Foldable, pull-type, v-rake apparatus

Abstract

A pull-type V-rake apparatus for use in raking cut vegetation. The V-rake is comprised of a left hand, side discharge, wheel rake assembly and a right hand, side discharge, wheel rake assembly operably connected by a forward pivotal subframe and a rearward pivotal subframe for use as a single implement. The left and right hand rake assemblies are hydraulically actuated to fold from an operative field position to a transport position. The transport profile being narrow enough to be pulled behind the farm vehicle down a roadway. When the V-rake is in its operative field position, the left and right wheel rake assemblies form a 'V'. The cut vegetation is raked inwardly and rearwardly on the right side and the left side discharging the cut vegetation in the middle at the apparent vertex of the rakes to produce a single larger windrow as the V-rake traverses the field. The wheel rakes on the wheel rake assemblies are vertically adjustable from a transport position to an operative field position and are spring biased thereby enabling each wheel rake to articulate along a vertical arc when encountering an obstruction. The rake assemblies are able to articulate front-to-rear and side-to-side allowing the wheel rakes to maintain substantial contact with the cut vegetation at all times to ensure that no cut vegetation will be skipped as the V-rake traverses uneven terrain.