Hay bale retriever

Apparatus for retrieving hay bales, comprising:

• a frame;
• an elongated generally U-shaped pan supported on said frame, said pan including an open forward end;
• a carriage supported on said frame;
• means connected to said carriage for moving said carriage along said pan;
• a U-shaped bail having legs joined to a base, said legs being pivoted to said carriage;
• and
• drive means operatively connected to said bail for positively rotating said bail so that said bail may be moved around a hay bale to pull said hay bale onto said pan upon movement of said carriage, said drive means comprising:
• a driven sprocket supported on said carriage, one of said legs being fixed to said driven sprocket;
• and
• a motor operatively connected to said driven sprocket for rotating said sprocket.

Apparatus for retrieving hay bales, comprising:

• a frame;
• an elongated generally U-shaped pan supported on said frame, said pan including an open forward end;
• a carriage supported on said frame;
• means connected to said carriage for moving said carriage along said pan;
• a U-shaped bail having legs joined to a base, said legs being pivoted to said carriage;
• and
• drive means operatively connected to said bail for positively rotating said bail so that said bail may be moved around a hay bale to pull said hay bale onto said pan upon movement of said carriage, said drive means comprising:
• a drive sprocket rotatably mounted on said carriage;
• a driven sprocket rotatably mounted on said carriage, one of said legs of said bail being fixed to said driven sprocket;
• endless force transmission means extending around said sprockets;
• and
• motor means for shifting said transmission means to rotate said driven sprocket.

Apparatus for retrieving hay bales, comprising:

• a frame;
• an elongated generally U-shaped pan supported on said frame, said pan including an open forward end;
• a carriage supported on said frame;
• means connected to said carriage for moving said carriage along said pan;
• a U-shaped bail having legs joined to a base, said legs being pivoted to said carriage;
• drive means operatively connected to said bail for positively rotating said bail so that said bail may be moved around a hay bale to pull said hay bale onto said pan upon movement of said carriage;
• and
• a trailer, said frame being secured to said trailer, said trailer including:
• an elongated member;
• an axle pivoted adjacent one end to said member;
• ground engaging wheels rotatably mounted on said axle;
• pivot means between said member and said axle for pivoting said axle with respect to said member;
• and
• tilt means between said trailer and said frame for tilting said frame about said axle so that the forward end of said pan may be lowered to ground level, and wherein said drive means comprises:
• a drive sprocket rotatably mounted on said carriage;
• a driven sprocket rotatably mounted on said carriage, said leg of said bail being fixed to said driven sprocket;
• endless force transmission means extending around said sprockets;
• and
• motor means for shifting said transmission means to rotate said driven sprocket.

A hay bale retrieval vehicle for retrieving round hay bales, said vehicle comprising:

• a frame;
• a pair of ground engaging wheels rotatably supported on said frame;
• means connected to said frame for tilting said frame about said wheels;
• an elongated deck secured to said frame, said deck having lateral edges;
• a pair of elongated tracks, each track extending along one of said lateral edges of said deck;
• a pair of trolleys, each trolley being received by one of said tracks for movement therealong;
• drive means operatively connected to said trolleys for moving said trolleys along said tracks;
• a generally U-shaped member having a pair of legs joined to a base, each of said legs being pivoted to one of said trolleys;
• and
• actuator means on one of said trolleys and operatively connected to one of said legs for rotating said member through an angle of approximately 180.degree..