Abstract: An overrunning sprocket for the bale pickup mechanism on a bale wagon is disclosed wherein the drive sprocket for transferring rotational power from a drive shaft to the elevating mechanism in the bale pickup is rotatably mounted on the drive shaft for rotation independently thereof. A drive lug welded to the drive sprocket is engageable with a second drive lug welded to the drive shaft to limit the rotation of the drive sprocket relative to the drive shaft and permit rotational power to be transferred from the drive shaft to the elevator. The drive sprocket is free to overrun the drive shaft by substantially one revolution to permit the elevator to be accelerated by the picking up of a bale from the ground when the ground speed of the bale wagon is greater than the speed of the elevator in the bale pickup mechanism.

Abstract: A control system for a tailgate on a round bale wagon is disclosed wherein the tailgate is maintained in an upright position to keep bales on the load bed of the vehicle until the forward end of the load bed has been raised sufficiently to impart enough energy to the bales to enable them to be more easily unloaded off the rearward end of the load bed. The control system includes an actuation mechanism that is engageable with the main frame upon the rotation of the load bed relative to the main frame to shift the spool of a control valve to permit hydraulic fluid to escape from the hydraulic cylinder operatively powering the movement of the tailgate to the upright position. The weight of the bales on the tailgate presents sufficient force to cause the tailgate to move to an extended position and, thereby, extend the ram from the hydraulic cylinder, forcing fluid from the cylinder.

Abstract: A control valve for the hydraulic system of a round bale wagon is disclosed wherein the valve spool is selectively positionable between a cross conveyor mode and a pusher mode and also provides a hydraulic interlock for the operation of the load bed to pivotally rotate for the unloading of bales therefrom. Movement of the valve spool between the cross conveyor and the pusher modes effects a selection of the operation of the bale handling mechanism to either convey bales laterally across the load bed or rearwardly on the load bed. The provision of a hydraulic interlock prevents the operation of the load bed to pivotally rotate the forward end above the frame of the bale wagon and unload accumulated bales therefrom, unless both the cross conveyor and the bale pickup are in a position that would not interfere with the movement of the load bed and, therefore, prevent damage thereto.

Abstract: A control linkage for a round bale wagon is disclosed wherein the operation of the mechanism for conveying bales laterally across the load bed to form a row of bales and the operation of the mechanism for pushingly advancing a row of bales rearwardly on the load bed is automatically, sequentially controlled in coordination with the operation of the mechanism for picking up bales in the field and elevating them onto the load bed. The control linkage includes a pair of pivotally connected links pivotally interconnecting the frame of the bale wagon, the control frame for the hydraulically powered cross conveyor and the pusher advance mechanism, and a delay valve for coordinating the operation of the cross conveyor relative to the bale pickup mechanism, one of the links having a free end movable within a fixed path.

Abstract: A control linkage for a round bale wagon is disclosed wherein both the operation of the bale pickup mechanism to squeeze a bale of crop material for firm engagement between a pair of projecting arms and the operation to lift a bale so engaged onto the load bed can be controlled by a single control lever. The squeeze and lift operations are powered by separate hydraulic cylinders operatively controlled by respective control valves having three position spools, spring loaded to the central, neutral position. The control linkage includes a cross link interconnecting the two respective control valves and a connecting link extending from a point on the cross link, closer to the squeeze valve than to the lift valve, for connection to the control lever.

Abstract: A hydraulic system for a round bale wagon is disclosed wherein at least two hydraulic cylinders are connected hydraulically in series. A relief valve redirects the flow of hydraulic fluid to continue the operation of subsequent hydraulic cylinders in the series circuit and to continue the flow of hydraulic fluid through the circuit when one of said hydraulic cylinders reaches the end of its stroke. The hydraulic cylinders corresponding to a bale pickup and the bale handling mechanism are connected in series in such a manner that, when the bale pickup is doing work in elevating a bale onto the load bed, the bale handling mechanism is returning to its home position without doing work and, when the bale pickup returns to its first position adjacent the ground, it does no work, while the bale handling mechanism works to arrange the deposited bales in a preselected position on the load bed.

Abstract: A bale handling apparatus includes a pickup arm adjustably mounted for picking up various size bales. Hydraulic hoses are connected to a cylinder on the arm. A slack adjustor is movable on the frame in response to adjustment of the arm for retaining the hoses adjacent the frame to limit possible hose damage.

Abstract: A bale handling apparatus picks up a load of large round bales from the field, transports the load and then dumps the load at a storage area. The apparatus includes a transporter bed and has the ability to arrange and control the position of the bales on the bed after being picked up. The versatile apparatus is preferably self-propelled to function as both an on-road and agricultural field vehicle. A cross-conveyor moves bales transversely on the bed. The cross conveyor includes a linkage, a cross conveyor arm and an adjustment plate. A plurality of adjustment positioners are along an arc on the plate for permitting the conveyor arm to be adjusted so that various size bales are transversely conveyed from a variable first position to a consistent second position.

Abstract: A bale wagon for picking up bales of crop material from the field and forming them into a generally symmetrical pyramidal stack for deposit at a selected location is provided. The bale wagon includes a mobile frame pivotally supporting a stack forming load bed, a bale support and transfer mechanism for depositing the bales at a predetermined position on the load bed, a pickup mechanism for moving the bales from the field to the support and transfer mechanism, and a pusher mechanism for moving the bales along the load bed from the predetermined position. A control mechanism coordinates the functioning of the components so as to form a multi-layered stack of bales with each succeeding layer centered on and containing one less row of bales than the previous layer.

Abstract: A hydraulic control system for the rolling rack of a three table bale wagon wherein the rolling rack is movable along the third table for supporting tiers of bales deposited on the third table by the second table, the control system including a single acting hydraulic cylinder for positively advancing the rolling rack to a first position wherein the third table is ready to receive tiers of bales, apparatus for selectively connecting the hydraulic cylinder with a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure for extending the hydraulic cylinder and thereby moving the rolling rack to the first position, and including a fluid flow line; selective apparatus connected with the fluid flow line for intermittent release of fluid pressure from the fluid flow line so that when mechanical pressure is exerted against the hydraulic cylinder in such a manner as to urge retraction of the cylinder, the retraction may be controlled by intermittent release of pressure from the fluid flow line.

Abstract: An improved bale wagon is disclosed which employs novel apparatus for maintaining the positional integrity of bales in a tier during the transfer thereof from a bale-accumulating table to a load bed. A pair of stationary open frame structures extend from the main frame adjacent the bale-accumulating table upwardly and rearwardly to the respective sideboards on each side of the load bed to provide a retaining wall adjacent the path of travel of the opposing sides of the bale-accumulating table. The retaining structures prevent the outward dislocation of bales during the transfer step, even in steep hillside conditions and thus promote increased operation efficiency.

Abstract: The bale row forming table of a three table type bale wagon has a bale alignment device cooperating therewith which acts to insure bale tiers of uniform dimensions by establishing bale rows of equal length, an effect achieved by monitoring the length of a bale row by means of trip levers located at the loading end of the table and at the end remote from the loading end and reversing the table conveyor whenever a short bale row is detected to reposition the last bale of the row.

Abstract: A bale wagon employing a stack side evener comprising, in its most simple form, a plurality of fixed, spaced apart parallel fins which passively direct a moving bale toward a predetermined position. Generally, the type of bale wagon given consideration in the instant application includes a bale-receiving area onto which bales are deposited, a bale:accumulating area upon which tiers of bales are assembled, and a load rack upon which multiple tiers of bales are deposited to accomplish the formation of a stack. The wagon further includes some mechanism for moving bales from the bale-receiving area to the bale-accumulating area. The stack side evener comprises a multiplicity of fixed fins which engage the bottom of the bale during the transfer step described, and guide it toward a stop member which serves to commonly orient one side of the tier being formed.

Abstract: A bale wagon having an improved bale-receiving means, which is operable to deposit bales onto the bale-supporting means either on edge or on the flat is disclosed. A pusher mechanism including a bale-engaging member moves the bales on edge to the bale-supporting table or operates in conjunction with a bale-turning apparatus to rotate the bales 90 degrees axially prior to the transfer step. Swing arms within the bale-engaging member allow the selective 90 degree pivoting of bales necessary for the automatic formation of tie tiers.

Abstract: A bale wagon having a bale-receiving area, a bale-accumulating area, means for transferring bales from the bale-receiving area to the bale-accumulating area, and an improved means for sensing the location of bales on the bale-receiving area and activating the means for transferring is disclosed. The improved sensing and activating means includes a cantilevered arm pivotable about a vertical axis between first and second predetermined sensing locations. A follower fixed to the arm and movable therewith either activates a sensor after a predetermined amount of radial movement corresponding to the second sensing location, or engages a spacer which is caused to activate the sensor after another smaller amount of radial movement corresponding to the first sensing location.

Abstract: A machine for tearing apart stacked crop material bales has a pivotal load bed with stack clamping mechanisms arranged about the bed for retrieving a stack of crop material bales by placing the load bed in an upright retrieving position, moving the upright load bed alongside the stack, actuating the clamp mechanisms to engage and retain the bale stack against the load bed and then pivoting the load bed with the stack retained thereon from the upright position to a horizontal position. A fore-and-aft moveable rolling rack mounted transversely across the load bed will advance the entire stack longitudinally along the load bed from time to time to position a leading vertical transversely-extending tier of bales, in a succession of such vertical tiers which form the stack, onto a horizontal platform positioned along one end of the load bed.

Abstract: Crop material bales are formed into a pair of alternating, interlocking two and one-half bale wide tier patterns on a table of a bale wagon by alternately utilizing one of a pair of elongated platforms being each pivotally mounted at its one end adjacent one of two opposing sides, and a forward bale-receiving end, of the table and displaced from each other through a distance approximately equal to the length of two and one half-bales. Each platform is moveable from a forward, bale-receiving position along the table end to a side position along its corresponding table side for forming a pair of side rail bales in one of the tier patterns.