Yield monitoring systems for round baling machines and methods that can provide weight estimations for round bales at the time of formation are described. Balers can include those that incorporate hydraulically actuated bale kicking or pushing assemblies as well as those that incorporate spring-loaded off ramps. Farm implements including baling machines and cotton module builders are encompassed. The system includes a sensor that can ascertain a physical parameter associated with ejection of a round bale from the farm implement. Physical parameters as may be ascertained can include pressures, velocities, accelerations, etc. associated with bale ejection.

A bale wrapping apparatus for both inline and individual bale wrapping is described herein. The bale wrapping apparatus includes a bale wrapping mechanism configured to carry a plastic film around a bale when the bale is positioned in a bale wrapping space of the bale wrapping mechanism. The bale wrapping mechanism includes at least one movable tine that is configured to extend into the bale wrapping space to support the bale in the bale wrapping space when the bale wrapping apparatus is configured for inline bale wrapping and is movable out of the bale wrapping space when the bale wrapping apparatus is configured for individual bale wrapping. The bale wrapping apparatus also includes two powered rollers for supporting and rotating the bale in the bale wrapping space during individual bale wrapping. The two powered rollers are movable to configure the bale wrapping apparatus for inline bale wrapping.

A wrapping system includes: a material roll configured to hold a roll of wrapping material; a knife assembly comprising a movable knife that is configured to cut wrapping material that comes off the material roll; a sensor associated with the material roll and configured to output a drawn material signal; and a controller. The controller is configured to: receive the drawn material signal; determine a length of wrapping material that is drawn from the material roll; output a cut signal to the knife assembly when the drawn length of wrapping material reaches a defined length; determine a length of wrapping material that is drawn from the material roll after outputting the cut signal; and output an excessive wrap signal when the length of wrapping material drawn after outputting the cut signal exceeds a threshold length.

A shredding and baling apparatus provided includes a shredding assembly operatively connected to a baling assembly via a conveyor. A rotatable drum with cutting teeth spirally arranged along the drum is preferably centered within a lower portion of an intake hopper for cutting through material as it is fed into the hopper. Fixed cutting teeth are preferably arranged in a row or rows along each of the longitudinal sidewalls of the hopper, adjacent the cutting drum. A touch screen display and computer may be used in combination with sensors to monitor and control the shredding and baling operation, and a hydraulic system is used to drive the components. The shredding and baling assembly is preferably designed in an industrial size to handle high volumes of material and may be driven or transported from one location to another.

A crop baler implement includes a baling chamber sized to form crop material into a parallelepiped shape bale having longitudinal faces and transverse faces. The implement includes a carriage disposed rearward of the baling chamber. The carriage includes a tray positioned to receive the bale from the baling chamber in a first orientation, in which the longitudinal faces of the bale are parallel with a longitudinal frame axis. A longitudinal wrapping assembly may wrap the longitudinal faces of the bale when the bale is in the first orientation. The tray is rotatable relative to the carriage about a substantially vertical tray axis to move the bale from the first orientation to a second orientation, in which the transverse faces of the bale are parallel with the longitudinal frame axis. A transverse wrapping assembly may wrap the transverse faces of the bale when the bale is in the second orientation.

A method for assigning information to an identification tag on a bale includes receiving, compressing and shaping crop material into a plurality of formed bales. At least one sensor parameter for the formed bales is detected with at least one sensor. Each bale is wrapped with a binding material and an identification tag is attached to each of the formed bales. A bale ID is created for each of the formed bales. The identification tag on the bale for each bale is assigned to the bale ID. The operator selects to have either the sensor parameter for the tagged bale associated with the bale ID or have a semi-randomized code not containing the sensor parameter associated with the bale ID.

A cylindrical bale-wrapping apparatus includes a main frame having a vehicle mounting apparatus, a first sub-frame adjustably mounted on the main frame between a bale-loading position and a bale-wrapping position, and a second sub-frame adjustably mounted on the main frame between a transport position and a bale-wrapping position. A wrapping table adapted to rotate a cylindrical bale about a central axis is associated with the first sub-frame. A wrapping ring including at least one roll support adapted to rotate about the wrapping table is mounted on the second sub-frame. The second sub-frame has a bale-support element.

A control system for controlling a cutting operation performed by at least one controllable components of an agricultural baler on a wrapping material incorporating a plurality of electronic identifiers is disclosed. The control system ensures that an electronic identifier is not damaged when the cutting operation is performed.

The invention uses a new system which cuts and unlocks a wrapping material (PE film) for cotton in a continuous manner in cotton harvesting, and a new method in production of such film. The film consists of many segments that make many bales of cotton. The film is separated with perforation by laser or other methods. A double sided adhesive is used to glue the bale at the end of it, which is covered by a folded bridge. The bridge connects both ends of the segments of the film. When perforated film is torn at a signal by the harvest machine, the bridge is unfolded as a leading edge for the next segment after a brief bridge linkage of both segments. The way of folding the bridge is key part of the invention, which accurately uncovers the end adhesive for the new bale and reduces the problem of tangling of the film at the time of separation.

In one embodiment, a wrapping material for wrapping around an agricultural product to form a bale, including a continuous web of material including a plurality of wrapping units, each wrapping unit having a first surface and an opposing second surface, and extending lengthwise from a leading end to a tail end, the tail end of each wrapping unit terminating at the leading end of an adjacent wrapping unit. Each wrapping unit includes a nontacky portion extending lengthwise from the leading end of the wrapping unit, and having a length greater than a circumference of the bale, and a tacky portion extending lengthwise from the nontacky portion to the tail end of the wrapping unit, and having a length greater than the circumference of the bale.