Hay bale carrier

A hay bale carrier of simplified construction, and increased efficiency and convenience of use, is disclosed. A wheeled axle carries a rod framework which defines a planar support surface for a hay bale. A transverse frame rod parallel to the wheel axle and disposed near the planar surface engages beneath two outside bale wires while a center bale wire is stretched into engagement with a retaining element on the framework near the center thereof. In instances where the two outer bale wires are sufficiently loose, they are stretched into engagement with two other retaining elements of the framework to assure stable attachment of the carrier to the bale. The carrier is applied to the bale while inverted, following which the bale and carrier are righted. The bale wires are manipulated and the bale with the attached carrier is propelled by a conventional bale hook.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Show horses and prize cattle at fairs are frequently stationed inconvenient 
distances from sources of hay, as a result of which the attendants of 
these horses or cattle must transport hay bales from a fairly remote 
storage location to the animal's stall for food and/or bedding. This 
activity has given rise to the need for a simple, economical and 
convenient transport device for a bale of hay at horse shows, county fairs 
and at similar activities. 
Devices are known in the prior art for this general purpose and one example 
is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,849. Generally speaking, known prior 
art devices for this purpose have not been widely adopted because their 
cost, complexity of construction and operation, and their degree of 
convenience of usage have not been such as to appeal to purchasers in the 
marketplace. 
Accordingly, the object of this invention is to provide a hay bale carrier 
of such convenience, economy and simplicity as to appeal readily to all 
potential purchasers who have a need for this type of transport device. 
More particularly, it is an object of the invention to improve on the 
known prior art, particularly in terms of practicality and ease or 
convenience of use. 
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those 
skilled in the art during the course of the following description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals designate like 
parts throughout the same, a hay bale barrier according to a preferred 
embodiment of the invention comprises a transverse axle rod 20 having 
opposite end axle extensions 21 on which two suitable wheels 22 are freely 
rotatably mounted and retained by conventional means 23. In a level plane 
spaced above the axle member 20, two forwardly convergent rods 24 have 
their forward ends fixed to a U-member 25 which depends from the rods 24 
at right angles thereto. Forward inclined brace rods 26 have their forward 
ends fixed to opposite sides of the U-member 24 near and below the rods 24 
and their rear ends similarly fixed to the axle member or rod 20 near and 
inwardly of the wheels 22. 
Rear inclined brace rods 27 have their forward ends fixed to the axle rod 
20 substantially opposite the rods 26 and have their rear ends fixed to a 
transverse attaching rod 28 which is parallel to the axle rod 20 and 
spaced above and rearwardly thereof. The attaching rod 28 lies immediately 
under the converging rods 24 near their rear ends, which rods define a 
plane adapted to abut one surface of a common rectangular hay bale B 
having the customary three spaced parallel bale wires 29 and 30. Equal 
length end portions 31 of the attaching rod 28 project laterally outwardly 
of the attachment points with the rods 24 and 27. Equal length end 
extensions 24' of the rods 24, which are approximately the same lengths as 
the end portions 31, extend rearwardly at an angle to the rods 24, at 
approximately 45.degree., and laterally outwardly therefrom, beyond rod 28 
and away from the level plane of rods 24 and toward the plane of axle rod 
20. The attaching rod 28 is thus connected to the bight portions or rods 
24. The rod framework of the bale carrier thus formed is strong, 
light-weight, unitary and simplified. As will be fully described, the 
wheeled bale carrier is employed in conjunction with a common bale hook 32 
having a handle 33. 
In use, the carrier is inverted from its transport position shown in FIGS. 
1 and 8 and placed, wheels up, on one longitudinal surface of the bale 
transversed by the wires 29 and 30. The two convergent rods 24 which 
define the mounting plane for the carrier engage the flat face of the 
bale. As shown in FIG. 2, the carrier can be tilted to allow engagement of 
one end portion 31 of attaching rod 28 and the adjacent end extension 24' 
under one outside bale wire 29. The carrier is then swung horizontally as 
in FIG. 3 while the other rod end portion 31 and the adjacent end 
extension 24' is slid beneath the other outside bale wire 29. In this 
latter step, it may be necessary to lift the other outside bale wire 29 up 
over the last mentioned end extension 24'. Following this, the carrier is 
again centered with respect to the bale, as shown in FIG. 4. The bale hook 
32 is now employed to lift the center bale wire 30 and engage it with one 
of several retainer pins 34 provided on one side of the U-member 25. 
Following such engagement, the center wire 30 will be taut and will pull 
the carrier firmly against the opposing surface of the bale. 
In situations where the outside wires 29 are taut, it is unnecessary to do 
anything further in attaching the carrier to the bale B and the carrier 
will be adequately secured to the bale by the end portions 31, end 
extensions 24' and retainer pin 34. However, if the outside wires 29 are 
still somewhat loose, the bale hook 32 is again employed to pull these 
wires upwardly and inwardly toward the center of the bale and carrier and 
engage them with retaining hooks 35 carried by the braces 26 intermediate 
the ends of such braces. The directing of the outside wires 29 toward the 
center of the carrier tends to tightly wedge the wires 29 between the end 
portions 31 of attaching rod 28 and the inclined braces 27 as best shown 
in FIG. 6. The end extensions 24' also perform this same function. 
An additional attribute of the invention shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 comprises 
the temporary crimping or deformation of the outside bale wires 29 where 
the latter pass over the transverse attaching rod 28. The angled end 
extensions 24' prevent the outside wires from moving apart and maintain 
them wedged in crimp like fashion between inclined braces 27 and the end 
portions 31 thus preventing the carrier sliding rearward on the bale but 
still not causing damage to the bale wires. This crimping is even more 
pronounced, FIG. 7, when the outside wires 29 are engaged with the 
retainer hooks 35. In either case, the taut outside wires 29 acting on the 
transverse attaching rod 28 while the center wire 30 is acting on one of 
the pins 34 results in a tight bonding of the top of the carrier to the 
bale B. The described crimping of the two wires 29 does not break or 
damage them or otherwise interfere with their normal functioning. 
Following the simple procedure above described for attaching the carrier to 
the bale B, the now-united bale and carrier are flipped over or righted so 
that the carrier supports the bale wheels down, as shown in FIG. 8. The 
bale hook 32 is now impaled in the top of the bale and handle 33 of the 
bale hook is grasped to manually propel the bale on the carrier to its 
required point of usage. At this destination, the bale is flipped over 
onto its back, thus returning the carrier to its position shown in FIGS. 4 
to 7, and the bale hook 32 is again used to release the bale wires, 
following which the carrier as a unit is easily separated from the bale 
and set aside until it is again needed. 
The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms 
of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the 
use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the 
features shown and described or portions thereof but it is recognized that 
various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention 
claimed.