Pull-type V-shaped hay rake
A hay rake includes a crosswise member having a right section and a left section. A first rake arm has a front end and a back end, the first rake arm being pivotably mounted at its back end to the right section of the crosswise member so as to be moveable between an open position and a closed position. A second rake arm has a front end and a back end, the second rake arm being pivotably mounted at its back end to the left section of the crosswise member so as to be moveable between an open position and a closed position. A plurality of rotatable rake wheels are mounted on each of the first and second rake arms. The hay rake also includes first and a second actuators. The first actuator has a first section connected to the right section of the crosswise member and a second section connected to the first rake arm. The second actuator has a first section connected to the left section of the crosswise member and a second section connected to the second rake arm. Each actuator operates to move the rake arm to which it is connected between the open position and the closed position.
The present application incorporates herein each of the following references as fully as if set forth in their entirety:: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/094,074, filed on Jun. 9, 1998, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,207 on Dec. 14, 1999; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/594,615, filed on Feb. 2, 1996, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,135 on Nov. 11, 1997.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a collapsible pull type V-shaped rake for gathering hay.
2. Background Art
Collapsible V-shaped pull type hay rakes having two movable arms which carry multiple rake wheels and are hinged to a wheeled cross bar, rather than a main frame, are known. A common characteristic of these rakes is that the movable hinged arms, which carry the rake wheels, can assume different positions. In particular, the arms can open to a “V” shape when the rake is in the working position, and move closer together or become entirely closed for purposes of maneuvering, transportation and storage. The opening and closing motion of the arms is generally accomplished manually, or, automatically, through a hydraulic cylinder. In some instances the hay maker arms can be operated independently of one another, to give even more flexibility to the operation of the machine. U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,1,35, for example, discloses a collapsible V-shaped pull-type hay rake in which each rake arm is opened or closed by the action of an individual hydraulic cylinder which acts directly on it and is attached at one end to the rake arm and at the other end to the central tow bar of the hay rake. While this mechanism is efficient with respect to opening and closing of the rake arms, it requires that the hydraulic cylinders have sufficient operating range to ensure a sufficient opening of the rake arms. The hydraulic cylinders that are available having such an operating range are costly, very heavy, delicate and usually need constant maintenance. Furthermore, this type of rake necessarily requires the presence of a sturdy central tow bar.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is a “V” shaped towable hay rake having a crosswise member and two rake arms, one mounted to the left end, and the other mounted to the right end of the crosswise member so as to be moveable between an open position and a closed position, where the rake arms are maneuvered between the open and closed position by the action of two actuators, preferably double-acting hydraulic cylinders, one connected at one end to the right rake arm and at the other end to the crosswise member, and the other connected at one end to the left rake arm and at the other end to the crosswise member.
This feature allows for the use of relatively small and compact actuators. It also allows for a very simple opening and closing mechanism for the rake arms having a minimized number of moving parts and joints. In addition, due to the position of the actuators near the crosswise member, and the arrangement of the actuators at a distance from the rake wheels mounted to the rake arms, the actuators are less prone to get dirty and are protected from mechanical harm. The connection of the actuator between the crosswise member and the rake arms also gives the hay rake a better stability and enables the hay rake to be used in a bifold rake mode, by opening both aims, or in a single rake mode, by only opening one arm.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, a brief description of which follows:
For ease of reference the same reference numbers are used to designate the same or corresponding elements throughout the Figures.
Referring to
The arrangement of the first and second actuators 11 and 14 between right and left sections 2 and 3 of the crosswise number 1 and the respective first and second rake arms 4 and 7 advantageously allows for the use of only one actuator 11, 14 for each of the first and second rake arms 4 and 7 without any moving parts between the first and second actuators 11 and 14 and the respective first and second rake arms 4 and 7. Due to the fact that the first and second actuators 11 and 14 are directly connected to the crosswise member 1 and the first and second rake arms 4 and 7, the number of moving parts is minimized. In addition to that, only three joints are employed for each side, e.g., for each rake arm of the first and second rake arms 4 and 7. For the right side, e.g., for the first rake arm 4, there is one joint between the first rake arm 4 and the right section 2 of the crosswise member 1, there is a second joint between the first section 12 of the first actuator 11 and the right section 2 of the crosswise member 1 and there is a third joint between the second section 13 of the first actuator 11 and the first rake arm 4. The same arrangement may be employed for the left side. This allows for a simple and stable arrangement of the hay rake which is easy to manufacture and easy to maintain. Furthermore, due to the connection of the first sections 12 and 15 of the first and second actuators 11 and 14 at a greater distance from the center section 17 than the connection of the first and second rake arms 4 and 7, the first and second actuators 11 and 14 may have minimized dimensions with respect to their operating range and their power. For the purposes of clarity only, the hay rake illustrated in
Push rods 104 and 105 are respectively connected to the rake arms 4 and 7 by means of a plurality of attachment elements 106. A plurality of haymaker wheels 10 are attached to rake arms 4 and 7, so that they can rotate to collect the hay. Wheels 20 are attached to rake arms 4 and 7 as well as to the crosswise member 1.
As mentioned above, the actuators 11 and 14 are preferably dual action, so that they can extend and retract the component to which they are connected. In the depicted exemplary embodiment, the actuators 11 and 14 are hydraulic cylinders operated by fluid pressure. However, the actuators may also be manually operable, for example by a hand crank. A connection between the crosswise member 1 and the supports 100 may be the same as shown in
In addition,
At a distance from the shaft 111, there are provided further openings in the upper and lower support plates 101. In these further openings, there is provided a further shaft 112 to form the pivot 103. Attached to the shaft 112, there is the first section 12 of the first actuator 11. The second section 13 of the first actuator 11 is connected by means of a hinge 113 to the push rod 104 which is connected to the rake arm 4 by means of the attachment elements 106. As shown, e.g., in
In the exemplary embodiment shown in
An exemplary embodiment of a hydraulic control system for first and second actuators 11 and 14 will now be described with reference to
In
In an alternative of this embodiment, a similar configuration can be formed where a sixth actuator, similar to fifth actuator 76, attaches to end 86 of the balance arm 78. Also, both fifth and sixth actuators may be present. The fifth and sixth actuators may be dual action hydraulic cylinders, or may be manually operated screw jacks.
When the rake arms 4 and 7 are moved from the closed position towards the open position, the sliding plate 227 slides on the sliding section 260 of the towing arm 60 towards the crosswise member 1. As a result, the dampers 236 and 237 are expanded. When the rake arms 4 and 7 are moved from the open position towards the closed position, the sliding plate 227 slides on the sliding section 260 of the towing arm 60 in a direction away from the crosswise member 1. As a result, the dampers 236 and 237 are contracted. The dampers 236 and 237 are preferably two way dampers that have a damping action in the expanding direction and the contracting direction. This allows for a stable movement of the first and second rake arms between the open and closed position and for a stable hay rake.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the structure and the methodology of the present invention, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1-20. (canceled)
21. A hay rake comprising:
- a crosswise member having a right section and a left section;
- a first rake arm having a front end and a back end, the first rake arm being pivotably mounted at its back end to the right section of the crosswise member so as to be moveable between an open position and a closed position;
- a second rake arm having a front end and a back end, the second rake arm being pivotably mounted at its back end to the left section of the crosswise member so as to be moveable between an open position and a closed position;
- a plurality of rotatable rake wheels mounted on each of the first and second rake arms; and
- first and a second actuators, the first actuator having a first section connected to the right section of the crosswise member and a second section connected to the first rake arm, and the second actuator having a first section connected to the left section of the crosswise member and a second section connected to the second rake arm, wherein each actuator is extendable so as to move the rake arm to which it is connected from the open position to the closed position and any position therebetween, and is retractable so as to move the rake arm to which it is connected from the closed position to the open position and any position therebetween.
22. The hay rake according to claim 21, wherein the first and second actuators are double acting actuators.
23. The hay rake according to claim 22, wherein the first and second actuators are dual action hydraulic cylinders.
24. The hay rake according to claim 21, wherein the actuators are configured to be simultaneously actuated, so as to simultaneously move the first and second rake arms.
25. The hay rake according to claim 21, wherein the actuators are configured to be independently actuated, so as to independently move the first and second rake arms.
26. The hay rake according to claim 21, wherein the actuators are configured to be selectively actuated simultaneously or independently, so as to one of simultaneously and independently move the first and second rake arms.
27. The hay rake according to claim 23, further comprising a hydraulic power divider for dividing an actuating hydraulic fluid between the first and second hydraulic cylinders.
28. The hay rake according to claim 23, further comprising automatic hydraulic lock valves associated with the first and second hydraulic cylinders, the hydraulic lock valves blocking movement of the corresponding first and second hydraulic cylinders when actuating hydraulic fluid is not being supplied to the corresponding first and second hydraulic cylinders.
29. The hay rake according to claim 23, further comprising a first manual shutoff valve associated with the first hydraulic cylinder and a second manual shutoff valve associated with the second hydraulic cylinder, the first manual shutoff valve interrupting a flow of actuating hydraulic fluid to the first hydraulic cylinder to thereby block a movement of the first hydraulic cylinder and the second manual shutoff valve interrupting a flow of actuating hydraulic fluid to the second hydraulic cylinder to thereby block a movement of the second hydraulic cylinder.
30. The hay rake according to claim 23, further comprising a control valve for each of the first and second hydraulic cylinders, the control valves providing synchronous and symmetrical movements of the right and left sections of the rake arms.
31. The hay rake according to claim 21, further comprising a towbar connected to a center section of the crosswise member.
32. A hay rake comprising:
- a crosswise member having a right section and a left section;
- a first rake arm having a front end and a back end, the first rake arm being pivotably mounted at its back end to the right section of the crosswise member so as to be moveable between an open position and a closed position;
- a second rake arm having a front end and a back end, the second rake arm being pivotably mounted at its back end to the left section of the crosswise member so as to be moveable between an open position and a closed position;
- a plurality of rotatable rake wheels mounted on each of the first and second rake arms; and
- first and a second actuators, the first actuator having a first section connected to the right section of the crosswise member and a second section connected to the first rake arm, and the second actuator having a first section connected to the left section of the crosswise member and a second section connected to the second rake arm, wherein each actuator operates to move the rake arm to which it is connected between the open position and the closed position;
- right and left sections of the crosswise member attached telescopically to respective opposite ends of a center section of the crosswise member, such that each of the right and left sections are movable between an extended and a retracted position;
- a third actuator connecting the center section of the crosswise member to the right section of the crosswise member; and
- a fourth actuator connecting the center section of the crosswise member to the left section of the crosswise member, wherein the third and fourth actuators move the right and left sections between the extended and the retracted positions.
33. The hay rake according to claim 32, further comprising:
- a balance arm having two ends, the balance arm being rotatably connected, to the center section of the crosswise member at a point substantially halfway between the right end and the left end of the center section,
- a first rod having an outer end and an inner end; and
- a second rod having an outer end and an inner end, wherein the inner end and the outer end of the first rod are rotatably connected to the first end of the balance arm and to the right section of the crosswise member, respectively, and wherein the inner end and outer end of the second rod are rotatably connected to the second end of the balance arm and to the left section of the crosswise member, respectively.
34. The hay rake according to claim 32, further comprising a fifth actuator having a first section connected to the center section of the crosswise member and a second section connected to the first end of the balance arm and a sixth actuator having a first section connected to the center section of the crosswise member and a second section connected to the second end of the balance arm.
35. The hay rake according to claim 33, wherein the fifth and sixth actuators are selected from a group consisting of a manual dual-action screw jack and a dual action hydraulic cylinder.
36. The hay rake according to claim 32, further comprising:
- a vehicle connector; and
- a first beam and a second beam, wherein the vehicle connector is connected to the first rake arm by the first beam and wherein the vehicle connector is connected to the second rake arm by the second beam.
37. The hay rake according to claim 32, further comprising a stabilizing arrangement, the stabilizing arrangement including a first damper for damping a movement of the first rake arm and a second damper for damping a movement of the second rake arm.
38. The hay rake according to claim 32, wherein each of the first and the second hay rake arms are mounted to the crosswise member by respective vertical supports, wherein each of the vertical supports are pivotable relative to the crosswise member around a substantially horizontal axis.
39. The hay rake according to claim 32, further comprising:
- a towbar connected to the crosswise member and configured for towing the hay rake, wherein each of the first and the second hay rake arms are pivotable relative to the towbar.
40. A hay rake comprising:
- a crosswise member having a right section and a left section;
- a first rake arm having a front end and a back end, the first rake arm being pivotably mounted at its back end to the right section of the crosswise member so as to be moveable between an open position and a closed position;
- a second rake arm having a front end and a back end, the second rake arm being pivotably mounted at its back end to the left section of the crosswise member so as to be moveable between an open position and a closed position;
- a plurality of rotatable rake wheels mounted on each of the first and second rake arms; and
- first and a second actuators, the first actuator having a first section connected to the right section of the crosswise member and a second section connected to the first rake arm, and the second actuator having a first section connected to the left section of the crosswise member and a second section connected to the second rake arm, wherein each actuator operates to move the rake arm to which it is connected horizontally between the open position and the closed position.
41. The hay rake according to claim 40, wherein the first and second actuators are double acting actuators.
42. The hay rake according to claim 41, wherein the first and second actuators are dual action hydraulic cylinders.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 1, 2004
Publication Date: Sep 29, 2005
Inventor: Silvano Menichetti (Umbertide (PG))
Application Number: 10/859,027