GB2173383A

GB2173383A - Displacing crop

Info

Publication number: GB2173383A
Application number: GB08611400A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Der Lely Cornelis Van
Original assignee: Texas Industries Inc
Current assignee: Texas Industries Inc
Priority date: 1983-06-17
Filing date: 1986-05-09
Publication date: 1986-10-15
Also published as: GB2173383B; GB8415064D0; GB8611400D0; DE3448165C2; DE3422426A1; FR2547976A1; GB2141314A; FR2547976B1; GB2141314B

Abstract

A device for displacing crop lying on the ground comprises two elongate rake members (3,4) drivable about upwardly directed axes. The rake members are relatively adjustable in a direction of height to mitigate problems presented by ground unevennesses. <IMAGE>

Description

1 GB2173383A 1

SPECIFICATION

Devices for displacing crop lying on the ground The invention relates to devices for displacing crop lying on the ground.

Tined devices for displacing crop lying on the ground, haymakers where the crop in question is to be made into hay, often give rise to difficulties in that, with a relatively large working width, large quantities of crop have to be worked which tend to be displaced by the device in an undesirable manner on uneven ground because inter alia the tines cannotr match the unevennesses of the ground throughout the working width.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for displacing crop lying on the ground, the device comprising at least two elongate rake members drivable about upwardly directed axes and relatively adjustable in a direction of height. By providing that the elongate rake members are drivable about up- wardly directed axes and are relatively adjustable in a direction of height it is possible to obviate the problem of matching unevennesses of the ground throuyhout the working width.

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 device.for displacing crop lying on the ground, Figure 2 is a side view taken in the direction indicated, by arrow 11 in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a. side view and a sectional view taken on line Ill-fil in Figure 1, Figure 4 is a side view and a sectional view taken on line IV-1V in Figure 3, Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line V V in Figure 2, Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the 110 line VI-V1 in Figure 5, Figure 7 shows an embodiment of a detail encircled at VII in Figure 6, and Figure 8 it a plan view of a swath forming member in a further form of device.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 4, the device comprises a trestle 1 by means of which the device can be hitched to the three-point lifting device of a tractor. This trestle comprises a main frame beam 2, which extends in the intended direction of operational forward movement A of the device and to which two elongate rake members 3 and 4 are fastened, the longer dimension of each of which is at an angle to the direction of movement A. With respect to the direction of movement A the elongate rake member 3 is located obliquely in front of the elongate rake member 4 so that crop picked up by the rake member 3 is passed from the end of the rake member 3 that is adjacent the rake member 4 to the rake member 4. The rake member 4 conveys the crop further laterally to the rear towards a swath former 5.

The substantially horizontal, rigid main frame beam 2 extending in the direction of movement A extends over a short distance behind the trestle 1. The elongate rake members 3 and 4 are each fastened only at one end to the main frame beam 2. With respect to the direction of movement A the rake member 3 extends from its outermost end projecting beyond the track of the tractor laterally inwardly in a rearwardly inclined direction and over a short distance beyond the main frame beam 2. The rake member 4 extends from beyond the side of the main frame beam 2 at which the major proportion of the rake member 3 is disposed, laterally in a direction away from the rake member 3 and also in a rearwardly inclined direction and over a short distance beyond the track of the tractor. The longitudinal dimensions of the rake members 3 and 4 are equal in this embodiment and the direc- tions of the larger dimensions of the rake members are parallel to one another, The construction of the rake members 3 and 4 will now be described with reference to Figures 5 to 7, the rake members 3 and 4 being of substantially identical construction apart from the disposition of their fastenings on the main frame beam 2, these being at one end of the rake member 3 and at the opposite end of the rake member 4. Also driving gears are arranged in a specular fashion.

The length of each rake member 3 or 4 is about four to five times the width thereof. Each rake member 3, 4 comprises a frame 6 (Figure 6) formed by two horizontal, parallel hollow beams 7 disposed at a distance one above the other and interconnected near their ends by vertical beams 8. The beams 7 and 8 constitute a single, rigid unit. The two ends of the two beams 7 of the rake members 3, 4 are each provided with a bearing 10 or 12 holding an upwardly extending shaft 9, the bearing 10 carried by the upper beam 7 located near the main frame beam 2 forming part of a gear box 11 for driving the rake member concerned. The bearings 12 located near the main frame beam 2 and carried by the lower beams 7, and the bearings 12 at the ends of the two beams 7 remote from the main frame beam 2, are arranged in the same manner.

From the bearing 10 of each rake member projects downwards a stub shaft 13 surrounded by a hub 14 of a pulley 15 extending at right angles to the centre line of the stub shaft 13. The shaft 9 is also located in the hub 14 of the pulley 15 so that the centre lines of the stub shaft 13 and of the shaft 9 are in line. The stub shaft 13 and the shaft 9 are separately fastened, each by means of a 2 GB2173383A 2 diametrically extending pin, to the hub 14 so -that the shaft 9 can be dismounted from the stub shaft 13 and the pulley' 15.

Below the bearing 12 of each rake member a hub 16, is fastened to the shaft 9 by means 70 of a pin passed diametrically through the shaft.

9. The hub 16 holds two pulleys 17 and 18 spaced at a distance apart one above the other. The diameters of the pulleys 17 and 18 are equal to that of the. pulley 15. In a similar 75 manner three pulleys are arranged at the end of each rake member remote from the main frame beam 2. A belt19 runs around the upper pulleys 15 (Figure 1) at both end of each rake member. A belt 20 runs around the pulley 17 and the corresponding pulley.at the other end. A belt 21 runs around the lower most pulley 18 and the corresponding pulley at the other end. -All pulleys have the same diameter.

The belts 19, 20 and 21 are provided with a large number of tine groups 22 fastened to the outer faces of the belts. Each group com prises two tines 23A made from a single length of resilient steel wire. The steel wire of 90 each tine group 22 is bent over at the top through an angle of about 320' to 340 and secured to the upper belt 19 by means of a clamping bolt 24 and clamping, members 25.

From this fastening point the spring steel wire 95 extends downwards in a diverging manner to wards the middle belt 20. The two limbs of the spring steel wire are supported by means of brackets 26 on the belt 20 so that the spring steel wire can freely turn in the brack ets with respect to the belt 20. Near the brackets 26 the two tines are sharply bent over and extend downwards parallel to one another and to the shaft 9, after which they are passed through brackets 27 on the lower 105 belt 21. In the brackets 27 the two wires can also turn freely. Away from the brackets 27 (Figure 6) the two limbs of the spring steel wire are bent outwardly and, with respect.to the operative travelling direction B (Figures 5 110 and 6) of the lower run of the belt 21, in reward, that is trailing, direction to form two tine ends 23. During operation all tine ends extend down to or near the ground. Measured in the direction of length of the belt 21 the distance between two tines of a group 22 on the crop conveyor belt and between one of the tines of a group 22 and the adjacent tine of a neighbouring group 22 is about 8 ems.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6 the angle between each tine 23 and the travelling direction B and the ground respectively is about 45'. When the tine ends 23 areloaded, the tines 23A behave like torsional rods clamped by the clamping member 25. The overall height 125 of each tine is about 50 to 70 ems or more.

The lower end of each shaft 9 is provided with a scraping member 28 for crop, which serves in addition as a supporting member for the rake member 3 or 4. The scraping mem- 130 ber 28 has mainly the form of a dish. The lower part of the member 28 has the shape of a plate and comprises a hemi-spherical part, the centre of which is located on the centre line of the shaft 9 above the member 28. This spherical part 29 adjoins. by its circular top edge a plate-shaped top piece 30 in the form of a truncated cone, the apex of which is also located on the centre line of the shaft 9. The conical surface of the top piece 30 is provided with a plurality of strip-shaped ribs. 31 projecting out of this surface. Each rib 31 is upwardly inclined away from the upper boundary of the spherical part 29 in a direc- tion crossing the centre line of the shaft 9 up to the top face of the top piece 30. Each rib follows substantially part of a helix. The direction of these helical ribs 31 is such that each rib is downwardly inclined away from the top point viewed in the travelling direction B. The scraping and supporting member 28 is freely rotatable by means of bearings 32 about the shaft 9. At the other end of each of the rake members 3 and 4 an identical scraping and supporting member 28 is provided in the same manner, which is also freely rotatable about the shaft parallel to the shaft 9 and carrying the respective pulleys The drive of the two rake members- 3 and 4 is illustrated in Figure 5.. The adjacent gear boxes of the rake members 3 and 4 are disposed straight one behind the other. The angle between the direction of forward movement A and the direction of the top beam 7 of the rake member 3 is about 50' to 80', in this embodiment about 700. The beam 7 of the rake member 4 is parallel to the beam 7 of the rake member 3 so- that the beam 7 of the rake member 4 is at an obtuse angle of 100 to 130', preferably about 110', to -the direction of movement A.

The gear boxes 11 are pivotally fastened to the main frame beam 2 by means of supports 33. The supports 33 extend downwards away from the main frame beam 2, that is, the main frame beam 2 is located above the two gear boxes 11. An input shaft 34 extends for-. wardly in the direction of forward movement A, forming a prolongation of a driving shaft 35 that is journalled in the front gear box 11 and emerges from the rear of this front gear box 11, where it has axial key ways. In line with the shaft 35 is located a driving shaft 36 of the rake member 4, which emerges in the forward direction from the rear gear box 11, the centre line of which is in line with the shaft 35. The forwardly projecting part of the shaft 36 also has axial key ways. The rearwardly projecting part of the shaft 35 and the forwardly projecting part of the shaft 36 are drivably coupled by means of a sleeve 37 located between the two gear boxes 11 and having axial key ways on the inner side fitting to the key ways at the proximal ends of the shafts 35 and 36.

3 GB 2 173 383A 3 The shaft 35 has rigidly secured to it a bevel gear wheel 38, which is in mesh. with a bevel gear wheel 39 on the stub shaft 13 (see also Figure 6). From Figure 5 it will be seen that the pitch circle of the gear wheel 39 70 is about three times that of the driving gear wheel 38, so that a proportional decleration of the drive of the shaft 9 is obtained. The gear wheels in the rear gear box 11 (Figure 5) are arranged in an analogous manner so that the 75 decleration and the driving direction are the same. These gear wheels are designated by the same reference numerals.

The entire rake member 3 and also the en tire rake member 4 are pivotable with respect 80 to the trestle 1 and the main frame beam 2 about the aligned centre lines of the driving shafts 35 and 36 forming a central shaft, since the gear wheels 39 can roll along the associated gear wheels 38 during operation so 85 that during operation the two rake members 3 and 4 can match unevennesses of the ground.

For this purpose the lower parts of the sup ports 33 have circular recesses holding the front and rears of the two gear boxes 11.

The parts of the supports 33 pivotally sup porting each of the gear boxes 11 near the front and rears are designated in Figure 5 by reference numeral 40.

In this embodiment a downward turn of the two rake members 3 and 4 about the centre lines of the shafts 35 and 36 is performed against spring force. For this purpose the top of the main frame beam 2 is provided with two supports 41 (Figure 2) in which the end of a rod 42 for the rake member 3 and a rod 43 for the rake member 4 are slidable. The rod 42 extends, viewed in plan (Figure 1) above the upper beam in a direction towards the end of the rake member 3 remote from the main frame beam 2 and is supported at a distance from the support.41 by the upper beam 7 in a stop 44 in a manner such as to be able to slide a small amount. The rod 42 extends in a direction away from the stop 44 beyond the support 41 and is provided at its end with an adjustable stop 45. Between the support 41 and the stop 45 there is a compression spring 46 which tends to lift the end of the rake member 3 remote from the frame beam 2. In this way the spring 46 absorbs part of the weight of the rake member for relieving the fastening area on the frame beam 2. The rake member 4 is resiliently and pivo- tally supported in an analogous manner by a compression spring also designated by 46, which spring also tends to lift part of the weight of the rake member 4.

On the upper beam 7 of the rake member 4, at a short distance from the upper pulley 15 remote from the main frame beam 2, a pivotal shaft 48 is mounted by means of two supports 47 on the beam 7, which shaft crosses at right angles the centre line of the upper beam 7 of the rake member 4. About the pivotal shaft 48 is pivotable a frame beam 49, which-as shown in the plan view of Figure 1 is prolonged from a part 50 parallel to the pivotal shaft 48 by a rearwardly and outwardly inclined part 51, which terminates in a straight part 52, which is at right angles to the direction of forward movement A and extends outwardly away from the same member 4. The inner end of the part 52 is located inboard of the shaft 9 to which the outer and upper pulleys of the rake member 4 are fastened, and the part 52 extends outboard over a distance beyond the outermost end of the rake member 4, which distance is about 70 to 75% of the length of the rake member 4 measured in the same direction.

From Figures.3 and 4 it will be seen that the frame beam 49 has secured to it upwardly extending walls 53 and 54, which are located below the frame beam 49 at a distance from one another transversly of the direction of forward movement A. The inner wall 53 is disposed behind the outermost shaft 9 of the rake member 4 with respect to the direction of forward movement A and so that the path described by the ends of the tines 23A of the rake member 4 extends just beyond and over a short distance the side of the wall 53 facing the outer wall 54. The walls 53 and 54 are constructed in the same manner and each comprises a rod 55 which is rigidly secured to the underside of the frame beam 49 and has a portion 56 that extends from this fastening area downwards to where the rod 55 is bent over rearwardly (opposite to the direction of forward movement A) into a rod portion 57, the rear end of which is bent slightly upwards into a rod portion 58. Since the assembly of the frame beam 49 and the two walls 53 and 54 is pivotable about the pivotal shaft 48, the rod portions 57 of the two walls 53 and 54 bear on the ground during operation. With respect to the direction of forward movement A the rear of the substantially vertical rod por- tion 56 is provided with a plate 59, which has fastened to it a plurality of rearwardly freely projecting, substantially horizontal, resilient rods 60 located one above the other.

The walls 53 and 54 serve as guide mem- bers for crop displaced by the rake members 3 and 4 in the direction B and as swath building walls. The walls 53 and 54 are, as shown in Figure 1, substantially parallel to the direction of forward movement A, but they may, as an alternative, converge to the rear. Transverse of the direction of forward movement A the distance between the walls 53 and 54 is about half the overall width of the rake members 3 and 4 or slightly smaller, measured in the same direction. In side view (Figure 2) the fronts of the guide walls 53 and at the same place just behind rake member 5. The heiaht of 54 are located the rear of the the wall formed by the rods 60 is about 60 130 to 80 cms.

4 GB2173383A 4 The plates 59 of the two walls 53 and 54 hold a carrier 61 (Figures 3 and 4), which is. substantially horizontal during operation and parallel to a part 52 of the frame beam 49. The carrier 61 has at each end a projecting pin 62 which is pivotally journalled in the plate 59 of each of the walls 53 and 54 so that the carrier 61 is pivotable about a pivotal axis transverse of the.direction of forward move- ment A. Also each of the two ends of the carrier 61 has welded to it an upwardly directed plate 63 having a hole 64 in the upper end (Figure 4). The neighbouring plate 59 has a plurality of holes 65, the centres of which are located on an arc of a circle, the centre of which coincides with the centre line of the neighbouring pin 62. The centre of the hole 64 is spaced from the centre line of the pin 62 by the same distance as the centres of the holes 65. A locking pin 65A ca n be passed through the hole 64 of each plate 63 and through any selected one of the holes 65 of the neighbouring plate 59 so that the pivotable carrier 61 can be fixed in any one of a plurality of positions relative to the walls 53 and 54.

The carrier 61 (see Figure 3) has two relatively spaced, upwardly directed rotary shafts 66 and 67 (Figurd 3) which project out of the carrier both at the top and at the bottom. The ends of the rotary shafts 66 and 67 projecting abovethe carrier 61 are provided with driving members formed by pulleys 68 and 69, which are coupled with one another by a crossing belt 70 (see Figure 1). A gear box 71 is mounted above the pulley 68 located nearest the rake members 3 and 4. The gear box 71 has an output shaft 72A which is rigidly secured to the pulley 68 and hence to the rotary shaft 67. The gear box71 is held In place. with respect to the carrier 61 by means of a bracket (not shown) bent around the pulley 68. The gear box 71 has an input shaft 72 directed towards the nearest, upwardly extending shaft of the rake member 14 (Figure 1) and drivably connected during operation with the shaft 9 through a removable intermediate shaft 73 provided with universal joints and a gear wheel transmission 74 lo- cated at the top of the neighbouring shaft 9. Thus the gear box 71 is actuat ed from the adjacent shaft 9 of the rake member 4.

The lower ends of the rotary shafts 66 and 67 carry raking or spreading devices 75 and 76 located below the carrier61. The raking device 75 is directly driven from the orthogonal transmission in the gear box 71 and the raking device 76 is driven through the belt 71. Owing to the crossing of the belt 70 the rak- ing or spreading devices 75, 76 rotate in opposite senses C (Figure 1) and so that the proximal parts of these devices 75 and 76 turn to the rear. Each of the two devices 75, 76 has a hub 77 provided with rod- shaped, outwardly and slightly downwardly directed tines 78. The tines 78 are pairwise-made from a rod of synthetic resin or metal, forexample, spring steel. The outermost end of each tine is bent over substantially horizontally away from its fastening part extending inwardly and slightly upwardly in the direction towards the hub. The paths described by- the tips of the devices 75 and 76 do not overlap one another as shown in the Figures, but as an alternative a relative disposition is possible in which the paths of the tine ends contact or overlap one another. The distance between the ends of the tines 78 and the ground is at least 30 to 50 cms during operation. By means of the adjustability offered by the holes 64 and 65 and the locking pins 66 different angles can be set between the ground and the plane in which the ends of the tines 78 are rotating. The plane of rotation of the tine ends 78 can, for example, be set so that the rearmost points of the tine paths are at a smaller height above the ground than the foremost points of the tine paths, through the inverse is also possible, as well as a plurality of intermediate positions, among which a position in which the paths described by the tine ends are horizontal. The plane of rotation of the tine ends can at the most be sloping to the front or to the rear by an angle of 30'. If desired the carrier 61 together with the crop treating devices 75, 76 can be constructed so as to be adjustable in a direction of height with respect to the walls 53, 54, whilst maintaining the slopes of the tine paths.

The diameter of the paths described by the ends of the tines 78 is such that, with respect to the direction of forward movement A, the foremost points of the tine paths are located in front of the rearmost point of the rake member 4, whereas transverse of the direction of forward movement A the point of the tine path of the raking device 75 nearest the rake member 4 is located on the inner side fi.e. on the side facing the main frame beam 2) of the path described by the tines of the rake member 4. The devices 75 and 76 are disposed near the tops and the fronts of the walls 53 and 54.

During operation the device as a whole is driven by means of an auxiliary shaft (not shown), connected with the input shaft 34 and the front end of which is coupled with the power take- off shaft of the tractor to the lifting device of which the trestle 1 is fas- tened. By driving the input shaft 34 and hence the shaft 35 and the shaft 36 coupled there, with by means of the sleeve 37, the shafts 9 of the rake members 3 and 4 located one. behind the other are driven via the gear- wheels 38 and 39 so that the pulleys 15, 17 and 18 are rotated. By the pulleys 15, 17 and 18 the belts 19, 20 and 21 are driven all in the direction B and hence also the tine groups 22. The tine groups 22 constitute so to say a wall of catching members for crop lying on GB 2 173 383A 5 the ground, the groups of tines displacing the crop by their full height (i.e. from the belt 19 to the ground at the front of the two rake members 3 and 4) in the direction B (Figure 1). This height may be about 50 to 70 cms so that the device is particularly suitable for displacing large amounts of crop per unit time accumulating to a great height in front of the rake members 3 and 4. In connection with this crop catching function of the full height of the tine groups, that is to say up to the height of the belt 19 above the ground, it may under certain conditions be desirable to provide a continous, flexible wall 90 on the inner side of the tine groups (for example, of canvas as shown in Figure 7). The flexible wall 90 is clamped between the belts 19, 20 and 21 on the one hand and between the clamping member 25 or the brackets 26 and 27 on the other hand. The standing tines 23A associated with the tine groups 22 thus consi tute a crop displacing wall. The bent-over lower ends of the tines 23 of the rods 23A rake the crop from between the stubble.

Crop caught by the front of the rake mem ber 3 and carried along in the direction B is transferred near the sharp curve of the path of the displacing wall near the inner end of the rake member 3 to the front of the displacing wall of the rake member 4. From Figure 5 it will be apparent that the two rake members 3 and 4 are so close to one another in the range below the main frame beam 2 that the paths described by the tips of the tines 23 approximately touch one another at this place.

A few crop portions still adhering to the tines 23 of the rake member 3 in this region are guided by the ribs 31 of the scraping member 28 downwards to slip from the tines 23 so that the few remaining crop portions are brought into the catching range of the rake member 4. During operation the scraping and supporting members 28 will rotate only occa sionally during operation due to unevennesses of the ground.

The crop transferred by the rake member 3 to the rake member 4 is released near the outer curve of the displacing wall of the rake member 4 at the end remote from the frame beam 2 in the space between the swath building walls 53 and 54.

With regard to the above-mentioned relative dispositions of the rake members 3 and 4 about the shafts 35 and 36, in the event of unevennesses of the ground it is to be noted 120 that these rake members have a very large working width overall without the drawback that adaptation to the ground is not satisfac tory so that the tines leave the ground along part of their active paths, whilst the advantage 125 is maintained that large quantities of crop per unit time can be worked and be deposited in a large swath. When large quantities of crop have to be displaced, the space between the walls 53 and 54 can be filled out and when 130 these walls coverge to the rear, the crop laterally displaced by the rake members 3 and 4 is accumulated between the walls. During operation the walls 53 and 54 contact the ground owing to the weight of the frame beam 49, the walls 53 and 54 fastened thereto and the spreading devices 75 and 76.

If desired a spring construction may be provided, which tends to lift the outermost end of the frame beam 49 as is shown schematically in Figures 1 and 2. Near the pivotal shaft 48 the beam portion 50 has fastened to it an upwardly directed post 79 supporting the end of a rod 80. The other end of the rod 80 extends through a hole in a support 81 fastened to the upper beam 7 of the rake member 4, and over a distance beyond the support 81. The end beyond the support 81 is provided with a stop in which one end of a compression spring 82 bears. The other end of this spring bears on the support 8 1. The compression spring 82 tends to lift part of the weight of the swath building device 49, 53, 54, 75, 76 in order to reduce the resistance on the ground end to relieve the junction on the frame beam 2.

The shaft 9 of the rake member 4 furthest remote from the main frame beam 2 is driven by the belts 19, 20 and 21 from the pulleys 15, 17 and 18 located near the main frame beam 2 and this shaft 9 actuates the gear box 71 through the orthogonal transmission 74 and the auxiliary shaft 73 via the input shaft 72. The downwardly directed output shaft 72A of the gear box 71 directly drives the raking or spreading device 75 and via the belt the device 76.

The devices 75, 76 are provided to smooth the top surface of the swath locally forming between the walls 53 and 54 and thus serve as a top wall of the swath former 5 and also as a boundary wall for the crop. Both devices and 76, constituting a working member, level out and disperse irregularities of the height of the swath to be formed due, for example, to an irregular supply of the crop from the rake members 3 and 4. The tines 78, which are directed rearwards with respect to their direction of rotation, can displace the crop in a manner such that any upwardly projecting crop portions are uniformly spread between the walls 53 and 54 so that the top of the formed swath is at a substantially consant height above the ground. Such a finish of the top of the formed swath is important with regard to picking up the swath by a loading wagon or a baler. With such machines picking up varying quantities of crop per unit time results in an irregular loading of the machines and a reduction in their efficiency.

The plane of rotation of the tips of the tines 78 can be set, by means of the locking pin 65A and the parts 63, 64, 65 with respect to the horizontal plane in various positions in which-as stated above - the foremost points 6 GB2173383A 6 of the paths may be lower than the rearmost points or conversely. This depends on the kind of crop. In the event of dry crop the rearmost points of the tine paths may have to be lower than the foremost points in order to obtain a uniform surface of the swath, whereas with half dried or wet crop it may be advantageous to set the foremost points of the paths described by the tines 78 at a lower levelthan the rearmost points. In this case it is important that the wall formed by the rods 60 extends to a greater height than the distance between the raking devices 75, 76 and the ground.

The rotary shaft 9 of the rake members 3 and 4 may be substantially vertical, but they may, as an alternative, be disposed so as to extend obliquely upwards or to slope to the front. The disposition depends on the kind of crop to be picked up and final adjustment is possible by means of the top rod of the lifting device of the tractor.

The swath former 5-can be tilted up through about 180' about the pivotal shaft 48 into a transport position and 'it then bears on - the frame beam 2.

It is possible to add the swath former 5 to only one rake member, the rake member 4.

Apart therefrom, and as shown in Figure 8, it is also possible to arrange the swath former 5 comprising the parts 49, 53, 54, 75, 76 to one side of a rake member 85 rotatable about an upwardly and forwardly inclined rotary shaft with a circular disposition of its tines 86, viewed in plan which are directed to the rear with respect to a direction of rotation D. If -necessary the wall 54 can in this case be prolonged to the front with regard to the relatively high speed of rotation of the tines 86 by a wall portion 87 extending, for example, up to the foremost point of the tine path of the rake member 85 as viewed from the side.

The - tines 86 scrape off adhering crop to wards the crop accumulated between the walls 53 and 54 so that the crop caught by the tines is not further displaced to the rear. Also in this case the devices 75 and 76 level out the top of the forming swath. The devices 75 and 76 are in this case driven through an auxiliary shaft 88 from an output shaft of a gear box 89, from which the rake member 85 is also driven. To the side of the rake member 85 remote from the former 5 a further rake member may be arranged located obli- quely in front of the rake me;ber 85 with respect to the direction of forward movement A and which passes the displaced crop to the rake member 85.

Claims

1. A device for displacing crop lying on the ground, the device comprising at least two elongate rake members drivable about upwardly directed axes and relatively adjustable in a direction of height.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rake members are relatively movable in upward and downward directions abouta common'axis which extends substantially in the intended direction of forward movement of the device.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the elongate rake members comprise conveyor belts which are drivable about Up- wardly directed axes and are arranged stepwise with respect to one another relative to the intended direction of forward movement of the device.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the conveyor belts of one of the rake members are disposed partly at the side of and, with respect to the said direction of forward movement, in front of, the conveyor belts of the other rake member.

5. A device as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein each rake member comprises resilient tines in the form of torsional rods. arranged on the belts of the member, these tines extending indirections which are inclined to a hori- zontal plane. _

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein each rake member has three belts to all three of which the tines are fastened with the fastenings to one of these belts being pivotal.

7. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each rake member is supported on the ground by.a dish-shaped support.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the tine ends co-operate with the dish-shaped support, which is provided with scrapers.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the scrapers are constructed in the form of ribs arranged on the dish-shaped support, these ribs being directed downwardly with respect to the direction of movement of the tines

10. A device as claimed in claim 2 or in any one of claims 3 to 9, as appendant di- rectly or indirectly to claim 2, wherein a shaft defining said common axis is journalled in gear boxes associated with a drive of the rake members, this shaft constituting in addition a driving shaft of the rake members.

11. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device comprises at least one driven working member located at a distance above the ground, by which crop can be deposited with a given width at a substantially uniform height on a field in the form of a swath.

12. A device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the driven working member comprises at least one driven wall which co-operates with two walls of a different kind to form a swath.

13. A device as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the driven working member constitutes a boundary wall of a swath builder.

14. A device as claimed in claim 11, 12 or 7 GB2173383A 7 13, wherein. the driven working member comprises two raking devices drivable in opposite senses.

15. A device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the raking devices are drivable about upwardly directed rotary shafts.

16. A device as claimed in claim 14 or 15, wherein. the raking devices are provided with outwardly directed tines and the proximal sides of the raking devices move to the rear during operation.

17. A device for displacing crop lying on the ground, substantially as hereinbefore de scribed with reference to Figures 1 to 7, or Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.

Printed in the United Kingdom for Her Malestys Stationery Office, Dd 8818935, 1986, 4235. Published at The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings. London, WC2A 1 AY, from which copies may be obtained.

1

17. A device as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the raking devices are located at a distance or at least about 30 to 50 cms above the ground.

18. A device as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 17, wherein, viewed in plan, the driven working member is located between two upwardly directed sidewalls.

19. A device as claimed in claim 18, 85 wherein the upwardly directed sidewalls bear on the yround during operation.

20. A device as claimed in claim 18 or 19, wherein the driven working member is located near the tops of the sidewalls and is located near the fronts of these sidewalls.

21. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the device comprises a swath former which, in operation, is in con- tact with the ground and comprises three walls, an upper wall of which is adjustable.

22. A device as claimed in claim 14 or any of claims 15 to 20 as appendant directly or indirectly to claim 14, wherein the raking de- vices are adjustable and fixable in a plurality of 100 positions about a substantially horizontal axis which is at an angle to the direction of for ward movement of the device.

23. A device as claimed in claim 22, as appendant to claim 16, wherein the plane of 105 rotation of the tine tips of the rake members is adjustable out of a substantailly horizontal position into at least one position sloping down to the front and into at least one posi tion sloping down in rearward direction.

24. A device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the inclination of said plane of rota tion is substantially 3T.

25. A device as claimed in claim 11 or in any one of claims 12 to 20 or 22 to 24, wherein the driven working member is drivable by means of a shaft provided with universal joints.

26. A device as claimed in claim 13 or in any one of claims 14 to 20 or 22 to 25 as appendant directly or indirectly to claim 13, wherein the driven working member can be driven from a member which supplies the crop to the swath builder.

27. A device as claimed in claim 14 or any one of claims 15 to 20 or 22 to 25 as ap pendant directly or indirectly to claim 14, wherein the raking devices are coupled by a belt drive.

28. A device for displacing crop lying on the ground, the device comprising at least one driven working member located at a distance above the ground, by which crop can be deposited with a given width at a substantially uniform height on a field in the form of a swath.

29. A device as claimed in claim 28 and any one of the precediny claims 12 to 20 and 22 to 27.

30. A device for displacing crop lying on the ground, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 7, or Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.

CLAIMS New claims or amendments to claims filed on 2/6/86.

Superseded claims All New or amended claims:

1. A device having at least one rake member for displacing crop lying on the ground, this rake member co-operating with a swath former comprising at least one working member located at a distance above the ground, by which crop can be deposited at a substantially uniform height on a field in the form of a swath with a width given by the swath former.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the working member comprises at least one driven wall which co-operates with two further walls to form a swath.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the working member constitutes a boundary wall of the swath former.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the working member comprises two raking devices drivable in opposite senses.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the raking devices are drivable about upwardly directed rotary shafts.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the raking devices are located at a distance of at least about 30 to 50 cms 110 above the ground.

7. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, viewed in plan, the working member is located between two upwardly directed sidewalls.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the upwardly directed sidewalls bear on the ground during operation.

9. A device as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the working member is located near the tops of the sidewalls and is located near the fronts of these sidewalls.

10. A device as claimed in claim 4 or any of claims 5 to 9 as appendant directly or indirectly to claim 4, wherein the raking devices are adjustable and fixable in a plurality of positions about a substantially horizontal axis which is at an angle to the direction of forward movement of the device.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the raking devices are provided with 8 GB2173383A 8 outwardly directed tines, and wherein the plane of rotation of the tine tips of the raking devices.is adjustable out of a substantially horizontal position into at least one position sloping down to the front and into at least one position sloping down in rearward direction.

12. A device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the inclination of said plane of rota- tion is substantially 3T.

13. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the working member is drivable by means of. a shaft provided with universal joints.

14. A device as claimed in claim 3 or in any one of claims 4 to 13 as appendant directly or indirectly to claim 3,--wherein the working member can- be driven from a member which supplies the crop to the swath former.

15. A device as claimed in claim 4 o r any one of claims 5 to 14 as appendant directly or indirectly to claim 4, wherein the raking devices are coupled by a belt drive.

16. A device as claimed in- any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the swath former, in operation, is in contact with the ground and comprises three walls, an upper wall of which is adjustable.