John C Merritt

US Patent:

58028250, Sep 8, 1998

Filed:

Jun 3, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/657128

Inventors:

Mark K. Chow - Paoli PA
John H. Merritt - New Holland PA

Assignee:

New Holland North America, Inc. - New Holland PA

International Classification:

A01D 3900
B30B 506

US Classification:

56341

Abstract:

A round baler, having a pair of spaced side walls mounted on a main frame, is supported on wheels and adapted to be pulled across a field. Positioned between the side walls is a crop confining apron for defining an expandable chamber that is adapted to rotatably form a cylindrical package of crop material. A pickup picks up crop material and conveys it into the chamber through a generally transverse crop infeed opening operatively associated with the pickup. Knives on a crop cutting device, controlled by an actuator, extend at varying positions into the expandable chamber to cut crop material on the surface of the cylindrical package as it is being formed. A control system. includes a sensor for sensing the size of the cylindrical package of crop material as it is being formed, and for providing a first signal corresponding to such size. Additionally, a second signal is provided corresponding to the position of the knife elements. These signals are processed via circuitry including a microprocessor for providing a control signal to the actuator responsive to the first and second signals.