ATV ball-hitch connected hay bale spike and hay bale suspension system

• US 7,544,030 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fast Hay Movers, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fast Hay Movers, Inc.
• Inventors: Fast, Lonnie B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams; Gregory W
• Application Number:
  US11/422,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20070278272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 414/24.5, 414/24.6, 414/111, 414/546, 414/555, 414/911, 414/462, 280/416.1, 280/402, 280/416.2, 172/439, 224/519, 224/520
• US Class Current: 414/24.5
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 59/008 Link connectors with spherical surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 59/06 for machines mounted on tractors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/06 at vehicle front or rear rear luggage compartments within vehicle extensible externally of the vehicle body B60R5/041
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/124 Roll handlers

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hitching apparatus for use with a vehicle that facilitates the coupling of equipment to a vehicle in a non-hinged manner so as to inhibit the lateral pivot of the equipment in relation to the vehicle. The present invention further relates to a novel hay bale suspension system that may be coupled to a vehicle through the hitching apparatus of the present invention and used to support and enable transportation of a round hay bale.

Claims

1. A hay bale suspension system for use with a ball hitch of an all terrain vehicle, the hay bale suspension system comprising a hitch bar, a base support, a vertical support, a spike, a pulley system, and two connecting arms, wherein:

the hitch bar secures perpendicularly and non-pivotally to a bottom plate of the ball hitch;

the hitch bar comprises a centrally disposed aperture, two bar clamps, and two pins extending from two ends of the hitch bar;

the aperture of the hitch bar aligns with an aperture in the bottom plate of the ball hitch and a bolt of a ball of the ball hitch such that the aperture of the hitch bar receives the bolt of the ball of the ball hitch passing through the aperture in the bottom plate of the ball hitch and such that the hitch bar is perpendicular to the ball hitch when secured thereto;

the bar clamps of the hitch bar clamp against the bottom plate of the ball hitch such that the hitch bar does not pivot about the ball hitch when secured thereto;

the base support supports the vertical support above a ground surface and comprises base plates at terminal sides of the base support, wherein the base support further comprises ground engaging wheels attached thereto for rolling engagement by device with the ground;

the spike extends perpendicularly from the vertical support such that the spike is parallel with the base support;

the pulley system comprises a plurality of pulleys, a winch, a cable, and a vertical post system;

the vertical post system comprises a vertical post configured to secure directly over the ball of the ball hitch of the all terrain vehicle;

a first one of the plurality of pulleys and the winch are secured to the vertical support and a second one of the plurality of pulleys is secured to the vertical post of the vertical post system;

the pulley system winds and unwinds the cable with the winch about the plurality of pulleys so as to adjust bi-directionally a tilt of the vertical support and the spike such that the spike may raise and lower a hay bale with respect to the ground surface; and

the connecting arms comprise apertures at respective terminal ends, the apertured terminal ends of the connecting arms couple with the base plates of the base support and with the pins of the hitch bar such that the base support secures non-pivotally to the ball hitch of the all terrain vehicle.

2. The hay bale suspension system of claim 1, wherein the pulley affixed to the vertical support comprises a pulley protection assembly that protects a rotation of the pulley from interference for a hay bale supported by the hay bale suspension system.

3. The hay bale suspension system of claim 1, wherein the vertical post of the vertical post system comprises a plurality of apertures disposed along a vertical axis of at least a portion of the vertical post so as to permit variable positioning of the second of the pulleys secured to the vertical post via one or more of the apertures.

4. The hay bale suspension system of claim 1, wherein the vertical post system further comprises a horizontal post that receives an end of the vertical post that secures directly over the ball of the ball hitch of the all terrain vehicle.

5. The hay bale suspension system of claim 1, wherein with the winding of the cable by the winch, the pulley system tilts the vertical support, the spike, and a hay bale supported thereon such that the hay bale is aligned over the base support, the axle, and the wheels such that a substantial weight of the hay bale is borne by the base support, the axle, and the wheels, rather than the pulley system or the all terrain vehicle.

6. The hay bale suspension system of claim 1, wherein the winch comprises:

an electrical connection that connects to a battery of the all terrain vehicle, and

a power switch that controls electrical output from the battery to the winch through the electrical connection.

7. The hay bale suspension system of claim 1, wherein each of the connecting arms comprises two or more partially overlapping bars that allow respective lengths of the connecting arms to adjust.

8. The hay bale suspension system of claim 1, wherein the hay bale suspension system further comprises at least one restrictive arm coupled at terminal ends thereof to the connecting arms so as to maintain a parallel relationship between the connecting arms.

9. The hay bale suspension system of claim 1, wherein the hay bale suspension system further comprises at least one restrictive arm secured at one terminal end to the hitch bar near one end of a first of the connecting arms and secured at another terminal end to one of the base plates of the base support near an opposite end of a second of the connecting arms so as to maintain a parallel relationship between the connecting arms.

10. A hay bale suspension system for use with a ball hitch of a vehicle, the hay bale suspension system comprising a hitch bar, a base support, a vertical support, a spike, an axle, wheels, a pulley system, two connecting arms, and at least one restrictive arm, wherein:

the hitch bar secures perpendicularly and non-pivotally to a bottom plate of the ball hitch;

the hitch bar comprises a centrally disposed aperture, two bar clamps, and two pins extending from two ends of the hitch bar;

the aperture of the hitch bar aligns with an aperture in the bottom plate of the ball hitch and a bolt of a ball of the ball hitch such that the aperture of the hitch bar receives the bolt of the ball of the ball hitch passing through the aperture in the bottom plate of the ball hitch and such that the hitch bar is perpendicular to the ball hitch when secured thereto;

the bar clamps of the hitch bar clamp against the bottom plate of the ball hitch such that the hitch bar does not pivot about the ball hitch when secured thereto;

the base support supports the vertical support above a ground surface and comprises base plates at terminal sides of the base support;

the spike extends perpendicularly from the vertical support such that the spike is parallel with the base support;

the axle is coupled to the base support at the base plates and the wheels are secured to ends of the axle such that the axle and the wheels provide a stable suspension for the hay bale suspension system;

the pulley system comprises a plurality of pulleys, a winch, a cable, and a vertical post system;

the vertical post system comprises a vertical post configured to secure directly over the ball hitch of the vehicle;

a first one of the plurality of pulleys and the winch are secured to the vertical support and a second one of the plurality of pulleys is secured to the vertical post of the vertical post system;

the pulley system winds and unwinds the cable with the winch about the plurality of pulleys so as to adjust bi-directionally a tilt of the vertical support and the spike such that the spike may raise and lower a hay bale with respect to the ground surface; and

the connecting arms comprise apertures at respective terminal ends, the apertured terminal ends of the connecting arms couple with the base plates of the base support and with the pins of the hitch bar such that the base support secures non-pivotally to the ball hitch of the vehicle; and

the restrictive arm couples at terminal ends thereof to the connecting arms so as to maintain a parallel relationship between the connecting arms.

11. The hay bale suspension system of claim 10, wherein the vertical post of the vertical post system comprises a plurality of apertures disposed along a vertical axis of at least a portion of the vertical post so as to permit variable positioning of the second of the pulleys secured to the vertical post via one or more of the apertures.

12. The hay bale suspension system of claim 10, wherein each of the connecting arms comprises two or more partially overlapping bars that allow respective lengths of the connecting arms to adjust.

13. A hay bale suspension system for use with a ball hitch of an all terrain vehicle, the hay bale suspension system comprising a support system, a pulley system, and means for coupling the support system to the ball hitch of the all terrain vehicle, wherein:

the support system comprises a base support, a vertical support, an axle, two or more wheels, and a spike;

the base support supports the vertical support above a ground surface and comprises base plates at terminal sides of the base support;

the spike extends perpendicularly from the vertical support such that the spike is parallel with the base support;

the axle is coupled to the base support at the base plates and the wheels are secured to ends of the axle such that the axle and the wheels provide a stable suspension for the support system;

the pulley system comprises a plurality of pulleys, a winch, a cable, and a vertical post system;

the vertical post system comprises a vertical post and a horizontal post that receives an end of the vertical post and secures directly over a ball of the ball hitch of the all terrain vehicle;

a first one of the plurality of pulleys and the winch are secured to the vertical support and a second one of the plurality of pulleys is secured to the vertical post of the vertical post system;

the pulley system winds and unwinds the cable with the winch about the plurality of pulleys so as to adjust bi-directionally a tilt of the vertical support and the spike such that the spike may raise and lower a hay bale with respect to the ground surface;

the coupling means comprise a hitch bar, two connecting arms, and a restrictive arm;

the hitch bar secures perpendicularly and non-pivotally to a bottom plate of the ball hitch;

the hitch bar comprises a centrally disposed aperture, two bar clamps, and two pins extending from two ends of the hitch bar;

the aperture of the hitch bar aligns with an aperture in the bottom plate of the ball hitch and a bolt of the ball of the ball hitch such that the aperture of the hitch bar receives the bolt of the ball of the ball hitch passing through the aperture in the bottom plate of the ball hitch and such that the hitch bar is perpendicular to the ball hitch when secured thereto;

the bar clamps of the hitch bar clamp against the bottom plate of the ball hitch such that the hitch bar does not pivot about the ball hitch when secured thereto;

the connecting arms comprise apertures at respective terminal ends, the apertured terminal ends of the connecting arms couple with the base plates of the base support and with the pins of the hitch bar such that the base support secures non-pivotally to the ball hitch of the all terrain vehicle; and

the restrictive arm couples at terminal ends thereof to the connecting arms so as to maintain a parallel relationship between the connecting arms.