Abstract: The present invention describes a self-propelled or pulled baler for producing bales of agriculturally-harvested crops. Harvested crops are compressed in the feeding channel before entering the actual baling chamber. For this purpose a sensor reaches into the feeding channel. Crops will be pushed against the sensor by the feed rakes. As soon as a pre-adjusted pressure can be measured at the sensor, and the baling ram has moved towards the front dead center position, the motion track of the feed rakes will be switched so the compressed crops located in the feeding channel will be fed into the baling chamber through a single loading stroke. The change of the motion track of the feed rakes dependent upon the pressure sensor has the advantage that, with each loading stroke, an equal amount of compressed crops are fed into the actual baling chamber. Thus, bales of a consistent density can be produced.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for densification of fibrous material such as harvested cotton, preferably by a movement of the cotton continuously through a compacting zone on the harvester. In one aspect of the invention, the fibers are locked by differential translation of portions of the mass of compacted material to prevent a layer of material from springing back after compression. A continuous mat of compressed material with locked fibers is formed into a uniform, high density bale or module on the harvester. A cotton harvester compacting system includes an air system feeding harvested cotton into an accumulation area and to the compacting zone on the harvester. The cotton is compressed and fed through a shear zone which differentially translates the cotton and locks the cotton fibers into a uniform, compact mat. In one embodiment, the mat of compacted cotton is fed to a round baler on the harvester to form a dense round bale or module.

Abstract: A round baler has a pickup header that is wider than the baling chamber and its inlet so that over-width windrows can be picked up by the machine in spite of its relatively narrower chamber. In order to reduce the width of the crop stream for introduction into the chamber, the machine is provided with a pair of laterally spaced apart, axially aligned, transverse stub augers that engage opposite outboard margins of the stream and converge them inwardly toward the main body of the flow. At the point where the outboard materials are discharged into the central body of the stream, a stuffer mechanism takes control of the stream and charges the materials up into the baling chamber. The augers are driven in such a direction that their front portions rotate down and under the auger shafts so that the outboard crop materials are likewise fed down and under the augers as they are converged toward the center.

Abstract: A large round baler includes a twine wrap mechanism having twine arms which sweep horizontally between opposite side walls of the baling chamber at a location above the pickup and below the bale starter roll. Mounted to one of the baling chamber side walls is a twine guide finger for guiding the twine to the circumference of the bale such that wraps of twine are spaced from the adjacent end of the bale by a distance sufficient to keep the twine from being fed between the wall and the bale end or from slipping off the end of the bale during handling of the bale once discharged from the chamber. The guide finger, in one embodiment, comprises a spring wire member having a guide end portion that is joined to coils that are mounted about a support rod extending through the side wall of the baling chamber.

Abstract: The invention provides an improvement to the feed path for conventional round balers in the agricultural industry, and reduces the jamming of baling material in the feed gap of the baler. In a commonly known round baler the baling material enters the bale forming chamber through a feed gap defined by an upper roller rotating away from the bale forming chamber, and a lower roller rotating towards the bale forming chamber. As the upper roller is moving counter to the flow of baling material into the bale forming chamber, baling material which contacts it is retarded, and tends to form a ball of material which can plug the feed gap. The present invention provides a plate covering the upper roller which plate deflects the baling material into the feed gap and prevents the baling material from contacting the upper roller. The invention could be provided as an integral flange manufactured in new balers, or could be produced as a mountable plate for retrofitting of existing equipment.

Abstract: A round baler for fibrous agricultural material including compression and delivery elements, a main drive for driving the same, a wrapping apparatus, and at least one load sensor provided in the drive line for the compression elements for generating a control signal for actuation of the wrapping apparatus and/or turning off of the delivery elements.

Abstract: The in-line baler has its crop pickup, baling chamber and compacting plunger all located on the same fore-and-aft axis as viewed in top plan, but the tongue of the baler can be selectively swung by a hydraulic cylinder from a centered position to an offset position so that the baler may be correspondingly operated either directly behind the towing vehicle or off to one side as desired by the operator. To compensate for an otherwise excessive weight transfer onto the outboard ground wheel when the baler is shifted to the offset location, the onboard internal combustion engine and other drive apparatus for the operating components of the baler are all located off to one side of the center line of the machine, i.e., toward the inboard ground wheel. The pivot point for the tongue is located forwardly of the transverse axis of the ground wheels and slightly to the inboard side of the central axis of the baler, between the pickup and the overhead baling chamber.

Abstract: An agricultural baler has a pickup elements, a conveyor transporting a harvested product stream picked up from a field by the pickup element, a baling chamber for baling the harvested product, a transferring element for transporting the harvested product from the conveyor to the baling chamber, the transferring element including a cylinder and a plurality of disks arranged on the cylinder, and a plurality of strippers extending into spaces between the disks for preventing winding of the harvested product on the disks, the strippers being formed as sensing brackets for sensing deviation of the strippers. Also a deviation of knife blades arranged in spaces between the neighboring disks and offset relative to the strippers can be evaluated as well.

Abstract: The plunger of a baler for making parallelepiped bales is driven by an extensible and retractable hydraulic actuator that is connected for oscillating a link forming a crank coupled to the plunger by a connecting link. The dimensions and locations of the crank and connecting link relative to the hydraulic actuator results in the plunger being moved in the baling chamber through a distance which is about twice the stroke of the actuator when the plunger is moved from a fully retracted position, at one side of an inlet used for introducing crop into the chamber, to a fully extended position at an opposite side of the inlet from the fully retracted position.

Abstract: A round baler is equipped with a mechanism for wrapping the bale with twine. In order to keep the end of the twine from coming loose after ejection of the round bale, there is provided a groove shaper which engages the bale and forms a circumferential groove therein in line with the location where the twine dispensing arm of the wrapping mechanism comes to rest at the conclusion of wrapping a bale. The tension of the length of twine extending between the bale and the dispensing arm causes the final wrap or wraps of twine to be pulled into the groove prior to the wrapped twine being severed from a supply roll.

Abstract: A round baler for forming round bales of crop material includes side-by-side belts trained for movement between a starting position and a finish position around a series of stationary rollers including a forward baler roller and a rear baler roller spaced apart from the forward baler roller. Upper and lower roller arrangements are continuously engageable with the crop material. The upper roller arrangement, the lower roller arrangement and a run of the belts extending between the forward baler roller and the rear baler roller together define a starting baler chamber. A belt tracking and tensioning device is interposed between the forward baler roller and the rear baler roller. The belt tracking and tensioning device is mounted on the upper roller arrangement, and functions to maintain the belts in a predetermined relationship relative to the upper roller arrangement and to increase the tension of the belts in response to bale growth, as the belts move between the starting position and the finish position.

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 trash baffle is provided for preventing trash from entering the area between the belts and one or more of the rolls as the bale is being formed in the bale forming chamber. An auxiliary trash baffle is also provided for preventing trash from entering the area between the belts and one or more of the rolls under conditions where the belts are moving in the direction opposite to the direction of travel during bale formation.

Abstract: A drive system for an agricultural large baler having a rearwardly open bale pressing chamber arranged in a longitudinal direction, a pressing piston reciprocatingly movable in the bale pressing chamber, devices for picking up of a harvested product from ground, a transporting passage for collecting a discharge portion of the harvested product and transporting the discharged portion into the bale pressing chamber by an additional transporting device, a binding device for binding a finally pressed bale as well as a drive for driving operational elements, the pressing piston having a crank arm forming a crank circle and provided with a drive shaft element for driving the pressing piston, an input shaft and a transmitting element through which a drive force is transmitted from the input shaft, and intermediate shaft to which the driving force is transmitted through the transmitting element from the input shaft, toothed gears fixedly connected with the intermediate shaft to which the drive force is transmitted, a

Abstract: A drive system for an agricultural large baler with the device for picking up harvested product from field, a device for further transportation of the harvested product a pressing chamber, a pressing chamber, a binding device, as well as a discharging device for discharge of a finally binded bale, the drive system has a power take-off associated with a tractor for displacing the large baler, an input shaft, transmission means provided between the power take-off and the input shaft and including a pre-switching transmission which at an inlet side is drivingly connected with the power take-off and at an outlet side is connected to the input shaft with a hinge shaft, the pre-switching transmission having at least one drive.

Abstract: A round baler comprising a baling chamber mounted on a main frame for forming cylindrical packages of crop material therein, the baling chamber being at least partially defined by a pair of side walls and an apron assembly having an inner run which is guided at the inside of a cylindrically shaped continuous wall, and an outer run which is guided at the outside of said continuous wall. The continuous wall is provided with an opening for the recuperation into the chamber of crop material which has been entrained by the apron assembly when the latter left the baling chamber and entered its outer run.

Abstract: A large round baler includes a crop feed arrangement for taking up crop deposited on the ground and for delivering it to the inlet of the baling chamber of the baler. The baling chamber has a width less than that of a pick-up forming a forward portion of the crop feed arrangement and the arrangement includes a pair of augers respectively mounted at its opposite sides for narrowing the flow of crop to a width matching that of the baling chamber. These augers are mounted on a shaft also used for supporting a plurality of dogs, of a rotary crop conveying apparatus, in laterally spaced relationship to each other along the shaft. The shaft is located below the conveying surface of the crop feed arrangement. The dogs are in the form of diametrically opposite pairs of tines which sweep the crop in an overshot fashion to move the crop towards the baling chamber inlet.

Abstract: A round baler includes a tension assembly for applying pressure evenly across the periphery of the bale as it grows within the baling chamber. The tension assembly includes a rotatable torque tube extending between the sidewalls and only one tensioning mechanism, such as a hydraulic cylinder, adjacent one of the sidewalls of the baler for supplying a yieldable resistance load in opposition to torsional loads on the torque tube. A load transferring member extends inwardly from the one sidewall to operably connect the single tensioning mechanism to the torque tube at a location spaced between the sidewalls and thereby transfer the loads between the mechanism and tube.

Abstract: A round baler for harvested product comprises a housing, a pressure chamber with walls limiting the pressure chamber at an end side and with driven transporting elements limiting the pressure chamber at a peripheral side and forming a harvested product inlet opening, a drivable transporting rotor arranged near the inlet opening for closing the inlet opening, and a drive provided for driving the transporting elements and the transporting rotor and formed so that during the formation of a bale the drive drives the transporting roller in a form-locking manner and during a time of ejection of the bale the drive drives the transporting rotor frictionally.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming and wrapping round bales includes a baler, arm structure, a cradle, and moving structure. The baler is for taking in a crop material, forming the crop material into a bale, and ejecting the bale. The arm structure is connected to the baler. The cradle is pivotably supported by the arm structure and is for holding the ejected bale. The cradle includes rotating structure for rotating the bale about a central axis of the bale. Moving structure is for providing relative movement between the baler and the cradle. Wrapping structure is supported by the baler and is adapted for holding wrapping material. The wrapping structure is movable around the bale and cooperates with the rotating structure to be capable of wrapping the bale with the wrapping material.

Abstract: The round baler has a plurality of transverse rolls and a plurality of laterally spaced belts entraining the rolls, wherein the rolls and belts cooperatively define a baling chamber expandable from an initial, generally upright, bale-starting configuration. The baling chamber has a crop intake opening adjacent the bottom of the chamber through which crop material is delivered to the chamber during formation of a bale. The rolls include a lower front roll and a lower rear roll which are located behind the intake opening. The lower rear roll has a bale supporting surface that is positioned generally upwardly and rearwardly from the front roll for supporting the bale during formation thereof at a point spaced upwardly and rearwardly from the intake opening.

Abstract: A pickup header (18) has upwardly arched, inversely U-shaped gauge wheel support arms (24,25) that secure the gauge wheels (22,23) to opposite ends of the pickup header (18). Each gauge wheel support arm (24,25) includes a first depending leg member (50) attached to the outboard side (46) of its gauge wheel (22,23) and a support section (52) that is attached proximal to the end of the pickup header (18). Each gauge wheel support arm (24,25) extends over the top of its gauge wheel (22,23) and attaches to the outboard side (46) of the gauge wheel (22,23), thus eliminating any "pinch-zones" between the gauge wheels and the pickup header.

Abstract: A round baler having a wrapping apparatus for wrapping bales with twine includes a twine dispenser moveable generally between the sidewalls for dispensing at least one strand of twine around the bale. The wrapping apparatus further includes a retractable twine guide for spacing the twine wrapped around the bale a certain distance from one of the sidewalls. The guide is shiftable into and out of an operating position, in which the guide engages and maintains the twine the distance from the one sidewall. The operating position of the twine guide is generally within or proximate to the path of inflowing crop material so that shifting of the guide out of the operating position minimizes interference with the flow of material and reduces accumulation of trash and material on the guide.

Abstract: A tailgate-responsive clutch of a round baler tensions a drive belt of the baler for drivingly connecting the bale forming components to a towing vehicle's power source when the clutch is engaged. An actuator is coupled with the clutch to engage and disengage the clutch in response to swinging of the tailgate. Particularly, the actuator is disposed for operable connection with the tailgate when the tailgate is in the closed position, whereby the clutch is engaged, and for disconnection from the tailgate when the tailgate is out of the closed position, whereby the clutch is disengaged. The actuator includes an operating member shiftable by the tailgate to engage the clutch as the tailgate approaches the closed position, wherein the operating member has a resilient portion capable of engaging the clutch, yet also flex and yieldably maintain the clutch engaged when the tailgate is in the closed position.

Abstract: A round baler, having a pair of spaced side walls mounted on a main frame, is supported on wheels and adapted to be pulled across a field. Positioned between the side walls is a crop confining apron for defining an expandable chamber that is adapted to rotatably form a cylindrical package of crop material. A pickup picks up crop material and conveys it into the chamber through a generally transverse crop infeed opening operatively associated with the pickup. Knives on a crop cutting device, controlled by an actuator, extend at varying positions into the expandable chamber to cut crop material on the surface of the cylindrical package as it is being formed. A control system. includes a sensor for sensing the size of the cylindrical package of crop material as it is being formed, and for providing a first signal corresponding to such size. Additionally, a second signal is provided corresponding to the position of the knife elements.

Abstract: A baler is provided with a feed device in which the conveying curves of the conveyor rakes are automatically adjusted by actuation of a hydraulic cylinder in response to sensed changes in operating parameters of the baler.

Abstract: A baler belt system for use primarily in round crop baling machines, includes an elongated elastomeric belt that is adapted for rolling engagement with one or more drive, idler, and tensioner rollers of the type normally used in a round crop baling machine. There are one or more sets of cleaning bars disposed on the inner and outer surfaces of the belt. Each set includes one or more flexible cleaning bars that deform during rolling contact with the various rollers. As the cleaning bars lose contact with the various rollers, they snap back to their original shapes, thereby releasing significant potential energy to loosen crop material that may have accumulated on the exterior surfaces of the rollers. In addition, the sets of cleaning bars function to urge an incoming stream of crop material into a tightly formed spiral without the necessity for an excessively aggressively textured belt surface.

Abstract: A self propelled baler includes a front pick-up device (10), a forward mounted cab (4), and engine (5) behind the cab and above a drive mechanism for the baler ram reciprocatable in a baling chamber. The crop picked up by the pick-up device is conveyed by a conveying device (20), positioned between the front drive wheels, rearwardly to a feeding device (30) which feeds the crop upwardly into the baling chamber.

Abstract: The belt-type round baler has a drive roll for reducing trash and crop material accumulation thereon, with a longitudinal central body and a plurality of belt-engaging portions projecting radially from the central body at points spaced along the length of the body such that each portion underlies a corresponding belt. Each portion has a top surface that engages the corresponding belt and cooperates with the central body to define a portion height. The top surfaces are narrower than the corresponding belts so that the sides of the belt each overhang the portion. The portion height is at least 1.25 times the corresponding belt thickness, while each of the sides of the belt overhangs the sleeve by a distance that is no less than 2.0 times the belt thickness.

Abstract: A crop processor for attachment to a round hay baler for cutting, chopping and shredding various crops, especially hay and all types of crops with stems or stalks extending above ground with the cut, chopped or shredded crop being discharged into a round hay baler to form the processed crop into a round hay bale with the cut lengths of the crop material being useful for bedding, dry feeds, silage and other wet feeds and is especially useful in a total mixed ration mixing machine. The crop processor includes a high speed rotor with multiple cutting elements mounted thereon associated with a shear bar. The rotor and shear bar are oriented in a housing having an open bottom to enable a crop to be engaged and cut by the rotor and shear bar. The shear bar is horizontally adjustable toward and away from the rotor and cutting elements to vary the cutting, chopping and shredding characteristics of the crop processor in order to vary the cut length of crop material.

Abstract: A cylindrical baler is comprised of an adjustable bale forming chamber for forming spirally wound, cylindrical bales. A completed bale is discharged on the ground through a rear tailgate. The chamber is defined by a plurality of belts supported on a system of rollers. Tensioning cylinders are mounted on each side of the baler to provide variable bale density and tailgate cylinders are positioned on the rear of the baler to actuate the tailgate after a bale is formed. A two-way proportional valve acts alone or in cooperation with an adjustable rotary valve and an adjustable relief valve to coordinate the flow, to vary the belt tension, and to open and close the tailgate.

Abstract: A round baler having a main frame, a bale forming chamber on the main frame, a pickup for feeding crop material into the chamber, and a tailgate pivotally connected to the main frame for rearwardly discharging completed bales. The chamber is defined by an apron extending around a plurality of guide rolls on the periphery of the chamber, the tailgate, and a floor. The bale forming chamber varies in size from a core starting position to a full bale position. A crop loading monitor, having sensors in the bale forming chamber, provides signals representing compactness of the crop material during bale formation. The signals are utilized in a system that displays information in a bar graph format that enables the operator to enhance his capabilities for making properly shaped bales.

Abstract: A round baler having a main frame, a bale forming chamber on the main frame, a pickup for feeding crop material into the chamber, and a tailgate pivotally connected to the main frame for rearwardly discharging completed bales. The chamber is defined by an apron extending around a plurality of guide rolls on the periphery of the chamber, the tailgate, and a floor. The bale forming chamber varies in size from a core starting position to a full bale position. A crop loading monitor having sensors in the bale forming chamber provides signals representing compactness of the crop material during bale formation. The signals are utilizable by the operator to enhance his capabilities for making properly shaped bales.

Abstract: A round baler having a frame, a baling chamber for forming cylindrical packages of crop material mounted on the frame, a pickup for feeding crop material into the chamber including a tubular rotatable shaft extending transverse of the frame and concentric with a stationary shaft also extending transverse of the frame. The tubular shaft is journalled via a bearing assembly including a generally cylindrical stationary first race and a concentrically disposed generally cylindrical rotatable second race between which races a bearing cavity is formed for seating a series of bearings housed between the first and second races. The first race is affixed to the stationary shaft and the second race is rotatable relative to the first race and affixed to the tubular shaft for rotating in concert therewith relative to the first race. An annular shaped cover encloses the cavity and has a first edge adjacent the stationary shaft.

Abstract: Improved tailgate latching apparatus for a round baler having a main frame, a tailgate, stub shafts for pivotally coupling the tailgate to the main frame, and a bale forming chamber mounted on the frame and the tailgate for forming crop material into a cylindrical package of crop material, which chamber has a generally transverse opening for permitting the ingress of crop material. The baler also includes a pickup for picking up crop material from the field and feeding it rearwardly along a path in the direction of the transverse opening, a drive for pivoting the tailgate from a closed position to an open position for discharging the bale onto the surface of the field, and a latching assembly for holding the tailgate in its closed position, which assembly comprises a latch arm mounted on the main frame, a latch pin mounted on the tailgate in operative relationship with the latch arm.

Abstract: Improved pickup apparatus for a round baler for traversing a field to form cylindrical bales of crop material. The baler comprises a main frame having a bale forming chamber thereon with a generally transverse opening for permitting the ingress of crop material. The chamber includes a floor roll for supporting the bale as it is being formed, which floor roll includes conveying means disposed to engage the crop material after it has passed through the transverse opening. An improved pickup is provided for picking up crop material from the field and feeding it rearwardly along a path in the direction of the transverse opening. Also included in the pickup is a stuffer mechanism comprising crop engaging elements for engaging the crop material as it is being fed rearwardly and urging it along the path and into the transverse opening. The stuffer includes a striping function for engaging the crop material and stripping some or all of it from the crop engaging elements in the vicinity of the transverse opening.

Abstract: A round baling press for agricultural stalk grains is disclosed which comprises revolving pressing elements wherein the revolving pressing elements include at least one of rollers, conveyors belts, conveyor bar chains and similar items, and further wherein the revolving pressing elements bound a pressing space. The revolving pressing elements are driven on their side facing the pressing space in a region of a commodity inlet aperture so as to revolve from a bottom to a top. The round baling press also comprises a revolving conveyor arrangement, wherein the revolving conveyor arrangement is driven in a same peripheral direction as the pressing elements. The revolving conveyor arrangement is disposed between a pickup and the commodity inlet aperture. The conveyor arrangement further comprises a conveyor roller having rigid prongs which are disposed directly upstream of the commodity inlet aperture and above a supply channel base so as to be rotatably fixed in a supply channel.

Abstract: A direct drive system for a baler of large round bales. A plurality of driven gearboxes, each of which has a planetary gear system and an interconnected bevel gear system, are located on each of a pair of sidewalls of the baler and are each drivably connected to one of a plurality of transverse driven shafts of the baler. A distribution gearbox on each side of the baler are connected through a right angle gearbox to the power take-off of a tractor. Power from the distribution gearboxes is distributed to the plurality of driven gearboxes through a plurality of driven gearboxes through a plurality of lateral drive shafts. The direct drive system of the present invention replaces substantially all of the roller chain and sprocket drive system of known balers.

Abstract: A bearing assembly includes an outer race, an inner race, a plurality of rolling elements, such as bearing balls positioned in a raceway between the outer race and the inner race. The inner race has a series of splines which extend radially inwardly of the spline, the splines increase the amount of surface area which extends radially, or normal to the inner race to contact a similarly configured shaft member. The splined inner race eliminates pounding or knocking noises associated with hexagonal bearings.

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 crop loading monitor is provided for signaling the operator when the compactness of the crop material in at least one portion of the bale being formed in the bale forming chamber reaches a predetermined acceptable level.

Abstract: An agricultural baler for making cylindrical bales of crop material having a sledge assembly moveable between bale starting and full bale positions. The sledge assembly includes a plurality of rollers which cooperate with an apron to define a bale forming chamber. A dispensing mechanism is carried on the sledge assembly for dispensing web material into the bale forming chamber whereupon it is wrapped circumferentially around a cylindrical package of crop material. A net supply assembly is associated with the dispensing mechanism to provide net for feeding into the bale chamber via the dispensing mechanism. Included along the feed path of the net is a net severing assembly for cutting the net after it has been wrapped around the cylindrical hay package. The net severing assembly includes a free falling knife for operatively engaging the net prior to entry into the chamber. A knife constraint system is employed to maintain the knife inoperative in a holding range while permitting it to fall in a release range.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a cylindrical bale of crop material having a generally round cross section, comprising a pick up for picking up crop material as the apparatus travels across a field. The apparatus is adapted to feed the picked up crop material into a bale forming chamber where it is formed into a cylindrical package having a generally round cross section. The package is then wrapped with self adhering tape around the outer periphery to encompass such package and form a bale having a generally round cross section, conforming substantially to the cross section of the cylindrical package. A tape dispensing assembly is provided to receive tape from at least two supply rolls and dispense it around the periphery of the cylindrical package along separate paths. Individual one way clutch drives are associated with each tape dispenser for individualized trouble free tape payout.

Abstract: A round baler, having a pair of spaced side walls mounted on a main frame, is supported on wheels and adapted to be pulled across a field. A crop confining apron is mounted between the side walls for defining an expandable chamber that is adapted to rotatably form a cylindrical package of crop material between the side walls. A pickup picks up crop material and conveys it into the chamber through a generally transverse crop infeed opening operatively associated with the pickup. A transverse starter roll extends between the side walls to provide the upper limit of the infeed opening. A crop severing device extends into the expandable chamber in the vicinity of the starter roll to cut crop material on the surface of the cylindrical package as it is being formed.

Abstract: A method of forming a cylindrical bale of crop material having a generally round cross section. The method is carried out in a round baler performing the steps of picking up crop material as it travels across a field and feeding the picked up crop material into a bale forming chamber in the baler. The crop material is formed into a cylindrical package having a generally round cross section, and then wrapped with at least two separate strips of self adhering tape around the outer periphery to encompass such package and form a bale having a generally round cross section, conforming substantially to the cross section of the cylindrical package.

Abstract: An improvement to roll-forming baling machines of the type having a plurality of endless belts supported on belt rollers that extend between a pair of transversely opposite sidewalls. One or more notches are created in the outside edge of the pair of belts that travel adjacent the sidewalls of the baler machine. The notches act to provide a cleaning effect for the baling machine to remove crop material unincorporated into the forming bales from the areas which result in undesired accumulation of such crop material.

Abstract: A round baler having a frame with opposing side walls, a series of inwardly facing moving surfaces defining a baling chamber for forming cylindrical packages of crop material, a pick up for feeding crop material into the chamber, a plurality of rotatable transverse rollers mounted between the opposing side walls of the frame, and a support assembly for mounting at least one of the rollers. The support includes a bearing assembly having a generally cylindrical stationary first race and a concentrically disposed generally cylindrical rotatable second race between which races a bearing cavity is formed for seating a series of bearings housed between the first and second races. The second race is rotatable with the one roller relative to the first race.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a cylindrical bale of crop material having a generally round cross section, comprising a pick up for picking up crop material as the apparatus travels across a field. The apparatus is adapted to feed the picked up crop material into a bale forming chamber where it is formed into a cylindrical package having a generally round cross section, and then wrapped with at least two separate strips of self adhering tape around the outer periphery to encompass such package and form a bale having a generally round cross section, conforming substantially to the cross section of the cylindrical package.

Abstract: A feeding mechanism for a round hay baler is capable of feeding plastic sheet, netting, or alternatively twine by means of a single set of parallel feed rolls. The device includes a control mechanism which, upon sensing of a full bale having been formed within the baler, initiates a programmed control sequence beginning with driving of one roll for an incremental period of time. The driven roll engage netting, sheet or twine against the second idler roll and feeds the netting, sheet or twine into the bale forming mechanism for wrapping about the bale. Upon completion of the wrapping sequence, a special knife descends and cuts the twine or sheet of netting or plastic. The controller then resets the mechanism.

Abstract: A drive system for a baler of large cylindrical bales that permits a plurality of transverse driven shafts to be slidably engaged and disengaged for quick and easy assembly and repair of the baler. The transverse driven shafts extend between a pair of spaced apart sidewalls. A gear box for each of the driven shafts is mounted on one of the sidewalls and includes longitudinal drive surfaces. Mating longitudinal drive surfaces are formed on the driven shafts for slidable engagement with and disengagements from the drive surfaces of the associated gear box. A releasable mounting secures the nondriven ends of the shafts at the opposite sidewall.

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: A round baler having a bale forming chamber including one or more transversely mounted rolls and at least one elongated belt having opposing ends spliced together to form a continuous band. The splice includes a first and a second series of similar side-by-side loops connected to and extending from the respective opposing ends of the belt, and an attaching element extending through the first and second series of loops to maintain the opposing ends of the belt in alignment and close proximity to each other. Retention components affixed to the attaching element retain it in operative relationship to the first and second series of loops and are disposed outwardly of the outer loops.