Preservative applicator for a round baler

Abstract

A round baler has a conventional pickup and an approximately horizontal, wide, lower conveyor for removing hay from a field and delivering it rearwardly in a transversely extending mat to a transversely extending bale chamber where it is rolled into a cylindrical bale. The upper run of the lower conveyor is approximately tangential to the lower side of the forming bale so that there is a 'pinch point' where the incoming mat of crop material converges on the periphery of the forming bale. A series of fluid dispensing nozzles spaced across the machine connected to a source of preservative carried on the baler is disposed so that preservative may be applied to the hay close to the pinch point across the lateral extent of the bale chamber. The incoming mat may vary in width and in lateral disposition relative to the baler conveyor system and sensors spaced across the machine and used to detect the presence or absence of hay and control fluid valves in the nozzle lines so that preservative is released only adjacent those portions of the bale where hay is being added. In a preferred embodiment, the nozzles are carried above the incoming mat and direct preservative downwardly and rearwardly adjacent the pinch point and the hay sensors are associated with compressor rods associated with the pickup assembly.