GB2203119A

GB2203119A - Trailer

Info

Publication number: GB2203119A
Application number: GB08807909A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerald Vennall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-04-07
Filing date: 1988-04-05
Publication date: 1988-10-12
Also published as: GB8807909D0; GB8708263D0

Abstract

A trailer for farm products such as bales X of crop has a transport and a pick-up mode. The bale X is picked off the ground by engaging the bale with spikes G carried on a pivoted frame E. Pivoting of the frame using a winch A at the forward end of the trailer causes the bale to adopt a transport position in which the axis of the bale extends upwards. The bale may be wrapped with material after loading onto the trailer, by employing a rotatable spike unit G' G'' driven from a unit R, in conjunction with a vertically movable holder Y for wrapping material. <IMAGE>

Description

Trailer This invention relates to trailers and, in particular, to trailers for handling farm products such as bales.

An object of the invention is to provide a trailer which is of simple construction and is capable of transporting bales of crop material.

According to the invention a trailer comprises a frame mounted on wheels, the frame having a pick-up unit movably mounted relative to the frame to pick up and discharge articles on and off the trailer, the pick-up unit being pivotable about a generally horizontal axis between pick up and transport positions and having on the unit an article engaging means to support the article during pick up and transport, movement of the pick-up unit between said positions being by drive means on the trailer.

Preferably the pick-up means includes a pick-up member arranged to support the article in the transport position, the member extending in a direction away from the pivot axis of the pick-up unit and connectable to the drive means at a position remote from said axis.

Preferably the drive means includes a manually or power driven winch mounted on the trailer frame and having a flexible element extending between the winch and the pick-up member. Alternatively the drive means may include a hydraulic ram to pivot the pick-up unit between said positions.

The article engaging means may take the form of an article engaging member which extends from the pick-up unit from adjacent the pivot axis of the unit and, in the transport position, the member extends upwards. Conveniently the article engaging member extends generally horizontally when in a position to pick up an article and takes the form of one or more spikes which are arranged to engage a crop bale.

Preferably the trailer frame is elongate with a pair of wheels at its rearward end, the frame extending forwards to terminate in hitch means at its forward end, the trailer being adapted for towing behind a vehicle on, for example, a vehicle towbar, for example the towbar of an all terrain vehicle such as a three or four wheel motorcycle.

Further features of the invention will appear from the following description of embodiments of the invention given by way of example only and with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a trailer in a pick up position, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the trailer of Fig. 1 in a transport position, Fig. 3 is an end elevation in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the trailer in the position of Figs. 1 and 3, and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of trailer.

Referring to the drawings a trailer is shown which is primarily intended for farm use in transporting bales of crop material, in the illustrated version, cylindrical bales such as shown in outline at X.

The trailer has a frame H with a longitudinal member H1 which at one, forward end is fitted with a towing hitch K.

Towards the rear end the frame is mounted on a pair of spaced wheels I rotatably mounted on a cross frame member H2. The frame H also includes a pair of frame members H3 which are each connected towards the outer end of cross frame member H2 at one end and extend forwards for connection to the frame member H1 at its other end.

Mounted on the cross frame member H2 and extending upwards therefrom are a pair of brackets M at the upper ends of which are pivot supports for pivots F. Pivotally mounted on the pivots F is a pick-up unit N including a longitudinal beam E and a transverse beam P. Strut members N1 extend between one end of the longitudinal beam E and the ends of the transverse beam P. The beams E and P are in a crucifix shape and at the junction between the beams is located a bale engaging spike G extending at a right angle to the plane of the unit N. A tine L is located towards the end of the short limb of the beam E.

Towards the end of the longer limb of the beam E a flexible element such as a rope D is attached and the rope is attached at its other end to a winch A which may be a manually or electrically operated winch. The winch A is mounted at the forward end of the frame H and in passing to the winch the rope passes around a pulley B carried on the frame rearwards of the winch A.

A support C for supporting and locking the pick-up unit when in a transport position (Fig. 2) is located on and extends upwards from the frame H.

The trailer also includes jacks J located on rearward extensions J1 of the frame H, the jacks being extendable to contact the ground surface during a pick up operation.

To load the trailer with a bale X the trailer is backed up to the bale and the spike G is driven into approximately the centre of the bale. When the bale is engaging the beams E and P, the short tine L also engages and serves to steady the bale. The bale can then be loaded onto the trailer by pivoting the pick up unit about the pivot axis F by operating the winch A to wind in the rope D.

Movement of the unit is complete when the support C is engaged and in this position the spike G extends upwards and the unit is in a transport position. The unit is locked in this position by locking means on the support C and the rope D remains in tension to hold down the pick up unit in the support C.

To ensure adequate weight transfer onto the towing hitch K the spike G may be movable in the longitudinal direction of the beam or the axis F may be moved up and down.

Unloading of the bale is achieved by a reverse movement of the pick-up unit.

In a modified version of the trailer, in which the same reference numbers are used for similar parts, as seen in Fig. 5, provision is made for wrapping a length of material around the bale X after it has been loaded onto the trailer to the position shown in Fig. 5.

In the trailer of Fig. 5 the bale-engaging spike G of the previously-described embodiment is replaced with a rotatable spike unit G' G" having a pair of spikes for engaging the bale X. The unit is mounted on a bearing housing carried on the beam E and is driven through a right angle gear box U, a drive shaft T, and a friction drive unit S from a drive unit R. Thus as the drive unit R is operated the drive is transmitted through the friction drive unit S to the shaft T. The shaft T drives the gear box U to rotate the spike unit G' G" about an upright axis which is the axis of the cylinder of the bale.

Prior to initiating rotation of the bale a length of wrapping material,usually stretchable plastics material, is attached at one end to the bale by, for example, tying to the bale tying twine. The length of wrapping material is in the form of a dispensing roll (not shown) which fits over an upright holder Y incorporating means for maintaining the material under tension during unwinding from the roll. The holder Y is carried on a post W mounted on the trailer and the holder may be movable vertically on the post.

The material may be dispensed and wrapped over the cylindrical surface of the bale while the bale is supported and rotated on the trailer. The trailer also acts to transport the bale, whether wrapped or otherwise.

The bale is readily discharged from the trailer by releasing the beam E to allow pivoting about pivots F.

Pivoting disengages the friction drive S from the drive unit R.

Claims

1. A trailer which comprises a frame mounted on wheels, the frame having a pick-up unit movably mounted relative to the frame to pick up and discharge articles on and off the trailer, the pick-up unit being pivotable about a generally horizontal axis between pick-up and transport positions and having on the unit an article engaging means to support the article during pick-up and transport, movement of the pick-up unit between said positions being by drive means on the trailer.

2. A trailer according to claim 1 wherein the pick up means includes a pick-up member arranged to support the article in the transport position, the member extending in a direction away from the pivot axis of the pick-up unit and connectable to the drive means at a position remote from said axis.

3. A trailer according to claim 2 wherein the drive means includes a winch mounted on the frame and having a flexible element extending between the winch and the pick-up member.

4. A trailer according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the article engaging means includes a member which extends from the pick-up unit from adjacent the pivot axis of the unit and, in the transport position,; the member extends upwards and, in the pick-up position, the member extends horizontally.

5. A trailer according to claim 4 wherein the article engaging member includes one or more spikes which enter the article.

6. A trailer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame is elongate and a pair of wheels is located at the rearward end, the frame extending forwards to terminate in hitch means at its forward end.

7. A trailer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the article engaging means is rotatable to rotate an article when in the transport position whereby to enable the article to be wrapped in sheet material during such rotation.

8. A trailer according to claim 7 wherein the sheet material is dispensed onto the article from a roll mounted on the frame.

9. A trailer according to claims 7 and 8 wherein the frame carries drive means for rotating the article, the drive means including a motor and drive transmission means, the transmission means being in driving engagement when the pick-up unit is in a transport position.

10. A trailer substantially as described with reference to the drawings.