Self-aligning hay bale unroller

A farm tractor three-point hitch attachment for handling round hay bales, comprising:

• a support structure including first, second and third coupling features positioned in a triangular formation to attach to a three-point hitch of a farm tractor;
• a first arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said first arm is pivotably connected to said support structure proximate a first end of said support structure;
• a second arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said second arm is pivotably connected to said support structure proximate said first end of said support structure, and wherein the pivotable connection between said first end of said second arm and said support structure is spaced from the pivotable connection between said first end of said first arm and said support structure;
• a spacing link pivotably connected to said first arm proximate said second end of said first arm, said spacing link also being pivotably connected to said second arm proximate said second end of said second arm, wherein the pivotable connection between said second end of said second arm and said spacing link is spaced from the pivotable connection between said second end of said first arm and said spacing link;
• and
• a hay bale spear attached to said spacing link, wherein said support structure includes a box beam, and said first end of said first arm includes an upper plate welded thereto and a lower plate welded thereto, said upper plate being pivotably attached to a top of said box beam by a first shaft and said lower plate being pivotably attached a bottom of said box beam by said first shaft.

A farm tractor three-point hitch attachment for handling round hay bales, comprising:

• a support structure including first, second and third coupling features positioned in a triangular formation to attach to a three-point hitch of a farm tractor;
• a first arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said first arm is pivotably connected to said support structure proximate a first end of said support structure;
• a second arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said second arm is pivotably connected to said support structure proximate said first end of said support structure, and wherein the pivotable connection between said first end of said second arm and said support structure is spaced from the pivotable connection between said first end of said first arm and said support structure;
• a spacing link pivotably connected to said first arm proximate said second end of said first arm, said spacing link also being pivotably connected to said second arm proximate said second end of said second arm, wherein the pivotable connection between said second end of said second arm and said spacing link is spaced from the pivotable connection between said second end of said first arm and said spacing link;
• and
• a hay bale spear attached to said spacing link, wherein said spacing link includes a first through hole formed proximate a first end thereof, and said second end of said second arm is pivotably coupled to said first through hole of said spacing link via a third threaded bolt, wherein a second end of said spacing link includes a flat planar area and a first threaded shaft extending perpendicularly away from said flat planar area, wherein said second end of said first arm has a first support plate attached thereto, and wherein said first support plate has a first through hole passing therethrough such that said first threaded shaft of said flat planar area passes through said first though hole of said first support plate, whereby said first support plate supports said flat planar area of said spacing link for rotation about said first threaded shaft.

A farm tractor three-point hitch attachment for handling round hay bales, comprising:

• a support structure including first, second and third coupling features positioned in a triangular formation to attach to a three-point hitch of a farm tractor;
• a first arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said first arm is pivotably connected to said support structure proximate a first end of said support structure;
• a second arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said second arm is pivotably connected to said support structure proximate said first end of said support structure, and wherein the pivotable connection between said first end of said second arm and said support structure is spaced from the pivotable connection between said first end of said first arm and said support structure;
• a first spacing link pivotably connected to said first arm proximate said second end of said first arm, said first spacing link also being pivotably connected to said second arm proximate said second end of said second arm, wherein the pivotable connection between said second end of said second arm and said first spacing link is spaced from the pivotable connection between said second end of said first arm and said first spacing link;
• a first hay bale spear attached to said first spacing link;
• a third arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said third arm is pivotably connected to said support structure proximate a second end of said support structure;
• a fourth arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said fourth arm is pivotably connected to said support structure proximate said second end of said support structure, and wherein the pivotable connection between said first end of said fourth arm and said support structure is spaced from the pivotable connection between said first end of said third arm and said support structure;
• a second spacing link pivotably connected to said third arm proximate said second end of said third arm, said second spacing link also being pivotably connected to said fourth arm proximate said second end of said fourth arm, wherein the pivotable connection between said second end of said fourth arm and said second spacing link is spaced from the pivotable connection between said second end of said third arm and said second spacing link;
• a second hay bale spear attached to said second spacing link;
• a first range limiter which limits a pivot angle between said first arm and said support structure between a minimum angle and a maximum angle;
• and
• a second limiter which limits a pivot angle between said third arm and said support structure between a minimum angle and a maximum angle, wherein when said first and third arms are at their respective minimum angles said first and second hay bale spears are coaxially oriented relative to each other, and wherein when said first and third arms are at their respective maximum angles said first and second hay bale spears are coaxially oriented relative to each other.