Chillton Agricultural Equipment Ltd of Cannock, the UK distributor of MX equipment, has introduced a new range of bale handling attachments for tractor loaders and telehandlers.
Available for handling round and square bales, the new MX attachments are prefixed with the letter V or W – representing the shape of the grab tines – followed by a number indicating the number of bales high the attachment can be used to stack round bales. There then follows one or two zeros for the number of round bales that can be carried in a single operation. Thus the V500 can be used to stack round bales five high, two at a time.
The V40 carries and stacks a single round bale and by use of the crowd ram can rotate the bale through almost 180 degrees, making it possible to pick up bales and stack them safely. The MX V40 also has provision for two long forward pointing spikes at the bottom of the frame. These are used to take the weight of the bales when handling two large square bales. The bales are held in place by the standard grabs. When not in use these spikes are carried in the frame.
The V40 can also be used for handling wrapped bales. A pair of tubular grabs are fitted inside the tines, each held in place by a single pin; fitting only takes a few seconds. Wrapped bales are held away from the spikes and handled in the same way as conventional round bales.
The V50 operates in the same way as the V40, but with the addition of a vertical mast. The grab carriage is held in the lower or upper position by a simple cam. Gently pushing the end of the mast against a bale releases the cam, and crowding or tipping the carriage slides the grab to the new position – a further hydraulic service is not required.
Operating in the same way as the V40, the V500 stacks round bales five high but has the capacity to handle two round bales at a time. With the long lifting tines in place, the V500 can also handle three large square bales.
The Manubal W500 has a pair of grabs that can be operated independently. Otherwise, operation is the same as the V500. The advantage of this attachment is most readily seen when collecting scattered bales in the field – the bale already in the grab does not have to be released before the second is lifted. Or conversely, when feeding bales, one can be retained in the grab while the other is released.
Completing the family of new MX bale handling equipment is the V6000. Designed specifically for telehandlers, it can hold three round bales, and with three horizontal lifting tines fitted four square bales. Stacking height is limited by safety and the telehandler’s reach.
The new bale handling attachments all feature a synchronised grab system that closes and opens the tines on opposite sides equally. Therefore the bales do not shift once placed and the stack remains stable. The bales are also undamaged.
As handling round and square bales requires slightly different spike geometry, for best effect MX offer two operating ram positions – one for round and one for square bales. These settings can also be used when handling large or small diameter round bales as larger diameter bales do not require the grab to fully close. Cycle times are therefore increased.
The new MX grabs join the established and popular Manubal 200 wrapped round bale grab and the Manubal 130 and 140 for round and square wrapped bales.
For more information visit: www.m-x.eu/en/default.aspx.
