Sperry Rand Corporation

Tri-ex Tower Corporation

Gene R Butler

L Dennis Butler

Donald M Grey

Kenneth J Pereira

Daniel S Adams

George L Sesser

Randall E Zipser

James A Olsen

Anthony E Furtado

Jerry W Welker

Lester C Barton

A telescoping multi-sectional mast in which the upper sections are extended and retracted in a controlled predetermined sequence and in which each section, when fully extended, is automatically and positively locked to the next lower section. The improved locking system includes a lock projection-lock engagement pair, one of the pair being carried on the outer surface of each of the upper sections of the mast and the other of the pair being carried on the upper ends of each of the intermediate sections. A lock actuator stud is carried on the upper end of each of the intermediate and bottom sections. This pair cooperates to operatively lock together in response to disengagement with the actuator stud carried on the next lower mast section, to restrain relative vertical movement between an upper section which is fully extended from the next lower section. The pair unlocks in response to engagement with the actuator stud carried by the next lower section. An improved drive nut for an axial drive screw used in extending and retracting mast sections is located by a spring-loaded spline-seat within a nut housing, to absorb initial shock loads when initially engaged with the drive screw. A cable tensioner/dispensing/stowage device provides an improved means for handling cables extending from ground level to equipment located on the top of the telescoping mast.

Telescoping mast with improved holddown-locking mechanism

A telescoping multi-sectional mast in which the upper sections are extended and retracted in a controlled predetermined sequence an in which each section, when fully extended, is automatically and positively locked to the next lower section. The improved locking system includes a lock bar near the lower end of each lower section, a locking assembly on the upper end of each intermediate section and a lock actuator stud on the upper ends of each of the intermediate and bottom sections. The lock assembly includes an inwardly projecting collar, and rotatable disk having a locking projection segment formed on its periphery, a toggle responsive to vertical movement of the lock bar and stop actuated by the toggle for controlling rotation of the lock disk. The lock actuator stud and lock disk have mating engageable cam surfaces to cause and control rotation of the disk in response to vertical movement of each upper section relative to the next lower section. The collar and lock projection of the disk cooperate to restrain substantial vertical movement of the lock bar when an upper section is fully extended from the next lower section. A splined spring loaded nut carried by each mast section engages a multiple lead axial screw to extend and retract the telescoping mast sections.

The bale row forming table of a three table type bale wagon has a bale alignment device cooperating therewith which acts to insure bale tiers of uniform dimensions by establishing bale rows of equal length, an effect achieved by monitoring the length of a bale row by means of trip levers located at the loading end of the table and at the end remote from the loading end and reversing the table conveyor whenever a short bale row is detected to reposition the last bale of the row.

Bale alignment device

A bale wagon has improved actuating means for adjustably moving sideboard structures supported along opposite sides of a load bed on the bale wagon in order to change the spacing between the structures so that formation of stacks having different widths may be accommodated on the load bed. Each of the sideboard structures is supported by an upstanding member. The improved means includes an elongated tube extending along and rotatably mounted to each upstanding member and a set of upper and lower linkages associated with each elongated tube, the linkages respectively interconnecting upper and lower portions of the elongated tube with respective adjacent end portions of upper and lower means which support upper and lower portions of the respective upstanding member for movement toward and away from the load bed side. Furthermore, each set of the linkages are retractible and extensible upon respective rotation and counter-rotation of the elongated tube. Therefore, by selectively rotating and counter-rotating the elongated tube, the linkages may be retracted and extended and thereby cause selected movement of the respective one of the upstanding member and the one of the sideboard structures supported thereby toward and away from the corresponding load bed side.

Means for adjusting the sideboard

A bale wagon has improved apparatus for repositioning selected bales on its second, tier-forming table so as to provide a generally even stack side on the bale loader side of the bale wagon. The apparatus includes a frame slidably mounted on the underside of the second table adjacent to the bale loader side thereof and a pair of bale-engaging cleats mounted on the frame and extending upwardly through elongated slots formed in the second table. The frame is slidable along a generally linear path which angles toward the forward right corner of the second table and is interconnected to a first, bale-receiving table of the bale wagon through a cable and pulley system. A spring biases the slidable frame to an outer position toward the loader side of the second table. When the first table pivots upwardly during delivery of bales to the second table, the cable pulls the frame to slidably move the same along its linear path to an inner position toward the longitudinal centerline of the second table which results in compression of the spring. Once the bales have been deposited on the second table and the first table begins its descent back to its lower position, the cable slackens allowing the spring to pull the slidable frame back to its outer position during which the cleats on the frame engage and move an overlying bale along the angled linear path toward the loader side of the second table and away from any other bales adjacent thereto.

Apparatus for repositioning bales on a bale wagon

A machine for tearing apart stacked crop material bales has a pivotal load bed with stack clamping mechanisms arranged about the bed for retrieving a stack of crop material bales by placing the load bed in an upright retrieving position, moving the upright load bed alongside the stack, actuating the clamp mechanisms to engage and retain the bale stack against the load bed and then pivoting the load bed with the stack retained thereon from the upright position to a horizontal position. A fore-and-aft moveable rolling rack mounted transversely across the load bed will advance the entire stack longitudinally along the load bed from time to time to position a leading vertical transversely-extending tier of bales, in a succession of such vertical tiers which form the stack, onto a horizontal platform positioned along one end of the load bed. A pusher or feeder mechanism is disposed along the platform and moveable transversely between a lateral side of the platform and a shredding drum being rotatably mounted about a vertical axis and disposed laterally outwardly from an opposite side of the platform. Movement of the pusher mechanism toward the shredding drum causes endwise feeding of the leading vertically standing, transverse tier of bales into the shredding drum. A deflector shroud partially surrounding and covering the vertical shredding drum assists in guiding or directing the shredded, loose crop material to a desired feeding location alongside the machine.

Growing community of inventors

Kingsburg, CA, United States of America

Gene R Butler