Baler implement with integrated wrap system

A crop baler implement comprising:

• a frame extending along a longitudinal frame axis;
• a baling chamber attached to the frame and sized to form crop material into a bale extending along a central longitudinal bale axis;
• wherein the bale includes a left side face, a right side face, a top face, a bottom face, a forward end face, and a rearward end face;
• wherein each of the left side face, the right side face, the top face, and the bottom face are disposed substantially parallel with the central longitudinal bale axis, and wherein each of the forward end face and the rearward end face are disposed substantially transverse to the central longitudinal bale axis;
• a longitudinal face wrap roller coupled to the frame between the carriage and the baling chamber, wherein the longitudinal face wrap roller is moveable in an endless loop encircling the bale as the bale is ejected from the baling chamber, wherein the longitudinal face wrap roller is operable to hold a roll of wrap material and wrap the left side face, the right side face, the top face, and the bottom face of the bale with the wrap material as the longitudinal face wrap roller moves in the endless loop around the bale;
• a carriage coupled to the frame rearward of the baling chamber and including a tray positioned to receive the bale from the baling chamber in a first orientation, wherein the tray is rotatable relative to the carriage about a substantially vertical tray axis to move the bale from the first orientation to a second orientation, wherein the tray positions the bale such that the central longitudinal bale axis is generally parallel with the longitudinal frame axis when the bale is disposed in the first orientation, and wherein the tray positions the bale such that the central longitudinal bale axis is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal frame axis when the bale is disposed in the second orientation;
• and
• a transverse face wrap roller attached to the carriage and moveable along a path surrounding the tray, wherein the transverse face wrap roller is operable to hold a roll of wrap material and wrap the forward end face and the rearward end face of the bale with the wrap material when the bale is disposed in the second orientation as the transverse face wrap roller moves around the tray.

A method of baling crop material, the method comprising:

• forming a bale within a baling chamber of a baler implement, wherein the bale is formed to include a left side face, a right side face, a top face, a bottom face, a forward end face, and a rearward end face, wherein each of the left side face, the right side face, the top face, and the bottom face are disposed substantially parallel with a central longitudinal bale axis, and wherein each of the forward end face and the rearward end face are disposed substantially transverse to the central longitudinal bale axis;
• wrapping the left side face, the right side face, the top face, and the bottom face of the bale with a wrap material from a roll of wrap material supported on a longitudinal face wrap roller as the bale is discharged from the baling chamber;
• conveying the bale along a longitudinal frame axis of the baler implement onto a tray, whereby the bale is disposed in a first orientation on the tray in which the central longitudinal bale axis of the bale is substantially parallel with the longitudinal frame axis;
• rotating the tray with the bale disposed thereon to present the bale in a second orientation in which the central longitudinal bale axis of the bale is substantially perpendicular with the longitudinal frame axis;
• wrapping the forward end face and the rearward end face of the bale with a wrap material from a roll of wrap material supported on a transverse face wrap roller when the bale is disposed in the second orientation;
• and
• discharging the bale from the tray and onto a ground surface from the second orientation after the forward end face and the rearward end face have been wrapped with the wrap material.