Utility Vehicle Hay Fork Attachment Device

The present invention relates to a utility vehicle hay fork attachment device that is comprised of a frame assembly further comprised of at least one horizontal frame member with at least one tine, a mounting plate, and a pair of mounting arms. The device further preferably resembles a garden fork and is made of a metal, such that it can carry strong loads and resist wear from repeated uses. The device is also comprised of mounting arms and a mounting ring that allow multiple means of attachment and support to a vehicle. In this manner, the device can be applied to any utility or all-terrain vehicle known in the art, to decrease the amount of time and effort required for moving hay bales.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of utility vehicle attachments. More specifically, the present invention relates to a utility vehicle hay fork attachment device that is comprised of a frame assembly further comprised of at least one horizontal frame member with at least one tine, a mounting plate and a pair of mounting arms. The device can be applied to any utility or all-terrain vehicle known in the art to decrease the amount of time and effort required for moving hay bales. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices and methods of manufacture.

BACKGROUND

Bales of hay, feed, alfalfa, etc., are typically found at agricultural locations, such as farmland. During and after a harvest, said bales typically need moved to a secondary storage area, such as a barn. However, manually picking up a bale and moving it can be incredibly difficult and physically demanding. A bale may be of awkward shape and significant weight, thus requiring considerable strength and dexterity to transport it. This kind of work can be incredibly difficult, time-consuming and potentially dangerous as repeatedly bending down to pick up and transport a bale may result in serious injury if done improperly or without the proper equipment. However, many people lack proper equipment (such as tractors) or a simple means to move bales.

Therefore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a device that allows a user to easily move one or more bales of hay. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for a utility vehicle hay fork attachment device that can be attached to a four-wheeler or other utility vehicle to allow a user to move one or multiple bales of hay using the vehicle. Further, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a utility vehicle hay fork attachment device capable of lifting, transporting and placing bales of hay, feed, alfalfa and other items commonly configured as bales. In addition, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a utility vehicle hay fork attachment device capable of transporting bales conveniently and efficiently, without requiring substantial physical effort on the part of the user.

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a utility vehicle hay fork attachment device. The device is comprised of a frame assembly further comprised of at least one horizontal frame member with at least one tine, a mounting plate and a pair of mounting arms. The device further preferably resembles a garden fork and is made of a strong and durable metal, such that it can be used to transport heavy bales of hay. The device is also comprised of a mounting arm that allows the device to attach to the underside of a vehicle and a mounting ring that allows the device to attach to the winch assembly of a vehicle, wherein the winch assembly provides additional stability and/or function to the device. In this manner, the device can be applied to any utility or all-terrain vehicle known in the art and can be used to move one or more bales of hay, thus decreasing the amount of time and effort required for moving hay bales.

In this manner, the utility vehicle hay fork attachment device of the present invention accomplishes all the forgoing objectives and provides an improved means to transport bales of hay. Further, the device interfaces with utility vehicles, such that it can transport bales without requiring physical exertion on the part of the user. In addition, the device lifts, transports and places bales of hay, feed, alfalfa, and other items commonly configured as bales in a convenient and efficient manner.

SUMMARY

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a utility vehicle hay fork attachment device. The device is comprised of a frame assembly further comprised of at least one horizontal frame member with at least one tine, a mounting plate and a pair of mounting arms. In differing embodiments, the device may have the general appearance of a garden fork with multiple tines. The device may also be made of a plurality of strong and durable materials commonly used for making large equipment. However, the device is preferably made of a metal.

The frame assembly is comprised of at least one mounting arm that attaches the device to the underside of a vehicle. The mounting arms are attached to a horizontal frame member via a mounting plate. In differing embodiments, the mounting plate is further comprised of a hinge, allowing the horizontal frame member to tilt upwards and downwards when transporting and setting in place bales of hay. The horizontal frame member is further comprised of a mounting ring and at least one tine. The mounting ring provides additional support to the device by receiving a hook of a winch assembly of an ATV. By increasing and/or decreasing tension in the winch assembly, the horizontal frame member may tilt up and down in the embodiment of the device with a hinge. In a non-hinged embodiment, the winch assembly simply provides tension and stability to ensure the device remains in a position parallel with a ground surface. To easily transport a bale of hay using the device, the at least one tine extends from the horizontal frame member to pierce the bale and grab hold of it. In another potential embodiment, the mounting plate may be placed in a vertical track with an internal pulley system, such that the horizontal frame member can raise/lower a hay bale by increasing or decreasing tension in the winch assembly.

Accordingly, the utility vehicle hay fork attachment device of the present invention is particularly advantageous as it provides an improved means to transport bales of hay without requiring significant physical exertion on the part of the user. Further, the device can universally attach to any utility vehicle in a manner that does not require complex assembly or effort. In addition, the device lifts, transports, and sets in place bales of hay, feed and other items commonly configured as bales in a convenient and efficient manner. In this manner, the utility vehicle hay fork attachment device overcomes the limitations of existing hay forks known in the art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As noted above, there is a long-felt need in the art for an improved utility vehicle hay fork attachment device that can interface with a four-wheeler or other utility vehicle. Further, there exists a long-felt need for such a device that is also capable of lifting, transporting and placing bales of hay, feed, alfalfa and other items commonly configured as bales. In addition, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a hay bale transportation device capable of transporting bales conveniently and efficiently.

The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is comprised of a utility vehicle hay fork attachment device that attaches to a utility vehicle and allows bales of hay, feed, alfalfa and other similar items to be transported without putting significant physical strain on a user's body. The device is primarily comprised of a frame assembly further comprised of at least one horizontal frame member with at least one tine, a mounting plate and a pair of mounting arms. In differing embodiments, the device may have the general appearance of a garden fork and preferably is comprised of multiple tines capable of penetrating bales of hay. The device may also be made of a plurality of strong and durable materials, but is preferably made of a metal commonly used in large machinery. In addition, any surface of the device may be comprised of a plurality of indicia, such as patterns, logos, emblems, images, symbols, designs, letters, words, characters, animals, advertisements, brands, etc.

Further, the device may attach to a four-wheeler, utility vehicle, or other wheeled vehicle known in the art. At least one mounting arm extends from the frame assembly to the underside of an ATV. The mounting arm may be fixedly or removably-attached to the ATV. The other side of the mounting arm attaches to at least one mounting plate of the frame assembly. The mounting plate connects the mounting arm to at least one horizontal frame member from which the at least one tine extends. The tines extend outward, away from the ATV, such that they can penetrate a hay bale. In addition, a mounting ring is fixedly-attached to the horizontal frame member which then connects to a hook from a winch assembly of an ATV, to provide additional support and stability, to keep the device in a position parallel to the ground surface.

In one potential embodiment of the device, the mounting plate attaches to the horizontal frame member via at least one hinge, such that the device may tilt up or down to better transport the bales of hay. In this embodiment, the winch assembly may tighten and thus pull on the mounting ring to raise the hay bale or loosen and thus relieve tension in the winch assembly to lower the hay bale. In another potential embodiment, the mounting plate may be mounted to a track with an internal pulley system, such that the frame assembly may be raised vertically when the tines are penetrating the hay bale to better transport the hay bale. In this embodiment, a winch assembly or motor may be used to move the frame assembly up or down along the track.

Accordingly, the utility vehicle hay fork attachment device of the present invention is particularly advantageous as it provides an improved means to transport bales of hay. Further, the device lifts, transports and sets in place bales of hay, feed, alfalfa and other items commonly configured as bales. In addition, the device can universally attach to any utility vehicle, such that bales may be moved in a convenient and efficient manner. Therefore, the device overcomes the limitations of manually moving bales of hay.

Referring initially to the drawings,FIG. 1illustrates a front view of one embodiment of the utility vehicle hay fork attachment device100of the present invention while attached to an ATV10(shown as prior art). The device100is comprised of a frame assembly110further comprised of at least one horizontal frame member120with at least one tine124, and at least one mounting plate130, and a pair of mounting arms140. In differing embodiments, the device100may have the general appearance of a plurality of tined garden tools such as, but not limited to, a rake, a hoe, an aerator, a cultivator, a fork, etc., or any other tined garden tool as is known in the art. Further, the device100may be manufactured of a plurality of strong and durable materials commonly used in large machinery and equipment such as, but not limited to, stainless steel, aluminum, cast iron, iron, copper, brass, carbon alloys, etc., or any other suitable material as is known in the art. Furthermore, any surface of the device100may be comprised of any number of indicia150in the form of patterns, logos, emblems, images, symbols, designs, letters, words, characters, animals, advertisements, brands, etc., or an other suitable indicia as is known in the art.

In the preferred embodiment of the device100shown inFIGS. 1-3, the device100attaches to an ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle)10. However, in differing embodiments, the device100could also be attached to any other suitable vehicle as is known in the art, such as an automobile, a golf cart, a UTV, a side-by-side, a tractor, or any other suitable wheeled-vehicle known in the art. A pair of mounting arms140are further fixedly (i.e., welded) or removably attached (via at least one suitable fastener) to the underside of the ATV10. The mounting arms140connect to at least one horizontal frame member120of a frame assembly110via at least one mounting plate130. Further, at least one tine124extends outwards from the horizontal frame member120, such that the tine124can penetrate a body of a hay bale16(shown inFIG. 3). In differing embodiments, multiple horizontal frame members120may be attached to the frame assembly110at different heights to grab multiple hay bales16stacked on top of one another. In addition, at least one mounting ring122is fixedly-attached to the horizontal frame member120, such that the frame member120can attach to a hook14of a winch assembly12(shown inFIG. 2) on the ATV10and provide additional support (i.e., tensions) to keep the device100in a position parallel with a ground surface.

As best seen inFIG. 2, increasing tension in the winch assembly12pulls the hook14on the mounting ring122of the horizontal frame member120, thus causing the frame assembly110to angle slightly upwards. Increasing tension in the winch assembly12is most effective when transporting a hay bale16, such that any bumps in the terrain do not detach the hay bale16from the tines124of the device100. Further, decreasing tension in the winch assembly12may tilt the frame assembly110downwards, which is most effective when penetrating or placing a hay bale16.

FIG. 3illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of the utility vehicle hay fork attachment device100of the present invention while being used to transport a hay bale16in accordance with the disclosed architecture. As noted, the tines124penetrate the hay bale16, such that the hay bale16is attached to the ATV10and can easily be transported to a desired location. In one potential embodiment of the device100, the mounting plate130is attached to the horizontal frame member120with at least one hinge132. The at least one hinge132may be any suitable hinge type known in the art such as, but not limited to, an offset blind hinge, a knuckle hinge, a butt hinge, a rising butt hinge, a gravity pivot hinge, a ball bearing hinge, a barrel hinge, a concealed hinge, a knife hinge, a piano hinge, a strap hinge, a pivot hinge, a gas-piston hinge, an injection molded hinge, a locking hinge, etc. In an embodiment with at least one hinge132, the hinge132may allow the frame assembly110to tilt up or down by increasing or decreasing tension on the winch assembly12(i.e., extending or retracting the assembly12from the ATV10).

In another embodiment of the device100, a vertical track134(shown inFIG. 1) may be attached to the mounting plate130, wherein the track134has an internal pulley system136that is powered by the winch assembly12(wherein the hook14of the winch assembly12attaches to the pulley system136) or by a gas or electric motor160that can be activated by at least one button170(shown inFIG. 3) positioned at a location on the ATV10. The horizontal frame member120is further fixedly or removably-attached to the track134. In this manner, after the tines124penetrate a hay bale16the winch assembly12may be tightened, thus moving the pulley system136and causing the frame member120to move upwards along the vertical track134to lift an attached hay bale16. Further, decreasing tension in the winch assembly12may lower the member120along the vertical track134to penetrate or set a hay bale16in place. In this manner, the track134allows the frame member120(and any hay bale16attached to the tines124) to move upwards/downwards in elevation, similar in operation to the forks of a conventional forklift.

Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “utility vehicle hay fork attachment device” and “device” are interchangeable and refer to the utility vehicle hay fork attachment device100of the present invention.

Notwithstanding the forgoing, the utility vehicle hay fork attachment device100of the present invention and its various components can be of any suitable size and configuration as are known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that they accomplish the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration and material of the utility vehicle hay fork attachment device100as shown inFIGS. 1-3is for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the utility vehicle hay fork attachment device100are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the utility vehicle hay fork attachment device100are important design parameters for user convenience, the utility vehicle hay fork attachment device100may be of any size, shape and/or configuration that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.