Yield monitoring systems for round baling machines and methods that can provide weight estimations for round bales at the time of formation are described. Balers can include those that incorporate hydraulically actuated bale kicking or pushing assemblies as well as those that incorporate spring-loaded off ramps. Farm implements including baling machines and cotton module builders are encompassed. The system includes a sensor that can ascertain a physical parameter associated with ejection of a round bale from the farm implement. Physical parameters as may be ascertained can include pressures, velocities, accelerations, etc. associated with bale ejection.

Yield monitoring systems for round baling machines and methods that can provide weight estimations for round bales at the time of formation are described. Balers can include those that incorporate hydraulically actuated bale kicking or pushing assemblies as well as those that incorporate spring-loaded off ramps. Farm implements including baling machines and cotton module builders are encompassed. The system includes a sensor that can ascertain a physical parameter associated with ejection of a round bale from the farm implement. Physical parameters as may be ascertained can include pressures, velocities, accelerations, etc. associated with bale ejection.

An inspection device for inspecting containers (100) comprises a rotary conveyor (2), provided with a plurality of receiving cavities (5), and a measuring station (400) configured to inspect each container (100) while the container (100) is being supported and moved by the conveyor (2), wherein the conveyor (2) has continuous motion and the measuring station (400) comprises a microwave detector provided with a measuring zone (410) through which each container (100) passes in order to generate an information item relating to at least one of the following: weight of the container (100) as a whole or of the dose of product contained therein, type of product inside the container (100), presence of foreign bodies in the container (100).

An inspection device for inspecting containers (100) comprises a rotary conveyor (2), provided with a plurality of receiving cavities (5), and a measuring station (400) configured to inspect each container (100) while the container (100) is being supported and moved by the conveyor (2), wherein the conveyor (2) has continuous motion and the measuring station (400) comprises a microwave detector provided with a measuring zone (410) through which each container (100) passes in order to generate an information item relating to at least one of the following: weight of the container (100) as a whole or of the dose of product contained therein, type of product inside the container (100), presence of foreign bodies in the container (100).

A control circuit automatically determines a number of unloaders to task with unloading a cargo container at a cargo-container unloading area as a function of (1) the weight of the cargo container including the plurality of physically-discrete shipping containers loaded therein and (2) how many of the physically-discrete shipping containers are loaded in the cargo container. By one approach this comprises calculating a ratio of the weight with respect to the number of physically-discrete shipping containers and correlating that ratio with a human-resource metric. By one approach the number representing how many physically-discrete shipping containers are loaded in a given cargo container is derived from a bill of lading and/or an advanced shipping notice as may correspond to a given shipment. The weight metric, in turn, can be provided by a scale. By one approach the scale is proximal to the cargo-container unloading area.

A method for locking out load cells includes dispensing a fluid into a collapsible bag that is supported within a support housing, the support housing resting on a plurality of load cells that sense the weight of the fluid; manipulating a plurality of lockouts located adjacent to corresponding load cells from a first position to a second position so that the lockouts remove at least a portion of the weight of the fluid from the plurality of load cells; moving the support housing containing the collapsible bag with the fluid therein to a new location; and further manipulating the plurality of lockouts from the second position back to the first position so that the plurality of load cells again sense the full weight of the fluid within the collapsible bag.

A method for locking out load cells includes dispensing a fluid into a collapsible bag that is supported within a support housing, the support housing resting on a plurality of load cells that sense the weight of the fluid; manipulating a plurality of lockouts located adjacent to corresponding load cells from a first position to a second position so that the lockouts remove at least a portion of the weight of the fluid from the plurality of load cells; moving the support housing containing the collapsible bag with the fluid therein to a new location; and further manipulating the plurality of lockouts from the second position back to the first position so that the plurality of load cells again sense the full weight of the fluid within the collapsible bag.

Powder dispensing and sensing apparatus and methods are provided. The powder dispensing and sensing apparatus includes a tray support structure to receive a cartridge tray holding cartridges, a powder dispenser assembly including powder dispenser modules to dispense powder into respective cartridges of a batch of cartridges in the cartridge tray, a powder transport system to deliver powder to the powder dispenser modules, a sensor module including sensor cells to sense respective fill states, such as the weights, of each of the cartridges in the batch of cartridges, and a control system to control the powder dispenser modules in response to the respective sensed fill states of each of the cartridges of the batch of cartridges.

Powder dispensing and sensing apparatus and methods are provided. The powder dispensing and sensing apparatus includes a tray support structure to receive a cartridge tray holding cartridges, a powder dispenser assembly including powder dispenser modules to dispense powder into respective cartridges of a batch of cartridges in the cartridge tray, a powder transport system to deliver powder to the powder dispenser modules, a sensor module including sensor cells to sense respective fill states, such as the weights, of each of the cartridges in the batch of cartridges, and a control system to control the powder dispenser modules in response to the respective sensed fill states of each of the cartridges of the batch of cartridges.

A slope monitoring system includes an analysis formula variable measuring means 81 which measures values of respective analysis formula variables that are obtained when a state of a test layer has been changed from a test environment in which there exist at least an arbitrary test layer or a test layer identical to a material layer forming a monitoring target slope, and a value of a predetermined first observable amount, and an analysis formula variable modeling means 831 which constructs, based on various values obtained from the test environment, for each of the analysis formula variables, a model defined a relationship of them with a second observable amount that is a predetermined observable amount being the same as the first observable amount, or having a known relationship with the first observable amount, or a predetermined third variable that can be calculated from the second observable amount.