GB2150507A - Agricultural trailer - Google Patents

Abstract

Agricultural bale trailer having a pair of bale supporting tines 1,2 pivotably connected at one end to wheel bearing arms 5,6 disposed on either side of the pair of tines, a draw bar 4 for connection to a tractor, and hydraulic ram 12 for effecting pivoting movement of the tines relative to the arms. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Agricultural trailer This invention relates to a n an agricultural trailer and in particular to an agricultural bale trailer for transporting bales of material, such as straw. Typically such bales are cylindrical and have a diameter of 1 to 2 m.

One form oftrailerthat has been proposed comprises a pair of parallel load carrying members connected at one end to a tractor linkage and connected, at a position along their length, to land wheels via a hydraulic lift whereby the load carrying members can be raised or lowered in relation to the ground. With the load carrying members in the lowered position the trailer can be positioned so that the load carrying members are disposed beneath bales lying on their cylindrical surface; on raising the load carrying members the bales can be lifted for transportation.

It is often desirable to enclose bales in a sleeve or bag of, for example, a film of a plastics material.

However with the aforementioned form of trailer, because of the presence of the hydraulic lift connection between the load carrying members and the land wheels, it is not possible to pull such a sleeve or bag over the bales while the latter are on the load carrying members.

We have devised an alternative form of bale trailer whereby this difficulty may be overcome.

Accordingly the present invention provides an agricultural bale trailer comprising a pair of substantially parallel tines for supporting a load of one or more bales, said tines being pivotably connected at one end, about an axis extending laterally across the trailer, to a pair of arms disposed one on either side of said pair of tines, each of said arms carrying at least one land wheel at a position remote from said axis, a linkage for connecting said end of the pair of tines, or at least one of said arms, to a tractor, and means for effecting pivoting movement of said pair of tines relative to said arms, said tines being free of connections to said arms at positions remote from said one end.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2 is a plan view, and Figure 3 is an end elevation.

In the Figures, a load of bales is shown by broken lines.

In this embodiment the trailer has a pair of tines 1, 2 rigidly connected together at one end by a cross-member 3. Rigidly connected to crossmember 3 is a draw bar 4 for connection to a tractor (not shown). On either side of the pair of tines 1,2 there are provided arms 5,6 rigidly connected to a bar 7 journalled in brackets 8, 9 fastened to crossmember 3. Each arm carries a land wheel 10 at its end remote from bar 7. Rigidly fastened to bar 7 is an extension member 11. A hydraulic ram 12 is provided connecting the end of member 11 with the draw bar 4. Ram 12 is powered via fluid connections (not shown) to a pump (not shown) on the tractor.

Operation of ram 12 causes the arms 5, 6 to pivot with respect to tines 1, 2 thus raising or lowering the tines relative to the ground on which the land wheels 10 are resting. With the tines in the lowered position, trailer can be positioned with the tines 1,2 beneath the cylindrical sides of the bales: on operating the hydraulic ram 12, the tines 1, 2 are raised relative to the arms 5, 6 thus lifting the bales to the transport position.

Since there is no connection between the tines 1, 2 and the arms 5,6 remote from the cross-member 3, when in the transport position, a sleeve or bag can be pulled over the bales on the tines 1, 2 from the direction of the open end of the pair of tines towards the cross-member3 with the tines 1,2 inside the sleeve or bag. On lowering the tines, the bales, together with the sleeve or bag, can be deposited on the ground and the tines withdrawn by moving the trailer forwards.

It will be appreciated that, in a variation, the draw bar may be rigidly attached to one or both of the arms instead of to the tines.

1. An agricultural bale trailer comprising a pair of substantially parallel tines for supporting a load of one or more bales, said tines being pivotably connected at one end, about an axis extending laterally across the trailer, to a pair of arms disposed one on either side of said pair of tines, each of said arms carrying at least one land wheel at a position remote from said axis, a linkage for connecting said end of the pair of tines, or at least one of said arms, to a tractor, and means for effecting pivoting movement of said pair of tines relative to said arms, said tines being free of connections to said arms at positions remote from said one end.

2. A trailer according to claim 1 wherein said tines are rigidly connected together at said one end by a cross-member.

3. A trailer according to claim 2 wherein said linkage comprises a draw bar rigidly connected to said cross-member.

4. A trailer according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said arms are rigidly connected to each other by a member pivotably connected to said tines.

5. A trailer according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said means for effecting pivoting movement comprises a hydraulic ram operating between a member rigidly connected to said tines and a member connected to said arms.

6. A method of handling cylindrical agricultural bales comprising positioning a trailer according to any one of claims 1 to 5 so that said tines are beneath the cylindrical sides of said bales, effecting pivoting movement between said arms and said tines whereby said bales are lifted by said tines.

7. A method according to claim 6 comprising enclosing said bales while supported by said tines in a sleeve or bag applied from the open end of said tines with said tines inside said bag or sleeve and effecting pivoting movement between said tines and

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Agricultural trailer This invention relates to a n an agricultural trailer and in particular to an agricultural bale trailer for transporting bales of material, such as straw. Typically such bales are cylindrical and have a diameter of 1 to 2 m. One form oftrailerthat has been proposed comprises a pair of parallel load carrying members connected at one end to a tractor linkage and connected, at a position along their length, to land wheels via a hydraulic lift whereby the load carrying members can be raised or lowered in relation to the ground. With the load carrying members in the lowered position the trailer can be positioned so that the load carrying members are disposed beneath bales lying on their cylindrical surface; on raising the load carrying members the bales can be lifted for transportation. It is often desirable to enclose bales in a sleeve or bag of, for example, a film of a plastics material. However with the aforementioned form of trailer, because of the presence of the hydraulic lift connection between the load carrying members and the land wheels, it is not possible to pull such a sleeve or bag over the bales while the latter are on the load carrying members. We have devised an alternative form of bale trailer whereby this difficulty may be overcome. Accordingly the present invention provides an agricultural bale trailer comprising a pair of substantially parallel tines for supporting a load of one or more bales, said tines being pivotably connected at one end, about an axis extending laterally across the trailer, to a pair of arms disposed one on either side of said pair of tines, each of said arms carrying at least one land wheel at a position remote from said axis, a linkage for connecting said end of the pair of tines, or at least one of said arms, to a tractor, and means for effecting pivoting movement of said pair of tines relative to said arms, said tines being free of connections to said arms at positions remote from said one end. One embodiment of the invention is illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2 is a plan view, and Figure 3 is an end elevation. In the Figures, a load of bales is shown by broken lines. In this embodiment the trailer has a pair of tines 1, 2 rigidly connected together at one end by a cross-member 3. Rigidly connected to crossmember 3 is a draw bar 4 for connection to a tractor (not shown). On either side of the pair of tines 1,2 there are provided arms 5,6 rigidly connected to a bar 7 journalled in brackets 8, 9 fastened to crossmember 3. Each arm carries a land wheel 10 at its end remote from bar 7. Rigidly fastened to bar 7 is an extension member 11. A hydraulic ram 12 is provided connecting the end of member 11 with the draw bar 4. Ram 12 is powered via fluid connections (not shown) to a pump (not shown) on the tractor. Operation of ram 12 causes the arms 5, 6 to pivot with respect to tines 1, 2 thus raising or lowering the tines relative to the ground on which the land wheels 10 are resting. With the tines in the lowered position, trailer can be positioned with the tines 1,2 beneath the cylindrical sides of the bales: on operating the hydraulic ram 12, the tines 1, 2 are raised relative to the arms 5, 6 thus lifting the bales to the transport position. Since there is no connection between the tines 1, 2 and the arms 5,6 remote from the cross-member 3, when in the transport position, a sleeve or bag can be pulled over the bales on the tines 1, 2 from the direction of the open end of the pair of tines towards the cross-member3 with the tines 1,2 inside the sleeve or bag. On lowering the tines, the bales, together with the sleeve or bag, can be deposited on the ground and the tines withdrawn by moving the trailer forwards. It will be appreciated that, in a variation, the draw bar may be rigidly attached to one or both of the arms instead of to the tines. CLAIMS

1. An agricultural bale trailer comprising a pair of substantially parallel tines for supporting a load of one or more bales, said tines being pivotably connected at one end, about an axis extending laterally across the trailer, to a pair of arms disposed one on either side of said pair of tines, each of said arms carrying at least one land wheel at a position remote from said axis, a linkage for connecting said end of the pair of tines, or at least one of said arms, to a tractor, and means for effecting pivoting movement of said pair of tines relative to said arms, said tines being free of connections to said arms at positions remote from said one end.

2. A trailer according to claim 1 wherein said tines are rigidly connected together at said one end by a cross-member.

3. A trailer according to claim 2 wherein said linkage comprises a draw bar rigidly connected to said cross-member.

4. A trailer according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said arms are rigidly connected to each other by a member pivotably connected to said tines.

5. A trailer according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said means for effecting pivoting movement comprises a hydraulic ram operating between a member rigidly connected to said tines and a member connected to said arms.

6. A method of handling cylindrical agricultural bales comprising positioning a trailer according to any one of claims 1 to 5 so that said tines are beneath the cylindrical sides of said bales, effecting pivoting movement between said arms and said tines whereby said bales are lifted by said tines.

7. A method according to claim 6 comprising enclosing said bales while supported by said tines in a sleeve or bag applied from the open end of said tines with said tines inside said bag or sleeve and effecting pivoting movement between said tines and arms so that the bales enclosed in said sleeve or bag are deposited on the ground and then moving said trailer relative to said bales to withdraw said tines from said sleeve or bag.