Patent Application
20160081261
The invention describes a soil cultivation implement in accordance with the characterising clause of claim 1.
Soil cultivation implements of this type, as described, e.g., in patent application DE 10 201 0 054 946 A1, have increasingly greater weights, which have to be borne by the lifting device of the towing vehicle and which take the load off the latter's front axle and can thus impair the steering capability of the towing vehicle. Implements are familiar that support a part of the weight of the implement on the ground with the help of auxiliary chassis and thus take the load off the towing vehicle. In this case, the auxiliary chassis is lowered with hydraulic cylinders when the implement is transported and is lifted above the ground while the implement is working. The German disclosure DE 2 556 342 A1 describes such a device. Patent application DE10 224 861 A1 also has an auxiliary device for taking the weight off the towing vehicle as its object. Here, when the auxiliary chassis is lowered, only limited pressure is applied to the hydraulic cylinder in order not to overload the chassis on an uneven path. The German disclosure document DE 43 06 145 A1 shows a coupled soil cultivation implement that is attached with a tow bar to a reversible plough and can be steered. Patent applications EP 2 422 598 A2, DE 10 2009 014 874 A1 and DE 199 08 241 A1 each concern towed soil cultivation implements that are equipped with hydraulic chassis and with an additional soil cultivation device in the form of a pressing roller. A part of its weight is transferred indirectly to the pressing roller during work through the hydraulic operation of the chassis.
The task of the invention described below is to make a simple system available for improving the axle loads of the towing vehicle that does without expensive hydraulic components and can thus be manufactured at low cost and does not leave any ruts in the ground during operations. In addition, the machine operator is to be relieved of complicated operation procedures.
This task is solved in accordance with the invention by the characterising features of claim 1, whereby supplementary and alternative solutions are claimed advantageously in the additional patent claims.
As the chassis and the additional soil cultivation device, which are each supported on the base frame either pivoting or swivel-mounted, are moveably coupled to one another with a connecting element or link and thus form a moveable quadruple link, the chassis is raised above the ground in a lowered position and does not leave any ruts in the cultivated soil that can have a negative effect on subsequent sowing operations. At the same time, part of the weight of the chassis is transmitted to the additional soil cultivation device and improves its effect advantageously. If the soil cultivation implement is now raised by the towing vehicle, the chassis is then lowered onto the ground through the action of the articulated quadruple link. At the same time, the additional soil cultivation device is raised above the ground via the multipart connection element, which connects the chassis with the additional soil cultivation device, and in this way enables a turning manoeuvre on the field or transport on the road. The weight of the additional soil cultivation device is supported here on the ground through the chassis and its running wheel and reduces the towing machine's lifting power requirement and the amount of weight that is taken off its front axle. The steering capability of the group consisting of the towing machine and the soil cultivation implement is improved or maintained. An additional hydraulic cylinder to operate the chassis is no longer required. The pressure on the machine operator is also relieved, because, apart from the lifting gear, he does not have to operate any additional elements for the lifting process.
The connection element is located between the chassis and the additional soil cultivation device, whereby it is advisable in concrete terms if the connection element is positioned between the frame of the additional soil cultivation implement and the chassis frame, namely most expediently at least approximately in the centre of the frame of the additional soil cultivation device.
With regard to the design of the connection element, a preferred embodiment of the invention provides for the connection element to be designed as a transmission coupler. The length of this multipart can be movable, elastic or multipart. It is envisaged in particular that a transmission coupler designed as a quadruple link coupler serves as the transmission mechanism. This transmission arrangement enables optimum distribution of the weights, for example if, on contact of the soil cultivation tools of the additional frame with the ground, the base frame with its deadweight is enabled to raise the chassis with its running wheel above the ground.
It was already mentioned that the pivoting or swivel-mounted bearing of chassis and additional soil cultivation device on the base frame leads to the formation of an advantageous quadruple link. With this in mind it is provided that the base frame, the frame, the chassis frame and the connection element form an articulated quadruple link, that therefore the connection element in accordance with the invention is integrated in the quadruple link. The hinged design and/or arrangement of the connection element proves therefore to be particularly advantageous in this context.
For the construction of the multipart connection element or link, the design is for the connection element to have a bracket assigned to the frame and a bracket assigned to the chassis frame, whereby the two brackets are connected to one another by at least one means of connection, for example, bolts or screws. In this way, a quadruple link coupler is formed via the base frame with its articulation points, the frame of the additional soil cultivation device and the chassis frame with its respective brackets and the means of connection.
It is provided in addition in accordance with the invention that at least one running wheel is arranged steerable or rotatable to the chassis frame. In this way, after-running of the running wheel on bends is enabled that leaves less deep ruts in the soil during turning on the field and in accordance with reduces the mechanical load on the chassis frame and the adjacent components. This is given, for example, be designing the running wheel as a so-called tail wheel. Other passive or active steering systems are conceivable as well.
In a further embodiment, the chassis is designed to be lockable in its movement towards the base frame through additional means. In this way, the mobility of the quadruple link is restricted, but, in particular in difficult soil conditions, a part of the weight of the chassis can be transmitted to the base frame and to the soil cultivation tools that are fastened on this, in order to improve their effect as well. During transport journeys, this locking mechanism can be unlocked again. The relief on the front axle of the tractor is restored.
In accordance with a further expedient variant, means for limiting the mobility of the additional soil cultivation device are provided that are designed to be adjustable in one or more working directions through external power. The mobility of the additional soil cultivation device can be easily restricted through the use of actuators.
A variable working depth setting of the front soil cultivation tools is achieved in this way. At the same time, additional weight of the complete soil cultivation implement can be transmitted variably to the chassis in this way. This is advantageous if particularly light or particularly heavy towing vehicles are used, in order not to exceed their permissible axle loads. The weight transmission of the chassis to the front base frame or the additional soil cultivation implement can also be stipulated variably.
In a further design, the chassis frame is formed preferably as a single-arm or from a single jib. This results in a particularly low cost and lean construction. In particular, attaching a tail wheel bearing is possible here in a stable and simple way.
The object of a further advantageous embodiment is that the soil cultivation implement can be hinged or changed from a larger width in the working position to a narrower width in the transport position and vice versa. Soil cultivation implements with particularly large working widths that are over a multiple of the transport width are usually designed as towed, attached vehicles. Here, the advantages of an attached appliance with regard to costs, manageability and manoeuvrability are combined with enhanced performance.
In another embodiment, the additional soil cultivation implement consists of several segments, whereby at least one additional crosspiece is assigned to the segments and/or the chassis that connects the segments of the additional soil cultivation implement and the chassis to each other at least indirectly. If the working width of the additional soil cultivation implement is divided, the individual segments enable better adaptation to the ground, in particular with a bearing that can be rotated in a lengthways direction. Through the addition of a crosspiece, which acts as a connection element or link or contains further connection elements, the weight of the individual segments can be transmitted together to the chassis or the weight of the chassis can be supported evenly on the individual segments.
According to a special embodiment, an additional carrier vehicle fitted with a lifting device is assigned to the soil cultivation implement. Powerful towing vehicles in particular, such as caterpillar or articulated tractors, do not always have their own or a suitable lifting device. Through the use of an additional carrier vehicle with a lifting device the soil cultivation implement in accordance with the invention can be used with these towing vehicles as well. It is even possible here to arrange several such soil cultivation implements in parallel. The negative support load on the towing vehicle generated when the appliances are lifted onto the carrier vehicle is considerably reduced through the invention.
Further details can be seen in the figures and in the following description of the figures:
Other levelling and shredding tools are conceivable, which can also be replaced as a subunit for example by means of quick-change systems or quick couplings. The soil cultivation tools can also be driven by external power. What is meant here as well are soil cultivation implements for inserting fertiliser, seeds or other agricultural materials into the soil. Above the additional soil cultivation device 6 the chassis 10 is positioned with its chassis frame 12 rotatable at the articulation point, which consists of a pin joint connection and the appropriate bearing holes, which are provided at the rear end of the centre longitudinal beams 20 as well as at the front part of the chassis frame 12. This makes the chassis frame 12 height adjustable. A running wheel 11 in the form of a tail wheel familiar to persons skilled in the art is attached the other end of the chassis frame 12. The tail wheel can rotate freely around a vertical axis and on contact with the ground adjusts its direction of travel automatically to the direction of travel of the towing vehicle. Two brackets 26 are fixed to the first third of the chassis frame. Underneath these brackets 26 two additional brackets 25 are fixed approximately in the centre of the frame 7 of the additional soil cultivation device 6. A connection element or link 15 in the form of a transmission coupler connects these brackets by means of bolts or screws free rotating. The transmission coupler can be designed in its length to be movable, elastic or multipart. This results through base frame 4 with its articulation points 9 and 13, frame 7 with its brackets 25, chassis frame 12 with its brackets 26 and connection element 15 in a quadruple link coupler as transmission mechanism. Through this transmission layout, the base frame with its deadweight is able, on contact of the soil cultivation tools 8 with the ground 14 to raise chassis 10 with its running wheel 11 above the ground. If the soil cultivation implement 1 is now lifted by the lifting device 3 of the towing vehicle 2, the soil cultivation tools 8 lose contact with the ground 9. The chassis 10 with its running wheel 11 is lowered to the ground and supports a large part of the weight of the additional soil cultivation device through connection element 15. The lifting power requirement of the lifting device and the axle load of the towing vehicle 2 are improved in this way. For better visibility during road transport the chassis is fitted with warning signs 27 and lights attached to these. In
In
In contrast to
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2013 007 038.4 | Apr 2013 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/DE2014/000204 | 4/17/2014 | WO | 00 |
