Crop raking device

A hay rake, comprising:

• a) a rake wheel carrier beam, configured to be drawn across an operating surface in a raking direction;
• b) a support wheel configured to support the rake wheel carrier beam in relation to the ground;
• c) a plurality of rake wheel arms, pivotally attached to the rake wheel carrier beam;
• d) a plurality of rake wheels, having a plurality of teeth, each rake wheel being rotatably attached via a hub to one of the plurality of rake wheel arms;
• e) a plurality of gauge wheels, each interconnected to one of the plurality of rake wheels, configured to roll upon the operating surface behind the associated rake wheel, and to maintain the associated rake wheel at a selected, consistent height relative to and above the operating surface;
• and
• f) a plurality of pivoting linkages, each interconnected between the rake frame and the rake wheel hubs, and gauge wheel associated with one of the plurality of rake wheels, the pivoting linkage being configured to allow the gauge wheel to displace vertically in response to irregularities in the operating surface while maintaining the gauge wheel in a substantially constant orientation with respect to the rake wheel, and to effectuate direct transfer of one or more different elevational positions of the gauge wheel to the rake wheel to vertically displace the rake wheel an equivalent distance, and to maintain the teeth of the rake wheel above the operating surface regardless of variations in the operating surface.

A crop raking device, comprising:

• a) a support wheel configured to support a majority of the weight of the crop raking device in relation to the ground;
• b) a rake wheel, having a plurality of teeth disposed around a perimeter thereof, configured for raking a crop, and having a vertically variable position;
• c) a gauge wheel, operable with the rake wheel, configured to contact a ground surface behind the rake wheel, and to maintain a consistent height of the rake wheel teeth above the ground;
• and
• d) means for maintaining a constant orientation of the gauge wheel with respect to the rake wheel, and for transferring one or more different elevational positions of the gauge wheel to the rake wheel to vertically displace the rake wheel an equivalent distance, and to maintain the teeth of the rake wheel above the operating surface despite variations in the vertical position of the rake wheel in response to variations in the ground surface.

A crop raking device, comprising:

• a rake mainframe;
• a support wheel adapted to support the rake mainframe in relation to the ground;
• a rake wheel configured to rake crop in a field, the rake wheel having teeth disposed around a perimeter thereof, the rake wheel also having a vertically variable operating position above the ground and in relation to the rake mainframe;
• a gauge wheel configured to be lowered into an operating position in contact with the ground, and configured to vertically displace to achieve different elevational positions in response to changes in surface topography of the ground;
• and
• a linkage assembly interconnecting the mainframe, the rake wheel and the gauge wheel, wherein the linkage assembly transfers the elevation changes of the gauge wheel to the rake wheel to vertically displace the rake wheel an equivalent, corresponding distance, independent of a vertical position of the rake mainframe, to maintain the teeth of the rake wheel above the ground regardless of variations in the surface of the ground.