An apparatus for removing twine from a bale is described herein. The apparatus includes a frame having a mounting portion configured to releasably mount to a vehicle and two opposed arms rigidly coupled to and extending in a common direction from the mounting portion. The apparatus also includes a bale grabbing mechanism coupled to the frame and configured to releasably secure the bale against the opposed arms of the frame, a cutting mechanism movably coupled to one of the opposed arms of the frame, the cutting mechanism including a cutting element being configured to cut the twine and a twine grabbing mechanism coupled to the other opposed arm of the frame. The twine grabbing mechanism is configured to retain the twine after the twine has been cut by the cutting mechanism.

An automatic net wrap remover is shown and described. The automatic net wrap remover includes a housing constructed of a base and a plurality of sidewalls. The housing has an interior volume. The base supports a belt system that will support a round hay bale and help to rotate the bale. A spindle is attached to the top of one of the plurality of sidewalls that will engage the hay bale. A blade is attached adjacent to the spindle that will cut the net wrapping of the hay bale.

A wrap removal assembly includes an elongated support member extending along a central longitudinal axis and having an exterior surface. A snagging wire is disposed adjacent the exterior surface of the elongated support member and includes an active material changeable between a first shape and a second shape in response to a control signal. The snagging wire presents a catch spaced outward and away from the exterior surface when disposed in the first shape to snag the wrap material and gather the wrap material around the elongated support member. The snagging wire is positioned substantially flat against the exterior surface of the elongated support member when disposed in the second shape to release the wrap material and allow removal of the wrap material from the elongated support member.

An automatic net wrap remover is shown and described. The automatic net wrap remover includes a housing constructed of a base and a plurality of sidewalk. The housing has an interior volume. The base supports a belt system that will support a round hay bale and help to rotate the bale. A spindle is attached to the top of one of the plurality of sidewalls that will engage the hay bale. A blade is attached adjacent to the spindle that cut the net wrapping of the hay bale.

Example aspects of a wrap cutting assembly for a bale wrap and a method for using a bale wrap cutting and retaining apparatus are disclosed. The wrap cutting assembly can comprise a saw housing defining a connection portion; a saw comprising a plurality of teeth configured to cut the bale wrap; and a linkage system movably coupling the saw to the saw housing and configured to move the saw along an arcuate path.

An implement includes a bale cutting device, which includes a carrier that can be pivoted about a pivot axis, and a support connected to the carrier. A cutter bar is attached to and supported by the support so as to be movable at least substantially in the direction of a longitudinal extent of the support. The implement may include at least one pick-up for engaging a bale. In operation, the cutter bar is positioned on a far side of the bale, with the bale between the carrier and the cutter bar. The cutter bar may then be drawn inward into the bale to cut the bale approximately in half.

A bale processor has a towed body that includes one or two hay bale shredders in the form of a flail drum. The bale processor is self-loading such that bales may be loaded in the processing tubs by a set of rear mounted arms and various conveyor chains. The processor also includes a grain tank, a grain metering system, and a grain cracker, all mounted in series. The grain cracker may have a choice of outputs, including back to the grain tank. The cracked grain is fed into the tub to be mixed with other feed materials, such as shredded straw, and is then discharged to the opposite side of the unit. There may be a feed chopper mounted downstream of the tub, such that the feed chopper receives both the grain material and the shredded hay feed. The feed chopper and the grain cracker operate independently, and may have different setting of size, speed, and weight or volume per minute or per unit of distance travelled. The output may have a curtain assembly to facilitate deposit in windrows.

The present invention concerns an apparatus for loosening fiber material packed in bales, comprising a conveyor region for conveying the fiber material along a conveyor direction. The conveyor region includes a feed portion, a buffer portion and a discharge portion. A first roller arrangement is arranged in the transitional region between the feed portion and the buffer portion and a second roller arrangement is arranged in the transitional region between the buffer portion and the discharge portion.

Shredder for shredding agricultural products, such as bales of straw, the shredder comprising: a shredding device (20) for shredding the loaded agricultural products and a blowing device (5) for blowing the shredded agricultural products from the shredding device (20) toward and through an outlet opening (3), wherein the blowing device (5) comprises at least two blowing elements (21a, 21b), wherein the two blowing elements (21a, 21b) are arranged rotatably about their respective blowing rotational axis, wherein rotating the blowing elements (21a, 21b) about their blowing rotational axis causes the shredded agricultural products to be blown from the shredding device (20) toward and through the outlet opening (3).

A system for processing plant materials is described. The plant materials have at least plant stalks, and the plant stalks comprise at least bast fibers. The system has a crusher module for disrupting the plant materials without breaking or damaging the bast fibers thereof, thereby obtaining disrupted plant stalks and a first plant-remainder; a decorticator module coupled to the crusher module for separating the disrupted plant stalks into bast fibers as a first product and a second plant-remainder; and a screening module coupled to the decorticator module for separating at least the second plant-remainder to microfibers and hurds as a second and a third product, respectively.