Patent US4367053A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3797215A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3797215A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for forming rolls of hay
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-11-09
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Granted: 1974-03-19
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Expires: 1992-11-09
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for forming rolls of hay from a windrow of hay lying in a field. A wheeled frame includes sides spaced apart sufficient to pass on either side of the hay windrow. A lift means is mounted to the rear of the frame, being pivotally connected at its upper end and resting at its lower end on the frame, and with means for raising the lift means upwardly and rearwardly about its pivot. A subframe is pivotally secured at its rear end to the lower end of the lift means and is rockably suspended forwardly and between the sides. At least three rollers are mounted in a triangular relationship on the subframe and have a plurality of endless, flexible belts extended longitudinally of the apparatus and trained side-by-side over the rollers. The rear roller, rotated in response to operation of the apparatus, has teeth associated therewith which perform the dual function of beginning to form a roll of hay as the apparatus passes over the windrow while serving to maintain the belts in alignment; and with the subframe pivoting upwardly about the lower end of the lift means as the hay is rolled up as a snowball. When the roll reaches a predetermined size, the lift means is raised, carrying upwardly with it the subframe to clear the roll whereby the apparatus can be moved away from the roll.
Inventors
- 👤 A Kopaska
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 18:21
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01F; A01F15/00; A01F15/07; A01F15/0765
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
335 words
A hay roll forming apparatus comprising in combination: frame means including a pair of interconnected, upright side panels spaced apart a distance sufficient to pass on either side of a hay windrow; means connected to said frame means for towing connection to a prime mover to move said frame means lengthwise over the windrow; ground engaging wheel means connected to said frame means; lift means having an upper end pivotally connected to the upper rear end of said frame means and having a lower end adapted to rest against the lower rear end of said frame means, said lift means pivotally movable about said upper pivot end from a lower position to a raised position upwardly and rearwardly away from said frame means; a subframe pivotally connected at a rear end thereof to said lift means lower end and extended substantially forwardly thereof toward said towing connection means and closely adjacent and parallel to said side panels, said subframe including at least a trio of elongated rollers rotatably mounted and extended laterally transversely between said side panels, said rollers forming a triangular formation in side elevation with the rearmost roller mounted closely adjacent said subframe rear end and with an intermediate roller movably mounted relative to said other rollers; means connected between said subframe and said frame means for normally biasing said subframe about its pivoted rear end toward a spaced position above the ground; means connected to said frame means and operatively connected to said rearmost roller for rotating said rearmost roller; teeth means associated with said rearmost roller and rotatable therewith in the direction of movement of the hay roller and engagable with hay in the windrow whereby to start a roll of hay in front of said rearmost roller as the hay roller moves forwardly; and a plurality of flexible belts trained about said trio of rollers in laterally spaced relation across said rollers and between said side frames and engageable with the roll of hay as it is formed and enlarged.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
335 words
A hay roll forming apparatus comprising in combination: frame means including a pair of interconnected, upright side panels spaced apart a distance sufficient to pass on either side of a hay windrow; means connected to said frame means for towing connection to a prime mover to move said frame means lengthwise over the windrow; ground engaging wheel means connected to said frame means; lift means having an upper end pivotally connected to the upper rear end of said frame means and having a lower end adapted to rest against the lower rear end of said frame means, said lift means pivotally movable about said upper pivot end from a lower position to a raised position upwardly and rearwardly away from said frame means; a subframe pivotally connected at a rear end thereof to said lift means lower end and extended substantially forwardly thereof toward said towing connection means and closely adjacent and parallel to said side panels, said subframe including at least a trio of elongated rollers rotatably mounted and extended laterally transversely between said side panels, said rollers forming a triangular formation in side elevation with the rearmost roller mounted closely adjacent said subframe rear end and with an intermediate roller movably mounted relative to said other rollers; means connected between said subframe and said frame means for normally biasing said subframe about its pivoted rear end toward a spaced position above the ground; means connected to said frame means and operatively connected to said rearmost roller for rotating said rearmost roller; teeth means associated with said rearmost roller and rotatable therewith in the direction of movement of the hay roller and engagable with hay in the windrow whereby to start a roll of hay in front of said rearmost roller as the hay roller moves forwardly; and a plurality of flexible belts trained about said trio of rollers in laterally spaced relation across said rollers and between said side frames and engageable with the roll of hay as it is formed and enlarged.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A hay roll forming apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further wherein said side panels are carried closely adjacent the ground to contain the hay as it is rolled.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A hay roll forming apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further wherein said lift means comprise a pair of elongated members which depend from their upper pivotal connection parallel to each other and longitudinally aligned with said side panels.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A hay roll forming apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further wherein said trio of rollers includes a forward roller dispOsed toward the front of the apparatus, the intermediate roller disposed at the apex of the triangular formation, and with the rollers extended parallel to each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
A hay roll forming apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further wherein said subframe biasing means includes a chain fastened between said frame means and the front end of said subframe for limiting the downward movement of said front end toward the ground.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
132 words
A hay roll forming apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further wherein said rearmost roller has a plurality of laterally spaced sets of slots formed therein, each set of slots having a plurality of arcuately spaced slots formed therein; and with said teeth means comprising an elongated rod disposed within said rearmost roller and extended offset and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said rearmost roller, and a plurality of teeth units rotatably secured in laterally spaced relation on said rod, each teeth unit aligned with a set of slots and each teeth unit including a plurality of radially extended teeth each tooth of which is extended toward and adapted to extend through a respective slot, said teeth units rotatable upon said rod in response to rotation of said rearmost roller.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
A hay roll forming apparatus as defined in claim 6, and further wherein each of said belts is disposed between a set of slots such that exposed teeth in each adjacent set of slots form a wall limiting thereby lateral movement of said each belt.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
A hay roll forming apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further wherein rake means is secured to said lift means, and including means biasing said rake means rearwardly of the apparatus for tending to push rearwardly from the apparatus the roll of hay formed thereby.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
67 words
A hay roll forming apparatus as defined in claim 8, and further wherein said rake means comprises a plurality of laterally spaced, flexible steel fingers secured at their upper ends to a member disposed laterally across said lift means, said fingers disposed downardly toward the ground adjacent the front end of said subframe, and with a spring unit biasing said fingers toward the rear of the apparatus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
75 words
A hay roll forming apparatus as defined in claim 4, and further wherein said side panels each has a leading edge which is curved upwardly and rearwardly of the apparatus in a semi-circularly formed manner, and with said forward roller having a pair of guide members mounted at each end thereof, each guide member adapted to ride along a respective leading edge of a side panel upon movement of said subframe about said lift means.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
142 words
An apparatus for forming a roll of hay from a swath of cut hay lying on the ground, comprising: portable frame means adapted to be moved longitudinally over the hay swath; and hay raking and lifting means including a subframe having an upper end pivotally connected at the top of said frame means and movable from a lower operative position resting on said frame means to a raised inoperative position spaced above said frame means, said hay raking and lifting means including a rotatable tooth assembly having an axis of rotation and operable in said operative position to rake the hay forwardly as the frame means moves forwardly and to lift it upwardly, and including further a belt assembly operable in conjunction with said tooth assembly and moveable about said axis of rotation for rolling up the raked hay in snowball fashion.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
142 words
An apparatus for forming a roll of hay from a swath of cut hay lying on the ground, comprising: portable frame means adapted to be moved longitudinally over the hay swath; and hay raking and lifting means including a subframe having an upper end pivotally connected at the top of said frame means and movable from a lower operative position resting on said frame means to a raised inoperative position spaced above said frame means, said hay raking and lifting means including a rotatable tooth assembly having an axis of rotation and operable in said operative position to rake the hay forwardly as the frame means moves forwardly and to lift it upwardly, and including further a belt assembly operable in conjunction with said tooth assembly and moveable about said axis of rotation for rolling up the raked hay in snowball fashion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 11 and further wherein said hay raking and lifting means includes a subframe unit pivotally connected at its rear end relative to said frame means and adapted to pivot of its own weight downwardly about said rear end toward the ground.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 12 and further wherein lift means is connected to said frame means which is operable to effect a lifting of said hay raking and lifting means upwardly from said frame means whereby to clear the hay roll from the apparatus.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3110145A
Cited
US3680296A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-03-18 | 1977-09-17 | 1978-03-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-03-18 | 1981-09-17 | 1982-03-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-03-18 | 1985-09-17 | 1986-03-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |