US3779208A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for handling rolled bales of hay
Assignee: Farmhand Inc
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Filing: 1972-08-02
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Granted: 1973-12-18
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Expires: 1992-08-02
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for handling rolled bales of hay, and especially those rolled on the ground from a windrow of hay, which includes a frame that may be mounted on a farm tractor and that includes a roller for unrolling a bale onto the ground so that livestock may feed on the hay in the unrolled bale. In one form of the apparatus the unrolling means also forms part of a bale transporting fork lift device.
Inventors
- 👤 J Gay
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 06:41
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D87/00; A01D87/12; A01D87/127; A01K; A01K5/00; A01D2087/128
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
Apparatus adapted to be mounted on a farm tractor for handling hay bales which consist of a relatively flat swath of hay rolled spirally into a generally cylindrical bale in which an end of the swath is exposed, said apparatus comprising, in combination: a frame; means detachably mounting said frame on a farm tractor; longitudinal arm means carried by said frame, said arm means having a free end portion which is spaced a substantial distance outwardly from an end of the tractor; transversely aligned journal means in said free end portion; and roller means rotatably supported in said journal means, the lower extremity of said roller means being spaced above the ground by a distance not materially less than the thickness of a swath of hay in a rolled bale, whereby a bale lying with its exposed swath end on the ground may be unrolled by guiding the tractor to place the roller means in contact with the cylindrical surface of the bale above the exposed end of the swath, and then moving the tractor toward the bale to cause the roller means to unroll it on the ground.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
189 words
Apparatus adapted to be mounted on a farm tractor for handling hay bales which consist of a relatively flat swath of hay rolled spirally into a generally cylindrical bale in which an end of the swath is exposed, said apparatus comprising, in combination: a frame; means detachably mounting said frame on a farm tractor; longitudinal arm means carried by said frame, said arm means having a free end portion which is spaced a substantial distance outwardly from an end of the tractor; transversely aligned journal means in said free end portion; and roller means rotatably supported in said journal means, the lower extremity of said roller means being spaced above the ground by a distance not materially less than the thickness of a swath of hay in a rolled bale, whereby a bale lying with its exposed swath end on the ground may be unrolled by guiding the tractor to place the roller means in contact with the cylindrical surface of the bale above the exposed end of the swath, and then moving the tractor toward the bale to cause the roller means to unroll it on the ground.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1 which includes means for moving the arm means up and down to vary the vertical position of the roller means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the arm means extends outwardly from the front of the tractor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the arm means extends outwardly from the rear of the tractor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus of claim 4 in which the frame includes a pair of upright, parallel members connected by a cross member, the frame mounting means engages the three point hitch of a farm tractor, the arm means comprises a pair of parallel arms each of which extends rearwardly from one of the upright members, and the aligned journal means is in the rear end portions of said arms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 5 in which the arms are rigidly connected to the lower ends of the upright, parallel frame members.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 6 which includes a shaft that has an end portion projecting laterally through one of the journal means, the roller means is keyed on said shaft, and drive means is connected to the projecting end portion of the shaft to rotate the roller means so that its surface moves upwardly in contact with the bale.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 7 which includes a ground engaging wheel, and power transmission means connecting said wheel to the projecting end portion of the shaft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
181 words
The apparatus of claim 5 which includes rearwardly extending fork tines rigidly mounted at the lower ends of the upright, parallel frame members, said tines being adapted to be moved beneath a bale by rearward movement of the tractor, in which the parallel arms are pivotally mounted adjacent the upper ends of said frame members for movement between an unrolling position and an elevated position, said arms have forward portions which are slightly shorter than the fork tines and rearward portions which are inclined downwardly from the rear ends of the forward portions so the journal means is at the tips of the fork tines in bale unrolling position, hydraulic means for moving the arms between unrolling position and elevated position, and rigid depending bale engaging means adjacent the rear ends of the forward arm portions, said bale engaging means being above the top of a bale in the elevated position of the arms, said arms being movable to a bale transporting positon in which the bale engaging means grips the rear, upper portion of a bale on the fork tines.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the frame includes laterally spaced members adjacent opposite sides of the tractor, and in which the longitudinal arm means comprises a pair of arms each of which extends outwardly from one of the laterally spaced frame members.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 1 which includes a shaft that has an end portion projecting laterally through one of the journal means, thE roller means is keyed on said shaft, and drive means is connected to the projecting end portion of the shaft to rotate the roller means so that its surface moves upwardly in contact with the bale.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 11 which includes a ground engaging wheel, and power transmission means connecting said wheel to the projecting end portion of the shaft.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 11 which includes a motor drivingly connected to the projecting end portion of the shaft.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the roller means idles and is caused to rotate by its surface contact with a bale.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2778292A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-17 | 1977-06-18 | 1977-12-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-17 | 1981-06-18 | 1981-12-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-17 | 1985-06-18 | 1985-12-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |