It comprises a frame (5) capable of being attached to and drawn by a tractor, a bale bundling chamber (4) disposed on the frame (5) to form a pack (3) of bales (2) disposed vertically in a longitudinal direction (Y) of the pack (3), a pushing device (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18) disposed to insert bales (2) into the bundling chamber (4), a platform (19) for lifting bales mounted vertically displaceable inside the bundling chamber (4), and retaining means (21) for retaining bales (2) in the upper position. It is characterized in that the pushing device (13) comprises a compressing surface (13a) adapted to apply on a layer (20) of bales (2) an active compression force in a transverse direction (X) of the pack (3), inside the bundling chamber (4), so that the compressing surface (13a) applies the active compression force on the layer (20) of bales (2), while the lifting platform vertically moves the layer (20) in the internal space of the bundling chamber (4).

A bale loading trailer has a bale supporting frame mounted on wheels. A fork assembly is pivotally mounted beside a front end of the frame configured to engage a bale when in a lowered position, and to disengage the bale when in a raised position such that the bale moves onto the front end of the bale supporting frame. A hydraulic cylinder moves the fork assembly between positions. A hydraulic motor driven conveyor chain assembly extends along the bale supporting frame, and loaded bales rest on, and move along the frame in concert with, the conveyor chain. A valve circuit connects the hydraulic cylinder and the hydraulic motor drive such that as the fork assembly moves from the raised position to the lowered position, hydraulic fluid flows from the hydraulic cylinder through the hydraulic motor drive and causes the conveyor chain assembly to move a bale length rearward.

An improved stack bed wagon is provided for pickup of one or more mid-size or big bales in an agricultural field for transport that simultaneously tilts and rotates a longitudinal bale 90 degrees upwardly and transversely over, adjacent, and along the forward upper edge of a stack bed for pushback onto the stack bed for transport or for consolidation with one or more similar bales in a single layer stack load on the stack bed that can be offloaded from the wagon to the field for later pickup and movement or that can be used for transport of the stack load for deposit in a different place or that can be used for the retrieval of a stack load from a field, ground, or storage surface.

An improved stack bed wagon is provided for pickup of one or more mid-size or big bales in an agricultural field for transport that simultaneously tilts and rotates a longitudinal bale 90 degrees upwardly and transversely over, adjacent, and along the forward upper edge of a stack bed for pushback onto the stack bed for transport or for consolidation with one or more similar bales in a single layer stack load on the stack bed that can be offloaded from the wagon to the field for later pickup and movement or that can be used for transport of the stack load for deposit in a different place or that can be used for the retrieval of a stack load from a field, ground, or storage surface.

Apparatus for gathering bales that aligns itself during bale pick-up. Methods for transferring bales that use such an apparatus are also provided.

A grasping mechanism for an agricultural bale wagon has a fixed grasping arm and a movable grasping arm. The movable grasping arm is translatable toward and away from the fixed grasping arm. The movable grasping arm can be rotated to define varying angular relationships between the fixed grasping arm and the movable grasping arm. Rotation and translation of the movable grasping arm are effected by an actuator. A resilient bumper between the fixed grasping arm and movable grasping arm is adjustable automatically to span the adjusted width between the fixed grasping arm and movable grasping arm.

A grasping mechanism for an agricultural bale wagon has a fixed grasping arm and a movable grasping arm. The movable grasping arm is translatable toward and away from the fixed grasping arm. The movable grasping arm can be rotated to define varying angular relationships between the fixed grasping arm and the movable grasping arm. Rotation and translation of the movable grasping arm are effected by an actuator. A resilient bumper between the fixed grasping arm and movable grasping arm is adjustable automatically to span the adjusted width between the fixed grasping arm and movable grasping arm.

A system comprising a mobile machine for collecting a plurality of bales dispersed across a ground surface, and one or more computing devices. The one or more computing devices are configured to receive location and orientation information for the plurality of bales, the location and orientation information including a location and an orientation of each of the bales, using the location and orientation information, automatically determine a preferred bale stacking location and a preferred path for collecting the bales, the preferred path for collecting the bales including placing the bales in the preferred stacking location, and present information about the preferred path to an operator of the machine.

A system comprising a mobile machine for collecting a plurality of bales dispersed across a ground surface, and one or more computing devices. The one or more computing devices are configured to receive location and orientation information for the plurality of bales, the location and orientation information including a location and an orientation of each of the bales, using the location and orientation information, automatically determine a preferred bale stacking location and a preferred path for collecting the bales, the preferred path for collecting the bales including placing the bales in the preferred stacking location, and present information about the preferred path to an operator of the machine.

A system includes a mobile machine for collecting a plurality of bales dispersed across a ground surface. The mobile machine is configured to collect a bale with a first bale carrier when moving in a forward direction and collect a bale with a second bale carrier when moving in a reverse direction. The system further includes one or more computing devices are configured to receive location information for the plurality of bales and automatically determine a preferred path for collecting the bales with the mobile machine using the location information, the preferred path including at least one path segment for moving in a forward direction to engage a bale with the first bale carrier and at least one path segment for moving in a reverse direction to engage a bale with the second bale carrier.