Patent ID: 9338944
Filing Date: 2016-05-17
CPC Classification: A01D

Claim Text:
1. A vertical stacking bale accumulator comprising: a trailer frame having opposing front and rear ends spaced apart in a longitudinal direction and opposing sides horizontally spaced apart in a transverse direction; a hitch connection mounted to the front end of the trailer frame for coupling the accumulator to a tow hitch of a baler; a series of non-powered rollers lying transversely of the trailer frame and spaced apart from one another along the longitudinal direction from adjacent the front end of the trailer frame to adjacent the end of the trailer frame, the series of non-powered rollers including front and rear groups of rollers residing respectively adjacent the front and rear ends of the trailer frame; a bale stacking mechanism installed on the frame and arranged to automatically maneuver sequentially-received individual bales into a stacked configuration atop the rear group of rollers; a rear gate movably carried on the frame proximate the rear end thereof for movement between a closed position obstructing deployment of the bales from the rear end of the trailer frame and an open position allowing deployment of the bales from the rear end of the trailer frame; and a control system arranged to automatically move the rear gate from the closed position to the open position upon accumulation of a predetermined number of stacked bales atop the rear group of rollers; wherein the trailer frame, the hitch connection, the ground wheels and the series of non-powered rollers are positioned relative to one another in a manner placing the rear group of rollers in an order of sequentially descending elevation toward the rear end of the trailer frame with the hitch connection coupled to the baler so as to gravitationally bias the bales toward the rear end of the trailer frame; and wherein the rear gate comprises an upright blocking member and at least one bracket carrying said blocking member at a position adjacent the rear end of the frame and a respective one of the sides thereof, the bracket being pivotally supported for pivotal movement thereof about an upright axis and having a curved shape reaching rearwardly and inwardly to face concavely toward the front end of the frame in the closed position to place the upright blocking member at an intermediate location between the opposing sides of the frame.