Bale feeding attachment for a large round bale handling machine

A bale feeding attachment for a machine for handling large round bales that includes a vertically movable elongated main frame having a pair of transversely spaced longitudinal side structures each of which has a ramp member movable to a lowered position along a side of the bottom portion of a ground supported bale and engageable with the bottom side portions when the frame is elevated to support the bale for transport, said attachment comprising:

• (a) a pair of transversely opposite elongated laterally extendible and retractible bale supporting units extended longitudinally of an associated one of said side structures;
• (b) means pivotally supporting the outer side of each supporting unit on an associated side structure for pivotal movement about a first axis extended longitudinally of the main frame to operative and inoperative positions therefor,
• (c) bale engaging feed roller means,
• (d) means rotatably supporting each of said roller means adjacent the inner side of a supporting unit for rotation about a second axis parallel to an associated first longitudinal axis,
• (e) means on said supporting units for laterally extending and retracting said units,
• (f) each supporting unit, when retracted, being movable about an associated first longitudinal axis to an inoperative position therefor, and when a bale is supported in a transport position on said ramp members, being laterally extended and pivotally movable about said first longitudinal axis to the operative position therefor to move the roller means into opposite side portions of the bale to elevate the bale from the ramp members and into a feeding position, and
• (g) means on each supporting unit for rotating an associated roller means to remove material from the bale for discharge downwardly between the ramp members to form a continuous windrow on the ground as the machine is advanced.