Patent ID: 11856892
Assignee: nan
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC A  B | IPC A  B

Claim 14:
15. A farm tractor three-point hitch attachment for handling round hay bales, comprising:
a support structure including first, second and third coupling features positioned in a triangular formation to attach to a three-point hitch of a farm tractor;
a first arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said first arm is pivotably connected to said support structure proximate a first end of said support structure;
a second arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said second arm is pivotably connected to said support structure proximate said first end of said support structure, and wherein the pivotable connection between said first end of said second arm and said support structure is spaced from the pivotable connection between said first end of said first arm and said support structure;
a first spacing link pivotably connected to said first arm proximate said second end of said first arm, said first spacing link also being pivotably connected to said second arm proximate said second end of said second arm, wherein the pivotable connection between said second end of said second arm and said first spacing link is spaced from the pivotable connection between said second end of said first arm and said first spacing link;
a first hay bale spear attached to said first spacing link;
a third arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said third arm is pivotably connected to said support structure proximate a second end of said support structure;
a fourth arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said fourth arm is pivotably connected to said support structure proximate said second end of said support structure, and wherein the pivotable connection between said first end of said fourth arm and said support structure is spaced from the pivotable connection between said first end of said third arm and said support structure;
a second spacing link pivotably connected to said third arm proximate said second end of said third arm, said second spacing link also being pivotably connected to said fourth arm proximate said second end of said fourth arm, wherein the pivotable connection between said second end of said fourth arm and said second spacing link is spaced from the pivotable connection between said second end of said third arm and said second spacing link;
a second hay bale spear attached to said second spacing link;
a first range limiter which limits a pivot angle between said first arm and said support structure between a minimum angle and a maximum angle; and
a second limiter which limits a pivot angle between said third arm and said support structure between a minimum angle and a maximum angle, wherein when said first and third arms are at their respective minimum angles said first and second hay bale spears are coaxially oriented relative to each other, and wherein when said first and third arms are at their respective maximum angles said first and second hay bale spears are coaxially oriented relative to each other.