Towed Rotary Rake Drive Pivoting for Compliant Transport Height
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing towed agricultural apparatus face challenges in achieving a wide working width for crop raking while adhering to legal transport height limits and accommodating the drivetrain's movement between working and transport positions.
Innovation Solution
A biased frame element and bracket system ensure constant angular deflection of the intermediate drive element, allowing for a sufficient overall length in the transport position by pivoting the drive arrangement, while maintaining efficient power transmission during operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the displaceable arms are made longer to increase working width, then the crop raking width is improved, but the transport height exceeds legal limits
Solution Approach 1:
The drive arrangement is made dynamically adjustable between two distinct positions: a working position where the drive is located at the rear allowing long arms for wide crop raking, and a transport position where the drive is located at the front reducing the overall height to comply with legal limits. This dynamic repositioning resolves the contradiction between wide working width and compliant transport height.
2Area of stationary object
If the displaceable arms are made longer to increase working width, then the crop raking width is improved, but the drivetrain movement between positions is constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The drive arrangement is segmented into discrete components (drive unit, support structure, mounting mechanisms) that can be independently positioned and reconfigured. This segmentation allows the drivetrain to be moved between front and rear positions without constraining the arm length, enabling both long arms for wide working width and free movement between working and transport positions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A towed agricultural implement comprises a support frame one end of which is adapted for connection to a towing vehicle, a drive apparatus carried by the support frame, one end of the drive means being adapted for connection to the towing vehicle, support arms carried from the support frame, each of the support arms being moveable between a working position and a transport position, each support arm being provided with at least one rotary rake adapted to be driven about a central rake axis, and a drive arrangement adapted to connect the at least one rotary rake to the drive apparatus carried on the support frame. An intermediate drive element connects the support frame drive apparatus and the drive arrangement. The intermediate drive element is moveably supported from the support frame so as to ensure that a sufficient overall length is available for the displaceable arm drive arrangement in the transport position