Bale accumulator

Claim 1

A BALE ACCUMULATOR ADAPTED TO RECEIVE BALES OF A PREDETERMINED SIZE FOR ASSEMBLY INTO A STABLE GROUP AND TO DISCHARGE THE STABLE GROUP FOR SUBSEQUENT HANDLING, SAID BALE ACCUMULATOR COMPRISING A FRAME HAVING WHEELS ROTATABLY MOUNTED THEREON AND INCLUDING MEANS ADAPTED TO CONNECT SAID FRAME TO A TOWING VEHICLE, A GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED BALE RECEIVING BED TILTABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR TILTING ABOUT AN AXIS GENERALLY TRANSVERSE TO THE DIRECTION TO TRAVEL OF SAID BALE ACCUMULATOR, SAID BALE RECEIVING BED ADAPTED TO RECEIVE BALES FORWARDLY OF THE BALE RECEIVING BED AND DISCHARGE BALES REARWARDLY OF THE BALE RECEIVING BED, MEANS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AT LEAST ONE BALE AT A TIME ONTO SAID RECEIVING BED AND POSITIONING THE BALE WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE BALE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF SAID BALE ACCUMULATOR, MEANS ADVANCING AN ACCUMULATED BALE TRANSVERSELY OF THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF SAID BALE ACCUMULATOR ONE BALE''S WIDTH TO PERMIT RECEIPT OF A SUBSEQUENT BALE ONTO SAID BALE RECEIVING BED, THE SUBSEQUENT BALE ADAPTED TO BE ADVANCED TRANSVERSELY OF THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF SAID ACCUMULATOR ONE BALE''S WIDTH TO PERMIT RECEIPT OF A NEXT BALE, EACH OF THE BALES BEING ADVANCED A BALE''S WIDTH, THE SECOND CONTACTING AND ADVANCING THE FIRST RECEIVED BALE, EACH BALE BEING MAINTAINED BY SAID BALE ADVANCING MEANS IN THE POSITION RECEIVED ONTO SAID RECEIVING BED WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE BALE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF SAID BALE ACCUMULATOR, FIRST MECHANICAL CONTROL MEANS OPERABLY CONNECTED TO SAID BALE ADVANCING MEANS WHEREBY A BALE RECEIVED ONTO SAID BALE RECEIVING BED ACTUATES SAID FIRST MECHANICAL CONTROL MEANS WHEREBY SAID MEANS ADVANCING BALES AT LEAST ONE BALE''S WIDTH IS ACTUATED, MECHANICAL LEVER MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A PREDETERMINED GROUP OF BALES RECEIVED ONTO SAID BALE RECEIVING BED, SAID MECHANICAL LEVER MEANS OPERABLY CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST CONTROL MEAND WHEREBY SAID FIRST CONTROL MEANS IS DISENGAGED AFTER A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF BALES HAVE BEEN RECEIVED ONTO SAID BALE RECEIVING BED THEREBY SUSPENDING ACTION OF SAID MEANS ADVANCING BALES, SECOND MECHANICAL CONTROL MEANS POSITIONED IN RESPONSE TO SAID MECHANICAL LEVER MEANS, SAID SECOND MECHANICAL CONRTROL MEANS POSITIONED TO CONTACT THE LAST BALE RECEIVED ONTO SAID BALE RECEIVING BED, MEANS TILTING SAID BALE RECEIVING BED OPERABLY CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND MECHANICAL CONTROL MEANS AND RESPONSIVE TO SAID SECOND CONTROL MEANS WHEREBY CONTACT OF LAST BALE WITH SAID SECOND CONTROL MEANS ACTUATES SAID MEANS TILTING SAID BALE RECEIVING BED THEREBY PERMITTING SAID BALE RECEIVING BED TO TILT AND DISCHARGE THE PREDETERMINED STABLE GROUP OF BALES FROM SAID BALE RECEIVING BED.