MACCHINA E PROCEDIMENTO PER LA RACCOLTA DI BALLE PARALLELEPIPEDE, PARTICOLARMENTE DI TIPO GIGANTE, DI FIENO E SIMILI

A machine for loading and unloading square bales, particularly giant square bales, of hay and the like, comprises a vehicle having a frame (3) supporting a tiltable platform (7), pushing means (74) associated with the platform (7) adapted to move a plurality of loaded bales parallel to the platform and loading means (13, 15) adapted to pick up a bale from the ground and to release the same on the platform (7). The loading means comprise a movable arm (13) having one end articulated to the frame (3) of the vehicle, whose opposite end carries a grasping clamp (15). The movable arm (15) is driven so as to take a first substantially horizontal position for grasping a bale, a second substantially vertical position in which the bale is raised parallel to its initial position on the ground, a third rotated position in which the bale is arranged transverse to the axis of the vehicle and a fourth releasing position in which the bale is located on the vertical of a space free for loading.