Abstract: A knot stretcher for use in tightening splice knots that connect twine balls on an agricultural baler. The knot stretcher includes a pair of pulling bars connected at pulling bar pivot at one end of each of the pulling bars, and a pair of levers, where one of the pair of levers is attached in a middle section of its respective pulling bar. Each lever has a handle portion at one end and an arm portion extending from an elbow formed in the lever. Each lever attaches to its respective pulling bar with a fixed pivot located near the elbow and distal ends of the arm portions of the two levers are attached at a moving pivot. The knot stretcher has clamping jaws positioned on the pulling bars to securely clamp a respective one of the twine tails of the splice knot that is to be tightened.

Abstract: A bale binding mechanism is configured to wrap twine around a bale of severed crop material. The bale binding mechanism broadly includes a baling needle, a twine tensioner, and a sensor. A baler chassis presents a baling chamber in which the bale is formed. The baling needle is shiftable up and down relative to the baling chamber, with the needle being shiftable to advance twine upwardly along an end of the bale. The twine tensioner is configured to maintain tension on a tensioned twine section extending between the twine tensioner and the needle, with the tensioned twine section defining a twine feed axis. The twine tensioner includes a tension device that restricts upward advancement of the tensioned twine section. The twine tensioner also includes a shiftable guide element.

Abstract: A knot stretcher for use in tightening splice knots that connect twine balls on an agricultural baler. The knot stretcher includes a pair of pulling bars connected at pulling bar pivot at one end of each of the pulling bars, and a pair of levers, where one of the pair of levers is attached in a middle section of its respective pulling bar. Each lever has a handle portion at one end and an arm portion extending from an elbow formed in the lever. Each lever attaches to its respective pulling bar with a fixed pivot located near the elbow and distal ends of the arm portions of the two levers are attached at a moving pivot. The knot stretcher has clamping jaws positioned on the pulling bars to securely clamp a respective one of the twine tails of the splice knot that is to be tightened.

Abstract: A bale binding mechanism is configured to form crop material into a bale. The bale binding mechanism includes a baling needle and a twine tensioner. A baler chassis presents a baling chamber in which the bale is formed. The baling needle is shiftable up and down relative to the baling chamber, with the needle being shiftable to advance twine upwardly along an end of the bale. The twine tensioner is configured to maintain tension on a tensioned twine section extending between the twine tensioner and the needle, with the tensioned twine section defining a twine feed axis. The twine tensioner includes a tension device that restricts upward advancement of the tensioned twine section. The twine tensioner also includes a shiftable guide element. The guide element is shiftable into and out of a twine feed position associated with upward advancement of the tensioned twine section, with the guide element operable to define an offset twine section offset from the twine feed axis in the twine feed position.

Abstract: A baler twine tension measurement assembly including a displacement detector and elements defining a first twine path. The first twine path extends between a first location and a second location which is angularly displaceable with respect to the first location. The displacement detector operates to generate a signal indicative of the angular displacement of the second location with respect to the first location.

Abstract: A bale binding mechanism is configured to wrap twine around a bale of severed crop material. The bale binding mechanism broadly includes a baling needle, a twine tensioner, and a sensor. A baler chassis presents a baling chamber in which the bale is formed. The baling needle is shiftable up and down relative to the baling chamber, with the needle being shiftable to advance twine upwardly along an end of the bale. The twine tensioner is configured to maintain tension on a tensioned twine section extending between the twine tensioner and the needle, with the tensioned twine section defining a twine feed axis. The twine tensioner includes a tension device that restricts upward advancement of the tensioned twine section. The twine tensioner also includes a shiftable guide element.

Abstract: A bale binding mechanism is configured to form crop material into a bale. The bale binding mechanism includes a baling needle and a twine tensioner. A baler chassis presents a baling chamber in which the bale is formed. The baling needle is shiftable up and down relative to the baling chamber, with the needle being shiftable to advance twine upwardly along an end of the bale. The twine tensioner is configured to maintain tension on a tensioned twine section extending between the twine tensioner and the needle, with the tensioned twine section defining a twine feed axis. The twine tensioner includes a tension device that restricts upward advancement of the tensioned twine section. The twine tensioner also includes a shiftable guide element. The guide element is shiftable into and out of a twine feed position associated with upward advancement of the tensioned twine section, with the guide element operable to define an offset twine section offset from the twine feed axis in the twine feed position.

Abstract: An integrated driveline (136, 236, 336, 36, 436) slip clutch (154, 254, 354, 454) system for a large square baler (28) for controlling a transfer of power from a tractor (26) to the baler (28). The clutch (254) system includes a slip clutch (154, 254, 354, 454) having a number of clutch plates (388). The slip clutch (154, 254, 354, 454) is moveable between a disengaged relationship in which no power is transferred from a driveline (136, 236, 336, 36, 436) to a gearbox (140, 240, 340, 40, 440), and one or more engaged relationships in which amounts of power are transferred from the driveline (136, 236, 336, 36, 436) to the gearbox (140, 240, 340, 40, 440). Movement of the slip clutch (154, 254, 354, 454) between engagement relationships may be controlled mechanically (by, e.g., centrifugal force) or electronically.

Abstract: A system for ejecting a bale from a baler, wherein the ejection process is controlled by a control unit with input from various sensors and from a remote operator located on a tractor. The control unit automatically positions a chute, controls a power take-off from the tractor, depressurizes and opens a chamber door, ties the bale, selects and causes ejector teeth to project into a forming chamber to engage the bale, causes the ejector teeth to move toward a discharge outlet such that the engaged bale moves with them toward and through the discharge outlet, and determines when the bale has fully ejected from the baler. The remote operator may choose to eject only the bale or to eject the entire contents of the forming chamber, and if the former, the control unit determines the bale's length and selects a subset of the ejector teeth that corresponds to that length.

Abstract: A system conveying material-other-than-grain (MOG) from a harvesting machine to a packaging machine towed by the harvesting machine. The system includes an joint pivotably joining a harvesting machine hitch to a packaging machine hitch. An accelerator is mounted to the packaging machine hitch. The accelerator has a housing with a top-side inlet and a side outlet. A MOG-propelling disk is disposed in the housing and is rotatable about an axis. A conduit is disposed above the packaging machine hitch and has an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end coupled to the side outlet. The conduit has first and second opposing side portions and a top side portion without an opposing bottom portion, with at least part of the top side portion is parallel with the plane of the disk. The accelerator, conduit, and packaging machine are collectively in pivotal arrangement relative to the harvesting machine.

Abstract: A system for determining an amount of and applying a preservative to an individual charge of crop material, wherein the charge is combined with other charges to form a bale. Loose crop material is collected and packed into a feeder chute in such a manner as to pre-compress the material to form the charge. A moisture content of the charge is measured by a sensor while the charge is still in the feeder chute. The charge is moved into a forming chamber, and a control unit determines a correct amount of a preservative to apply to the charge based on the moisture content. The correct amount of the preservative is applied to the charge either before or after the charge is incorporated into the bale. Thus, the system measures the moisture content of each charge, and measures the moisture content of the same charge to which the preservative is applied.

Abstract: A system for ejecting a bale from a baler, wherein the ejection process is controlled by a control unit with input from various sensors and from a remote operator located on a tractor. The control unit automatically positions a chute, controls a power take-off from the tractor, depressurizes and opens a chamber door, ties the bale, selects and causes ejector teeth to project into a forming chamber to engage the bale, causes the ejector teeth to move toward a discharge outlet such that the engaged bale moves with them toward and through the discharge outlet, and determines when the bale has fully ejected from the baler. The remote operator may choose to eject only the bale or to eject the entire contents of the forming chamber, and if the former, the control unit determines the bale's length and selects a subset of the ejector teeth that corresponds to that length.

Abstract: A system conveying material-other-than-grain (MOG) from a harvesting machine to a packaging machine towed by the harvesting machine. The system includes an joint pivotably joining a harvesting machine hitch to a packaging machine hitch. An accelerator is mounted to the packaging machine hitch. The accelerator has a housing with a top-side inlet and a side outlet. A MOG-propelling disk is disposed in the housing and is rotatable about an axis. A conduit is disposed above the packaging machine hitch and has an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end coupled to the side outlet. The conduit has first and second opposing side portions and a top side portion without an opposing bottom portion, with at least part of the top side portion is parallel with the plane of the disk. The accelerator, conduit, and packaging machine are collectively in pivotal arrangement relative to the harvesting machine.

Abstract: A stuffer chute assembly including: a curvilinear duct defining a passageway, the duct having a lower inlet opening and an upper outlet opening, the duct including a lower surface with plural slots located proximal to the upper outlet; plural rotating devices arranged transversely across the duct, the plural rotating devices extending at least partially both through the plural slots and into the passageway, each of the plural rotating devices including plural fingers along the circumference of the rotating device to engage crop material in the duct; and a sensor coupled to at least one of the plural rotating devices, the sensor configured to sense a parameter corresponding to density of the crop material in the duct.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a stuffer method of a baler, the method comprising conveying with a plurality of pivotally-biased elements coupled along a moveable link a first portion of crop material from an inlet of a stuffer chute to a location proximal to an outlet of the stuffer chute; and responsive to a crop material density of the first portion meeting or exceeding a first predefined threshold density, conveying with a subset of the plurality of pivotally-biased elements a subsequent portion or portions of crop material from the inlet to the first portion until the subsequent portion or portions meets or exceeds a second predefined threshold density that substantially equals the first predefined threshold density.

Abstract: A powered square baler is operable to be powered by a prime mover to form a bale by compressing loose material. The powered square baler broadly includes a chassis, a plunger assembly, a flywheel, and a planetary gear train. The chassis includes a baler frame that presents a baling chamber to receive the loose material. The plunger assembly includes a reciprocating plunger head slidably mounted relative to the baler frame and operable to reciprocate into and out of the chamber and apply a compressive force to the loose material. The flywheel is rotatably mounted on the chassis and is operable to be driven by the prime mover. The planetary gear train is drivingly attached to the flywheel and is drivingly attached relative to the plunger assembly to transmit power between the flywheel and the plunger assembly and thereby drive the plunger head.

Abstract: A powered square baler is operable to be powered by a prime mover to form a bale by compressing loose material. The powered square baler broadly includes a chassis, a plunger assembly, a flywheel, and a planetary gear train. The chassis includes a baler frame that presents a baling chamber to receive the loose material. The plunger assembly includes a reciprocating plunger head slidably mounted relative to the baler frame and operable to reciprocate into and out of the chamber and apply a compressive force to the loose material. The flywheel is rotatably mounted on the chassis and is operable to be driven by the prime mover. The planetary gear train is drivingly attached to the flywheel and is drivingly attached relative to the plunger assembly to transmit power between the flywheel and the plunger assembly and thereby drive the plunger head.

Abstract: A pickup assembly of an agricultural machine has a rotatable shaft and bulkheads with a reel assembly having plural double-stacked tine rows flanked by reel cover attachment areas. Each double-stacked tine row has a plurality of spaced apart tines with a pair of radially extending portions for engaging crop material. Each double-stacked tine row has a first row of tines and a second row of tines offset from the first row such that adjacent tines are offset in both a direction around the circumference of the shaft and also in a transverse direction along the shaft. A reel cover is coupled to the bulkhead and has slots through which portions of the tines extend.

Abstract: A continuous baler includes a round baler and an accumulation conveyor for providing crop to the round baler. The accumulation conveyor may include a conveyor belt. A controller determines an operational mode of the baler and manipulates the accumulation conveyor in response to the operational mode. For example, the controller operates the accumulation conveyor in a feed direction during a bale-forming mode of the baler and operate the conveyor from an initialized position at a slower speed in the feed direction during a non-bale-forming mode. A pickup may provide crop material to the accumulation conveyor during both bale-forming and non-bale-forming modes.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a reel assembly for a pickup assembly of an agricultural machine, the reel assembly comprising: a rotatable shaft; a bulkhead rotatable with the shaft, the bulkhead comprising alternating tine occupying and non-tine occupying areas; a first row of tines extending from a first of the tine occupying areas according to a first orientation at a given moment in time; and a second row of tines offset from the first row, the second row of tines extending from the first of the tine occupying areas according to the first orientation at the given moment in time.