Patent ID: 8967934
Filing Date: 2015-03-03
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
1. A bale loading and transporting trailer apparatus comprising: a transport assembly having wheels for moving across a ground surface; a bale support frame configured to support a plurality of bales, the transport assembly supporting the bale support frame above the ground surface, the bale support frame being elongated with a longitudinal axis and opposite front and rear ends, the bale support frame being movable with respect to the transport assembly between a load condition configured to support bales on the bale support frame and a dump condition configured to roll any bales on the bale support frame off of the bale support frame; a lift frame configured to lift a bale positioned adjacent to the bale support frame onto the bale support frame into a load position, the lift frame being pivotally movable with respect to the bale support frame to move a bale on the ground surface into the load position; and a bale shifting assembly configured to shift a bale in the load position rearwardly on the bale support frame to a store position rearward of the load position such that any bale in the store position contacted by the bale in the load position is moved in a rearward direction of the bale support frame; wherein the bale shifting assembly includes a sled movable in a longitudinal direction on the bale support frame to carry a bale positioned thereon along the bale support frame, the sled including a pusher structure extending upwardly to push against a generally vertically extending surface of a bale in the load position and a support structure extending longitudinally below the load position to support a substantially horizontally extending surface of the bale in the load position, the support structure being connected to the pusher structure such that the pusher structure and the support structure of the sled move as a unit and the support structure maintains support of the bale as the pusher structure pushes the bale from the load position to the store position.