Power rake

Abstract

A power rake for attachment with a vehicle. The power rake includes a main frame, an adjustment assembly that operably engages with the main frame and is independently moveable relative to the main frame, a rotor assembly that operably engages with the adjustment assembly and is independently moveable relative to the main frame by the adjustment assembly, and a depth measurement assembly mounted to the main frame and the adjustment assembly. The depth measurement assembly is configured to measure a height and a depth of a rotor of the rotor assembly relative to a bottom of the main frame. The depth measurement assembly may include a depth indicator plate mounted to a main frame of the power rake, and a selecting arm mounted to an adjustment assembly of the power rake and positioned adjacent to the depth indicator plate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A power rake for attachment with a vehicle, the power rake comprising:
 a main frame;   an adjustment assembly operably engaged with the main frame, wherein the adjustment assembly is independently moveable relative to the main frame;   a rotor assembly operably engaged with the adjustment assembly, wherein the rotor assembly is independently moveable relative to the main frame by the adjustment assembly; and   a depth measurement assembly mounted to the main frame and the adjustment assembly;   wherein the depth measurement assembly is configured to measure a height and a depth of a rotor of the rotor assembly relative to a bottom of the main frame.   
     
     
         2 . The power rake of  claim 1 , wherein the depth measurement assembly comprises:
 a depth indicator plate mounted to the main frame; and   a selecting arm mounted to the adjustment assembly and aligned with the depth indicator plate to indicate the depth or the height of the rotor.   
     
     
         3 . The power rake of  claim 2 , wherein the depth measurement assembly further comprises:
 a plurality of depth measurement slots defined along a length of the depth indicator plate;   wherein each depth measurement slot of the plurality of depth measurement slots signifies a predetermined depth of the rotor of the rotor assembly relative to the bottom of the main frame.   
     
     
         4 . The power rake of  claim 3 , wherein the depth measurement assembly further comprises:
 a level depth slot defined between a first group of depth measurement slots of the plurality of depth measurement slots and a second group of depth measurement slots of the plurality of depth measurement slots;   wherein the level depth slot indicates the rotor of the rotor assembly is free from contacting a ground surface.   
     
     
         5 . The power rake of  claim 4 , wherein when the selecting arm is aligned with one of the first group of depth measurement slots, the rotor of the rotor assembly is positioned at the height above the ground surface; and
 wherein when the selecting arm is aligned with one of the second group of depth measurement slots, the rotor of the rotor assembly is positioned at the depth below the ground surface.   
     
     
         6 . The power rake of  claim 4 , wherein the depth measurement assembly further comprises:
 a first direction indicator pointing in a first direction to indicate the first group of depth measurement slots; and   a second direction indicator pointing in a second direction to indicate the second group of depth measurement slots.   
     
     
         7 . The power rake of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a hydraulic assembly operably engaged with the adjustment assembly;   wherein the hydraulic assembly is configured to actuate the adjustment assembly relative to the main frame.   
     
     
         8 . The power rake of  claim 1 , wherein the depth measurement assembly indicates a depth range of the rotor of the rotor assembly from about two inches above a ground surface to about six inches below the ground surface. 
     
     
         9 . A depth measurement assembly of a power rake, comprising:
 a depth indicator plate mounted to a main frame of the power rake; and   a selecting arm mounted to an adjustment assembly of the power rake and positioned adjacent to the depth indicator plate;   wherein the selecting arm is movable with the adjustment assembly to align with an indicator of the depth indicator plate to indicate a height or a depth of a rotor of a rotor assembly of the power rake.   
     
     
         10 . The depth measurement assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a plurality of depth measurement slots defined along a length of the depth indicator plate;   wherein each depth measurement slot of the plurality of depth measurement slots signifies a predetermined depth of the rotor of the rotor assembly relative to the bottom of the main frame.   
     
     
         11 . The depth measurement assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a level depth slot defined between a first group of depth measurement slots of the plurality of depth measurement slots and a second group of depth measurement slots of the plurality of depth measurement slots;   wherein the level depth slot indicates the rotor of the rotor assembly is free from contacting a ground surface.   
     
     
         12 . The depth measurement assembly of  claim 11 , wherein when the selecting arm is aligned with one of the first group of depth measurement slots, the rotor of the rotor assembly is positioned at a height above the ground surface; and
 wherein when the selecting arm is aligned with one of the second group of depth measurement slots, the rotor of the rotor assembly is positioned at a depth below the ground surface.   
     
     
         13 . The depth measurement assembly of  claim 11 , further comprises:
 a first direction indicator pointing in a first direction to indicate the first group of depth measurement slots; and   a second direction indicator pointing in a second direction to indicate the second group of depth measurement slots.   
     
     
         14 . A method of reshaping uneven terrain, the method comprising steps of:
 operably engaging a power rake with a vehicle;   adjusting a rotor assembly of the power rake relative to a main frame of the power rake via an adjustment assembly;   determining a depth or a height of a rotor of the rotor assembly with a depth measurement assembly mounted to the main frame and the adjustment assembly;   traversing over the uneven terrain; and   reshaping the uneven terrain with the rotor of the rotor assembly.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of determining the depth of the rotor of the rotor assembly with the depth measurement assembly further comprises:
 mounting a depth indicator plate with the main frame;   mounting a selecting arm with the adjustment frame; and   aligning the selecting arm with the depth indicator plate to indicate the depth or the height of the rotor.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising
 aligning the selecting arm with a depth measurement slot of a plurality of depth measurement slots along a length of the depth indicator plate;   wherein each depth measurement slot of the plurality of depth measurement slots signifies a predetermined depth of the rotor of the rotor assembly relative to the bottom of the main frame.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 aligning the selecting arm with a level depth slot defined between a first group of depth measurement slots of the plurality of depth measurement slots and a second group of depth measurement slots of the plurality of depth measurement slots;   wherein the level depth slot indicates the rotor of the rotor assembly is free from contacting a ground surface.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 positioning the rotor of the rotor assembly at the height above the ground surface when the selecting arm is aligned with one of the first group of depth measurement slots; or   positioning the rotor of the rotor assembly at the depth below the ground surface when the selecting arm is aligned with one of the second group of depth measurement slots.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 defining a first direction indicator in a first direction to indicate the first group of depth measurement slots; and   defining a second direction indicator in a second direction to indicate the second group of depth measurement slots.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 viewing the depth measurement assembly from an operator's seat of the vehicle; and   adjusting the depth or the height of the rotor of the rotor assembly with the depth measurement assembly from the operator's seat.