What implement is this?

[Tractorrr]

I have an old rusted out implement that my grandfather had. Not sure what it is. Looks like you could attach it to a trailer ball. It has semicircular spikes on the back. I tried moving it and the semicircular things do move but then they stop and the left wheel stops rolling as well. Not sure if it is working properly though as it is so old. Definitely would not be able to adjust some things such as pins do to the rust. Any ideas would be appreciated.

I took 2 photos one from front and one from behind

 

[texas42]

I think that is what is known as a "buck rake"
I think it was used to gather stem type crops (hay, wheat, etc) in to bunches

 

[Tractorrr]

Ok cool, I just googled it and found one just like it, it says vintage buck rake or dump rake.

 

[Tractorrr]

Do you know if both wheels are supposed to keep spinning? The left wheel stops spinning when the semicircular rake get to the top or the bottom.

 

[smstonypoint]

I think that is what is known as a "buck rake"
I think it was used to gather stem type crops (hay, wheat, etc) in to bunches

:thumbsup: AKA dump rake.

Steve

 

[dave1949]

I've found 4 or 5 of those rake tines on my lot. Now I know what they came from. :laughing: Always wondered.

 

[Ken]

Do you know if both wheels are supposed to keep spinning? The left wheel stops spinning when the semicircular rake get to the top or the bottom.

From age 5 or there about rode the hay rake to bunch alfalfa so parents could load onto a flat bed sled with a sling to keep contained then attached to hook that when cable was pulled into the hay mow of the barn. or onto a hay stack beside the barn.
The wheel spinning would latch onto a lever to raise the tines to dump when a pedal was stepped on in front of the seat. Some also had a lever to adjust how close to the ground the tines would sit.

No seat belt, steel seat and the horses would wipe the sweat off your face with there tails.

ken

 

[Tractorrr]

Thanks for replies it is definitely a dump rake. Hopefully I can figure out why the left wheel would quit spinning. Maybe you have to lock the rake in place or something.

 

[smstonypoint]

From age 5 or there about rode the hay rake to bunch alfalfa so parents could load onto a flat bed sled with a sling to keep contained then attached to hook that when cable was pulled into the hay mow of the barn. or onto a hay stack beside the barn.
The wheel spinning would latch onto a lever to raise the tines to dump when a pedal was stepped on in front of the seat. Some also had a lever to adjust how close to the ground the tines would sit.

No seat belt, steel seat and the horses would wipe the sweat off your face with there tails.

ken

I rode one as a kid, but it was being towed by Dad driving an AC G as we raked leaves in the fall.

The farmstead had numerous oaks and red maples that produced a prodigious number of leaves. Dad experimented by attaching some sheet metal to the tines of the rake in order to keep the leaves from slipping through as we attempted to rake them in to piles. I don't remember the experiment going that well -- I still had to do a lot of raking.

Steve

 

[bcp]

I've only heard them called dump rakes. Buck rakes were something like brush forks on a loader, but much larger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo_PxozsSCk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddU5tww8SZo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K9rOMXa0Jk


Buck rake, starting at 0:30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma34eabft7g

 

[Marveltone]

I have a working dump rake and actually use it on occasion. They work great for their intended purpose. Your wheels are both supposed to spin freely, but there is a trip mechanism that raises the tines to dump the load. Once the load is dumped, the tines return to their down position. I'm guessing something is froze up in the gearbox.

Joe

 

[Egon]

Notice the inner hub on the rake wheels? The inside is notched so that the trip mechanism tooth can engage and lift the tines. If the wheel is not turning the tripping mechanism may be rusted into the lift position.

The handle on the rake allows you to manually lift the tines and then lock them in place for transportation. The foot pedal is used to lift and then dump the tines. The dump is gravity. Pretty simple mechanics.

I have used them behind horses and also a small tractor and using a rope to the dump pedal.

The term "bunch" may have come from pulling a windrow into bunches for easier access to the hay.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Afternoon Tractorr,
Some good replies here, my grandfather used one just like that to both flip the hay for drying and also to gather the hay with his team of horses. What I didnt hear mentioned was that after the hay was gathered they manually had to laod the loose hay onto the wagons with hay forks...

When wagon was fully loaded, oh my aching back, he would back his team of horses and wagon into the barn to unload. I believe they had a grapple attached onto an I beam to hoist to the hay loft, talk about manual labor !!!

My grandfather had no electricity for many years on his farm, not until the late 40's I believe, but looking back, you were probablly happy to go to bed at sunset !

 

[Kioti Tom]

We had one when we started farming back in '53. Raked the hay into rows and used the hay elevator to bring the hay up to the wagon. My uncle and I would then
distribute the hay on the wagon...

 

[Egon]

Scott, look at my avatar. That wooden thing was called a "Buckpole" and was used to gather up the hay bunches in the field. A stack was made by pulling it up on logs to the top and reversing direction of the pull. Logs had to be moved frequently.

Lots of other types of sweeps and lifts for making hay stacks.

 

[scott_vt]

Scott, look at my avatar. That wooden thing was called a "Buckpole" and was used to gather up the hay bunches in the field. A stack was made by pulling it up on logs to the top and reversing direction of the pull. Logs had to be moved frequently.

Lots of other types of sweeps and lifts for making hay stacks.

Good Afternoon Egon,
Ohhh my word talk about work !!!

 

[Egon]

At this point there was not really hard work. That came later in the winter when the hay was hauled in for feed.

 

[Bill 55]

You don't understand the meaning of the word surprise until you have ridden a dump rake behind a B Allis Chalmers when the tongue broke. You will end up on the back of your head in a heartbeat.

 

[Creamer]

Thanks for replies it is definitely a dump rake. Hopefully I can figure out why the left wheel would quit spinning. Maybe you have to lock the rake in place or something.

I have spent a lot of time with rakes like this and love how they work. Someday I am going to get one from my home place and bring it to where I live.

The left wheel locking is because the mechanism is not releasing. When you "trip" the rake a rod locks into the gears inside the hub of the wheel which lifts the rake tines. When the tines get to the full upright position the rod should release out of the gears and let the rake fall back down to start gathering again. I do not remember an adjustment on this but then it has been a few years. I do remember we oiled the inside of those hubs daily with used motor oil to keep the wear factor down and to keep them from locking up as yours is doing.