Patent ID: 6817820
Filing Date: 2004-11-16
Classification: A01D,B60P

Abstract:
Self-loading apparatus for use in feeding to livestock large square bales containing a series of successive, compacted flakes of crop materials, said apparatus comprising:a mobile vehicle having a bed; a tiltable bale feeder supported on said bed; and a bale retriever mounted on the bed and including a pair of laterally spaced lift arms movable toward and away from one another for gripping a bale therebetween, said arms being operable in unison for retrieving a gripped bale from the ground and depositing the bale on the feeder, said feeder including conveyor mechanism adapted for advancing a deposited bale toward a discharge end of the feeder, said bed being provided with front and rear ends with respect to the path of travel of the vehicle, said feeder extending transversely across said bed adjacent said front end, said lift arms being located at said rear end and projecting rearwardly therefrom during bale retrieval.