Bale handling system for high capacity baler

A bale singulator for a baling machine configured to process crop material into square bales, said bale singulator comprising:

• a landing section configured to receive (i) a first series of first individual bales from a first baling chamber of the baler, and (ii) a second series of second individual bales from a second baling chamber of the baler;
• and
• an exit section configured to receive the first and second individual bales from said landing section and to form a single row of the first and second individual bales,
• wherein said exit section includes a stop assembly comprising a first stop element configured to selectively restrict movement of the first individual bales,
• wherein said stop assembly is configured such when the second individual bales are passing through said exit section, said first stop element is restricting movement of the first individual bales,
• wherein said stop assembly further comprises a second stop element configured to selectively restrict movement of the second individual bales, wherein said stop assembly is configured such when the first stop element is not restricting movement of the first individual bales the second stop element is restricting movement of the second individual bales, and when the second stop element is not restricting movement of the second individual bales the first stop element is restricting movement of the first individual bales,
• wherein each of said first stop element and said second stop element is configured to transition between an extended position where the stop element extends above a top surface of said exit section and a retracted position where the stop element does not extend above a top surface of said exit section, wherein said stop assembly further comprise a bar connecting said first stop element and said second stop element, wherein when said first stop element is in a retracted position said bar is rotated such that said second stop element is locked in the extended position.

A bale singulator for a baling machine configured to process crop material into square bales, said bale singulator comprising:

• a landing section configured to receive (i) a first series of first individual bales from a first baling chamber of the baler, and (ii) a second series of second individual bales from a second baling chamber of the baler;
• and
• an exit section configured to receive the first and second individual bales from said landing section and to form a single row of the first and second individual bales,
• wherein said exit section includes a stop assembly comprising a first stop element configured to selectively restrict movement of the first individual bales,
• wherein said stop assembly is configured such when the second individual bales are passing through said exit section, said first stop element is restricting movement of the first individual bales,
• wherein said stop assembly further comprises a second stop element configured to selectively restrict movement of the second individual bales, wherein said stop assembly is configured such when the first stop element is not restricting movement of the first individual bales the second stop element is restricting movement of the second individual bales, and when the second stop element is not restricting movement of the second individual bales the first stop element is restricting movement of the first individual bales,
• wherein said stop assembly includes one or more locking elements configured to maintain at least one of said first stop element and said second stop element an extended position above the top surface of said exit section.

A bale singulator for a baling machine configured to process crop material into square bales, said bale singulator comprising:

• a landing section configured to receive (i) a first series of first individual bales from a first baling chamber of the baler, and (ii) a second series of second individual bales from a second baling chamber of the baler;
• and
• an exit section configured to receive the first and second individual bales from said landing section and to form a single row of the first and second individual bales,
• wherein said exit section includes a stop assembly comprising a first stop element configured to selectively restrict movement of the first individual bales,
• wherein said stop assembly is configured such when the second individual bales are passing through said exit section, said first stop element is restricting movement of the first individual bales,
• wherein said stop assembly further comprises a second stop element configured to selectively restrict movement of the second individual bales, wherein said stop assembly is configured such when the first stop element is not restricting movement of the first individual bales the second stop element is restricting movement of the second individual bales, and when the second stop element is not restricting movement of the second individual bales the first stop element is restricting movement of the first individual bales,
• wherein said stop assembly includes at least one bias element configured to bias at least one of said first stop element and said second stop element in an extended position above the top surface of said exit section.

A bale singulator for a baling machine configured to process crop material into square bales, said bale singulator comprising:

• a landing section configured to receive (i) a first series of first individual bales from a first baling chamber of the baler, and (ii) a second series of second individual bales from a second baling chamber of the baler;
• and
• an exit section configured to receive the first and second individual bales from said landing section and to form a single row of the first and second individual bales,
• wherein said exit section includes a stop assembly comprising a first stop element and a second stop element each configured to selectively restrict or permit bales to travel past said stop assembly, wherein said stop assembly is configured such that said first stop element and said second stop element cannot simultaneously permit bales to travel past said stop assembly,
• wherein said stop assembly includes one or more locking elements configured to maintain at least one of said first stop element and said second stop element an extended position above the top surface of said exit section.

A method of handling a plurality of bales of crop material, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming bales of crop material within a first baling chamber and within a second baling chamber of a baler;
• (b) ejecting a first series of first individual bales from the first baling chamber onto a landing section of a singulating system and ejecting a second series of second individual bales from the second baling chamber onto the landing section of the singulating system, wherein the first individual bales and the second individual bales are positioned side-by-side on the landing section of the singulating system;
• (c) passing the first and second series of bales from the landing section to an exit section;
• and
• d selectively restricting, via a stop assembly associated with the singulating system, bales from one of the first individual bales and the second individual bales from traveling past the stop assembly, and simultaneously permitting bales from the other of the first individual bales and the second individual bales to travel past the stop assembly,
• wherein the stop assembly comprising a first stop element and a second stop element each configured to selectively restrict or permit bales to travel past said stop assembly, wherein said stop assembly is configured such that said first stop element and said second stop element do no simultaneously permit bales to travel past said stop assembly, and wherein said stop assembly includes at least one bias element configured to bias at least one of said first stop element and said second stop element in an extended position above the top surface of said the section.