GB2028090A - Haymaking machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A haymaking machine comprises a rake member (7) rotatable about a vertical axis (8) and supporting a number of carrier arms (9), an outer portion (11) of each such arm being bent or having a crank shape and turnable about axis (12) during rotation of the member (7) around the axis (8) between a setting in which a tine group (13) has its tines in a generally upright crop-engaging working position and a setting in which said tines project horizontally rearwards with respect to the direction of rotation (B). Each tine group may comprise two pairs of tines and displacement of one pair of tines causes displacement of the other pair of tines in a different direction. The inner portion (10) of each carrier arm (9) may be divided into two relatively pivotable parts, stops being provided to limit pivoting of said parts in one direction and a spring being provided to oppose pivoting of the same parts in the opposite direction. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Haymaking machines This invention relates to haymaking machines of the kind which comprise at least one rake member that is rotatable about a non-horizontal axis by drive derived, during use, from the power take-off shaft of an agricultural tractor or other vehicle.

Many such haymaking machines are known but most of them suffer to a significant extent from one or more disadvantages. For example, crop-displacing tines of the or each rake member tend to break off due to metal fatigue after relatively short periods of use and/or arms or other supports of the tines foul the tops of swaths of raked crop when large accumulations of the latter are being dealt with thus spoiling the shapes of those swaths.

The present invention seeks to overcome, or at least greatly to reduce, these shortcomings, and accordingly provides, in one aspect, a haymaking machine of the kind set forth, wherein said rake member comprises at least one crop-displacing tine that is pivotable relative to the remainder of the rake member about an axis which, at least when said tine is in an upright crop-engaging position in the use of the machine, is located adjacent to an upper end region of the tine.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a haymaking machine in accordance with the invention shown connected to the rear of an agricultural tractor, Figure 2 is a rear elevation as seen in the direction indicated by an arrow II in Fig. 1, Figure 3 is a plan view, to an enlarged scale, of one group of crop-displacing tines of the machine of Figs. 1 and 2, and shows said group in a working or crop-engaging position, Figure 4 is a section taken on the line IV-IV in Fig. 3, Figure 5 is a view to the same scale and in the same direction as Fig. 3 but illustrates an alternative construction and arrangement of a group of tines, Figure 6 is an elevation as seen in the direction indicated by an arrow VI in Fig. 5, Figure 7 is again a view to the same scale as Fig. 3 but shows a third construction and arrangement of a tine group forming part of a haymaking machine in accordance with the invention, Figure 8 is a view as seen in the direction indicated by an arrow VIII in Fig. 7, Figure 9 is a sectional elevation illustrating a modification of the embodiment of Figs. 7 and 8 and may be compared with what is shown at the top and right of Fig. 8, Figure lOis a plan view illustrating an alternative form of haymaking machine in accordance with the invention shown connected to the rear of an agricultural tractor, and Figure 11 is an elevation, to an enlarged scale, as seen in the direction indicated by arrows Xl-XI in Fig. 10.

Referring firstly to Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings, the haymaking machine that is illustrated in the first two Figures is a machine which has only a single rake member 7 that is rotatable about a vertical or substantially vertical axis 8. It is particularly noted that the term "rake member" is used throughout this specification as an abbreviation for "rake member or rake head" and that, whilst the invention is described in its application to machines having only single rake members, it is equally applicable to machines which comprise a plurality of rake members that are all rotatable in the same direction and to machines which have at least one pair of rake members that are rotatable in opposite directions.Furthermore, whilst the axes of rotation 8 of the rake members 7 in the machines that will be described are vertical or very nearly vertical axes, this is not essential and the invention includes within its scope machines whose rake members have non-horizontal axes of rotation that are significantly inclined to the vertical.

The machine of Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings has a mobile frame 1 whose front, with respect to the intended direction of operative travel A of the machine, is provided with a coupling member or trestle 2 that defines an upper coupling point and two horizontally spaced apart lower coupling points (see Fig.

2) thereby enabling the frame 1 readily to be connected to the three-point lifting device or hitch at the rear of an agricultural tractor 3 (Fig. 1) or other operating vehicle. The rear end of the frame 1, with respect to the direction A, carries gear box 4 to a forwardly projecting rotary input shaft of which drive can be transmitted from the rear power takeoff shaft of the agricultural tractor 3 or other operating vehicle by way of a telescopic transmission shaft 5, which is of a construction that is known per se, having universal joints at its opposite ends.A central portion 6 of the rake member 7 that is of upwardly tapering but truncated conical configuration is located immediately beneath the gear box 4 and is arranged to be rotated in the direction that is indicated by an arrow B in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings by drive transmitted to the gear box 4 from the shaft 5 when the machine is in use. As previously mentioned, the whole rake member 7 revolves in the direction B about the vertical or substantially vertical axis 8. The axis 8 can be brought to as close an approximation to truly vertical as possible when the machine is used with different trac tors 3 and other vehicles by adjusting the lengths of the upper lifting links of the threepoint lifting devices or hitches at the rears of those tractors 3 or other vehicles, as may be required, in a manner that is well known per se.

In the embodiment that is being described, the central portion 6 of the rake member 7 is provided with eight carrier arms 9 which carrier arms 9 project generally outwardly away from said central portion. Each arm 9 comprises a straight inner portion 10 that projects outwardly away from the central portion 6 of the rake member 7 and a corresponding straight outer portion 11 which is located at the outer end of the inner portion 10 concerned. The two portions 10 and 11 of each carrier arm 9 are preferably formed integrally from a single length of metal tube or other tubular member and are inclined to one another in such a way that an obtuse angle is enclosed between their longitudinal axes.As can be seen best in Fig. 1 of the drawngs, the eight inner portions 10 are very nearly, but not quite, radially disposed with respect to the axis 8 and, in this embodiment, the longitudinal axis of each carrier arm outer portion 11 is inclined to the substantially horizontal longitudinal axis 1 2 of the corresponding inner portion 10 at an angle of substantially 30 .

The central portion 6 of the rake member 7 encloses a control mechanism which may be of a construction that is known per se and which is not the subject of the present invention but by which each carrier arm 9 is turned pivotally to and fro through an arc about the longitudinal axis 1 2 of the inner portion 10 of that arm during each rotation of the rake member 7 around the substantially vertical axis 8. Each substantially horizontal axis 1 2 does not, as inferred above, intersect the substantially vertical axis 8 but is located in front of that axis 8 with respect to the direction B.The control mechanism that has just been mentioned governs the movement of the carrier arms 9 in such a way that, as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings, a tine group 1 3 which is supported by the outer portion 11 of any one of the carrier arms 9 occupies a downwardly projecting working position in which the tines thereof are disposed for crop engagement when said tine group 1 3 is to the right (as seen in Fig. 1) of a vertical plane that is parallel to the direction A and that contains the axis 8 and also when said tine group 1 3 is in a foremost region of the machine with respect to the direction A.In this working position, the tines of said group 1 3 have their free ends or tips located at, or close to, ground level where they can pick up hay or other crop lying upon the ground. The control mechanism turns said group 1 3 upwardly about the corresponding axis 1 2 when that group is to the left (as seen in Fig. 1) of the aforementioned vertical plane which is parallel to the direction A and that contains the axis 8.The upward displacement of the tine group 1 3 allows the hay or other crop so be shed from the tines of that group and commences when the tine group 1 3 is at the left of said plane and, as seen in Fig. 1, is at about the same location of advance with respect to the direction A as is the leading extremity of the central portion 6 of the rake member 7. As can be seen at the left-hand side of Fig. 2 of the drawings, each tine group 1 3 is successively turned upwardly so far the: its tines project upwardly away from the ground surface so as to be well clear of the swath of raked crop that has been formed.When each tine group 1 3 is in a substantially rearmost position with respect to the direction A, the control mechanism turns it downwardly again about the corresponding axis 1 2 into the previously mentioned working position in which it will again engage and displace hay or other crop. The term "working position" is to be understood always to mean a position in which a tine or tine group is disposed for crop engagement with its free end or tip located at, or close to, ground level.

When the tine groups 1 3 have their tines in their working positions, the associated carrier arms 9 are so disposed that the outer portions 11 thereof are contained in substantially horizontal planes and are to the rear, with respect to the direction B, of the longitudinal axes 1 2 of the respective inner portions 1 0. As previously mentioned, the axes 1 2 should always be substantially horizontally disposed during the operation of the particular machine which is being described by a strict horizontal position is not absolutely essential and the straight inner portions 10 of the carrier arms 9 may project upwardly or downwardly by a few degrees with respect to an imaginary plane that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation 8.

A different construction for the carrier arms 9 is possible to that which has already been described above and, as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the "south east" carrier arm 9 is illustrated as having this alternative construction. Once again, the arm 9 has the straight inner portion 10 which is very nearly, but not quite, radially disposed with respect to the axis 8 but which, as an alternative, could have its longitudinal axis 1 2 in strict radial relationship with the axis 8. As in tl-ie case of the previously described carrier arms 9, the inner portion 10 of the alternative E.irnm 9 extends straight outwardly away Irom ;pS periphery of the central portion 8 or tile rak6 member 7 to a location which is approximately, but not necessarily exactly, midway between the periphery of the central portion 6 and an imaginary circle which contains the radially outermost points of the rake member 7.Fig. 1 of the drawings shows the alternative carrier arm 9 in a position which correponds to the working position of the respec tive tine group 1 3 and, as seen in the plan view of Fig. 1, an extension arm 14 projects perpendicularly rearwardly (with respect to the direction B) from the outermost end of the inner portion 10. The extension arm 14 advantageously has a length which is approximately half that of the inner portion 10 of the same carrier arm 9. The end of the extension arm 14 that is remote from the inner portion 10 rigidly holds a tine carrier 1 5 of the arm 9 which tine carrier 1 5 is parallel to the inner portion 10.The alternative carrier arm 9 thus has a cranked construction comprising the parallel inner portion 10 and tine carrier 1 5 which are rigidly and perpendicularly interconnected by the extension arm 14. It is noted that the tine group 1 3 is connected to the tine carrier 1 5 in exactly the same way as are the other tine groups 1 3 to the outer portions 11 of the first mentioned form of the carrier arms 9, this form of connection being discussed in detail below. The frame 1 of the haymaking machine is supported from the ground surface by a pair of ground wheels 1 6 which ground wheels are well spaced apart from one another in a horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the direction A.As seen in plan view (Fig. 1), the two ground wheels 16 are preferably located wholly or principally in the leading semicircular half of the rake member 7 with respect to the direction A. The ground wheels 1 6 are upwardly and downwardly adjustable in position relative to the frame 1 in a manner which is well known per se and which is not illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The way in which each group of tines 1 3 is connected to the outer portion 11 of the corresponding carrier arm 9, or to the tine carrier 1 5 of one of the alternative carrier arms 9, is illustrated in detail in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.Two support plates 1 7 are welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the tubular portion 11 or tine carrier 1 5 at horizontally spaced apart locations which are close to the free end of that portion 11 or carrier 1 5 and at some distance inwardly towards the centre of the rake member 7 away from said free end.The two support plates 1 7 project upwardly (Fig. 4) in the working position which is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the distance between them being substantially the same as the width of the tine group 1 3 concerned as measured in a direction parallel to the length of the respective outer portion 11 or tine carrier 1 5. The two support plates 1 7 carry lower and upper pivotal shafts 1 8 and 1 9 whose longitudinal axes are parallel to one another and to the outer portion 11 or tine carrier 1 5 concerned.If preferred, the shafts 1 8 and 1 9 may be replaced by pairs of axially coincident pivot pins carried by the respective plates 1 7. In the working position that is illustrated in Figs.

3 and 4 of the drawings, each upper pivotal shaft 1 9 is substantially, although not necessarily exactly, vertically above the corresponding lower pivotal shaft 1 8. Lower arms 20 (in the form of plates) are pivotable upwardly and downwardly about each lower shaft 1 8 alongside the corresponding support plates 1 7 and, similarly, upper arms 21 (also in the form of plates) are pivotable upwardly and downwardly about the upper shaft 1 9 alongside the two support plates 17.The arms 20 and 21 are of elongate formation and both project rearwardly, with respect to the direction B, from the corresponding shafts 1 8 and 19, said arms 20 and 21 being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the respective outer portion 11 or tine carrier 1 5 at least as seen in the plan view of Fig. 3.

The rear end, with respect t9 the direction B, of each lower arm 20 carries the corresponding end of a pivotal shaft 22 and, similarly, the rear ends of the upper arms 21 carry corresponding ends of a pivotal shaft 23, the pivotal shafts 22 and 23 being parallel to one another and to the shafts 1 8 and 1 9. Once again, the shafts 22 and 23 may, if preferred, be replaced by pairs of short axially aligned pivot pins carried by the respective arms 20 and 21. The lower and upper pivotal shafts 22 and 23 are interconnected, alongside the corresponding lower and upper arms 20 and 21, by two strip plates 24 which strip plates 24 are upwardly inclined in the illustrated working position of the tine group 1 3 under consideration.It will readily be apparent from Fig. 4 of the drawings that the shafts 18, 19, 22 and 23 lie at the four corners of a pivotable quadrilateral linkage which linkage is not, however, a parallelogram linkage. The dimensions of the linkage are conveniently, as illustrated, such that the distance between the shafts 22 and 23 is substantially twice the distance between the shafts 1 8 and 1 9 whilst the distance between the shafts 1 8 and 22, and that between the shafts 1 9 and 23 is substantially four times and three times, respectively, the distance between the shafts 1 8 and 1 9. In order to maintain a sufficient degree of rigidity of the pivotable quadrilateral linkage, the lower arms 20 are perpendicularly interconnected, substantially midway along their lengths, by a beam 25 of square crosssection, the two upper arms 21 being similarly interconnected at a similar location by a hollow beam 26 of square cross-section, the opposite ends of the beams 25 and 26 being welded to the arms 20 and 21 concerned.

The two beams 25 and 26 extend parallel to one another and to the respective carrier arm outer portion 11 or tine carrier 1 5. The two strip plates 24 are also rigidly interconnected by a bar 27 of L-shaped cross-section, said bar 27 being disposed substantially midway between the two pivotal shafts 22 and 23 and being parallel to both of those shafts. The opposite ends of the bar 27 are welded to the respective strip plates 24 and it will be noted from Fig. 4 of the drawings that one limb of the bar 27 is parallel to a plane which contains the longitudinal axes of the two shafts 22 and 23 whilst the other limb is perpendicular to that plane.In the working position of the tine group 1 3 that is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the plane that has just been mentioned is inclined at a few degrees to the vertical in such a direction that an upper point thereon is located further in advance with respect to the direction B than is a lower point thereon (see Fig. 4). Three pairs of tines 28, 29 and 30 (Fig. 3) principally afford the tine group 1 3 that is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings with the two end tines of the group, one in the pair 28 and one in the pair 30, being located substantial ly, but not exactly, in register with rearward extensions (with respect to the direction B) of the upper arms 21 as seen in plan view (Fig.

3). The three pairs of tines 28, 29 and 30 are all fastened to the limb of the bar 27 that is parallel to the plane which contains the longitudinal axes of the pivotal shafts 22 and 23, said pairs being regularly spaced apart along that bar in such a way that the six tines themselves are also regularly spaced apart from one another.

Each tine of each pair 28, 29 and 30 has its centre line contained in a plane that, as seen in plan view (Fig. 3), is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the corresponding outer portion 11 or tine carrier 15, the upper end of each tine, which may be formed from spring steel or other resilient material, being integrally connected by a coil 31 to a fastening portion. Each coil 31 comprises approximately four complete 360 turns and the common fastening portion between two coils 31 is in the form of a substantially 180 bend that is releasably secured to the bar 27 by a bolt and a shaped clamping plate. When viewed in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of one of the carrier arm outer portions 11 or one of the tine carriers 1 5 (Fig.

4), each tine of the corresponding group 13 projects downwardly away from the integrally associated coil 31 at an inclination of a few degrees to the vertical, the inclination being such that the end of the tine which integrally merges with said coil 31 is further advanced with respect to the direction B than is a location on the tine at some distance downwardly from said coil 31. It will be evident from Fig. 4 of the drawings that the portion of each tine that integrally joins the corresponding coil 31 is substantially straight but that the substantially straight portion, at its lower end, merges integrally into a regular arcuately curved portion that, towards its lower end, is directed principally forwardly in the direction B.A tangent to this arcuately curved portion, taken at a point close to ground level, is inclined at an angle of substantially 30 to the horizontal and it will be noted that the lowermost free end or tip of the tine that can bs seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings is substantiall7 horizontally disposed in a direction which ts substantially parallel to the direction B. Five. 3 of the drawings shows that an imaginary straight line interconnecting the free ends of all six of the tines of the three groups 2 , 29 and 30 is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the corresponding outer carrier arm portion 9 or to the longitudinal axis of the alternative tine carrier 1 5. In the latter case, the irnagi- nary straight line is also parallel to the longitu- dinal axis 1 2 of the corresponding inner carrier arm portion 1 0. In the working position of each tine group 13, the tines thereof prinoi- pally project downwardly towards the ground under which circumstances an imaginary line joining the lowermost free end or tip of one of the tines and the integral connection of l5lat tine to the corresponding coil 31 is inclined to the horizontal ground surface at an angle of not less than 45 .

Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings show that 5ne pivotal shaft 1 8 is surrounded, near its oppo- site ends, by coil springs 32 each of which bears between one of the support plates 17 and the upper edge of one of the lower arms 20 thus tending to urge the two arms 20 downwardly about said pivotal shaft 1 8 in Phe anticlockwise direction C that is indicated by an arrow in Fig. 4. The lower edges of the arms 20 are thus urged into engagement 'Jith stops 33 (Fig. 4) which stops are afforded by upper regions of the exterior surface of the outer arm portion 11 or tine carrier 1 5 concerned.It will, of course, be appreciated that the pivotable quadrilateral linkage which can be seen best in Fig. 4 of the drawings thus tends to adopt the configuration which is illustrated in that Figure in which the lovser edges of the arms 20 bear against the stops 33. Each tine group 1 3 is thus coupled to the corresponding outer carrier arm portion I or tine carrier 1 5 by a pivotable quadrilateral linkage of the kind which can be seen in rigs.

3 and 4 of the drawings but it is noted that the provision of such a linkage is not essential and that, as will be discussed below in connection with Figs. 5 to 9 of the drawings, a connection comprising only a single pivoa8 axis may be used as an alternative.

Referring again to Fig. 4 of the drawings, it will be noted that the centre of gravity of an assembly which comprises the lower and upper arms 20 and 21, the beams 25 and 2E, the strip plates 24, the pivotal shafts 22 and 23, the bar 27 and the tine groups 28, 29 and 30 is located, in the working position of the tine group 13, at substantially a point 34 which lies below the quadrilateral linkage and towards the rear thereof with respect to lle direction B.When the rake member 1 7 is rapidly rotating, a component of the centri,u- gal force which acts at the centre of gra-,ffity 34 will tend to turn the arms 20 and 21 downwardly about the pivotal shafts 1 8 and 19, the centre of gravity 34 being at a lower level than those shafts and its being remembered that said shafts do not extend radially with respect to the axis of rotation 8 (see Fig.

1). This component of the centrifugal force thus acts in the same direction as the coil springs 32 in urging the lower arms 20 into engagement with the stops 33 and, in some constructions, it may be possible to omit the coil springs 32 altogether and rely solely upon this component of the centrifugal force that is exerted during the operation of the machine to urge the arms 20 downwardly into engagement with the stops 33 in the working position of the corresponding tine group 13, this also tending to maintain the configuration of the pivotable quadrilateral linkage that can be seen best in Fig. 4 of the drawings. If the springs 32 are omitted, the tines of each group 1 3 are subject solely to centrifugal force, inertia, ground contact and the resistance to displacement of encountered crop lying upon the ground.The pivotable quadrilateral linkages enable the tine groups 1 3 to pivot substantially freely on the carrier arms 9 (with or without the resilient opposition of the springs 32) and this pivotability is independent of the controlled turning movements of the arms 9 about the corresponding axes 1 2 which take place during the operation of the machine in response to the effect of the control mechanism that is contained within the central portion 6 of the rake member 7.

When the haymaking machine of Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings is in operation, it is moved by the agricultural tractor 3 or other operating vehicle in the direction A, its single rake member 7 being rotated rapidly in the direction B around the substantially vertical axis 8 by drive derived from the rear power take-off shaft of the same tractor 3 or other operating vehicle by way of the telescopic shaft 5 and the gear box 4.The action of the known control mechanism in the central portion 6 of the rake member 7 has already been described briefly above but it is noted that each carrier arm 9 and the corresponding tine group 1 3 commences being turned upwardly about the respective axis 12, out of the working position of said tine group 13, at a location which, as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings, is between substantially 30 and substantially 45 around the axis 8 in the direction B from a position in which the inner portion 10 of the carrier arm 9 concerned projects substantially straight forwards in the direction A.Each carrier arm 9 is turned to the maximum extent of substantially 90 around the corresponding axis 1 2 into the upwardly withdrawn position of the tine group 1 3 concerned at a location in which the inner portion 10 of said carrier arm 9 projects at 90 to the left as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings from the aforementioned plane which contains the axis 8 and that is parallel to the direction A.This upwardly withdrawn position is maintained as each carrier arm 9 moves rearwardly towards the back of the machine but is reversed as the carrier arm 9 approaches its rearwardly directed (with respect to the direction A) disposition thereby causing the corresponding tine group 1 3 to reassume its working position when it is at, or very close to, the extreme rear of the machine.

As previously mentioned, whilst each tine group 1 3 is moving from its working position to its upwardly withdrawn position at a location which is approximately north westward from the axis 8 as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the tines of the group 1 3 pass through a crop-shedding position in which hay or other crop carried thereby can slide readily rearwards (with respect to the direction B) off the tines to form part of a swath of raked crop that is being formed at substantially the lefthand side of the machine.By the time that each tine group 1 3 has been turned upwardly about the corresponding axis 1 2 to the maximum extent of substantially 90 thereby bringing the free ends or tips of those tines to their maximum distance from the ground surface, all of the hay or other crop will have slid off the tines and, of course, the tine group 1 3 concerned is subsequently turned back downwardly into its working position. The engaged crop is progressively released as each group 1 3 is turned further upwardly into its inoperative withdrawn position so that the swath is smoothly augmented in size, the tines themselves being fully and readily withdrawn from the formed swath.If desired, the machine may incorporate a known form of swath board (not illustrated) which extends wholly or principally in the direction A at the left-hand side of the rake member 7 so as to assist in producing a smooth formation of at least one side of the swath of hay or other crop.

If the hay or other crop that is to be displaced by the machine is lying upon the ground in large accumulations, the machine will have to displace large quantities thereof per unit time, particularly if the single rake member 7 has a relatively great diameter.

Under these circumstances, a swath of considerable height can be formed and this height may exceed the distance between the pivotal axes 1 2 and the ground surface. With known machines, the radially outer portions of the carrier arms for the tine groups will foul the top of the formed swath knocking away an upper portion of that swath which then falls to the ground alongside the swath in an irregular manner. This spoils the shape of the swath and reduces its suitability for co-operation with a baling machine or an automatic pick-up wagon or the like and can, of course, cause considerable crop wastage.The difficulty that has just been discussed could be avoided by arranging the arms or other supports of the tines at a greater distance above ground level but this naturally results in a raised position of the centre of gravity of the whole machine and considerably reduces its stability on the ground surface during forward travel.However, in the haymaking machine that has been described, the inclined disposition of each outer carrier arm portion 11 with respect to the corresponding inner carrier arm portion 10 ensures that, in the region around the axis 8 in which the crop is shed from the tine groups 13, the outer carrier arm portions 11 automatically attain an increased spacing from the ground surface together with the respective tine groups 1 3. High swaths that are formed by the action of the machine upon large accumulations of crop thus remain intact and do not have their tops fouled by the outer portions 11 of the carrier arms 9 so that said swaths remain intact and of sharply defined cross-sectional shape.This effect is achieved without increasing the distance of the inner portions 10 of the carrier arms 9 from the ground surface and without raising the centre of gravity of the whole machine to any significant extent as compared with conventional machines. It is pointed out again that the same advantage may readily be obtained in machines which comprise a plurality of rake members that revolve in the same direction during use or that comprise at least one pair of rake members which revolve in opposite directions during use.

When the alternative formation of each carrier arm 9 is employed that has been described above with reference to the arm 9 which lies south east from the axis 8 as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the same advantage is obtained because, when each arm 9 reaches the position in which crop is to be shed from the respective tine group 13, the tine carrier 15 concerned is turned upwardly about the axis 12 of the inner carrier arm portion 10 to a location in which it will be spaced above the top of even the highest swath of crop that is ever likely to be formed by the machine.

Under these circumstances, each tine carrier 15 remains in substantially parallel relationship with the ground surface throughout its length whereas the outer portions 11 of the first form of the carrier arms 9 are inclined upwardly and outwardly away from the inner portions 10 of those arms 9 when in register with the top of the swath that is being formed (see the left-hand side of Fig. 2 of the drawings). In both cases, there is nothing between the bottom of each outer carrier arm portion 11 or tine carrier 15 and the top of the swath that is being formed so that no part of the rake member 7 can foul the top of that swath.

When the carrier ams 9 occupy the position around the axis 8 in which crop is to be shed from the tine groups 1 3, the centre of gravity 34 (Fig. 4) of each such group 13 and the associated parts will have been displaced upwardly about the corresponding axis 1 2 to a position in which it lies at a higher nçvso than that of the corresponding pivotal shaX 3 and this, due to the previously discussed factors, enables a component of the centrifugal force successively to displace each quadrilateral in- kage upwardly against the action of the soil springs 32 if those springs 32 are provided.

As seen in plan view in the crop shedding position, the longitudinal axes of the pivotal shafts 18 and 19 and the corresponding axis 12 are all located in front of the axis S ith respect to the direction B with the shafts 18 s and 19 at a level beneath that of the centre of gravity 34. The successive upward displacements of the pivotable quadrilateral linkages in the crop shedding position causes some vibration of the tines and this tends to encourage any crop that is adhering to those tines to be released. A stop (not shown) may bs provided to limit the upward displaceabiiYcy of each pivotable quadrilateral linkage about the shafts 18 and 1 9.It can be seen in the west and south west quarters (considered from the axis 8) in Fig. 1 of the drawings that r EC carrier arm 9 appears to be of rectilinear configuration, as seen in plan view, when iQ has been turned upwardly through 98" about the corresponding axis 12 to bring its tine group 13 to the crop shedding position.

When each tine group 13 is in its working position, that is to say, principally when it is to the right-hand side, as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings, of the aforementioned vertical .'ane which is parallel to the direction A and When contains the axis of rotation 8, or is in a leading arc of the rake member 7 with respect to the direction A, the free ends or tips ol the tines of said group 13 (see Fig. 4) are located substantially, but not exactly, beneaih Lrne bar 27 to which said tines are indirectly Fas:nsd by way of the coils 31 which are integral jith the tines.The resiliency of the tines is dsctE,ed by the material from which they are formed, by their length, by their thickness and by the form and measurements of the coils 31 and these variable features are selected with a view to ensuring that said tines will haje a maximum possible efficiency in picking up and displacing crop from the ground whilst still being able to match minor undulations in the surface thereof. When the forwardly directed free ends or tips of the tines of a group 13 meet an undulation in the ground -u rvcs, the corresponding pivotable quadnlaterai in- kage is displaced as shown by way of e:ar ple in Fig. 4 of the drawings. If, according to this example, the free ends or tips of the tines of the illustrated group 13 are displaced up- wardly along a curve 35 in the direction indicated by an arrow D in Fig. 4, said fY 3S ends or tips will have been displaced pric.

pally upwardly, and to a less extent wardly, with respect to the direction is a%a? from the ground irregularity concerned. Upon the upward movement of the tine group 1 3 that has just been mentioned, the pivotable quadrilateral linkage that can be seen in Fig.

4 of the drawings is deflected upwardly to, for example, a position such as the one that is shown in outline, and principally in broken lines, in that Figure. The longitudinal axes of the lower and upper shafts 22 and 23 are displaced to locations which, in Fig. 4, are indicated by points 22' and 23', respectively.

The line of connection, physically afforded by the strip plates 24, between the shafts 22 and 23 is displaced upwardly to a position which, in Fig. 4, is indicated by a line of connection between the points 22' and 23' and it will be noted particularly that the inclination of this line of connection to the horizontal and to the vertical is changed by only a few degrees in a direction in which the angle between said line and the vertical is marginally increased. A consequence of this is that the optimum inclination of the pairs of tines 28, 29 and 30 to the horizontal and vertical is varied only to a small extent so that the ability of those tines to engage and pick up crop is not significantly reduced.The pivotable quadrilateral linkages by which the tine groups 1 3 are connected to the carrier arms 9 allows those tine groups 1 3 to deflect, in their working positions, under conditions in which the resilient formation of the tines themselves is inadequate, it being remembered that said tines are constructed and arranged to function in an optimum manner in engaging and picking up mown grass, hay and other crop from the ground surface.

Circumstances in which the pivotable quadrilateral linkages are important are, for example, when the tine groups 1 3 meet a significant undulation in the ground or even an obstacle projecting upwardly from the ground surface.

Even under such conditions, the tine groups 1 3 can follow the ground surface with only a very low likelihod of tine breakage, their ability to pick up and displace crop not being lost during upward and downward displacement about the axes defined by the pivotal shafts 18 and 19. Such movements are considered to be free pivotability relative to the carrier arms 9 even when the coil springs 32 are provided to urge the lower arms 20 of the linkages downwardly into engagement with the stops 33. This pivotability contrasts with the cyclic to and fro movement of the carrier arms 9 about the respective axes 1 2 under the control of the mechanism that is contained within the central portion 6 of the rake member 7.It is, however, noted that it is by no means an essential feature of the invention that arms, equivalent to the carrier arms 9, should be movable in their rake member as the result of the action of a control mechanism and that the free pivotability of the tine groups may be used with equal advantage in single or multiple rake member machines whose rake members have fixed carrier arms or other tine supports.

Figs. 5 to 9 of the drawings illustrate alternative constructions and arrangements by which tine groups may be freely pivotable relative to the outer portions 11 of carrier arms 9 or to the alternative tine carriers 1 5 of such arms 9. Once again, the advantages are equally applicable to single or multiple rake member machines, to machines in which the carrier arms or other supports are of different shapes and are either fixed or turnable in a controlled manner and to machines which have at least one rake member that is rotatable about a non-horizontal axis that is inclined to the vertical to a significant extent.

Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings illustrate an embodiment in which two U-shaped (in plan view-Fig. 5) brackets 36 and 37 are adjustably secured to the corresponding outer carrier arm portion 11 or tine carrier 1 5 by two pairs of bolts and a co-operating clamping plate, the outer portion 11 or tine carrier 1 5 being of square cross-section. The bases of the two U-shaped brackets 36 and 37 are clamped to the rearmost surface of the outer portion 11 or tine carrier 1 5 with respect to the direction of rotation B and the limbs of those two brackets project perpendicularly rearwards therefrom when the tine group concerned is in its working position.The limbs of the brackets 36 and 37 are formed, near to their rearmost free ends, with aligned holes and corresponding tubular shafts 38 and 39 are journalled in those holes so as to be turnable about their own longitudinal axes.

The longitudinal axes of the two tubular shafts 38 and 39 are coincident and parallel to the corresponding outer carrier arm portion 11 or tine carrier 1 5. The neighbouring ends of the aligned tubular shafts 38 and 39 are spaced from one another and this space accommodates a coupling 40 between said shafts. The coupling 40 comprises a bevel pinion 41 at the end of the tubular shaft 38 and a similar bevel pinion 42 at the end of the tubular shaft 39. The teeth of both pinions 41 and 42 are in mesh with those of a third bevel pinion 43 that is turnable about a substantially horizontal axis which is perpendicular to the common longitudinal axis of the two tubular shafts 38 and 39.The pinion 43 is rigidly secured to an inner ring 45 whose geometric centre coincides with the axis about which the third pinion 43 is turnable, the inner ring 45 being concentrically surrounded by a larger outer ring 44 which outer ring 44 has a flange that is rigidly secured to the outer surface of a sleeve 46. The longitudinal axis of the sleeve 46 coincides with the axis about which the third pinion 43 is turnable and said sleeve 46 is rigidly connected to a forked bracket 47 whose base is bolted to an adjacent limb of the U-shaped bracket 36. The annular space between the inner and outer rings 45 and 44 is filled with an elastic organic material 46A such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber or a synthetic plastics material having elastic properties.The material 46A is vulcanised or otherwise bonded to the facing surfaces of the rings 44 and 45 and it will be appreciated that, with this arrangement, the third pinion 43 can turn pivotally in either direction out of a central equilibrium position against the progressively increasing resistance of the elastic material 46A.

The tubular shafts 38 and 39 carry tine groups 48 and 49 respectively each of which groups comprises two tines whose upper ends merge integrally into coils 50 which are wound helically around the shaft 38 or 39 concerned. The coils 50 which correspond to the two tines of each group are wound in opposite directions and meet, substantially midway along the length of the corresponding shaft 39 or 39, at a substantially 180 bend.

This bend is rigidly secured to the outer surface of the tubular shaft 38 or 39 by a clamping plate and a co-operating bolt which extends diagonally through the respective shaft 38 or 39. It will be evident from Fig. 6 of the drawings that each tine has the same formation and disposition as do the tines of the embodiment which has been described above with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings. Thus, the tines of the groups 48 and 49 again have optimum formations and dispositions for picking up and displacing crop when any undulations in the ground surface are relatively minor.However, if one of the tines of one of the groups (for example, the group 49) should encounter a large undulation in the ground surface or a projecting obstacle, then said tine, or possibly both of the tines of the group 49, will slide upwardly over the undulation or obstacle tightening the corresponding coils 50 around the shaft 39 and tending to turn that shaft about its own longitudinal axis in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 6. The shaft 39 will be turned about its own longitudinal axis to some extent against the elastic opposition of the material 46A due to the intermeshing engagement of the teeth of the pinion 42 with those of the pinion 43.However, simultaneously, the shaft 38 will be turned about its own longitudinal axis in the opposite direction due to the intermeshing engagement of the teeth of the third pinion 43 with those of the pinion 41 thus displacing the tines of the group 48 forwardly with respect to the direction B in an anticlockwise direction as seen in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Such displacement will, it will be appreciated, tend to move the free ends or tips of the tines of the group 48 downwardly to some extent into firmer engagement with the ground surface.Thus, the upward displacement of the tine group 49 which is initiated by one or both of its tines meeting a significant ground undulation or obstacle is opposed both by the elasticity of the material 46A of the coupling 40 and also by the increased resistance to forward movement in the direction B of the tines of the other group 48 that is caused by the downward shifting of those tines towards the ground surface. Generally speaking, if one tine group is moved in one direction, the companion tine group is moved in another direction which is principally the opposite direction. As previously mentioned, the resistance to turning displacement of the hollow shafts 38 and 39 in either diredtion progressively increases in a linear manner from a zero value which corresponds to a condition of no stress in the material 46A.Thus, the initial resistance to turning displacement is quite small so that, when one of the groups of tines is initially deflected as a result of the forwardly sliding ends thereof meeting an undulation or obstacle, only minimal resistance to that deflection is encountered. However, the other group of tines exerts a deflecting torque in the opposite direction and this can have an appreciable magnitude even at the commencement of the displacement of the first group of tines that results from meeting a significant ground undulation or obstacle. The magnitude of the opposing torque which is produced by the other group of tines is dependent upon the initial position of the free ends or tips of the tines of that group relative to the ground surface and also upon the resiliency of the tine group that does not encounter the significant undulation or obstacle.If the loads on a tine which are due to collisions with ground undulations and obstacles during the lifetime of that tine when it is suspended in the manner that has been described with reference to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings are compared with the loads exerted upon a simi lar tine which is rigidly secured to one of the carrier arms 9 or to some other tine support, it is found that, graphically speaking, the peaks of the tine loads are clipped off when the suspension of Figs. 5 and 6 of the draw ings is employed as compared with the rigid suspension. With the suspension of Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, the level of stress in the tine material is significantly reduced and, since frequent breakages of tines in known haymaking machines are generally attributable to metal fatigue, the employment of a tine suspension in accordance with the invention very significantly reduces the incidence of tine breakage, this being very desirable from the point of view of rapid, efficient and economic haymaking.

The same advantages as have just been discussed are obtained when the third or coupling pinion 43 is not elastically connected to the corresponding carrier arm 9 and is arranged only to link the tine group 48 to the tine group 49 and vice versa. This is also true when the shafts 38 and 39 of the groups 48 and 49 are individually elastically connected to the corresponding carrier arm without said two groups being operatively connected to one another by the coupling 40. Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings basically disclose two cou plings, that is to say, the interconnection of the two groups 48 and 49 by way of the pinions 41, 42 and 43 and the coupling of both groups to a rigid member through the intermediary of the elastic material 46A.It will be understood from the discussion above that these two couplings do not necessarily need to be provided in common and that either of them may be employed alone. It is noted that the arrangement which has been described with reference to Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings is particularly, but not exclusively, suitable for use in haymaking machines whose rake members are rotatable about nonhorizontal axes that are significantly inclined to the vertical because, in such machines, the tine groups penetrate into the mown grass, hay or other crop that is lying upon the ground at a particular point around the path of circular motion of the rake member concerned and can make somewhat abrupt engagements with the ground surface at that point thus producing a rather sudden peak loading upon the tines.When the construction described with reference to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings is employed, there is a variable resistance to tine displacement which considerably reduces the peak loads exerted and enables the tines readily to conform to any undulations in the surface of the ground over which the machine is travelling.

In the embodiment of Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings, the outer carrier arm portion 11 or tine carrier 15 has three strip plates 51, 52 and 53 welded to it in relatively spaced apart relationship, all three of the plates 51, 52 and 53 extending perpendicularly rearwards (with respect to the direction B) from the outer portion 11 or tine carrier 1 5 concerned in parallel and registering relationship with one another, the radially innermost strip plate 53 being of shorter length than are the equal length outermost strip plate 51 and intermediate strip plate 52. When the tine group that is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 is in its working position, as shown, the three strip plates 51, 52 and 53 all extend substantially horizontally.The strip plates could equally well be mounted on a straight carrier arm or other tine support which could be rigidly mounted in the rake member or be turnable about an axis in a controlled manner in the way which has been described above. It can be seen in Fig. 7 of the drawings that the distance between the strip plates 51 and 52 is a little less than the distance between the strip plates 52 and 53 but this is not essential and the strip plate 52 may be disposed midway between the two strip plates 51 and 53. Each distance is approximately, but not necessarily exactly, equal to the width of a corresponding group of tines 54 and 55 when measured in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the outer carrier arm portion 11 or tine carrier 1 5 concerned.The tine group 55 is in advance of the tine group 54 with respect to the direction B and lies between the plates 52 and 53 whereas the group 54 lies between the plates 51 and 52, said group 54 being disposed close to the rears of the two plates 51 and 52 with respect to the direction B. The two strip plates 51 and 52 are approximately twice the length of the strip plate 53. Aligned holes are formed in the two strip plates 51 and 52 at locations close to their rearmost free ends and a tubular shaft 56 is turnably journalled in those holes so as to be pivotable about its own longitudinal axis which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the corresponding outer carrier arm portion 11 or tine carrier 1 5.

It will be seen from Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings that the two tines of the group 54 merge integrally at their opposite ends into oppositely wound coils which extend around the tubular shaft 56 and that, where said oppositely wound coils meet, they are firmly but releasably secured to that shaft 56 by a bolt and a clamping plate in the same manner as has already been described with reference to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. The tines of the two groups 54 and 55 have the same shape and formation as the tines that have already been described above with particular reference to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

A second tubular shaft 57 that is in parallel relationship with the tubular shaft 56 is jour nalled in holes formed in the strip plate 53 towards the free end thereof and in the strip plate 52 between the hole which receives the tubular shaft 56 and the end of that plate 52 which is welded to the outer carrier arm portion 11 or tine carrier 1 5. The tubular shaft 57 is surrounded by the coils that correspond to the two tines of the group 55, the integrally adjoining ends of the two coils being secured to the shaft 57 midway between the two tines of the group 55 as seen in plan view (Fig. 7). The housing of a bearing 58 is bolted to the strip plate 53 in such a position that said bearing registers with the tubular shaft 57 and the hole in said strip plate.The end of the shaft 57 which projects into the bearing 58 is provided with a sleeve 59 and the housing of said bearing comprises an outer sleeve 60 which coaxially surrounds the sleeve 59 and the tubular shaft 57. The bearing 58 comprises an annular space between the inner and outer sleeves 59 and 60 and this space is filled with an elastic material 61 such as, for example, natural rubber, artificial rubber or a synthetic plastics material having elastic properties. The elastic material 61 is firmly bonded to the facing surfaces of the sleeves 59 and 60 by, for example, a vulcanisation process.

One end of the tubular shaft 56 projects through the strip plate 52 and this end rigidly carries a sleeve from which projects a lug 62.

When, as illustrated, the two tine groups 54 and 55 are in their working position but are not displaced, the lug 62 projects downwardly and forwardly from the tubular shaft 56 with respect to the direction B (see Fig. 8). The tubular shaft 57 rigidly carries a sleeve at the same side of the strip plate 52 as is the sleeve carried by the tubular shaft 56 and said sleeve is provided with a second projecting lug 63. The lug 63 has the same shape and size as the lug 62 and, in the working position of the tine groups 54 and 55 that has just been discussed, said lug 63 projects upwardly and rearwardly from the tubular shaft 57 with respect to the direction B in substantially parallel relationship with the lug 62. The free ends of the two lugs 62 and 63 carry pivots and these pivots are linked together by a strip-shaped coupling rod 64.

The tine group 55 is in advance of the tine group 54, in the direction B, by a distance which is substantially equal to the width of one of these two tine groups and, as in the case of the embodiment of Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, an upward and rearward displacement of one tine group, for example the tine group 55 in the direction indicated by an arrow E in Fig. 8, brings about an opposite downward and forward displacement of the companion tine group 54, these opposite displacements being elastically opposed by the material 61 in the bearing 68.

The embodiment that has been described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings may advantageously be employed where the ground is known to be very uneven and to comprise undulations and projections which are quite large as compared with the dimensions of one of the tine groups. The leading tine group 55 will usually meet a large undulation or projecting obstacle first, since it is foremost in the direction B, and the deflection of its two tines will be opposed in a progressively increasing manner by the elastic material 61 and also by the downward and forward displacement of the tines of the rear group 54 which displacement causes the tines of that group 54 to be pressed more firmly into engagement with the ground surface.If the undulation or projecting obstacle is a large one, the tines of the group 54 will meet it after the tines of the group 55 have passed it in the direction B so that the tines of the group 54 will, in turn, be urged upwardly and rearwardly in a direction similar to the direction E, this displacement being opposed by the elasticity of the material 61 and by the increased resistance to forward motion of the tines of the group 55 which will be encountered when those tines are urged downwardly and forwardly with respect to the direction B due to the coupling rod 64 which interconnects the lugs 62 and 63 carried by the tubular shafts 56 and 57.As already discussed in connection with the embodiment of Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, it may be possible to dispense with the elastic coupling in the bearing 58 and to rely upon the connection between the two tubular shafts 56 and 57 by way of the rod 64. Conversely, the lugs 62 and 63 and the coupling rod 64 may be omitted and the end of the tubular shaft 56 be provided with a bearing 58 containing elastic material 61 in the same manner as has been described for the tubular shaft 57.

Fig. 9 illustrates a modification of the construction which has been described wih reference to Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings in which modification the bearing 58 is omitted and the lug 63 is of an alternative triangular form having one corner pivotally connected to a fork 69 at one end of a rod 65. The rod 65 is entered slidably through a hole in a bracket 66 which is rigidly welded to one side of the strip plate 53 and two helical compression springs 67 and 68 are wound around said rod 65 so as to bear respectively between the base of the fork 69 and one side of the bracket 66 and between the opposite side of that bracket 66 and a nut and washer 70, the nut and washer 70 being mounted on a screwthreaded end portion of the rod 65 that is remote from the fork 69.The nut and washer 70 are, of course, axially displaceable along the screwthread on the rod 65 to enable the initial degree of compression of the two springs 67 and 68 to be increased or decreased as may be desired. If necessary, a lock nut may be provided to co-operate with the nut and washer 70. It will be appreciated that the two springs 67 and 68 oppose one another and tend to maintain the rod 65 in an equilibrium position relative to the bracket 66.

Deviations from this equilibrium position, in response to turning movements of the tubular shafts 56 and 57, are opposed by one or the other of the two springs 67 and 68 so that the assembly of parts 65 to 70 inclusive affords an alternative to the use of the bearing 58 which includes the elastic material 61.

The constructions which have been described with reference to Figs. 7 to 9 of the drawings are also particularly, but not exclusively, suitable for use in haymaking machines whose one or more rake members revolve about non-horizontal axes which are significantly inclined to the vertical, the tine groups being carried by either straight arms or arms 9 of the kind which have been described above and said arms or other tine supports being either rigidly fixed in the rake members or being turnable about axes in a controlled manner by a suitable control mechanism.

When rake members rotate about axes which are significantly inclined to the vertical, their tines can make very sudden contacts with the ground, usually in a foremost region of the rake member with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the machine, and these sudden contacts, in prior art machines, can lead rapidly to metal fatigue and breakage of the tines. The constructions which have been described allow the tines to deflect in a progressively increasing resiliently opposed manner and this greatly reduces the magnitude of the stresses to which the tine material is exposed thus very considerably increasing the useful life of the tines. Despite this advantage, the tines exert a strong displacing grip upon any encountered crop that may be lying upon the ground.

Figs. 10 and 11 of the drawings illustrate a haymaking machine which is similar or identical, in many respects, to the machine that has already been described above and, accordingly, it is not necessary to describe many of the parts of the machine of Figs. 10 and 11 for a second time and such parts are indicated in those Figures by the same numerals as have already been used in the preceding Figures.

The principal way in which the haymaking machine of Figs. 10 and 11 of the drawings differs from the various embodiments that have been described above is that the inner portion 10 of each carrier arm 9 is divided into an inner part 72 and an outer part 73 which two parts are turnably interconnected by a corresponding pivot 71. As seen in plan view (Fig. 10), each pivot 71 is disposed a short distance outwardly beyond the periphery of the central portion 6 of the rake member 7 and is substantially horizontally disposed when the corresponding tine group 1 3 is in its working position but substantially vertically disposed when that tine group is fully upwardly withdrawn.Each pivot 71 intersects the longitudinal axis 1 2 of the corresponding arm portion 10 at an angle of substantially 90D so that each pivot 71 is in substantially tangential relationship with an imaginary circle centred upon the axis of rotation 8 when the corresponding tine group 1 3 is in its working position. Consequentially, each pivot 71 is in substantially parallel relationship with the axis of rotation 8 when the corresponding tine group 1 3 is fully upwardly withdrawn into its inoperative position.

It can be seen in Fig. 11 of the drawings that the adjacent ends of the two parts 72 and 73 of each inner carrier arm portion 10 are provided with obliquely projecting stops 74 whose free ends are quite close to one another when the two parts 72 and 73 of the corresponding arm portion 10 are axially aligned, the positions of said stops 74 around the respective pivot 71 being such as to prevent those two parts 72 and 73 from being turned relative to one another about the pivot 71 which interconnects them to more than a very limited angular extent in one direction.At the opposite sides of the two parts 72 and 73 from the two stops 74, those parts are provided with corresponding perpendicularly projecting plates 75 whose free ends are formed with holes through which a bolt 76 is entered in a direction that is substantially, but not necessarily exactly, parallel to the corresponding axis 1 2. It is noted that the holes in the two plates 75 are significantly larger in diameter than is the shank of the bolt 76. When, as shown in Fig. 11, the two parts 72 and 73 of the arm portion 10 are in axial alignment with one another, the shank of the bolt 76 extends well beyond one of the two plates 75, said end having a nut adjustably mounted thereon which nut may, if required, be accompanied by a second lock nut.A helical compression spring 77 is wound around the shank of the bolt 76 so as to bear between the facing surfaces of the two plates 75 and it will immediately be apparent that the spring 77, which is preferably initially compressed to some extent, will tend to turn the outer part 73 of the arm portion 10 in a clockwise direction about the corresponding pivot 71 relative to the fixed inner part 72 until the free ends of the two stops 74 come into abutting contact with one another.

Since the pivots 71 are substantially horizontally disposed during the operation of the machine, this allows the outer part 73 of each arm portion 10, the corresponding outer arm portion 11 or tine carrier 1 5 and the respective tine group 1 3 to turn downwardly within the limits dictated by the pre-adjusted effective length of the bolt 76 and the nonadjustable stops 74 so that said tine groups 1 3 can even more readily follow undulations in the ground surface and particularly depressions therein.When, for example, a tine group 1 3 has to conform to a significant upward undulation in the ground surface, the outer part 73 of the corresponding arm portion 10 is turned upwardly about the respective pivot 71 relative to the inner part 72 of the same arm portion 10 against the progressively increasing opposition of the compression spring 77 concerned. This resilient opposition brakes the upper movement of the tine group 1 3 and effectively prevents it from bouncing upwardly and positively urges said tine group 1 3 downwardly again immediately the peak of the undulation has been passed.

When each tine group 1 3 is in its fully upwardly withdrawn inoperative position, the corresponding pivot 71 is substantially vertically disposed and air resistance, opposed by centrifugal force, will tend to cause said group to turn rearwardly with respect to the direction B about the respective pivot 71. The extent to which this is possible is positively limited by the stops 74 and can be futher reduced, if required, by adjusting the effective length of the bolt 76. The embodiment which has been described with reference to Figs. 10 and 11 of the drawings is particularly suitable for use on land which contains a large number of undulations and will perform a crop raking operation very effectively under such conditions leaving very little, if any, mown grass, hay or other crop undisplaced by the tines of the groups 13.

Although certain features of the haymaking machines that have been described and/or that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings will be set forth in the following claims as inventive features, it is emphasised that the invention is not necessarily limited to those features and that it includes within its scope each of the parts of each haymaking machine embodiment that has been described, and/or that is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, both individually and in various combinations.

Claims (55)

1. A haymaking machine of the kind set forth, wherein said rake member comprises at least one crop-displacing tine that is pivotable relative to the remainder of the rake member about an axis which, at least when said tine is in an upright crop-engaging position in the use of the machine, is located adjacent to an upper end region of the tine.

2. Ahaymaking machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axis about which said at least one crop-displacing tine is pivotable extends outwardly with respect to the intended axis of rotation of said rake member.

3. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said pivotal axis is one of the pivotal axes of a pivotable quadrilateral linkage by which said tine is connected to the remainder of the machine.

4. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pivotable quadrilateral linkage comprises two pairs of pivotal axes with the two axes in each pair located vertically, or substantially vertically, one above the other.

5. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 2 or in either claim 3 or claim 4 when read as appendant to claim 2, wherein the pivotal axis or first mentioned pivotal axis is in substantially perpendicular relationship with the length of the tine.

6. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 4 or- in claim 5 when read as appendant to claim 4, wherein one of said pairs of pivotal axes is located rearwardly of the other pair with respect to the intended direction of operative rotation of the rake member, at least when said tine is in its upright crop-engaging position, parts which physically afford said pivotal axes being located at, or adjacent to, the periphery of the rake member when the latter is viewed in a direction parallel to its intended axis of rotation.

7. A haymaking machine is claimed in claim 2 or in any one of claims 3 to 6 when read as appendant to claim 2, wherein, at least when said tine is in its upright cropengaging position, size time is @@@@red to the remainder of the rake member at a location which is to the rear of the pivota@ shaft, or first mentioned pivotal shaft, with respect to the intended direction o- operative rotation of the rake member.

8. A haymaking machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein meons is provided which tends to aage said tine about the pivotal axis, or first mentioned pivotal axis, into its crop-engaging/working position.

9. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein said means comprises at least one spring which urges a part to which the tine is connected downwardly towards the ground but into engagement with a stop.

10. A haymaking u machine as claimed in claim 9 when read as appendant to either claim 3 or claim 4, wherein tile part with which said spring co-operates a en element of the pivotable quadrilateral linkage.

11. A haymaking macG-3ine as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein the S*BTit-Y9 i a eoil spring.

12. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein said means comprises a mass of rubber or other elastic organic material al.

13. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the spring a a helical compression spring.

14. A haymaking machine as claimed in any preceding claims wherein add tine is a member of a group of tines which comprises not less than two pairs c -L-n-cs.

15. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 14, wherein said üns group comprises three pairs of tines.

16. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 14 or 15, wherein, when the rake member is viewed in a substantially radial direction, at least ore pair of tinesO'Y' !Lines Qf the group is disposed rearwardly relative to at least one other pair of tines of thet group with respect to the intended direction of operative rotation of the rake member.

17. A haymairing machine as claimed in claim 14, wherein the pairs of tL tines are offset relative to one another with respect to the intended direction of operative rotation of the rake member.

18. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 17, wherein the offset pairs of tines are located alongside one EaUOtRS when the tine group is viewed in a direction which is can gential with respect to the periphery ot the rake member.

19. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein the innermost pair of tines is located in advance of the outermost pair of tines of said group with respect to the intended direction of operative rotation of the rake member.

20. A haymaking machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein parts physically affording the pivotal axes of at least two tines of the rake member are coupled with one another in such a way that angular displace ment of one of them about an axis will cause an angular displacement of the other one about an axis.

21. A haymaking machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least two tines are connected to the remainder of the rake member in a displaceable manner, the arrangement being such that a displacement of one of them in one direction will tend to cause a displacement of the other tine in a different direction.

22. A haymaking machine which comprises tines arranged to displace crop lying upon the ground during the use of the machine, wherein at least two tines are displaceably mounted in such a way that a displacement of one of them in one direction will tend to cause a displacement of the other tine in a different direction.

23. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 21 or 22, wherein said two tines are coupled to one another in such as way that a displacement of one of them in one direction will tend to cause a displacement of the other tine in a relatively opposite direction.

24. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein said tines are coupled to one another by means which comprises toothed pin ions.

25. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein said tines are coupled to one another by means which comprises pivotable lugs and a connecting rod.

26. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 25, wherein one of said tines and at least part of a connection between that tine and at least one other tine is located rearwardly, with respect to the intended direction of operative rotation of a rake member or said rake member of which said tines form a part, of a carrier by which the tines are connected to a central portion of said rake member.

27. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 3 or in any one of claims 4 to 21 or any one of claims 23 to 26 when read as appendant to claim 3, wherein the centre of gravity of said tine, or a group of tines of which said tine is a member, together with the movable elements of the pivotable quadrilateral linkage, is located beneath said pivotal shaft in the upright crop-engaging/working position of the tines and rearwardly of at least some of the pivotal axes of said linkage with respect to the intended direction of operative rotation of the rake member.

28. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 3 or in any one of claims 4 to 21 or 23 to 27 when read as appendant to claim 3, wherein the pivotal axis, or first mentioned pivotal axis, is in non-radial relationship with the axis of rotation of the rake member when the latter is viewed in a direction parallel to that axis of rotation, said pivotal axis being located rearwardly, with respect to the intended direction of operative rotation of the rake member, of an imaginary radial line which contains the radially innermost end of an element physically affording said pivotal axis.

29. A haymaking machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein mechanism is provided by which the attitude of the or each tine to the horizontal and to the vertical is controllable.

30. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 28, wherein the or each tine is substantially fixed as regards its inclination to the horizontal and to the vertical.

31. A haymaking machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a straight line of connection between the free end or tip of said tine, or at least one of said tines, and the location at which said tine is secured to the remainder of a rake member or said rake member of the machine is inclined to the horizontal at an angle of not less than 45".

32. A haymaking machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said tine, or at least one of said tines, is bent over forwardly adjacent its free end or tip with respect to the intended direction of operative rotation of a rake member or said rake member of which the tine forms a part, the bent-over portion of the tine being horizontally or substantially horizontally disposed at least when said tine is in an upright crop-engaging/working position.

33. A haymaking machine of the kind set forth, wherein the rake member comprises at least one tine carrier which extends outwardly away from the axis of rotation of the rake member and which is mounted on the rake member so as itself to be turnable about an axis which extends parallel or substantially parallel to its own length, and wherein said tine carrier is provided with at least one tine having a lower part which extends substantially horizontally at least when the tine is in an upright crop-engaging/working position.

34. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 33, wherein said tine is pivotable relative to a central portion of the rake member about an axis which is in substantially perpendicular, but non-intersecting, relationship with the axis of rotation of the rake member when said tine is in its upright crop-engaging/working position.

35. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 34, wherein, when the tine carrier has been turned angularly about the pivotal axis which extends parallel or substantially parallel to the length of that tine carrier to the maximum possible extent, the axis about which said tine is pivotable relative to the central portion of the rake member is non-horizontally disposed in parallel or substantially parallel relationship with the axis of rotation of the rake member.

36. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 34 or 35, wherein the axis about which the tine is pivotable relative to a central portion of the rake member is disposed adjacent to the periphery of that central portion.

37. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 36, wherein the axis about which the tine is pivotable relative to the central portion of the rake member coincides with a division of the corresponding tine carrier into two relatively pivotable parts.

38. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 37, wherein the part or parts which define the axis about which the tine is pivotable relative to the central portion of the rake member are provided with neighbouring stops which limit the displaceability of said tine about said axis relative to the central portion of the rake member in one direction.

39. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 38, wherein the part or parts which define the axis about which said tine is pivotable relative to the central portion of the rake member also comprise a spring which is arranged to oppose a turning movement of said tine about said axis relative to the central portion of the rake member in one direction.

40. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 39 when read as appendant to claim 38, wherein said stops and said spring are effective when said tine is turned about said axis relative to the central portion of the rake member in respectively opposite directions.

41. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 40, wherein, when said tine is in its upright crop-engaging/working position, the stops limit downward turnability of that tine relative to the central portion of the rake member whilst said spring opposes upward turning movement of the tine relative to said central portion.

42. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one of claims 38, 40 or 41, wherein, when said tine is in an upwardly displaced crop-shedding position, said stops limit the extent to which that tine can turn rearwardly relative to the central portion of the rake member with respect to the intended direction of operative rotation of the rake member.

43. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 21 or 23 to 42, wherein at least part of said tine, or of one of said tines, is located at a greater distance above ground level than is said pivotal axis when the tine is in an upwardly pivoted inoperative position.

44. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 43, wherein the upwardly withdrawn inoperative position of said tine is turned through substantially 90 about said pivotal axis relative to the upright crop-engaging position thereof, the tine being disposed for shedding any crop carried thereby in the former position.

45. A haymaking machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, in an upwardly withdrawn inoperative position in which the free end or tip of said tine extends rearwardly with respect to the intended direction of operative rotation of a rake member or said rake member of which the tine forms a part at a maximum distance from ground level, at least the lowermost part of a fastening assembly by which the tine is connected to the remainder of the rake member is at a greater distance from the ground surface than is the axis about which said tine is pivotable.

46. A haymaking machine which comprises at least one rake member that is rotatable about a non-horizontal axis and which rake member exhibits a plurality of tine-carrying arms and a mechanism by which each arm is turnable in a controlled manner about a corresponding axis during the operative rotation of the rake member, wherein, in a position in which the free end or tip of at least one tine projects rearwardly with respect to the intended direction of operative rotation of said rake member at its maximum spacing from ground level, at least the lowermost part of a fastening assembly by which said tine is connected to the remainder of the rake member is spaced above ground level by a greater distance than is the axis about which the corresponding arm is controllably turnable.

47. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 45 or 46, wherein, at least in an area adjacent to said tine, parts of the rake member are disposed only at a higher level than said lowermost part of the fastening assembly.

48. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one of claims 45 to 47, wherein at least one arm of the rake member has an outer free end portion bent over rearwardly with respect to the intended direction of operative rotation of the rake member in the upright cropengaging position of the tine or tines which are carried by that arm, the fastening assembly by which said tine or tines are connected to the arm being linked to said outer free end portion of that arm.

49. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 48, wherein the outer free end portion of the arm is inclined upwardly and outwardly away from the axis of rotation of the rake member when the corresponding tine or tines is or are in its or their upwardly withdrawn inoperative position(s).

50. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 48 or 49, wherein, when the tine or tines carried by said arm is or are in its or their upwardly withdrawn inoperative position(s) in which the free end or tip of the or each tine is at its maximum spacing from ground level, said arm, when viewed in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the rake member, appears to be straight.

51. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one of claims 48 to 50, wherein the centre of gravity of the tine or tine group and of those parts of the corresponding fastening assembly which are movable relative to said arm with the tine or tine group is at a lesser height above ground level than is said pivotal axis, or the first mentioned pivotal axis, when the tine or tine group is in an upright cropengaging position.

52. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 51, wherein said centre of gravity is at a greater height above ground level than is said pivotal axis, or the first mentioned pivotal axis, when the tine or tine group is in its upwardly withdrawn inoperative position in which the free end or tip of the tine or of each tine is at its maximum spacing above ground level.

53. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 51 or 52, wherein the fastening assembly of the or each tine is provided with a stop arranged to limit the downward displaceability of the corresponding tine or tines.

54. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one of claims 51 to 53 when read as appendant to claim 3, wherein the pivotable quadrilateral linkage affords said fastening assembly and comprises at least one spring which urges the tine or tines carried thereby in a downward direction in the crop-engaging/working position of the or each such tine.

55. A haymaking machine of the kind set forth, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of the embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.