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: An adjustable joint is to be provided along a tube, such as a grain unloading tube of a combine harvester. A bearing system is provided between the facing end of first and second tubes. allowing a controllable bend to be provided between the first tube and the second tube. The bearing system is actuated to control the bend. The bearing system has first and second first tubular wedges which face each other at the sloped ends, and bearings around the outside ends and the facing ends. A relative rotation angle is set between the first and second tubular wedges to set the degree of bend.

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 twine tension relief assembly for a baler including a tension detection apparatus for detecting the tension in a line of twine, a biased cutting element displaceable between a first retained position and a second released position and an actuator adapted to cause the biased cutting element to move from the first retained position to the second released position in response to a signal issued by the tension detection apparatus. The practical application includes when the tension in a strand of twine exceeds a predetermined threshold, the tension detection apparatus causes movement of the biased cutting element so that a strand of twine passing though the twine tension relief assembly is severed and damage to the knotter mechanism and its component parts is avoided.

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 twine tension relief assembly for a baler including a tension detection apparatus for detecting the tension in a line of twine, a biased cutting element displaceable between a first retained position and a second released position and an actuator adapted to cause the biased cutting element to move from the first retained position to the second released position in response to a signal issued by the tension detection apparatus. The practical application includes when the tension in a strand of twine exceeds a predetermined threshold, the tension detection apparatus causes movement of the biased cutting element so that a strand of twine passing though the twine tension relief assembly is severed and damage to the knotter mechanism and its component parts is avoided.

Abstract: A crop baler having a bank of knotters employs a cross flow blower to produce a full width stream of air transversely across the line of knotters to keep them free of debris and residue. The blower is hingedly mounted on an enclosure over the knotters for selective movement between a lowered operating position and a raised access position.