Square baler implement with two speed drivetrain

A gear assembly for connecting torque communication between a power input and a flywheel of a square baler implement, the gear assembly comprising:

• an assembly housing;
• an input shaft rotatably supported by the assembly housing;
• an output shaft rotatably supported by the assembly housing;
• a first input gear coupled to the input shaft;
• a first output gear coupled to the output shaft and disposed in meshing engagement with the first input gear to define a first gear ratio;
• a second input gear coupled to the input shaft;
• a second output gear coupled to the output shaft and disposed in meshing engagement with the second input gear to define a second gear ratio;
• a first torque control device interconnecting the input shaft and one of the first input gear and the second input gear for controlling torque communication therebetween;
• a second torque control device interconnecting the output shaft and one of the first output gear and the second output gear for controlling torque communication therebetween;
• wherein at least one of the first torque control device and the second torque control device is selectively controllable to switch torque communication between the first gear ratio and the second gear ratio;
• and
• wherein the first torque control device is a one way clutch operable to communicate torque in a first rotational direction and freewheel in a second rotational direction, with the first torque control device interconnecting the first input gear and the input shaft, and with the second input gear rotatably fixed relative to the input shaft for continuous rotation with the input shaft at a shared rotational speed.

A method of controlling a baler implement, the method comprising:

• providing a drivetrain including a power input, a flywheel, and a gear assembly interconnecting the power input and the flywheel, the gear assembly including:
• an input shaft;
• an output shaft;
• a first input gear coupled to the input shaft;
• a first output gear coupled to the output shaft and disposed in meshing engagement with the first input gear to define a first gear ratio;
• a second input gear coupled to the input shaft, with the second input gear rotatably fixed relative to the input shaft for continuous rotation with the input shaft at a shared rotational speed;
• a second output gear coupled to the output shaft and disposed in meshing engagement with the second input gear to define a second gear ratio, wherein the second gear ratio is a higher gear ratio than the first gear ratio;
• a first torque control device interconnecting the input shaft and the first input gear for controlling torque communication between the input shaft and the first input gear, wherein the first torque control device is a one way clutch operable to communicate torque in a first rotational direction and freewheel in a second rotational direction;
• a second torque control device interconnecting the output shaft and the second output gear for controlling torque communication therebetween;
• disengaging the second torque control device to disconnect torque communication between output shaft and the second output gear;
• increasing a rotational speed of the input shaft with the power input from an initial speed to a shift speed, with torque transmitted from the power input to the output shaft via the first input gear and the first output gear at the first gear ratio;
• and
• engaging the second torque control device to connect torque communication between the output shaft and the second output gear when the rotational speed of the input shaft is equal to the shift speed, while allowing the first input gear to overrun the input shaft via the first torque control device, with torque transmitted from the power input to the output shaft via the second input gear and the second output gear at the second gear ratio.