Automatic Bale Handler Loads, Hauls, Unloads
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To reduce the work of getting conventional hay bales to the barn, Frank Cawrse and his son, George, have designed and built an automated bale handler that can load, haul and unload up to 400 bales an hour. The Cawrses, of Scio, Oregon, do custom haying work and have had several of the new-style handlers built for their own use and are now building some for demonstration and sale.
Their bale handler is built on a truck-type chasis with the operator and a bale pickup extended out in front. The rest of the handler looks like an oversize combine reel in a curved, galvanized steel cradle. The bale pickup delivers bales to an endless rubber belt running down the center of the machine. When the belt fills up with bales the machine is stopped, the reel is "dialed" one space and a new chamber is centered over the belt.
The curved steel cradle keeps bales in the chambers until they rotate high enough for gravity to keep them from falling out. There are 12 chambers in the reel and the machine can load and haul about 100 bales. When the loaded machine reaches the barn, the conveyor belt is reversed and bales are unloaded into an elevator which conveys them into the barn. A bale conveyor inside helps spread bales the length of the barn.
Frank Cawrse says the machine can pick up, haul and unload approximately 400 bales per hour when hauling distance averages up to one quarter mile. For their custom haying operation, they put four men in the barn to spread and stack bales and one on the machine. The handler unloads in about five minutes and it takes about 10 minutes to pick up and return with another load. Thus, workers in the barn normally have five minutes of heavy work, followed by 10 minutes to catch their breath. Bale handlers now being built have a 360 Chrysler engine, Allison automatic transmission, 2-speed truck rear end and 900 x 20 truck tires. The reel, pickup and conveyor belt are hydraulically powered. Suggested retail is right at $30,000. When asked if it might be better to invest that much money in modernizing or replacing older hay storage facilities, Cawrse replied that many of these barns are in very good condition and the owners don't want to replace them yet. He also noted that the machine is intended for custom haying operations. So, there would probably be few individual farmerowners.
Cawrse adds that the new bale handler will work well with small round or square bales and can pick up loosely tied bales, or even some with only one string, which he claims other bale loaders and stackers can't do.
For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Frank and George Cawrse, Scio, Oregon 97374.
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Automatic Bale Handler Loads,Hauls,Unloads HAY & FORAGE HARVESTING Bale Handling (5) 4-6-24 "To reduce the work of getting conventional hay bales to the barn, Frank Cawrse and his son, George, have designed and built an automated bale handler that can load, haul and unload up to' 400 bales an hour. The Cawrses, of Scio, Oregon, do custom haying work and have had several of the new-style handlers built for their own use and are now building some for demonstration and sale.
Their bale handler is built on a truck-type chasis with the operator and a bale pickup extended out in front. The rest of the handler looks like an oversize combine reel in a curved, galvanized steel cradle. The bale pickup delivers bales to an endless rubber belt running down the center of the machine. When the belt fills up with bales the machine is stopped, the reel is "dialed" one space and a new chamber is centered over the belt.
The curved steel cradle keeps bales in the chambers until they rotate high enough for gravity to keep them from falling out. There are 12 chambers in the reel and the machine can load and haul about 100 bales. When the loaded machine reaches the barn, the conveyor belt is reversed and bales are unloaded into an elevator which conveys them into the barn. A bale conveyor inside helps spread bales the length of the barn.
Frank Cawrse says the machine can pick up, haul and unload approximately 400 bales per hour when hauling distance averages up to onequarter mile. For their custom haying operation, they put four men in the barn to spread and stack bales and one on the machine. The handler unloads in about five minutes and it takes about 10 minutes to pick up and return with another load. Thus, workers in the barn normally have five minutes of heavy work, followed by 10 minutes to catch their breath. Bale handlers now being built have a 360 Chrysler engine, Allison automatic transmission, 2-speed truck rear end and 900 x 20 truck tires. The reel, pickup and conveyor belt are hydraulically powered. Suggested retail is right at $30,000. When asked if it might be better to invest that much money in modernizing or replacing older hay storage facilities, Cawrse replied that many of these barns are in very good condition and the owners don't want to replace them yet. He also noted that the machine is intended for custom haying operations. So, there would probably be few individual farmerowners.
Cawrse adds that the new bale handler will work well with small round or square bales and can pick up lossely tied bales, or even some with only one string, which he claims other bale loaders and stackers can't do.
For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Frank and George Cawrse, Scio, Oregon 97374.
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