A horizontal baler comprising a compactor chamber with a compaction end and a discharge end. A bale of material is formed in the compaction end of the chamber as loose material is deposited in the chamber and compressed by a plunger which is reciprocally driven in the chamber by a motor. A first bale is formed in the chamber and tied with wire. The first bale is urged toward the discharge end of the chamber by compression of more material in the chamber to form a second bale. The end of the first bale forms an end wall in the chamber against which loose material is compressed to form another bale. The improvement comprises a plate which is urged into frictional contact with the first bale when the first bale is adjacent the discharge end of the chamber to limit further movement of the first bale in the chamber. More material is compressed by the plunger into the second bale until the density of the second bale has reached a predetermined amount. The bale is automatically tied and the plate disengaged from the first bale to allow the first bale to be discharged from the baler. The second bale is moved toward the discharge end of the chamber.
A rectangular baler is disclosed comprising a bale case (6) into which successive charges of crop material are introduced; a plunger (7) disposed for reciprocating movement in the bale case (6) to compact the charges while advancing the compacted charges toward an exit opening in the bale case; and a knotter (8) for tying a flexible binding material, such as twine, in a form-stabilising manner around successive increments of compacted crop material while they advance in the bale case (6) to form bales. An elongated sensor (48), disposed on the knotter (8) in the trajectory of the flexible material (49) projecting from a twine holder (32) towards a billhook (33), is operable to detect the tensile forces occurring in the binding material during bale formation and to produce signals, which are processed by a microprocessor (24) to, if found necessary, lower the density of the bales in order to avoid twine failure.
A device for actuating the clutch of a twine wrap device in a big square baler for harvested crops has a pawl attached to the clutch, a shift lever pivotable into the orbit of the pawl, a control device for the shift lever, and an electric motor which is drive-connected with the control device for the shift lever. The electric motor may be connected via an electric circuit with a device for determining the bale length.
Retrofittable hay bale measuring apparatus measures the size of the hay bale being formed, and indicates the size of the bale being formed to a control and display unit. The baler operator sets the desired hay bale size and monitors the baler operation on the display. A contact wheel, which contacts the hay bale and rotates as the bale is being formed, is rotationally attached to a measuring wheel. Alternatively, the contact wheel may itself comprise the measuring wheel. The rotation of the measuring wheel is monitored by a rotation detector which generates a hay bale measuring signal, and sends it to the control and display unit. The control and display unit generates a signal which indicates to the baler when it is time to tie off a bale of hay, based upon the measuring signal.
