Patent ID: 11882794
Assignee: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 13:
14. A method for operating a stuffer assembly of an agricultural baler, the method comprising the steps of:
tripping a stuffer having a plurality of tines mounted on a tine bar to transfer a charge of crop material collected within a stuffer chute into a baling chamber of the agricultural baler;
moving the stuffer along a stuffer trajectory to insert the plurality of tines into the stuffer chute and to push the charge of crop material into the baling chamber by means of the plurality of tines;
retracting at least one tine of the plurality of tines from an extended position into a retracted position with respect to the tine bar in the event of a load applied on said at least one tine while moving the stuffer along the stuffer trajectory exceeds a predetermined threshold,
wherein a crop engaging surface of the retracted tine remains in one level with crop engaging surfaces of the other tines of the plurality of tines arranged in the extended position, and wherein each tine of the plurality of tines is slidably connected to the tine bar such that each tine of the plurality of tines is linearly movable with respect to the tine bar between the extended position and the retracted position in a direction parallel to a radial direction of the tine bar.