Bale handling apparatus

Claim 1

Bale handling apparatus including a base portion, a bale supporting portion, a bale moving portion and a control portion; said base portion including a frame section, said frame section including a first bed section, wheeled carriage means supporting said first bed section, a second bed section, said second bed section being telescopable with respect to said first bed section, said base portion further including a hitch member disposed at the end of said frame section remote from said carriage means; said bale supporting portion including support means extending upwardly from each of said bed sections, the support means of the respective bed sections being arranged to be aligned with one another when said bed sections are telescoped together; said bale moving portion including a support section, said support section extending upwardly from said first bed section adjacent the end thereof remote from said second bed section, a shaft member rotatably carried by said support section, said shaft member being oriented transversely of said first bed section, arm members pivotally connected adjacent the ends of said shaft member, grabber means mounted on said arm members, said grabber means extending toward each other; said control portion including means for cooperatively pivoting said arm members with respect to said shaft member, means for rotating said shaft member, and means for telescoping said second bed section with respect to said first bed section; whereby a plurality of individual bales can be loaded sequentially onto said bed sections of said apparatus, transported to a different location and thereafter unloaded in reverse order for storage or feeding.