Patent ID: 6171047
Filing Date: 2001-01-09
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
A bale loading apparatus, comprisinga wheeled undercarriage having front and rear ends;a deck pivotally mounted by a pivot mount to the rear end of said undercarriage for supporting a row of bales thereon;actuating means to pivot said deck between a first generally horizontal position and a second generally vertical position;fork means mounted to a rear end of said deck, said fork means being positionable at substantially ground level and in a generally horizontal orientation when said deck is in said second generally vertical position;conveyor means incorporated within said deck to convey a bale from said rear end of said deck to said front end thereof;conveyor drive means to drive said conveyor means; andsaid fork means comprising an array of tines pivotally mounted to said deck and rotatable relative to said deck between one position for engaging a vertical stack of bales, and another position disengaged from said stack; fork drive means to rotate said fork means between said one and another positions; and at least one cutting element mounted on at least one of said tines for cutting baling twine as said fork means are rotated between said one and another positions.