Baler with a moveable roller

1. A baler for forming a bale of crop material, the baler comprising:

a plurality of walls defining a bale chamber;

a drive roller disposed in the bale chamber;

a plurality of idler rollers disposed in the bale chamber;

at least one baling belt contacting the drive roller and the plurality of idler rollers;

a bale engagement roller rotatable about a bale engagement roller axis by the drive roller, the bale engagement roller positioned to directly engage crop material in the bale chamber; and

an actuator coupled to the bale engagement roller, the actuator configured to translate the bale engagement roller in a direction perpendicular to the bale engagement roller axis;

wherein the drive roller is rotatable about a drive roller axis;

wherein the bale engagement roller is pivotable about the drive roller axis along a pivot arc; and

wherein each point along the pivot arc is equidistant from the drive roller axis.

2. The baler of claim 1 , wherein the bale engagement roller is movable along the pivot arc to at least an initial position, a bale compression position, and a retracted position.

3. The baler of claim 2 , wherein the initial position is between the bale compression position and the retracted position along the pivot arc.

4. The baler of claim 1 , further comprising

a drive sprocket wheel rotatable about the drive roller axis;

a bale engagement sprocket wheel rotatable about the bale engagement roller axis; and

a chain transmitting force from the drive sprocket wheel to the bale engagement sprocket wheel.

5. A baler for forming a bale of crop material, the baler comprising:

a plurality of walls defining a bale chamber;

a drive roller disposed in the bale chamber;

a plurality of idler rollers disposed in the bale chamber;

at least one baling belt contacting the drive roller and the plurality of idler rollers;

a bale engagement roller rotatably driven about a bale engagement roller axis by the drive roller, the bale engagement roller positioned to directly engage crop material in the bale chamber;

an actuator coupled to the bale engagement roller, the actuator configured to translate the bale engagement roller in a direction perpendicular to the bale engagement roller axis;

a drive sprocket wheel rotatable about the drive roller axis;

a bale engagement sprocket wheel rotatable about the bale engagement roller axis; and

a chain transmitting force from the drive sprocket wheel to the bale engagement sprocket wheel:

wherein the drive sprocket wheel, the bale engagement sprocket wheel, and the chain are disposed outside of the bale chamber.

6. The baler of claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the bale engagement roller extends through an opening defined in one of the plurality of walls of the bale chamber.

7. The baler of claim 6 , wherein the opening includes an arcuate opening.

8. A baler for forming a bale of crop material, the baler comprising:

a plurality of walls defining a bale chamber;

a drive roller disposed in the bale chamber;

a plurality of idler rollers disposed in the bale chamber;

at least one baling belt contacting the drive roller and the plurality of idler rollers;

a bale engagement roller rotatably driven about a bale engagement roller axis by the drive roller, the bale engagement roller positioned to directly engage crop material in the bale chamber; and

an actuator coupled to the bale engagement roller, the actuator configured to translate the bale engagement roller in a direction perpendicular to the bale engagement roller axis;

wherein the bale engagement roller is driven about the bale engagement roller axis at a bale engagement roller speed;

wherein the drive roller rotates about a drive roller axis at a drive roller speed; and

wherein the bale engagement roller speed is different from the drive roller speed.

9. The baler of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is anchored to a wall of the bale chamber.

10. The baler of claim 9 , wherein

the actuator is hydraulically operated; and

the actuator is disposed outside of the bale chamber.

11. The baler of claim 1 , wherein the bale engagement roller includes a plurality of projections extending therefrom.

12. The baler of claim 1 , wherein the bale engagement roller is a starter roller.

13. The baler of claim 1 , further comprising a harvester coupled to the baler.

14. The baler of claim 1 , wherein the bale engagement roller is coupled to the drive roller via a plate.

15. The baler of claim 14 , wherein the bale engagement roller is rotatably coupled to the plate.

16. The baler of claim 5 , wherein the actuator is anchored to a wall of the bale chamber and disposed outside of the bale chamber.

17. The baler of claim 5 , wherein the bale engagement roller is coupled to the drive roller via a plate.

18. The baler of claim 5 , wherein the bale engagement roller is pivotable about the drive roller axis along a pivot arc; and

wherein each point of the pivot arc is equidistant from the drive roller axis.

19. The baler of claim 8 , wherein the bale engagement roller is pivotable about the drive roller axis along a pivot arc; and

wherein each point of the pivot arc is equidistant from the drive roller axis.

20. The baler of claim 8 , further comprising:

a drive sprocket wheel rotatable about the drive roller axis;

a bale engagement sprocket wheel rotatable about the bale engagement roller axis; and

a chain transmitting force from the drive sprocket wheel to the bale engagement sprocket wheel; and

wherein the at least one baling belt is driven by the drive roller.