Round bale hauler and unroller

Abstract

The round bale handling apparatus is adapted for mounting on the three-point hitch of a farm tractor and has a vertically swingable, normally fore-and-aft extending boom provided with a crosshead at its outermost end having depending arms that clamp and rotatably support a round bale concentrically by its opposite ends to progressively unroll the bale for feeding the latter as the tractor is advanced. The crosshead can be swung about a vertical axis between a position transverse to the boom and a position disposed substantially alongside the latter such that the bale can be approached and picked up from a number of different directions and within relatively close confines. In addition, the crosshead is free to swing by gravity to a limited extent toward and away from the tractor so that the bale hangs freely from the boom even when the latter is tipped up or down during operation, such maneuverability also permitting the bale to be trailed rearwardly beyond the boom as the bale is unrolled and the tractor advanced or, alternatively, permitting the bale to be tucked under the boom and unrolled in that position as the tractor is backed up. The crosshead can also swivel to a limited extent about the longitudinal axis of the boom, limited only by spring pressure whereby to facilitate maneuverability and handling.