Patent ID: 8016334

Claim:
A bale lifting device for attachment to a farm implement having an articulated arm configured for moving in an arc, said bale lifting device for the handling of bales of fibrous material, said bale lifting device comprising: a frame configured for pivotable attachment to said farm implement arm via a farm implement attachment portion, said frame comprising a first rail having a center, a first end and a second end, a second rail having a center, a first end and a second end, a first end plate attaching to said first ends, and a second end plate attaching to said second ends; a first carriage configured for slideable attachment on said first and said second rails, said first carriage having a first fork extending there-from generally perpendicular to said first and second rails, said first fork having a fork vertical height, said fork vertical height fixed generally perpendicular to said first and second rails, wherein said first fork comprises at least one generally perpendicular flange extending towards a second fork; a second carriage configured for slideable attachment on said first and second rails, said second carriage having said second fork extending there-from generally perpendicular to said first and second rails, said second fork having a fork vertical height, said second fork vertical height fixed generally perpendicular to said first and second rails, wherein said second fork comprises at least one generally perpendicular flange extending towards said first fork; a first hydraulic cylinder configured for moving said first carriage from a first position near said first and second rail first ends to a third position near said first and second rail centers; a second hydraulic cylinder configured for moving said second carriage from a second position near said first and second rail second ends to a fourth position near said first and second rail centers; and a hydraulic control system for controlling the operation of said first and second hydraulic cylinders, said hydraulic control system configured for simultaneously moving the first and second carriages from their first and second respective positions to their third and fourth respective positions and vice versa; wherein said farm implement attachment portion is pivotally connected to said farm implement arm so that as farm implement lifts said bale lifting device, said bale lifting device can be tilted relative to said farm implement arm so that said forks can be returned to a generally horizontal position.