Hay handling apparatus

Claim 2

Hay handling apparatus, comprising support means having plural horizontally spaced parallel horizontal spike means depending therefrom and having pivotal connection means and having stop means supported thereby for supporting bales of hay fully engaged by said spike means, said spike means being adapted to piercingly engage bales of hay to support said bales of hay, said pivotal connection means being adapted to releasably pivotally engage pivotally upwardly and downwardly movable arm means of a vehicle loader supporting the apparatus whereby the apparatus may be raised and lowered and may be transported between different locations by said vehicle, pusher means slidably connected to said spike means transversely above said spike means, first pivotal means pivotally connected at one end to said support means, second pivotal means depending from said pusher means and being pivotally connected to the other end of said pivotal means above said support means, said first pivotal means being releasably connected spaced from its said pivotal connection to said support means to generally horizontally reciprocably movable means of said vehicle loader whereby said first pivotal means may be pivotally moved toward and away from said vehicle loader to move said pusher means between a retracted position adjacent said stop means and an extended position along said spike means spaced from said stop means to disengage said bales of hay from said spike means onto a ground or floor surface or onto a stack of bales in level dispositions, said first and second pivotal means being movable by said generally horizontally reciprocably movable means to pivotally rotate said support means and said spike means to maintain said spike means in approximately horizontan dispositions during upward and downward movements of said support means by said movable arm means.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1, said spike means comprising plural elongate bar means sharpened at their ends away from said support means.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2, said support means comprising an elongate bar disposed transversely of said loader means, said pivotal connection means comprising perforate bracket means having first pin means removably disposed through said perforations.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1, said stop means comprising vertical support means depending upwardly from said support means and first elongate means affixed horizontally across said vertical support means.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 4, said pusher means comprising second elongate means parallely spaced from said first elongate means and being disposed beneath said first elongate means when in said retracted position.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 5, said first and second elongate means each comprising an elongate metal bar.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 5, said first and second elongate means each comprising a length of pipe.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 5, said first elongate means having vertical guard means affixed to its opposite ends to prevent engagement of said first elongate means with objects scraped thereby.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 8, said guard means extending over the ends of said second elongate means when said second elongate means is in its said retracted position whereby said guard means prevents engagement of said second elongate means with objects scraped thereby.

Claim 11

Hay handling apparatus, comprising support means having plural horizontally spaced parallel horizontal spike means depending therefrom and having pivotal connection means and having stop means supported thereby for supporting bales of hay fully engaged by said spike means, said spike means being adapted to piercingly engage bales of hay to support said bales of hay, said pivotal connection means being adapted to releasably pivotally engage pivotally upwardly and downwardly movable arm means of a vehicle loader supporting the apparatus whereby the apparatus may be raised and lowered and may be transported between different locations by said vehicle, pusher means slidably connected to said spike means transversely above said spike means, first pivotal means pivotally connected at one end to said support means, second pivotal means depending from said pusher means and being pivotally connected to the other end of said first pivotal means above said support means, said first pivotal means being releasably connected spaced from its said pivotal connection to said support means to generally horizontally reciprocably movable means of said vehicle loader whereby said first pivotal means may be pivotally moved toward and away from said vehicle loader to move said pusher means between a retracted position adjacent said stop means and an extended position along said spike means spaced from said stop means to disengage said bales of hay from said spike means, said spike means comprising plural elongate bar means sharpened at their ends away from said support means, said support means comprising an elongate bar disposed transversely of said loader means, said pivotal connection means comprising perforate bracket means having first pin means removably disposed through said perforations, pivotal connection of said support means comprising perforations through said one end of said first pivotal means adapted to removably receive said first pin means.

Claim 12

Hay handling apparatus, comprising support means having plural horizontally spaced parallel horizontal spike means depending therefrom and having pivotal connection means and having stop means supported thereby for supporting bales of hay fully engaged by said spike means, said spike means being adapted to piercingly engage bales of hay to support said bales of hay, said pivotal connection means being adapted to releasably pivotally engage pivotally upwardly and downwardly movable arm means of a vehicle loader supporting the apparatus whereby the apparatus may be raised and lowered and may be transported between different locations by said vehicle, pusher means slidably connected to said spike means transversely above said spike means, first pivotal means pivotally connected at one end to said support means, second pivotal means depending from said pusher means and being pivotally connected to the other end of said first pivotal means above said support means, said first pivotal means being releasably connected spaced from its said pivotal connection to said support means to generally horizontally reciprocably movable means of said vehicle loader whereby said first pivotal means may be pivotally moved toward and away from said vehicle loader to move said pusher means between a retracted position adjacent said stop means and an extended position along said spike means spaced from said stop means to disengage said bales of hay from said spike means, said spike means comprising plural elongate bar means sharpened at their ends away from said support means, said support means comprising an elongate bar disposed transversely of said loader means, said pivotal connection means comprising perforate bracket means having first pin means removably disposed through said perforations, pivotal connection of said support means comprising perforations through said one end of said first pivotal means adapted to removably receive said first pin means.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 1, 2, 3, 10, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9, said spike means being disposed over a length transverse thereto sufficient for said spike means to pierce plural side by side bales of hay, whereby said apparatus may be used to lift and transport and deposit plural bales of hay simultaneously and to lift and transport and deposit stacked bales of hay of plural bale width and plural bale height.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 10, said spike means being disposed over a length transverse thereto sufficient for said spike means to pierce plural side by side bales of hay, whereby said apparatus may be used to lift and transport and deposit plural bales of hay simultaneously and to lift and transport and deposit stacked bales of hay of plural bale width and plural bale height.

Claim 15

Hay handling apparatus, comprising plural parallel horizontally disposed spike means adapted to pierce baled hay, means transverse to said spike means movable to disengage said spike means from said baled hay, body means for supporting said spike means and for moving said spike means vertically while maintaining said spike means horizontally disposed, said body means being releasably connectable to a front end loader device, said means transverse to said spike means being movable by operation of thrust means of said front end loader device, pivotably movable means connected to said transverse means and to said thrust means to produce said movement of said transverse means upon operation of said thrust means, said transverse means being movably connected to said spike means by slidable link means, said spike means being supported and maintained horizontally disposed by force exerted by said thrust means through said link means.

Claim 16

Hay handling apparatus, comprising plural parallel horizontally disposed spike means adapted to pierce baled hay, means transverse to said spike means movable to disengage said spike means from said baled hay, body means for supporting said spike means and for moving said spike means vertically while maintaining said spike means horizontally disposed, said body means being releasably connectable to a front end loader device, said means transverse to said spike means being movable by operation of thrust means of said front end loader device, pivotably movable means connected to said transverse means and to said thrust means to produce said movement of said transverse means upon operation of said thrust means, said transverse means being movably connected to said spike means by slidable link means, said spike means being supported and maintained horizontally disposed by force exerted by said thrust means through said link means.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 13, said spike means being disposed over a length transverse thereto sufficient for said spike means to pierce plural side by side bales of hay, whereby said apparatus may be used to lift and transport and deposit plural bales of hay simultaneously and to lift and transport and deposit stacked bales of hay of plural bale width and plural bale height.