A rectangular baler including a bale chamber having a plurality of walls including a movable wall section, an actuator for exerting a pressure on the movable wall section, a plunger for compressing crop material, and a control system configured to control the plunger to perform cyclic plunger strokes such that in each stroke the plunger force (F) exerted by the plunger on the crop material increases to reach a maximum plunger force (Fmax) to compress a newly inserted slice of crop material. The control system includes a first module to measure, at consecutive moments during a plunger stroke, a plurality of first values for the plunger force exerted by the plunger and/or for the pressure (Pd) in the actuator; and a control module to control at least one baling setting influencing the compressing of the crop material in the bale chamber as a function of the plurality of first values.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for controlling electrically-powered trash receptacles and monitoring fullness levels. The system can include a storage enclosure and a bin contained inside the storage enclosure, the bin configured to receive and store items deposited in the storage enclosure, wherein an inside portion of the bin is at least partially covered by a bag placed inside the bin to hold the items deposited in the storage enclosure. The system can also include a sensor configured to sense a content fullness state of the bin and a processor configured to control operations performed by the sensor. In addition, the system can include a sleeve configured to be installed over an inside portion of the bin and the bag, the sleeve at least partially restricting a movement of the bag.

A recycling appliance is for processing non-organic recyclable materials and organic materials. The recycling appliance includes a non-organic processing assembly configured to receive, process and store the non-organic recyclable materials. An organic processing assembly is spaced apart from the non-organic processing assembly. The organic processing assembly is configured to receive, process and store the organic materials. A housing assembly is configured to house the non-organic processing assembly and the organic processing assembly.

A self-propelled baling vehicle for forming a bale of material includes a drive system for propelling the baling vehicle, a baling system for forming the bale, and a control system coupled to the drive system and the baling system. The control system includes a controller configured to determine a proposed location for ejection of the bale, operate the drive system to maneuver the baling vehicle from a first position to a second position for ejection of the bale at the proposed location, operate the baling system to eject the bale at the proposed location, and operate the drive system to maneuver the baling vehicle back to the first position.

The present invention provides an improved high-low hydraulic system for compacting machinery, such as balers, horizontal balers, compactors, transfer station compactors, and the like. The high-low hydraulic system comprises at least one double rotary pump, a plurality of directional control valves, a pilot-operated back pressure reducing valve, a flow control valve, a plurality of one-way valves, and a plurality of pressure switches. The high-low hydraulic system may be regenerative or non-regenerative and provides many advantages over conventional hydraulic systems. Such advantages include greater system efficiency due to a reduced back pressure during the time of the retraction stroke and clever flow sequencing, mitigation of hydraulic shocks at the beginning and end of compaction and retraction strokes, and reduced cycle time of the cylinder during operation due to the concurrent filling of the rod end side during decompression of the blind end side after the compaction stroke. Moreover, the present high-low hydraulic system allows for the cylinder to operate at three or more independent speeds. Additionally, the present high-low hydraulic system may also comprise an accumulator and pressure transducer that further assist with substantially maintaining a predetermined hydraulic pressure on the blind end side after the completion of the compaction stroke.

An agricultural baler includes a main bale chamber and a plunger reciprocally movable within the main bale chamber. The plunger has a duty cycle. A flywheel is associated with the movement of the plunger, and a driveline is associated with the flywheel and couplable with a power take-off of a traction unit. The baler is characterized by an auxiliary power system coupled with the driveline. The auxiliary power system includes a power indicator providing a plurality of output signals, each representing a parameter associated with power usage during the duty cycle of the plunger. A power device receives power from or transfers power to the driveline. An electrical processing circuit is coupled with the power indicator and the power device. The electrical processing circuit receives each output signal and controls operation of the power device, based on at least one output signal from at least one previous duty cycle.

A refuse collection apparatus is disclosed. A refuse collection apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention a main body unit into which a refuse is inserted, a refuse compression unit installed in the main body unit and configured to compress the refuse inserted into the main body unit and a movement range detection unit located inside of the main body unit and configured to detect a movement range of the refuse compression unit.

A system for ejecting a bale from a baler, wherein the ejection process is controlled by a control unit with input from various sensors and from a remote operator located on a tractor. The control unit automatically positions a chute, controls a power take-off from the tractor, depressurizes and opens a chamber door, ties the bale, selects and causes ejector teeth to project into a forming chamber to engage the bale, causes the ejector teeth to move toward a discharge outlet such that the engaged bale moves with them toward and through the discharge outlet, and determines when the bale has fully ejected from the baler. The remote operator may choose to eject only the bale or to eject the entire contents of the forming chamber, and if the former, the control unit determines the bale's length and selects a subset of the ejector teeth that corresponds to that length.

A recycling method includes the steps of compacting recyclable material into a fixed bale, and weighing the recyclable material, using load cells, independently of the compacting forces. Compacting equipment for performing the method includes balers with load cells and anchors, with the load cells weighing the baler and the recyclable material in the baler, and with the anchors anchoring the baler in place without interfering with the weighing.

A sensor assembly and method is described for determining the position of a reciprocating plunger of a baler. A first sensor may detect at least one location of a crank arm driving the plunger as the crank arm rotates. A second sensor may detect a rotation of a crank gear that drives the rotation of the crank arm. A controller may determine a position of the reciprocating plunger relative to a baling chamber based upon, at least in part, the detected crank arm location and the detected rotation of the crank gear.