A waste compaction apparatus may include a housing and a connector arm. The housing may define a drive chamber and a compaction chamber and the connector arm may include a drive piston portion movably positioned within the drive chamber and a compaction piston portion movably positioned within the compaction chamber. The drive chamber may be selectively fluidly coupleable to the near-vacuum of outer space, such that the compaction piston portion of the connector arm is configured to move within the compaction chamber to compact waste material contained within the compaction chamber in response to movement of the drive piston portion of the connector arm within the drive chamber.

A pickup unit of an agricultural baler that includes a reel with a plurality of tines configured for lifting a crop material from a field, the reel is rotatable in an operating direction and a reverse direction, and a drive system configured for driving the reel. The drive system includes a gearbox configured for receiving motive power from a power take off (PTO) shaft, a drive shaft operably connected to the gearbox, and a first clutch connected to the drive shaft. The first clutch is configured for operably disconnecting motive power to the reel so that the reel is manually rotatable as the PTO shaft remains operably engaged with the gearbox.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a press-type strapping machine configured to strap a load when both the height of the load falls within a target height range and the compressive force applied to the load falls within a target compressive force range.

A waste compaction apparatus may include a housing and a connector arm. The housing may define a drive chamber and a compaction chamber and the connector arm may include a drive piston portion movably positioned within the drive chamber and a compaction piston portion movably positioned within the compaction chamber. The drive chamber may be selectively fluidly coupleable to the near-vacuum of outer space, such that the compaction piston portion of the connector arm is configured to move within the compaction chamber to compact waste material contained within the compaction chamber in response to movement of the drive piston portion of the connector arm within the drive chamber.

A method for the operation of a self-propelled agricultural working machine has at least one working element and a driver assistance system for generating control actions within the working machine. A sensor arrangement for generating surroundings information is provided, and the driver assistance system generates the control actions based on the surroundings information. The sensor arrangement comprises a camera-based sensor system and a laser-based sensor system, each of which generates sensor information regarding a predetermined, relevant surroundings area of the working machine. The sensor information of the camera-based sensor system is present as starting camera images. The starting camera images are segmented into image segments by an image processing system according to a segmentation rule, and the segmented camera images are combined by a sensor fusion module with the sensor information from the laser-based sensor system.

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 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.

Disclosed are embodiments of a system and method for baling recyclable materials and managing the baling of recyclable materials. The apparatus for baling includes a finger baler for continuous compressing and baling recyclable materials, a scale, label printer, and a processor. Certain embodiments further comprise at least one digital camera, RFID dispenser, and internet connection that allows the processor to transmit collected data to a remote database for further analysis. The disclosed method for baling recyclable materials comprising the steps of continuously adding and compressing materials; forming a completed bale; weighing the bale automatically using a digital scale operably connected to the processor; recording the bale weight automatically; and printing a label. Additionally, the method may comprise inputting information and/or automatically recording data, and/or automatically transmitting the data associated with a bale to a remote database.

A waste material compaction device includes an auger cone having a base skirt; a hopper for containing said auger cone; a support located inside the auger cone and fitted to the hopper; an auger flight arranged on an outer surface of the auger cone; a first bearing located adjacent the base skirt of the auger cone; a second bearing positioned inside the auger cone at a distance from the first bearing; and an electric motor and a gearbox for driving the auger cone and the auger flight such that waste material placed in the hopper is compacted in a predetermined direction; the first and second bearings bearing a working load of the waste material compaction device.

A pickup unit of an agricultural baler that includes a reel with a plurality of tines configured for lifting a crop material from a field, the reel is rotatable in an operating direction and a reverse direction, and a drive system configured for driving the reel. The drive system includes a gearbox configured for receiving motive power from a power take off (PTO) shaft, a drive shaft operably connected to the gearbox, and a first clutch connected to the drive shaft. The first clutch is configured for operably disconnecting motive power to the reel so that the reel is manually rotatable as the PTO shaft remains operably engaged with the gearbox.