Bale lifter and carrier

Claim 1

A lifter and carrier for a cylindrical bale of hay or the like comprising: a. a carriage adapted to be moved over the ground, b. a cradle of generally arcuate curvature in cross-sectional contour about a horizontal axis, mounted pivotally on said carriage for movement about a horizontal axis disposed externally of its curvature and parallel to the general axis of curvature thereof, being movable between a lowered position in which it opens horizontally rearwardly with respect to the normal direction of travel of said carriage, with its lower extremity substantially at ground level, its lower edge, when in said lowered positions, being insertable by movement of said carriage between the ground and a cylindrical bale resting on its cylindrical surface, to engage said cradle with said cylindrical surface, and a raised position in which it is disposed entirEly above ground level and opens upwardly, c. a pair of clamp arm supports mounted in said carriage and movable with said cradle, d. a pair of clamp arms pivoted respectively on said supports and extending generally rearwardly from their pivots when said cradle is lowered, whereby to be disposed respectively at opposite ends of a bale engaged in said cradle, and pivoted on axes generally normal to said cradle pivotal axis, e. clamp jaws carried at the free ends of said clamp arms, f. resilient means biasing said clamp arms pivotally apart whereby said jaws do not engage said bale, g. a single operating member carried by said carriage for movement in a generally straight line, h. connecting means joining said operating member to said cradle and jaws and operable, during movement of said operating member in one direction first to actuate said clamp arms to grip said bale between said jaws with an endwise pressure, and then to elevate said cradle from its lowered position to its raised position, and i. power means operable to move said operating member.