including a billhook with a lower lip and an upper lip mounted pivotally with respect to lower lip; and a driver to make the billhook perform at least a first full rotation and a second full rotation. The billhook assembly is configured to position the upper lip away from the lower lip in a first angular range and to position the upper lip away from the lower lip in a second angular range of at least one of the first and second full rotation. The first angular range is located within a range between 0° and 160°, and the second angular range is located within a range between 160° and 360°.

Abstract: An agricultural system including an agricultural baler and a control unit. The agricultural baler includes a pick-up arrangement for collecting plant matter. The pick-up arrangement includes a roller for feeding crop into the baler. The baler further includes a pick-up drive shaft for moving the roller at a desired rotational speed. The pick-up drive shaft is connected to the roller by a clutch for selectively transferring power between the pick-up drive shaft and the roller. The control unit is configured to: receive clutch-status-data indicative of an engagement status of the clutch; determine a speed-control-signal for varying the rotational speed of the pick-up drive shaft based on the clutch-status-data; and provide the speed-control-signal to a driveline for driving the pick-up drive shaft.

Abstract: A bale chamber includes: movable density doors; at least one fluid cylinder including a fluid chamber, a piston separating the fluid chamber into a piston side and a rod side, a cylinder rod coupled to the piston on the rod side and configured to move at least one of the density doors, a piston fluid port, and a rod fluid port; and a fluid supply circuit fluidly coupled to the fluid chamber and configured to supply working fluid to the fluid chamber, the fluid supply circuit including a fluid supply controller that is selectively switchable to a first fluid supply mode and a second fluid supply mode, the fluid supply circuit being configured to supply working fluid to only the piston side when in the first fluid supply mode and to supply working fluid to both the piston side and the rod side when in the second fluid supply mode.

Abstract: An agricultural system including an agricultural baler and a control unit. The agricultural baler includes a pick-up arrangement for collecting plant matter. The pick-up arrangement includes a roller for feeding crop into the baler. The baler further includes a pick-up drive shaft for moving the roller at a desired rotational speed. The pick-up drive shaft is connected to the roller by a clutch for selectively transferring power between the pick-up drive shaft and the roller. The control unit is configured to: receive clutch-status-data indicative of an engagement status of the clutch; determine a speed-control-signal for varying the rotational speed of the pick-up drive shaft based on the clutch-status-data; and provide the speed-control-signal to a driveline for driving the pick-up drive shaft.

Abstract: An agricultural baler including a flywheel and a drivetrain for coupling the flywheel to a connector that is arranged to be connected to a power take-off (PTO) of a tractor. The drivetrain includes a decoupling mechanism for decoupling the flywheel from the connector in case of an overload. The decoupling mechanism includes a controllable member that is movable between an engaged state in which the flywheel is coupled to the connector and a disengaged state in which the flywheel is decoupled from the connector. The decoupling mechanism further includes a detector configured for detecting the overload. The detector is configured for providing an overload signal to the controllable member triggering the controllable member into the disengaged state.

Abstract: An agricultural baler includes a processing conveyance that is positioned between a pickup roll and a main bale chamber for conveying crop material from the pickup roll to the main bale chamber. The processing conveyance includes at least one of a bottom wall and side wall having at least one sieve with a plurality of openings extending through the sieve. The openings are sized and configured for allowing non-crop material to exit from the at least one processing conveyance through the openings.

Abstract: A knotter system for performing a first knot forming cycle and a second knot forming cycle. The knotter system includes a needle for delivering a needle twine, a tucker arm for delivering a tucker twine, a twine receiver for holding the needle twine and the tucker twine, a billhook, a cutting arm, a twine finger for guiding at least the needle twine. The system further includes a drive to make the billhook perform first and second full rotations during the first and second knot forming cycles, respectively, and to move the twine finger at least a first time during the first knot forming cycle and a second time during the second knot forming cycle. The twine finger is configured such that during the second knot forming cycle the needle twine is moved away from the tucker twine in order to drape it adjacent to the tucker twine on the billhook.

Abstract: An agricultural baler including a flywheel and a drivetrain for coupling the flywheel to a connector that is arranged to be connected to a power take-off (PTO) of a tractor. The drivetrain includes a decoupling mechanism for decoupling the flywheel from the connector in case of an overload. The decoupling mechanism includes a controllable member that is movable between an engaged state in which the flywheel is coupled to the connector and a disengaged state in which the flywheel is decoupled from the connector. The decoupling mechanism further includes a detector configured for detecting the overload. The detector is configured for providing an overload signal to the controllable member triggering the controllable member into the disengaged state.

Abstract: An agricultural baler. The agricultural baler includes a baling chamber including a first segment, a plunger, and a baling chamber. The agricultural baler further includes a controller and a pre-compression chamber configured for gathering crop material, periodically forming a slice of the crop material, and pushing the slice towards the baling chamber into the first segment of the baling chamber. The agricultural baler further includes a slice-presence-detecting sensor disposed in an upper region of the first segment of the baling chamber, the slice-presence-detecting sensor comprising an output operationally connected to the controller. The plunger is configured for reciprocally moving in the baling chamber to compress slices of crop material into a bale. The controller is configured for adjusting a synchronization between the periodically forming and pushing of the slice in the pre-compression chamber and the reciprocally moving of the plunger.

Abstract: A knotter system for a baler, including a needle; a tucker arm; a billhook; and a driver adapted to make the billhook perform at least a first full rotation during the first knot forming cycle and a second full rotation during the second knot forming cycle. The driver comprises a pinion and at least a first and second gear stretch provided along a circumference of a disc. The disc is provided with a recess downstream of at least one of the first gear stretch and the second gear stretch. An obstacle is arranged for engaging the pinion when moving in the recess. The recess and obstacle are configured to rotate the pinion over a determined angle and back to move the upper lip of the billhook away from the lower lip and back after at least one of the first full rotation and the second full rotation.

Abstract: A knotter system of a baler for performing a knotter cycle including at least a first knot forming cycle and a second knot forming cycle. The knotter system includes a needle; a tucker arm; a billhook assembly including a billhook with a lower lip and an upper lip mounted pivotally with respect to lower lip; and a driver to make the billhook perform at least a first full rotation and a second full rotation. The billhook assembly is configured to position the upper lip away from the lower lip in a first angular range and to position the upper lip away from the lower lip in a second angular range of at least one of the first and second full rotation. The first angular range is located within a range between 0° and 160°, and the second angular range is located within a range between 160° and 360°.

Abstract: An agricultural baler includes a processing conveyance that is positioned between a pickup roll and a main bale chamber for conveying crop material from the pickup roll to the main bale chamber. The processing conveyance includes at least one of a bottom wall and side wall having at least one sieve with a plurality of openings extending through the sieve. The openings are sized and configured for allowing non-crop material to exit from the at least one processing conveyance through the openings.

Abstract: An agricultural baler includes a processing conveyance that is positioned between a pickup roll and a main bale chamber for conveying crop material from the pickup roll to the main bale chamber. The processing conveyance includes at least one of a bottom wall and side wall having at least one sieve with a plurality of openings extending through the sieve. The openings are sized and configured for allowing non-crop material to exit from the at least one processing conveyance through the openings.

Abstract: A knotter system for performing a first knot forming cycle and a second knot forming cycle. The knotter system includes a needle for delivering a needle twine, a tucker arm for delivering a tucker twine, a twine receiver for holding the needle twine and the tucker twine, a billhook, a cutting arm, a twine finger for guiding at least the needle twine. The system further includes a drive to make the billhook perform first and second full rotations during the first and second knot forming cycles, respectively, and to move the twine finger at least a first time during the first knot forming cycle and a second time during the second knot forming cycle. The twine finger is configured such that during the second knot forming cycle the needle twine is moved away from the tucker twine in order to drape it adjacent to the tucker twine on the billhook.

Abstract: A pickup unit for an agricultural harvesting machine includes a frame; a pickup roll carried by the frame; and a feed assist roll carried by the frame and positioned adjacent to the pickup roll. The feed assist roll has a plurality of radially outwardly extending cleats spaced apart around a periphery thereof, and a plurality of extension plates. Each extension plate is removably attached to and extends a corresponding cleat.

Abstract: An agricultural baler includes a main bale chamber having a pair of opposed side walls, with each said side wall including a plunger slot arrangement defining a plunger slot. A pair of plunger slot rails are positioned in each plunger slot, including a top rail positioned at a top of a respective plunger slot and a bottom rail positioned at a bottom of a respective plunger slot. A plunger is reciprocally disposed within the main bale chamber. The plunger includes a pair of opposed sides and at least one roller extending laterally outward from each side, with each roller being positioned within a respective plunger slot. The baler is characterized by a pair of plunger slot cover assemblies, with each cover assembly being associated with a respective plunger slot and having an upper cover and a lower cover.