GB2340107A

GB2340107A - Apparatus for lifting and transporting bales

Info

Publication number: GB2340107A
Application number: GB9918352A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Gilchrist
Original assignee: DAISY D Ltd
Current assignee: DAISY D Ltd
Priority date: 1998-08-05
Filing date: 1999-08-05
Publication date: 2000-02-16
Also published as: GB9816976D0; GB9918352D0

Description

2340107 1 "Apparatus for Lifting and Transporting Bales" 2 3 This

invention relates to an apparatus for lifting 4 bales. In particular, the invention relates to a bale lifter for picking up silage bales prior to 6 transporting them. Previously, such bales have been 7 lifted by apparatus similar in structure to fork-lift 8 trucks, in which the bales are lifted smoothly in the 9 vertical direction.

11 According to the present invention, there is provided 12 an apparatus in which bales are lifted by the rotation 13 of engaging means such as spikes or tines about a pivot 14 point.

16 The engaging means may be driven into the bale in a 17 substantially horizontal position and then rotated 18 about the pivot point such that the bale is lifted and 19 held securely for transportation.

21 Further according to the present invention, there is 22 provided apparatus for transporting a bale, the 23 apparatus comprising:

24 a chassis; means for engaging at least one bale; and 2 1 means to effect movement of the bale engaging 2 means about a pivot point between a loading position 3 and a transporting position.

4 Preferably, the apparatus further comprises means for 6 coupling the apparatus to transporting means.

7 8 Preferably, the engaging means comprises at least one 9 tine or spike to engage with the bale.

11 More preferably, the apparatus is provided with ground 12 engaging wheels forming the pivot axis for the bale 13 engaging means.

14 is Preferably, the pivot actuating means comprises a 16 winching mechanism and/or a pulley system.

17 18 Alternatively, the pivot actuating means comprises a 19 system of hydraulics.

21 In a preferred embodiment, the pivot actuating means is 22 manually operated.

23 24 Alternatively, the pivot actuating means is electronically or electrically controlled.

26 27 In another preferred embodiment, the engaging means 28 comprises supporting arms to cradle the bale to be 29 lifted and which preser-ve the integrity of the bale.

31 Preferably, the apparatus further comprises means for 32 securing the bale in the transporting position.

33 34 Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings 36 which are by way of example only, and in which:- 3 1 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of 2 the apparatus for lifting bales made in accordance with 3 the present invention.

4 Referring to Fig. 1, there is illustrated apparatus 1 6 for lifting bales. The lifting apparatus I comprises a 7 chassis 2 having a base beam 3 including a coupling eye 8 4 for connecting the apparatus 1 to transporting means 9 (not shown), which may comprise a tractor, quad bike, or other suitable vehicle.

11 12 The base beam 3 is pivotally connected to a crossbar 5 13 by a pair of bracing bars 6 and may further be 14 connected at its end to a central point of the pivoting crossbar 5. The connecting points are pivotable points 16 7.

17 18 A pair of bale engaging spikes 8 are rigidly connected 19 to the crossbar 5 by fixing means 9 to extend generally in a direction opposite to the base beam 3. The 21 crossbar 5 carries a vertically extending counter bar 22 10. The counter bar 10 is further stabilized by a pair 23 of bracing bars 11 connected to respective ends of 24 crossbar 5. The crossbar 5 is further supported by ground engaging wheels 12. The pivoting connections 7 26 of the base bar 3 to the cross bar 5 allows the 27 crossbar 5 to freely pivot relative to base bar 3 about 28 the wheel axis.

29 The base beam 3 supports a hand winch 13 which is 31 connected by a wire rope 14 to an upper end 15 of the 32 counter bar 10.

33 34 When winch 13 is operated, the wire rope 14 attached to counter bar 10 exerts sufficient torque on the crossbar 36 5 to pivot the crossbar 5 thus raising the spikes 8.

4 1 In use, the apparatus 1 engages a bale with the spikes 2 8 in a substantially horizontal position. By operating 3 winch 13, the counter bar 10 is drawn down, i.e. 4 rotated in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 1, and 5 the spikes 8 and the bale are raised up so that the 6 apparatus 1 and the bale can be freely transported. 7 The bale may be disengaged by lowering the spikes 8 to 8 a substantially horizontal or downward sloping position 9 so that the bale is easily removed from the spikes 8. 10 11 Alternatively, the apparatus may provide for the 12 removal of the bale to be assisted by some disengaging 13 means, or other independent means may be provided to 14 disengage the bale. 15 16 other modifications may be incorporated such as 17 replacing the wire rope by other suitable means, for 18 example a chain or rope of other material, which can be 19 attached at any point to the counter bar which enables 20 sufficient torque to be exerted to pivot the cross bar. 21 22 Moreover, the hand winch and/or the rope may be 23 replaced by other suitable means mounted on the chassis 24 to effect movement of the pivot, for example by a 25 pulley system or by a hydraulic system. These pivot 26 actuating means may be manually, electronically or 27 electrically operated. 28 29 Alternatively, the spikes 8 may be caused to pivot by 30 other means mounted, for example, within the wheels 12. 31 32 The spikes may be replaced by other suitable means for 33 supporting the bales to be lifted, which may or may not 34 preserve the integrity of the bale. For example, they 35 may be replaced by arms which cradle the bale and 36 preserve its integrity.

1 Modifications and improvements may be incorporated 2 herein without departing from the scope of the 3 invention.

6

Claims

2 3 1 Apparatus in which bales are lifted by the 4 rotation of engaging means such as spikes or tines about a pivot point.

6 7
2. Apparatus for transporting a bale, the apparatus 8 comprising:

9 a chassis; means for engaging at least one bale; and 11 means to effect movement of the bale engaging 12 means about a pivot point between a loading position 13 and a transporting position.

14 3 Apparatus as claimed in either of Claims 1 or 2, 16 wherein the engaging means are driven into the bale in 17 a substantially horizontal position and then rotated 18 about the pivot point such that the bale is lifted and 19 held securely for transportation.

21 4 Apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, 22 wherein the apparatus further comprises means for 23 coupling the apparatus to transporting means.

24 5 Apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, 26 wherein the engaging means comprises at least one tine 27 or spike to engage with the bale.

28 29 6 Apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the apparatus is provided with ground engaging 31 wheels forming the pivot axis for the bale engaging 32 means.

33 34 7 Apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the pivot actuating means comprises a winching 36 mechanism and/or a pulley system.

7 1 8 Apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, 2 wherein the pivot actuating means comprises a system of 3 hydraulics.

4 9 Apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, 6 wherein the pivot actuating means is manually operated.

7 8 10 Apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, 9 wherein the pivot actuating means is electronically or electrically controlled.

11 12 11 Apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, 13 wherein the engaging means comprises supporting arms to 14 cradle the bale to be lifted and which preserve the integrity of the bale.

16 17 12 Apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, 18 wherein the apparatus further comprises means for 19 securing the bale in the transporting position.

21 13 Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described, 22 with reference to the accompanying drawings.