Bale-handling apparatus

An apparatus for handling forage bales, connectable to the three-point hitch of a tractor, comprising:

• a unitary support bar comprising a single metal member extending outwardly away from the back of the tractor;
• an upper flange secured to the uppermost side of said support bar;
• a lower flange secured to the underside of said support bar aligned approximately vertically beneath said upper flange;
• an end flange, secured to one end of said support bar, and pivotably attached to the pivot point on said tractor usually occupied by the stabilizer arm of the three-point hitch;
• connecting means for connecting said one end of said support bar to the three-point hitch such that said support bar is held approximately horizontally outwardly from the tractor, including two support arms connected between one of said upper and lower flanges and the power arms of the three-point hitch;
• carrying means, pivotably connected to the opposite end of said support bar, for sliding under and carrying the forage bales;
• and
• pivoting means comprising a single hydraulic cylinder one end of which is connected to the one of said upper and lower flanges opposite the one to which said two support arms are attached, and the other end of which is connected to said carrying means at a point different than where said support bar is connected to said carrying means, for pivoting said carrying means on its pivotable connection to various angles with respect to said support bar,
• said hydraulic cylinder being hydraulically connected to the tractor such that the action of said hydraulic cylinder, and hence the pivoting of said carrying means, is controlled from the tractor.