GB2071476A - Hay making machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A haymaking machine comprises a rake member rotatable about a vertical axis and supporting a number of carrier arms, an outer portion (11 or 15) of each such arm being bent or having a crank shape and being turnable, during rotation of the rake member, about an axis which extends parallel to its own length. Each carrier arm is turnable between a setting in which a tine group (13) has its tines in a crop-engaging/working position and a setting in which said tines project horizontally rearwards with respect to the direction of operative rotation (B) of the rake member. Each tine group (13) may comprise two pairs of tines and each tine has a lower part which extends horizontally at least when that tine is in its crop engaging/working position. Each tine group (13) may be connected to the corresponding carrier arm so that a displacement of that tine in one direction causes a displacement of another tine in a different direction. <IMAGE>

Description

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SPECIFICATION Haymaking machines

5 This invention relates to haymaking machines of the kind which comprise at least one rake member that is rotatable about an upwardly directed axis by drive derived, during use, from the power take-off shaft of an agricultural tractor or other vehicle. 10 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 15 periods of use and/or not to engage and displace hay or other crop lying upon the ground as efficiently as is desirable for optimum use of the machine. The present invention seeks to overcome, or at least greatly to reduce, these shortcomings and accord-20 ingly provides 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 25 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 a crop-30 engaging/working position.

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:-35 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 Figure 1,

40 Figure 3 is a plan view, to an enlarged scale, of one group of crop-displacing tines of the machine of Figures 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-45 ure3.

Figure 5 is a view to the same scale and in the same direction as Figure 3 but illustrates an alternative construction and arrangement of a group of tines,

50 Figure 6 is an elevation as seen in the direction indicated by an arrow VI in Figure 5,

Figure 7 is again a view to the same scale as Figure 3 but shows a third construction and arrangement of a tine group forming part of a haymaking machine in 55 accordance with the invention.

Figure 8 is a view as seen in the direction indicated by an arrow VIII in Figure 7,

Figure 9 is a sectional elevation illustrating a modification of the embodiment of Figures 7 and 8 and 60 may be compared with what is shown at the top and right of Figure 8,

Figure 10 is a plan view illustrating an alternative form of haymaking machine in accordance with the invention shown connected to the rear of an agricul-65 tural tractor, and

Figure 11 is an elevation, to an enlarged scale, as seen in the direction indicated by arrows XI-XI in Figure 10.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 4 of the accom-70 panying 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 75 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 80 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 85 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.

90 The machine of Figures 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 95 two horizontally spaced apart lower coupling points (see Figure 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 (Figure 1) or other operating vehicle. The rear end of the frame 1, 100 with respect to the direction A, carries a gear box 4 to a forwardly projecting rotary input shaft of which drive can be transmitted from the rear powertake-off shaft of the agricultural tractor 3 or other operating vehicle by way of a telescopic transmission shaft 5, 105 which is of a construction that is known/Derse, 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 110 arranged to be rotated in the direction that is indicated by an arrow B in Figures 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 115 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 tractors 3 and other vehicles by adjusting the lengths of the upper lifting 120 links of the three-point 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 perse.

The date of filing shown above is that provisionally accorded to the application in accordance with the provisions of Section 15(4) of the Patents Act 1977 and is subject to ratification or amendment at a later stage of the application proceedings.

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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. 5 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 10 and 11 of each carrier arm 9 are preferably formed integrally from a single length of metal tube or other tubular material 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 Figure 15 1 of the drawings, 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 20 axis 12 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 knownperse and which is not the 25 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 12 of the inner portion 10 of that arm during each rotation of the rake member7 around the substantially vertical axis 8. 30 Each substantially horizontal axis 12 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 35 of the carrier arms 9 in such a way that, as seen in Figure 1 of the drawings, a tine group 13 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 dis-40 posed for crop engagement when said tine group 13 is to the right (as seen in Figure 1) of a vertical plane that is parallel to the direction A and that contains the axis 8 and also when said tine group 13 is in a foremost region of the machine with respect to the 45 direction A. In this working position, the tines of said group 13 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 13 upwardly about the 50 corresponding axis 12 when that group is to the left (as seen in Figure 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 13 allows the hay or other crop to be shed 55 from the tines of that group and commences when the tine group 13 is at the left of said plane and, as seen in Figure 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 60 member 7. As can be seen at the left-hand side of Figure 2 of the drawings, each tine group 13 is successively turned upwardly so far that its tines project upwardly away from the ground surface so as to be well clear of the swath of raked crop that has been 65 formed. When each tine group 13 is in a substantially rearmost position with respect to the direction A, the control mechanism turns it downwardly again about the corresponding axis 12 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 posi- 5 tion in which a tine or tine group is disposed for crop engagement with its free end ortip located at, or close to, ground level.

When the tine groups 13 have theirtines 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 direciton B, of the longitudinal axes 12 of the respective inner portions 10. As previously mentioned, the axes 12 should always be substantially horizontally disposed during the operation of the particular machine which is being described but 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 Figure 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 12 in strict radial relationship with the axis 8. As in the case of the previously described carrier arms 9, the inner portion 10 of the alternative arm 9 extends straight outwardly away from the periphery of the central portion 6 of the rake 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. Figure 1 of the drawings shows the alternative carrier arm 9 in a position which corresponds to the working position of the respective tine group 13 and, as seen in the plan view of Figure 1, an extension arm 14 projects perpendicularly rear-wardly (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 15 of the arm 9 which tine carrier 15 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 15 which are rigidly and perpendicularly interconnected by the extension arm 14. It is noted that the tine group 13 is connected to the tine carrier 15 in exactly the same way as are the other tine groups 13 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 16 which ground wheels are well

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spaced apart from one another in a horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the direction A. As seen in Plan view (Figure 1), the two ground wheels 16 are preferably located wholly or principally in the lead-5 ing semicircular half of the rake member 7 with respect to the direction A. The ground wheels 16 are upwardly and downwardly adjustable in position relative to the frame 1 in a manner which is well knownperse and which is not illustrated in the 10 accompanying drawings. The way in which each group of tines 13 is connected to the outer portion 11 of the corresponding carrierarm 9, orto the tine carrier 15 of one of the alternative carrier arms 9, is illustrated in detail in Figures 3 and 4 of the draw-15 ings. Two support plates 17 are welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the tubular portion 11 ortine carrier 15 at horizontally spaced apart locations which are close to the free end of that portion 11 or carrier 15 and at some distance inwardly towards the centre 20 of the rake member 7 away from said free end. The two support plates 17 project upwardly (Figure 4) in the working position which is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, the distance between them being substantially the same as the width of the tine 25 group 13 concerned as measured in a direction parallel to the length of the respective outer portion 11 or tine carrier 15. The two support plates 17 carry lower and upper pivotal shafts 18 and 19 whose longitudinal axes are parallel to one another and to the outer 30 portion 11 ortine carrier 15 concerned. If preferred, the shafts 18 and 19 may be replaced by pairs of axially coincident pivot pins carried by the respective plates 17. In the working position that is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, each upper pivotal 35 shaft 19 is substantially, although not necessarily exactly, vertically above the corresponding lower pivotal shaft 18. Lower arms 20 (in the form of plates) are pivoatable upwardly and downwardly about each lower shaft 18 alongside the correspond-40 ing support plates 17 and, similarly, upperarms 21 (also in the form of plates) are pivotable upwardly and downwardly about the upper shaft 19 alongside the two support plates 17. The arms 20 and 21 are of elongate formation and both project rearwardly, 45 with respect to the direction B, from the corresponding shafts 18 and 19, said arms 20 and 21 being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the respective " outer portion 11 ortine carrier 15 as seen in the plan view of Figure 3.

50 The rear end, with respect to 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 55 one another and to the shafts 18and 19. 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, along-60 side 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 13 under consideration. It will readily be apparent from Figure 4 of the drawings that 65 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 18 and 19 whilst the distance between the shafts 18 and 22, and that between the shafts 19 and 23 is substantially four times and three times, respectively, the distance between the shafts 18 and 19. 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 cross-section, 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 ortine carrier 15. 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 Figure 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 perpendicularto that plane. In the working position of the tine group 13 that is illustrated in Figures 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 Bthan is a lower point thereon (see Figure 4). Three pairs of tines 28,29 and 30 (Figure 3) principally afford the tine group 13 that is illustrated in Figures 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 substantially but not exactly, in register with rearward extension (with respect to the direction B) of the upper arms 21 as seen in plan view (Figure 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 (Figure 3), is perpenduclarto the longitudinal axis of the corresponding outer portion 11 ortine 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 intheform of a substantially 180° bend that is releasably secured to the bar 27 by a bolt and 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 15 (Figure 4), each tine of the corres70

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ponding 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 5 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 Figure 4 of the drawings that the portion of each tinethat integrally joins the cor-10 responding 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 15 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 be seen in Figure 4 of the drawings is substantially horizon-20 tally disposed in a direction which is substantially parallel to the direction B. Figure 3 of the drawings shows that an imaginary straight line interconnecting the free ends of all six of the tines of the three groups 28,29 and 30 is parallel to the longitudinal 25 axis of the corresponding outer carrier arm portion 11or to the longitudinal axis of the alternative tine carrier 15. In the latter case, the imaginary straight line is also parallel to the longitudinal axis 12 of the corresponding inner carrier arm portion 10. In the 30 working position of each tine group 13, the tines thereof principally 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 that tine to the 35 corresponding coil 31 is inclined to the horizontal ground surface at an angle of not less than 45°.

Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings show that the pivotal shaft 18 is surrounded, near is opposite ends, by coil springs 32 each of which bears between one 40 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 18 in the anticlockwise direction C that is indicated by an arrow in Figure 4. The lower edges of the arms 20 are 45 thus urged into engagement with stops 33 (Figure 4) which stops are afforded by upper regions of the exterior surface of the outer arm portion 11 ortine carrier 15 concerned. It will, of course, be appreciated that the pivotable quadrilateral linkage which 50 can be seen best in Figure 4 of the drawings thus tends to adopt the configuration which is illustrated in that Figure in which the lower edges of the arms 20 bear against the stops 33. Each tine group 13 is thus coupled to the corresponding outer carrier arm por-55 tion 11 ortine carrier 15 by a pivotable quadrilateral linkage of the kind which can be seen in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings but it is noted that provision of such a linkage is not essential and that, as will be discussed below in connection with Figures 5 to 9 of 60 the drawings, a connection comprising only a single pivotal axis may be used as an alternative.

Referring again to Figure 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 65 21, the beams 25 and 26, the strip plates 24, the pivotal shafts 22 and 23, the bar 27 and the tine pairs 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 the direction B. When the rake member 17 is rapidly rotating, a component of -the centrifugal force which acts at the centre of gravity 34 will tend to turn the arms 20 and 21 downwardly about the pivotal shafts 18 and 19, the centre „ of gravity 34 being at a lower level than those shafts and it being remembered that said shafts do not extend radially with respect to the axis of rotation 8 (see Figure 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 Figure 4 of the drawings. If the springs 32 are omitted, the tines of each group 13 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 13 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 12 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 Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings is in operation, it is moved by the agricultural tractor3 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 13 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 Figure 1 of the drawings, is between substantially 30° and substantially45°aroundtheaxis8 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 12 into the upwardly with drawn position of the tine group 13 concerned at a location in which the inner portion 10 of said carrier arm 9 projects at 90° to the left as seen in Figure 1 of the drawings from the aforementioned plane which contains the axis 8 and that is parallel to the

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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 5 (with respect to the direction A) disposition thereby causing the corresponding tine group 13 to reas-sume its working position when it is at, or very close to, the extreme rear of the machine.

As previously mentioned, whilst each tine group 10 13 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 Figure 1 of the drawings, the tines of the group 13 pass through a crop-shedding position in 15 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 left-hand side of the machine. By the time that eachtinegroup 13 has 20 been turned upwardly about the corresponding axis 12 to the maximum extent of substantially 90° thereby bringing the free ends ortips of those tines to their maximum distance from the ground surface, all of the hay or other crop will have slid off the tines 25 and, of course, the tine group 13concerned is subsequently turned back downwardly into its working position. The engaged crop is progressively released as each group 13 is turned further upwardly into its inoperative withdrawn position so that the swath is 30 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 35 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 40 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 45 may exceed the distance between the pivotal axes 12 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 50 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 orthe lime and can, of course, cause considerable crop was-55 tage.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 60 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 65 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 13. 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 Figure 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. Underthese 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 (seethe left-hand side of Figure 2 of the drawings). In both cases, there is nothing between the bottom of each outer carrier arm portion 11 ortine 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 arms 9 occupy the position around the axis 8 in which crop is to be shed from the tine groups 13, the centre of gravity 34 (Figure 4) of each such group 13 and the associated parts will have been displaced upwardly about the corresponding axis 12 to a position in which it lies at a higher level than that of the corresponding pivotal shaft 18 and this, due to the previously discussed factors, enables a component of the centrifugal force successively to displace each quadrilateral linkage upwardly against the action of the coil 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 8 with respect to the direction B with the shafts 18 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

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be released. A stop (not shown) may be provided to limit the upward displaceability of each pivotable quadrilateral linkage about the shafts 18 and 19. It can be seen in the west and south west quarters 5 (considered from the axis 8) in Figure 1 of the drawings that each carrierarm 9 appears to be of rectilinear configuration, as seen in plan view, when it has been turned upwardly through 90° about the corresponding axis 12 to bring its tine group 13 to 10 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 Figure 1 of the drawings, of the aforementioned vertical plane which is parallel to 15 the direction A and that contains the axis of rotation 8, oris in a leading arc of the rake member 7 with respect to the direction A, the free ends or tips of the tines of said group 13 (see Figure 4) are located substantially, but not exactly, beneath the bar 27 to 20 which said tines are indirectly fastened byway of the coils 31 which are integral with the tines. The resiliency of the tines is dictated by the material from which they are formed, by their length, by their thickness and by the form and measurements of the 25 coils 31 and these variable features are selected with a view to ensuring that said tines will have 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. 30 When theforwardly directed free ends or tips of the tines of a group 13 meet an undulation in the ground surface, the corresponding pivotable quadrilateral linkage is displaced as shown by way of example in Figure 4 of the drawings. If, according to this exam-35 pie, the free ends or tips of the tines of the illustrated group 13 are displaced upwardly along a curve 35 in the direction indicated by an arrow D in Figure 4,

said free ends ortips will have been displaced principally upwardly, and to a less extent rearwardly, 40 with respect to the direction B away from the ground irregularity concerned. Upon the upward movement of the tine group 13 that has just been mentioned, the pivotable quadrilateral linkage that can be seen in Figure4of the drawings is deflected upwardly to, 45 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 Figure 4, are indicated by points 22' and 23', respec-50 tively. 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 Figure 4, is indicated by a line of connection between the points 22' and 23' and it will be noted particularly 55 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 60 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 65 13 are connected to the carrier arms 9 allow those tine groups 13 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 1 ground surface. Circumstances in which the pivotable quadrilateral linkages are important are, for example, when the tine groups 13 meet a significant » undulation in the ground or even an obstacle projecting upwardly from the ground surface. Even under such conditions, the tine groups 13 can follow the ground surface with only a very low likelihood 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 12 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.

Figures 5 to 9 of the drawings illustrate alternative constructions and arrangement by which tine groups may be freely pivotable relative to the outer portions 11 of carrier arms 9 or to the alternative tine carriers 15 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 a re either fixed orturnable 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.

Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings illustrate an embodiment in which two U-shaped (in plan view— Figure 5) brackets 36 and 37 are adjustably secured -to the corresponding outer carrier arm portion 11 or tine carrier 15 by two pairs of botts and a cooperating clamping plate, the outer portion 11 ortine carrier 15 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 ortine carrier 15 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 the working position. The limbs of the brackets 36 and 37 are formed, nearto 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

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tine carrier 15. 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 5 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 10 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 concen-15 trically 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 20 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 25 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 30 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 35 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 two tines of each group are wound in opposite directions and meet, substantially midway along the 40 length of the corresponding shaft 38 or39, ata 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 45 or 39. It will be evident from Figure 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 Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings. Thus, the tines of the groups 48 50 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 55 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 overthe undulation or obstacle tightening the corresponding coils 50 around the shaft 39 and tending to turn that 60 shaft about its own longitudinal axis in a clockwise direction as seen in Figure 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 65 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 for-wardly with respect to the direction B in an anticlockwise direction as seen in Figure 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 direction 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 agents 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 othergroup 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 Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings are compared with the loads exerted upon a similar 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 Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings is employed as compared with the rigid suspension. With the suspension of Figures 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

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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

5 true when the shafts 38 and 39 of the groups 48 and

49 are individually elastically connected to the corresponding carrierarm without said two groups being operatively connected to one another by the coupling 40. Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing basically

10 disclose two couplings, 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 15 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 par-20 ticularly, but not exclusively, suitable for use in haymaking machines whose rake members are rotatable about non-horizontai axes that are significantly inclined to the vertical because, in such machines, the tine groups penetrate into the mown 25 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 30 sudden peak loading upon the tines. When the construction described with reference to Figures 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 35 readily to conform to any undulations in the surface of the ground over which the machine is travelling.

In the embodiment of Figures 7 and 8 of the drawings, the outer carrier arm portion 11 ortine carrier 15 has three strip plates 51,52 and 53 welded to it in 40 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 ortine carrier 15 concerned in parallel and registering relationship with one another, the 45 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 Figures 7 and 8 is in its working position, as shown, the three strip plates 51, 50 52 and 53 all extend substantially horizontally. The strip plates could equally well be mounted on a straight carrierarm 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 55 way which has been described above. It can be seen in Figure 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 dis-60 posed 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 car-65 rierarm portion 11 or tine carrier 15 concerned. The tine group 55 is in advance of the tine group 54 with respect to the direction Band 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 carrierarm portion 11 ortine carrier 15. It will be seen from Figures 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 Figures 5 and 4 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 Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings.

A second tubular shaft 57 that is in parallel relationship with the tubular shaft 56 is journalled 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 15. 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 (Figure 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 co-axially 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 rub-^ ber, artifical 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 Figure 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

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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 5 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 those two tine 10 groups and, as in the case of the embodiment of Figures 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 Figure 8, brings about an opposite down-15 ward 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 20 reference to Figures 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. 25 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 30 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 35 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 similarto the direction E, this displacement being opposed by the elasticity of

40 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 intercon-45 nects the lugs 62 and 63 carried by the tubular shafts

56 and 57. As already discussed in connection with the embodiment of Figures 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

50 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 55 been described for the tubular shaft 57.

Figure 9 illustrates a modification of the construction which has been described with reference to Figures 7 and 8 of the drawings in which modification the bearing 58 is omitted and the lug 63 is of an 60 alternative triangular form having one corner pivot-ally connected to a fork 69 at one end of a rod 65. The rod 65 is entered slidably through a hole in a brakcet 66 which is rigidly welded to one side of the strip plate 53 and two helical compression springs 67 and 65 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 washer70 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 bearings 58 which includes the elastic material 61.

The constructions which have been described with reference to Figures 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.

Figures 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 Figures 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 Figures 10 and 11 of the drawings differs from the various embodiments that have been described above is that the inner portion 10 of each carrierarm 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 (Figure 10), each pivot 71 is disposed a short distance outwardly beyond the periphery of the central portion 6

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of the rake member 7 and is substantially horizontally disposed when the corresponding tine group 13 is in its working position by substantially vertically disposed when that tine group is fully upwardly 5 withdrawn. Each pivot 71 intersects the longitudinal axis 12 of the corresponding arm portion 10 at an angle of substantially 90° so that each pivot 71 is in substantially tangential relationship with an imaginary circle centred upon the axis of rotation 8 when 10 the corresponding tine group 13 is in its working position. Consequently, each pivot 71 is in substantially parallel relationship with the axis of rotation 8 when the corresponding tine group 13 is fully upwardly withdrawn into its inoperative position. 15 It can be seen in Figure 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 20 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 25 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 30 through which a bolt 76 is entered in a direction that is substantially, but not necessarily exactly, parallel to the corresponding axis 12. 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 35 shown in Figure 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 40 required, be accompanied by a second lock not. 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 45 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 50 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 ortine carrier 15 55 and the respective tine group 13 to turn downwardly within the limits dictated by the pre-adjusted effective length of the bolt 76 and the non-adjustable stops 74 so that said tine groups 13 can even more readily follow undulations in the ground surface and 60 particularly depressions therein. When, for example, a tine group 13 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 65 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 thetine group 13 and effectively prevents it from bouncing upwardly and positively urges said tine group 13 downwardly again immediately the peak of the undulation has been passed. When each tine group 13 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 further reduced, if required, by adjusting the effective length of the bolt 76. The embodiment which has been described with reference to Figures 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.

At least one of the haymaking machine embodiments that has been described also forms the subject of each of our co-pending Patent Applications Nos. 7929587 (Serial No. 2028090A), 8035777 (Serial No. ) and 8035783 (Serial No.

) to which reference is directed.

Claims (1)

1. 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 turn-able 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 a crop-engaging/working position.

2. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 1, 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. ?

3. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 2, 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.

4. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 2 or 3, 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.

5. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the axis about which the tine is pivotable relative to the central portion of the

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rake member coincides with a division of the corresponding tine carrier into two relatively pivotable parts.

6. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one

5 of claims 2 to 5, 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

10 the central portion of the rake member in one direction.

7. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the part or parts which define the axis about which said tine is pivotable

15 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.

20 8. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 7 when read as appendant to claim 6, 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 direc-

25 tions.

9. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein, when said tine is in its crop-engaging/working position, the stops limit downward turnability of that tine relative to the central

30 portion of the rake member whilst said spring opposes upward turning movement of the tine relative to said central portion.

10. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one of claims 6,7 or 9, wherein, when said tine is in an

35 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.

40 11. A haymaking machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least part of said tine is located at a greater distance above ground level than is said pivotal axis when the tine is in an upwardly pivoted inoperative position.

45 12. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the upwardly withdrawn inoperative position of said tine is turned through substantially 90° about said pivotal axis relative to the crop-engaging position thereof, the tine being disposed for shed-

50 ding any crop carried thereby in the former position.

13. A haymaking machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, in an upwardly withdrawn inoperative position in which the free end ortip of said tine extends rearwardly with respect to the

55 intended direction of operative rotation of 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

60 member is at a greater distance from the ground surface than is the axis about which said tine is pivotable.

14. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 13, wherein, at least in an area adjacent to said tine,

65 parts of the rake member are disposed only at a higher level than said lowermost part of the fastening assembly.

15. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein at least one arm of the rake member

70 has an outer free end portion bent over rearwardly with respect to the intended direction of operative rotation of the rake member in the crop-engaging position ofthetineortines which are carried by that arm, the fastening assembly by which said tine or

75 tines are connected to the arm being linked to said outer free end portion of that arm.

16. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein the outer free end portion of the arm is inclined upwardly and outwardly away from the axis

80 of rotation of the rake member when the corresponding tine or tines is or are in its or their upwardly withdrawn inoperative position(s).

17. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 15 or 16, wherein, when the tine ortines carried by said

85 arm is or are in its ortheir upwardly withdrawn inoperative position(s) in which the free end ortip 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,

90 appears to be straight.

18. A haymaking machine as claimed in any one of claims 15to 17, wherein the centre of gravity of the tine ortine group and of those parts of the corresponding fastening assembly which are movable

95 relative to said arm with the tine ortine group is at a lesser height above ground level than is said pivotal axis when the tine ortine group is in an upright crop-engaging position.

19. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 18,

100 wherein said centre of gravity is at a greater height above ground level than is said pivotal axis when the tine ortine group is in its upwardly withdrawn inoperative position in which the free end ortip of the tine or of each tine is at its maximum spacing

105 above ground level.

20. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 18 or 19, wherein the fastening assembly of the or each tine is provided with a stop arranged to limit the downward displaceability of the corresponding tine

110 ortines.

21. A haymaking machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the axis about which said tine carrier is pivotable relative to the remainder of the rake member is located, at least when said tine is in a

115 crop-engaging position in the use of the machine, adjacent to an upper end region of the tine.

22. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 21, wherein the axis about which said at least one crop-displacing tine is pivotable extends outwardly with

120 respect to the intended axis of rotation of said rake member.

23. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 21 or 22, wherein said pivotal axis is one of the pivotal axes of a pivotable quadrilaterial linkage by which

125 said tine is connected to the remainder of the machine.

24. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 23, wherein the pivotable quadrilateral linkage comprises two pairs of pivotal axes with the two axes in

130 each pair located vertically, or substantially verti

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cally, one above the other.

25. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 22 or in either claim 23 or 24 when read as appendant to claim 22, wherein the pivotal axis or first mentioned

5 pivotal axis is in substantially perpendicular relationship with the length of the tine.

26. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 24 or in claim 25 when read as appendant to claim 24, wherein one of said pairs of pivotal axes is located

10 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 crop-engaging position, parts which physically afford said pivotal axes being located at, or adjacent to, the

15 periphery of the rake member when the latter is viewed in a direction parallel to its intended axis of rotation.

27. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 22 or in any one of claims 23 to 26 when read as appen-

20 dant to claim 22, wherein, at least when said tine is in its crop-engaging position, the tine is secured to the remainder of the rake member at a location which is to the rear of the pivotal axis, or first mentioned pivotal axis, with respect to the intended direction of

25 operative rotation of the rake member.

28. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 23 or claim 24 or in any one of claims 25 to 27 when read as appendant to claim 23 or claim 24, wherein means is provided which tends to urge said tine

30 about the pivotal axis, or first mentioned pivotal axis, into its crop-engaging/working position.

29. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 28, wherein said means comprises at least one spring which urges a part to which the tine is connected

35 downwardly towards the ground but into engagement with a stop.

30. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 29, wherein the part with which said spring co-operates is an element of the pivotable quadrilateral linkage.

40 31. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 29, wherein the spring is a coil spring.

32. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 28, wherein said means comprises a mass of rubber or other elastic organic material.

45 33. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 31, wherein the spring is a helical compression spring.

34. A haymaking machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said tine is a member of a group of tines which comprises not less than two

50 pairs of tines.

35. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 34, wherein said tine group comprises three pairs of tines.

36. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 34

55 or 35, wherein, when the rake member is viewed in a substantially radial direction, at least one pair of tines of the group is disposed rearwardly relative to at least one other pair of tines of that group with respect to the intended direction of operative rota-

60 tion of the rake member.

37. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 34, wherein the pairs of tines are offset relative to one another with respect to the intended direction of operative rotation of the rake member.

65 38. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 37,

wherein the offset pairs of tines are located alongside one another when the tine group is viewed in a direction which is tangential with respect to the periphery of the rake member.

39. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 37 or 38, 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.

40. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 23 or in any one of claims 24 to 39 when read as appendant to claim 23, 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 rear- '

wardly, 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.

41. A haymaking machine as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a straight line of connection between the free end ortip of said tine and the location at which that tine is secured to the remainder of said rake member of the machine is inclined to the horizontal at an angle of not less than 45°.

42. A haymaking macine as claimed in claim 23 or in any one of claims 24 to 41 when read as appendant to claim 23, wherein the pivotable quadrilateral linkage comprises at least one spring which urges the tine ortines carried thereby in a downward direction in the crop-engaging/working position of the or each such tine.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 26/5/81 superseded claim 1.

New or amended claim:—

1. 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 turn-able 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 8 lower part which extends substantially horizontally and forwardly in substantially the intended direction * of operative rotation of said rake member at least -when the tine is in a crop-engaging/working position.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by The Tweeddale Press Ltd.. Berwick-upon-Tweed, 1981.

Published at the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings. London, WC2A1 AY,

from which copies may be obtained.

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