US3952489A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hay-making machines
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-06-11
•
Granted: 1976-04-27
•
Expires: 1994-06-11
Abstract
Abstract A hay making machine has raking heads that rotate about non horizontal axes. Each head has a central hub with lower groups of tines pivotally connected to the hub around its lower periphery and vertically movable from generally radial crop working positions to an upwardly extending transport position. Upper crop working elements are also pivoted to the hub and independently turnable about horizontal axes. The upper elements can be further groups of tines or tubular crop engagers. In operation, the upper elements together with the lower elements present an inclined surface that engages long stemmed crop. By pivoting the lower groups, different angles of crop engaging surfaces are presented so that swath or tedding working positions are formed. The upper groups can be tines on further arms that pivot on support arms that connect the lower tine elements to the hub. The upper and lower groups are associated with pivots and stops to limit their working and transport positions.
Inventors
- 👤 Cornelis van der Lely
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:04
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D78/00; A01D78/08; A01D78/10; A01D78/1078
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 52
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
A hay making machine comprising a frame and at least one rake head rotatably mounted on said frame, said rake head comprising a first group of crop working elements and a second group of crop working elements, each of said groups having corresponding arms which are different for each group and fastening portions that pivotably connect same to a central hub-like portion, said groups each being pivotable and vertically movable relative to said hub-like portion independent of the other group and driving means connected to said head to rotate same about a non-horizontal axis, said first group of elements including raking elements which are pivotable about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said head.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
120 words
A hay making machine comprising a frame and at least one rake head rotatably mounted on said frame, said rake head comprising a first group of crop working elements and a second group of crop working elements, each of said groups having corresponding arms which are different for each group and fastening portions that pivotably connect same to a central hub-like portion, said groups each being pivotable and vertically movable relative to said hub-like portion independent of the other group and driving means connected to said head to rotate same about a non-horizontal axis, said first group of elements including raking elements which are pivotable about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said head.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said raking elements are tines mounted on an arm and said tines are pivotable into a position in which they are substantially parallel to said axis of rotation and to each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein there are a plurality of arms pivoted to said central portion and at least one arm is retainable in a nonoperative transport position in which the arm extends substantially parallel to said axis of rotation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said one arm is fastened in said inoperative transport position by chain means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said one arm is retainable in its inoperative transport position by fastening means on said arm and said hub portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said tines can be fastened in an upwardly folded inoperative transport position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein a bracket adjacent said central portion and occupying a fixed position with respect to said frame is located to hold said tines in an upwardly folded inoperative transport position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein, when in an inoperative transportation position, at least one tine extends alongside said one arm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein said second group is comprised of elements on a further arm that is pivoted to said first mentioned arm, whereby, when in an inoperative transport position, said further arm is positioned substantially vertically alongside said first mentioned arm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein a support member, associated with said second group of crop working elements extends parallel to said arm in an inoperative transport position thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least some of the crop working elements of said first group hang freely downwards in an inoperative transport position of the machine.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said arm is resiliently connected by spring means to said central hub-like portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein a stop is provided on said portion to limit downward movement of said arm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein limit means on said portion is located to limit upward movement of said crop working elements.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 14, wherein said limit means comprises a guide.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein said guide is fastened to said frame and has a helical configuration.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one wheel connected to said frame supports said machine on the ground and said wheel is located partially inside said central hub-like portion.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are two rake heads connected to said driving means and said heads are rotatable in opposite directions about corresponding substantially vertical axes during crop working operation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
49 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 18, wherein said axes of rotation are inclined to the vertical whereby upper portions thereof are disposed further forwards with respect to the normal direction of travel of said machine than are the points of intersection thereof with the ground surface.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
44 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 18, wherein the paths traced by the outermost ends or tips of at least one group of crop working elements of each rake member during crop working overlap one another when said machine viewed in plan.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 18, wherein a coupling member on said frame is connectable to the three-point lifting device or hitch of an agricultural tractor.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
69 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first group of elements are connected to the hub-like portion by pivotable arm means and some of the crop working elements on said arm means are turnable about substantially vertical axes relative to said arm means, setting means on said arm means to retain said elements in chosen ones of different angular settings about said substantially vertical axes.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 22, wherein each of said crop working elements are angularly adjustable about corresponding substantially vertical axes.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
136 words
A hay making machine comprising a frame and at least one rake head rotatably mounted on said frame, said rake head comprising at least one pivotally mounted arm and vertically pivotable crop working tine means being connected to an outer end of said arm, the inner end of said arm being pivotally secured to a central hub-like portion of said head and said arm extending generally radially from the axis of rotation of said head during rotation thereof, driving means engaging said central hub-like portion to rotate said arm, a second crop working means being pivotally connected to said head and said second crop working means normally being located above said tine means, said first and said second crop working means being pivotable about corresponding non vertical pivotal axes that are substantially parallel to one another.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
136 words
A hay making machine comprising a frame and at least one rake head rotatably mounted on said frame, said rake head comprising at least one pivotally mounted arm and vertically pivotable crop working tine means being connected to an outer end of said arm, the inner end of said arm being pivotally secured to a central hub-like portion of said head and said arm extending generally radially from the axis of rotation of said head during rotation thereof, driving means engaging said central hub-like portion to rotate said arm, a second crop working means being pivotally connected to said head and said second crop working means normally being located above said tine means, said first and said second crop working means being pivotable about corresponding non vertical pivotal axes that are substantially parallel to one another.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 24, wherein said tine means and said crop working means comprise first and second groups of tines respectively.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 25, wherein said first and second groups of tines are freely pivotable on their corresponding pivotal axes independent of one another.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
36 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 25, wherein said second group of tines includes two straight and substantially parallel tines when viewed in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said head.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
40 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 25, wherein a first of said pivotal axes connects a tine group of said arm and a second to said pivotal axes is located between said arm and said central hub-like portion.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
47 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 28, wherein the tines of each group extend outwardly with respect to the axis of rotation of said head during operation and, when viewed in a direction parallel to said axis of rotation, are positioned parallel to one another.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
60 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 24, wherein said tine means comprises a group of at least two tines a first one of which is located, during working of the machine, forwardly of a second of said tines with respect to the normal direction of rotation of said head and at least partly at a higher horizontal level.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 30, wherein each tine is cylindrical in cross-section and has a length at least about 50 times its diameter.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
27 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 30, wherein each tine is curved in a plane that substantially contains the axis of rotation of said head.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
42 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 30, wherein each tine has portions that are interconnected by an angular bend, said portions and said bend being contained in a plane that substantially contains the axis of rotation of said rake head.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
22 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 24, wherein the second crop working means includes at least one elongate crop engager.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
15 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 34, wherein said crop engager is tubular.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
17 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 35, wherein said crop engager is non-rectillinear in configuration.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
45 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 34, wherein there are a plurality of crop engagers and a plurality of arms and the former are located between said arms when said rake head is viewed in a direction parallel to its axis of rotation.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
20 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 37, wherein each crop engager is freely pivotable about a corresponding axis.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
29 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 38, wherein each of the pivotal axes of the engagers is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rake head.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
49 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 25, wherein each tine group comprises two tines one of which is located, during working of the machine, behind the other with respect to the direction of rotation of the rake member at that time and at a higher horizontal level.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
143 words
A hay making machine comprising a frame and at least one rake head rotatably mounted on said frame, said rake head comprising a first group of crop working elements and a second group of crop working elements, each of said groups having corresponding fastening portions that pivotably associate same with a central hub-like portion, each of said groups being pivotable in common about a substantially horizontal axis and vertically movable relative to said portion, driving means connected to said head to rotate same about a non horizontal axis, said first group of elements being fastened to the end of an arm and said second group of elements being fastened to a further arm that is retained against movement in a substantially radially outward direction relative to the first-mentioned arm during rotation of said head, said further arm being located above the first-mentioned arm.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
143 words
A hay making machine comprising a frame and at least one rake head rotatably mounted on said frame, said rake head comprising a first group of crop working elements and a second group of crop working elements, each of said groups having corresponding fastening portions that pivotably associate same with a central hub-like portion, each of said groups being pivotable in common about a substantially horizontal axis and vertically movable relative to said portion, driving means connected to said head to rotate same about a non horizontal axis, said first group of elements being fastened to the end of an arm and said second group of elements being fastened to a further arm that is retained against movement in a substantially radially outward direction relative to the first-mentioned arm during rotation of said head, said further arm being located above the first-mentioned arm.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
26 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 41, wherein said further arm is pivotally connected to the first-mentioned arm for relative movements within defined limits.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
133 words
A hay making machine comprising a frame and at least one rake head rotatably mounted on said frame, said rake head including a plurality of support arms pivotably connected to a central hub-like portion of said head and said arms being pivotable about non vertical axes, tine groups freely pivoted to said arms adjacent the outer ends thereof, spring means interconnecting said inner ends of said arms with the hub-like portion and biasing said arms with their tine groups upwardly about said non vertical axes during the non rotation of said head, driving means connected to said head to rotate same about an upwardly extending axis and said arms together with their tine groups being movable outwardly by centrifugal force against the bias of said spring means to an operative position during operation.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
133 words
A hay making machine comprising a frame and at least one rake head rotatably mounted on said frame, said rake head including a plurality of support arms pivotably connected to a central hub-like portion of said head and said arms being pivotable about non vertical axes, tine groups freely pivoted to said arms adjacent the outer ends thereof, spring means interconnecting said inner ends of said arms with the hub-like portion and biasing said arms with their tine groups upwardly about said non vertical axes during the non rotation of said head, driving means connected to said head to rotate same about an upwardly extending axis and said arms together with their tine groups being movable outwardly by centrifugal force against the bias of said spring means to an operative position during operation.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
27 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 43, wherein said hub-like portion has a lower stop that restricts the downward movement of said arms during operation.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
48 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 44, wherein said tine groups extend downwardly from the outer ends of their arms in a folded position during the non rotation of said head and a tine of each group is positioned to bear against said stop at rest.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
37 words
A hay making machine as claimed in claim 43, wherein each said tine group includes at least two tines that extend downwardly at rest and substantially parallel to said upwardly extending axis of rotation of said head.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
143 words
A hay making machine comprising a frame and at least one rake head rotatably mounted on said frame, said rake head comprising a central hub and a plurality of support arms independently pivoted to the lower portion of said hub, said arms extending generally radially from said hub during rotation thereof and a group of tines being pivoted to the outer end of each of said arms, a plurality of elongated crop engaging elements being pivotally associated with said hub and said elements extending radially from said hub to an adjacent position above the groups of tines during the rotation of said head, said groups of tines and said elements being pivotable about generally horizontal axes into upwardly extending positions, whereby the width of said head is reduced for the transport of said machine, driving means connected to said head to rotate same.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
143 words
A hay making machine comprising a frame and at least one rake head rotatably mounted on said frame, said rake head comprising a central hub and a plurality of support arms independently pivoted to the lower portion of said hub, said arms extending generally radially from said hub during rotation thereof and a group of tines being pivoted to the outer end of each of said arms, a plurality of elongated crop engaging elements being pivotally associated with said hub and said elements extending radially from said hub to an adjacent position above the groups of tines during the rotation of said head, said groups of tines and said elements being pivotable about generally horizontal axes into upwardly extending positions, whereby the width of said head is reduced for the transport of said machine, driving means connected to said head to rotate same.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-04-27 | 1979-10-27 | 1980-04-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-04-27 | 1983-10-27 | 1984-04-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-04-27 | 1987-10-27 | 1988-04-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |