Abstract: An apparatus for cutting hay, straw, or other agricultural materials is provided with an intake hopper which directs a supply of material to be cut into a holding chamber. The material in the holding chamber is separated from the material remaining in the intake hopper by a pair of separating blades, while an advancement plate pushes the material in the holding chamber toward a cutting grid. A sliding panel is pulled behind the advancement plate to prevent the material remaining in the intake hopper from falling behind the advancement plate. The material in the holding chamber is cut into shorter lengths as it is pressed through horizontal and vertical slicing blades of the cutting grid.

Abstract: A compressed hay bale cutting and stacking system includes a compressed bale cutter and a stacker arranged to stack half-cut or quarter-cut bales in multi-tier stacks while maintaining slices of the bales in substantial alignment. The bale cutter is oriented to discharge the half-cut or quarter-cut bales as a unit at a predetermined elevation. The stacker has a table assembly and a pushoff assembly positioned to receive each bale as a unit from the bale cutter and automatically form a stack of at least 2 bale by 2 bale tiers. The table assembly has an elongate first platform movable vertically on the stacker frame between a raised position aligned with the bale cutter discharge to form a first row of bales and a lowered position for receiving a second row of bales, to accumulate a tier of stacked bales while maintaining the bales substantially aligned along their vertical sides.