Abstract:
A rake wheel includes a hub and a plurality of tines connected to the hub and extending outwardly therefrom to an annular rim concentric with the hub. Each tine is journaled through a first plurality of apertures formed in the rim and projects outwardly from the rim. A second plurality of apertures is formed in the rim, having a size and shape substantially the same as the first plurality of apertures, and will receive the tines when the first set of apertures becomes worn or otherwise ineffective.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
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   STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
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   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   (1.) Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to farm implements for raking hay, cornstalks and other crops, and more particularly to an improved rake wheel that may be re-used rather than replaced after conventional wear and tear has occurred. 
   (2.) Background Information 
   Rakes used in the agricultural field have been known for many years. Their most common use is in the raking of hay or alfalfa into a row so that a baler will work more efficiently in the preparation of bales. Rakes are also commonly used for the turning of a row of hay or the like so that the crop will dry uniformly and thoroughly. 
   While rakes were initially used for crops such as hay, they have been put to more rigorous use by some farmers in cornfields and the like, for the raking of cornstalks into rows. Rakes may now be found in use for a wide variety of crops and situations. 
   One of the chief problems with prior art rakes is in the need for replacement of a wheel upon the breaking of a tine on the rake wheel. U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,145 addressed this problem by providing a rake wheel with dual tines fastened to a hub by a single bolt or other fastener. This assisted the farmer in easy replacement of the tines, without having to replace the entire wheel. However, the &#39;145 patent did not address the problem of wear on the bearing aperture for each of the tines. Thus, after a period of use, the aperture in the rim securing each tine in position will gradually wear and become enlarged. This, in turn, causes the tine to fail to function properly, once the tine becomes to loose in the aperture. In such a case, it is necessary to replace the entire wheel, even if there is only one or a few loose tines. 
   Another problem with prior art rake wheels is the fact that they are less efficient if there is a crosswind. The wind tends to blow the hay through the tines of the wheel and into wheels on the opposite side of the rake. While some rake wheels are provided with an insert for shielding against the wind, the inserts are mounted between the hub and the wheel rim, and do not extend beyond the rim. Thus hay still blows between the tines outwardly of the rim. In addition, such shields typically cover the fastener bolts for the tines, thereby requiring removal of the shield before it is possible to replace or repair a tine. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved wheel for a raking implement. 
   A further object of the present invention is to provide a rake wheel with a rim and tines that may be shifted, to extend the functional life of the wheel. 
   Another object is to provide an improved rake wheel with a windshield that reduces the amount of crops that blow through the wheel, as compared to prior art shields. 
   Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved rake wheel with a windshield that permits removal and replacement of the tines without removing the shield. 
   These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
   The rake wheel of the present invention includes a hub and a plurality of tines connected to the hub and extending outwardly therefrom to an annular rim concentric with the hub. Each tine is journaled through a first plurality of apertures formed in the rim and projects outwardly from the rim. A second plurality of apertures is formed in the rim, having a size and shape substantially the same as the first plurality of apertures, and will receive the tines when the first set of apertures becomes worn or otherwise ineffective. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which  FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of the rake wheel of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring now to the drawing, the rake wheel of the present invention is designated generally at  10  and includes a pair of identical and opposing flanges  12   a  and  12   b  from which a plurality of tines  14  extend. Tines  14  extend through a ring-shaped rim  16  for securement in the desired position for raking materials on the ground. 
   Because flanges  12   a  and  12   b  are identical, only flange  12   a  will be described in detail herein. Flange  12   a  is a disk-shaped member having a flat inner ring  18  and a flat outer ring  20 . Outer ring  20  is parallel to and spaced radially and orthogonally outwardly from inner ring  18 , and is connected to the inner ring by a sloped annular portion  22 . Inner ring  18  has a central opening  24 , which receives a shaft on an implement (not shown) so that the wheel  10  may be rotatably mounted on the implement in a conventional fashion. 
   Inner ring  18  extends radially outwardly from central opening  24 , and has a plurality of apertures  26  formed therein, spaced uniformly around the opening  24 . Apertures  26  will receive bolts (not shown) therethrough to secure flange  12   a  to flange  12   b , thereby forming a central hub, designated generally at  12 . 
   Connecting portion  22  extends radially outwardly from the peripheral edge of inner ring  18  and also project outwardly from the plane of inner ring  18 . Outer ring  20  extends radially outwardly from connecting portion  22 , and has a plurality of apertures  28  formed therein and spaced uniformly around the ring  22 . Each aperture  28  will receive a tine securement bolt  30  (shown projecting from flange  12   b  in the drawing), which are secured in place by nuts  32 . Because outer rings  22  of flanges  12   a  and  12   b  are parallel and spaced apart from one another, an annular space is formed between the outer rings, through which tines  14  extend. 
   Each tine  14  is preferably formed from extra high strength steel and has a diameter of about 0.283 inches. Each tine  14  is bent in half to form an elbow  34  with two projecting legs  36  and  38 . The distal ends  40  and  42  of legs  36  and  38 , respectively, are bent at an angle at bends  44  and  46 , respectively. A plurality of tines  14  have their elbows  34  secured to hub  12 , with their legs  36  and  38  projecting outwardly and journaled through apertures  50  in a ring-shaped rim  52 . 
   Rim  52  is preferably formed of ¼ inch thick by 1¼ inch wide flat metal strap welded into an annular shape with the width oriented orthogonal to the plane formed by tines  14  on hub  12 . For a 54 inch overall wheel diameter, the rim has a diameter of 38 inches and twenty tines  14 , with 40 projecting legs  36  and  38 , are attached. In this preferred embodiment, forty apertures  50  are provided along a centerline of the rim width, and are uniformly spaced around rim  52 . Apertures  50  will snugly receive each of tine legs  36  and  38  therethrough. 
   As shown in the drawing, rim  52  is provided with a second set of forty apertures  54 , identical in size and shape as apertures  50 . The second set of apertures  54  are uniformly spaced around rim  52 , with each aperture  54  located centrally between a pair of the first set of apertures  50 . Second set of apertures  54  serve a two-fold purpose. First, they serve to receive tine legs  36  and  38 , once the first set of apertures  50  become worn and/or rusted. Thus, tines  14  may be shifted on wheel  10  two the second set of apertures  54 , rather than having to completely discard wheel  10 . 
   The second purpose for apertures  54  is for the selective securement of a windshield  56  to wheel  10 . Wind shield  56  is preferably a ⅛ inch thick plastic disk with a central opening  57  having a diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of hub flanges  12   a  and  12   b . The outer diameter of windshield  56  is greater than the diameter of rim  52 , to extend past the rim towards the bends  44  and  46  in tine legs  36  and  38 . A plurality of collars  58  having a length approximately equal to the width of rim  52  are secured to rim  52  by a threaded bolt  60  projecting orthogonally from each collar  58 . Bolts  60  project through selected apertures  54  around the rim  52  and are secured in position by nuts  62  in a conventional fashion. 
   Windshield  56  has a plurality of apertures  64  formed therethrough and positioned uniformly around a circle having a diameter equal to the distance of the collars  58  from the center of the hub  12 . A series of bolts  66  extend through the wind shield apertures  64  and thence through the collars  58  and are secured in position by a plurality of locknuts  68 . A lip  70  is preferably formed on the peripheral edge of each flange outer ring  20 , which will retain the inner diameter of windshield  56  in position. 
   Because the windshield  56  extends beyond the diameter of rim  52 , it can be seen that it is effective to block the passage of wind through tines  14  of wheel  10 . In addition, the wind shield  56  may be attached to either side of wheel  10 , thereby eliminating the need to purchase either “right” or “left” version of the shield or wheel. Because the inventor has provided a hub  12  with two flanges  12   a  and  12   b , and a wind shield  56  that does not extend over the securement bolts  30  for the hub flanges  12   a  and  12   b , the tines  14  may be repaired or replaced from either side of wheel  10 , and may be accessed without requiring the removal of the windshield  56 . 
   Whereas the invention has been shown and described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof, many modifications, substitutions and additions may be made which are within the intended broad scope of the appended claims.