Bale loading-stacking apparatus

A large bale stacking and loading mechanism comprising:

• a flatbed truck having a non-articulated frame interconnecting front and rear sets of wheels on the truck, a bed mounting frame extending rearwardly from a truck cab to an end position rearward of the rear wheels;
• a large bale accumulator platform mounted on a bed of the truck, said accumulator platform including pivot mounting means for pivotally mounting said platform on the truck bed to permit said platform to be pivoted between a horizontal position and a vertical position, said pivot mounting means being at a location on the accumulator platform such that the rear end of the platform abuts the ground when the bed is pivoted to a vertical position;
• power means for pivoting said platform between a horizontal position and a vertical position;
• bale loading apparatus mounted at the rear of the platform, said bale loading apparatus including:
• a rigid frame mounted on the underside of the platform and extending downwardly therefrom to a distal end positioned near the ground and below the rear end of the platform;
• a loading ramp pivotably mounted on the distal end of the frame for vertical pivotal movement with respect to the frame, the loading ramp including a front portion that extends downwardly and outwardly from the distal end of the frame to ground level when the loading ramp is pivoted to a lowered position, the loading ramp including a rear portion that extends outwardly from the front portion at an angle such that the rear portion extends horizontally rearwardly from the front portion and lies flat against the ground when the loading ramp is lowered, the rear portion being shaped to slide under a large bale of hay when the loading ramp is lowered to the ground and the truck is backed up into a large bale of hay, the rigid frame resisting forward forces on the loading ramp and supporting the loading ramp as it is being forced under the large bales of hay;
• at least one one fluid drive cylinder means for pivoting the loading ramp between its lowered position and a raised position, wherein the loading ramp extends generally vertically against the rear end of the accumulator platform to lift large bales of hay from the ground to the rear of the accumulator platform, said drive cylinder means having an extendable output shaft and being connected at one end to the accumulator platform or frame and connected at the other end to the pivotable loading ramp at a position rearwardly of the loading ramp pivot point, said drive cylinder pivoting the loading ramp upwardly from its lowered to its raised position by retracting the output shaft.

A process for loading and stacking large hay bales employing a truck having a bed with an accumulator platform pivotably mounted on the bed and a loading ramp movable mounted on the rear end of the accumulator platform, the accumulator platform being movable between a generally horizontal and a generally vertical position, with the bed being mounted such that the rear end of the accumulator platform is closely adjacent the ground when the platform is pivoted vertically, the loading ramp being movable at least when the accumulator platform is in its horizontal position and having a raised position wherein the loading ramp extends upwardly from the rear end of the accumulator platform and having a lowered position wherein the loading ramp abuts the ground, the accumulator platform and loading ramp being power driven by a truck operator by controls in the truck cab, the method comprising backing the truck to a position wherein each bale is positioned sideways behind the truck, lowering the loading ramp until it rests flat against the ground, backing the truck up with the loading ramp riding on the ground until the loading ramp is wedged under the bale, the size and weight of the bale preventing the loading ramp from sliding the bale rearwardly, pivoting the loading ramp upwardly to a vertical position once the bale has been lodged securely on the loading ramp, said pivotal movement transferring the heavy bale upwardly to the outer end of the accumulator platform and forcing any bale already in that position to slide inwardly toward the front of the platform, repeating the bale loading steps with other big bales until the accumulator platform is full, transporting the bales on the truck to a bale stacking location, backing the truck to a position where the bales are to be stacked, pivoting the entire accumulator platform rearwardly until the accumulator platform is vertical and the loading platform lies on the ground, driving the vehicle away with the platform in this position, the inertia of the big bales causing them to stay in place and permitting the loading platform to be slipped out from under the bales, whereby individual large bales are picked up, transported and stacked by a single person driving a truck without any manual handling of the bales and without the truck operator leaving the truck.