GB2060549A - Load carrying apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A wheeled chassis has two sections 10 and 11, section 10 having a towing eye 12 and section 11 having a bale-carrying arrangement. The two sections are relatively slidable along the length of the chassis, by means of a hydraulic ram acting therebetween. The bale-carrying arrangement includes a sub-frame 13 pivoted to section 11 and supporting road wheels 17, ram 18 also acting on the sub-frame. By selectively locking the sub-frame 13 to section 11 or section 10 to section 11, operation of ram 18 causes either elongation or contraction of the chassis, or pivotal movement of the sub-frame, lifting the road wheels clear of the ground when the sub-frame is pivoted to extend generally vertically (Figure 2). Straw bales may be carried on the sub-frame 18 and held in place by means of a pair of side gates 32 (Figure 2), movable laterally with respect to each other to clamp or release bales therebetween. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Load carrying apparatus This invention relates to load carrying apparatus, and in particular -- but not exclusively - to apparatus suitable for carrying bales of agricultural material such as straw or hay.

With increasing labour costs, the mechanisation of various agricultural processes is being carried out on an increasing scale. This is particularly true in the case of the handling of bales of hay and straw; there now exists machinery not only for collecting hay or straw from fields and automatically typing the collected material into bales, but also to collate the bales into groups, and then to carry and load assembled groups of bales to form a haystack. Known carrying and loading apparatus holds typically 56 bales and either is mounted on a tractor or forms a separate trailer which is coupled to a tractor. In either case, when unloading such apparatus, it must be manoeuvred to the right position for unloading the bales, which are then released from the apparatus and then the apparatus is moved away from the stack under construction.

In known bale carrying and loading apparatus, it is usual for the bales to be gripped between two "gates" during the carrying and positioning steps; then, when the bales are at the required point, the gates are separated slightly releasing the bales. It is a disadvantage of such apparatus that the tractor, or the tractor and trailer combination, must be aligned completely "square" with the stack being constructed, so that when the apparatus is moved away from the stack, the gates will come clear of both the bales just released and previously-deposited bales. Were the tractor to be driven at some other angle to the stack, the separated gates would bear against the bales, tending to pull the stack apart.However, it is very often at least inconvenient, if at all possible, to align a tractor, or a tractor and trailer combination, at right angles to the length of a stack under construction in the restricted space of, say, a farmyard.

Another disadvantage of the known apparatus is that the gates must be moved apart by a considerable amount, to release held bales and this is usually performed by spreading the gates by a pivotting movement. Thus, the bales cannot be released to touch bales previously deposited -- a disadvantage which does not occur when a stack is constructed by hand.

It is an aim of this invention to provide carrying and loading apparatus which when arranged for the handling of bales overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of the known bale carrying and loading apparatus, as has been mentioned above.

According to this invention, there is provided load carrying apparatus comprising a wheeled chassis having at or adjacent one end thereof a coupling for connection of the chassis to a vehicle, and means for carrying a load spaced from the coupling, the chassis being in two relatively movable sections one of which includes the coupling and the other of which includes The load carrying means, the two sections being interconnected for relative sliding movement along the length of the chassis and there being drive means to effect such sliding movement, whereby the drive means may be operated to contact the overall length of the chassis thereby to move the load carrying means away from a deposited load without necessitating the movement of a vehicle to which the apparatus is coupled.

The load carrying means may be arranged for the carrying of various loads, but the apparatus particularly lends itself to the carrying and loading of bales of hay or straw. Consequently, the apparatus will specifically be described hereinafter with reference to the handling of bales, but the invention is not to be regarded as limited thereto.

It will be appreciated that the load carrying apparatus, when arranged for the carrying of bales, greatly facilitates the construction of a haystack, especially in a restricted area. The chassis would be manoeuvred by means of a vehicle -- such as a tractor to which the chassis is coupled - so that the load is over the spot at which the load is to be deposited and so that the chassis is at right angles to the general line of the front edge of the stack. Then, once the load has been deposited, the drive means can be operated so as to contract the chassis so as to move the load carrying means away from the stack.

Provided that the chassis was properly aligned at right-angles to the stack prior to depositing of the load, the load carrying means will move in a direction perpendicular to the front edge of the stack and thus there will be no tendency to breakup the partly-constructed stack. Then, once the chassis has been fully contracted so as to free the load carrying means from the deposited bales, the tractor or other vehicle may be driven away with the chassis and of course this may take place in any required direction.

The means for carrying a load preferably is in the form of a pair of relatively movable gates, between which bales may be positioned and held by virtue of the gates being moved towards one another; to release the bales, the gates should be moved apart. Preferably, the gates are mounted on a generally planar sub-frame which is itself pivotally connected to the other chassis section remote from the coupling, for pivotal movement between a first position in which the sub-frame lies generally along the length of the chassis, and a second position in which the sub-frame upstands generally vertically. The gates are preferably arranged to upstand from the general plane of the sub-frame when the sub-frame is in its first position, so that the gates in effect form a pair of side walls which extend parallel to the length of the chassis.If required, the sub-frame may be provided with an end wall serving to prevent bales moving lengthwise of the gates in the direction towards the coupling when the subframe is in its first position. It will thus be appreciated that when the sub-frame is in its first position, bales may conveniently be carried thereby as on a conventional trailer, the sub-frame serving as a base on which the bales are loaded, and the gates serving as side walls to hold the bales. When it is desired to unload the bales, then the sub-frame may be moved to its second position so that the sub-frame upstands generally vertically and then the gates may be moved apart to release the bales.

Each chassis section is preferably in the form of an elongate member of box section, one of which is slidable within the other. Then, one of the members at its end remote from the other member may carry an eye or other means serving as a coupling for a tractor or other vehicle, and the other member may support the load carrying means. The drive means preferably comprises a hydraulic ram, appropriately coupled to the two chassis sections, to effect relative sliding movement therebetween.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, with a load carrying means including a subframe pivotted to the other chassis section and drive means in the form of a hydraulic ram, the hydraulic ram also serves to effect pivotal movement of the sub-frame. For this purpose, the ram preferably is pivotally connected to both the sub-frame and a layer which lever is rotatably mounted on the other chassis part and is connected by a link pivotted to the one chassis section. Then, by providing locking means for restraining selectively the sub-frame against pivotal movement with respect to the other chassis section or pivotal movement of said lever, the hydraulic ram can effect either pivotal movement of the sub-frame or relative sliding movement of the two chassis sections, dependent upon the operation of the locking means.

For such a preferred embodiment, it is advantageous for the chassis wheels to comprise a pair of road wheels mounted on the sub-frame, rather than directly on the one or the other chassis sections. The wheels should then appropriately be disposed so that when the sub-frame is in its first position (in which the sub-frame extends generally along the length of the chassis), the wheels bear on the ground with the chassis lifted sufficiently to allow easy mobility, but when the sub-frame is in its second position (in which the sub-frame extends generally vertically, the chassis is lowered as the wheels are lifted by movement of the subframe, until the sub-frame is just above the ground.

As has been mentioned above, it is preferred for the load carrying means to include a sub frame mounting a pair of gates which can be moved towards and away from one another, respectively to grip and release a carried bales. Preferably, each gate is mounted on a pair of cranks, which cranks are rotatably attached to a support arm, whereby rotation of the cranks about their attachment moves the gates towards and away from one another, but maintain the gates parallel.

There may be an additional clamping device for the bales which will be at the bottom of the stack being loaded, to apply additional clamping force to those bales over and above the force provided by the gates, firmly to hold the carried bales in the load-carrying means. Preferably, the additional clamping device includes a pair of elongate clamping members adapted for movement towards and away from one another, each clamping member being pivotted at or adjacent its mid-point to an operating lever which may cause movement of the member towards and away from the other member. By pivotting the clamping members in this way, the two members may take up non-parallel attitudes firmly to clamp bales therebetween.

In order to facilitate the loading of bales into the load carrying means, it is preferred for the load carrying means to be arranged so that the gates and clamping members (if provided) may be moved from their non-clamping position to a yetfurther position in which the gates and clamping members are splayed apart from their connection to the sub-frame. In this way, collated bales to be loaded for carrying may be fitted into the space between the gates, even if the bales are not accurately aligned.

This invention extends to loading apparatus per se, as described above, for gripping and releasing a collection of bales or similar articles, whether or not incorporated in a chassis which is extendible and contractible in the manner defined and described above.

By way of example only, one specific embodiment bale carrying apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention will now be described, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the apparatus of this invention with the chassis extended and the bale carrying sub-frame in its normal first position, but with certain parts including the gates removed for clarity; Figure 2 is a view of the apparatus of this invention with the bale carrying sub-frame in its discharging, second position; Figure 3 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 2, but with the wheels removed for clarity.

Figure 4 is an end view of the apparatus shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail of the two chassis sections, partway through an operating cycle for contraction of the chassis; Figure 6 is a view similar to that of Figure 3, but with the chassis fully contracted; and Figures 7a to 7c are detail views, showing the operation of the clamping gate and clamping member on one side of the bale carrying means.

Referring to the drawings, the bale carrying apparatus there shown is intended for carrying collated bales of straw or hay to the site at which a stack is to be built, and for unloading the bales closely adjacent bales previously deposited. The apparatus comprises two chassis sections 10 and 11 each in the form of a box member, section 10 slidably fitting within section 11. Section 10 has a towing eye 1 2 at the free end thereof, and pivoted to the opposed end of section 11 is a sub-frame 13 forming a part of the bale carrying means.

The sub-frame 13 has an apertured lug 14 which may come into registration with a corresponding apertured lug 1 5 mounted on the chassis section 11 when the sub-frame is pivotted from its first position (shown in Figure 1) to its second position (shown in Figure 2). When in registration, a pin (not shown) may be passed through the apertures, to lock the sub-frame 1 3 against further pivotal movement.As can be seen from Figures 1 to 3, the sub-frame 1 3 is provided with a pair of struts 1 6 on which are mounted road wheels 17, the disposition of the struts 1 6 being such that when the sub-frame is in its first position (Figure 11) the wheels 1 7 bear on the ground with the chassis sections 10 and 11 lifted well clear of the ground, but when the sub-frame is in its second position (Figure 2) the wheels 1 7 are raised relative to the chassis until the bottom of the sub-frame 1 3 is just clear of the ground, by typically 3" (about 75 mm).

The pivotal movement of the subframe 13 is effected by means of a double-acting hydraulic ram 1 8 the piston rod of which is pivotally connected to a bracket 1 9 provided on the subframe 13 and the cylinder of which is pivotally affixed to one end of a lever 20 which in turn is pivotally attached to the chassis section 11. The other end of the lever 20 is connected by means of a link 21 to the chassis section 10, adjacent the coupling eye 12. The lever 20, adjacent its pivotal connection to the cylinder of the ram 21, is provided with an apertured lug 22 which registers with a similar lug 23 provided on the chassis section 11 when the lever is in the position shown in Figure 1.A pin (not shown) can be inserted through the registering apertures in the lugs 22 and 23, so as to prevent lever 20 rotating about its pivotal connection to the chassis section 11.

Either lugs 22 and 23 or lugs 14 and 1 5 should be locked together, by means of a pin, so that operation of the ram 1 8 either rotates the lever 20 or pivots the sub-frame 13, respectively.

Rotation in one sense of the lever 20 about its pivotal attachment to the chassis section 11 causes contraction of the chassis, as shown successively in Figures 5 and 6, and rotation in the other sense causes the chassis to extend. Starting from the position of the lever 20 shown in Figures 1 and 2, rotation aiways will be in the clockwise sense because the line of action of the ram 1 8 is arranged to be below the rotational axis of the lever 20, as can be seen from Figure 1. Rotation of the lever 23, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, pulls link 21 thereby drawing the chassis section 10 towards the sub-frame 13, thus contracting the overall length of the chassis as section 10 slides further within section 11.If the eye 1 2 is coupled to a tractor and the ram 1 8 operated as just described, the sub-frame 1 3 will be drawn closer to the tractor, linearly along the length of the two coupled chassis sections 10 and 11.

The bale carrying part of the apparatus will now be described in greater detail, referring to Figures 2 to 4 and 7a to 7c. The apparatus will be described in the disposition shown in these Figures and the "forward" direction is considered to be that parallel to the length of the chassis sections 10 and 11, in the sense of from the eye 12 to the sub-frame 13.

The sub-frame 13 is in the form of a generally rectangular rigid frame fabricated by welding from constituent members including cross members one of which carries the pivotal connection to the chassis section 11. Attached one to each side respectively of the bottom frame member 24 (Figure 4) is a pair of support members 25, projecting forwardly generally parallel to the chassis sections 10 and 11 and arranged for pivotal movement about a generally vertical axis (in the disposition of Figure 2). Each support member 25 overhangs rearwardly of its pivotal attachment to frame member 24, and a triangular plate 26 is pivotted at an apex thereof to the overhanging portion.One end of a double-acting hydraulic ram 27 pivotally connected to a second apex of the plate 26, the other end of the ram 27 being correspondingly pivotted to an apex of the other plate 26 associated with the other support member 25. The third apex of the triangular plate 26 carries a link 28, coupled to the mid-point of a crank arm 29 affixed to a rod 30 extending vertically, co-axial with pivotal axis of the support members 25. A second, similar crank 31, is mounted on the support member 30, adjacent the free end thereof remote from frame member 24, a side gate 32 being mounted on the ends of the crank arms 29 and 31.The gate 32 is in the form of an open framework of bars 33, the rear vertical edge of the gate 32 being connected by a plurality of further cranks 34 to the rod 30, each further crank 34 being similar to crank arm 29 and being firmly affixed to the rod 30. In this way, rotation of crank arm 29 by link 28 rotates rod 30, and thus the gate 32 is moved in a parallel manner, as shown in Figures 7a and 7b, the link 28 is driven by the plate 26, which in turn is moved by ram 27 acting simultaneously on both of the plates 26.

Thus, both gates 32 are operated together, towards and away from each other.

The support members 25 are of channel section, disposed with the open channels facing each other. Within each support member 25 is an arm 35 affixed to the shaft supporting crank 31 and aligned therewith so that the crank 31 and arm 35 move in unison. The arm 35 supports a clamping member 36 at the mid-point thereof, the arm 35 and member 36 being of such vertical dimensions that these components may be moved to lie between the flanges 37 of the channel support member 25. This allows the clamping member 36 to take up any required angle within a limited range of angles when the arm 35 is in the position shown in Figure 7a; in this way, bales between the opposed clamping members 36 may firmly be gripped thereby, even should those bales be irregularly formed.

Means (such as friction washers -- not shown) are provided at the pivotal connection of the support members 25 to the bottom sub-frame member 24, whereby contraction of the ram 27, when starting from the position shown in Figure 7a, will tend to move the gates 32 to the position shown in Figure 7b, rather than pivot the support members 25. However, once the position shown in Figure 7b has been reached, then further contraction of the ram 27 will pivot the support members 25, as shown in Figure 7c. This splays apart both the gates 30 and clamping members 36, about the pivotal connections of the support members 25 to frame member 24, so as to allow easy loading of bales between the gates 32.Then, once bales have been so located, the ram 27 may be expanded, which action initially rotates the cranks 29 and 31 to move the gates 32 and clamping members 36 to the position shown in Figure 7a relative to the support members 25, but the support members 25 resist rotation and remain initially in the position shown in Figure 7c.

Then, on further expansion of the ram 27, the support members 25 will be moved to the position shown in Figure 7a, from their position shown in Figure 7c, thereby causing all the bales to be clamped between the gates, and the bottom row of bales firmly to be clamped between the clamping members 36.

In addition to the mechanism described above, the two central upright members 38 of the subframe 13 carry a top wall 39, in the form of an open frame of L-shape. An operating mechanism serves to hinge the top wail 39 in synchronism with movement of the gates 32, the top wall 39 being moved to the position shown in Figure 2 as the gates are moved closer together. This operating mechanism includes a link 40 connecting lever 41 projecting rearwardly from the top wall 39 to a bell-crank 42, and a second link connecting the bell-crank 42 to one of the cranks 34 affixed to the rod 30. Rotation of the rod 30 thus effects movement of the top wall 39.

The apparatus described above is used in the following manner. The eye 12 is connected for instance to a tractor or similar vehicle and the apparatus set as shown in Figure 2 with the lever 20 pinned against rotation. The ram 27 is operated to splay apart support members 25, gates 30 and clamping members 36, as shown in Figure 7c, the top wall also being moved away from gates 32. The tractor is reversed to present the wheels 17 adjacent a stack of bales previously collated on the ground, and then the ram 18 is contracted to move the sub-frame 1 3 to the position shown in Figure 2, thus obtaining the stack of bales wholly within the confines of the gates 32.Next, the ram 27 is expanded to clamp the stack of bales between the gates 32 and top wall 39, the lowermost bales being firmly clamped between the clamping members 36, and then the ram 1 8 is expanded again, to return the sub-frame 13 back to the disposition shown in Figure 1. The tractor can then be driven to any required site.

At the required depositing location, the tractor is reversed again so that the sub-frame 13, when in the disposition shown in Figure 2, will overlie the exact site at which the carried bales are to be deposited. During this, care must be taken to ensure that the chassis sections 10 and 11 lie at right-angles to the line of bales previously deposited. Then, the ram 18 is actuated to return the sub-frame 13 to the position shown in Figure 2, whereafter the ram 27 is contracted to move the gates 32 and clamping members 36 to the position shown in Figure 7b. Next, the sub-frame is locked in the position shown in Figure 2 by inserting a pin through the aligned apertures of lugs 14 and 1 5, but the lever 20 is released by pulling the associated pin from the aligned lugs 22 and 23. On further actuation of the ram 18, the lever 20 is rotated as shown in Figures 5 and 6, thereby reducing the distance between the subframe 13 and the eye 12. In effect, and provided the tractor remains stationary, this withdraws the sub-frame 13 including the gates 32 and clamping members 36, from the deposited stack of bales, without causing any damage either to those bales or to bales previously deposited. Once clear, the tractor may be moved away, and ram 18 operated again to restore the original length of the chassis.

Then, by appropriate changing of the locking pins, the sub-frame 13 may be pivoted round to the position shown in Figure 1, to allow the apparatus to be used once more for carrying and depositing a further collection of bales.

Claims (14)

1. Load carrying apparatus comprising a wheeled chassis having at or adjacent one end thereof a coupling for connection of the chassis to a vehicle, and means for carrying a load spaced from the coupling, the chassis being in two relatively movable sections one of which includes the coupling and the other of which includes the load carrying means, the two sections being interconnected for relative sliding movement along the length of the chassis and there being drive means to effect such sliding movement, whereby when a carried load has been deposited the drive means may be operated to contract the overall length of the chassis thereby to move the load carrying means away from the deposited load without necessitating the movement of a vehicle to which the apparatus is coupled.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for carrying a load is in the form of a pair of relatively movable gates, between which articles to be carried may be positioned and gripped by the gates on the latter being moved towards one another.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gates are mounted on a generally planar subframe which is itself pivotally connected to said other chassis section remote from the coupling, for pivotal movement between first position in which the sub-frame lies generally along the length of the chassis, and a second position in which the sub-frame upstands generally vertically.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the gates are arranged to upstand from the general plane of the sub-frame when the sub-frame is in its first position, the gates then forming a pair of side walls which extend generally parallel to the length of the chassis.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the sub-frame is provided with an end wall serving to prevent carried articles moving lengthwise of the chassis in the direction towards the coupling when the sub-frame is in its first position.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein each chassis section is in the form of an elongate member of box section, one of which members is slidable within the other.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the drive means comprises a hydraulic ram, appropriately coupled to the two chassis sections so as to be able to effect relative sliding movement therebetween.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5 and in which the drive means is in the form of a hydraulic ram, wherein the hydraulic ram of the drive means is arranged to effect pivotal movement of the sub-frame.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the hydraulic ram is pivotally connected to both the sub-frame and a lever which lever is rotatably mounted on said other chassis section and is connected by a link pivotted to said one chassis section, there being locking means selectively for restraining the sub-frame against pivotal movement with respect to the other chassis section or for restraining pivotal movement of said lever.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or any claim appendent thereto, wherein there are provided road wheels for the chassis which wheels are mounted on the sub-frame such that when the sub-frame is in its said first position the wheels bear on the ground with the chassis lifted sufficiently to allow easy mobility, but when the sub-frame is in its said second position the chassis is lowered as the wheels are lifted by movement of the sub-frame.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or any claim appendent thereto, wherein each gate is mounted on a pair of cranks which cranks are rotatably attached to an associated support arm, whereby pivotal movement of the cranks about their attachment moves the gates towards and away from one another whilst maintaining the gates substantially parallel.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein an additional clamping device is provided for gripping carried articles which will be at the bottom of a stack thereof being loaded, to apply additional clamping force to those articles over and above the force provided by the gates.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the additional clamping device includes a pair of elongate clamping members adapted for movement towards and away from one another, each clamping member being pivotted at or adjacent its mid-point to an operating lever which may cause movement of the clamping member towards and away from the other clamping member.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or any claim appendent thereto, wherein the load carrying means is arranged so that the gates are movable from their nonclamping position to a yetfurther position in which the gates are splayed apart.

1 5. Load carrying apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.