Front mounted rotary hay rake

Abstract

A rotary type rake having a plurality of finger wheel rotary raking elements mounted on a frame and movable thereon from one to the other of a raking position to rake material on the ground into a windrow and a retracted raised traveling position. The frame is partly supported by a pair of caster wheel assemblies that are disposed in spaced apart relation with respect to one another and a distal end of the frame which connects securely to a front end loader mounted on a tractor. Oscillatory movement of the caster wheel assemblies is restrained by a brake acting on the shaft of the caster wheel assembly by which it is mounted on the frame.

1 . A rotary type rake comprising a rigid, generally horizontally disposed, frame assembly; rotary raking elements mounted on said frame and being moveable from one to the other of a raking position to rake material on the ground into a windrow and a retracted raised traveling position, a pair of caster wheel assemblies supporting a portion of said frame and disposed in spaced apart relation with respect to one another, said frame having a distal end remote from said wheel assemblies, coupling means on said distal end of said frame detachably securing the same to a front end loader mounted on a tractor, and wherein each said caster wheel assembly incorporates therein means restraining oscillatory movement of the caster wheel assembly as the rake travels during use thereof. 
   
   
       2 . A rotary type rake comprising a rigid, generally horizontally disposed, frame assembly with coupling means on a distal thereof for detachably securing the same to a front end loader mounted on a tractor, rotary raking elements mounted on said frame and being moveable from one to the other of a raking position to rake material on the ground into a windrow and a raised retracted traveling position, a pair of frame supporting caster wheel disposed in spaced apart relation with respect to one another and said distal end of the frame, means pivotally mounting said caster wheel assemblies on the frame for pivotal movement about a generally vertical axis and brake means on each of respective ones of the pair of caster wheel assemblies providing a force resisting pivotal movement of the caster wheel assembly about the vertical axis associated therewith. 
   
   
       3 . A caster wheel assembly for use on an implement, said caster wheel assembly including a fork having a ground engaging wheel journal led thereon, a shaft projecting upwardly from said fork, a housing fixedly securable to a frame portion of said implement, means pivotally mounting said shaft on said housing for pivotal movement about a generally vertical axis when the assembly is located in situ on the implement and brake on said assembly providing a force resisting pivotal movement of the caster wheel assembly about the vertical axis associated therewith.