A tailgate assembly for an agricultural baler includes: a tailgate that is movable between an open position and a closed position; a tailgate actuator coupled to the tailgate and configured to move the tailgate between the open position and the closed position; and a controller. The controller is configured to: determine that a bale formation cycle is beginning; enter a lockout mode responsively to determining the bale formation cycle has begun, the lockout mode preventing the tailgate actuator from moving the tailgate to the open position; determine that the bale formation cycle is complete; and enter an ejection mode from the lockout mode responsively to determining the bale formation cycle has completed, the ejection mode allowing the tailgate actuator to move the tailgate to the open position.

A pickup unit of an agricultural baler that includes a frame, at least one draper belt, at least one belt actuator operably connected to the at least one draper belt, a first auger and a second auger each being rotatably connected to the frame and located above the at least one draper belt, and a first and a second auger actuator respectively operably connected to the first and second auger. The pickup unit also includes an electrical processing circuit operably connected to and configured for adjusting the at least one belt actuator, the first auger actuator, and the second auger actuator so that a rotational speed of the at least one draper belt, the first auger, and/or the second auger is increased or decreased to evenly distribute the crop material as the crop material is transported to the bale chamber.

A baler implement includes a housing defining a baling chamber for forming a bale having a parallelepiped shape, and a knotter system for wrapping and tying twine around the bale. A knotter controller is configured to determine a remaining length of a first twine in a first twine supply, and determine a remaining length of a second twine in a second twine supply. The knotter controller may then calculate an estimated remaining number of bales that may be secured based on the remaining length of the first twine and the second twine. The knotter controller may communicate an output signal to an output device indicating the estimated remaining number of bales that may be secured. The knotter controller may automatically communicate a resupply request when the first twine and/or the second twine are low.

A baler system is operable to determine an initial quantity of a preservative stored in a tank and define an application rate of the preservative to be applied per bale during a harvest operation. A number of bales to be formed during the harvest operation may be estimated, and a determination made on whether or not the initial quantity of the preservative at the defined application rate is sufficient to treat the estimated number of bales to be formed during the harvest operation. When a controller determines that the initial quantity of the preservative is not sufficient to treat the estimated number of bales to be formed during the harvest operation, the controller may send a notification to a system manager requesting additional preservative be delivered to the baler implement. The status of the preservative may be continuously monitored and updated throughout the harvest operation.

A round bale or module building assembly with a frame having a first wall and a second wall separated from one another by a module width and a plurality of rollers positioned between the first wall and the second wall, the plurality of rollers defining at least one belt path. Wherein, at least two rollers of the plurality of rollers have a combined width configured to substantially span the module width.

A bale monitoring system includes an imaging device that is operable to capture a stereoscopic image of a bale. A computing compares the stereoscopic image of the bale to a three-dimensional standard to identify a deviation of the bale from the three-dimensional standard. The computing device may then assign the bale a shape quality score based on the deviation of the bale from the three-dimensional standard. The shape quality score may indicate a magnitude of the deviation of the bale from the three-dimensional standard. Additionally, the stereoscopic image may be analyzed to identify characteristics of the bale, such as a broken wrap material or an improperly formed bale.

A round baler includes a pick-up unit for picking up crop material from the ground, a baling chamber which receives the crop material from the pick-up unit, and a press mounted within the baling chamber for forming a bale during a bale formation cycle. The baler also includes a binding unit for dispensing a binding material for binding the bale, a tailgate displaceable by an actuator from a closed position at the beginning of a bale formation cycle to an open position to dispense the bale after the binding cycle. A sensor detects a first tailgate position after the bale formation cycle and before the binding cycle, and detects a second tailgate position after the binding cycle and before displacing the tailgate to the opened position. A controller is responsive to the sensor by determining a tailgate position change between the second tailgate position and the first tailgate position.

A baler includes a housing forming a baling chamber. The baling chamber has an inlet that defines an inlet width perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis of the baler. A pre-cutter is disposed forward of the inlet along the central longitudinal axis and includes a cutter width perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis. The cutter width is substantially less than the inlet width. A crop distributor is disposed between the pre-cutter and the inlet and conveys the crop material from the pre-cutter to the inlet. A pick-up head is disposed forward of the pre-cutter and lifts the crop material from the ground and conveys it to the pre-cutter.

A baler connectable to a tractor for providing round bales comprises: a frame supported on a wheel axle; a chamber, for receiving crops and for housing a formed bale, the chamber having a fixed, predetermined size; a tailgate connected to the frame and movable between a closed position and an open position; a conveying assembly which has a first portion provided in the frame and a second portion provided in the tailgate; a cylinder-piston actuator, which includes a closing chamber and moves the tailgate from the open position to the closed position; a binder, configured for binding the formed bale with a fastening element; a pressure sensor for detecting a control signal representative of a pressure inside the closing chamber of the cylinder-piston actuator; a control unit, configured to generate an alert signal as a function of the control signal.

A method of controlling formation of a bale includes: forming a bale from crop material by rotating the bale in a bale chamber; receiving with a controller of a control system at least one operating condition value corresponding to at least one operating condition sensed by a sensor when the bale is forming; automatically determining with the controller a power take-off speed of a drive mechanism responsive to receiving the at least one received operating condition value; and applying with the control system the determined power take-off speed to the drive mechanism.