A method and system for monitoring a bale shape. The method includes receiving a series of bale images from a camera, identifying the bale in the bale images, determining at least one bale shape parameter of the identified bale, and providing an electronic signal representative of the bale shape parameter. The bale images include a view of at least an outlet of a bale chamber of an agricultural baler, of a bale being ejected from the outlet, and of a field travelled by the agricultural baler during the ejection of the bale. The at least one bale shape parameter of the identified bale is then determined based on at least one of the bale images. The identifying of the bale may, at least partly, be performed using trained neural networks and other artificial intelligence algorithms.

An agricultural baler includes a main bale chamber having an inlet for receiving crop material. A strawhook arrangement includes a plurality of strawhooks and an actuation mechanism for moving the strawhooks between an open position wherein the inlet to the main bale chamber is open, and a closed position wherein the inlet to the main bale chamber is closed. The actuation mechanism includes a two-bar linkage and an actuator. The two-bar linkage has a first bar with a first end and a second end, and a second bar with a first end and a second end. The first end of the first bar is pivotally coupled with the strawhooks, and the first end of the second bar is pivotally coupled with a fixed structure of the baler. The actuator is coupled with the second ends of the first bar and the second bar. The actuator is operable to apply pushing or pulling forces to each of the second ends and thereby selectively move the strawhooks between the open position and the closed position.

An agricultural baler includes a main bale chamber having an inlet for receiving crop material. A strawhook arrangement includes a plurality of strawhooks and an actuation mechanism for moving the strawhooks between an open position wherein the inlet to the main bale chamber is open, and a closed position wherein the inlet to the main bale chamber is closed. The actuation mechanism includes a two-bar linkage and an actuator. The two-bar linkage has a first bar with a first end and a second end, and a second bar with a first end and a second end. The first end of the first bar is pivotally coupled with the strawhooks, and the first end of the second bar is pivotally coupled with a fixed structure of the baler. The actuator is coupled with the second ends of the first bar and the second bar. The actuator is operable to apply pushing or pulling forces to each of the second ends and thereby selectively move the strawhooks between the open position and the closed position.

A hay baler includes a compression stage having a first major wall conveying device, a support surface, a first sidewall conveying device and a second sidewall conveying device which are arranged to form a compression chamber and driven at compatible speeds to propel hay toward a downstream end of the compression stage. The first and second major wall conveying devices are in spaced relation to each other. The first and second sidewall conveying devices are transversely oriented and form first and second side walls of the compression chamber and are angled so that the compression chamber tapers from an initial width at the upstream end to a smaller final width at the downstream end.

A system and computer-implemented method for assessing an amount of ash includes an agricultural implement and an ash assessment system. The implement includes a crop processing portion configured to move a cut organic material in a field. The ash assessment system includes an ash sensor configured to determine a measured ash contamination value, a GNSS receiver configured to determine a geolocation, and a processor programmed to perform an ash assessment process. The process includes receiving the measured ash contamination value from the ash sensor and receiving the geolocation data from the GNSS receiver. The geolocation data corresponds to a geolocation of the measured ash contamination value. The process also includes correlating the measured ash contamination value and the geolocation data to one another and storing the measured ash contamination value and the geolocation data in a memory device that is coupled in communication with said processor.

A system and computer-implemented method for assessing an amount of ash includes an agricultural implement and an ash assessment system. The implement includes a crop processing portion configured to move a cut organic material in a field. The ash assessment system includes an ash sensor configured to determine a measured ash contamination value, a GNSS receiver configured to determine a geolocation, and a processor programmed to perform an ash assessment process. The process includes receiving the measured ash contamination value from the ash sensor and receiving the geolocation data from the GNSS receiver. The geolocation data corresponds to a geolocation of the measured ash contamination value. The process also includes correlating the measured ash contamination value and the geolocation data to one another and storing the measured ash contamination value and the geolocation data in a memory device that is coupled in communication with said processor.

An agricultural baler system includes: an agricultural baler including a bale chamber configured to form a bale from crop material, a crop conveyor configured to feed crop material into the bale chamber, a location sensor configured to output a location signal corresponding to a location of the agricultural baler, and a parameter sensor configured to output a parameter signal corresponding to a measured parameter; and a controller operably coupled to the travel sensor and the parameter sensor. The controller is configured to: determine an area based at least partially on a rake width of a rake and a defined length; determine a parameter distribution in a region of a field having the area based at least partially on the measured parameter and the location of the agricultural baler; and output a field map update signal to update a field map to indicate the determined parameter distribution.

An agricultural baler system includes: an agricultural baler including a bale chamber configured to form a bale from crop material, a crop conveyor configured to feed crop material into the bale chamber, a location sensor configured to output a location signal corresponding to a location of the agricultural baler, and a parameter sensor configured to output a parameter signal corresponding to a measured parameter; and a controller operably coupled to the travel sensor and the parameter sensor. The controller is configured to: determine an area based at least partially on a rake width of a rake and a defined length; determine a parameter distribution in a region of a field having the area based at least partially on the measured parameter and the location of the agricultural baler; and output a field map update signal to update a field map to indicate the determined parameter distribution.

A hydraulic system for a rear gate of a baler implement includes a fluid circuit having a first portion connected to and disposed in fluid communication with a first fluid port of a hydraulic cylinder. A flow bypass assembly is disposed in the first portion of the fluid circuit. The flow bypass assembly includes a flow rate control valve selectively moveable between a first position allowing fluid communication therethrough at a first flow rate, and a second position blocking fluid communication therethrough. The flow bypass assembly further includes a bypass passageway for circulating the fluid when the flow rate control valve is closed. A flow restriction is disposed within the bypass passageway to provide a second flow rate that is less than the first flow rate.

Method and device for tagging round bales during wrapping in plastic foil, using a stationary or mobile baler-wrapper. Each round bale is oriented with the circular end surfaces mainly vertically and layers of plastic foil is wrapped around the round bale by foil wrapping arms. At a point in time where at least one layer of plastic film remains to be wrapped, each round bale is tagged with an ID tag having an adhesive back-side surface, using a time controlled, pivotal tagging arm provided with a tag transferring member. The movement of said tagging arm is controlled by a computer, which synchronizes the movement of the tagging arm with the movement of the foil supplying arms. After tagging, at least one additional layer of plastic is wrapped around each round bale to protect the ID tag.