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US 12,677,745 B2Granted
Rake implement with moveable tongue
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorWilliam P. Schinstock
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A center delivery rake implement includes a tongue movably attached to a frame for movement about a vertical axis. A tongue actuator interconnects the tongue and the frame. The tongue actuator is selectively controllable to position the tongue relative to the frame such that the central tongue axis may be non-parallel relative to the central longitudinal axis of the frame, whereby a lateral position of the frame relative to the tow vehicle is adjustable during operation. An implement controller may control the tongue actuator to position the frame in a desired position based on a determined location of an existing windrow.
Claims16
A rake implement for moving cut crop material laterally to form a windrow, the rake implement comprising:
- a frame extending along a central longitudinal axis parallel to a direction of travel, with the central longitudinal axis bisecting the frame to define a first lateral side of the frame and a second lateral side of the frame;
- a first arm attached to the frame and supporting a first rake system disposed on the first side of the frame;
- a second arm attached to the frame and supporting a second rake system disposed on the second side of the frame;
- wherein the first arm and the second arm are arranged to position the first rake system and the second rake system in a substantially V-shaped configuration to form a center delivery windrow therebetween;
- a tongue extending along a central tongue axis between a rearward end of the tongue that is movably attached to the frame for movement about a vertical axis, and a forward end of the tongue configured for attachment to a tow vehicle;
- a tongue actuator interconnecting the tongue and the frame, wherein the tongue actuator is selectively controllable to move the tongue relative to the frame whereby a lateral position of the frame relative to the tow vehicle is adjustable;
- an implement controller including a processor and a memory having a position control algorithm stored thereon, wherein the processor is operable to execute the position control algorithm to communicate a control signal to the tongue actuator to effectuate movement of the tongue actuator;
- wherein the processor is operable to execute the position control algorithm to determine a location of at least one incoming windrow and control the tongue actuator to position the frame relative to the incoming windrow such that an outgoing windrow is positioned along a desired path;
- and
- wherein the at least one incoming windrow includes a first incoming windrow and a second incoming windrow, and wherein processor is operable to execute the position control algorithm to position the frame, via the tongue actuator, between the first incoming windrow and the second incoming windrow, such that the first rake system engages the first incoming windrow and the second rake system engages the second incoming windrow.
7 more elements
A rake implement for moving cut crop material laterally to form a windrow, the rake implement comprising:
- a tow vehicle;
- a frame extending along a central longitudinal axis parallel to a direction of travel, with the central longitudinal axis bisecting the frame to define a first lateral side of the frame and a second lateral side of the frame;
- a first arm attached to the frame and supporting a first rake system disposed on the first side of the frame;
- a second arm attached to the frame and supporting a second rake system disposed on the second side of the frame;
- wherein the first arm and the second arm are arranged to position the first rake system and the second rake system in a substantially V-shaped configuration to form a center delivery windrow therebetween;
- a tongue extending along a central tongue axis between a rearward end of the tongue that is movably attached to the frame for movement about a first vertical axis, and a forward end of the tongue that is moveably attached to the tow vehicle for movement about a second vertical axis;
- a tongue actuator interconnecting the tongue and the frame, wherein the tongue actuator is selectively controllable to position the tongue relative to the frame such that the central tongue axis is non-parallel relative to the central longitudinal axis of the frame, whereby a lateral position of the frame relative to the tow vehicle is adjustable;
- an implement controller including a processor and a memory having a position control algorithm stored thereon, wherein the processor is operable to execute the position control algorithm to communicate a control signal to the tongue actuator to effectuate movement of the tongue actuator based on a lateral position of at least one incoming windrow;
- and
- wherein the at least one incoming windrow includes a first incoming windrow and a second incoming windrow, and wherein processor is operable to execute the position control algorithm to position the frame, via the tongue actuator, between the first incoming windrow and the second incoming windrow, such that the first rake system engages the first incoming windrow and the second rake system engages the second incoming windrow.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.