Abstract: A baler plug removing system for unplugging a conventional hay baler without the user having to risk bodily injury or leave the comfort of the tractor cab. The device includes a support member having a front edge, a plurality of wheels rotatably attached to the support member, a pair of opposing tracks that are secured to the conventional baler that receive the plurality of wheels, a pair of front bearing for guiding the front of the support member, a pair of rear bearings for guiding the rear of the support member, a first blade member slidably positioned upon the front edge of the support member, a motor mechanically connected to the first blade member to reciprocate the first blade member upon the support member and a pair of hydraulic cylinders connected to the support member for extending/retracting the support member along the tracks.

Abstract: A baler for making rectangular crop bales has a generally horizontally disposed fore-and-aft extending baling chamber. The pickup of the baler is disposed underneath the baling chamber in line with the path of travel of a reciprocating plunger in the overhead chamber. An in-line transfer duct leads generally upwardly and rearwardly from the pickup to the bottom of the chamber. An enclosed crop flow passage is defined from a point immediately behind the pickup to a point located at the opening in the bottom of the baling chamber and presents a forwardmost cutting zone, a packing zone behind the cutting zone, and an accumulating zone behind the packing zone. Cutter apparatus within the cutting zone reduces the crop materials into smaller pieces as they flow through the cutting zone, whereupon a separate packer takes the materials from the rear side of the cutter apparatus and packs them in a downstream direction toward the accumulating zone where they form into a charge.

Abstract: An agricultural harvesting machine, such as a baler, is provided with a pick-up assembly and a feeder mechanism for picking up crop material from a field and feeding it to the inlet of a baling chamber. A crop retainer mechanism, such as a windguard, are mounted above the feeder mechanism for engaging the upper portion of said crop material whilst it is being fed to said inlet. The retainer mechanism is movable between a lower position assumed when no crop material is present on said crop intake apparatus and an upper position when a considerable amount of crop material is present on said crop intake apparatus. The harvesting machine is also provided with a dampening mechanism for damping the motion of said crop retainer mechanism. Advantageously, the motion is damped by a pair of gas springs mounted to the transverse rod of the windguard. This arrangement precludes sudden movements of the windguard and ensures a regular flow of the picked up material to the baling chamber.

Abstract: A large round baler includes a crop pick-up assembly which is wider than the baling chamber and equipped with right- and left-hand stub augers for centering the crop for delivery through the inlet of the baling chamber. In order to prevent the augers from compressing crop against crop feeding tines located between the inner ends of the stub augers, crop lifters are mounted to inner end portions of each of the stub augers. The stub augers are each double flight augers with the flights being offset 180° from each other. The crop lifters each include first and second lifter plates respectively associated with the first and second flights, the lifter plates each having a first end fixed to the auger core and being curved outwardly from the core to the outer periphery of the associated flight.

Abstract: A round baler includes bale forming mechanism and a crop delivery apparatus for delivering crop material to the bale forming mechanism. A clutch is provided for drivingly disconnecting the bale forming mechanism and delivery apparatus from the driveline while the tailgate is raised to discharge a wrapped bale. Engagement and disengagement of the clutch is controlled by a piston and cylinder assembly, and raising and lowering of the tailgate is controlled by a pair of piston and cylinder units. The baler is provided with a hydraulic sequencing circuit that connects the clutch assembly and the tailgate units to a common source of pressurized fluid. Moreover, the sequencing circuit controls fluid flow to the assembly and the units so that the clutch is disengaged before the tailgate is raised and the clutch is not re-engaged until the tailgate has been closed.

Abstract: A round baler for forming crop material into cylindrical bales, having a main frame, a plurality of conveying elements supported on main frame for defining a bale forming chamber, and a pickup for feeding crop material into said chamber. The conveying elements each have a crop engaging surface extending transversely of the main frame for forming a cylindrical package of crop material under conditions where the pickup is feeding crop material into the chamber. A dispensing assembly dispenses wrapping material from a storage container into the chamber for wrapping the outer surface of the cylindrical package of crop material to form a round bale. The storage container, mounted in an operative position on the main frame, is pivotable to an inoperative position away from the dispensing assembly for providing unobstructed access to the storage container and the dispensing assembly.

Abstract: Bale collector having a mobile frame for connecting behind a bale delivery device, such as a baler, by which round bales can be deposited at desired points on the land. The bale collector provides a storage place for a single round bale, a non-return element for preventing rolling back of the bale from the rear and a tilt control element connected between the frame and the rear bearing part for tilting a rear end of the rear bearing part between an upper position of a collecting state and a lower position of an unloading state.

Abstract: A round bale press, for baling agricultural products, includes a pressing chamber that is circumferentially surrounded by compaction elements and a tying apparatus that lays twine onto the circumferential surface of a rotating bale formed in the pressing chamber of the baler, the twine being engaged between the rotating bale and the compaction elements and wrapped about the circumference of the bale. At least one pressing device is provided which includes at least one rotating pressing tool for engaging the circumference of the bale at a location where the twine that is wrapped about the bale is to be cut off when the desired number of wraps have been applied to the bale. The pressing tool operates to form a groove in the circumference of the bale and to guide the finishing wraps or wrap of twine to the vicinity of the groove so that the tension in the twine acts to seat the finishing wraps or wrap of twine in the groove prior to the wrapped length of twine being severed from the supply roll of twine.

Abstract: In a round baler for agricultural crops including a supply station for feeding-out a strip-like covering material for the fully wound round bale and a cutting device for severing the covering material, simple provision is desirable for pulling the new leading-edge of the strip of covering material away from the knife-edge after the cutting process. Drive shafts of the advancing roller and a detainable ratchet wheel are mutually coupled in rotatable manner by a resilient hub-shaft connection. The hub-shaft connection is constructed such that, when the ratchet wheel is detained, the advancing roller can still rotate through a small angle and thereby deform resilient drive elements in order to produce an extremely high tension in the strip. The restoring forces so created turn the advancing roller in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the strip as soon as the strip is severed. The leading-edge of the strip is thereby pulled away from the knife-edge.

Abstract: A baler (10) for wrapping a rotating bale (52) of crop material (26) with strands of twine (72) has two twine tubes (68) through which the twine is fed so that ends of the strands dangle from the tubes. A bale density sensor (36) senses bale density and a controller (42) compares the sensed density with a desired density selected by an operator via an operator control panel (34). When the sensed density reaches about half the desired density the twine tubes are moved to a twine insert position so that the ends of the strands dangle adjacent the rotating bale. When a full bale has been formed, a duckbill (60) is actuated to push the ends of the strands toward the bale where they are caught up in the crop material. If either strand is not caught up in the rotating bale, the operator may abort the wrap cycle and initiate a new wrap cycle by pressing a wrap key on the control panel.

Abstract: A round baler for forming crop material into cylindrical bales. The baler has a main frame, a pair of side walls, a crop pickup mounted on the main frame, and a tailgate pivotally connected to the main frame. The tailgate is operative between a closed position during which a bale is being formed in an expandable chamber, and an open position during which a formed bale is being discharged from the chamber. A sledge assembly, pivotally mounted on the main frame for movement between a bale starting position and a full bale position, has crop engaging transverse rollers for urging the crop material along a spiral path in the chamber for starting and forming a bale. A apron is supported along a continuous path on the main frame and tailgate by a plurality of rotatable guide members. The path has an inner course that cooperates with the sledge rolls on the sledge assembly to define moveable walls of the chamber. A drive roll moves the apron along the continuous path.

Abstract: A round baler for forming crop material into cylindrical bales. The baler has a main frame, a pair of side walls, a crop pickup mounted on the main frame, and a tailgate pivotally connected to the main frame. The tailgate is operative between a closed position during which a bale is being formed in an expandable chamber, and an open position during which a formed bale is being discharged from the chamber. A sledge assembly, pivotally mounted on the main frame for movement between a bale starting position and a full bale position, has crop engaging transverse rolls for urging the crop material along a spiral path in the chamber for starting and forming a bale. A apron is supported along a continuous path on the main frame and tailgate by a plurality of rotatable guide members. The path has an inner course that cooperates with the sledge rolls on the sledge assembly to define moveable walls of the chamber. A drive roll moves the apron along the continuous path.

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 baler for forming rectangular bales from harvested crop and including a baling channel having an inlet opening, a pressure piston reciprocating in the baling channel and periodically closing and opening the inlet opening, a continuously driven rake conveyor for delivering the harvested crop through the inlet opening of the baling channel synchronously with reciprocating movement of the pressure piston, a switch mechanism for periodically turning off the rake conveyor, and a brake for retraining the rake conveyor for at least one delivery period in its undelivering position outside of a delivery channel, and a control unit for turning on the rake conveyor synchronously with the reciprocating movement of the pressure piston.

Abstract: A round baler for forming crop material into cylindrical bales. The baler has a main frame, a pair of side walls, a crop pickup mounted on the main frame, and a tailgate pivotally connected to the main frame. The tailgate is operative between a closed position during which a bale is being formed in an expandable chamber, and an open position during which a formed bale is being discharged from the chamber. A sledge assembly, pivotally mounted on the main frame for movement between a bale starting position and a full bale position, has crop engaging transverse rollers for urging the crop material along a spiral path in the chamber for starting and forming a bale. An apron is supported along a continuous path on the main frame and tailgate by a plurality of rotatable guide members. The path has an inner course that cooperates with the sledge rolls on the sledge assembly to define moveable walls of the chamber. A drive roll moves the apron along the continuous path.

Abstract: A baler plug removing system for unplugging a conventional hay baler without the user having to risk bodily injury or leave the comfort of the tractor cab. The system includes a bar member having an engaging face that is extendable between a pair of feed rollers, a plurality of wheels rotatably attached to the bar, a pair of opposing tracks that are secured to the conventional baler that receive the plurality of wheels, a pair of front bearing for guiding the front of the bar, a pair of rear bearings for guiding the rear of the bar, and a pair of hydraulic cylinders connected to the bar for extending/retracting the bar along the tracks. A plurality of push hooks are preferably connected to a rear portion of the bottom surface of the bar for pulling in hay from the pickup into the feed rollers. A plurality of pull hooks are preferably attached to the bottom surface of the bar adjacent the engaging face for pulling tightly compacted hay from between the feed rollers.

Abstract: An agricultural machine has a feed passage for stalk products, a cutting device provided on the feed passage and having a plurality of turnably supported knives which are arranged in a row and extend in their cutting position into the feed passage, spring loaded knife levers which hold the knives in the cutting position, so that under the action of a foreign body the knives can turn out against a spring loading from the feed passage, a joint traverse with which the knife levers are displaceably connected through hingedly connected rods, a frame which is downwardly turnable to a fixed abutment and in which the cutting device is arranged, the frame having side walls provided with slot guides, the traverse being displaceably received at both ends of the traverse in the slot guides of the side walls of the frame, and a cylinder-piston a unit which engages with the traverse.

Abstract: A square baler has a pick-up device, a feeding channel, a baling chamber with a baling ram, side walls of the baling chamber, a hydraulic adjustment device to change the position of at least one pivotal side wall and corresponding sensors and control devices, which regulate the side walls. A control device regulates the baling force of the square baler. A pressure sensor measures the baling pressure in the hydraulic adjustment device. The baling pressure is then compared with a set pressure value. The difference in the value of the pressures is processed via a PID controller, which sends an adjustment signal to a hydraulic valve for adjusting the difference in the actual and set pressures.

Abstract: A baler for agricultural products has a chassis, a pickup, a transporting passage, a pressing chamber, a binding device, a discharging device, a working element performing working operations in the baler, a main drive shaft connected with the working element for driving the working means, at least one planetary summing transmission connected with an operative for driving the main drive shaft, a first drive unit including a cardan shaft and transmitting rotation with a first rotary speed to the planetary summing transmission, and a second drive unit transmitting a rotation to the planetary summing transmission with a second regulatable rotary speed, so that the planetary summing transmission summarizes the rotary speeds of the first and second drive units and produces a rotation with an output speed for driving the main drive shaft.

Abstract: A new and improved rake apparatus and methods are provided for the easy and safe exchange of process equipment towed behind the rake for combined raking and processing agricultural operations. The rake may be mounted on a large frame with a substantial extension PTO shaft capable of transferring power from the power source (usually a tractor) to a baler, fluffer rake, or other towed farm implement attached to the end of said frame, through connection to a tractor's PTO shaft via the use of a telescopic PTO shaft. Once connected to the power source, one has a combination of a rake having mounted swing arms that extend outwardly from the framed device and a PTO shaft driving the baler, tedder rake, or other towed farm implement, enabling the rake to swing hay and other cut materials into the path of the towed implement for further processing.

Abstract: Round balers include bale shaping elements which define the boundary of the bale forming chamber. One part of the bale shaping elements can be swung by an attached structural arm into the bale forming chamber. The amount the elements are swung into the chamber is defined by the tensional forces on a spring. These tensional forces can be manually adjusted using a device, in a stepwise manner. One embodiment includes a handheld lever and a stepped shift-gate.

Abstract: A large round baler bale-forming belt drive roll has cylindrical sections at its opposite ends which extend through circular holes provided in the opposite side walls of the baling chamber. The cylindrical sections are smaller in diameter than the circular holes, thus leaving clearance gaps between the cylindrical sections and the boundaries of the holes. A pair of wipers, in the form of rod or wire stock, are welded at diametrical opposite locations on the cylindrical sections and are located in the adjacent clearance gap. The wipers are angled relative to the axis of rotation of the roll so that as the roll rotates the wipers sweep through the gaps and cause any crop material engaged there to be moved inwardly from the adjacent bale chamber side wall.

Abstract: A round baler for forming crop material into cylindrical bales. The baler has a main frame, a pair of side walls, a crop pickup mounted on the main frame, and a tailgate pivotally connected to the main frame. The tailgate is operative between a closed position during which a bale is being formed in an expandable chamber, and an open position during which a formed bale is being discharged from the chamber. A sledge assembly, pivotally mounted on the main frame for movement between a bale starting position and a full bale position, has crop engaging transverse rollers for urging the crop material along a spiral path in the chamber for starting and forming a bale. A apron is supported along a continuous path on the main frame and tailgate by a plurality of rotatable guide members. The path has an inner course that cooperates with the sledge rolls on the sledge assembly to define moveable walls of the chamber. A drive roll moves the apron along the continuous path.

Abstract: A round baler is disclosed for forming crop material into cylindrical bales. The baler has a main frame, a pair of side walls, a crop pickup mounted on the main frame, and a tailgate pivotally connected to the main frame. The tailgate is operative between a closed position during which a bale is being formed in an expandable chamber, and an open position during which a formed bale is being discharged from the chamber. A sledge assembly, pivotally mounted on the main frame for movement between a bale starting position and a full bale position, has crop engaging transverse rolls for urging the crop material along a spiral path in the chamber for starting and forming a bale. An apron is supported along a continuous path on the main frame and tailgate by a plurality of rotatable guide members. The path has an inner course that cooperates with the sledge rolls on the sledge assembly to define the chamber.

Abstract: A belt separating arrangement for a round baler includes a separating member positioned in a run of belts between a pair of spaced baler rollers. The separating member may be in the form of a separating roller with which each belt in a pair of adjacent belts is engaged in a different location, such that the separating member is operable to separate the belts to enable trash to fall into the crop inlet stream for incorporating into a baler. In one form, the separating arrangement includes a separating roll and an auxiliary roll, and each belt in a pair of adjacent belts is trained about the separating roll in a different location, as well as about the auxiliary roll. In another form, the separating arrangement is in the form of a sectioned separating roll, which includes a series of side-by-side roller sections mounted to a shaft such that each roller section can rotate in either direction.

Abstract: A variable chamber round baler having a bale core formation chamber with a variable geometry including a primary belt tensioner and a secondary belt tensioner, the primary belt tensioner begins to act only after the bale core has been completely formed; varying the initial geometry of the chamber and the compression program allows the formation of bales having different properties, such as a hard or soft core (with different diameters), a bale with constant density, etc.

Abstract: A round baling press for baling harvested crops has a device for storing a roll of netting web for binding bales. Stones and other foreign bodies thrown into the housing of the baling press can lead to breakdowns and damage to the mechanism for feeding netting web into the baling press. A flexible and plastic web, preferably made of transparent material, is used as an inexpensive and simple housing cover to prevent stones and foreign bodies from entering the housing of the baling press.

Abstract: The bale pusher mechanism of a round baler has a one-way safety breakaway latch between the push bar that engages the ejected bale and the actuator that operates the push bar. During the pushing stroke of the push bar, the latch cannot unlock, but during the return stroke if the push bar hangs up on the bale for any reason, the relief spring of the latch can yield to allow the push bar to disconnect itself from the actuator and remain engaged with the bale. As the baler is driven forwardly a short distance with the tailgate raised, the unlatched push bar rides harmlessly across the top surface of the bale until it completely clears the bale. In most cases the push bar will then easily relatch itself with the actuator by gravity.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for fine-adjustment of moving part sequences in big square balers and, in particular, for adjusting the insertion point of the needle bar and the timing of the feeding mechanism for the baling material. The fine-adjustment is accomplished by pivoting an angle adjustment mechanism, which is jointly pivotable with an intermediate drive shaft, at a maximum pivot angle of 10 degrees, but preferably 2 to 3 degrees in either forward or backward pivot directions.

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 of applying twine to a bale in which the twine is applied between first and second bale positions separated by an axial length along the bale. The method includes the step of applying twine about the bale by rotating the bale while continuously moving a twine dispenser axially from the first bale position to the second bale position such that a continuous helical pattern of twine is wrapped around the bale.

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: A windrow turning apparatus which mounts to a front of a tractor and has a first rake support assembly and a second rake support assembly. The rake support assemblies support rotary raking wheels at an angle in relation to a support frame extending from a forward end outwardly toward a tractor attachment end. A farmer can lower either the first rake support assembly or the second rake support assembly to an operative position, depending upon the direction that windrow needs to be turned in order to maintain consistent windrow spacing.

Abstract: A tow bar assembly for a tractor which enables up to three implements to be simultaneously pulled through a field utilizing a conventional hitch of the tractor. The tow bar assembly includes hitch dollies which are pivotally mounted so as to be moveable about both horizontal and vertical axes to a primary support beam and a pair of outrigger beams which are pivotally connected at opposite ends of the primary support beam in such a manner that the dollies are permitted to follow the natural terrain when the tow bar assembly is in use. Implements, such as hay balers, may be selectively hitched to the dollies.

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 baler including a plurality of endless belts and opposing side walls defining therebetween a chamber for receiving forage material and forming a bale. Each of the belts is formed as a full width belt extending substantially a transverse distance from one of the side walls to the other of the side walls. In order to maintain proper tracking of the full width belts, a drive roller for each of the belts is formed with a sleeve centrally located on the drive roller and defining a crown for the roller, as well as improving traction between the roller and the belt. In addition, each of the full width belts is formed with a differential stiffness wherein the belt exhibits a greater stiffness against bending about an axis perpendicular to the rollers than the stiffness against bending about an axis parallel to the rollers.

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 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 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: In a device and a method, a position-accurate detection of product mass received by a baler is possible, by an electronic control and regulating device in association with determination of a load of a working element of the baler.

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 round baler includes a bale shape monitor for facilitating uniform bale formation. The bale shape monitor includes a pair of end sensors and an intermediate sensor. The end sensors sense the diameter of the bale at end locations adjacent opposite ends of the bale, while the intermediate sensor senses the diameter of the bale at an intermediate location spaced between the end locations. The monitor further includes a signal responsive to the sensors to indicate to the operator when the diameter of the bale at one of the end locations is less than the diameter at the intermediate location. The signal is electrically powered and includes a pair of switches, each of which is operably coupled between one of the end sensors and the intermediate sensor to operate an indicator when the diameter of the bale sensed at the corresponding end location is less than the diameter sensed at the intermediate location.

Abstract: The vertical chamber of the open throat, vertical chamber baler has its bottom inlet opening devoid of a starter roll. A resilient rotary rake tine assembly positioned below and ahead of the inlet opening picks up crop material from the ground and delivers it to a rigid tooth feeder spaced below the inlet opening in vertical alignment therewith. At the beginning of each bale forming cycle when the chamber is small and empty, the rigid tooth feeder propels the crop material into the chamber and against the upwardly moving rear belt stretch which encourages the material to tumble forwardly against the downwardly moving front belt stretch. The oppositely moving surfaces presented by the front and rear belt stretches encourage the tumbling material to coil into a bale core, which ultimately forms a larger bale.