Patent ID: 7481612

Claim:
A vehicle for loading, hauling and stacking large rectangular bales comprising: an elongate fore-and-aft extending truck chassis having a first end, an opposing second end and a longitudinal axis; an elongate load rack with a front end and an opposing rear end, said front end adjacent, but spaced from, said first end of said chassis and extending toward said second end of said chassis, said rear end of said load rack generally adjacent said second end of said chassis, said load rack further having a generally planar bale-supporting surface; a bale manipulation mechanism supported by said chassis generally between said first end of said chassis and said front end of said load rack; said bale manipulation mechanism including: an elongate mast having an inward end and an opposing outward end, said mast pivotably supported by said chassis adjacent said inward end of said mast for rotation limited to rotation about a fixed axis parallel to the longitudinal axis and rotation limited to within a plane generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said chassis; a carrier attached to said mast for selective movement along the length of said mast generally between said inward and outward ends, the carrier further comprising: a faceplate; a pivoting device for selectively pivoting said faceplate between a first position directed generally parallel to said longitudinal axis of said chassis and a second position generally 90 degrees downwardly; a rotation mechanism for selectively rotating said faceplate about an axis generally perpendicular to said faceplate, wherein said rotation mechanism can rotate a bale about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the mast and within a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and a bale grasping device affixed to said faceplate and capable of grasping and holding a bale during manipulation thereof; and a plurality of tines affixed to said rear end of said load rack, whereby said bale grasping device may grasp and pick up a single bale from the ground, lift it, move it toward said pivot location of said mast and selectively rotate the bale, and deposit it on said load rack, thereby building a stack of bales on said load rack.