A control system and method are provided for accumulating bales processed by an agricultural baler. The accumulator has a base frame and a carriage laterally movable thereon. The control system includes at least one actuator mounted to the frame and configured to move the carriage relative to the frame or to move the carriage in response to a bale engaging an upstanding end of the carriage, at least one sensor configured to detect a position of one or more of the carriage and the at least one actuator relative to the frame, and a controller configured to receive position signals and control the at least one actuator to move at least the carriage relative to the frame to sequentially accumulate multiple bales on the carriage. A crop package receiving area of the carriage has a fixed lateral width during all lateral movement of the carriage.

A control system and method are provided for accumulating bales processed by an agricultural baler. The accumulator has a base frame and a carriage laterally movable thereon. The control system includes at least one actuator mounted to the frame and configured to move the carriage relative to the frame or to move the carriage in response to a bale engaging an upstanding end of the carriage, at least one sensor configured to detect a position of one or more of the carriage and the at least one actuator relative to the frame, and a controller configured to receive position signals and control the at least one actuator to move at least the carriage relative to the frame to sequentially accumulate multiple bales on the carriage. A crop package receiving area of the carriage has a fixed lateral width during all lateral movement of the carriage.

The present invention relates to a collecting apparatus for round bales. The collecting apparatus has a frame device and a conveying device, which is designed to convey a plurality of round bales relative to the frame device in a conveying direction. The conveying device comprises at least two traction members, which are spaced apart from one another transversely to the conveying direction and are designed to rotate about a front deflection axis and a rear deflection axis and have a conveying run and a return run. The conveying device also comprises at least two conveying elements, which are arranged offset to one another in the conveying direction, extend longitudinally between the conveying runs of the traction members transversely to the conveying direction, are attached to the traction members, and in each case have a conveying section arranged centrally between the traction members.

A bale handling apparatus is operable to receive bales from a square baler and create cubic stacks of bales for discharge from the bale handling apparatus. The bale handing apparatus includes an elevator provided with a lateral shuttle mechanism that creates rows of three laterally aligned bales, and a stacking mechanism that receives accumulated rows of bales from the elevator to create a vertical module of bales. The stacking mechanism includes a pusher plate that pushes the bale modules toward a wrapping apparatus that wraps an accumulated cubic stack of bales with wrapping material to establish integrity to the cubic stack. The cubic stacks are retained on a discharge floor extending rearwardly from the wrapping mechanism until a predetermined number of cubic stacks can be discharged at a desired location for subsequent pick-up and storage.

A bale handling apparatus is operable to receive bales from a square baler and create cubic stacks of bales for discharge from the bale handling apparatus. The bale handing apparatus includes an elevator provided with a lateral shuttle mechanism that creates rows of three laterally aligned bales, and a stacking mechanism that receives accumulated rows of bales from the elevator to create a vertical module of bales. The stacking mechanism includes a pusher plate that pushes the bale modules toward a wrapping apparatus that wraps an accumulated cubic stack of bales with wrapping material to establish integrity to the cubic stack. The cubic stacks are retained on a discharge floor extending rearwardly from the wrapping mechanism until a predetermined number of cubic stacks can be discharged at a desired location for subsequent pick-up and storage.

The present invention relates to a collecting apparatus for round bales. The collecting apparatus has a frame device and a conveying device, which is designed to convey a plurality of round bales relative to the frame device in a conveying direction. The conveying device comprises at least two traction members, which are spaced apart from one another transversely to the conveying direction and are designed to rotate about a front deflection axis and a rear deflection axis and have a conveying run and a return run. The conveying device also comprises at least two conveying elements, which are arranged offset to one another in the conveying direction, extend longitudinally between the conveying runs of the traction members transversely to the conveying direction, are attached to the traction members, and in each case have a conveying section arranged centrally between the traction members.