Patent ID: 8677724

Claim:
A method of converting a conventional round baler for receiving harvested crop material directed rearward from a harvesting machine provided with a diverter which is selectively operable for diverting onto the ground crop material directed toward an accumulator, the round baler having a frame, a baling chamber mounted on the frame, a crop pickup suspended from the frame and having a tined rotor device mounted for rotation about a rotor axis for gathering crop material from the ground and being disposed underneath the baling chamber to convey the gathered crop material toward the baling chamber, a tongue removably fixed to the frame and extending forward from said frame by which the conventional round baler may be towed, the method comprising the steps of: replacing the tongue with a replacement tongue and connecting the replacement tongue to the harvesting machine; attaching a rear end of an endless belt conveyor to the baler at a location vertically above the tined rotor device of the crop pickup, whereby the tined rotor device is disposed to receive crop falling from the rear end of the endless belt conveyor; locating the accumulator chamber on the replacement tongue and above the endless belt conveyor for receiving crop material directed toward the baler from the harvesting machine; attaching a sensor disposed to sense a level of crop material in the accumulator chamber; and operating said diverter for diverting onto the ground crop material directed toward the accumulator chamber from the harvesting machine in response to a predetermined sensed level of crop material.