Process for manufacturing a bow rake
First Claim
1. A process for manufacturing a bow rake, comprising the steps of:
- molding an outer encasement over a structural skeleton to form a cross-head for the bow rake including a handle-receiving socket and a plurality of spaced-apart tines;
heating a claw;
aligning an end of a selected tine including a thermoplastic section with an end of the heated claw;
driving the heated claw into the thermoplastic section of the selected tine such that as the heated claw engages the tine the thermoplastic section is softened to permit entry of the claw whereby the thermoplastic material of the thermoplastic section flows into intimate contact around the claw and then hardens as the heat of the claw is dissipated to hold the claw in place; and
securing an end of a handle within the handle receiving socket.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a process for manufacturing a bow rake, an outer plastic encasement is molded over a structural skeleton to form a cross-head including a handle-receiving socket and a plurality of spaced-apart tines. An elongated claw is pressed into an end of each tine, and an end of a handle is securing within the handle-receiving socket. In manufacturing the cross-head, one or more voids in the structural skeleton are filled with a selected flowable filler material which provides a structural backstop to maintain the shape integrity of the hollow skeleton during the molding step. Some or all of the filler material is removed from the skeleton subsequent to the molding step. Prior to pressing the claws into the tines, the claws are heated and then secured on a ram. The cross head is placed in a stationary jig in alignment with the ram, and the heated claw is then pressed into the selected tine. A similar process is utilized to connect the handle to the cross-head.
-
Citations
11 Claims
-
1. A process for manufacturing a bow rake, comprising the steps of:
-
molding an outer encasement over a structural skeleton to form a cross-head for the bow rake including a handle-receiving socket and a plurality of spaced-apart tines; heating a claw; aligning an end of a selected tine including a thermoplastic section with an end of the heated claw; driving the heated claw into the thermoplastic section of the selected tine such that as the heated claw engages the tine the thermoplastic section is softened to permit entry of the claw whereby the thermoplastic material of the thermoplastic section flows into intimate contact around the claw and then hardens as the heat of the claw is dissipated to hold the claw in place; and securing an end of a handle within the handle receiving socket. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A process for manufacturing a bow rake, comprising the steps of:
-
molding a cross-head to include a handle-receiving socket and a plurality of spaced-apart tines, the molding step including the steps of filling one or more voids within a structural skeleton with a selected flowable filler material, and molding an outer encasement about the exterior of the structural skeleton, whereby the filler material provides a structural backstop to maintain the shape integrity of the structural skeleton during the outer encasement molding step; attaching a claw at an end of each tine; and securing an end of a handle within the handle receiving socket. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
-
Specification