Hay feeding apparatus

An improved hay feeding apparatus is mounted on a vehicle bed and utilizes a hay walker for separating portions of a bale of hay and discharging the separated hay into a windrow alongside the vehicle. The present invention utilizes a sweep to gather bales from the ground and a lifting device for lifting the bales to the bed of the vehicle. Separate conveyors on the vehicle bed transport the bales to the hay walker. The hay walker separates hay from the bale and delivers the hay to a chute for delivery to the ground.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an improved hay feeding apparatus mounted on a 
vehicle bed which includes a hay walker for separating portions of a bale 
of hay and discharging the separated hay into a windrow alongside the 
vehicle. 
In feeding hay to animals, an operator often loads hay on a vehicle bed, 
transports the hay to a feeding area, and then feeds the hay by placing 
the vehicle in motion at a low speed and getting on the bed and then 
breaking up the bales by hand to feed them as the vehicle moves slowly 
ahead. This can be done in relative safety on large, open ranch lands, but 
the operator does not have complete control over the entire feeding 
operations when he leaves the cab and moves to the back of a vehicle to 
break up the bales. Alternatively, the feeding operation can be 
accomplished with two people: one in the cab, and one on the bed breaking 
up the bales. 
When large cylindrical hay bales are being used, the operator may utilize a 
spindle mounted on the front of a tractor to unroll the cylindrical bale 
during the feeding operation. Generally only one bale can be unrolled at 
one time using this method. This limitation of feeding only one large 
cylindrical bale at a time is a constraint that limits the effectiveness 
of this method of feeding hay. 
Neither of these techniques allow one operator to perform all the feeding 
tasks from a cab where the operator remains in control over all the 
functions associated with picking up multiple bales of the hay, 
transporting the hay, and then breaking up the bales sequentially to feed 
the bales of hay carried by the vehicle. 
Presently, there are several different types of bales being used in feeding 
operations including small rectangular bales, large cylindrical bales, and 
large rectangular bales. Hay feeding machines have been developed to carry 
multiple bales of hay of various sizes and to breakup these bales to feed 
them, although in many cases, the machines developed to breakup bales have 
been limited to just one specific type of bale. An example of a machine 
for feeding multiple cylindrical bales is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,094,427 to While et al., which illustrates a method and machinery for 
loading and breaking up this type of bale. Another example is U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,170,426 to White et al., which illustrates a device which breaks up 
large, rectangular bales. In both instances the devices used to tear apart 
the bales are shredder rollers which rotate along one edge of a bale to 
separate hay from the bale as the hay is being urged into the shredder 
rollers. 
Other machines have been developed to breakup bales of different sizes. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,873,032 to Jellis, Jr. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,101,081 to 
Ritter et al. each illustrate machinery which utilize rotating drums for 
separating hay from a bale. Again in each instance, the mechanism for 
separating hay from a bale is a rotating drum having extending radial 
rippers. The rippers strip a portion of hay from a bale as the bale is 
being urged into the rotating drums. 
A problem encountered when using rotating drum-like devices for separating 
hay from a bale is that these rotating drums tend to clog. Binder twine, 
baling wire, and long fibrous stems in the hay have a natural tendency to 
wrap around the drums instead of falling free. Once a rope-like object 
begins to wrap around a drum, that portion of the rotating drum loses its 
effectiveness in further separating hay from a bale. In addition, the 
object clogging the drum also tends to pick up more material as the drum 
continues to rotate, which in turn exacerbates the clog. When the drums, 
which have a heavy bale urged against the bale-accepting side of the drum, 
become unusably clogged, it is extremely difficult to free the clogs even 
with the machinery stopped. The heavy press of hay against the drum 
prevents an operator from having workable access to the drum. 
From the above, it can be seen that a need exists for a hay feeding 
apparatus which can be operated by one operator who can remain in the 
vehicle cab. It is desirable to have this apparatus self-cleaning so that 
binder twine, baling wires, or other fibrous items will not clog the hay 
separating apparatus. 
SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a hay feeding apparatus which is 
positional on a vehicular bed and uses a vertically mounted hay walker to 
separate hay from a bale and discharge the separated hay into a windrow 
alongside the vehicle. The hay walker is mounted over a chute. By using 
the translational and rotational movement of the teeth of the hay walker, 
the device separates a portion of hay from a bale and pushes the separated 
portion into the chute. Additional machinery is used to load bales of hay 
onto the vehicle bed and urge a bale of hay located on the vehicle bed 
into the hay walker. 
The present invention uses a sweep to gather bales from the ground and 
place the bales on the bed of a vehicle. Conveyors on the bed of the 
vehicle transport any size or shape bale to the hay walker so that hay may 
be separated from the bale and discharged into a windrow.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
A preferred embodiment of a hay feeding apparatus 10 is shown in FIG. 1 as 
mounted on a bed 12. Bed 12 is supported by a pair of ground-engaging 
wheels 14 for movement across a field and has a tongue 16 at the front of 
bed 12 for connection to a tractor or other powered vehicle. Although bed 
12 is illustrated as part of a draft vehicle, it is understood that 
alternatively the present invention could be self-propelled, pushed ahead 
of a powered vehicle, or be mounted on the bed of a truck. 
Side rails 18 extend along the side edges of bed 12 and are shaped to hold 
either rectangular, circular, or other shaped bales on the top surface of 
bed 12. Front rail 20 extends across the forward portion of bed 12 in an 
upright position to restrict a bale of hay from moving further forward 
than the front of bed 12. 
A bale pick up 22, which opens in the direction of forward movement of bed 
12, is hingedly connected to bed 12. Bale pick up 22 has a sweep 26 sized 
to fit under any type of bale being lifted onto bed 12 and a framework 28 
to hold sweep 26 in position. Arms 29 of framework 28, at one end are 
hingedly connected to journal boxes 24 by axles 30 and at the other end 
are rigidly connected to sweep 26. Sweep 26 rests generally flat on the 
ground and opens in the forward direction of travel whenever arms 29 are 
rotated so as to have the sweep touch the ground. A hydraulic actuator 32 
is connected between bed 12 and arms 29 to rotate sweep 26 over bed 12. 
Whenever sweep 26 holds a bale and is rotated over bed 12, the bale rolls 
off sweep 26 and onto framework 28. Framework 28 then guides the bale onto 
bed 12 
On the top surface of bed 12, a conveyor 34 is positioned to receive a bale 
from bale pick up 22 and move the bale laterally across bed 12. Conveyor 
34 has a pair of spaced-apart endless chains 36 turning around sprockets 
40 and transverse bale engaging members 38 extending between chains 36 to 
engage bales placed on the conveyor. Hydraulic motor 42 is connected to a 
sprocket 40 to move endless chain 36 over the surface of bed 12. 
Another conveyor is used to move bales to the rear of bed 12 when stacking 
bales on the bed and to move bales to the front of the bed when the bales 
are being fed. Conveyor 44 is mounted generally parallel the longitudinal 
axis of bed 12 to move a bale longitudinally over the bed. Endless chain 
46 turns around an idler sprockets 48 mounted near one end of bed 12 and 
turns around drive sprocket 50 near the other end. Hydraulic motor 60 
powers drive sprocket 50 through the drive train of pulley 5 attached to 
the motor shaft, belt 56 connecting pulley 54 and 58, and pulley 58 
attached to drive sprocket 50. A bale engaging rail 52, extending 
transversely to endless chain 46, is removably connected to endless chain 
46. When moving a bale toward the rear of bed 14, bale engaging rail 52 is 
manually connected to endless chain 46 in front of the bale. When a bale 
is to be moved forward, bale engaging rail 52 is manually connected to 
endless chain 46 behind the bale. 
A conveyor 62 receives bales from conveyors 34 and 44 and urges the bales 
toward a hay walker 64. Conveyor 62 has a pair of spaced-apart endless 
chains 66 having transverse bale engaging members 68 extending between 
chains 66 to engage bales placed on conveyor 62. Endless chains 66 engage 
sprockets 70 and turn around them. A hydraulic motor 72 is connected to 
one sprocket 70 to provide power to move endless chains 66. 
A chute 74 is aligned beneath hay walker 64 to provide a passageway for hay 
to drop to the ground. Chute 74 is formed with a pair of generally 
parallel arms 76 rigidly connected to and extending away from bed 12, and 
frame member 78 rigidly connected between arms 76 at a position spaced 
apart from bed 12. 
Hay walker 64 is rigidly mounted in an upstanding position over chute 74 on 
arms 76. A hay walker as contemplated by the present invention includes a 
rectangular frame for supporting elongate walker members 94 moving in 
translation as well as rotation. The rectangular frame has spaced-apart 
side members 80 and 82, and spaced-apart top and bottom members 86 and 78 
respectively. A center frame member 84 is connected to top and bottom 
members 86 and 78 approximately midway between side members 80 and 82. 
Cranks 88 and 90 extending on parallel axes between side frame members 80 
and 82 are rotatably held by bearings 92 located in side frame members 80 
and 82, and center frame member 84. 
The hay walker has a plurality of side-by-side elongate walker members 94, 
each having a face 96 and rear surface 98. The elongate walker members 94 
are connected to cranks 88 and 90 with bearings 100 attached on rear 
surface 98. As cranks 88 and 90 rotate, elongate walker members 94 have a 
translational up-and-down movement when viewed in the direction of face 
96, and have a circular movement when viewed along the axis of either 
crank 88 or 90. Sprockets 102 and 104 are connected to cranks 88 and 90 
respectively on the side of frame member 80 opposite center frame 84. 
A hydraulic motor 106 is mounted on motor mount 108 intermediate sprockets 
102 and 104 and has a dual-drive sprocket 110 attached to the motor shaft. 
An endless chain 112 engages sprocket 102, idler sprocket 114, and one 
sprocket of dual sprocket 110 to power crank 88, while another endless 
chain 116 engages sprocket 104, idler sprocket 118 and the other sprocket 
on dual-drive sprocket 110 to power crank 90. As hydraulic motor 106 turns 
dual sprocket 110, dual sprocket 110 rotates parallel cranks 88 and 90 at 
the same rotational speed so that faces 96 remain oriented in 
approximately the same direction throughout a complete revolution of 
sprockets 102 and 104. 
As shown in FIG. 6, separating blades 120 and 122 extend longitudinally in 
line along face 96 of each elongated member 94 with teeth 130 extending 
outwardly from face 96. Separating blades 120 and 122 are mounted on 
elongate member 94 by bolts 124, washers 126, and nuts 128 and can be 
removed individually from elongate member 94 to reduce the number of teeth 
capable of engaging a bale when the hay walker is operating. Reducing the 
number of teeth engaging a bale during a cycle of sprockets 102 and 104, 
reduces the quantity of hay separated from a bale during each cycle. Each 
tooth 130 on separating blades 120 and 122 has an engaging edge 132 which 
lies generally perpendicular with face 96 and a sloping edge 134 which 
extends outwardly and downwardly from face 96. Alternatively, tines, 
differently shaped teeth, or differently shaped protrusions, could be 
substituted for blades 120 and 122 to separate a portion of hay from a 
bale. 
A hydraulic system may be used to provide power to the hay walker, 
conveyors, and bale pick up, although electric or pneumatic motors could 
be used as easily. A switch box 144 is located in the vehicle conveniently 
close to an operator to control the hydraulic system. As shown in a 
schematic at FIG. 7, hydraulic pump 136 provides pressure to hydraulic 
manifold 138. Solenoids 140, individually activated by switches 144c, 
144d, and 144e on switch box 144 permit hydraulic fluid to flow to 
hydraulic motors 42, 72, and 106 respectively. In each flow path a flow 
control valve 146 also permits adjusting the maximum rate of flow. 
Because bale pick up 22 and conveyor 44 need to operate bi-directionally, a 
directional control valve 142 is also included in the flow path toward 
hydraulic actuator 32 and hydraulic motor 60 in addition to solenoids 140. 
Directional control valve 142 and solenoid 140 in these paths are 
activated by bi-directional switches 144a and 144b on switch box 144 to 
either lift or lower sweep 26, or move bale engaging rail 52 forwardly or 
rearwardly on bed 12. Once hydraulic fluid passes through a hydraulic 
motor or actuator, it is returned to hydraulic pump 136 through return 
manifold 148. 
In operation, bale engaging rail 52 is positioned near the front of bed 12 
as hay feeding apparatus 10 is pulled to place sweep 26 beneath a bale of 
hay. Switch 144a on switch box 144 is activated which activates hydraulic 
actuator 32. Hydraulic actuator 32 retracts to rotate bale pick up 22 
about axle 30 to move the bale pick up in an arc to lift a bale over bed 
12. Near the top of the arc, the bale rolls off sweep 26 and is guided 
onto conveyor 34 by framework 28. 
The bale can be selectively positioned on bed 12 by activating conveyor 34 
or conveyor 62 as appropriate. Either switch 144c, 144d, or both, on 
switch box 144 are activated to have conveyor 34 or conveyor 62 move the 
bale laterally across bed 12. Once the bale is in a proper lateral 
position, conveyor 34 and conveyor 62 are deactivated and switch 144b on 
switch box 144 is activated to have conveyor 44 move the bale toward the 
rear of bed 12. The sequence of steps can be repeated to load additional 
bales and position the bales on bed 12. 
Hay feeding apparatus 10 is then pulled to the feeding area. Bale engaging 
rail 52 is manually relocated from the front of bed 12 to the rear and is 
reattached to endless chain 46 for use in moving bales forward as desired. 
When activated, bale engaging rail 52 contacts the rear portion of any 
bales resting on bed 12 and moves all the bales contacted forward towards 
conveyors 34 and 62. After the bales are moved forward, conveyor 34 can 
then move bales laterally as necessary to position bales on conveyor 62. 
Hay walker 64 and conveyor 62 are then activated to separate hay from a 
succession of bales as will be described. 
Hydraulic motor 72 on hay walker 64, when activated, turns cranks 88 and 90 
by means of chains 112 and 116 respectively. Elongate walker members 94, 
connected to cranks 88 and 90 by means of bearings 100, move transversely 
as viewed from conveyor 62 and have teeth 130 extending outwardly from 
face 96 of elongate walker members 94 toward conveyor 62. As conveyor 62 
urges a bale of hay against transversely moving face 96, teeth 130 engage 
a portion of the hay and separate the portion from the bale. Hay separated 
during the downward portion of one cycle of an elongate member 94 is 
pulled downward toward chute 74 by teeth 130. 
As the rotational cycle of the elongate member 94 continues, teeth 130 
disengage the separated portion of hay and are pulled away from the bale 
during the lower portion of the cycle as the elongate member starts to 
move upward. Adjacent elongate walker members 94, on the upper portion of 
the cycle, are rotating toward the urging conveyor by the motion of cranks 
88 and 90 and engage the bale as their adjacent elongate walker members 
are being pulled away from the bale by the cranks. The separated portion 
of hay falls free of the teeth and enters chute 74 to fall through the 
chute to the ground. Entanglements, such as twine, that may have been 
caught by teeth 130 in the downward portion of the cycle are also released 
as an elongate member 94 moves away from the bale and adjacent elongate 
walker members 94 engage the entanglements and the bale. The entanglements 
fall free down chute 74 with the released portion of hay. 
Conveyor 62 continues to urge the bale against faces 96 of hay walker 64. 
If too much hay is being separated during each cycle of an elongate member 
94, separating blade 120 or 122 can be removed from face 96 of elongate 
member 94, thereby reducing the number of teeth engaging the bale during 
one cycle of elongate walker members 94. 
Apparatus 10 can be used with any sized bales. It is not necessary to cut 
the bale binding twine as teeth 130 will cut the twine as the bale is 
being fed. 
While the fundamental novel features of the invention have been shown and 
described, it should be understood that various substitutions, 
modifications and variations may be made by those skilled in the art 
without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, 
all such modifications or variations are included in the scope of the 
invention as defined by the following claims.