A method of storing information corresponding to crop material formed into a bale during a baling process for an aggregation of bales. Crop material is formed into a bale with the baler to obtain a formed bale. At least one parameter of the crop material or formed bale is detected with at least one crop sensor and/or bale sensor for the formed bale. The baler is provided with binding material from the binding material roll comprising identification tags at spaced intervals along the binding material. The formed bale is bound with the binding material using the knotter system such that an identification tag is applied to the bale to obtain a tagged bale. A bale ID is created for the tagged bale and the sensor parameter for the tagged bale is associated with the bale ID. Further crop material is formed into at least one additional bale with the baler to obtain at least one additional formed bale. The at least one additional formed bale is bound with the binding material such that an identification tag is not applied to the at least one additional formed bale to obtain at least one non-tagged bale. The at least one non-tagged bale is associated with the tagged bale and the tagged and non-tagged bales are formed into a bale aggregate.

An accumulator is coupled to an agricultural baler and is configured to support a crop package exiting the baler. The accumulator includes an accumulator frame coupled to a wheel supported on a surface and a carriage pivotably coupled to the accumulator frame about a first rotational axis for movement between a first position and a second position. The carriage is configured to support the crop package when the carriage is in the first position. The carriage is also configured to discharge the crop package from the accumulator when the carriage is in the second position. The accumulator also includes an over-center linkage system coupled between the accumulator frame and the carriage. The over-center linkage system is configured to lock the carriage in the first position.

The present invention provides a system for processing a bale of straw to provide a hurd fraction, a fiber fraction and a dust fraction. The system comprises a bale cutting assembly configured to cut the bale into a plurality of vertically stacked cut bale segments by making one or more horizontal cuts through the bale and to eject a lowermost one of the plurality of the cut bale segments onto a first conveyor assembly, which separates the bale segment into straw wafers and convey them into a flail assembly comprising a plurality of flails/beaters to convert straw wafers into loose straw. The loose straw are discharged into a grinding assembly via a second conveyor assembly, to provide a mixture of hurd, fiber and dust. A separation assembly receives and separate the mixture of hurd, fiber and dust into the hurd fraction, the fiber fraction and the dust fraction.

A bale accumulator for grouping bales for group baling includes a platform, a depositor mounted adjacent to the platform for sequentially depositing bale sets onto the platform, each bale set when deposited onto the platform comprises a pair of bales positioned upright and side-by-side in a packing orientation so that their corresponding long sides are axially juxtaposed, and a packer apparatus mounted adjacent to the platform for packing one bale set at a time from the platform into a group baler trailing the platform each time a bale set is deposited onto the platform from the depositor without changing the packing orientation of the bales of each bale set.

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.

A harvester and a crop accumulator combination. The harvester is configured to transfer a harvested crop to the crop accumulator. The crop accumulator comprises at least one actuator to selectively discharge the harvested crops onto a field. A GPS unit is configured with at least one virtual trip line. An ECU is in communication with the GPS unit. The ECU is configured to selectively command the actuator of the crop accumulator to discharge harvested crop onto the field when the ECU receives a signal from the GPS unit when at least one of the virtual trip line is being approached, the virtual trip line is being crossed, and the virtual trip line has been crossed.

A machine for making bales from plant matter includes a compression chamber, a conveying device for conveying the plant matter into the compression chamber, a piston able to move in the compression chamber in order to compress the plant matter, and a drive device for driving the translational movement of the piston. The drive device further includes a hydraulic device comprising a hydraulic pump connected to the coupling member, a hydraulic motor powered by the hydraulic pump, a drive member driven by the hydraulic motor and configured to move the piston in a translational movement, and a control device for controlling the movement of the piston.

A bale accumulator for grouping bales for group baling includes a platform, a depositor mounted adjacent to the platform for sequentially depositing bale sets onto the platform, each bale set when deposited onto the platform comprises a pair of bales positioned upright and side-by-side in a packing orientation so that their corresponding long sides are axially juxtaposed, and a packer apparatus mounted adjacent to the platform for packing one bale set at a time from the platform into a group baler trailing the platform each time a bale set is deposited onto the platform from the depositor without changing the packing orientation of the bales of each bale set.

An accumulator is coupled to an agricultural baler and includes a frame having a first end, a second end, and a support structure positioned between the first and the second ends. The accumulator includes a crop package moving assembly moveably coupled to the frame in a first direction and in a second direction. The crop package moving assembly is configured to move a crop package in the first direction. The accumulator includes a carriage coupled to the first end of the frame and configured to move relative to the frame between a retracted position and an extended position. The carriage is configured to move into the extended position to support the crop package. The carriage is also configured to move from the extended position into the retracted position in response to the crop package being removed from the carriage and the crop package moving assembly moving in the second direction.

A crop-package transfer system has a flexible member supported by a support frame and is configured to support a crop package on a first side of the flexible member. A motive member is disposed on a second side of the flexible member. An actuator device is configured to move the motive member along the second side of the flexible member, such that the motive member transmits motive force from the actuator device to the crop package via the flexible member.