A grasping mechanism for an agricultural bale wagon has a fixed grasping arm and a movable grasping arm. The movable grasping arm is translatable toward and away from the fixed grasping arm. The movable grasping arm can be rotated to define varying angular relationships between the fixed grasping arm and the movable grasping arm. Rotation and translation of the movable grasping arm are effected by an actuator. A resilient bumper between the fixed grasping arm and movable grasping arm is adjustable automatically to span the adjusted width between the fixed grasping arm and movable grasping arm.

Bale handling apparatus and associated methods are described. According to one aspect, a bale handling apparatus includes a primary chassis frame, wheels coupled with the primary chassis frame, a grapple system supported by the primary chassis frame, wherein the grapple system includes a plurality of grapples which move between open and closed positions, a hoist assembly supported by the primary chassis frame, wherein the hoist assembly comprises a load bed, and a lift device configured to move the load bed between a first position and a second position, wherein the grapples are configured to move from the open position to the closed position to engage a bale of a vertically arranged stack which is adjacent to the load bed positioned in the second position, and wherein the lift device moves the load bed from the second position to the first position with the grapples engaged with the bale.

A bale accumulator for attaching to a round baler and for transporting a bale, with a carrying device for carrying the bale, which is adjustable into a loading position to pick up the bale, into a transport position to transport the bale, and into an unloading position to discharge the bale onto the ground, wherein the bale accumulator has two wheels, wherein the carrying device is mounted, as seen in a first spatial direction, at the height of or below a wheel axis of a wheel of the bale accumulator and/or that the carrying device is arranged between the two wheels of the bale accumulator. The present disclosure furthermore relates to a work train comprising a round baler and such a bale accumulator as well as a method for unloading a first and a second bale from a round baler of such a work train onto the ground.

A bale handling apparatus is operable to receive bales from a square baler and create cubic stacks of bales for discharge from the bale handling apparatus. The bale handing apparatus includes an elevator provided with a lateral shuttle mechanism that creates rows of three laterally aligned bales, and a stacking mechanism that receives accumulated rows of bales from the elevator to create a vertical module of bales. The stacking mechanism includes a pusher plate that pushes the bale modules toward a wrapping apparatus that wraps an accumulated cubic stack of bales with wrapping material to establish integrity to the cubic stack. The cubic stacks are retained on a discharge floor extending rearwardly from the wrapping mechanism until a predetermined number of cubic stacks can be discharged at a desired location for subsequent pick-up and storage.

A hydraulic circuit includes a control valve, a first hydraulic actuator, and a second hydraulic. The hydraulic circuit is configured such that in a first step, the first hydraulic actuator opens a product barrier in response to movement of the control valve into a first position, in a second step, the second hydraulic actuator moves a product engagement member in a first direction and the first hydraulic actuator closes the product barrier in response to movement of the control valve into a second position, in a third step, the first hydraulic actuator opens the product barrier in response to movement of the control valve into the first position, and in a fourth step, the second hydraulic actuator moves the product engagement member in a second direction and the first hydraulic actuator closes the product barrier in response to movement of the control valve into the second position.

An agricultural baler comprising a baler mechanism. The agricultural baler comprises at least one structural member and a first ground engaging support is pivotally coupled to the structural member about a pivotal axis. A second ground engaging support is rotationally coupled to the structural member about an aft rotational axis. The baler mechanism is pivotally connected to the structural member at a baler connection. The baler connection is located at least one of between the aft rotational axis and the pivotal axis and at the pivotal axis. A bale carriage is coupled to the structural member.

A bale collection system for use with a baler having an outlet through which a finished bale is ejected, the bale collection system including a holder coupled to the baler, the holder defining a support surface configured to support the finished bale, an operating barrier, and a holdback arm in operable communication with the holder and configured to 1) permit the finished bale to pass through the operating barrier in a first direction and 2) restrict movement of the finished bale through the operating barrier in a second direction, opposite the first direction.

An agricultural baler including a baler mechanism. The agricultural baler includes at least one structural member and a first ground engaging support is pivotally coupled to the structural member about a pivotal axis. A second ground engaging support is rotationally coupled to the structural member about an aft rotational axis. The baler mechanism is pivotally connected to the structural member at a baler connection. The baler connection is located at least one of between the aft rotational axis and the pivotal axis and at the pivotal axis. A bale carriage is coupled to the structural member.

A method of and apparatus for producing stacks of large square bales. Bales are received from the baler via a bale accumulator and formed into a stack, a plurality of bales high. The resulting bale stacks may be dropped in the field for pickup later.

A continuous windrow merger has a frame that supports center, right and left pickup assemblies. The pickup assemblies each include a pickup head and a conveyor assembly. The pickup head has a cylindrical reel and a plurality of tines extending radially outwardly from the reel. The pickup head is arranged to pickup and deliver crop material rearward to the conveyor assembly. The conveyor assembly has a draper belt with an upper surface arranged to receive crop material from the pickup head and transfer the crop material in a lateral direction. The draper belt is mounted with the upper surface sloping downwardly and rearwardly from the pickup head. The merger has a folded configuration for transport in which the right and left wing frame sections extend generally vertically above the center frame section. The frame can be attached to the front of a self-propelled traction unit or towed behind a tractor.