The invention relates to a shear bar (20), in particular for a forage harvester or another agricultural or silvicultural machine, having a carrier (21) that comprises a cutting region (30); a plurality of cutting elements (31) being set alongside one another in the cutting region (30); the cutting elements (31) comprising a partial edge and at least some of the partial edges forming a cutting edge (32) that is embodied to form, with a knife bar, a cutting engagement for the material to be shredded; the cutting edge (32) forming a transition between a cutting surface (32.1) that is constituted by the cutting elements (31) and extends transversely to the cutting direction, and an exposed surface (32.2) that extends substantially in a cutting direction and indirectly or directly adjoins the cutting edge (32). A shear bar of this kind can be configured to be break-resistant with little complexity in terms of parts and manufacture if provision is made that an infeed element (34), which is embodied as a sintered part made of hard material having an infeed bevel (34.6) profiled on in the sintering process, is provided on or in the row of cutting elements (31); the infeed bevel (34.6) being carried over indirectly or directly into the cutting edge (32); and the infeed bevel (34.6) being arranged at a tilt with respect to the cutting edge (32) in such a way that it is arranged with a setback with respect to the exposed surface (32.2) and toward the cutting surface (32.1).

The invention relates to a shear bar (20), in particular for a forage harvester or another agricultural or silvicultural machine, having a carrier (21) that comprises a cutting region (30); a plurality of cutting elements (31) being set alongside one another in the cutting region (30); the cutting elements (31) comprising a partial edge and at least some of the partial edges forming a cutting edge (32) that is embodied to form, with a knife bar, a cutting engagement for the material to be shredded; the cutting edge (32) forming a transition between a cutting surface (32.1) that is constituted by the cutting elements (31) and extends transversely to the cutting direction, and an exposed surface (32.2) that extends substantially in a cutting direction and indirectly or directly adjoins the cutting edge (32). A shear bar of this kind can be configured to be break-resistant with little complexity in terms of parts and manufacture if provision is made that an infeed element (34), which is embodied as a sintered part made of hard material having an infeed bevel (34.6) profiled on in the sintering process, is provided on or in the row of cutting elements (31); the infeed bevel (34.6) being carried over indirectly or directly into the cutting edge (32); and the infeed bevel (34.6) being arranged at a tilt with respect to the cutting edge (32) in such a way that it is arranged with a setback with respect to the exposed surface (32.2) and toward the cutting surface (32.1).

A method for operating a baler including an initial step of providing a cleaning system that includes a floor plate having a plurality of slots therein, at least one knife tray, at least one actuator operably connected to the at least one knife tray, and a controller operably connected to the at least one actuator. The method further includes the steps of determining whether the plurality of knives of the at least one knife tray is retracted, determining whether to conduct a knife tray cleanout procedure for cleaning the floor plate based upon at least one cleaning parameter, and conducting the knife tray cleanout procedure by actuating the at least one actuator for cycling the plurality of knives of the at least one knife tray for dislodging debris from the floor plate.

A method for operating a baler including an initial step of providing a cleaning system that includes a floor plate having a plurality of slots therein, at least one knife tray, at least one actuator operably connected to the at least one knife tray, and a controller operably connected to the at least one actuator. The method further includes the steps of determining whether the plurality of knives of the at least one knife tray is retracted, determining whether to conduct a knife tray cleanout procedure for cleaning the floor plate based upon at least one cleaning parameter, and conducting the knife tray cleanout procedure by actuating the at least one actuator for cycling the plurality of knives of the at least one knife tray for dislodging debris from the floor plate.

A self-propelled forage harvester is disclosed that includes a blade sharpening and shear bar adjusting device, a monitoring device configured to cyclically generate information on the state of the cutterhead chopping glades and the distance of the shear bar to the cutting edge, and a control unit. The control unit evaluates the information provided by the monitoring device about the state of wear of the chopping blades and the distance, compares it with a limit value for the state of wear and/or the distance, where the limit value forms a lower limit for an optimum range to be maintained by the blade sharpening and shear bar adjusting device, of the instantaneous cutting sharpness of the chopping blades or of the distance and, when the limit value is reached, automatically triggers a sharpening process and/or of a shear bar adjustment by the blade sharpening and shear bar adjusting device.

A detection arrangement for detecting a wear status of a chopping knife arrangement of a chopping device provided for processing a product flow, wherein the chopping device has a revolving chopping drum receiving the chopping knife arrangement and at least one shear bar which cooperates with the chopping knives, with a sensor arrangement which has a magnetic exciter arrangement and a flux conducting device magnetically coupled thereto. The sensor arrangement provides a pole arrangement which forms at least one magnetic pole with a pole surface for conducting magnetic flux, wherein at least a portion of the chopping knife passes the pole arrangement during a rotation of the chopping drum. A voltage induced when a chopping knife arrangement passes the sensor arrangement forms the measured magnetic value, which is used by the evaluation unit to determine the state of wear of the chopping knife arrangement.

A controller for controlling a chopper arrangement of an agricultural harvester. The controller receives sensor data indicative of an intensity of chopping performed on crop material by the chopper arrangement, and sensor data indicative of a power consumption of the chopper arrangement. The controller has a processor to determine an actuator setting for a chopper arrangement actuator of the agricultural harvester in dependence on the received sensor data indicative of the intensity of chopping and the received sensor data indicative of the power consumption. The controller sends an actuator control signal to the chopper arrangement actuator to control the chopper arrangement actuator to operate in accordance with the associated determined actuator setting. The determined actuator setting includes an amount of insertion, and an angle of insertion, of at least one bank of counter knives of the chopper arrangement relative to rotatable knife rows of the chopper arrangement.

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.

A system and method for preparing a sample area of a bale in order to more accurately evaluate the plant material incorporated into the bale. A baler receives, compresses, shapes, and secures material into the bale. A cutter mechanism cuts a portion of the material in the bale into similarly-sized particles. A mixer mechanism mixes the particles into a homogenous aggregate. A compression mechanism compresses the homogenous aggregate into the bale. An NIR testing system receives and analyzes near-infrared radiation reflected by the homogenous aggregate, and generates evaluation data reflecting properties of the material. The cutter may include knives mounted in a compression chamber of the baler. The mixer may be a relief feature on a center rail, the compressor may be a projecting feature on the center rail, and an NIR sensor may be mounted to the center rail so as to press against the surface of the bale.

A system and method for preparing a sample area of a bale in order to more accurately evaluate the plant material incorporated into the bale. A baler receives, compresses, shapes, and secures material into the bale. A cutter mechanism cuts a portion of the material in the bale into similarly-sized particles. A mixer mechanism mixes the particles into a homogenous aggregate. A compression mechanism compresses the homogenous aggregate into the bale. An NIR testing system receives and analyzes near-infrared radiation reflected by the homogenous aggregate, and generates evaluation data reflecting properties of the material. The cutter may include knives mounted in a compression chamber of the baler. The mixer may be a relief feature on a center rail, the compressor may be a projecting feature on the center rail, and an NIR sensor may be mounted to the center rail so as to press against the surface of the bale.