An apparatus and method for baling plant materials such as grasses, leaves and pine straw a hydraulic power unit, a conveyor operatively coupled to the hydraulic power unit, a hopper for depositing the material on a proximal end of the conveyor and a baler operatively coupled to the hydraulic power unit and arranged for receiving a material from the conveyor. The power unit, conveyor and baler are supported on a trailer. An electronic control system is operatively coupled to the hydraulic power unit, the conveyor and the baler for automatically suspending operation of the conveyor when the baler contains a sufficient amount of material for initiating bundling of the material and automatically resuming operation of the conveyor following dispensing of a bundle of the material from the baler.

An agricultural baler including a bale chamber; a feeder duct communicating with the bale chamber; and a feeder operable within the feeder duct to accumulate a charge of crop material therein and then stuff that accumulated charge into the bale chamber. The baler further includes a conveying channel and a conveyor operable in the conveying channel to convey the crop material along a bottom wall of the conveying channel toward the feeder duct. The bottom wall of the conveying channel is adapted to be moved away from the conveyor; and the lower end part of the bottom wall of the feeder duct is attached to the movable bottom wall of the conveying channel.

An agricultural baler including a bale chamber; a feeder duct communicating with the bale chamber; and a feeder operable within the feeder duct to accumulate a charge of crop material therein and then stuff that accumulated charge into the bale chamber. The baler further includes a conveying channel and a conveyor operable in the conveying channel to convey the crop material along a bottom wall of the conveying channel toward the feeder duct. The bottom wall of the conveying channel is adapted to be moved away from the conveyor; and the lower end part of the bottom wall of the feeder duct is attached to the movable bottom wall of the conveying channel.

A conveying device (1) for picking up a sward of crop material from the ground and feeding the crop material to, for example, a baler (4), comprises a conveying channel (28) through which the crop material is conveyed from a pick-up mechanism (18) to the baler (4) by a feed rotor 34. The conveying channel (28) comprises a base (30) comprising an upstream base part (43) and a downstream base part (44). The upstream base part (43) is pivotal adjacent its upstream end (45) about a transversely extending first pivot axis (57). The downstream base part (44) is pivotal about a second transversely extending second pivot axis (76) towards the downstream end (51) thereof. The downstream end (46) of the upstream base part (43) is supported on a pair of first resilient mounting members (59) and the upstream end (50) of the downstream base part (44) is supported on a pair of second resilient support members (85) through a pair of carrier arms (78) which are pivotal about a transversely extending carrier pivot axis (74). The resilience of the first and second resilient support members (59) and (85) is such that on the force with which crop material is being urged by the feed rotor 34 against the upstream and downstream base parts (43) and (44) exceeding respective first and second predefined values, the first and second resilient support members (59) and (85) yield, thereby permitting downward displacement of the downstream end (46) of the upstream base part (43) and the upstream end (50) of the downstream base part (44) in order to permit crop material to pass through the conveying channel (28) without becoming jammed between the feed rotor (34) and the upstream and downstream base parts (43) and (44).

A conveying device (1) for picking up a sward of crop material from the ground and feeding the crop material to, for example, a baler (4), comprises a conveying channel (28) through which the crop material is conveyed from a pick-up mechanism (18) to the baler (4) by a feed rotor 34. The conveying channel (28) comprises a base (30) comprising an upstream base part (43) and a downstream base part (44). The upstream base part (43) is pivotal adjacent its upstream end (45) about a transversely extending first pivot axis (57). The downstream base part (44) is pivotal about a second transversely extending second pivot axis (76) towards the downstream end (51) thereof. The downstream end (46) of the upstream base part (43) is supported on a pair of first resilient mounting members (59) and the upstream end (50) of the downstream base part (44) is supported on a pair of second resilient support members (85) through a pair of carrier arms (78) which are pivotal about a transversely extending carrier pivot axis (74). The resilience of the first and second resilient support members (59) and (85) is such that on the force with which crop material is being urged by the feed rotor 34 against the upstream and downstream base parts (43) and (44) exceeding respective first and second predefined values, the first and second resilient support members (59) and (85) yield, thereby permitting downward displacement of the downstream end (46) of the upstream base part (43) and the upstream end (50) of the downstream base part (44) in order to permit crop material to pass through the conveying channel (28) without becoming jammed between the feed rotor (34) and the upstream and downstream base parts (43) and (44).

An apparatus and method for baling plant materials such as grasses, leaves and pine straw a hydraulic power unit, a conveyor operatively coupled to the hydraulic power unit, a hopper for depositing the material on a proximal end of the conveyor and a baler operatively coupled to the hydraulic power unit and arranged for receiving a material from the conveyor. The power unit, conveyor and baler are supported on a trailer. An electronic control system is operatively coupled to the hydraulic power unit, the conveyor and the baler for automatically suspending operation of the conveyor when the baler contains a sufficient amount of material for initiating bundling of the material and automatically resuming operation of the conveyor following dispensing of a bundle of the material from the baler.

An apparatus and method for baling plant materials such as grasses, leaves and pine straw a hydraulic power unit, a conveyor operatively coupled to the hydraulic power unit, a hopper for depositing the material on a proximal end of the conveyor and a baler operatively coupled to the hydraulic power unit and arranged for receiving a material from the conveyor. The power unit, conveyor and baler are supported on a trailer. An electronic control system is operatively coupled to the hydraulic power unit, the conveyor and the baler for automatically suspending operation of the conveyor when the baler contains a sufficient amount of material for initiating bundling of the material and automatically resuming operation of the conveyor following dispensing of a bundle of the material from the baler.

A residue management system for an agricultural vehicle includes: a straw hood defining a first rear opening and a second rear opening; a windrow chute held adjacent to the first rear opening; a spreader assembly held adjacent to the second rear opening; a conveyor held within the straw hood and defining a conveyor axis of rotation; and a selection door pivotably coupled to the straw hood and defining a pivot axis which is rearward and below the conveyor axis of rotation, the selection door being configured to switch between a first position in which material from the conveyor is directed toward the first rear opening and a second position in which material from the conveyor is directed toward the second rear opening.

A residue management system for an agricultural vehicle includes: a straw hood defining a first rear opening and a second rear opening; a windrow chute held adjacent to the first rear opening; a spreader assembly held adjacent to the second rear opening; a conveyor held within the straw hood and defining a conveyor axis of rotation; and a selection door pivotably coupled to the straw hood and defining a pivot axis which is rearward and below the conveyor axis of rotation, the selection door being configured to switch between a first position in which material from the conveyor is directed toward the first rear opening and a second position in which material from the conveyor is directed toward the second rear opening.

An agricultural baler includes a feeder duct communicating with a bale chamber for charges of crop material to be transferred into a bale chamber. The baler also includes a door that defines at least a portion of a bottom wall of the feeder duct. The door is movable between: (i) a door-open-position, in which an opening in the bottom wall is provided; and (ii) a door-closed-position in which the opening is closed. The baler further includes a pick-up device that is movable between: (i) a lowered-position in which it is operable to convey crop material into the feeder duct; and (ii) a raised-position in which it is spaced further away from the ground than in the lowered-position. The pick-up device is mechanically coupled to the door of the bottom wall such that movement of the pick-up device causes the door to move from the door-open-position to the door-closed-position.