GB2092089A - Handling bales of materials - Google Patents

Abstract

In an agricultural vehicle, an apparatus for automatically loading bales (5) of material forms successive rows of aligned bales (6, 7, 8) and lifts each row as a unit to form a stack of such rows to a height of N<2> bales. The stack is then shifted the width of a bale away from the location of the stacking operation and the bale- aligning and row-stacking process is repeated until another stack is formed adjacent the first. The process may be continued until the vehicle is full. The apparatus can perform an unloading operation in which the top row of a stack is removed and discharged from the vehicle followed by the sequential removal from the top of all rows ill the stack. The remaining stacks in the vehicle are transported the width of a bale toward the removing station and the operation is continued until all the bales are discharged. The operation is preferably controlled by a digital processor. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method and apparatus for handling bales of material The present invention relates generally to agricultural machinery. More particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus for the automatic loading and/or unloading of a self-propelled or mechanically towable vehicle. The invention is applicable to the automatic loading and unloading of bales of straw or fodder, for example, and of any other objects having suitably defined geometry.

Due to shortages of agricultural workers, efforts have been made to automate the manual harvesting chores. To this end, several techniques for loading bales of material have been proposed.

Some of these techniques pierce a bale in the field, lift it and drop it into a trailer, where it is either stowed in bulk or stacked manually. Bulk stacking is an inefficient user of trailer volume whereas the manual stacking only partly reduces the manual labor involved.

A trailer has heretofore been proposed in which the bales are lined up crosswise in a row on a platform of planks laid on the bed of the trailer.

The row is pushed the width of a bale to make room for a new row, which itself is in turn pushed by following rows until the plank platform is filled with a single-height layer of bales, whereupon the platform is raised to make room for a new platform on which the process is repeated. The drawback of such apparatus lies in the relatively small loading capacity due to the space occupied by the successive platforms.

There is further known an apparatus in which the bales are stowed by means of a screw conveyor whose successive turns occupy the entire height of the trailer. In this case, too, considerable space is consumed by the mechanisms which drive the conveyor at different points along the conveying path.

Objects and Summary of the Invention It is an object of the invention to provide an automatic bale loading/unloading apparatus which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a method, a vehicle and a loading/unloading apparatus therefor in which bales are stacked one on top of another over the entire volume of the trailer, as compactly as when the stacking is done by manual labor.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of handling bales of material on a vehicle comprising the steps of collecting the bales one at a time, aligning the bales in a row on the vehicle, the row containing a first predetermined number of bales, forming a first stack of the bales at a stacking place on the vehicle to a height of a second predetermined number of the rows, shifting the first stack as a unit on the vehicle to a distance equal to a width of the first stack to clear the stacking place for forming a second stack, forming a second stack in the stacking place adjacent the first stack, and shifting the first and second stacks as a unit a distance equal to a width of the second stack to clear the stacking place for forming a third stack adjacent the second stack.

According to a feature of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for handling bales of material on a vehicle comprising means for gathering the bales, means for aligning the bales into a row on the vehicle, the row containing a first predetermined number of bales, a stacking place of the vehicle, manipulating means for lifting the row as a unit and for depositing the row on a first stack of rows in the stacking place to a height of a second predetermined number of rows, means for shifting the first stack a third predetermined distance on the vehicle equal to a width of the first stack whereby the stacking place is cleared, the means for aligning and means for lifting being further operative to form a second stack in the stacking place adjacent the first stack to a height of the second predetermined number of rows, and the means for shifting being operative to shift the first and second stack as a unit to provide space in the stacking place for forming a third stack.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will become more fully apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of an illustrative embodiment, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.

Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective schematic view of a bale loading sequence to which reference will be made in explaining the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a self-loading and/or unloading trailer according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a bale gathering or collecting means for use in the apparatus of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the bale gathering or collecting means of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a partial side elevation perpendicular to that of Fig. 3 which shows the subtending mechanism of the bale gathering or collecting means; Fig. 6 is a partly broken-away isometric view of an assembling trough for use in the apparatus of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a partial, exploded perspective view of a manipulator used in the apparatus of Fig. 2;; Figs. 8a, b and c are schematic partial views of manipulator elements of Fig. 7 to which reference will be made in describing the operation thereof; Fig. 9 is a block diagram of the operating elements of the apparatus of Fig. 2 including the control and actuating means for these elements; Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating the loading cycles of the apparatus of Fig. 2; Fig. 11 is a diagram illustrating the unloading cycles of the apparatus of Fig. 2; and Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a self-loading/ unloading vehicle in accordance with the invention, including a manipulator having arms and swivel joints.

Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment Referring now to Fig. 1, which illustrates an example of a loading operation of the invention, the platform of a trailer is indicated by dash-dot line 1. A dash-dot line 2 on the plafform indicates an assembling area or trough, upon which a dashdot line 3 indicates the base of a stacked volume.

Dash-dot line 4 indicates the longitudinal axis of the trailer, whose front end is located to the left in the figure.

Bales 5, such as straw or fodder bales, are conventionally rectangular parallelepipeds having a height h, a width land a length L. The height h and the width I generally are invariable dimensions imposed by the baling machine on which bales 5 are formed. The bales are normally found disposed on the ground along substantially straight lines with relation to which they have a substantially constant orientation. The length L of the bales is such that N1 x L is equal to the width of platform 1.

As bales 5 are raised from the ground to platform 1, they undergo a 900 rotation about their major axis and are placed lined up end to end in trough 2. Bales 6, 7 and 8 lined up in trough 2 form a row of N1, for example, three bales.

Row N' is then picked up and moved, in the direction of the arrows 9 and 9', to a stacking site where it is stacked on top of rows of previously stacked bales 10 and 11.

Trough 2 is once more avaiiable for receiving the next three bales in the same manner. The next three bales in turn are moved in the direction indicated by arrow 12 and stacked on top of rows of bales 6, 7 and 8.

These operations are repeated until N2 rows, which in the case of Fig. 1 is equal to a height of six bales, are stacked one on top of another.

Unloading of the trailer is carried out in the reverse order. That is, the stacks are shifted as a unit, successively to a site where the bales are unstacked row by row, the bales being manipulated in whc!e rows, i.e., lifted from the top of the stack to assembling trough 2, from where they are unloaded by a movement which is identical to but the reverse of their loading movement.

The self-loading/unloading vehicle, which may conveniently be a trailer such as shown in Fig. 2, includes a platform 20 mounted on wheels, a cage-type collector 21 at the front of platform 20, an assembling trough 22, a manipulator 23 whose function is to grip, move and stack the rows, and shifting means 24 for shifting the stacked bales as a unit by the width /of a row from assembling trough 22 toward the rear of platform 20 to thus clear the stacking place for the piling of a new stack.

Manipulator 23 includes a pair of oblique guide rails 231. A pair of second carriages 232 are moveably disposed on oblique guide rails 231.

Second carriages 232 carry a pair of horizontal rails 233 with which they form an integral unit adapted to move along rails 231. Horizontal rails 233 guide a first carriage 234, which carries gripping means 235.

Shifting means 24 includes a pair of chains 25, each forming an endless loop driven by a pair of sprocket wheels 26 and 27. Chains 25 are disposed along the sides of the trailer and together carry a plurality of bars 28, which are preferably spaced apart by the width of a bale.

Apparent in the broken-away rear portion of the drawing is a rear support surface 29 in the form of a stair the height of whose steps is substantially equal to the height of the bales. Rear support surface 29 is supported by a movable carriage 30 which is secured to chains 25 and moves with them. Although rear support surface 29 is shown at the rear of trailer 20, in order to start the stacking process it is moved forward by chains 25 until its lowest riser is spaced the width of one bale rearward of assembling trough 22.

Cage-type collector 21 shown in Figs. 3-5, includes a conventional hoist having a cage 211 and a spiked chain 212. A transfer platform 213 receives the bales raised by spiked chain 212, turns them using a horizontal roller 21 5 and a horizontal spiked chain 216 and feeds them to a belt 225 which is part of assembling trough 22 (Fig. 2).

Cage 211 is hinged to transfer platform 213.

Transfer platform 213 is retractably supported on a pair of rails 217 which are integral with the frame of trailer. Two legs 21 8 (Fig. 5) on each side of transfer platform 21 3 form the edges of a deformable parellelepiped pivoted at their upper ends to the underside of transfer platform 21 3.

Rollers at the lower ends of legs 218 are guided in rails 217. Transfer platform 213 is linked to platform 20 of the trailer by a connecting cable 219. Means such as hydraulic jacks 101 are provided to exert sideways thrust on the base of the deformable parallelepiped, as a result of which, by reason of cable 219, moves transfer platform 213 outward and raises it to operating leveL Transfer platform 213 is linked to the front end of cage 211 through a cable 102 passing over a pulley 103 that is pivoted to platform 20. When transfer platform 213 is raised into its operating position, the front end of cage 211 is lowered into its operating position.

In the operating position, transfer platform 213 is in the extended raised position alongside the trailer and cage 211 of the cage-type collector 21 is inclined downward at the front.

In the traveling position, hydraulic jacks 101 are retracted to lower transfer platform 213 into its stowed or traveling position under the trailer.

Cage 211 of cage-collector 21 is raised by cable 102 to its substantially level travelling position and is pulled under platform 20 by its connection to transfer platform 213.

Assembling trough 22 shown in Fig. 6, includes a generally U-shaped trough having a front sidewall 221 and a rear sidewall 222. The bottom of the U-shaped trough includes first and second belts 225 and 226. The height of front sidewall 221 above belts 225 and 226 is slightly less than one-half the height of the bales. The height of rear sidewall 222 above belts 225 and 226 is slightly greater than one-half the height of the bales. An upper end 223 of rear sidewall 222 is inclined outward about 450. A retractable stop pin 224 disposed at the end of the trough opposite the end adjacent to transfer platform 213 (not shown in Fig. 6) forms a barrier for bales being moved toward it in the trough.Belt 225 adjacent transfer platform 213 (not shown in Fig. 6) has a rough surface for good traction on the bottom of bales received from transfer platform 213. Belt 226 which forms an extension of belt 225 has a smooth surface. The smooth surface permits slippage between belt 225 and a bale upon it which becomes stopped by retractable stop pin 224. Belts 225 and 226 are driven at the same speed preferably by a common shaft 227.

Referring now to Fig. 7, gripping means 235 includes a first carriage 234 having a fork 1 50 formed of a U-shaped beam with horizontally disposed prongs 151, 152, 153,... equal in number to three times the number of bales making up a row. When a row includes three bales, fork 150 has nine prongs. End prongs such as 151 have a T-shaped cross section. Other prongs such as 1 52, 1 53, etc., have a circular cross section.

Three adjacent prongs 151, 152 and 153 pierce the same bale. The middle prong 1 52 is disposed slightly above the two adjacent prongs for stably holding a pierced bale. The other two groups of three prongs for piercing the other two bales in a row have the same arrangement.

Fork 1 50 is suspended on ball-bearing guide rods 1 55 and 156 and is actuated in the up and down direction buy a hydraulic jack 157. The cylinder of jack 157 and the guides of ball-bearing guide rods 155 and 1 56 are affixed to, or integrally formed with, a crossbar 1 58 having the shape of an inverted U. Crossbar 1 58 has end plates 1 59 on either end, each of which is provided with rollers 160. Jack 1 57 and ballbearing guide rods 1 55 and 1 56 form a first vertical maneuvering means which is effective to provide short vertical movements of a row of bales impaled on fork 1 50.

Rollers 1 60 ride in horizontal guide rails 233 which are part of second carriage 232 (Fig. 2). A pair of chains 1 70 and 170' are linked to first carriage 234 to maneuver it in the horizontal direction. Rails 233 advantageously include a crossbar (not shown) at each end to retain first carriage 234 therein.

First carriage 234 advantageously includes a rake 1 80 having a plurality of vertical prongs 1 82, which mesh with prings 151, 152, 153, etc., of fork 1 50. Rake 180 is integral with and suspended from two flanges 181 and 181' which include rollers 1 83 on the inner sides thereof. A horizontal plate 1 84 projects to the right from the top edge of rake 1 80. Rollers 1 83 run in rails 1 85 disposed bellow rails 233.Rake 180, flanges 181 and 181' and horizontal plate 184 may be held stationary at the proper time while fork 1 50 is withdrawn from a row of bales to force the bales off fork 1 50 when the bales are in position to be deposited qn the stack, then follows fork 1 50 and first carriage 234 for the remainder of their travel.

To perform this action, rake 1 80 is hitched to first carriage 234 through a last-motion connection including a pair of U-shaped parts 1 86 whose bent-back ends 1 87 abut against the rear (left hand end in Fig. 7) of upright parts 188 of crossbar 1 58.

Figs. 8a-8c provide a better understanding of the operation of the locking arrangement for rake 180. In Fig. 8a, rake 180, attached to flanges 181 and 181', is locked in position at the end of rail 233 by a pair of stops 189 cooperating with a pair of checks 190 which are integral with rails 185.

Checks 1 90 are vertically movable by a slide block 191 which, in turn, may be moved vertically by a pushrod 1 92 on first carriage 234. First carriage 234 moves in the direction of the arrow on rails 233 without interference from rake 1 80 since upright part 188 is not yet in contact with bentback front end 187. During this motion, rake 180 holds a row of bales in position while fork 1 50 is withdrawn from them.

After additional movement, push rod 182 on carriage 234 raises slide block 191 (Fig. 8b) thus disengaging check 1 90 from stop 1 89. Upright part 1 88 then moves into abutment with bentback end 1 87, and thereafter first carriage 234 pulls flanges 181 and 181' with rake 180 (Fig. 8c) along with it. Although not shown, it would be clear that rake 1 80 is pushed back into the retracted position when fork 1 50 impales a row of bales and it becomes latched into the condition of Fig. 8a when second carriage 234 moves to the extreme right end of its travel to deposit a row of bales on a stack.

Fig. 9 shows cage-type collector 21, assembling trough 22, manipulator 23, and shifting means 24 regrouped to emphasize their relationships to their control means.

The control means includes a hydraulic pump 100 driven by a shaft 104, which takes its power from the power takeoff of a tractor (not shown).

Hydraulic pump 100 with its supply tank 102 forms a conventional hydraulic circuit which may be called upon to deliver hydraulic power at constant pressure, for example, through distributors 106 to the various elements mentioned.

Distributors 106 are preferably of the electrically controlled type, which are controlled through a relay box 121 by a control unit 1 20. Control unit 120 preferably contains a microprocessor. The microprocessor receives information from contactors on the state of the elements over data lines 124, processes it in accordance with a predetermined program, and transmits commands to the relays of relay box 1 21 which, drawing energy from a storage battery 111, transmits electrical commands to distributors 106.

In cage-type collector 21, spiked chain 212, spiked chain 21 6 and roller 21 5 of transfer platform 213 are continuously driven by a fluid motor 421 which is connected to its distributor 106 through flexible lines 110. Flexible line 110 is needed to accommodate the retractability of cagetype collector 21.

In assembling trough 22, conveyor belts 225 and 226 are driven continuously through shaft 227 by a fluid motor 122 which is connected to its distributor 106 through rigid conduits 109.

Assembling trough 22 includes a means for counting the bales therein consisting of a presence detector such as an electromechanical contactor 130, which is actuated as the bales pass from transfer platform 213 onto first belt 225.

Manipulator 23 includes first and second carriages 234 and 232, a fluid motor 423 and a pneumatic jack 1 57. Fork 1 50 is directly controlled in the vertical direction by jack 1 57.

Fork 1 50 in turn is controlled in the horizontal direction by first carriage 234 moving on horizontal rails 233. First carriage 234 is driven by fluid motor 423 through chains 170 and 170'.

Fluid motor 423 and pneumatic jack 1 57 are connected to their distributors through flexible lines 107 and 106, respectively.

Electromechanlcal contactors 126 and 128 provide means for stopping first carriage 234 at the end of rails 233 and 233' and an electromechanical contractor 127 provides means for stopping it at an intermediate position.

Second carriage 232 which, with oblique guide rails 231, permits manipulator 23 to move obliquely and is controlled by a chain 230 and its fluid motor 423. Fluid motor 423 is connected by rigid conduits 108 to its distributor 106. Means for stopping second carriage 232 at N2 equidistant positions along guide rails 231 preferably include an electromechanical contractor 129 which counts the sprockets of a sprocket wheel 322 driving chain 230, or alternatively, a magnetic device for counting said sprockets. Such means might also include electromechanical contactors disposed along rail 231. Signals from such contactors or other sensors are employed in control unit 120 to produce control signals for starting and stopping fluid motor 423.

Shifting means 24 includes chains 25 driven intermittently by a fluid motor 424 which is connected to its distributor 106 through rigid conduits 105. An electromechanical contactor 1 25 provides a signal to control unit 120 for stopping the chains upon the passage of a bar 28.

Fig. 10 illustrates the loading cycles of the apparatus. A first primary loading cycle is indicated by a solid line 501, which traces, for example, the travel of prong 151 from a starting position 500. Primary loading cycle 501 is followed by a succession of primary loading cycles 502, 503,... represented by dashed lines of steadily increasing vertical amplitude to a final cycle 506. On completion of cycle 506, shifting means 24 is actuated so as to shift the bales stacked on the platform backward as a unit a distance equal to the width of a row of bales and prong 151 begins a new primary loading cycle 501. The succession of primary cycles 501-506 is termed a secondary cycle.

Each primary loading cycle comprises the following parts: a) A first horizontal movement 510 of fork 150 from starting position 500, which penetrates into assembling trough 22 just above front sidewall 221, thus piercing the bales located in assembling trough 22. This first movement is brought about by rearward actuation of first carriage 234 from a first end position to an intermediate position.

b) A vertical upward movement 511 in which the pierced bales are raised above the upper end 223 of rear sidewall 222 of assembling trough 22.

Movement 511 is due to the upward actuation of jack 1 57 so as to raise fork 1 50 from its lower position to its upper position.

c) An upward oblique movement 512 due to the upward actuation of second carriage 232 from its lower position to a position N2'.

d) A second horizontal movement 513 due to the rearward actuation of first carriage 234 from its intermediate position to its second end position. At this time, rake 1 80 becomes latched into the condition of Fig. 8a.

e) A vertical downward movement 514 during which the row of pierced bales are deposited on platform 20 or on a stack. Movement 514, which has an amplitude inverse to that of movement 511, is produced by downward actuation of jack 157 so as to move fork 150 from its upper position to its lower position.

f) A return movement 515 toward the front of the trailer. During the initial part of return movement 515, the pierced bales are held in place by rake 1 80 as fork 1 50 is withdrawn from them.

Return movement 515 is produced by rearward actuation of first carriage 234 from its rearward extreme to its forward extreme.

g) A return oblique movement 516 during which fork 1 50 returns to starting position 500 in preparation for the next primary cycle. Return oblique movement 516 is produced by downward actuation of second carriage 232 from position N21 to its lowest position.

The succession of primary cycles including the successive changes in the amplitude of the movements 512 and 516, are monitored by counter or contactor 129 (Fig. 9) and are preferably controlled accordingly by a program stored in a microprocessor in control unit 120.

Fig. 11 illustrates an unloading operation including a succession of primary cycles 51 6'-5 10' which together make up a secondary cycle. The passage from one secondary cycle to the next entails advance of shifting means 24 the width of one row toward the front of the trailer, whereas the passage from one primary cycle to the next occurs through successive diminutions of the amplitude of the oblique movements 516' and 510'. It should be noted that in the course of unloading, the bales are pulled from fork 1 50 during movement 510' while they rest against front sidewall 221 of assembling trough 22 (Fig. 6). Rake 180 is thus not used during unloading. Checks 1 90 (Figs. 8a-8c) are therefore raised and maintained in their upper position for unloading.Stop pin 224 is retracted to permit the bales to be ejected by belts 225 and 226.

Fig. 1 2 shows a second embodiment of a trailer including an automatic bale loading and/or unloading apparatus in accordance with the invention.

A collector 601, an assembling trough 602 having sides and a bottom which may include conveyor belts, a manipulator 604, and a shifting means 605 including chains and bars perform functions similar to those previously described. It will be noted that assembling trough 602 is parallel to the axis of the trailer. This eliminates the need for a transfer platform but instead requires a swivel 606 for rotating manipulator 604.

Manipulator 604 has pivoting arms 607, 608 and 609 which are articulated at swivel joints 610 and 611. Pivoting arms 607, 608 and 609 move fork 1 50 in any desired manner between assembling trough 602 and the stacking site.

It will be noted that, apart from its ability to rotate on swivel 606, manipulator 604 has substantially the same functions as the apparatus previously described, and that it may be similarly actuated and controlled by a microprocessor so as to perform the described loading and unloading cycles.

Having described specific preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (14)

1. A method of handling bales of material on a vehicle comprising the steps of: collecting said bales one at a time; aligning said bales in a row on said vehicle, said row containing a first predetermined number of bales; forming a first stack of said bales at a stacking place on said vehicle to a height of a second predetermined number of said rows; shifting said first stack as a unit on said vehicle to a distance equal to a width of said first stack to clear said stacking place for forming a second stack; forming a second stack in said stacking place adjacent said first stack; and shifting said first and second stacks as a unit a distance equal to a width of said second stack to clear said stacking place for forming a third stack adjacent said second stack.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: removing a top row of bales as a unit from a stack on said stacking place; discharging said row from said vehicle; continuing to remove and discharge a top row from said stack until said stacking place is cleared; moving all remaining stacks on said vehicle as a unit toward said stacking place until a next stack is located on said stacking place; removing and discharging top rows on said next stack until said stacking place is again cleared; and continuing the steps of claim 2 until a desired number of said bales are unloaded from said vehicle.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said aligning includes placing said bales end to end across said vehicle and said shifting includes shifting said stack in a direction perpendicular to said row.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of forming a first stack includes: penetrating each of said bales in said row with a plurality of prongs of a fork; raising said fork with said row of bales affixed thereto to a variable height substantially greater than a top of a top row on said stack on said stacking place; moving said row horizontally until it is suspended over said top row; lowering said row onto said top row; and disengaging said prongs from said row.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said step of disengaging includes holding said row in place on said stack while said fork is withdrawn.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein said lowering step is effective to place said row partly offset from at least one row below it.

7. Apparatus for handling bales of material on a vehicle comprising: means for gathering said bales; means for aligning said bales into a row on said vehicle, said row containing a first predetermined number of bales; a stacking place on said vehicle; manipulating means for lifting said row as a unit and for depositing said row on a first stack of rows in said stacking place to a height of a second predetermined number of rows; means for shifting said first stack a third predetermined distance on said vehicle equal to a width of said first stack whereby said stacking place is cleared; said means for aligning and means for lifting being further operative to form a second stack in said stacking place adjacent said first stack to a height of said second predetermined number of rows; and said means for shifting being operative to shift said first and second stacks as a unit to provide space in said stacking place for forming a third stack.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said means for forming a row includes means for counting said first predetermined number of bales.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said means for forming a row further includes a trough, said trough having first and second sides and a bottom, said bottom including means for conveying said bales, at least said first side having a height of less than about one-half a height of said bales, and said means for counting being a sensor for detecting passage of each bale into said trough.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said means for gathering includes: a hoist having a cage and a spiked chain; said hoist being aligned with an axis of travel of said vehicle; and a transfer platform for rotating said bales in a horizontal plane for introducing them to said trough.

11. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said manipulating means includes: a first carriage; a fork having a plurality of generally horizontal prongs; means for attaching said fork to said first carriage; a second carriage; means for guiding said second carriage at least partly in vertical direction; guide rails on said second carriage for movably supporting said first carriage; means for moving said first carriage on said guide rails and for stopping it at ends thereof and in an intermediate position; and means for moving said second carriage to a plurality of vertical locations spaced vertically apart by a height of said row.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said means for attaching said fork to said first carriage includes means for vertically manipulating said fork.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said manipulating means further includes actuating means operative to produce a plurality of primary manipulating cycles which together form a secondary manipulating cycle, each primary cycle beginning at a starting position and including the following sequence, actuation of said first carriage from a first end of said guide rail to said intermediate position wherein a row of bales is pierced by said fork, upward actuation of said fork by said means for vertically manipulating, actuation of said second carriage in the upward direction to a predetermined height, actuation of said second carriage from said intermediate position to a second end of said guide rails, downward actuation of said fork by said means for vertically manipulating, actuation of said first carriage from said second end to said first end of said guide rails, and downward actuation of said second carriage to said starting position; each of said primary manipulating cycles in a secondary manipulating cycle including a value of said predetermined height which is higher than said predetermined height in the preceding primary manipulating cycle by a height of said row.

14. Apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said means for guiding said second carriage includes oblique guide rails.

1 5. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said means for shifting includes: first and second endless loop chains respectively disposed parallel to and in proximity to first and second sides of said vehicle; a plurality of spaced parallel bars affixed between said first and second chains perpendicular to said first and second sides; said parallel bars being spaced apart a spacing equal to a width of a bale; and means for intermittently driving said chains a plurality of equal distances, each of said equal distances being equal to said spacing.

1 6. Apparatus for handling bales of material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 7. Method of handling bales of material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.