All you have to do is pick it up!
During the tedding operation all crop material should be moved to enable easier raking and an even drying process. Contamination through soil, manure or old crop remnants is totally unacceptable. In that context, there is no single tedder that equals the adaptability and pick-up capacities of the Lely hook tine.
Due to its trailing position and innovative design, the Lotus hook tine is far more flexible than conventional tedder tines. The tine follows the contours of the sward so as to eliminate damage to the sward and contamination of the crop. Lotus tedders can be angled forward; this reduces the space between the rotors to a minimum to ensure that the whole crop is tedded in an even manor.
Grip on the crop
The Lotus tedder operation is fundamental in achieving timely harvesting and optimum forage quality. The Lotus tedder range are unequalled in their ability to achieve this due to their unique hook tine and ultimate stability.
Due to their position and shape the hook tines have exceptional control of the crop giving unrivalled capacity. With each rotor rotation Lely tedders can move approximately 50% more crop than conventional straight tined tedders. Combined with their robust contruction greater forward speeds are possible.
Low r.p.m.; extra benefit
If tedding is done too aggressively, the loss of crop material can be seen immediately by all the dust that is thrown up. This is to do with the effect of the tedder tines on the crop. Decisive factors are: rotation speed of the tines, their position as well as the amount of steel that is in contact with the crop.
Due to the trailing tine position the crop material gains speed more gradually than those tedders fitted with straight tines. The tedder is ideally operated between 400 and 450 r.p.m. Due to the nature of the hook tines there is less crop contact but where the rotors overlap the separation of the crop material is much greater. Resulting in a very high backwards speed.
Best drying
The greater the distance the crop covers in the air, the better the rotating action. After all, wet crops are heavier than dry crops; they are therefore thrown further away and come to rest on top of the dry crop. The position of the double hook tine, the special tine angle as well as the steep position of the rotors ensure an unrivalled backward speed and a long 'flight' for the crop.
To further strengthen the rotating effect, the top tine is shorter than the lower one. The speed of the – drier – crop parts that are on top is lower. This further increases the difference in speed as compared to the wet crop and makes the final tedding result even better.
Effective tedding, irrespective of rotor size
Lely tedders with their unique hook tines have the big advantage due to their great flexibility and the trailed position of the tines, a slight pre-tension can even be applied to the ground. This means that the rotor can be angled relatively far forwards under all conditions, which improves the tedding results. The gap between the rotors where the tines cannot reach is consequently narrower, therefore allowing the rotor to operate at the correct tedding angle. Even with the larger rotors, the crop pick up is therefore assured, without negatively affecting the tedding and the rotary action.
Long crops
For long grass, a larger diameter rotor is an advantage. Due to the larger circumference, the distance that the material travels is greater, giving the tines more ‘time’ to disentangle the grass. A good example is the Lotus 600, which performs particularly well in rough and long material.
Flexible tines ensure clean crops
The Lotus tines are very flexible due to the rearward angle, the special materials and also the five coils. Compared to straight tines, only a small amount of energy is required to flex them. It is even better for the tines to apply a slight pre-tension onto the ground because the crop is picked up more effectively, while in addition the rotor position can be adjusted more abruptly without causing any contamination.
Side tedding with the Lely Lotus tedder
For tedding along field borders and ditches, the tines of the outer rotor are put in the innermost position. The tines of this rotor will then throw the grass away from the edge. This means the field borders remain clean and the grass is perfectly distributed. Other ways of side tedding, such as an angled position, produce uneven drying due to swath formation.
Contamination
Contamination (a high soil content) is eliminated by the correct working height settings. Working too low or with restricted ground contour following of the rotor frames are often reasons for contamination such as soil, dried fertiliser or clumps of grass in the silo. This can be eliminated by good adjustment of the tedder, flexible tines and making sure you have an effective, unrestricted ground contour following system.
Elimination of crop loss
The rotors of the Lotus tedders rotate at relatively low revolutions; hence loss of crop is avoided. Furthermore, the trailed position of the tines is very gentle on even the driest of crops.
Easy adjustment
In varying working conditions it is important that the tedding angle and working height can be adjusted quickly and easily. With the Lotus tedders, the tedding angle is set by adjusting the ground wheels. A pin ensures easy adjustment of the ground wheels in five positions. The working depth is then adjusted by extending or reducing the length of the top link or using the wind handle.
No awkward crop winding
The AWS Anti crop-Winding System fitted to all Lotus models offers a highly effective solution, in that grass can no longer wind itself around the ground wheels. Grass falling from the wheels lands in a specially shaped curve in the wheel axle, after which it falls to the ground.
Lotus hook tine + stability = speed
Lely Lotus tedders have a far higher output than competitive machines. This is notably due to the Lotus hook tine and its ability to adjust quickly and to move large volumes of grass. That is not the end of the story, though; the tedder itself also needs to be able to ensure a high working speed.
Swaying
A frequently occurring problem with tedders that only have one single pivoting point and shock absorbers that are prone to wear is “swaying”. At speeds above 6 kph these types of tedders tend to be put out of balance by unevenness in the field or by large differences in the crop. This means: having to stop and then carrying on. Evidently, output is then seriously affected.
Stabilo – guaranteed non-stop output
Mounted Lotus tedders do not have this problem because they are firmly controlled by the Stabilo steering system. Instead of only one pivoting point, Lely tedders are equipped with a staggering four pivoting points and two connecting beams. Due to this triangular construction, a theoretical pivoting point is created half way along the tractor. The length of the “arm” of the Stabilo steering device is therefore greater and hence the steering device is always in control of the tedder. The tedder cannot swerve, even under poor crop or field conditions. At the same time, the four pivoting points and the two connecting beams ensure that the tedder follows the tractor perfectly around bends or at field headlands.
Special locking system
To increase the durability of the tedder as well as operational ease for the tractor driver, the Stabilo steering device is fitted with a special locking system. The Lotus tedder is instantly locked in place when it is lifted. As soon as it is lowered and the tedder touches the ground, the lock is released immediately.
Lotus trailed carriages
The trailed Lotus tedders are not fitted with a Stabilo steering device, but the draw bar of these models fulfils the same function. The carrier is long enough and therefore the tedder itself is never stronger, so that it cannot move away or sway.
Sustainable technology ensures a low cost-price
It is generally known that Lotus tedders have a high trade-in value. This is due not only to the unrivalled output for which the machines are well known, but without doubt also to the durable construction of the tedders. Lotus tedders have an outstandingly reliable drive system, which in recent years – just like the well thought-out frame construction – has been continually improved.
Heavy drive line
Both the trailed and mounted tedders feature reliable and proven drive systems. The pivoting points are incorporated in the heavy cast housing. The drive line bridges these pivoting points with double universal joints. These double universal joints ensure that the tedder can rotate in all positions. The universal joints require little maintenance; the grease nipples are easily accessible because they are located on the outside.
Extra powerful drive line
The Lotus 600, 900 and 1020 have an extra powerful drive line because these tedders are fitted with eight elements on one line or – as with the Lotus 600 – are fitted with rotors with eight tine arms. With this extra powerful drive, the ultimate power transmission is greater; hence the drive shafts with double universal couplings rotate at double the rpm, which halves the load. The pivot points are extra heavy-duty and fitted with hardened bushes.
More than just a protection bracket...
All the brackets are connected to each other in line with the drive line. Together with the bracing rods in the brackets this delivers an extremely strong construction. High forward speeds can therefore be combined with durability and with Lely you can go further than with any other make of machine.
Flexible tine attachment
The special method of attaching Lely hook tines protects the tines from metal fatigue because stresses in the materials are eliminated. The special clip-on attachment keeps the tine in the correct position whilst two bushes in the coils keep the tine firmly in place. The flexible hook tines consequently utilise the whole coil for the many movements made by the tine. Securing the tines with bolts provides a great deal of extra stress and inevitably leads to broken tines. This is often solved by using thicker and therefore less flexible tines. The special positioning and the unique method of attachment ensure that Lely tines are as thin and therefore as flexible as possible!