Bale wagon

A wheel supported bale wagon for loading and transporting bales of a size generally incapable of being handled and maneuvered by a single person, said bales having a pair of end surfaces defining the transverse dimension of such bale and at least one side surface extending between the end surfaces and defining the length of such bale, said wagon comprising:

• a generally elongated frame having a bale supporting portion;
• loading means pivotally connected at the forward end of said elongated frame about a generally horizontal axis for loading the bale onto said bale supporting portion at the forward end of said elongated frame;
• means for pivoting said loading means between a lower position and an upper position;
• conveying means for conveying the bale from said one end of the elongated frame to a selected position along said elongated frame;
• and
• a tongue section having hitch means for connection to a draft vehicle, said tongue section being movable between a trailing position in which the wagon trails approximately directly behind the draft vehicle and an operative position in which the wagon trails the draft vehicle generally to one side thereof;
• a support means movable between a raised position and an operative position in which said support means functions to support the wagon and operatively connected with said elongated frame near its forward end and on the side of said frame opposite said tongue section for supporting said wagon when said tongue section is in its operative position;
• and
• means operatively connected between said tongue section and said support means for moving said support means between said raised and operative position in response to movement of said tongue section between a trailing and operative position, respectively.