Patent ID: 9719899
Date: 2017-08-01
CPC Classifications: A01F,G01L,G01N

Claim:
1. A method for determining an operational condition of a rectangular agricultural baler, said baler comprising a baling chamber equipped with a reciprocating plunger driven by a mechanism comprising a crank shaft and at least one connecting rod, the plunger moving between a fully retracted position and a fully extended position, the baler being further equipped with a load sensor suitable for determining the reaction force on the plunger as said plunger is compressing crops in the baling chamber, the method comprising the following steps: measuring the reaction force on the plunger or a parameter related to said reaction force, when the plunger is in a position in which it is not exerting a compressive force on the crop material in the baling chamber, comparing the measured reaction force or the parameter to a predefined reference value, and deriving from the compared measured reaction force or parameter an assessment of the operational condition; wherein said measuring step is performed when the plunger is in the fully retracted position.