A square baler comprising a gear box configured to receive power from a rotating power source. The baler additionally comprises first and second drive shaft sections extending outwardly from generally opposite sides of the gear box. The gear box is configured to rotate said first and second drive shaft sections using power from the rotating power source. The baler further comprises first and second reciprocating plungers respectively coupled to the first and second drive shaft sections in a manner such that rotation of the first drive shaft section causes reciprocation of the first plunger and rotation of the second drive shaft section causes reciprocation of the second plunger.

A square baler comprising a gear box configured to receive power from a rotating power source. The baler additionally comprises first and second drive shaft sections extending outwardly from generally opposite sides of the gear box. The gear box is configured to rotate said first and second drive shaft sections using power from the rotating power source. The baler further comprises first and second reciprocating plungers respectively coupled to the first and second drive shaft sections in a manner such that rotation of the first drive shaft section causes reciprocation of the first plunger and rotation of the second drive shaft section causes reciprocation of the second plunger.

The present invention relates to an automatic bale strapping mechanism for dispensing, cutting, and securing strapping material around a bale of material being formed by a baling press. The automatic bale strapping mechanism can be an integral component or series of components to a conventional baling press. The bale strapping mechanism includes a draw and cutter assembly comprising a mobile draw carriage that draws strapping material a predetermined distance for cutting. The bale strapping mechanism can also include a dispensing mechanism which dispenses strapping material and an insertion assembly which carries strapping material through an extrusion chamber chute of a baling press. Methods of automatically drawing and cutting strapping material are also an aspect of the present invention.

A baler for hay, straw, grass, and similar feed materials is provided. The baler communicates compressed material from a vertically inclined compression passage formed in-between opposing conveyer belts to a central area of a baling chamber for baling. A plunger within the baling chamber can reciprocate in two directions to form bales which are tied and discharged from both ends of the baling chamber.

A method of identifying a bale of material includes capturing an initial image of a region of an initial bale with an initial image sensor and identifying a unique band pattern of at least one multi-colored band of the initial bale. The identified unique band pattern is associated with the initial bale. Data related to the initial bale is associated with the identified unique band pattern. The identified unique band pattern of the initial bale may then be used as an identifier of the initial bale. A second image of the bale is captured and analyzed to determine if the second image includes the unique band pattern of the at least one multi-colored band, thereby identifying the bale in the second image as the initial bale. The data associated with the initial bale may then be retrieved by an operator.

An agricultural baler includes a main bale chamber in which crop material is compressed into bales. The main bale chamber includes an inlet for receiving a wad of crop material from a pre-compression chamber of the agricultural baler, and an outlet for discharge of compressed crop material into a bale. The bale includes a plurality of flakes that are incrementally added to form the bale. A bale length sensor is configured to determine a current length of the bale as the bale is being formed in the main bale chamber. A controller is configured to estimate a completed length of the bale during formation of the bale based on (i) the current length of the bale being formed and (ii) a predicted thickness of an impending flake to be added to the bale.

A plunger for an agricultural baler includes: a plurality of plunger sections held together to form the plunger, the plurality of plunger sections including a pair of plunger end sections, each of the plunger sections including at least one tube holding portion having a tube opening formed therein; at least one of at least one roller or at least one sliding block attached to and extending laterally from each of the plunger end sections; and a tube placed within the tube opening of each tube holding portion such that an interference fit is formed between the tube and the at least one tube holding portion of each plunger section to hold the plunger sections together.

An agricultural baler including a bale chamber; a plunger; a feeder duct; and a rotor feeder unit. The rotor feeder unit includes a rotor feeder unit bottom distant from a rotor feeder forming a lower boundary of a conveying channel through the rotor feeder unit. The rotor feeder unit also includes scrapers placed in a conveying direction behind the rotor feeder. The scrapers extend in between the tines and have a leading face cooperating with the tines. The agricultural baler further includes a position adjuster configured to displace the leading face of the scrapers relative to the rotor feeder unit bottom, and to displace a top wall and/or the bottom wall of the feeder duct, in order to adjust the volume of the feeder duct.

A high capacity square baler comprising a pickup mechanism configured to pick up a single windrow of crop material off the ground. The baler additionally comprising one or more stuffer chutes each configured to receive at least a portion of the crop material picked up by the pickup mechanism. The baler additionally comprising one or more stuffer assemblies each configured to push crop material generally upward through one or more of the stuffer chutes. The baler additionally comprising a plurality of bale-forming chambers each configured to receive crop material from one or more of the stuffer chutes. The baler further comprising a plurality of knotter assemblies each associated with one of the bales forming chambers and each configured to wrap and tie securement lines around each formed bale. The knotter assemblies are configured to operate independently of one another, such that formed bales can be tied at different times.

A high capacity square baler comprising a pickup mechanism configured to pick up a single windrow of crop material off the ground. The baler additionally comprising one or more stuffer chutes each configured to receive at least a portion of the crop material picked up by the pickup mechanism. The baler additionally comprising one or more stuffer assemblies each configured to push crop material generally upward through one or more of the stuffer chutes. The baler additionally comprising a plurality of bale-forming chambers each configured to receive crop material from one or more of the stuffer chutes. The baler further comprising a plurality of knotter assemblies each associated with one of the bales forming chambers and each configured to wrap and tie securement lines around each formed bale. The knotter assemblies are configured to operate independently of one another, such that formed bales can be tied at different times.