Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved system for collecting and stacking round hay bales on a flat bed trailer, particularly for use in agricultural applications such as farming or the like.

Abstract: A trailer for transporting cylindrical bales comprises a pair of rails and a conveyor chain located between and below the rails such that a bale is maintained in position on the conveyor chain by the rails. The load engaging face of the conveyor chain comprises a plurality of resilient pads having a roughened surface to increase friction between the pads and the bale without protruding into the bale. The load engaging face can slide with respect to the bale. First and second loading arms are operative to raise first and second bales onto corresponding conveyors. A third loading arm raises the first bale from the first conveyor to allow the first loading arm to raise a third bale from the ground and position it on the first conveyor, and then lowers the first bale to rest on the second and third bales.

Abstract: A trailer for transporting round bales has two bale support cradles one on each side and pivotal about an axis along the side between a first lifting position in which the cradle extends outwardly and a second transport position in which the cradle is located on the support area for transport on the frame. Each cradle has bale support rails carried on polygonal axially spaced rings defining a cylindrical chamber so that a bale can be lifted by rails on each side from the ground rotated onto the frame for transport and rotated back to its initial position with its flat spot back on the ground. A backstop member can be moved from a first position closing the rear end to allow the bales to be discharged from the rear end by forward movement of the trailer.

Abstract: A trailer for transporting round bales has two bale support cradles one on each side and pivotal about an axis along the side between a first lifting position in which the cradle extends outwardly and a second transport position in which the cradle is located on the support area for transport on the frame. Each cradle has bale support rails carried on polygonal axially spaced rings defining a cylindrical chamber so that a bale can be lifted by rails on each side from the ground rotated onto the frame for transport and rotated back to its initial position with its flat spot back on the ground. A backstop member can be moved from a first position closing the rear end to allow the bales to be discharged from the rear end by forward movement of the trailer.

Abstract: A trailer for transporting cylindrical bales comprises a pair of rails and a conveyor chain located between and below the rails such that a bale is maintained in position on the conveyor chain by the rails. The load engaging face of the conveyor chain comprises a plurality of resilient pads having a roughened surface to increase friction between the pads and the bale without protruding into the bale. The load engaging face can slide with respect to the bale. First and second loading arms are operative to raise first and second bales onto corresponding conveyors. A third loading arm raises the first bale from the first conveyor to allow the first loading arm to raise a third bale from the ground and position it on the first conveyor, and then lowers the first bale to rest on the second and third bales.

Abstract: A trailer for transporting cylindrical bales comprises a pair of rails and a conveyor chain located between and below the rails such that a bale is maintained in position on the conveyor chain by the rails. The load engaging face of the conveyor chain comprises a plurality of resilient pads having a roughened surface to increase friction between the pads and the bale without protruding into the bale. The load engaging face can slide with respect to the bale. First and second loading arms are operative to raise first and second bales onto corresponding conveyors. A third loading arm raises the first bale from the first conveyor to allow the first loading arm to raise a third bale from the ground and position it on the first conveyor, and then lowers the first bale to rest on the second and third bales.

Abstract: A bale trailer for transporting round bales comprises an elongate frame having an end which is arranged to be coupled to a towing vehicle. The frame has a wheel assembly, a pair of elongate cradles, a conveying means for sliding a bale along each cradle and a bale loading arrangement on the trailer arranged to load bales onto the cradles. The cradles are parallel on the frame and are positioned side by side thereon arranged to receive at least one round bale on each cradle. The conveying means extends longitudinally on the frame. The bale loading arrangement has a first loading arm arranged to engage a bale for loading the bale onto a respective one of the cradles, a second loading arm arranged to engage a bale for loading the bale onto a respective second one of the cradles beside the bale loaded onto the opposite cradle by the first arm and a raising arm arranged to raise one of the bales on one of the cradles.

Abstract: The present invention is a loading ramp assembly for loading objects onto a floor of a vehicle. The loading ramp assembly includes a multi-sectioned, foldable ramp capable of being stored in a compact enclosure located under the vehicle floor. The loading ramp assembly also includes a telescopic ramp supporting frame that alone slidably supports and retracts the ramp between an unfolded loading position, inclined from the rear of the vehicle floor to the ground, and a folded storage position within the compact underbody enclosure.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading and transporting bales of hay or straw. The apparatus includes a chassis, at least one bale receiving table, a bale loader pivotally mounted to the chassis and having an inwardly disposed longitudinal arm and an outwardly disposed longitudinal arm spaced apart by a cross member with at least one of the arms pivotally connected to the cross member. The inwardly or outwardly disposed longitudinal arms are pivotal about the cross member to increase or decrease the distance between the arms so as to grasp or release a bale of hay or straw therebetween. The bale loader is piovotal about the chassis to enable the lifting of a bale of hay or straw onto the bale receiving table. The chassis has a plurality of wheels to permit it to be moved along the surface of the ground.

Abstract: The invention provides apparatus for lifting a large parallelepiped bale of hay or straw from the ground and then loading the bale on a transport vehicle such as a flat bed trailer or truck. The apparatus includes a transport frame pivotally connected to one side of the vehicle for movement between a lower working position, an intermediate transition position and a vertical transport position. A lifting frame is pivotally connected to the distal end of the transport frame for pivotal movement about an axis that is angled relative to the transport frame. The axis is generally parallel to a line that extends diagonally of a bale from one lower inside corner to the opposite upper outside corner. A roller frame fixedly mounted to the lifting frame carries a pair of rollers, a stop member to properly locate a bale relative to the roller frame, and a pivotable clamp for clamping a bale against the roller frame.

Abstract: The invention concerns an agricultural device able to be moved by a tractor and provided with a hydraulic apparatus for collecting and transporting manufactured bales with the aid of a baling press and for continuously feeding a banding machine with the bales collected, wherein it includes a trailer fitted with a loading device, at least one ramp for receiving the bales, and an arrangement for moving the bales on the ramp.

Abstract: Apparatus for collecting grassland bales comprises a pair of open-ended cradle structures (42, 44) each of which is pivotally mounted on each of two opposite sides of a trailer (10). The cradles can be lowered from an inboard stowed position into an inverted position by pivoting the cradles relative to the trailer so that the cradles are lowered to collect a load. The cradles can lift the load into a stowed position by being raised inboard of the trailer.

Abstract: A round bale trailer includes a trailer that travels in a hay field in the same direction that the field is normally worked to approach round hay bales in a direction perpendicular to the bales' axes. A U-shaped fork on the round bale trailer engages three sides of the bale. A closing arm on the fork closes to engage the bale on the fourth side. Continued motion of the trailer causes the fork and bale to rotate together 90 degrees about a vertical axis such that the fork closes to nest within a generally U-shaped frame. A hydraulic cylinder immediately operates to pivot the frame and fork to a vertical attitude, such that the bale rolls off the fork and onto the trailer. Pivoting the frame to the horizontal attitude automatically opens the fork by the use of a spring. All the bales are unloaded at one time by an unloading mechanism that tilts the trailer such that the bales roll off one side thereof.

Abstract: A cylindrical bale loading and transport apparatus for being towed by a conventional tractor or the like having a hydraulic system. The apparatus (10) includes a frame (12) which carries wheels (14) to facilitate movement of the apparatus (10) over a supporting surface. A loading mechanism (30) is provided for moving bales from the supporting surface to the apparatus (10). The bales (46) are then conveyed or transported sequentially towards the aft portion (82) of the apparatus for storage during transport. These bales (46) can be readily loaded, stored, and off-loaded by a single operator.

Abstract: A bale handler includes a body with ground wheels and a bed for supporting two or more round bales end-to-end rotatably supported for rearward tilting movement about a horizontal axis to unload the bales as a vertical stack. A secondary support is provided and supports the bales as the bed is tilted. The bed may be brought to an unloading/reloading position past vertical at which the stack remains stable and the secondary support bears the weight of the rear of the handler. The aforesaid axis is positioned so that the portion of the bed between the secondary support and the axis is sufficient to stabilize the stack during reloading.A bale loading cradle includes a pair of laterally spaced support members which pass under a bale to lift and support it and which define at their forward ends opposed edges which, in a horizontal plane, are mutually forwardly divergent and are configured for centering a bale approached off-center.

Abstract: A self-loading cylindrical bale carriage having at least one frame member including a center frame member extending along the longitudinal center line thereof. The frame member provides a supporting sliding surface for bales loaded on the carriage by means of a rocker bale loading arm device located at the forward end and at one side of the carriage. A transverse element carried by at least one longitudinally reciprocating member feeds the bales rearward on the carriage in cooperation with a plurality of self-rising wedges pivotally mounted in the reciprocating member or members and adapted to engage the bales with a delay with respect to the engagement of the bales by the transverse element.

Abstract: A loading device for the loading and ultimate transport of rolled bales. The unit is particularly designed for the loading of rolled bales onto a trailer unit such that the same may be transported from one location to another location. The bale loader is used for picking rolled bales from the ground, arranging them onto a transport trailer, moving the same upon the trailer to fully load the trailer and thereafter, after the destination is reached, deliver the bales from the trailer. The loading device includes a hydraulically aperated pivoting arm which will pick up individual bales and deposit and locate them so as to form pairs of bales in side-by-side relation upon a lower run of the trailer and deposit a third bale intermediately arranged upon the two lower bales such that three bales are arranged in a stacked relation upon the trailer.

Abstract: An apparatus for the unrolling or reduction of cylindrical bales of hay, straw or like material and for the measured distribution of such materials directly to the place of use, comprising, a trolley or trailer capable of being attached to the rear of a tractor and; a substantially horizontal journal or pivot member extending parallel to the forward direction of movement of the trailer and capable of being axially inserted into a cylindrical bale. A mechanism is provided for displacing the pivot member parallel to itself from a lateral, pick-up position to an upper loaded position. The apparatus includes a substantially horizontal conveyor disposed transversely for supporting and unwinding or rotating the cylindrical bale which is loaded thereon and retained by the pivot member.

Abstract: The bale carrier functions as a bale loading, transporting and unloading apparatus. It comprises an elongated base framework mounted on wheels, an elongated bale supporting bed aligned over and supported by the base framework, a power operated bale loader mounted on one side of the base framework as a satellite assembly near one end of the bale supporting bed, a power operated bale mounted upon the base framework at a longitudinal location proximate to the end of the bale supporting bed at which the bale loader is located, and selectively operable device for tilting the bale supporting bed to dump loaded bales therefrom over the lateral side of the base framework opposite the bale loader.