GB2056941A

GB2056941A - Bale transporter

Info

Publication number: GB2056941A
Application number: GB7929656A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-08-24
Filing date: 1979-08-24
Publication date: 1981-03-25

Abstract

A bale transporter comprises a wheeled chassis 1, on which a unit comprised of a pair of opposed skeletal sidewalls 7 and 8, and a front wall 6, the unit being pivotally mounted on the chassis with the pivot behind the wheels 2. A ram 10 extending transversely of the lower front side of the unit enables the side walls to be moved towards and away from each other, and the portions of one side wall can be adjusted by means of perforations 15 defining plurality of alternative portions. The unit 6, 7, 8 can be tilted by a ram 11 for engaging a stack of bales located behind the transporter, and the side walls moved together to grip the bales tightly and the ram 11 used to return the unit to overlie the chassis. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Bale transporter This invention relates to bale transporters, for transporting stacks of bales from a harvest field to a storage location.

In the process of harvesting hay, or bedding straw, bales after baling are assembled manually, mechanically or on a bale sled into stacks comprising layers of two, four or eight bales piled in alternate directions on top of each other. The stacks are customarily left to dry or while other fields are harvested and then transported to a storage place such as a barn, shed or open stackyard.

More or less complex bale transporters are already known, and many of these are parts of so called "systems" involving stackers and bale sleds, all of which have to be present for the others to be used successfully.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple bale transporter which can transport a standard bale stack whether manually or otherwise built.

The invention provides a bale transporter comprising a wheeled chassis, and tiltably carried on the chassis a front wall and a pair of opposed side walls, the fulcrum of the unit formed by the walls being towards the rear of the/side walls, and the side walls being movable towards and away from each other to grip or release respectively a stack of bales.

The position of the front wall may be adjustable in relation to the pivot point by being carried on a perforated bar slidably received in a tubular member and locatable by a pin or releasable bolt, on each side.

The side walls are preferably moveable by means of a double acting ram extending between and below them. Tilting of the unit comprised by the walls is preferably effected by a ram carried at one end by the chassis and attached at the other to the unit.

The transporter is preferably adapted to be towed by an agricultural tractor although it could be incorporated in a self propelled vehicle.

The unit is preferably open floored, the bales being supported entirely by the grip of the side walls, but a floor may be provided, in which case the transporter can also be used as a high sided tractor for carrying e.g. loose straw or hay.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view of a bale transporter according to the invention.

The bale transporter comprises a chassis 1, having a pair of wheels 2, and a towing pole 2a, to which a screw operated foot 3 is attached for maintaining the pole at the right height for easy hitching to a tractor when free standing. A sloping arm 4 carries connections for hydraulic lines from a tractor, and mounts control handles 5.

The chassis carries a skeletal front wall 6, and opposed skeletal side walls 7 and 8 carried on a base frame 9. The side walls are moveable away from and towards each other by a double acting ram 10 extending between their lower sides across the width of the trailer. The walls 6,7 and 8 are tiltable as a unit by means of a tilting ram 11 mounted on the chassis and engaging the unit on a common support member for all the sides.

The side walls 7 and 8 are extendable forward by means of an extension formed of a lower 12 and upper 13 angle bracket and an end strut 14, boltable in alternative positions on the main part of the respective side wall. The position of the front wall 6 is variable by means of the front wall being mounted on two lower side frame members by means of an extension arm 15 at each side. The extension arms are provided with a series of bolt holes 16 at 3 or 4 inch centres so that the arm 15 can be attached with varying extension to the frame members. This makes it possible for the transporter to accommodate different sized stacks of bales.

In use, the transporter is backed up to a stack of bales for example of 48 bales in layers of eight, the unit comprised by the walls 6,7 and 8 is tiltable and the side walls 7 and 8 be along opposed vertical sides of the stack while the front wall 6 overlies the top of the stack.

The side walls are then brought together until they grip the stack firmly and the unit is then untilted, thereby tilting the stack until the stack's weight is supported over the chassis and the stack is flat on its side still firmly gripped between the side walls.

When the place where the bales are to be left is reached, the sides and stack are once again tilted and the stack deposited upright on the ground. The side walls 7 and 8 are moved apart and the stack released so that the transporter can be untilted and driven away without moving the stack.

The extensible position of the front wall 6, and the extensible parts of the side walls make it possible to carry stacks of up to 64 bales comprised of eight layers each of eight bales.

1. A bale transporter comprising a wheeled chassis, and tiltably carried on the chassis a front wall and a pair of opposed side walls, the fulcrum of the unit formed by the walls being located towards the rear of the side walls, and the side walls being movable towards and away from each other to grip or release respectively a stack of bales.

2. A bale transporter according to claim 1 wherein the position of the front wall is adjustable in relation to the pivot point by being carried on a perforated bar slidably received in a tubular member and locatable by a pin or releasable bolt on each side.

3. A bale transporter according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the side walls are movable by means of a double acting ram extending between them below the level of their lower edges.

4. A bale transporter according to claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the front and side walls are tiltable as a unit by a ram carried at one end by the chassis, and The drawing(s) originally filed was/were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Bale transporter This invention relates to bale transporters, for transporting stacks of bales from a harvest field to a storage location. In the process of harvesting hay, or bedding straw, bales after baling are assembled manually, mechanically or on a bale sled into stacks comprising layers of two, four or eight bales piled in alternate directions on top of each other. The stacks are customarily left to dry or while other fields are harvested and then transported to a storage place such as a barn, shed or open stackyard. More or less complex bale transporters are already known, and many of these are parts of so called "systems" involving stackers and bale sleds, all of which have to be present for the others to be used successfully. An object of the invention is to provide a simple bale transporter which can transport a standard bale stack whether manually or otherwise built. The invention provides a bale transporter comprising a wheeled chassis, and tiltably carried on the chassis a front wall and a pair of opposed side walls, the fulcrum of the unit formed by the walls being towards the rear of the/side walls, and the side walls being movable towards and away from each other to grip or release respectively a stack of bales. The position of the front wall may be adjustable in relation to the pivot point by being carried on a perforated bar slidably received in a tubular member and locatable by a pin or releasable bolt, on each side. The side walls are preferably moveable by means of a double acting ram extending between and below them. Tilting of the unit comprised by the walls is preferably effected by a ram carried at one end by the chassis and attached at the other to the unit. The transporter is preferably adapted to be towed by an agricultural tractor although it could be incorporated in a self propelled vehicle. The unit is preferably open floored, the bales being supported entirely by the grip of the side walls, but a floor may be provided, in which case the transporter can also be used as a high sided tractor for carrying e.g. loose straw or hay. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view of a bale transporter according to the invention. The bale transporter comprises a chassis 1, having a pair of wheels 2, and a towing pole 2a, to which a screw operated foot 3 is attached for maintaining the pole at the right height for easy hitching to a tractor when free standing. A sloping arm 4 carries connections for hydraulic lines from a tractor, and mounts control handles 5. The chassis carries a skeletal front wall 6, and opposed skeletal side walls 7 and 8 carried on a base frame 9. The side walls are moveable away from and towards each other by a double acting ram 10 extending between their lower sides across the width of the trailer. The walls 6,7 and 8 are tiltable as a unit by means of a tilting ram 11 mounted on the chassis and engaging the unit on a common support member for all the sides. The side walls 7 and 8 are extendable forward by means of an extension formed of a lower 12 and upper 13 angle bracket and an end strut 14, boltable in alternative positions on the main part of the respective side wall. The position of the front wall 6 is variable by means of the front wall being mounted on two lower side frame members by means of an extension arm 15 at each side. The extension arms are provided with a series of bolt holes 16 at 3 or 4 inch centres so that the arm 15 can be attached with varying extension to the frame members. This makes it possible for the transporter to accommodate different sized stacks of bales. In use, the transporter is backed up to a stack of bales for example of 48 bales in layers of eight, the unit comprised by the walls 6,7 and 8 is tiltable and the side walls 7 and 8 be along opposed vertical sides of the stack while the front wall 6 overlies the top of the stack. The side walls are then brought together until they grip the stack firmly and the unit is then untilted, thereby tilting the stack until the stack's weight is supported over the chassis and the stack is flat on its side still firmly gripped between the side walls. When the place where the bales are to be left is reached, the sides and stack are once again tilted and the stack deposited upright on the ground. The side walls 7 and 8 are moved apart and the stack released so that the transporter can be untilted and driven away without moving the stack. The extensible position of the front wall 6, and the extensible parts of the side walls make it possible to carry stacks of up to 64 bales comprised of eight layers each of eight bales. CLAIMS

attached at the cover to the unit.

5. A bale transporter according to any preceding claim adapted to be towed by an agricultural tractor by means of a towing pole.

6. A bale transporter according to any preceding claim which is open floored, bales being supported entirely by the grip of the side walls.

7. A bale transporter according to any preceding claim wherein each side wall has an extensible portion 1.

8. A bale transporter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.