Patent ID: 7937923
Filing Date: 2011-05-10
Classification: A01F

Abstract:
1. A combination of a tractor and a round baler, wherein: the tractor comprises: a tractor frame, driven ground engaging means supporting the tractor frame upon the ground, and an electronic tractor controller operable to control a propelling speed of the ground engaging means; the round baler comprises: a baler frame coupled to the tractor frame, a crop receiving means supported on the baler frame for receiving crop from a field, a baling chamber supported on the baler frame for pressing crop received by the crop receiving means into a bale, a door through which a bale can be discharged from the baling chamber, and a door actuator for moving the door between a closed and an open position, a wrapping material dispenser suited to dispense a wrapping material to the bale, a bale size sensor associated with the baling chamber for detecting the size of a bale within the baling chamber, and an electronic baler controller connected to the bale size sensor, to the door actuator, to the wrapping material dispenser, and to the tractor controller; the baler controller being operable to instruct the wrapping material dispenser to dispense the wrapping material to the bale when a bale size signal provided by the bale size sensor indicates that a bale has reached a size equal to or exceeding a first predetermined size and to submit a halt signal to the tractor controller; the tractor controller being operable to command the ground engaging means to automatically halt the tractor when receiving a halt signal from the baler controller; wherein the baler controller is connected to an obstacle sensor for observing a detection zone behind the baler, the detection zone comprising a space through which the door travels on its path between the closed and open position; wherein the baler controller is operable to command the door actuator to open the rear door only when the bale wrapping operation has ended and the obstacle sensor detects no obstacle in the detection zone; and, wherein the round baler comprises a bale elector operable to cause a bale to leave the baling chamber through the door the bale ejector being connected to the baler controller, whereby the baler controller is operable to command the bale elector to elect the bale only when the bale wrapping operation is ended and the obstacle sensor detects no obstacle in the detection zone.