A net wrap recovery device that removes net wrap from large round bales of hay attached to commercial hay bale unrollers using one or more pins. The Net Wrap Removal Device mechanically automates the unwrapping of polymeric hay bale wrapping from a wrapped hay bale in one piece quickly and with a minimum of effort. The embodiments then allow the operator to simultaneously gather and store the net wrap on a disposable spool without dismounting from the tractor seat or leaving the operator station. The disposable spool can then be easily removed from the embodiments and disposed of in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. A new spool is then quickly and easily installed in its place.

A bale handling apparatus is operable to receive bales from a square baler and create cubic stacks of bales for discharge from the bale handling apparatus. The bale handing apparatus includes an elevator provided with a lateral shuttle mechanism that creates rows of three laterally aligned bales, and a stacking mechanism that receives accumulated rows of bales from the elevator to create a vertical module of bales. The stacking mechanism includes a pusher plate that pushes the bale modules toward a wrapping apparatus that wraps an accumulated cubic stack of bales with wrapping material to establish integrity to the cubic stack. The cubic stacks are retained on a discharge floor extending rearwardly from the wrapping mechanism until a predetermined number of cubic stacks can be discharged at a desired location for subsequent pick-up and storage.

A vehicle and a method for side loading a hay bale. The vehicle has a frame, a side loader mechanism, and a storage assembly. The frame has a side oriented parallel to a direction of travel of the vehicle. The side loader mechanism is pivotably coupled to the side of the frame and pivots between an extended position and a retracted position. The side loader mechanism has a first loader arm and a second loader arm which open and close relative to one another, to thereby, squeeze a hay bale between respective ends of the first loader arm and the second loader arm. The storage assembly receives the hay bale from the side loader mechanism at a first location on the vehicle and conveys the hay bale along a path relative to the side loader mechanism from the first location to a second location on the vehicle.

A bale handling apparatus is disclosed, comprising a plurality of jaws configured to receive a bale, one or more tines configured to pierce the bale upon reception within the jaws, and one or more blades configured to cut binding material of the bale when received. A distinctive feature of the apparatus is its configuration to clamp the bale at a position rearward of the location where the one or more blades are configured to cut the binding material. Additionally, a method of operating a bale handling apparatus is disclosed, comprising holding a square bale within the apparatus, cutting its binding strings, and subsequently dropping a first portion of the bale while retaining a second portion of the bale and the cut strings on said second portion. This invention provides improved control over bale processing and binding material management.

A bale handling mechanism includes a structural frame having bale spears extending forwardly therefrom configured to engage a bale so that the bale is received substantially adjacent a bale-facing plane that is defined by the points on the bale handling mechanism that contact the closest vertical surface of a bale that is fully received on the bale handling mechanism. At least one antenna mount is affixed to the frame having a mount axis that is parallel with the bale-facing plane. An antenna pair is attached to the antenna mount that interacts with an identification tag on the bale. The antenna pair includes first and second antennae each having an antenna axis that is perpendicular to a beam axis of the antenna, wherein the first and second antennae are oriented such that the antenna axis of the first antenna is non-parallel with the antenna axis of the second antenna.

The present invention relates to a utility vehicle hay fork attachment device that is comprised of a frame assembly further comprised of at least one horizontal frame member with at least one tine, a mounting plate, and a pair of mounting arms. The device further preferably resembles a garden fork and is made of a metal, such that it can carry strong loads and resist wear from repeated uses. The device is also comprised of mounting arms and a mounting ring that allow multiple means of attachment and support to a vehicle. In this manner, the device can be applied to any utility or all-terrain vehicle known in the art, to decrease the amount of time and effort required for moving hay bales.

A truck bed loader including a frame that is configured to fit within a bed of a pickup truck. The frame has a first side rail and a second side rail that are parallel to each other, and the front ends of the first and second side rails are connected by a cross rail. The frame also has a first vertical post and a second vertical post. The first vertical post is connected to the rear end of the first side rail at a ninety-degree angle, and the second vertical post is connected to the rear end of the second side rail at a ninety-degree angle. A first main arm is rotatably attached to a top end of the first vertical post, and a second main arm is rotatably attached to a top end of the second vertical post. A first pair of hydraulic cylinders is configured to lift and lower the first and second main arms. A second pair of hydraulic cylinders controls various attachments to the distal ends of the first main arms.

A positioning assist apparatus includes a vision system that generates target device data representative of an obtained image of a set of target devices carried on the boom or tool carrier of the loader or on both, and positioning assist logic executable by a processor to determine a current position and/or pose of the loader based on the target device data, and to generate current loader position data representative of the determined current position of the loader. The loader positon is based on loader height as may be represented by boom angle, and tool carrier angle. Data is generated for display to an operator to visually communicate movement instructions to the operator and/or to generate control signals controlling the loader, each to move the loader from the determined current position to a desired position in response to a return to position (RTP) command received by the apparatus.