Patent US4604018A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4604018A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hay bale loader
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1984-08-29
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Granted: 1986-08-05
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Expires: 2004-08-29
Abstract
Abstract A motorized device for retrieving rectangular objects and stacking said objects on a pallet is described. The device includes a conveyor for picking up objects such as hay bales from the ground and a manipulator for taking bales from the conveyor and orienting them either lengthwise or crosswise. The oriented bales are then individually transported to an accumulator in the desired orientation to form a layer. When the layer has been formed on the accumulator, a carriage is translated forward and downward to engage the layer and pick the layer up, moving the carriage and layer of bales rearwardly to deposit them on a pallet. Successive layers are formed in this fashion until a stack of the desired height is disposed on the pallet. The device then may transport the palletized load to a storage or transport area where the load may be moved by forklift truck.
Inventors
- 👤 Marvin F. Kruse
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 07:18
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D90/00; A01D90/02; A01D90/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
266 words
A machine for handling rectangular objects which is adapted to pick up hay bales individually from a field and assemble a plurality of said bales in a stack on a pallet carried thereby comprising: a frame having a forward portion, a central portion and a rear portion, wheel means supporting said frame and directional drive means coupled thereto for movement thereof in a predetermined horizontal direction; pick-up conveyor means mounted on the forward portion of said frame for picking up successively individual bales from a field and depositing them in forward portion of said frame; manipulator means disposed adjacent said pick-up means for receiving each bale and for longitudinally orienting each bale selectively transverse to the direction of travel or parallel thereto; accumulator means disposed in the central portion of said frame for receiving each bale from the manipulator means and for assembling each bale, successively, into a layer wherein each bale is disposed in a predetermined longitudinal orientation transverse or parallel to the direction of travel; removal bale support means carried by the rear portion of said frame for successively receiving layers of bales; carriage means movable between the rear and central portions of said frame for successively securing an assembled layer of bales on said accumulator means, raising said layer vertically, translating said layer rearwardly, lowering said layer onto said support means and holding said layer on said support means whereby a predetermined number of successive layer will be assembled on said support one on top of another in a stack and held in place as said machine moves in the predetermined horizontal direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
266 words
A machine for handling rectangular objects which is adapted to pick up hay bales individually from a field and assemble a plurality of said bales in a stack on a pallet carried thereby comprising: a frame having a forward portion, a central portion and a rear portion, wheel means supporting said frame and directional drive means coupled thereto for movement thereof in a predetermined horizontal direction; pick-up conveyor means mounted on the forward portion of said frame for picking up successively individual bales from a field and depositing them in forward portion of said frame; manipulator means disposed adjacent said pick-up means for receiving each bale and for longitudinally orienting each bale selectively transverse to the direction of travel or parallel thereto; accumulator means disposed in the central portion of said frame for receiving each bale from the manipulator means and for assembling each bale, successively, into a layer wherein each bale is disposed in a predetermined longitudinal orientation transverse or parallel to the direction of travel; removal bale support means carried by the rear portion of said frame for successively receiving layers of bales; carriage means movable between the rear and central portions of said frame for successively securing an assembled layer of bales on said accumulator means, raising said layer vertically, translating said layer rearwardly, lowering said layer onto said support means and holding said layer on said support means whereby a predetermined number of successive layer will be assembled on said support one on top of another in a stack and held in place as said machine moves in the predetermined horizontal direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
The machine of claim 1 wherein said carriage means further comprises external engaging means for engaging bales on the outside edge of said layer and urging them inwardly and internal engaging means for attachment to the bales on the inside of the layer so that when said carriage means raises said layer vertically said bales will occupy a common horizontal plane.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The carriage means of claim 2 wherein said external engaging means includes a predetermined number of mutually spaced, biased finger members surrounding said layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The carriage means of claim 2 wherein said internal engaging means includes a plurality of mutually spaced rotatable screw members adapted to be augered into the inside bales.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The machine of claim 4 wherein said screw members are spaced so that at least one engages each bale whether oriented transverse or longitudinal the direction of travel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
The machine of claim 1 wherein each layer comprises 10 bales.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The machine of claim 6 wherein said carriage means is adapted to translate up to 7 layers from the accumulator means to form a stack on the support means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said support means includes a pallet for supporting said stack which may be removed from said machine with a forklift truck.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
The device of claim 8 wherein said support means includes a fork member adapted to engage said pallet and means for pivoting said fork member between a position wherein the fork member is contained within a horizontal plane to a position wherein the fork member is contained within a plane disposed at a downwardly directed accute angle to the horizontal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the manipulator means further includes a plurality of screw auger members and reversible drive means for rotating said members.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the accumulator means includes a plurality of screw auger members and reversible drive means for rotating said members.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-08-04 | 1990-02-03 | 1990-08-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-08-04 | 1994-02-03 | 1994-08-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-08-04 | 1998-02-03 | 1998-08-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |