Abstract:
A feed support for use with a bale ring, a system for feeding animals, and systems and methods for moving bale rings are disclosed. The feed support has a generally vertical support member, an attachment plate, and a plurality of telescoping arm assemblies that are mounted on the attachment plate for rotation. As mounted, the telescoping arm assemblies can rotate between an operational position in which they are generally horizontal and radiate outwardly from the attachment plate and a stored position, in which they extend perpendicular to the attachment plate. The arm assemblies have primary sections and secondary sections that are mounted within the primary sections for sliding, telescoping movement. Ends of the secondary arm sections may carry engaging structure for attaching to the bale ring. The feed support may allow the bale ring to be picked up and moved with a tractor or other equipment.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/286,121, filed Dec. 14, 2009. The contents of that application are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     In general, the invention relates to structures for feeding livestock and other animals, and more particularly to a feed support for use inside a bale ring. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Bale rings are cylindrical structures that are used to contain animal feed, such as hay, to prevent the feed from being trampled or soiled, and to control the manner in which the feed is accessed by the animals. FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,951,189, which is incorporated by reference, illustrates a typical bale ring, or hay feeder, as it is sometimes called. The bale ring has a generally cylindrical shape, open at the top and bottom, and encloses a space into which a bale of hay may be placed. The upper portion of the bale ring has a series of slanted, vertically-extending slats around the entirety of its perimeter. Animals such as cattle can place their heads between the slats to feed, but are otherwise prevented from getting to the feed by the bale ring, and thus cannot trample or soil the feed. 
     Bale rings are typically made of metal, for example, aluminum or steel. Some bale rings come in several sections, which must be assembled prior to use. Because they act as a barrier for large, heavy animals, bale rings are often damaged or dented while in use, and are often significantly deformed by the animals seeking to feed on the hay. Oftentimes, a mildly or moderately deformed bale ring will remain in service. 
     While a typical bale ring protects the perimeter of a hay bale and prevents livestock from trampling it while feeding, it generally provides no barrier between the hay bale and the ground. Thus, ground moisture may seep into any hay stored within the bale ring and may thus spoil the hay. 
     The problem of hay spoilage due to ground moisture is an old one, and a number of solutions for it appear in the patent literature. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 816,595 to Peete, issued in 1906, discloses a “shock support” for supporting a shock of hay above ground level for curing purposes. However, the Peete shock support also exemplifies several of the difficulties with conventional solutions: it is not designed to work with a bale ring; it is large, cumbersome, and may be difficult to break down for shipping; and it would not be able to be used with a dented or otherwise deformed bale ring. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One aspect of the invention relates to a feed support for use with a bale ring. The feed support has an elongate, generally straight support member, an attachment plate, and a plurality of telescoping arm assemblies that are mounted on the attachment plate for rotation. As mounted, the telescoping arm assemblies can rotate between an operational position in which they are generally horizontal and radiate outwardly from the attachment plate and a stored position, in which they extend perpendicular to the attachment plate. The arm assemblies have primary sections and secondary sections that are mounted relative to the primary sections for sliding, telescoping movement. The arm sections may be comprised of square or rectangular tubing, and ends of the secondary arm sections may carry engaging structure for attaching to the bale ring. 
     As installed, the feed support supports feed within the bale ring above ground level. Because of the telescoping arm assemblies, the feed support may be used with bale rings of different sizes, and may also be used with bale rings that are dented or deformed. 
     Another aspect of the invention relates to a feed support and bale ring mover. The feed support has an elongate, generally straight support member, an attachment plate, and a plurality of telescoping arm assemblies that are mounted on the attachment plate for rotation. The support member may be open at both ends and have an open, axial channel therethrough, and the attachment plate may include a corresponding opening. As mounted, the telescoping arm assemblies can rotate between an operational position in which they are generally horizontal and radiate outwardly from the attachment plate and a stored position, in which they extend perpendicular to the attachment plate. The arm assemblies have primary sections and secondary sections that are mounted relative to the primary sections for sliding, telescoping movement. The arm sections may be comprised of square, rectangular, or round tubing, and ends of the secondary arm sections may carry engaging structure for attaching to the bale ring. 
     Other aspects of the invention pertain to methods of using the feed support and bale ring mover to move bales of animal feed. These methods generally involve using an assembly that includes a feed support and bale ring mover as installed in a bale ring. A spear mounted on a tractor can be inserted through the support member and attachment plate to move the assembled support and bale ring mover. Such assemblies can be used when oriented either horizontally or vertically. 
     Other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       The invention will be described with respect to the following drawing figures, in which like numerals represent like features throughout the drawings, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a feed support according to one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the feed support of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the feed support of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the feed support taken through Line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the feed support of  FIG. 1  with its support arms folded for storage and transport; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the feed support of  FIG. 1  as installed in a bale ring; 
         FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the feed support of  FIG. 1  in use with a bale ring that has been deformed such that it is no longer round; 
         FIG. 8  is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the feed support being used as a bale ring mover within a bale ring; and 
         FIG. 9  is a top plan view of another embodiment of the feed support in which arm assemblies are secured to the side edge of the attachment plate. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a feed support, generally indicated at  10 , according to one embodiment of the invention, and  FIGS. 2 and 3  are top plan and side elevational views, respectively, of the feed support  10 . The feed support  10  includes a generally vertical support member  12 , mounted at the top center of which is an attachment plate  14 . 
     The support member  12  of the illustrated embodiment is a cylindrical member that may, for example, be comprised of a section of heavy metal pipe, although the support member may have any outer or cross-sectional shape in other embodiments of the invention. In a typical installation, the lower end  16  of the support member  12  would be driven into the ground or permanently fixed to a stable, immobile base structure so as to provide support and stability for the feed support  12 . If hollow, the interior of the support member  12  may be configured to accept an adapter to allow it to be attached to a base. The support member  12  may have, for example, a length of about 1 foot. 
     The attachment plate  14  is generally circular, although it may have essentially any shape, and may be comprised of, for example, an aluminum or steel plate. As shown, the plate  14  is fixedly attached to the upper end of the support member  12 . In one embodiment, the attachment plate  14  may have a diameter of about 1.5 feet. As will be described below in more detail, in some embodiments, particularly if the support member  12  is hollow, the attachment plate  14  may have a hole at its center, thus providing a continuous, open channel through the support member  12  and attachment plate  14 . 
     Arrayed around the perimeter of the attachment plate  14  are a number of extending arm assemblies  18 . Each of the arm assemblies  18  is attached to the attachment plate  14  such that it can pivot between an extended position depicted in  FIGS. 1-3  and a retracted, stowed position that will be described in more detail below. More particularly, a plurality of U-shaped brackets  20  are fixed to the attachment plate  14 . The upwardly-extending portions of each bracket  20  have a pair of aligned holes, and a bolt  22  passes through both the bracket  20  and the corresponding arm assembly  18 , acting as a generally horizontal axis of rotation and mounting the arm assembly  18  for rotation on the attachment plate  14 . 
     As those of skill in the art will appreciate, positioned as they are on the upper surface of the attachment plate  14 , the brackets  20  provide an angular range of motion of approximately 90° to the extending arm assemblies  18 . In other embodiments, rather than being attached to the upper surface of the attachment plate  14 , the brackets  20  may be welded or otherwise fixed to the circumferential side edge of the attachment plate  14 , which would provide an angular range of motion of 180° or greater for the extending arm assemblies  18 . Fixing the arm assemblies  18  to the side edge of the attachment plate  14  may also allow a reduction in the diameter of the attachment plate  14 , for example, from about 18 inches to about 16 inches. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, there are twelve arm assemblies  18  mounted on the attachment plate  14 , although there may be more or fewer arm assemblies  18  in other embodiments. As will be described below in more detail, each of the arm assemblies  18  is a telescoping structure that can take essentially any length within a defined range. In the illustrated embodiment, the fully extended length of an arm assembly  18  may be slightly less than four feet, although any lengths, and particularly any lengths that work with a bale ring, may be used. The minimum length of an arm assembly  18  in the illustrated embodiment may be slightly more than two feet. 
     The arm assemblies  18  telescope, and each may be adjusted to its own arbitrary length, irrespective of the lengths of the other arm assemblies  18 .  FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the feed support  10  taken through Line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 , illustrating, among other features, the internal arrangement of two of the arm assemblies  18 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , each arm assembly  18  includes a primary arm section  24  and a secondary arm section  26 . Both the primary and secondary arm sections  24 ,  26  are comprised of square tubing, and the two sections  24 ,  26  are dimensioned such that the secondary arm sections  26  fit and slide within the primary arm sections  24 , giving the arm assemblies  18  as a whole the ability to telescope. While the secondary arm sections  26  can slide, the primary arm sections  24 , for their part, are mounted for rotation on the attachment plate  14  by the brackets  20  and bolts  22 , as was described above. Although the arm assemblies  24 ,  26  are comprised of square tubing, those components may be comprised of round tubing, rectangular tubing, or tubing of other shapes in other embodiments. 
     Additionally, although the secondary arm sections  26  rest within the primary arm sections  24  in the illustrated embodiment, that need not be the case in all embodiments. Instead, the primary arm sections  24  may rest within the secondary arm sections  26 . In other words, it is not critical which of the two arm sections  24 ,  26  is male and which is female. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the feed support  10  with its arm assemblies  18  in a folded, stored configuration. In the folded, stored configuration illustrated in  FIG. 5 , each of the arm assemblies is folded upward 90° with respect to the position illustrated in  FIG. 4 , such that the arm assemblies  18  extend perpendicular to the attachment plate  14 . Additionally, the secondary arm sections  26  are fully retracted within the primary arm sections  24 . 
     The folded, stored configuration of the feed support  10  allows the feed support to be easily shipped and easily handled prior to installation and use. It also allows the feed support  10  to be easily removed from one bale ring, if necessary, and placed in another. In some embodiments, the feed support  10  may include structure to retain the arm assemblies  18  in the folded, stored configuration or the extended configuration shown in  FIG. 4 . For example, the arm assemblies  18  may include additional sets of holes through which pins can be inserted to retain the primary and secondary arm sections  24 ,  26  in the extended and retracted positions. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a feed support  10  as installed within a bale ring  50 . The feed support  10  is situated within the bale ring  50  such that its support member  12  is at approximately the center of the bale ring  50 . The height of the support member  12  gives the attachment plate  14  and arm assemblies  18  a height off the ground of approximately 6-12 inches when the feed support  10  is installed. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the arm assemblies  18  are extended such that the ends  28  of the secondary arms  26  are connected to upright members  52  of the bale ring  50 . Because of the telescoping nature of the arm assemblies  18 , the feed support  10  may be used with bale rings  50  having a variety of different diameters. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the upright members  52  of the bale ring  50  carry engaging structure to engage the ends  28  of the secondary arm section  26 . In the illustrated embodiment, the engaging structure comprises a U-shaped engaging bracket  54  mounted on each upright member  52 . A bolt  56  passes through aligned holes in the brackets and in the secondary arm sections to secure the arm assemblies  18  to the bale ring  50 . 
     The attachment of the arm assemblies  18  to the bale ring  50  distributes the load of any feed, such as a bale of hay, that may be supported by the arm assemblies  18 , and may help to prevent the arm assemblies  18  from bending under what would otherwise be a cantilevered load. However, it should be understood that in some embodiments, attachment of the arm assemblies  18  to the bale ring  50  may be optional. Whether the arm assemblies  18  are attached to the bale ring  50  or not will generally depend on the weight of feed that is to be supported by the arm assemblies  18 , the mechanical properties and load carrying capacity of the arm assemblies  18 , the structural integrity and load carrying capacity of the bale ring  50 , and other conventional factors. 
     Moreover, when the arm assemblies  18  are attached to the bale ring  50 , that attachment may be made in any way; the engaging structures  54 ,  56  illustrated in  FIG. 6  are but one example. In some embodiments, for example, the secondary arm sections  26  may have forked ends similar to the brackets  54 , such that the arm assemblies  18  may be attached to the bale ring  50  simply by drilling appropriately located holes in the upright members  52  and inserting a bolt or pin through the aligned forked ends and the corresponding upright members. More generally, when cooperating engaging structures are used to attach the arm assemblies  18  to the bale ring  50 , either piece  18 ,  50  may carry the male engaging structure and either piece  18 ,  50  may carry the female engaging structure. Which piece  18 ,  50  carries which structure may depend, in part, on whether it is possible or convenient to modify the bale ring  50 ; if it is not possible or convenient to modify the bale ring  50  to any great extent, then the more complex engaging structure may be carried by, or form a part of, the ends  28  of the secondary arm structures  26 . 
     Of course, where attachment of the arm assemblies  18  and the bale ring  50  is desired, that attachment may be by any means known in the art; the structures illustrated in  FIG. 6  and described above are but a few examples. In other embodiments, the arm assemblies  18  may be attached to the bale ring  50  by clamping, welding, or any other means. Additionally, the feed support  10  and its arm assemblies  18  may be attached to any part of the bale ring  50 ; for example, the arm assemblies may be attached to one of the circumferential rings of the bale ring  50 , instead of the upright members  52 . 
     Once installed as shown in  FIG. 6 , structures may be laid over the extended arm assemblies  18  so as to provide a more contiguous support surface for feed. For example, sheet metal, plastic panels, or chain mesh may be laid over the installed feed support  10  and its arm assemblies  18  to ensure that feed can be supported between the arm assemblies  18 . Any material laid over the arm assemblies  18  may be secured to the arm assemblies, to the attachment plate, or to both structures by clamping, bolting, tying, or any other conventional technique. 
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view of a feed support  10  installed in a bale ring  100 , illustrating an advantage of the feed support  10 . Specifically, the bale ring  100  is dented out-of-round on one side. However, the feed support  10  can still fit within and be used inside of the bale ring  100 . In order to do so, one simply retracts the secondary arm sections  26  to accommodate the new position of the sidewall of the bale ring  100 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . Thus, the three arm assemblies  18  that extend into the dented portion of the bale ring  100  are simply shorter than the other arm assemblies  18 . 
     In  FIGS. 1-7  the feed support  10  was used in a fixed position within a bale ring. However, in other embodiments of the invention, feed supports may be used as bale ring movers.  FIG. 8  is a side elevational view of a bale ring mover-feed support, generally indicated at  200 , according to another embodiment. As compared with the feed support  10 , the bale ring mover-feed support  200  has a hollow support member  202  and an attachment plate  204  with an opening  206 . The hollow support member  202  and attachment plate  204  with an opening  206  allow a tractor  208  with a hay spear  210  to pick up the bale ring mover-feed support  200 . As shown in the view of  FIG. 8 , the bale ring mover-feed support  200  is mounted within a bale ring  212 , and the tractor  208  has used its spear  210  to pick up the assembly  200 ,  212 . 
     In practice, the assembly  200 ,  212  may be picked up on its side, oriented vertically as in  FIGS. 1-7 , or in any other position that can be accessed by the tractor  208  and its hay spear  210 . Any hay or other animal feed that may be present within the bale ring  212  may also be picked up and moved with the assembly  200 ,  212 . In some embodiments, an entire bale of hay could be positioned within the assembly  200 ,  212  and picked up by the tractor  208  along with the assembly  200 ,  212 , although in most embodiments, operators will pick up only the empty or substantially empty assembly  200 ,  212  as a means of relocating the bale ring  212 . 
       FIG. 9  is a top plan view of another embodiment of a feed support, generally indicated at  300 . In the feed support  300 , a plurality of arm assemblies  302  are attached to the circumferential side edge  304  of the attachment plate  306  by U-brackets  308 , as was described briefly above. Additionally, the attachment plate  306  has a central opening  310 . 
     In the above description, certain dimensions and exemplary materials for the components have been given. The height, width, diameter, thickness, materials, and mechanical properties of the various components may differ from embodiment to embodiment and installation to installation. Generally, the materials of which a component is made and its dimensions will depend on factors such as the weight of the feed that is to be supported, the type of animals that are to feed, the strength, rigidity, and other properties of the bale ring with which the feed support  10  or bale ring mover-feed support  200  is to be used, and any other conventional factors. 
     While the invention has been described with respect to certain embodiments, the description is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting. Modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.