| The hay baler helped change the farming industry by | | | | comes in two main types: the large rectangular baler |
| allowing for the quick and efficient gathering of hay | | | | and the small rectangular (or square) baler. |
| into bales (either round or square) where they can | | | | Square bales conserve space as they are more easily |
| be easily move to wherever they are needed. A hay | | | | stacked tightly. They are also generally safer since |
| bale accumulator is another type of equipment that is | | | | they are not at risk of rolling off a truck or other |
| used to gather and transport hay bales. | | | | transport device. They can also be placed on slopes |
| Round Baler | | | | without fear of them rolling away. |
| Known early on as roto balers, the round baler is the | | | | Hay bale accumulators are sometimes used to quickly |
| most common type of hay baler, producing | | | | and easily gather large numbers of rectangular hay |
| cylindrically shaped bales of hay. A round baler rolls | | | | bales for placement onto a flatbed or other |
| the hay up inside of it via rubber belts until it has | | | | equipment for transport to and from the field or |
| reach the proper size, at which time the hay is | | | | from field to field. |
| wrapped or twined to hold it together. | | | | After a hay rake has formed a windrow (hay that |
| Once secured, the bale is then discharged from the | | | | has been cut by a mower) the hay is lifted by a |
| machine as door opens up and the hay bale rolls out. | | | | baler's tines. A plunger and knife move back and |
| These bales can weigh over 2,000 pounds. Due to | | | | forth in a front chamber of the baler, cutting and |
| their weight and round nature, which puts them at | | | | compressing the hay into bundles. Once the bundle |
| risk for rolling around uncontrolled, a specialized | | | | has reached the proper size, it is wrapped with twine |
| method is used to transport round hay bales. | | | | to hold it together in a neat square or rectangular |
| The round baler was first conceived of in the early | | | | shape. |
| 20th century, but wasn't introduced until the middle | | | | The bales are discharged into a hay bale accumulator. |
| of the century in 1947. Today's modern round balers | | | | When the hay bale accumulator is full, the bales are |
| use a concept design from 1972. | | | | lifted or carried away, usually on to a flatbed to be |
| Rectangular Baler | | | | transported. |
| Based on a 1937 design, the modern rectangular baler | | | | |