Abstract: A bale accumulator is provided for use in conjunction with a baler from which, during operation, bales successively are discharged. The accumulator comprises a bale receiving table movable between a home position for receiving a bale from the baler and a bale transfer position. A loadbed is disposed to receive bales from the bale receiving table and to accumulate a plurality of bales thereon. The bale receiving table is pivotally mounted on a shuttle mechanism which itself is movable along a transverse linear path between retracted and extended positions. When the bale receiving table is in its home position, it is located in a lower position with the shuttle mechanism assuming its retracted position. In this condition the bale receiving table is disposed at least partially vertically underneath the loadbed. Positioning means are provided for moving the receiving table from its home position underneath the loadbed to its bale transfer position generally alongside and at the level of the loadbed.

Abstract: A bale accumulator is provided for use in conjunction with a baler from which, during operation, bales successively are discharged. The accumulator comprises a bale receiving table movable between a home position for receiving a bale from the baler and a bale transfer position. A loadbed is disposed to receive bales from the bale receiving table and to accumulate a plurality of bales thereon. The bale receiving table is pivotally mounted on a shuttle mechanism which itself is movable along a transverse linear path between retracted and extended positions. A table positioning mechanism is provided for moving the receiving table from its home position to its bale transfer position and vice versa. A loadbed positioning mechanism pivots the loadbed from a horizontal home position for accumulating a plurality of bales thereon to a bale dumping position and vice versa.

Abstract: Parallel spaced posts are rigidly connected by a cross member to form an H-shaped frame, and the frame is supported by carriage members within tracts for linear and tilting movement between a storage position under the floor of a vehicle body and a vertical operating position adjacent a doorway within a side wall of the body. The posts support movable intermediate tracks which support movable elevator members carrying a platform pivotable between an extended horizontal position and a retracted storage position adjacent the posts. Hydraulic cylinders move the frame between its storage and operating positions and also move the elevator members and platform vertically between a bottom position on the ground and an upper position flush with the floor of the body.

Abstract: A sideloader elevator platform that is particularly structured to serve a cargo opening in the sidewall of, e.g., a truck body. The apparatus includes a platform connected with a novel carriage assembly that is slidable along rails mounted beneath the truck body's bed and transverse to that bed's longitudinal axis. The novel carriage assembly includes hydraulic rams that cooperate with parallelogram linkages for raising and lowering the elevator platform. A novel roller chain drive system functions to move the carriage assembly and platform on the rails between a travel or storage position entirely beneath the truck body's bed and an elevator use position where the platform is extended outward beyond the truck body's sidewall.

Abstract: A truck has a stowable round bale hauler that includes a beam hinged to the truck rear, and rotated about a horizontal base axis with hydraulic cylinders. Arms journaled at their ends to the beam are pivoted by hydraulic cylinders connecting the arms and the beam. The arms may be pivoted to and from a folded position, and the beam rotated to and from a stowed position, in which positions the arms and beam are contiguous with the vehicle rear. The arms are meshed when folded, with one arm adjacent and between the other arm and the beam to form a substantially flat vehicle rear. Pointed bale stabbers on the arms are proximate the base axis with the arms folded. The arms may be pivoted from the folded position to an open position, where the bale stabbers are distal of the base axis and separated more than a bale length. The arms are pivotable toward each other to an engaged position where the stabbers impale a bale positioned between the arms.

Abstract: A tailgate loader for a vehicle such as a truck. The loader includes an upper arm and a lower arm, both pivoted at one end to the rear of the vehicle, and both swingable in a vertical plane. The arms are in parallelogram linkage, and a platform is mounted on the short rearward arm of the parallelogram, so that it can swing between a stored position in which it overlies the upper arm, and an extended position in which it projects rearwardly from the upper arm. A hydraulic device is provided for swinging the arms about their pivot locations, and an opener assembly is provided for raising the platform from the stored position to a near-vertical position as the two arms swing downwardly about their pivot locations.

Abstract: A cargo elevator, designed particularly for attachment to the rear end of a truck or trailer having a cargo bed, includes a mounting frame secured at the rear end of the cargo bed and disposed downwardly and forwardly with the forward end secured to the vehicle frame. The mounting frame includes aligned and axially spaced bearing sleeves for rotatably supporting a torque shaft and the mounting frame supports an hydraulic power cylinder, acting on a radial arm of the torque shaft between the sleeves to oscillate the torque shaft. Elevator platform lift arms are nonrotatably fixed to the ends of the torque shaft, and parallel arms are pivotally mounted on the mounting frame; and these are pivotally attached to a base platform of the elevator platform, to maintain it generally horizontal.

Abstract: A standard truck chassis has a common support on the rear end of its main frame for a lower extensible and retractable vehicle deck and for a lower deck stabilizer unit which is also employed to tilt the lower deck following its rearward extension. Another support rising from the chassis main frame behind the truck cab pivotally supports the forward end of an upper vehicle deck positioned over the lower deck and the rear end of an over-cab vehicle deck. Power devices are provided to tilt the upper vehicle deck and the over-cab deck at proper times during vehicle loading and unloading operations. Three vehicles can be carried bodily on the three decks of the transporter and a fourth vehicle can be towed by the stabilizer unit.