Patent US3807579A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3807579A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Bale loading and stacking apparatus
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1972-02-22
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Granted: 1974-04-30
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Expires: 1992-02-22
Abstract
Abstract Bale loading apparatus for loading and stacking hay bales on a wagon, which is drawn therebehind and has a plurality of longitudinal stripping fingers on the front end thereof, the apparatus comprising a mobile frame adapted to be drawn forwardly by a draft vehicle, a bale support rack having a plurality of open ended openings in longitudinal alignment with the wagon stripping fingers and being movable between a raised bale stack receiving position and a lowered bale depositing position, means adjacent the rack for picking bales off the ground and vertically stacking them at a stacking station, means for laterally sequentially moving the stacks from the stacking station to the support rack to form a row of stacked bales, and means for vertically moving the bale support rack between the raised and lowered positions to transfer the row of stacks from the rack to the wagon supported stripping fingers.
Inventors
- 👤 A Havens
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 23:40
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D85/00; A01D85/005; A01D90/00; A01D90/02; A01D90/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
197 words
Bale loading and stacking apparatus comprising: a portable frame movable forwardly and rearwardly in a longitutinal path of travel; means on said frame for sequentially receiving and vertically stacking bales at a stacking station as the frame is moved forwardly; a ground engageable pick-up conveyor, vertically movable on said frame, for picking up bales on the ground and transferring them to said receiving and stacking means; a generally horizontal, bale support rack on said frame including a plurality of laterally spaced, elongated, rearwardly opening, open-ended openings therein; means for sequentially moving the stacks laterally from said stacking station to said bale support rack to form a row of stacks on said bale support rack; means mounting said bale support rack on said frame for vertical movement, relative to said frame and at least a portion of said conveyor, between a raised stack receiving position and a lowered, stack discharging position while maintaining the horizontal orientation of said bale support rack substantially constant; and means is provided for vertically moving said bale support rack between said raised stack receiving positions and said lowered stack discharging positions, while maintaining the horizontal orientation of said bale support rack substantially constant.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
197 words
Bale loading and stacking apparatus comprising: a portable frame movable forwardly and rearwardly in a longitutinal path of travel; means on said frame for sequentially receiving and vertically stacking bales at a stacking station as the frame is moved forwardly; a ground engageable pick-up conveyor, vertically movable on said frame, for picking up bales on the ground and transferring them to said receiving and stacking means; a generally horizontal, bale support rack on said frame including a plurality of laterally spaced, elongated, rearwardly opening, open-ended openings therein; means for sequentially moving the stacks laterally from said stacking station to said bale support rack to form a row of stacks on said bale support rack; means mounting said bale support rack on said frame for vertical movement, relative to said frame and at least a portion of said conveyor, between a raised stack receiving position and a lowered, stack discharging position while maintaining the horizontal orientation of said bale support rack substantially constant; and means is provided for vertically moving said bale support rack between said raised stack receiving positions and said lowered stack discharging positions, while maintaining the horizontal orientation of said bale support rack substantially constant.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said stacking means comprises a platform vertically movable between a lowered bale-receiving position and a raised bale-discharging position, means for moving said platform between said lowered and raised positions, and bale stripper means for stripping the bale from the platform when said platform is in said raised position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 2 wherein said stripper means comprises a pair of stripper plate means swingably mounted on the frame for movement between positions in the path of a bale on said support means and remote inoperative positions, and means yieldably urging said stripper plate means to said positions in the path of a bale.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each of said stripper plate means comprises a first plate swingably mounted about a longitudinal axis and a second plate swingably mounted on said first plate; said yieldable means being connected to said second plate urging it to a position in the path of a bale on said platform.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bale support rack is inclined downwardly, forwardly, and generally vertical support means is provided at the forward end of said support rack for maintaining the vertical positions of the stacks of bales on the rack.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said vertical support means comprises yieldable means in the path of a stack of bales being moved to said support rack for resisting lateral movement of a stack moved to the rack.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said last mentioned means includes means mounted for vertical movement out of the path Of a stack being moved to said support rack and engageable with the trailing edge of said stack to prevent lateral movement thereof toward said stacking means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pick-up conveyor comprises a pair of laterally spaced apart endless members spanned by bale supporting members having teeth which initially engage the bale to lift the bale and pull it rearwardly and then are removed from the bale to permit it to be carried on said bale support members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said pick-up conveyor comprises a star-wheel mechanism adjacent the rearward end thereof for positively directing the bales to said receiving and stacking means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 including means for gripping laterally opposite sides of the bale stacks on said support rack to inhibit lateral movement thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for sequentially moving stacks comprises bracket means swingably mounted on said frame, and vertical stack-engaging pusher means swingably mounted on said bracket means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 11 wherein a stop is provided on said frame in the return path of said swingable pusher for returning said swingable pusher member to the same initial starting position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
165 words
Bale loading and stacking apparatus comprising: a portable frame movable forwardly and rearwardly in a longitudinal path of travel; means on said frame for sequentially receiving and vertically stacking bales at a stacking station as the frame is moved forwardly; a bale support rack on said frame extending laterally of said stacking station including a plurality of laterally spaced, elongated, rearwardly opening, open-ended openings therein; means for sequentially moving the stacks laterally from said stacking station to said bale support rack to form a row of stacks on said rack; and a plurality of generally vertical, laterally spaced, support members for maintaining the vertical positions of the stacks of bales on the rack, said support members being swingably mounted on the frame for movement between operative positions in the path of a stack of bales being moved to said rack and remote inoperative positions out of the path of the stack of bales, and means yieldably urging said vertical support members to said operative positions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
165 words
Bale loading and stacking apparatus comprising: a portable frame movable forwardly and rearwardly in a longitudinal path of travel; means on said frame for sequentially receiving and vertically stacking bales at a stacking station as the frame is moved forwardly; a bale support rack on said frame extending laterally of said stacking station including a plurality of laterally spaced, elongated, rearwardly opening, open-ended openings therein; means for sequentially moving the stacks laterally from said stacking station to said bale support rack to form a row of stacks on said rack; and a plurality of generally vertical, laterally spaced, support members for maintaining the vertical positions of the stacks of bales on the rack, said support members being swingably mounted on the frame for movement between operative positions in the path of a stack of bales being moved to said rack and remote inoperative positions out of the path of the stack of bales, and means yieldably urging said vertical support members to said operative positions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
137 words
Bale loading and stacking apparatus comprising: a mobile platform, such as a wagon or the like, for supporting stacks of bales; a portable frame movable forwardly and rearwardly in a longitudinal path of travel; means on said frame for sequentially receiving and vertically stacking bales at a stacking station as the frame is moved forwardly; a bale support rack on said frame extending laterally of said stacking station including a plurality of laterally spaced, elongated, rearwardly opening, open-ended openings therein; means for sequentially moving the stacks laterally from said stacking station to said bale support rack to form a row of stacks on said rack; and lost motion draft bar connection means on said frame for forwardly drawing said mobile platform but permitting rearward movement of the frame relative thereto to superpose said rack above said platform.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
137 words
Bale loading and stacking apparatus comprising: a mobile platform, such as a wagon or the like, for supporting stacks of bales; a portable frame movable forwardly and rearwardly in a longitudinal path of travel; means on said frame for sequentially receiving and vertically stacking bales at a stacking station as the frame is moved forwardly; a bale support rack on said frame extending laterally of said stacking station including a plurality of laterally spaced, elongated, rearwardly opening, open-ended openings therein; means for sequentially moving the stacks laterally from said stacking station to said bale support rack to form a row of stacks on said rack; and lost motion draft bar connection means on said frame for forwardly drawing said mobile platform but permitting rearward movement of the frame relative thereto to superpose said rack above said platform.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
193 words
Bale loading and stacking apparatus comprising: a mobile platform, such as a wagon or the like, for supporting stacks of bales; a portable frame movable forwardly and rearwardly in a longitudinal path of travel; means on said frame for receiving and vertically stacking bales at a stacking station as the frame is moved forwardly; a bale support rack on said frame extending laterally of said stacking station; means for sequentially moving the stacks laterally from said stacking station to said bale support rack to form a row of stacks on said rack; means connecting said platform and said frame for concurrent forward movement when said frame is moved forwardly and for limited relative movement when said frame is moved rearwardly to lengthwisely, successively move rows of bales rearwardly to positions overlying said mobile platform into engagement with a preceding row of bales on said platform to lengthwisely move said preceding row rearwardly; and means mounting said rack for vertical movement between a raised position and a lowered position to deposit each row of stacked bales on said platform when each row is moved rearwardly with said rack to said position overlying said platform.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
193 words
Bale loading and stacking apparatus comprising: a mobile platform, such as a wagon or the like, for supporting stacks of bales; a portable frame movable forwardly and rearwardly in a longitudinal path of travel; means on said frame for receiving and vertically stacking bales at a stacking station as the frame is moved forwardly; a bale support rack on said frame extending laterally of said stacking station; means for sequentially moving the stacks laterally from said stacking station to said bale support rack to form a row of stacks on said rack; means connecting said platform and said frame for concurrent forward movement when said frame is moved forwardly and for limited relative movement when said frame is moved rearwardly to lengthwisely, successively move rows of bales rearwardly to positions overlying said mobile platform into engagement with a preceding row of bales on said platform to lengthwisely move said preceding row rearwardly; and means mounting said rack for vertical movement between a raised position and a lowered position to deposit each row of stacked bales on said platform when each row is moved rearwardly with said rack to said position overlying said platform.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
154 words
Bale loading and stacking apparatus comprising: a mobile platform, such as a wagon or the like, for supporting stacks of bales; a portable frame movable forwardly and rearwardly in a longitudinal path of travel; means on said frame for sequentially receiving and vertically stacking bales at a stacking station as the frame is moved forwardly; a bale support rack on said frame extending laterally of said stacking station; means for sequentially moving the stacks laterally from said stacking station to said bale support rack to form a row of stacks on said rack; means for connecting said mobile platform and said portable frame for relative movement between longitudinally spaced positions and less spaced positions to move said row of side-by-side stacks to a position over said platform; and means on said platform for stripping the row of stacks from said rack when said portable frame and said platform are in said less spaced positions.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
154 words
Bale loading and stacking apparatus comprising: a mobile platform, such as a wagon or the like, for supporting stacks of bales; a portable frame movable forwardly and rearwardly in a longitudinal path of travel; means on said frame for sequentially receiving and vertically stacking bales at a stacking station as the frame is moved forwardly; a bale support rack on said frame extending laterally of said stacking station; means for sequentially moving the stacks laterally from said stacking station to said bale support rack to form a row of stacks on said rack; means for connecting said mobile platform and said portable frame for relative movement between longitudinally spaced positions and less spaced positions to move said row of side-by-side stacks to a position over said platform; and means on said platform for stripping the row of stacks from said rack when said portable frame and said platform are in said less spaced positions.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein means is provided on said frame for moving said rack downwardly relative to said platform when said frame and said platform are in said less spaced positions to deposit the row of stacked bales on said platform.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein said connecting means includes means connecting said frame and said platform for concurrent forward movement when said frame is moved forwardly and for limited relative movement when said frame is moved rearwardly to lengthwisely successively move rows of bales rearwardly to positions overlying said platform into engagement with a preceding row of bales deposited on said platform.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-04-29 | 1977-10-29 | 1978-04-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-04-29 | 1981-10-29 | 1982-04-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-04-29 | 1985-10-29 | 1986-04-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |