A method of controlling a tractor/baler combination is disclosed including the steps of: (i) advancing a tractor/baler combination through a swath or windrow of a harvested crop material with a tractor PTO operating at a generally constant speed to power a drive of a baling chamber of the baler and the baler operating to pick up harvested crop material; (ii) during step (i) assessing the flowrate of the harvested crop material in the baler and the torque of the baling chamber drive (iii) comparing the assessed flowrate with an optimal flowrate and the torque of the baler chamber drive with an optimal baler chamber drive; and (iv) if the assessed flowrate differs from the optimal flowrate by more than a predetermined amount or the assessed torque of the baler chamber drive differs from the optimal torque by more than a predetermined amount, changing the speed of advancement of the tractor/baler combination, and hence changing the flowrate of biological matter in the baler and the torque of the baler chamber drive.

A method of controlling a tractor/baler combination is disclosed including the steps of: (i) advancing a tractor/baler combination through a swath or windrow of a harvested crop material with a tractor PTO operating at a generally constant speed to power a drive of a baling chamber of the baler and the baler operating to pick up harvested crop material; (ii) during step (i) assessing the flowrate of the harvested crop material in the baler and the torque of the baling chamber drive (iii) comparing the assessed flowrate with an optimal flowrate and the torque of the baler chamber drive with an optimal baler chamber drive; and (iv) if the assessed flowrate differs from the optimal flowrate by more than a predetermined amount or the assessed torque of the baler chamber drive differs from the optimal torque by more than a predetermined amount, changing the speed of advancement of the tractor/baler combination, and hence changing the flowrate of biological matter in the baler and the torque of the baler chamber drive.

A system including a controller associated with an agricultural vehicle. The controller is configured to: receive other-vehicle-data that is representative of another vehicle that is in an agricultural field; and determine route-plan-data that is representative of a route to be taken by the agricultural vehicle in the agricultural field, based on the other-vehicle-data.

A system including a controller associated with an agricultural vehicle. The controller is configured to: receive other-vehicle-data that is representative of another vehicle that is in an agricultural field; and determine route-plan-data that is representative of a route to be taken by the agricultural vehicle in the agricultural field, based on the other-vehicle-data.

A baler implement has a pick-up to gather crop material, a baling chamber having an inlet, and a uniform feeding apparatus. The uniform feeding apparatus includes a flap. The flap is positioned downstream of the pick-up and upstream of the inlet relative to movement of the crop material along a crop path. The flap is selectively controllable for movement relative to a central longitudinal axis of the baler implement between a first position of the flap to direct the crop material toward a first lateral side of the baling chamber relative to the central longitudinal axis, and a second position of the flap to direct the crop material toward a second lateral side of the baling chamber relative to the central longitudinal axis.

A system and method for monitoring bale growth rate and mat thickness and controlling baler operations according to the monitoring of bale growth rate and mat thickness. A baler includes sensors and a control system that uses sensor output as input for its processes. The controller is configured to determine a value of a physical attribute in an operation of a baler based on data received from a sensor. Also, the controller is configured to estimate a mat thickness or a bale growth rate based on the determined value of the physical attribute. The controller is also configured to control an operation of the baler or an operation of a tow vehicle, configured to tow the baler, based on the estimated mat thickness or bale growth rate.

A bale ejection system includes a pawl having a planar structure. The pawl includes a mounting bore extending therethrough. A center of the mounting bore defines a rotation axis. The planar structure of the pawl includes a cam surface and a material engaging surface disposed opposite the cam surface. The cam surface and the material engaging surface extend away from the rotation axis, and converge to define a distal end that is spaced from the rotation axis. The material engaging surface defines a crop engaging tooth positioned between the rotation axis and the distal end of the planar structure. The crop engaging tooth and the distal end of the planar structure are operable to engage crop material of a bale when the planar structure is rotated into engagement with the bale for moving the bale along a longitudinal axis of a baler implement.

A round baler includes a housing which has a housing part and an ejection flap which is pivotably mounted on this housing part about a bearing axis, and drivable pressing means which are allocated to the housing part and the ejection flap and which define a pressing chamber on the peripheral side, wherein the ejection flap is adjustable by means of a first adjusting apparatus such that when the ejection flap is opened an ejection opening is able to be formed between the housing part and the ejection flap and a dimension of the ejection flap is adjustable. The housing part comprises a retaining roller. The retaining roller is arranged so as to be adjustable between a resting position and a working position in which the retaining roller adopts a position disposed within the ejection opening.

A baling system for baling crop material includes a baling chamber. Moveable doors partly define the chamber and the shape of the bale. Hydraulic tension cylinders extend and retract to apply a force to the moveable doors and the growing bale, and transducers measure the lengths of the tension cylinders. An electronic control unit receives the lengths from the transducers, and communicates via a display at least a relative difference between the lengths for consideration in steering the baling system. In particular, the lengths being equal indicates the growing bale is substantially straight and the baling system should be steered straight, and the lengths being unequal indicates the growing bale is developing a curvature and the baling system should be steered in the direction of the cylinder having the shorter length. The transducers may be located external or internal to the cylinders, and may measure the lengths continuously or periodically.

A baler having a compression system for forming a bale includes a plunger that reciprocates within a baling chamber between an extended position and a retracted position. The baler also includes a controller configured to detect and calculate the amount of work exerted by the plunger as it reciprocates within the baling chamber. The controller generally calculates the work exerted by the plunger by determining the force applied to the plunger and the distance the plunger has traveled with respect to the baling chamber.