The present invention refers to an agricultural machine for cultivation comprising a frame beam extending on both sides of a centre line in the driving direction of the machine, on which beam tools, preferably planter aggregates, are arranged at generally equal spacing relative to each other.
Row-sown crops such as vegetables, beet, maize, sunflower, cotton etc. must be sown with a relatively large row spacing and with uniform distance between the seeds. For a long time, professionals have constructed machines for this purpose, these being referred to in English, or rather in American, as planters. These machines have improved in line with the general development in agriculture. A special problem is that different crops must be sown with different row spacings. Maize can be sown with for example 76 cm row spacing, while another crop must be sown with approx. 50 cm row spacing. This problem has been solved in different ways, for example by the farmer owning two machines where the planter aggregates are mounted at different spacings or by the aggregates being re-mounted between sowing of different crops. Another solution used by certain manufacturers is that one folds up alternate aggregates, whereby the row spacing can be doubled. These methods are costly and complicated for the farmer. A further problem is that the planter has to be able to be transported on public roads between different fields. To this end, the machines have been provided with different folding systems. This problem is particularly difficult to resolve for machines supplied in Europe, since these machines have to be folded up to the regulation transport width, often a maximum of three metres.
The object of the present invention is to create an agricultural machine of the initially described type that solves the abovementioned problems.
The object is achieved with an agricultural machine that has been given the characterising features according to Claim 1.
Preferred embodiments of the invention have been given the characteristics described in the subclaims.
If a planter is constructed with a frame of a suitable material, for example a square-profile beam that is both torsion resistant and bending resistant, the frame can be manufactured solely from a homogeneous frame beam. If this frame beam is provided with at least one joint to fold the frame from a straight to an angled position this function can give a machine with the desired advantages.
The planter aggregates which are jointedly mounted at the frame beam alter their relative spacing gradually as the angle between the frame beam sections increases. The aggregates have a parallel movement. If the frame is folded sufficiently the machine can be folded so as to be transportable on public roads, i.e. its width can be made narrower than the maximum permitted.
For very wide machines the frame can be provided with a further joint to allow the frame beam sections to become parallel. By allowing the frame beam sections to be folded to a parallel position the machine can be made very wide.
The machine suitably has wheels that hold the frame at the desired height above the ground. These wheels must run parallel to the driving direction. At least one wheel on each side can be connected with the suspension of an aggregate in such a way that the wheels always runs parallel with the machine regardless of the angle position of the frame.
The invention will be described more closely in the following with reference to the attached drawings, which show preferred embodiments.
Similar parts/details of the embodiments described and depicted in the drawings have been given the same reference number.
The machine 1 is towed by a partially shown tractor 2. On a steering frame 3 a first container 4 is mounted, which can be used either for transport or spreading of fertiliser or for an increased amount of seed. This container can be provided with a not shown spreading device or similar. As an alternative, a device that transfers seed to the planter aggregates can be arranged. Frame beams are fixed at the rear part of the steering frame 3, which frame beams in this embodiment are divided into a left section 5 and a right section 6, which sections are pivotedly mounted at a coupling portion 7, consisting of a generally vertical axis around which the frame beam sections 5, 6 are adapted to swing. One end 8 of a hydraulic piston and cylinder aggregate 9 is similarly pivotedly fastened at the coupling portion 7. The other end 10 of the hydraulic piston and cylinder aggregate 9 is fastened at the steering frame 3 and forms an extension of this towards the tools 11 carried by the frame beam sections. The suspension and controlling of the frame beam sections will be described more closely below.
A preferably even number of tools 11, so-called ‘planter aggregates’, are in the horizontal plane jointedly mounted at the frame beam sections 5, 6 at equal spacing from each other. An even number of planter aggregates means that each frame beam section carries half the aggregates, which brings about a stable equilibrium in the device. One could in an embodiment conceive of at least one centre aggregate arranged at the attachment point between the frame beam sections.
Each planter aggregate is provided with a container 12 for seed, which is fed via coulters 13 down into the soil to a sowing depth that is preinstallable by means of adjustable support wheels 14, which is revealed through the placement of the seed 15 in the soil. A dragwheel 16 is suspended in an arm 17 and so aligned that it closes the seed furrow and recompacts the soil after sowing. Each planter aggregate 11 is suspended in a parallel guide 18 comprising a first bracket 19 fastened at one of the frame beam sections 5 or 6 and a second bracket 20 fastened at the carrying arm 21 of the aggregate. Parallel bars 22 are at their ends pivotally connected to the brackets 19 and 20.
The parallel guide 18 has advantageously an adjustable resilient function in the form of for example a spring 23 for adjusted depressing of the planter aggregate and for stable passage at high speeds, whereby the correct sowing depth is ensured under varying conditions. The hydraulic piston and cylinder aggregate 9 is adapted to set the angle between the frame beam sections 5 and 6. Through the frame beam sections 5 and 6 being displaced in mainly an equally large angle on each side of the horizontal centre line of the machine 1, the spacing between each neighbouring pair of planter aggregates 11 always becomes generally the same regardless of the angle between the frame beam sections.
The machine is supported by two support wheels 24, one on each frame beam section 5, 6. The support wheels 24 are journalled on an arm 24a, which can be mounted in completely similar or partially similar brackets that hold the planter aggregates 11. They are so arranged on the frame beam sections that they follow the swinging of the tools in relation to the frame beam sections. They can also be directly connected to their respective predetermined planter aggregate 11a. Since the wheels 24 are connected to the movement of the aggregates 11 in this way, they are adapted to be controlled so that they always roll parallel with the travel direction of the machine 1. With these support wheels 24 the height of the machine above the ground is regulated, which can occur by having mounted on each support wheel 24 a hydraulic piston and cylinder aggregate 25, which can have pre-adjustable stroke length limiters. When the portion of the machine 1 at the support wheels 24 is lifted by means of the hydraulic piston and cylinder aggregates 25, the planter aggregates 11 are lifted up out of the soil towards a not shown stop so that the machine 1 can be turned on headlands so as to come into position for the next pass without the aggregates 11 disrupting turning and/or damage or wear to the aggregates during the turning movement.
The machine 1 can also be folded together for transport on public roads. When the machine is lowered, the aggregates 11 are lowered until adjustable support wheels 24 rest on the ground, which prevents the aggregates 11 being lowered further. If the frame beam sections continue to be lowered, an increasing weight is placed on the support wheels 14 of the planter aggregates 11 when the spring 23 is extended. The farmer can thus easily adjust the penetrating ability of the machine by setting the frame height by means of the hydraulic piston and cylinder aggregates 25 at each support wheel 24. The frame height can be varied manually during work or according to a predetermined schedule, which can be varied according to soil type, preceding crop etc. This function can suitably be controlled by GPS.
The piston and cylinder aggregate 9 shown in
The piston and cylinder aggregate 9 can be inbuilt in such a stable way that it acts as an angle scaler, i.e. it ensures that both frame beam sections are folded symmetrically around the centre line of the machine. Another alternative is that the machine is provided with a guide or similar with corresponding function.
If one considers
The agricultural machine according to the invention can be modified within the frame of the attached Claims. The embodiment according to
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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0502296-7 | Oct 2005 | SE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/SE2006/050385 | 10/5/2006 | WO | 00 | 7/3/2008 |