The present invention relates to an agricultural machine comprising a carrying vehicle and several work units which are intended to cut a standing product, said work units being connected to said carrying vehicle.
In the prior art there exists a self-propelled mower comprising a carrying vehicle and three work units. Said carrying vehicle is intended to support and to drive said work units. To do this, said carrying vehicle comprises, in particular, a chassis, an engine and a driver's cab. Said work units are, for their part, intended to cut a standing product such as grass, for example. This known self-propelled mower more specifically comprises a front work unit and two lateral work units. Viewed in a direction of forward travel, the front work unit is arranged at the front of said carrying vehicle. The lateral work units are arranged behind the front work unit, on either side of the area worked by the latter. Thus, this known self-propelled mower has a working width which may reach 9 meters. In the transport position, the front work unit is moved away from the ground by a substantially vertical translational movement. Said lateral work units are, for their part, brought close to a vertical mid-plane of said carrying vehicle by a pivoting movement. As a result, this known self-propelled mower can pass from a width of about 9 meters for work to a width of about 3 meters for transport. Such a reduction in width is necessary to allow the mower to travel on the public highway.
It is an object of the present invention to obtain an agricultural machine which makes possible an increased working width while at the same time complying, when in the transport position, with the legislation regulating travel on the public highway.
To this end, the agricultural machine according to the present invention is characterized in that it comprises:
Other features of the invention, to be considered separately or in all their possible combinations, will become apparent in the following description of several nonlimiting exemplary embodiments of the invention which are represented in the appended drawings, in which:
Said agricultural machine (1) comprises a carrying vehicle (3) and work units (4, 5). Said work units (4, 5) are intended to cut a standing product such as grass, for example. For its part, said carrying vehicle (3) is intended to drive and to at least partially support said work units (4, 5).
Thus, in a manner known to a person skilled in the art, said carrying vehicle (3) comprises a chassis which rests on the ground by means of four wheels (15a, 15b). Said four wheels (15a, 15b) are advantageously steering wheels in order to give said agricultural machine (1) a remarkable degree of maneuverability. An engine (40) and a transmission (41) allowing said carrying vehicle (3) to be autonomous are also provided. Preferably, said transmission makes said four wheels (15a, 15b) driving wheels. Likewise preferably, said engine is additionally capable of driving said work units (4, 5). The transmission of power from said engine to said work units (4, 5) takes place by means of mechanical and/or hydraulic transmission elements known to a person skilled in the art. Said carrying vehicle (3) comprises a driver's cab (6) which allows a driver to take control of the whole of said agricultural machine (1).
Each work unit (4, 5) comprises, for its part, a cutting device resting at least partially on the ground during work. In a manner known to a person skilled in the art, said cutting device is composed of a multitude of cutting members which are driven in rotation about a respective upwardly directed axis. The path described by said cutting members during rotation has been represented by circles in the form of dashed lines (16). Such a cutting device is known to a person skilled in the art and will therefore not be described further.
According to the present invention, said agricultural machine (1) advantageously comprises:
Furthermore, said front work units (4a, 4b) and said lateral work units (5a, 5b) are advantageously able to be moved with respect to said carrying vehicle (3) so as to occupy a transport position or a work position.
In the first exemplary embodiment represented in
In the work position as represented in
In the work position as represented in
In the work position and in light of
In the transport position and in the light of
To this end, in the first exemplary embodiment represented in
Said front work units (4a, 4b) are preferably connected by means of said respective articulations (7a, 7b) to a hitching structure (8), which hitching structure (8) is in turn connected to a front hitching device (9) of said carrying vehicle (3). Said front hitching device (9), represented by way of nonlimiting example in the form of a “3-point” hitching device, advantageously makes it possible to move said hitching structure (8), and consequently said front work units (4a, 4b), in a substantially vertical direction. Thus, when passing from the horizontal work position to the substantially vertical transport position, said hitching device (9) makes it possible, if necessary, to facilitate the maneuver by moving said front work units (4a, 4b) away from the ground. Once said substantially vertical transport position has been reached, said hitching device (9) makes it possible, if necessary, to somewhat reduce the height (24) of said agricultural machine (1) by lowering said hitching structure (8).
In the first exemplary embodiment represented in
In the first exemplary embodiment, and particularly advantageously, each lateral work unit (5a, 5b) is additionally connected in a sliding manner to said carrying vehicle (3) by means of a respective articulation (11a, 11b) whose axis is directed transversely to said direction of forward travel (2). Also provided are operating members intended to translationally move said lateral work units (5a, 5b) in accordance with said respective articulations (11a, 11b). Each lateral work unit (5a, 5b) can thus be brought close to or moved away from said carrying vehicle (3). During work, the transverse movement of said lateral work units (5a, 5b) advantageously makes it possible to modify the overlapping between said work area (18) of said front work units (4a, 4b) and the respective work areas (20a, 20b) of said lateral work units (5a, 5b). Such a modification of the overlapping may be advantageous when said agricultural machine (1) is working at an inclination or when it is working along a curve. Preferably, the translational movement of each lateral work unit (5a, 5b) in accordance with said respective articulation (11a, 11b) may be controlled individually during the work. When passing into the transport position, the translational movement of said lateral work units (5a, 5b) toward said carrying vehicle (3) makes it possible in particular to facilitate pivoting of these units about said articulations (10a, 10b). In the light of
In the first exemplary embodiment represented in
Said carrying arms (12a, 12b) are preferably connected by means of said respective articulations (10a, 10b) to a hitching structure (13), which hitching structure (13) is connected for its part to a rear hitching device (14) of said carrying vehicle (3). Said rear hitching device (14), represented by way of nonlimiting example in the form of a “3-point” hitching device, advantageously makes it possible to move said hitching structure (13), and consequently said lateral work units (5a, 5b), in a substantially vertical direction. Thus, when passing from the horizontal work position to the substantially vertical transport position, said rear hitching device (14) makes it possible, if necessary to facilitate the maneuver by moving said lateral work units (5a, 5b) away from the ground. Said work units (4a, 4b, 5a, 5b) advantageously comprise a respective suspension device (22). During work, each suspension device (22) makes it possible on the one hand to transfer at least part of the weight of the corresponding cutting device to said carrying vehicle (3). On the other hand, each suspension device (22) allows said cutting device a certain freedom of movement with respect to said carrying vehicle (3). Each cutting device may thus move individually in a substantially vertical direction and about a mid-axis of said work unit (4a, 4b, 5a, 5b) directed in said direction of forward travel (2). This freedom of movement advantageously makes it possible for said cutting devices to follow the unevenness of the ground independently of said carrying vehicle (3). When said work units (4a, 4b, 5a, 5b) are in the work position, each suspension device (22) additionally makes it possible to advantageously move each cutting device individually away from the ground in order, for example, to carry out maneuvers at the end of fields or to avoid an obstacle. Such suspension devices (22) are known to a person skilled in the art and will therefore not be described further.
Preferably, said driver's cab (6) comprises a control device connected in particular to the operating members for said articulations (7a, 7b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b). Said control device is intended to autonomously manage the movement of said work units (4a, 4b, 5a, 5b) upon passing from the work position to the transport position, and vice versa. The driver of said agricultural machine (1) thus advantageously sees his task simplified.
Preferably, each work unit (4, 5) also comprises a conditioning device intended to accelerate drying of the product cut by the corresponding cutting device. In a manner known to a person skilled in the art, each conditioning device consists, for example, of a rotor or of two counter-rotating rollers.
Particularly advantageously, each work unit (4a, 4b, 5a, 5b) additionally comprises a respective conveying device (25a, 25b, 26a, 26b) intended to move the product cut by the corresponding cutting device before said cut product touches the ground.
In a first work configuration as represented in
In a second work configuration as represented in
Particularly advantageously, the driver of said agricultural machine (1) may pass from said first work configuration to said second work configuration, and vice versa, from his driver's cab (6).
To this end, in the first exemplary embodiment represented in
Said conveying devices (26a, 26b) with which said lateral work units (5a, 5b) are respectively equipped each comprise two conveyor belts (30a, 31a; 30b, 31b) arranged one above the other. Said conveyor belts (30a, 31a, 30b, 31b) are arranged transversely behind the corresponding cutting device. In a manner known to a person skilled in the art, each conveyor belt (30a, 31a, 30b, 31b) comprises a belt wound around two respective cylinders. At least one of said cylinders of each conveyor belt (30a, 31a, 30b, 31b) is driven in rotation by means of an engine. Particularly advantageously, the lower conveyor belts (31a, 31b) are advantageously connected in a sliding manner to said corresponding lateral work unit (5a, 5b). In the work position, said lower conveyor belts (31a, 31b) can thus be translationally moved horizontally and transversely to said direction of forward travel (2). Operating members are provided for this purpose. By contrast, said upper conveyor belts (30a, 30b) and their respective cylinders retain a fixed position with respect to said corresponding lateral work unit (5a, 5b). Said direction of travel of said conveyor belts (30a, 31a; 30b, 31b) has been represented by means of arrows in
In the first work configuration, said front conveying devices (25a, 25b) are brought close to the vertical mid-plane of said carrying vehicle (3). The direction of travel of said conveyor belts (29a, 29b) is as represented in
In the second work configuration represented in
For reasons of clarity, said articulations (7a, 7b) said hitching structure (8) and said front hitching device (9) have not been represented in
Thus, said agricultural machine (101) likewise comprises two front work units (4a, 4b) and two lateral work units (5a, 5b) connected to a carrying vehicle (103). Viewed in the direction of forward travel (2) during work, said front work units (4a, 4b) are arranged at the front of said carrying vehicle (103). Said lateral work units (5a, 5b) are arranged backwards with regard to said front work units (4a, 4b). In the work position as represented in
By contrast, in the second exemplary embodiment represented in
In the second exemplary embodiment, said work units (4a, 4b, 5a, 5b) are likewise moved with respect to said carrying vehicle (103) so as to reach a transport position as represented in
Thus, each front work unit (4a, 4b) is connected in a pivoting manner to said carrying vehicle (103). This connection has been largely described in the first exemplary embodiment represented in
In the second exemplary embodiment represented in
Particularly advantageously, each lateral work unit (5a, 5b) is additionally connected in a sliding manner to said carrying vehicle (103) by means of a respective articulation (11a, 11b) whose axis is directed transversely to said direction of forward travel (2). Also provided are operating members intended to translationally move said lateral work units (5a, 5b) in accordance with said respective articulations (11a, 11b). Each lateral work unit (5a, 5b) may thus be brought close to or moved away from said carrying vehicle (103).
Consequently, in the second exemplary embodiment represented in
In the second exemplary embodiment, and particularly advantageously, said agricultural machine (101) moves, during transport, in a direction of forward travel (34) which is oppositely directed to said direction of forward travel (102). To achieve this, said driver's cab (106) is advantageously of the “reversed driving” type. Thus, in the light of
In the second exemplary embodiment, said agricultural machine (101) can work according to a first work configuration in which the product cut over said total work area (21) is grouped into two swaths. This first work configuration of said agricultural machine (101) has not been represented because it has been largely described in the first exemplary embodiment.
Said agricultural machine (101) can also work according to a second work configuration, as represented in
In the second work configuration represented in
In the second exemplary embodiment represented in
For reasons of clarity, various elements for connecting said work units (4a, 4b, 5a, 5b) to said carrying vehicle (103) have not been represented in
The agricultural machines which have just been described are merely exemplary embodiments which do not in any case limit the scope of protection defined by the following claims.
Thus, in a third exemplary embodiment represented partially and on a different scale in
According to another not represented example, said agricultural machine comprises three front work units arranged, during work, at the front of said carrying vehicle. At least one of said front work units is connected in a pivoting manner to said carrying vehicle by means of an articulation whose axis is directed in said direction of forward travel. Furthermore, at least one of said front work units is connected in a sliding manner to said carrying vehicle by means of an articulation whose axis is directed transversely to said direction of forward travel.
According to yet another not represented exemplary embodiment, said respective arm is advantageously telescopic. Thus, in a manner known per se, the length of said respective arm may be increased or reduced.
In the first work configuration represented in
In the second work configuration represented in
In the light of
For reasons of clarity, only said lateral work units (5a, 5b) and said swaths (27a, 27b; 28) have been represented in
Advantageously, each lower conveyor belt (331a, 331b) is composed in turn of a first conveyor belt (35a, 35b) and of a second conveyor belt (36a, 36b). Said first conveyor belt (35a, 35b) and said second conveyor belt (36a, 36b) are arranged in the continuation of one another. Furthermore, said second conveyor belt (36a, 36b) is connected in a pivoting manner to said corresponding first conveyor belt (35a, 35b) by means of a respective articulation (38a, 38b) of at least substantially horizontal axis.
In the first work configuration and in the light of
In the second work configuration and in the light of
In the light of
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
02 03893 | Mar 2002 | FR | national |
The present application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/360,185 filed Jan. 27, 2009, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/506,675 filed Sep. 17, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,500,341 issued Mar. 10, 2009), which is the National Stage of PCT/FR03/00801 filed Mar. 13, 2003, which is based on French Application No. 02/03893 filed Mar. 21, 2002. The entire contents of U.S. application Ser. Nos. 12/360,185 and 10/506,675 are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 12360185 | Jan 2009 | US |
Child | 13243830 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10506675 | US | |
Child | 12360185 | US |