Trailer with multiple bale elevating apparatus and method of bale handling

Claim 2

A multiple bale handling apparatus comprising: (a) an elongated mobile frame; (b) conveyor means extending along said frame, said conveyor means being capable of supporting a plurality of bales therealong; (c) elevator platform means extending along said frame; (d) elevating means mounted on said frame, connected to said platform means, and operable to elevate said platform means with a bale thereon from a position wherein said bale is resting on said conveying means to a height above said conveying means permitting additional bales to be received on said conveyor means, whereby said frame supports bales in upper and lower layers simultaneously for transport; (e) said platform means including a plurality of platform sections; and said elevating means including; (f) a plurality of shafts rotatably supported on said frame; (g) a sprocket on each of said shafts; (h) an elevating chain engaged with said sprocket and connected to one of said platform sections; and (i) motor means operatively coupled with said shafts and operable to rotate same thereby effecting elevation of said platform sections.

Claim 3

A multiple bale handling apparatus comprising: (a) an elongated mobile frame; (b) conveyor means extending along said frame, said conveyor means being capable of supporting a plurality of bales therealong; (c) elevator platform means extending along said frame; (d) elevating means mounted on said frame, connected to said platform means, and operable to elevate said platform means with a bale thereon from a position wherein said bale is resting on said conveying means to a height above said conveying means permitting additional bales to be received on said conveyor means, whereby said frame supports bales in upper and lower layers simultaneously for transport; (e) said platform means including a platform section extending along each side of said conveyor means; (f) said frame including at least one standard associated with each platform section, said standard including opposite side surfaces; (g) each platform section including guide means connected thereto, said guide means including a pair of spaced apart rollers; and (h) said rollers engaging respective opposite side surfaces of said standard in a manner to resist rotation of said platform section about a horizontal axis during elevation of said platform means.

Claim 4

A multiple bale handling apparatus comprising: (a) an elongated mobile frame; (b) conveyor means extending along said frame, said conveyor means being capable of supporting a plurality of bales therealong; (c) elevator platform means extending along said frame; (d) elevating means mounted on said frame, connected to said platform means, and operable to elevate said platform means with a bale thereon from a position wherein said bale is resting on said conveying means to a height above said conveying means permitting additional bales to be received on said conveyor means, whereby said frame supports bales in upper and lower layers simultaneously for transport; (e) said platform means including a platform section extending along each side of said conveyor means; (f) said frame including at least one standard associated with each platform section, said standard including opposite side surfaces; (g) each platform section including guide means connected thereto, said guide means including a pair of spaced apart rollers; and (h) said rollers engaging respective opposite side surfaces of said standard in a manner to resist rotation of said platform section about a horizontal axis during elevation of said platform means.

Claim 5

A multiple bale handling apparatus comprising: (a) an elongated mobile frame; (b) conveyor means extending along said frame, said conveyor means being capable of supporting a plurality of bales therealong; (c) elevator platform means extending along said frame; (d) elevating means mounted on said frame, connected to said platform means, and operable to elevate said platform means with a bale thereon from a position wherein said bale is resting on said conveying means to a height above said conveying means permitting additional bales to be received on said conveyor means, whereby said frame supports bales in upper and lower layers simultaneously for transport; (e) said frame including a plurality of standards longitudinally spaced along opposite sides thereof; (f) said platform means including a pair of elongated platform sections extending respectively along opposite sides of said conveyor means; and (g) guide means are connected to each of said platform sections and engage respective standards to thereby maintain substantially horizontal orientation of said platform sections during elevation thereof; and said elevating means includes: (h) a pair of shafts rotatably supported on and extending longitudinally along respective opposite sides of said frame; (i) a sprocket mounted on each of said shafts; (j) an elevating chain associated with each shaft, engaged with the sprocket of said shaft, and connected to one of said platform sections for elevation thereof upon rotation of said sprocket; and (k) motor means operatively coupled with said shafts for rotation thereof to thereby effect elevation of said platform sections.

Claim 6

A multiple bale handling apparatus comprising: (a) an elongated mobile frame; (b) conveyor means extending along said frame, said conveyor means being capable of supporting a plurality of bales therealong; (c) elevator platform means extending along said frame; (d) elevating means mounted on said frame, connected to said platform means, and operable to elevate said platform means with a bale thereon from a position wherein said bale is resting on said conveying means to a height above said conveying means permitting additional bales to be received on said conveyor means, whereby said frame supports bales in upper and lower layers simultaneously for transport; (e) said frame including a plurality of standards longitudinally spaced along opposite sides thereof; (f) said platform means including a pair of elongated platform sections extending respectively along opposite sides of said conveyor means; and (g) guide means are connected to each of said platform sections and engage respective standards to thereby maintain substantially horizontal orientation of said platform sections during elevation thereof; and said elevating means includes: (h) a pair of shafts rotatably supported on and extending longitudinally along respective opposite sides of said frame; (i) a sprocket mounted on each of said shafts; (j) an elevating chain associated with each shaft, engaged with the sprocket of said shaft, and connected to one of said platform sections for elevation thereof upon rotation of said sprocket; and (k) motor means operatively coupled with said shafts for rotation thereof to thereby effect elevation of said platform sections.

Claim 7

In a bale handling trailer for transporting large cylindrical bales and including an elongated trailer frame and bale conveyor means extending along said frame, the improvement comprising: (a) elevator platform means extending alongside said conveyor means; (b) elevating means mounted on said frame, connected to said platform means, and operable to elevate said platform means with a bale thereon to a height permitting additional bales to be received on said conveyor means below said bale on said platform means; said trailer frame including a plurality of standards spaced longitudinally along opposite sides thereof and said elevating means including; (c) a pair of elongated shafts rotatable supported at the upper ends of the standards extending along respective opposite sides of said trailer frame; (d) a plurality of elevating sprockets mounted at longitudinally spaced positions along each of said shafts; (e) a chain engaging each of said sprockets, each chain being operatively connected to said platform means; (f) a plurality of guide means mounted on said platform means, each guide means engaging a respective standard, said guide means being operative to maintain the substantially horizontal orientation of said platform means during elevation thereof; and (g) motor means operatively coupled to said shafts for rotation thereof to thereby effect elevation of said platform means.

Claim 8

In a bale handling trailer for transporting large cylindrical bales and including an elongated trailer frame and bale conveyor means extending along said frame, the improvement comprising: (a) elevator platform means extending alongside said conveyor means; (b) elevating means mounted on said frame, connected to said platform means, and operable to elevate said platform means with a bale thereon to a height permitting additional bales to be received on said conveyor means below said bale on said platform means; said trailer frame including a plurality of standards spaced longitudinally along opposite sides thereof and said elevating means including; (c) a pair of elongated shafts rotatable supported at the upper ends of the standards extending along respective opposite sides of said trailer frame; (d) a plurality of elevating sprockets mounted at longitudinally spaced positions along each of said shafts; (e) a chain engaging each of said sprockets, each chain being operatively connected to said platform means; (f) a plurality of guide means mounted on said platform means, each guide means engaging a respective standard, said guide means being operative to maintain the substantially horizontal orientation of said platform means during elevation thereof; and (g) motor means operatively coupled to said shafts for rotation thereof to thereby effect elevation of said platform means.

Claim 9

A trailer as set forth in claim 4 wherein: (a) each of said guide means includes a pair of spaced apart rollers; (b) each standard engaged by one of said guide means includes a pair of opposite side surfaces; and (c) the rollers of each guide means contact the respective side surfaces of the standard associated therewith to resist rotation of said platform means during elevation thereof.

Claim 10

A trailer as set forth in claim 4 wherein: (a) each chain is associated with one of said guide means and includes opposite ends thereof; (b) said trailer frame includes an idler sprocket for each chain, said idler sprocket being rotatably mounted and vertically aligned with a respective elevating sprocket; and (c) said chain engages said idler sprocket and said respective elevating sprocket, and the opposite ends of said chain are connected to said one of said guide means.