Bale moistening and handling apparatus and method

An apparatus for moistening and handling at least one bale, comprising:

• an open-topped tank for containing a liquid for moistening the at least one bale;
• a base;
• a mast assembly extending upwardly from said base, said mast assembly being rotatable about its longitudinal axis;
• a boom carried by said mast assembly, said boom being moveable between a lowered position and a raised position relative to said base;
• and
• a bale gripping device depending from said boom, said bale gripping device including a bale guide for maintaining the at least one bale engaged in a submerged position within said tank to facilitate moistening of the at least one bale;
• said bale guide being fixedly mounted to, and depending downwardly from said boom.

An apparatus for moistening and handling at least one bale, comprising:

• an open-topped tank for containing a liquid for moistening the at least one bale;
• a base;
• a mast assembly extending upwardly from said base;
• a boom carried by said mast assembly, said boom being rotatable about said mast assembly, said boom being moveable between a lowered position and a raised position relative to said base and said boom having a longitudinal axis;
• and
• a bale gripping device depending from said boom, said bale gripping device including a bale guide for maintaining the at least one bale engaged in a submerged position within said tank to facilitate moistening of the at least one bale;
• said bale guide being moveable relative to said boom and being adapted to travel longitudinally along said boom.

A method of handling and moistening at least one bale, comprising:

• providing a base, a mast assembly extending upwardly from the base, a boom carried by the mast assembly and a bale gripping device depending from the boom;
• the boom having a longitudinal axis;
• the bale gripping device including a pair of gripping members and a bale guide;
• the bale guide being disposed between the pair of gripping members;
• the bale guide being moveable relative to the boom and being adapted to travel longitudinally along the boom;
• providing an open-topped tank for containing a liquid for moistening the at least one bale;
• gripping the at least one bale located at a first position, between the pair of gripping members;
• moving the boom along the longitudinal axis of the mast assembly to alternatively raise or lower the at least one bale relative to said base;
• urging rotation of the boom about the longitudinal axis of the mast assembly to move the at least one bale from the first position to a second position located above the open-topped tank;
• lowering the at least one bale into the open-topped tank;
• maintaining the at least one bale submerged in the tank with the bale guide;
• removing the at least one bale from the open-topped tank.