Front end loader hay rake

摘要

A front end mounted rotary hay rake having a plurality of finger wheel rotary raking elements mounted on a frame and movable thereon from one to the other of a raking position to rake material on the ground into a windrow and a retracted raised traveling position. The frame is partly supported by a pair of caster wheel assemblies that are disposed in spaced apart relation with respect to one another and a distal end of the frame which connects securely to a front end loader mounted on a tractor. Oscillatory movement of the caster wheel assemblies is restrained by a brake acting on the shaft of the caster wheel assembly by which it is mounted on the frame. The frame of the rake is pivotally mounted to the front end of the loader.;A rotary type rake having a plurality of finger wheel rotary raking elements mounted on a frame and movable thereon from one to the other of a raking position to rake material on the ground into a windrow and a retracted raised traveling position. The frame is partly supported by a pair of caster wheel assemblies that are disposed in spaced apart relation with respect to one another and a distal end of the frame which connects securely to a front end loader mounted on a tractor. Oscillatory movement of the caster wheel assemblies is restrained by a brake acting on the shaft of the caster wheel assembly by which it is mounted on the frame.

主权项

1. A method of raking hay with a front end loader mounted hay rake, comprising the steps of:
lowering said front end loader to a selected level whereby a pair of caster wheels extending from said front end loader hay rake support a front end of said hay rake on the ground; lowering a pair of rotary raking elements to a ground engaging position; moving said front end loader hay rake forward with a tractor thereby engaging said rotary raking elements raking said hay into a single windrow between said rotary raking elements; wherein said rotary type rake comprises a rigid, generally horizontally disposed, frame assembly; rotary raking elements mounted on said frame assembly and being moveable between a raking position to rake material on the ground into a windrow and a retracted raised traveling position, said pair of caster wheel assemblies supporting a portion of said frame assembly and disposed in spaced apart relation with respect to one another forward of said rotary raking elements, said frame assembly having a distal end remote from said wheel assemblies, coupling means comprising a quick disconnect frame pivotally for vertical motion connected to said frame assembly on said distal end of said frame assembly detachably securing the same to a front end loader mounted on a tractor, and wherein each and every said caster wheel assembly incorporates therein means restraining oscillatory movement of a caster wheel within said caster wheel assembly as the rake travels during use thereof, said oscillatory restraining means including a brake pad and means for adjusting pressure exerted on said brake pad resulting in a selected amount of frictional resistance to said oscillatory movement of a shaft in said caster wheel assembly; and stop means comprising at least one frame abutting frame member extending downward from at least one elongate beam of said frame assembly toward said quick disconnect frame and spaced apart therefrom a selected distance, limiting pivoting of said frame assembly with respect to said quick disconnect frame for lifting said rake to said raised retracted traveling position.