Patent ID: 8192130

Claim:
Apparatus for loading and feeding square hay bales comprising: a transport vehicle having a sub frame assembly extending in a longitudinal direction and having a forward and aft end relative to the direction of forward travel of the transport vehicle; an elongate support frame connected to the sub frame assembly and extending in the longitudinal direction; the support frame having an upper surface and sized to receive multiple bales on the upper surface positioned in side by side relation; a longitudinally extending endless chain mounted on the upper surface of the support frame for selectively moving bales resting on the support frame longitudinally on the support frame toward the forward end; a square bale flaker means mounted to the sub frame assembly at the forward end thereof; the square bale flaker means including: a bed positioned to transverse the support frame in a lateral direction and aligned with the upper surface of the support frame; a flaking apparatus positioned at an outer end of the bed adjacent a lateral edge of the support frame; and a pusher assembly for pushing a square bale located on the bed toward the flaking apparatus; and a tipping means for selectively tipping a bale from the upper surface of the support frame onto the bed of the square bale flaker means; the tipping means including: a rotatable tipping frame embedded in the support frame and having an upper surface aligned with the upper surface of the support frame; the tipping means having one side of the tipping frame rotatably mounted to an axle mounted to the support frame at a position below the upper surface of the support frame and at a forward end of the support frame immediately before the bed of the square bale flaker means; and a controllable hydraulic cylinder mounted to the tipping frame at a position spaced apart from the axle for selectively rotating the tipping frame about the axle upwardly and forwardly toward the bed of the square bale flaker.