Method and apparatus for transporting and processing multiple round bales

In a machine for transporting and disintegrating a body of crop material while on the move:

• a mobile bed for carrying the body off the ground during transport;
• a disintegrating unit disposed laterally outboard of the bed with respect to the normal path of travel of the bed;
• and
• apparatus for transferring the body from the bed and into said unit for disintegration by the latter,
• said unit having an outlet for discharging the disintegrated crop material in a stream laterally outboard of the bed,
• said apparatus including a lift swingable about a fore-and-aft extending axis between a lowered position for receiving the body to be disintegrated and a raised position for transferring the body into said unit.

In a machine for transporting and disintegrating a body of crop material while on the move:

• a mobile bed for carrying the body off the ground during transport;
• a disintegrating unit disposed laterally outboard of the bed with respect to the normal path of travel of the bed;
• and
• apparatus for transferring the body from the bed and into said unit for disintegration by the latter,
• said unit having an outlet for discharging the disintegrated crop material in a stream laterally outboard of the bed,
• said apparatus including a ramp swingable between a lowered position for receiving the body on the bed and a cocked position for urging the body toward the unit, said apparatus further including an overhead, swingable feeder for sweeping the body off the cocked ramp and into the unit.

In a machine for transporting and disintegrating a body of crop material while on the move:

• a mobile bed for carrying the body off the ground during transport;
• a disintegrating unit disposed laterally outboard of the bed with respect to the normal path of travel of the bed;
• and
• apparatus for transferring the body from the bed and into said unit for disintegration by the latter,
• said unit having an outlet for discharging the disintegrated crop material in a stream laterally outboard of the bed,
• said apparatus including a feeder above the bed and shiftable across the latter toward and away from the unit.

In a method of handling a body of crop material, the steps of:

• loading a body onto a mobile bed;
• transporting the body on said bed as the latter advances along a path of travel;
• transferring the body laterally as advancement of the bed continues;
• maintaining the body wholly intact prior to said lateral transfer;
• progressively disintegrating the body at a position laterally outboard of the bed as said transfer is effected;
• and
• dropping the disintegrated material from said outboard position in a continuous stream as the bed continues to advance along said path of travel.

In a method of handling a body of crop material, the steps of:

• loading a body onto a mobile bed;
• transporting the body on said bed as the latter advances along a path of travel;
• transferring the body laterally as advancement of the bed continues;
• progressively disintegrating the body at a position laterally outboard of the bed as said transfer is effected;
• and
• dropping the disintegrated material from said outboard position in a continuous stream as the bed continues to advance along said path of travel,
• said transferring step including lifting the body off the bed and swinging the same toward said outboard position.

In a method of handling a body of crop material, the steps of:

• loading a body onto a mobile bed;
• transporting the body on said bed as the latter advances along a path of travel;
• transferring the body laterally as advancement of the bed continues;
• progressively disintegrating the body at a position laterally outboard of the bed as said transfer is effected;
• and
• dropping the disintegrated material from said outboard position in a continuous stream as the bed continues to advance along said path of travel,
• said transferring step including cocking the body toward said outboard position from beneath the body and then sweeping the cocked body toward said position from above the body.

In a method of handling a body of crop material, the steps of:

• loading a body onto a mobile bed;
• transporting the body on said bed as the latter advances along a path of travel;
• transferring the body laterally as advancement of the bed continues;
• progressively disintegrating the body at a position laterally outboard of the bed as said transfer is effected;
• and
• dropping the disintegrated material from said outboard position in a continuous stream as the bed continues to advance along said path of travel,
• said transferring step including drawing the body toward said outboard position in a stroke that crosses the bed in an upwardly arched path of travel.