Material or article handling – Round hay bale handling
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-04
2001-01-09
Fischetti, Joseph A. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Round hay bale handling
C414S245000, C414S501000, C414S789700
Reexamination Certificate
active
06171046
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to apparatus for retrieving and stacking bales. The invention is particularly applicable for use in retrieving large bales disposed in a field and stacking the large bales.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A number of bale stacker and retriever systems for use in a field are known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,229, issued Apr. 11, 1995, for example, discloses a self propelled “big bale” stacker and retriever wherein bales are serially retrieved from the ground and placed on a rotating support table. The apparatus is so constructed as to limit the capacity of the rotatable platform to two bales disposed side by side. After one bale has been positioned on the rotatable table the table is rotated 180° to accommodate a second bale placed therein next to the first bale. As will be seen below, apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention allows for efficient side by side placement of more than two bales on a support platform without requiring rotation of the support platform.
Other patents disclosing bale stacking and retrieving systems are as follows: U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,111, issued Aug. 28, 1990, U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,101, issued May 11, 1982, U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,829, issued Feb. 12, 1985, U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,955, issued Jan. 6, 1970, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,832, issued Sep. 24, 1968.
None of the above-identified patents illustrate the unique combination of structural elements disclosed herein which cooperate in a novel manner to efficiently and reliably retrieve and stack bales.
The present invention is characterized by its relative simplicity, efficiency and ease of use as well as by its ability to accumulate and stack more than two large bales disposed side by side. In addition, apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention incorporates a novel and reliable bale engagement and transport system which is operable to completely invert a bale and place the bale in inverted condition directly over and in close proximity to a mobile support platform prior to placement of the bale on the mobile support platform, lessening the possibility of bale damage during the process.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to apparatus for retrieving and stacking bales. The apparatus includes a mobile frame on which is disposed a support platform having an upper bale support surface.
Bale engagement and transport means is connected to the mobile frame for engaging bales on the ground seriatim during movement of the mobile frame and for individually transporting each engaged bale from the ground to a predetermined location on the upper bale support surface of the support platform.
Bale displacement means is provided for contacting a bale supported by the support platform at the predetermined location to displace the bale contacted thereby along the upper bale support surface thereof away from the predetermined location to provide room at the predetermined location for another bale subsequently transported by the bale engagement and transport means to the predetermined location.
The bale engagement and transport means comprises at least one bale engagement member and lifter means operatively associated with the bale engagement member to lift a bale engaged by the bale engagement member, invert the bale and deposit the bale on the upper bale support surface of the support platform at the predetermined location in upside down condition.
The means operatively associated with the bale engagement member includes prime mover means connected to the bale engagement member and mechanical linkage connected to the bale engagement member and the mobile frame. The mechanical linkage includes a first link member connected to the bale engagement member and pivotal therewith under the urging of the prime mover means about a first pivot to lift a bale from the ground and tilt the bale end-wise to a first orientation with the bale extending upwardly from a bale end and a second link member operatively associated with the first link member and pivotable about a second pivot along with the first link member and the bale under the urging of the prime mover means to further tilt the bale to upside down condition and deposit the bale on the upper bale support surface of the support platform at the predetermined location in upside condition.
Other features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3402832 (1968-09-01), Wehde
patent: 3487955 (1970-01-01), Brown
patent: 4329101 (1982-05-01), Green et al.
patent: 4498829 (1985-02-01), Spikes
patent: 4952111 (1990-08-01), Callahan
patent: 4971504 (1990-11-01), Klompien
patent: 5062757 (1991-11-01), Eichenauer
patent: 5397208 (1995-03-01), Siebenga
patent: 5405229 (1995-04-01), Tilley et al.
patent: 5882163 (1999-03-01), Tilley
patent: 5921738 (1999-07-01), Rempel
patent: 6024534 (2000-02-01), Stevenson
Fischetti Joseph A.
Lampe Thomas R.
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