Round bale transport device

• US 6,305,894 B1
• Filed: 03/09/2001
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark K. Dearborn
• Original Assignee: Mark K. Dearborn
• Inventors: Dearborn, Mark K.
• Primary Examiner(s): KRIZEK, JANICE LEE
• Application Number:
  US09/803,297
• Time in Patent Office: 228 Days
• Field of Search: 414/24.5, 414/24.6, 414/436, 414/442, 414/460, 414/546, 414/721
• US Class Current: 414/24.5
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/00 Means for preventing, limiting or returning the movements of parts of a control mechanism, e.g. locking controlling member G05G17/00 takes precedence

Abstract

A hay bale carrier has a horizontal U-shaped wheel supported frame. The frame is comprised of separate parallel arms, with the arms being connected by a forward cross beam. A hollow tongue extends forwardly from the frame and has an elongated tongue member slidably mounted therein with its forward end protruding from the forward end of the tongue. A post structure is pivotally secured to the cross beam and has at least one bale penetrating bar secured thereto and extending in a rearward direction. A first pulley is located on the upper end of the post structure, a second pulley is located on the forward end of the tongue, and a third pulley is located rearwardly of the tongue. An elongated cable has one end secured to the tongue and is thence threadable about the first, second and third cables with a second end secured to the tongue member.

Claims

1. A hay bale carrier, comprising,

a horizontal U-shaped frame having two parallel spaced arms with forward and rearward ends,

a horizontal cross beam connected to the forward ends of the arms,

a ground wheel connected to the rearward ends of each of the arms,

a forwardly extending hollow tongue having forward and rearward ends and being rigidly connected by its rearward end to the cross beam,

a telescopic tongue member slidably mounted in the tongue and having forward and rearward ends with the forward end protruding from the forward end of the tongue,

a hitch on the forward end of the tongue member,

a substantially vertical post structure having upper and lower ends pivotally secured by the lower end to the cross beam and adapted to pivot in a vertical plane passing through the tongue and the tongue member,

at least one bale penetrating bar secured to the post structure and extending rearwardly therefrom,

a first pulley on the upper end of the post structure,

a second pulley on the forward end of the tongue,

a third pulley on the cross beam,

an elongated cable having one end secured to the rearward end of the tongue member within the tongue, and thence being threadable around the third, second and first pulleys with a second end being secured to the tongue, whereby the movement of the tongue member outwardly from the tongue will cause the post structure to pivot forwardly from a substantially vertical position to a forwardly inclined position to simultaneously lift the bale penetrating bar from a substantially horizontal position to a rearwardly extending inclined position so as to elevate a bale penetrated by the penetrating bar.

2. The hay bale carrier of claim 1 wherein a movable latch element is mounted on the tongue to permit selective locking of the tongue member when the tongue member is located in its extended or retracted positions with respect to the tongue.

3. The hay bale carrier of claim 1 wherein a movable latch member is mounted on the tongue and operatively connected to the tongue member therein to selectively releasably lock the tongue member in a fixed position within the tongue, and to alternately free the tongue member for outwardly slidable movement out of the forward end of the tongue.

4. The hay bale carrier of claim 3 wherein a brake mechanism is associated with each of the wheels, and linkage means connecting the brake mechanism and latch member to cause the brake mechanism to lock the wheels against movement during the period of time that the tongue member is moving out of the tongue and while the post structure is pivoting forward to elevate a bale penetrated by the penetrating bar.