Method and apparatus for use with a group of bales
OwnerKenneth Kuhnsinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved method and apparatus is used with a group of bales. The group of bales is gripped with a bale handling apparatus. A flexible strip is positioned around the group of bales. The group of bales is then moved while the group of bales is gripped by the bale handling apparatus and while the flexible strip extends around the group of bales. The flexible strip is positioned relative to the group of bales by a positioning member which is connected with the bale handling apparatus.
Claims49
A method of handling a plurality of bales, said method comprising the steps of positioning the bales in a group, moving a bale handling apparatus into engagement with the group of bales, moving a flexible strip into engagement with a plurality of sides of the group of bales by moving a positioning member relative to the bale handling apparatus while the positioning member is disposed in engagement with the flexible strip and while the bale handling apparatus is in engagement with the group of bales, and forming a closed loop which extends around the group of bales by interconnecting portions of the flexible strip.
A method of handling a group of bales, said method comprising the steps of positioning a first length of a flexible strip along a first side of a bale handling apparatus while the bale handling apparatus is spaced from the group of bales, moving the bale handling apparatus into engagement with the group of bales, said step of moving the bale handling apparatus into engagement with the group of bales includes positioning the first length of the flexible strip along a first side of the group of bales, positioning a second length of the flexible strip along at least a second side of the group of bales while the bale handling apparatus is disposed is engagement with the group of bales, and forming at least a portion of the flexible strip into a closed loop which extends around the group of bales, said step of forming the flexible strip into a closed loop in a performed while the bale handling apparatus is disposed in engagement with the group of bales and includes interconnecting portions of the flexible strip.
A method of handling a generally rectangular group of bales, said method comprising the steps of providing a bale handling apparatus having a generally rectangular configuration, said bale handling apparatus having a first edge portion which extends between first and second corner portions of the bale handling apparatus and a second edge portion which is parallel to said first edge portion and extends between third and fourth corner portions of the bale handling apparatus, moving a positioning member which engages a flexible strip in a first direction relative to the bale handling apparatus while the bale handling apparatus is spaced from the group of bales, said step of moving the positioning member relative to the bale handling apparatus includes moving the positioning member in the first direction from a position adjacent to the first corner portion of the bale handling apparatus to a position adjacent to the second corner portion of the bale handling apparatus and positioning a first length of the flexible strip to extend along the first edge portion of the bale handling apparatus, thereafter, moving the bale handling apparatus toward the group of bales with the second edge portion of the bale handling apparatus leading and the first edge portion of the bale handling apparatus trailing, positioning the bale handling apparatus on top of the group of bales with the first length of the flexible strip extending along a first side of the group of bales, moving the positioning member in a second direction relative to the bale handling apparatus while the bale handling apparatus is on top of the group of bales and while the positioning member is in engagement with the flexible strip, said step of moving the positioning in the second direction relative to the bale handling apparatus includes moving the positioning member from a position adjacent to the second corner portion of the bale handling apparatus to a position adjacent to the first corner portion of the bale handling apparatus, said step of moving the positioning member from the position adjacent to the second corner portion of the bale handling apparatus to the position adjacent to the first corner portion of the bale handling apparatus includes positioning a second length of the flexible strip along a second side of the group of bales, positioning a third length of the flexible strip along a third side of the group of bales, and positioning a fourth length of the flexible strip along a fourth side of the group of bales, and, thereafter, connecting the fourth length of the flexible strip with the first length of the flexible strip to form a closed loop which extends around the group of bales.
An apparatus for use in handling a group of bales, said apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of hooks which are connected with said frame and are movable into engagement with the group of bales, and a flexible strip positioning apparatus disposed on the frame and operable to position a portion of a flexible strip along at least one side of the group of bales while said hooks are disposed in engagement with the group of bales.
An apparatus for use in handling a group of bales, said apparatus comprising a frame, gripper means connected with said frame for gripping the group of bales, supply means connected with said frame for providing a flexible strip, positioning means connected with said frame for positioning a portion of said flexible strip relative to the group of bales, and connector means connected with said frame for interconnecting end portions of the flexible strip to form a continuous loop which extends around the group of bales.
An apparatus for use in handling a group of bales, said apparatus comprising a frame which is engageable with the group of bales, positioning apparatus disposed on said frame and engaging a flexible strip, said positioning apparatus includes an arm which is connected with and is movable relative to said frame while said frame is in engagement with the group of bales, and a motor which is connected with said arm and with said frame, said motor being operable to move said arm relative to said frame and the group of bales while said frame is in engagement with the group of bales, said positioning apparatus being operable to position the flexible strip in engagement with a plurality of sides of the group of bales during movement of said arm relative to said frame while said frame is in engagement with the group of bales.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.