Dual lifting system for rotary hay raking machine

• US 5,918,451 A
• Filed: 03/21/1997
• Issued: 07/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anthony R. Vonesch
• Original Assignee: Anthony R. Vonesch
• Inventors: Vonesch, Anthony R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Melius, Terry Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): FABIAN-KOVACS, ARPAD
• Application Number:
  US08/821,544
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 56/384, 56/385, 56/396, 56/397, 56/380, 56/379, 56/377, 56/378, 56/376, 56/372, 56/366, 56/365, 56/367
• US Class Current: 56/365
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 78/1007 Arrangements to facilitate transportation specially adapted therefor A01D78/1021 takes precedence; for other agricultural machines or implements A01B73/00; carriers A01D80/005
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 78/105 Ground support for rotors
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 80/00 Parts or details of , or accessories for, haymakers

Abstract

A hay raking machine of the present invention for attachment to a tractor with a single point hitch has a lifting mechanism for lifting the hay raking machine above cut hay laying on the ground while keeping the rake arms substantially level to the ground. The lifting mechanism employs two hydraulic cylinders working in tandem, with one cylinder located at the rear of the machine below the cam assembly for the rake arms, and the other cylinder located at the front of the machine which attaches to the single point hitch. The front cylinder cooperates with an assembly of four hitch arms in a parallelogram configuration for raising and lowering the front of the machine in unison with the rear of the machine. A farmer therefore has control over the height of the hay raking machine and its raking arms both during raking operations and during transport over roads or other potentially damaging surfaces.

Claims

1. A rotary hay raking machine for use with a tractor having a single point hitch, said raking machine comprising:

a frame having an undercarriage wheel assembly for transporting the raking machine over a ground surface;

a cam assembly mounted to the frame for rotating a plurality of rake arms extending radially from said cam assembly;

a hitch assembly located at a front end of said raking machine and pivotally connected thereto for attaching said raking machine to said single point hitch of the tractor for pulling said raking machine over said ground surface;

a lifting system having a front lifting mechanism adjacent said hitch assembly and a rear lifting mechanism beneath said cam assembly, said front and rear lifting mechanisms being operable to raise and lower said frame such that each of said raking arms remain substantially level to the ground surface.

2. The raking machine of claim 1 wherein:

said front lifting mechanism includes a first hydraulic cylinder;

said rear lifting mechanism includes a second hydraulic cylinder; and

,

said lifting system includes a hydraulic arrangement for operating said first and second hydraulic cylinders in tandem for raising and lowering said frame and raking arms substantially level to the ground surface.

3. The raking machine of claim 2 wherein said front lifting mechanism further includes a plurality of arms forming a parallelogram arm arrangement operable by said first hydraulic cylinder for lifting a front end of said frame relative to said hitch assembly.

4. The raking machine of claim 3 wherein:

said front end of the frame includes a hydraulic fluid storage tank; and

,

said parallelogram arm arrangement comprises two sets of opposed top and bottom hitch arms wherein each of said hitch arms is pivotally connected at one end to the hitch assembly and at the opposed end to the tank, and wherein respective top and bottom hitch arms are brought closer together upon said front linkage lifting said front end of the frame.

5. The raking machine of claim 3 wherein said rear lifting mechanism further includes said second hydraulic cylinder attached at one end to said frame and at an opposed end to a wishbone linkage comprising an activating arm having a first end pivotally connected to said second hydraulic cylinder and an opposed second end fixed to a wishbone arm carrying a plurality of wheels for transporting said raking machine over the ground surface.

6. The raking machine of claim 2 wherein said hydraulic arrangement comprises a single hydraulic line extending between said first and second hydraulic cylinders for allowing a tractor operator to activate hydraulic fluid to extend the first and second cylinders and thereby lift the frame, and to deactivate the hydraulic fluid to allow the first and second cylinders to retract under force of gravity and thereby lower the frame.

7. A hay raking machine comprising:

a transportable frame carrying a plurality of rotatable rake arms;

a hitch assembly at a front end of said frame for attachment to a single point hitch of a tractor for moving said frame over a ground surface;

a lifting system on said frame comprising;

a front mechanism, including a first hydraulic cylinder for operating said front mechanism, pivotally connected behind said hitch assembly;

a rear mechanism, including a second hydraulic cylinder for operating said rear mechanism, pivotally connected to said frame beneath said rake arms; and

a hydraulic system for operating said first and second cylinders to raise and lower said frame such that each of said raking arms remains substantially level to the ground surface.

8. The hay raking machine of claim 7 wherein said front mechanism comprises a plurality of fixed length arms forming a parallelogram arm arrangement operable by said first hydraulic cylinder for lifting a front end of said frame relative to said hitch assembly.

9. The hay raking machine of claim 8 wherein said parallelogram arm arrangement comprises two sets of opposed top and bottom hitch arms, each of said hitch arms being pivotally connected at one end to the hitch assembly and at an opposed end to said front end of the frame, wherein respective top and bottom hitch arms are brought closer together upon said front mechanism lifting said frame.

10. The hay raking machine of claim 9 wherein said first hydraulic cylinder is operatively connected at one end to said frame and at an opposed end to said bottom hitch arms.

11. The raking machine of claim 7 wherein said second hydraulic cylinder is operatively attached at one end to said frame and at an opposed end to a wishbone linkage comprising an activating arm having a first end pivotally connected to said second hydraulic cylinder and an opposed second end fixed to a wishbone arm carrying a wheel for rolling said raking machine over the ground surface.

12. The raking machine of claim 8 wherein said second hydraulic cylinder is attached at one end to said frame and at an opposed end to a wishbone linkage comprising an activating arm having a first end pivotally connected to said second hydraulic cylinder and an opposed second end fixed to a wishbone arm carrying a wheel for rolling said raking machine over the ground surface.

13. The raking machine of claim 9 wherein said second hydraulic cylinder is attached at one end to said frame and at an opposed end to a wishbone linkage comprising an activating arm having a first end pivotally connected to said second hydraulic cylinder and an opposed second end fixed to a wishbone arm carrying a wheel for rolling said raking machine over the ground surface.

14. The raking machine of claim 10 wherein said second hydraulic cylinder is attached at one end to said frame and at an opposed end to a wishbone linkage comprising an activating arm having a first end pivotally connected to said second hydraulic cylinder and an opposed second end fixed to a wishbone arm carrying a wheel for rolling said raking machine over the ground surface.

15. The raking machine of claim 7 wherein said hydraulic system comprises a single hydraulic line extending between said first and second hydraulic cylinders for allowing a tractor operator to activate hydraulic fluid to extend the first and second cylinders and thereby lift said frame, and to deactivate the hydraulic fluid to allow the first and second cylinders to retract under force of gravity and thereby lower said frame.