GB1071596A - Improvements in or relating to devices for working crop lying on the ground - Google Patents

Abstract

1,071,596. Haymaking machines. PATENT CONCERN N.V. Aug. 11, 1964 [Aug. 16, 1963], No. 32771/64. Heading A1F. A haymaking machine comprises a frame 1 and a plurality of positively-driven rake-heads 14-17 arranged in pairs, each pair being supported on two groundwheels 24 and being coupled to the frame by a supporting structure comprising sleeves 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, and gearboxes 4, 5, 10-13, each supporting-structure being rotatable freely about a horizontal axis constituted by the axis of a driving shaft within the sleeve 2 or 3. The frame includes a chain-casing 60 housing a chain 58 (Fig. 2) entrained around sprockets 41, 43 and driven by a shaft 56 which can be coupled to the towing tractor (not shown). The sprockets 41, 43 drive the driving shafts within the sleeves 2, 3, which, in turn drive pairs of shafts in the sleeves 6, 7 and 8, 9. Each final gearbox, such as 10, houses a bevel gear 39 driving a bevelgear 29 on a sleeve 28 which carries the spokes 30 of the rake-head 14 the sleeve 29 being rotatable on a shaft 18 the lower end 19 of which adjustably carries the cranked axle 23 of the ground wheel 24. The machine is drawn along by a drawbar 72 securable to brackets 62 on the main frame 1, the working height of the units being adjustable by vertically adjusting the drawbar about its axis 74 of attachment by means of a screwed spindle 71. For transport, the chain-casing 60 is turned through 90 degrees so that it lies above the frame-beam 1 (Fig. 6) and the rake-head pairs are swung about the sleeve-axes 2, 3 to lie perpendicular to the beam 1 so that the machine rests upon the four ground-wheels 24. The drawbar 72 is then attached to a pair of lugs on the sleeves 8, 9. Each rake-head spoke 30 (Fig. 4) carries on its outer end a double tine 31, 31A anchored to the spoke by coils 32, 33 engaging a cross-pin 35, the coils being largely surrounded by a shroud 36 through which the tines 31, 31A protrude. In a modification, (Fig. 9) the working height is set by relative movement of the drawbar 88 and an arm 82 secured to the gearbox 4, as set by a screwed spindle 98. The ground-wheel supporting arm 23 extends first forwardly from the wheel 24 and then rearwardly and upwardly.