Patent ID: 6834488
Filing Date: 2004-12-28
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
A hay rake towable by a towing vehicle, the hay rake comprising:a front portion connectable to the towing vehicle; at least one wheel mounted to the hay rake, each of the wheels mounted on oppositely-disposed sections of a second cross member at a rear end of the hay rake; an automatic steering mechanism, the automatic steering mechanism coupled to the front portion of the hay rake and configured to be actuated by a change in towing direction of the towing vehicle, the automatic steering mechanism further configured upon actuation to steer the at least one wheel; at least one rotatable element configured to rotate, and at least one longitudinally-movable element configured to move, upon a change in towing direction, the at least one rotatable element and the at least one longitudinally-movable element coupled to and configured to cause a first cross member coupled to the at least one wheel to move in a direction corresponding to the change in towing direction of the hay rake, wherein at least one of the first and second cross members is extendible and retractable by hydraulics, and wherein the first cross member includes a left section having a wheel mounted thereon and a right section having a wheel mounted thereon, wherein the left section and the right section of the first cross member are extendible and retractable by a corresponding dual action hydraulic actuator, the operation of each dual action hydraulic actuator being controlled by a power divider valve, the power divider valve configured to divide an actuating hydraulic fluid between the first and second hydraulic actuators.