Baling apparatus
A sensor arrangement located on a baler for detecting rotation of a dispensing reel of wrapping material and including a rotary element having a textured surface and a sensor mounted on a displaceable mounting bracket wherein the rotary element is rotated by the dispensing reel during baling.
1. A baler comprising:
a receiving apparatus for receiving a reel of wrapping material, the receiving apparatus including a sensor arrangement for detecting rotation of the reel of wrapping material, the sensor arrangement comprising:
a displaceable mounting bracket;
a rotary element mounted for rotation on the displaceable mounting bracket, wherein the rotary element comprises a textured surface; and
a sensor mounted on the displaceable mounting bracket for detecting rotation of the rotary element; and
wherein the receiving apparatus further comprises a window and wherein the rotary element extends through the window.
2. The baler of claim 1 , wherein the rotary element comprises at least one angled surface.
3. The baler of claim 2 , wherein the angled surface comprises a hemispherical element.
4. The baler of claim 1 , wherein the textured surface comprises at least one area of surface patterning.
5. The baler of claim 4 , wherein the surface patterning comprises at least one area chosen from the following: raised dots, raised ribs, knurling and dimpling.
6. The baler of claim 1 , further comprising a fixed mounting bracket supporting the displaceable mounting bracket for movement about an axis.
7. The baler of claim 6 , comprising a biasing element acting between the fixed and displaceable mounting brackets.
8. The baler of claim 7 , wherein the biasing element biases the displaceable mounting bracket away from the fixed mounting bracket.
9. The baler of claim 1 , further comprising:
an agricultural vehicle for towing the baler.
10. The baler of claim 1 , further comprising:
a control unit;
memory in communication with the control unit; and
a user terminal in communication with the control unit,
wherein the control unit is configured to receive signals from the sensor, compare the received signals against a set of values stored in the memory, and determine whether to generate and send a terminal signal to the user terminal, causing the user terminal to generate an alert.
11. The baler of claim 10 , wherein the control unit is further configured to generate and send a baler signal causing operation of the baler to cease when the terminal signal is generated and sent.