Abstract: A lift assembly for use in a repair shop or the like. The assembly includes at least one mast extending generally vertically, and a relatively movable component including a lift frame assembly. The lift frame assembly includes at least one longitudinal member and at least one work-engaging member. A vertically movable lifting assembly is also provided, which includes a movable element. The lift frame is movably secured to the mast by at least one guide assembly which moves substantially vertically along the track of said mast. The mast includes a portion with a slight curve or straight section inclined in the direction away from said fork leg while the curved or other mast allows free but confined movement of said guide assembly as said lift frame travels vertically throughout a range of vertical positions.

Abstract: A material handling assembly has a frame for attachment to the three point hitch of a tractor. A laterally swingable boom extends rearwardly from the frame and has an upright shaft at its rear end rotatable about an upright axis for suspending a reversible scraper blade whose angularity may be varied as the shaft is rotated. The blade is releasably attached to and tiltable relative to the shaft. All four functions of raising and lowering the frame, swinging the boom, varying the angularity of the blade and tilting the blade are hydraulically controlled. A special four bar linkage coupled with the shaft provides for wide blade angularity adjustment. A fluid bypass arrangement interconnects the swing and angularity functions to accommodate for excessive loads which may be encountered when the attitude of the blade is to be varied in accordance with desired grading operations.

Abstract: The round bale handling apparatus is adapted for mounting on the three-point hitch of a farm tractor and has a vertically swingable, normally fore-and-aft extending boom provided with a crosshead at its outermost end having depending arms that clamp and rotatably support a round bale concentrically by its opposite ends to progressively unroll the bale for feeding the latter as the tractor is advanced. The crosshead can be swung about a vertical axis between a position transverse to the boom and a position disposed substantially alongside the latter such that the bale can be approached and picked up from a number of different directions and within relatively close confines.

Abstract: A variable offset hitch is especially adapted for selectively positioning a semi-mounted implement in a trailing, laterally offset relationship to a towing tractor having a three-point hitch. A pair of laterally spaced mounts, each having a plurality of horizontally spaced, upright lugs, are secured to the forward end of the implement and receive corresponding lift arms of the three-point hitch through the use of respective removable connecting pins having a length sufficient to span the distance between preselected pairs of lugs on each mount. Lateral displacement, in either direction, of the implement relative to its normal operating disposition behind the tractor is determined by the location of the tractor lift arms with regard to selected pairs of the horizontally spaced lugs.

Abstract: A vertically swingable boom is provided with a downwardly opening grappling fork having horizontally swingable tines that are operated in unison by mechanism reciprocable vertically across the outer end of the boom. Power is supplied to the mechanism via a vertically swingable rocker and a fluid pressure piston and cylinder assembly lying along the boom and having a ram coupled with the rocker that reciprocates toward and away from the fork. Special geometrical and tolerance relationships between the tines and the plunger mechanism permit certain of the tines to move more deeply into the grappled load than others if disproportionate resistances are encountered, all without subjecting the fork, the connecting mechanism, and the ram to excessive bending forces.