Patent ID: 7640721

Claim:
A combination of a tractor and a baler, wherein the tractor comprises: a tractor frame, ground engaging means supporting the tractor frame upon the ground, steering means for steering the tractor and an electronic tractor steering controller operable to control the steering means, the baler comprises: a baler frame coupled or connected 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 to a bale, a bale shape sensor associated with the baling chamber for detecting the shape of a bale within the baling chamber, and an electronic baler controller connected to the bale shape sensor, the baler controller connected to the steering controller; wherein the steering controller is connected to a swath position sensor and considers a width of the swath and a width of the baling chamber operable to automatically steer the tractor along a swath based upon the signals of the crop swath sensor and of the bale shape sensor and is operable to adjust an offset between a center axis of the swath from a center axis of the tractor according to a curvature of the swath such that a uniform bale shape is obtained.