Vermeer Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Forage Innovations Bv

Vermeer Manufactruing Company

Rustin V Bentzinger

Kent L Thompson

Shane A Bollinger

Martin Koorn

Michael R Vaske

Michael S Kindley

Michael Yaske

Kent Van Kooten

A rake wheel has a hub with tines extending outwardly from the hub. The tines extend through evenly spaced openings in a support band. At least the inner periphery of the openings through the support band are made of a material softer than the material of the tines to minimize the wear of the tines where the tines touch the inner periphery of the openings as the tines move with respect to the inner periphery of the openings during the use of the rake wheel.

Rake wheel with plastic support band for tines

A suspension system for forage rakes having at least one floating forage rake wheel has a hydraulic cylinder is used for both lift and suspension of the floating forage rake wheel. A hydraulic accumulator provides expansion room for hydraulic fluid to move in and out of the hydraulic cylinder during suspension.

Suspension system for wheel rakes

A folding frame for an agricultural implement such as a wheel rake. The frame includes ground engaging wheels and two toolbars foldable for operation and for transport. The folding frame is provided flexibility to conform to uneven surfaces, yet stability against the torques and forces of operation. A slidable tongue provides folding action between the transport position and the operating position. A spacing between rear ends of the two toolbars may be altered hydraulically for wider or narrower windrows. A novel caster wheel provides support for the toolbars and is located so that the implement's transport position is narrower than the prior art's.

Folding frame for an agricultural implement

A suspension system for agricultural implements having at least one floating head using a four-bar linkage and permitting the floating head to accommodate variations in ground surface elevation in a lateral or transverse direction. By permitting the floating head to float, a more consistent cutting height is realized when ground surface elevation varies in a transverse direction. A main frame is provided to which the ground engaging wheels are attached. A sub-frame is connected to the main frame via the four-bar linkage. The sub-frame is pivotally attached to the arms of the four-bar linkage by spherical bearings.

Self-leveling four-bar linkage for suspending a header of an agricultural implement

A folding tool bar apparatus for an implement such as a rake, the toolbar having a frame with ground engaging wheels. The folding tool bar apparatus is adapted to be operatively attached to a prime mover for towing from place to place. First and second tool bars are pivotally attached to linkage members. A tongue member that sides along its longitudinal axis with respect to the frame pulls front ends of the tool bars toward the tongue member during movement to the transport position thereof and away from the tongue member during movement towards the working position thereof. The rear end of the tongue member is behind the frame in the working position thereof, making the folding tool bar apparatus shorter than conventional folding tool bars in the working position thereof.

Folding tool bar method and apparatus for use with agricultural implements

A suspension system for towed agricultural implements having at least one floating head of a first width suspended by a four-bar linkage of a second width wherein the first width is much greater than the second width. The floating head is permitted to float to accommodate variations in ground surface elevation in a lateral or transverse direction. By permitting the floating head to float, a more consistent cutting height is realized when ground surface elevation varies in a transverse direction. A main frame is provided to which the ground engaging wheels are attached. A sub-frame is connected to the main frame via the four-bar linkage. The sub-frame is pivotally attached to the arms of the four-bar linkage by spherical bearings.

Narrow four-bar linkage for suspending a wide header for an agricultural implement

A mowing device including a disc, the disc providing a mount for at least one knife, said knife being pivotably mounted to said disc by a pivot pin, said pivot pin defining a mounting axis, such that the knife can rotate about said pivot pin between a first extended position and any retracted position, said disc being constructed of a basic material thickness and comprising a mounting surface; said mowing device including a knife adapter comprising a cylindrical aperture and a projection; said pivot pin comprising a first cylindrical section of a first diameter to fit into said cylindrical aperture in said knife adapter, and a second cylindrical section, of a second diameter, with a groove defined by a groove width and a pin section thickness at the groove of a dimension less than said second diameter; said mowing device including a retainer constructed of a material thickness equal to or less than the width of said groove, with a key-hole shaped aperture defined by a first circular section with a first inside diameter larger than said second diameter of said pin and a slot shaped section with a width that is greater than said pin section thickness but less than said second diameter of said pivot pin; wherein said slot-shaped section of the retainer engages said groove of said pivot pin to retain said pivot pin while said projection of said knife adapter engages said retainer.

Mowing device, a knife adapter for such a mowing device, a retainer for such a mowing device and method of using same

A suspension system for agricultural implements having at least one floating head using a four-bar linkage and permitting the floating head to accommodate variations in ground surface elevation in a lateral or transverse direction. By permitting the floating head to float, a more consistent cutting height is realized when ground surface elevation varies in a transverse direction. A main frame is provided to which the ground engaging wheels are attached. A sub-frame is connected to the main frame via the four-bar linkage and the linkage arms of the four-bar linkage are not parallel to one another as viewed from above. The linkage arms of the four-bar linkage are pivotally attached to the main frame and sub-frame by spherical bearings.

Non-parallel four-bar linkage for suspending an agricultural implement header

Method for changing knives in a mower

Four-bar linkage for suspending a header for an agricultural implement

A suspension system for fixed-frame, towed agricultural implements having at least one floating head. A hydraulic cylinder is used for both lift and suspension of the floating head. A hydraulic accumulator provides expansion room for hydraulic fluid to move in and out of the hydraulic cylinder during suspension.

Suspension system for a floating header on an agricultural implement

Mowing device, a knife adapter for such a mowing device and a retainer for such a mowing device

A suspension system for a tractor-drawn mower used for crops for agricultural purposes is made up of parallel links, connected at a first end to a frame and to a mowing unit at a second end. A torsion spring assembly, similar to that used for torsion axles, is used to bear a portion of the weight of the mowing unit when the mowing unit is in a lower, mowing position. All torsional stress is removed from the torsion spring when the mowing unit is in a transport position. During mowing, the weight of the mowing unit is divided up between the torsion spring and the surface of the ground. The ratio of the weight supported by the ground to that supported by the torsion spring is adjustable by an operator.

Mower suspension

An improved mounting arrangement for a knife to a disc for use on a rotary disc cutter that eliminates the need for a threaded connector and the associated nut is disclosed. It also provides a positive retention method on the top side of the disc. In addition, it provides a method of removing the knife from the disc without the use of wrenches, simply requiring a tool for prying, such as a screw driver. A further feature is a low profile retainer that does not need to be protected by a wear protector.

Growing community of inventors

Pella, IA, United States of America

Rustin V Bentzinger