US 6,546,705 B2 · Method and apparatus for controlling a tractor/baler combination

Abstract

A method of controlling the combination of a baler and a tractor includes the steps of advancing the baler combination through a swath or windrow of biological crop matter with the tractor PTO operating at a generally constant speed to power the baler and the baler operating to take up biological matter while monitoring the flow rate of the biological matter through the baler. A microprocessor compares the assessed flow rate with an optimal flow rate and varies the travel speed of the tractor to maximize the flow rate of crop material through the baler. Preferably, the speed of operation of the tractor is accomplished through changing transmission speeds so that the PTO shaft speed is maintained at a substantially uniform rotational speed. The apparatus provided for carrying out the method of controlling the combination of a tractor and a baler increases the work rate of baling operations.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A method of controlling a combination of a baler operatively connected to a tractor comprising the steps of:

advancing a tractor/baler combination through a swath or a windrow of biological matter with the tractor PTO operating at a generally constant speed to power the baler and the baler operating to take up biological matter, said baler including a reciprocably movable baler plunger;
during said advancing step, assessing the flow rate of biological matter in the baler;
comparing the assessed flow rate with an optimal flow rate;
and
if the assessed flow rate differs from the optimal flow rate by more than a predetermined amount, changing the speed of advancement of the tractor by at least one gear change when said plunger occupies a predetermined position during said reciprocal movement, thereby changing the flow rate of biological matter into the baler, said tractor including an engine providing operative power for said tractor and said baler, and a transmission operatively coupled to said engine for changing the speed of movement of said tractor without changing a speed of operation of said engine by changing transmission ratios.

2 more elements

In a combination of a baler operatively connected to a tractor to receive operative and motive power therefrom, the baler having a packer including a packer fork, a rotary feeder, a pre-compression chamber having a sensor door, and a plunger for compacting crop material into bales, the tractor having an engine, a transmission operatively connected to said engine to provide a plurality of transmission ratios to enable corresponding motive speeds for a given speed of operation of said engine, and a power takeoff shaft operatively associated with said engine to provide operational power for said baler, the improvement comprising:

a baler packer driveshaft torque sensor including a strain gauge operatively connected to the packer or rotary cutter driveshaft and connected in a bridge circuit;
a torque sensor for detecting the PTO shaft torque;
a packer fork conrod force sensor including a strain gauge operatively connected to the packer conrod and connected in a bridge circuit;
a sensor door position detector including an LVDT or rotary potentiometer operatively connected to generate a signal indicative of the position of said sensor door;
a programmable processor operatively to the sensors for detecting at least one of the following parameters:
torque for a driveshaft of said baler packer;
torque for a driveshaft for said rotary feeder;
torque for the tractor power take-off shaft;
force on a conrod associated with the baler packer fork;
the position of the pre-compression chamber sensor door;
and
the tractor transmission ratio;
said programmable processor being operable to vary the motive speed of said tractor in response to a perceived flow rate of said crop material in said baler.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for controlling a tractor/baler combination

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for controlling a tractor/baler combination

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25