Abstract:
A bale wagon is disclosed having rolling rack tines that pivot, by only a few degrees, so as to reduce the angle between said rolling rack tines and the bale wagons loading bed surface at several preset positions, allows improved control over the lean angle of the unloaded bales.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED FILING  
   Related application U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/853,626, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,835, was filed on May 24, 2004, describing an improved bale wagon. 
   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates to bale wagons, and more particularly to the improved design of rolling rack tines for the wagons. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART 
   In the past, considerable effort has been devoted to the development of bale wagons. Note for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 418,091; 2,848,127; 3,065,866; 3,430,783; 3,436,903; 3,620,384; 3,662,900; 3,974,926; 4,095,701; 4,119,218; 5,501,562; 5,547,334; and 6,247,885. However, little attention has been devoted to improving the characteristics of the unloaded stacks of bales themselves. Consequently, the stackability of baled crops, depends less upon the nature of the baling machinery than upon the inherent nature of the baled crop, i.e. its weight, shape, density, moisture content, etc. For example, tightly gathered, highly dense bales will stack more uniformly than loosely gathered softer bales. Also, even the tightly gathered bales have irregularities which cause inconsistent spacing between individual bales, and in turn leads to individual bales toppling from the stack. Variations in baler settings, feeding speeds, and other factors involving baler mechanisms also limit the height at which the bales can be stacked without falling over. Even the topography of the ground on which the bales are stacked can be detrimental to stackability. 
   Presently, more uniform, higher stacks and less spillage from toppling is desired. An advancement that would save money and time by enhancing the tidiness of the stacked bales, regardless of the type of crop or topography, but without modifying baler settings, would be welcomed and would satisfy a longfelt need in the industry. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore a principal aspect of the present invention to provide an improved bale wagon which allows unloading higher stacks of bales with less spillage from toppling. 
   It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a new and improved method for stacking bales of crop, when unloading bale wagons. 
   Generally, bale wagons consist of a first table to pick-up bales, and a second table for transferring the bales onto yet another table, called a load-carrying bed, which is also known as the “load rack”, or “load bed”, or “load table.” Tiers of bales, typically 3 bales wide, can be formed on the transfer table (which is forward of the load-carrying bed) and then the tiers can be successively loaded, as high as 7 to 9 bales high, onto the load-carrying bed. As each tier is loaded, the previously loaded tiers move rearwardly one bale width to provide space for the new tier. A “movable” (as by rolling or sliding action) rack of tines, on the load-carrying bed, having a plurality of vertically extending tines or fingers which are fixed at their lower ends to a crossbar, extends transversely across the load-carrying bed and supports the rear end of the load. As the load accumulates and moves rearwardly, the movement is biased against the force of a spring or hydraulic cylinder, or other mechanism. The tines move toward an inoperable position, at the rear end of the wagon, such as against a cam associated with the transfer table. When unloading, the load-carrying bed is tilted backwards 90° the wagon pulls away, and the load of bales slides onto the ground. At the point of resting in the 90° tilt, and as the wagon pulls away, the entire weight of the tiers of bales falls onto the rolling rack tines (and onto additional reinforcements at the wagons rear-end, such as special “nonmovable” tines). After the bales are unloaded from the load-carrying bed, the tine rack retracts to its forward most position. 
   Previously, it was thought that the junction point, at which the rollable crossbar of the rolling rack intersects the bottom ends of the tine fingers, should be integrally fixed or casted together as by welding or otherwise. Thus, structural support is assured, against the entire weight and force of the bales, both when moving rearwardly and when tilting toward the 90° unloading position. It is of note that the angle, defined at that junction point between the tine fingers and the crossbar, will directly correlate to the angle at which the stacks of bales are unloaded, and the angle at which the stacks are unloaded will dictate the angle of lean, of the unloaded stacks. 
   We have surprisingly discovered that a bale wagon, having rolling rack tines that pivot along the crossbar rather than being integrally fixed or casted to the crossbar, can be secure enough and strong enough to accommodate the maximum weight and force of the load, thereby allowing one to selectably stabilize various angles at which unloaded stacks of bales can lean. 
   In the present invention, the individual tines are pivotally connected to the crossbar so as to allow a stable point at an approximately 90° tine angle relative to the top surface of the load-carrying bed, and may be adjusted to rest at any of several positions, which positions reduce the tine angle by increments of about 1.5° to about 2°. This provides an effective variation of the lean angle to substantially improve the stacking of unloaded bales, without loss of structural support in the rolling rack as the load accumulates and the load-carrying bed tilts backward. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the rear of the bale wagon of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a partial left side elevational view at the rear of the bale wagon load-carrying bed of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a left side elevational view of the load-carrying bed of a fully loaded bale wagon tilted back at 90° for unloading. 
       FIG. 4  is a left side elevational view of a rolling rack tine displaced from a bracket on the crossbar of the rolling rack. 
       FIG. 5  is a rear elevational view of the junction point where the bottom portion of a rolling rack tine engages the crossbar of the rolling rack. 
       FIG. 6  is a left side view of a fully extended load-carrying bed prepared for unloading. 
       FIG. 7  is a load of stacked bales after having been unloaded from  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 8  is a side view of an unloaded stack of bales from a bale wagon having its tines set at position A. 
       FIG. 9  is a side view of several loads of fully stacked bales having been stored end-to-end to form a windrow. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The bale wagons of the present invention are equipped with pivotally adjustable tines. The adjustability may be achieved by either electronic circuitry, hydraulic mechanism, or mechanically or other equivalent systems, but preferably for cost effectiveness and simplicity, the pivotal adjustment of the tines is effected by using brackets, braces, pins, hinges and/or other pivotally adjustable elements. The present invention shall be described in terms of one such preferred embodiment. 
   Referring to the accompanying drawings, particularly  FIG. 1 , the new and improved bale wagons partial rear end is generally designated  10 . The bale wagon  10  has a load-carrying bed (load bed)  12  as its floor which rest on chassis  40 . Disposed transversely across the surface of the load bed  12  is a crossbar  18 , and vertically extending therefrom are tine fingers  14 . The crossbar  18  and tines  14  are collectively referred to as a rolling rack. Stacked on the load bed  12 , of the bale wagon  10  is a back tier  20 ( a ) of bales of hay composed of layers which may be identified from bottom to top as  13 ( a ),  13 ( b ),  13 ( c ),  13 ( d ), and  13 ( e ). Nonmovable tines  16  extend vertically from the rear end of the load bed  12 , and serve as a rear-end abutment for additional reinforcement against accumulating bales. 
   A partial view of the back tier of bales  20 ( a ) is shown in  FIG. 2 , where only layers  13 ( a ),  13 ( b ), and  13 ( c ) are shown. Just forward of tier  20 ( a ), but adjacent thereto, is a partial view of tier  20 ( b ). Bale wagon  10  may accommodate as many as 9 or 10 tiers from front to back. It is most common to stack bales more than 3 rows tall on a bale wagon, as for example in  FIG. 1  where the bales are stacked 5 rows high, but they can also be stacked higher as for example, 7 or 9 bales high, and even higher if desired. However, for purposes of illustration and without intent to limit the invention,  FIGS. 2 through 9  merely show partial stacks, three rows high, i.e.,  13 ( a ),  13 ( b ), and  13 ( c ), and only a limited number of tiers. 
   Referring again specifically to  FIG. 2 , the load bed  12  is shown pivotally mounted to chassis  40 , at pivot  36  and hydraulic cylinder  38 , which enables the load bed  12  to tilt backwards when actuated by hydraulic cylinder  38 . 
     FIG. 3  illustrates the load bed  12 , fully titled to 90°, after having pivoted along pivot  36  from the action of hydraulic cylinder  38  being fully extended from chassis  40 . The load bed  12  finds itself completely vertical, i.e. 90°, tilted and resting on fixed, nonmovable tines  16 , and the ground or support surface  34 . As seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , fixed, nonmovable tines  16  extend upwardly from the rear end of load bed  12 , and together with movable tines  14  serve to support the full weight of the load of bales when load bed  12  is in the vertical unloading position. However, adjustable tines  14  will dictate the angle at which the bales are unloaded from the bale wagon, and also the angle of lean  44 , of the bales of hay, as the bale wagon  10  pulls away from the load. Note particularly,  FIG. 6  shows a stack of bales in load bed  12  when fully tilted, prior to unloading.  FIGS. 7 and 8  show unloaded stacks at two different angles. 
     FIGS. 4 and 5  show the preferred embodiments for enabling the adjustment of adjustable tine  14 . Adjustable tine  14  may be seen to have back surface  40  which faces the stack support surface or ground  34  when the load bed  12  is in the 90°, tilted, unloading position. Adjustable tine  14  also has, opposite to surface  40 , a surface  42 , which surface  42  contacts the bale tier  20 ( a ). Bracket  45  is fixed on the crossbar  18  to receive adjustable tine  14  in a substantially vertical position, and is fixed to the sliding or rolling element  50 , which is movingly engaged within the load bed  12 , so as to allow front-to-rear biased movement of load bed  12 , as the bales of hay accumulate. A series of openings  26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32  ( FIG. 4 ) are aligned in substantial vertical fashion at the base of tine  14  and extend from edge  46  ( FIG. 5 ) through the tine  14  to edge  47  ( FIG. 5 ). These openings are spaced to cooperate with openings  26 ( a ),  28 ( a ),  30 ( a ), and holes  32 ( a ) in bracket  45 . A lean angle adjustment bolt  24  is used to secure the adjustable tine  14  along tilt angle  22 , which tilt angle correlates to lean angle  44 . For example, when lean angle adjustment bolt  24  is secured in holes  26 ( a ) and  26 , the first lean angle A of preferably 89.5° may be effectuated. Optionally, bolt  24  may be secured through holes  28  and  28 ( a ), which can provide a second alternative lean angle B, for unloading bales at a different tilt angle  22 , of preferably 87.5°. Similarly, holes  30  and  30 ( a ) may receive bolt  24  so as to provide yet another lean angle C, at tilt angle  22 , of preferably 86°, while holes  32  and  32 ( a ) can provide a distinct lean angle D, at tilt angle  22 , of preferably 84.5°. Note  FIG. 6  shows load bed  12  and adjustable tine  14  disposed at lean angle a tilt angle  22  of 84.5° which provides the maximum reduction from vertical of general lean angles  44  for unloading bales.  FIG. 7  illustrates stacks at greater lean than  FIG. 8  which provides the most upright lean A, of the general lean  44 , which inures from the tilt angle  22  of 89.5°. 
     FIG. 9  shows the advantage of unloading stacks of bales end-to-end forming a windrow when all are leaning to the right except for the last stack at the right which is provided with an opposite lean so as to support the other stacks and to reinforce the stacks against falling over. 
   It will be understood that changes in the details, materials, steps, and arrangements of parts which have been described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention will occur to and may be made by those skilled in the art upon a reading of this disclosure within the principles and scope of the invention. The foregoing description illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention; however, concepts, as based upon the description, may be employed in other embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are intended to protect the invention broadly as well as in the specific form shown.