Bale Turner Simplifies Handling

Bale Turner Simplifies Handling BALE HANDLING When big square balers discharge bales they lie flat on the ground with the twine on the bottom Some farmers who use mechanical equipment to pick up bales want them standing on edge for easier lifting and loading Suffolk England farmer and custom baler Derek Keeble created a simple solution He built an 8-ft long bale tray that extends behind a large square baler supported by a heavy-duty log chain on one side One side of the grate folds down so a bale is automatically set on edge in the field The grate gate operates with a hydraulic cylinder that the baler operator controls from the tractor A 4-in spring-loaded deflector bar mounted to the side of the bale tray restricts the bale movement to 90 degrees and prevents it from flipping completely over Keeble’s simple invention is designed for 3 by 4-ft straw bales that he makes with his Massey Ferguson MF2170 baler He says turning bales allows him to pick them up mechanically with a standard Heath bale chaser Having them laying on their side increases the chaser’s capacity from 10 to 14 bales Another benefit Keeble says is that bales laying on their side dry faster if exposed to rain in the field or in a completed stack If he wants to use a loader rather than the chaser to pick up bales he can lock the folding gate in place so bales land flat the ground Keeble’s invention was honored with the top award at the Inventive Farmer Competition at the 2014 Suffolk England farm show That competition attracts farm-built machinery and equipment from eastern Suffolk counties Keeble and his family along with a handful of employees operate a contract baling hedge cutting vegetable covering and manure spreading business They bale large medium and small size squares and offer hauling and stacking services to several farm customers Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Derek Keeble DE Keeble Ltd Blaxhall Suffolk IP122DT England ph 01728 688688; www dekeeble co uk

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.