Truck bed bale loader auxiliary assembly

• US 8,534,981 B1
• Filed: 08/24/2010
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Berry K. Bortz
• Original Assignee: Berry K. Bortz
• Inventors: Bortz, Berry K.
• Primary Examiner(s): KEENAN, JAMES W
• Application Number:
  US12/861,881
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 414/546, 414/607, 414/712
• US Class Current: 414/546
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/4442 the raising device, when not in use, being stored inside the load-transporting compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/486 using pivoted arms shifting the load-transporting element in a crosswise direction

Abstract

An auxiliary assembly for attachment to a truck bed, the truck bed having pivoting bale lift arms, and the truck bed further having a hydraulic ram powered bale arm actuator, the assembly including a cargo carrying frame, left and right releasably attachable and pivoting mounts for interconnecting the cargo carrier and distal ends of the bale lift arms, and a pair of cargo leveling arms pivotally mounted to span between and interconnect the truck bed and with the cargo carrier for simultaneous and substantially parallel leveling arm motion, the leveling arm motion stabilizing the cargo carrier during pivoting motions of the bale lift arms.

Claims

1. An auxiliary assembly for alternative attachment to and detachment from a truck bed, the truck bed having left and right sides, a rearward end, and rearwardly mounted left and right bale lift arms, the left and right bale lift arms having pivotal radiuses, proximal and distal ends and being adapted for moving between rearwardly extending bale engaging positions and forwardly extending bale depositing positions, the truck bed further having at least a first pivotal motion actuator connected operatively for impelling the left and right bale lift arms'"'"' movements, the auxiliary assembly for attachment to and detachment from the truck bed comprising:

(a) a cargo carrier having left and right sides;

(b) lift arm attaching means adapted for respectively pivotally interconnecting the cargo carrier'"'"'s left and right sides and the left and right bale lift arms'"'"' distal ends, and for respectively disconnecting the left and right lift arm'"'"'s distal ends from the cargo carrier'"'"'s left and right sides, the left and right lift arm attaching means comprising left and right swivel pin and socket joints;

(c) first and second leveling arms having proximal and distal ends; and

(d) leveling arm attaching means adapted for pivotally mounting the first and second leveling arms'"'"' proximal ends upon the truck bed, for alternatively disconnecting said proximal ends from the truck bed, for positioning said proximal ends forwardly from the truck bed'"'"'s rearward end, for pivotally mounting the first and second leveling arm'"'"'s distal ends upon the cargo carrier, and for positioning said distal ends forwardly from the left and right bale lift arms'"'"' distal ends, the left and right lift arm attaching means comprising left and right sleeve adaptors, the left and right sleeve adaptors being respectively fitted for nestingly receiving the left and right bale lift arms'"'"' distal ends.

2. The auxiliary assembly for alternative attachment to and detachment from a truck bed of claim 1 wherein the leveling arm attaching means are adapted for, upon the left and right bale lift arms'"'"' pivotal movements, simultaneously pivotally moving the first and second leveling arms.

3. The auxiliary assembly for alternative attachment to and detachment from a truck bed of claim 2 wherein the leveling arm attaching means are further adapted for, upon the first and second leveling arms'"'"' simultaneously pivoting movements, orienting the first and second leveling arms in substantially parallel alignments with the left and right lift arms'"'"' pivotal radiuses.

4. An auxiliary assembly for alternative attachment to and detachment from a truck bed of claim 1, wherein the left and right swivel pins are respectively fixedly attached to and are respectively cantilevered rightwardly and leftwardly from the left and right sleeve adaptors.