A method for determining parameters associated with bale charges formed within agricultural balers includes transmitting microwave signals through a charge of crop material located within a pre-compression chamber of an agricultural baler or into a wall of the pre-compression chamber. Additionally, the method includes determining at least one wave-related property associated with the microwave signals as transmitted through the charge of crop material or into the wall of the pre-compression chamber, and estimating a filling degree of at least a portion of the pre-compression chamber based at least in part on the at least one wave-related property associated with the microwave signals.

A baling assembly includes a housing defining an interior and having an access opening selectively covered by a closure, a baling chamber within the housing and having a first wall movable along a first axis for compression of material within the baling chamber, and a ram adjacent the baling chamber. The ram includes a driving mechanism operably coupled to a support structure.

The disclosure generally relates to a baling assembly with a housing defining an interior and having an access opening selectively covered by a closure, a baling chamber within the housing and having a first wall movable along a first axis for compression of material within the baling chamber, and a ram adjacent the baling chamber. The ram includes a driving mechanism operably coupled to a support structure.

A method for determining parameters associated with bale charges formed within agricultural balers includes transmitting microwave signals through a charge of crop material located within a pre-compression chamber of an agricultural baler or into a wall of the pre-compression chamber. Additionally, the method includes determining at least one wave-related property associated with the microwave signals as transmitted through the charge of crop material or into the wall of the pre-compression chamber, and estimating a filling degree of at least a portion of the pre-compression chamber based at least in part on the at least one wave-related property associated with the microwave signals.

A baler including a frame, and a compression system coupled to the frame, where the compression system at least partially defines a compression chamber. The baler also includes a feed pan at least partially defining a pre-compression chamber in operable communication with the compression chamber, where the feed pan includes an inlet defining an inlet area and an outlet defining an outlet area, and where the outlet of the pre-compression chamber is open to the compression chamber of the compression system. The baler also includes at least one actuator coupled to the feed pan, and a controller in operable communication with the at least one actuator, and where the controller is configured to adjust the inlet area and the outlet area independently.

A baler for use with a forming bale having a first bale attribute. The baler including a frame, and a compression system coupled to the frame where the compression system at least partially defines a compression chamber sized to receive at least a portion of the forming bale therein. The baler also includes a feed pan at least partially defining a pre-compression chamber, and where the shape of the pre-compression is adjustable, and where the pre-compression chamber is open to the compression chamber. The baler also includes a sensor configured to output signals representative of the first bale attribute, and a controller in operable communication with the feed pan and the sensor, and where the controller is configured to actively adjust the shape of the pre-compression chamber based at least in part upon the first bale attribute of the forming bale.

An agricultural baler. The agricultural baler includes a baling chamber including a first segment, a plunger, and a baling chamber. The agricultural baler further includes a controller and a pre-compression chamber configured for gathering crop material, periodically forming a slice of the crop material, and pushing the slice towards the baling chamber into the first segment of the baling chamber. The agricultural baler further includes a slice-presence-detecting sensor disposed in an upper region of the first segment of the baling chamber, the slice-presence-detecting sensor comprising an output operationally connected to the controller. The plunger is configured for reciprocally moving in the baling chamber to compress slices of crop material into a bale. The controller is configured for adjusting a synchronization between the periodically forming and pushing of the slice in the pre-compression chamber and the reciprocally moving of the plunger.

A baler including a frame, and a compression system coupled to the frame, where the compression system at least partially defines a compression chamber. The baler also includes a feed pan at least partially defining a pre-compression chamber in operable communication with the compression chamber, where the feed pan includes an inlet defining an inlet area and an outlet defining an outlet area, and where the outlet of the pre-compression chamber is open to the compression chamber of the compression system. The baler also includes at least one actuator coupled to the feed pan, and a controller in operable communication with the at least one actuator, and where the controller is configured to adjust the inlet area and the outlet area independently.

A baler for use with a forming bale having a first bale attribute. The baler including a frame, and a compression system coupled to the frame where the compression system at least partially defines a compression chamber sized to receive at least a portion of the forming bale therein. The baler also includes a feed pan at least partially defining a pre-compression chamber, and where the shape of the pre-compression is adjustable, and where the pre-compression chamber is open to the compression chamber. The baler also includes a sensor configured to output signals representative of the first bale attribute, and a controller in operable communication with the feed pan and the sensor, and where the controller is configured to actively adjust the shape of the pre-compression chamber based at least in part upon the first bale attribute of the forming bale.

A woody biomass baler having a baling chamber adapted to receive woody biomass material and a compression system adapted to compact the material into a parallelepiped bale in the baling chamber, wherein the baling chamber has a front wall that acts as a reciprocating compression platen corresponding in dimensions to the width W and height H of the bale, opposing upper and lower walls corresponding in dimensions to the length L and either of the W and H of the bale, and opposing sidewalls corresponding in dimensions to the L and the other of the W and H of the bale, and wherein each chamber wall selected from among the upper wall, the lower wall, and each of the sidewalls can withstand a distributed force perpendicular to the selected chamber wall of between (0.11Pp psiAw) pounds and (0.3Pp psiAw) pounds, wherein 0.11 and 0.3 are Poisson's ratio values, Pp is the maximum pressure that the compression system can apply to woody biomass material in the chamber, and Aw is the area of the selected chamber wall expressed in square inches.