Pivotable Rake Arm Positioners for Maneuverability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional agricultural rakes with wide rake arms are cumbersome and difficult to steer due to fixed rear wheel configurations, which limit their maneuverability in the field and require larger, heavier frames to support the weight and stress of extended rake arms.
Innovation Solution
The rake design incorporates pivotable front and rear rake arm positioners that allow the rake arms to spread wider during operation, positioning the rear wheels further forward, thereby reducing the turning radius and improving maneuverability by using a combination of pivotally connected rake arm assemblies and adjustable angle mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the rake arms are made longer to support wider banks of tined wheels, then the raking width and productivity are improved, but the rake becomes heavier and more cumbersome to maneuver
Solution Approach 1:
The rake arms are designed with dynamic positioning mechanisms including front rake arm positioners and rear rake arm positioners that can pivot and adjust the angle of the rake arms. This allows the rake to transition between a working position with wide-spaced arms for maximum raking width and a transport position with folded arms for improved maneuverability, resolving the contradiction between productivity and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The rake arm assembly is divided into multiple segments that can be independently positioned. The front rake arm positioners and rear rake arm positioners act as separate adjustable units, allowing the rake arms to be configured in different positions and angles. This segmentation enables the system to achieve both wide raking capability and improved maneuverability by positioning segments differently during operation versus transport.
2Device complexity
If the rear wheels are positioned at the rear end of the tongue assembly, then the structure is simpler, but the turning radius increases and maneuverability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The rear rake arm positioners are designed to pivot and move the rear wheels forward during operation. This dynamic repositioning of the rear wheels from their initial rear-end location to a more forward position reduces the turning radius and improves maneuverability while maintaining structural simplicity through the use of pivot mechanisms rather than complex adjustment systems.
3Productivity
If the rake arms are spread wide in a V-shape during operation, then the raking capacity is maximized, but the transport width increases and requires folding mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The rake arms incorporate dynamic folding capabilities through the front and rear rake arm positioners that can pivot the arms between extended and folded positions. This allows the rake to achieve maximum raking capacity with wide-spaced arms during operation and then fold to a compact configuration for transport, managing the complexity through controlled pivot movements rather than rigid fixed-structure designs.
Data Source
AI summary
A rake apparatus includes a tongue with a hitch, front rake arm positioners each pivotally connected to a forward portion of the tongue assembly, rear rake arm positioners pivotally connected to a rear portion of the tongue assembly, and rake arm assemblies including a rake arm assembly front end and a rake arm assembly back end. The rake arm assemblies are pivotally connected to one of the front rake arm positioners and one of the rear rake arm positioners. Distances between the rake arm assembly front ends and the tongue are greater when the rake arm assemblies are in an operating position than when they are in a traveling position. The rake arm assembly back end of each of the rake arm assemblies is positioned farther in the forward direction when the rake arm assemblies are in the operating position than when the rake arm assemblies are in the traveling position.