Harvesters – Horse rakes – Rear delivery
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-09
2001-06-26
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3671)
Harvesters
Horse rakes
Rear delivery
C056S370000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250058
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an implement for displacing crop lying on the soil, said implement comprising at least one rake member which is driven so as to be rotatable about an upwardly orientated axis and which is provided with one or more outwardly extending arms that are vertically pivotable about one or more pivotal axes, which arms are provided with one or more outwardly extending tines that are also pivotable about one or more pivotal axes, while, in the transport position, one or more tines of one or more arms are pivoted downwardly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An implement of this type is described in the Dutch patent application 7607884.
This known machine is provided with arms carrying tines at their free ends. The arms consist of straight hollow box girders to which the tines are fitted, which tines are capable of pivoting upwardly about pivotal axes during operation.
This construction has proved to function less effectively than desired, especially when used on uneven soils.
For the purpose of bringing the prior art machine into transport position, the arms and the tines pivot upwardly and are locked by means of hooks.
The arms and tines of the known machine identified above can be brought into a transport position by an upward pivoting movement of the arms and a downward pivoting of the tines. The rake member has a conical housing which is constructed of plate material and to which the arms are fastened. This construction is, however, relatively heavy and the arms in their folded positions are unprotected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention of the instant invention is to provide an improvement of the machine described in the above Dutch Patent Application. In accordance with the invention an ensemble of one of more arms and one or more tines is arranged and constructed to have a center of gravity so that, when the implement is operative, the resultant of gravitational and the centrifugal force moves one or more arms with one or more tines towards the ground.
In accordance with the invention the tines react quickly to conform to unevenness in the soil. As a result, the tines' movement always remain near the ground, even though there are unevennesses in the underlying soil.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the rake member is provided with a frame with one or more arms that pivot into the transport position in upward direction about one or more pivotal axes. In this manner a lighter frame and better protection of the arms are provided.
According to a yet further aspect of the invention, the rake member is provided with a screen disposed around the rake member and located above the arms. This measure serves a threefold purpose: The tines are stored under the screen in the transport position so that separate locking means are not required; The screen furthermore serves as a guide member for crop when the machine functions to displace a considerable amount of crop; And finally the screen prevents the crop from reaching the rotor and thus interfering with the implement's operations. The lower side of the screen may be located at a height above the ground which is less than the height above the ground of the upper point of an upwardly pivoted arm. In this manner sufficient freedom of movement on the ground is obtained and the arm can pivot freely.
According to a still further invention feature, one or more pivotal axes of the arms are at a fixed distance from the axis of rotation and the pivotal axes are located so that they almost tangentially touch the circular path traced by the pivotal axes. In a preferred embodiment the arms trace a circular path and the pivotal axes are located on that circle.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, when the implement is operative, one or more tines enclose an angle of approximately fifteen degrees with the ground. In this connection, the arms may be provided with one or more groups of tines each of which is at an angle, of about fifteen degrees with the underlying ground. According to another invention feature, one or more tines of an arm have their center of gravity disposed so that, when the implement is operative, resultant forces of gravitation and the centrifugal motion move one or more tines towards the ground. In this manner, at a fixed rotational speed, positions of the tines relative to the ground always remain the same.
According to another inventive feature, in the working position, the center of gravity of a group of tines is higher above the ground than their pivotal axis. The center of gravity of the ensemble of the arm and one or more tines may also, however, be higher above the ground than the pivotal axis of the arm. Also in that situation the resultant of gravitational and centrifugal forces urge the arm and tines towards the ground.
According to again another invention feature, one or more tines of the arms pivot about one or more upwardly orientated axes that are connected to the arms. In this manner, the tines can also move in a plane extending substantially parallel to the ground. According to yet another aspect of the invention, one or more stops connected to one or more arms limit the pivoting movement of the arm about the pivotal axis.
In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, in the transport position, one or more arms rest in a locking device. This locking device may consist of a flexible element, such as a flexible plate provided with a recess in which the arm can be clamped. The flexible element may have a round shape. According to a further invention feature, the flexible element is composed of elastic material, such as plastic or rubber. Instead of a flexible element provided with a recess, the locking device may also consist of a plate having one or more recesses and a spring. According to a further inventive feature, for being secured one or more arms may be provided with one or more limiting cams.
According to again another aspect of the invention, seen in side view, one or more arms have at least substantially the shape of an inverted U. According to a further inventive feature, seen in side view, one or more arms are substantially straight.
In accordance with a yet further inventive feature, when the implement is operating, the points of tines, seen from above, trace circumferential paths that overlap each other.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3827224 (1974-08-01), Mulder et al.
patent: 3832838 (1974-09-01), Hale
patent: 3841073 (1974-10-01), Van Der Lely et al.
patent: 3946544 (1976-03-01), Van Der Lely
patent: 3948028 (1976-04-01), Reber
patent: 4020620 (1977-05-01), Van Der Lely
patent: 4023335 (1977-05-01), Van Der Lely et al.
patent: 4062173 (1977-12-01), Mulder
patent: 4062174 (1977-12-01), Knuesting
patent: 4157644 (1979-06-01), Van Der Lely
patent: 4202160 (1980-05-01), Van Der Lely
patent: 4275551 (1981-06-01), Van Der Lely
patent: 4275552 (1981-06-01), DeCoene
patent: 4330986 (1982-05-01), Van Der Lely et al.
Koorn Maarten
van Hemert Norbert
Kováacs ÁArpáad Fáabiáan
Maasland N.V. A Dutch Limited Liability Co.
Penrose Lucas Albright
Will Thomas B.
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