AU2007200810A1 - Cutting machine that can be used particularly in agriculture, arboriculture and viticulture - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged:

O

0O 0 0 1^ 0 Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: Name of Applicant: Didier Andelfinger Actual Inventor(s): Didier Andelfinger Address for Service and Correspondence: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA Invention Title: CUTTING MACHINE THAT CAN BE USED PARTICULARLY IN AGRICULTURE, ARBORICULTURE AND VITICULTURE Our Ref: 794805 POF Code: 1158/407682 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): -1eooeq t CUTTING MACHINE THAT CAN BE USED PARTICULARLY IN AGRICULTURE. ARBORICULTURE AND VITICULTURE This application claims priority from French Application No.06.01665 filed on 24 SFebruary 2006, the contents of which are to be taken as incorporated herein by this reference.

(N The present invention relates to a cutting machine that can be used in agriculture, arboriculture and viticulture particularly for cutting or precutting vines and/or shrubs.

00 All the cutting machines of this type must satisfy many criteria such as: respect for training wires, even slackened; ease of use, reliability and safety of use; evenness of feed; extraction of vine shoots that have been cut and remain hooked on the training wires by their tendrils; cutting quality; output of the machine.

The solutions for resolving these criteria have to be reconciled with a reduction in the cost of the machine thanks to a rational construction and to the basic concepts governing the operation of the machine.

Patent EP0,147,344, PELLENC, discloses a cutting machine with two identical cutting assemblies each comprising a stack of cutting tools each working by shearing. The cutting tool comprises two elements. The outer element, called the cage, is formed of a disc with peripheral teeth and radial ribs; it is rotated continuously at a speed corresponding to the forward travel of the machine and fulfils the function of a counter-blade. The inner element is a fixed arc of a circle, comprising approximately ten teeth which form blades.

This machine has many disadvantages: the fragility of the cutting tools comparable to secateurs; the reduction in cutting quality due to the clearance that is established between the blades and counter-blades; training wires frequently cut when the speed of the disc with peripheral Steeth is not suited to the speed of forward travel; costly manufacture; great weight; C€3 limited output.

In patent EP 0696416 BINGER FRANCE, a cutting machine with two 00 identical cutting elements has been described. Each cutting element comprises a N stack of cages in which circular saws are housed rotating at great speed (1800 to 2000 rpm). The cages, there also, must rotate at a tangential speed matching the r forward travel, that is to say of the order of 15 to 18 rpm per km/h. Four motors are necessary to drive this machine: one motor for each element having to drive the saws, another for each element driving the cages. This machine, although less fragile and with greater performance than the PELLENC machine, has the following disadvantages: considerable hydraulic power; high cost price; great weight.

Other machines exist with two cutting elements each element of which consists of a stack of saws or of discs on the periphery of which removable blades are arranged. In addition to the dangerous character specific to these machines, respect for the training wires is not ensured.

In patent EP 1,541,009 in the name of VBC, a machine comprising two cutting elements has been proposed. Each cutting element consists of a stack of scalloped discs having on their periphery teeth of a particular curved profile. The discs of one assembly may interpenetrate into the spaces made between the discs of the other assembly. The opening of the assemblies is actuated by means of a cylinder controlled by the operator.

This machine is affected by many disadvantages: the distance between the discs of one assembly relative to the discs of the other assembly is large to prevent their contact, which causes bad quality cutting of the spur bearers; the rotation speed of the cutting tools, necessarily high to prevent the vine shoots being pinched between the discs, is a source of the vine shoots being violently ejected; because of the thinness of the cutting discs, the modification of the height 00 of the machine in work, either by the operator, or by the configuration of N' the ground, allows the wire to lodge itself in the bottom of a cavity between two teeth resting on the one side on one of the faces of the disc N' and on the other side, on the other face of the disc inevitably causing it to be cut; when the wires are slackened, the penetration of a wire between two teeth of a disc is easier, which causes it to be cut as in the previous case; the deterioration of a single tooth of a disc requires a cutting module to be removed and the said disc to be replaced; the teeth sharpened at their periphery cause great damage to the stakes when the operator too soon opens or too late closes the cutting elements when a stake passes; the arc of a circle described by the periphery of the teeth is too large and limits the penetration of the vine shoots, hence the output.

The object of the present invention is to provide effective solutions to the problems exposed and to set aside the disadvantages of the machines of the prior art.

The cutting machine according to the present invention is of the type comprising two identical cutting tool assemblies each comprising a stack of cutting tools, these two assemblies being able to occupy a working position in which they interpenetrate one another and a separated position, to allow the stakes to pass; characterized in that each cutting tool consists of a carrier disc with peripheral teeth having a thickness of at least 3 mm, and supporting on its periphery a toothed ring with cutting edges of matching profile, these cutting tools being stacked on one O another so as to form an assembly and being in the inverse position from one assembly to the other.

The cutting machine according to the invention also comprises some or all of the following dispositions: a- the carrier disc with peripheral teeth is made of aluminium alloy; while the toothed ring with cutting edges is made of high strength steel; 00 b- the profile of the ring of cutting teeth exactly matches that of the carrier N' disc, the outer edge of each steel cutting tooth being in the extension of the matching tooth of the carrier disc; Cl c- the profile of the cutting teeth of the ring of cutting teeth extends by 1 to 6 mm beyond that of the teeth of the carrier disc, the edge of these cutting teeth being able where necessary to be sharpened; d- the pairs of cutting tools facing one another are spaced from one another by a distance defining the length of the cut pieces of vine shoots.

As an example, in the appended drawings, forms of execution of the cutting machine according to the invention have been shown.

Figure 1 represents a top view of the machine, cutting modules separated; Figure 2 represents a top view of the machine, cutting modules in the working position; Figure 3 represents the two cutting modules in elevation; Figure 4 represents a carrier disc assembly and its ring seen from below; Figure 5 represents the assembly of Figure 4 seen from above; Figure 6 represents a variant embodiment of the carrier disc/ring assembly seen from below; Figure 7 represents the assembly of Figure 6 seen from above; Figure 8 represents the two cutting modules in the closed together or working position; Figure 9 represents in perspective, two stacks of cutting assemblies, one with plain edges and the other with protruding edges; Figure 10 is a partial plan view of a half carrier disc; Figure 11 is a half-section along the line XX of Figure N Figure 12 is a bottom view, in perspective, illustrating the device 0 according to the invention, one of the stacks of which is furnished with an additional cutting member; Figure 13 is a variant illustrating the height-adjustable means of supporting the stacks; Figure 14 is a detail of Figure 13; 00 Figure 15 is another detail of Figure 13; Figure 16 represents in detail the additional cutting member of Figure 12 seen from above in perspective; N Figure 17 illustrates a variant according to which the two stacks are furnished with an additional cutting member.

Figures 1 and 2 represent two assemblies of cutting tools A and B seen from above; in Figure 2, these two assemblies are in the working position, the position in which they interpenetrate; in Figure 1, these two assemblies are in the separated position, the position allowing obstacles such as vine stakes to pass between them.

The assembly A is supported by an arm 3 mounted pivotingly on a shaft 9 supported by the frame 1 of the machine, this frame being supported by a tractor (not shown).

In a similar manner, the assembly B is supported by an arm 31 mounted pivotingly on a shaft 19 supported by the said frame 1.

The pivoting motions of the arm 31 are controlled by a cylinder 2 mounted in an articulated manner on the frame I via the shaft 11 and onl the arm 31 via the shaft 21.

The two assemblies A and B are connected together by a connecting rod 4 articulated on the arms 3 and 31 by shafts 10 (the shaft 10 on the arm 31 being hidden).

SWhen the cylinder 2 extends, the two arms 3 and 31 separate from one C another (Figure when the cylinder 2 shortens, the two arms 3 and 31 move towards one another, the cutting members interpenetrating (Figure 2).

C 5 Figures 4 and 5 show that each cutting member 6 consists of an assembly of a relatively thick carrier disc 15 and cutting elements 16 that are attached onto the periphery of the upper face of the carrier disc 00 r, In the example shown, there are four elements 16 that each extend over a 900 arc of a circle so that the four elements form a circular ring.

However, the invention is not limited to the case in which the ring is made of four elements; it may consist of a single element, of two elements each extending over 1800 or else of several fractions of a circle.

In the example shown, the carrier disc 15 comprises sixteen teeth and the ring 16 of cutting elements comprising the same number of teeth. Figures 4 and 5 show that the teeth of the cutting elements 16 have exactly the same profile as the teeth of the carrier disc 15 so that their cutting edges are exactly in line with the walls of the teeth of the carrier disc 15, but the invention is not limited to this particular embodiment.

Similarly, the invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in the figures that is given only as an example; the number of teeth may be between 14 and Figure 10 shows that the teeth 43 of the carrier disc 15 have a profile similar to that of a gear. Each comprises two slightly curved flanks 45, the summit 44 is slightly rounded, and there is a space 49 separating two teeth 43. The angle P that the two flanks 45 make between them is less than 900 (advantageously of the order of 800).

The thickness of the teeth of the carrier disc (reference number 46 in Figure 11) is relatively great and the edges are parallel with the rotation shaft 7.

7 r Preferably, as in the example shown, the thickness 46 may be between 3 and mm, preferably 15 mm, while the thickness of the cutting elements 16 is of the order of4 minm.

It is the total thickness of the cutting members (carrier disc 15 cutting ring 16) that separates the training wires that are not cut.

00 CFigures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 show that the carrier disc 15 comprises a circular shoulder 18 that makes it possible to place with precision the cutting r elements 16 by bringing their rear, curved wall against the shoulder 18.

The cutting elements of the ring 15 are fastened by screws 13 and nuts 14 so that they are very easy to install/remove.

Figures 6 and 7 which illustrate a variant embodiment show that the teeth 17 of the cutting elements are slightly bigger than the teeth of the carrier disc 15, so that the flanks 45 of the teeth 43 and the space 49 separating two teeth 43 protrude slightly (approximately 1 to 5 mm).

This protruding portion may be left with plain edges or be sharpened to adapt to the vegetation; when the edges are plain, they are parallel to the shaft 7.

According to a variant embodiment, the cutting tools 15-17 may be placed at the bottom end of the stacks A and B, the other cutting tools 15-16 corresponding to Figures 4 and It is possible to produce the stacks A and B with only the cutting members 15-16, or else only the cutting members 15-17, or else by alternating them.

Figures 10 and 11 show the carrier disc 15 that is preferably made of aluminium alloy in order to be light.

O It comprises a hub 47 traversed by a bore 48, its teeth 43 having, as previously mentioned, a profile similar to that of a gear. The circular edge is parallel Sto the rotation shaft 41. The upper face comprises a shoulder 18 allowing a precise placement of the elements of the cutting ring 16/17.

(Ni The profile has the advantage of combining a certain aggressivity just necessary for ensuring a good grip of the vegetation, the distance 49 between the 00 teeth 43 allowing the vine shoots to penetrate between the teeth, all this while r causing no damage to the posts, wires and stretchers.

With reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 8 and 9, it can be seen that, according to a very important feature of the present invention, the cutting members 15-16 (or 15-17) of the stacks A and B are in an inverted position, the cutting rings 16 (or 17) of stack B being on top while those of stack A are underneath.

Preferably the stack B is placed beside the tractor, the discs of the said stack being positioned above those of stack A. Thanks to this disposition and the direction of rotation of the discs of stack B, the cut pieces of vine shoots are expelled towards the outside of the tractor.

An axial adjustment device of one of the two cutting assemblies, shown in Figures 13 and 14, makes it possible to reduce or increase the space between the cutting tools, facing the other cutting assembly.

It will be noted that the distance between the pair of bottom carrier discs is less than that of the other discs above (Fig. 13 and 14). This disposition makes it possible to obtain a clean cut of the spur bearer by the bottom pair of discs, while the pieces of wood cut by the discs situated above are more or less shattered which encourages quicker decomposition on the ground. The distance between the pair of lower discs a2 and that between the upper discs al is approximately 5 mm (Fig. b Figures 12 to 15 illustrate a variant according to which each stack A and B is N supported by a support 54, whose position is height-adjustable by a screw 56.

The horizontal branch 55 of this support 54 is placed between the penultimate and last cutting assembly 6 and supports the corresponding rolling bearing.

The effect of this is that there is no metal member protruding beneath the 00 stacks A and B and this prevents breaking spur bearers.

With reference more particularly to Figure 3, reference number 6 indicates N each cutting member, consisting of the assembly of a carrier disc 15 and a cutting ring 16 or 17, the said cutting members 6 are slotted, via their bores 48, onto a shaft 7, each shaft 7 being held between two bearings 12 and driven by a motor 5, which may be hydraulic or electric. The arms 3/3a and 31/31a are supported by tubes 32 of axis 9.

The shafts 7 and the cutting members 6 are fixedly attached in rotation, for example because the shafts 7 are hexagonal, as are the bores 48.

This disposition makes it possible to slide the cutting members 6 along the shafts 7 to separate them, bring them together or else increase or reduce their number.

Spacers 8 are placed between the hubs 47 so that the distance between the cutting members 6 is determined at will by the dimension of the spacers 8.

This distance lies between 5 and 20 cm.

In the example shown, all the spacers 8 have the same dimension, but spacers 8 of different dimensions may be put in place in order to adapt the distance of the cutting members to the configuration of the trellis.

O The two bearings 12 of the arms 3 and 31 are arranged between the first and N the second carrier disc at the bottom of each module so that no part protruding beneath the said discs hampers or damages the spur bearers when the machine passes.

This assembly also makes it possible to replace the bottom disc or discs with another cutting concept without dismantling the lower bearing or bearings 12 and 00 Owithout putting the other upper cutting elements 6 out of adjustment.

As can be seen in Figures 8 and 9, the interpenetration of the assemblies A and B is such that the vine shoots are trapped in the zone Z situated between two teeth and thus held firmly before being cut.

The dispositions described above make it possible to obtain excellent cutting work with relatively low rotation speeds of the stacks A and B, that is to say lying between 200 and 300 rpm which has the dual advantage of preventing flying pieces and of requiring low power for the motors 5, hence a saving of energy.

According to a variant embodiment, it is possible not to furnish certain carrier discs 15 situated at the summit of each stack A and B with cutting rings.

The invention also relates to a cutting machine according to the invention, in which the cutting toothed ring (16 or 17) has a minimum thickness of 3 mm and is made of high strength steel.

The invention also relates to a machine according to the invention, in which the rotation speed of the stacks (A and B) lies between 200 and 850 rpm.

Figures 12, 16 and 17 illustrate a variant embodiment comprising an additional special cutting tool, preferably placed at the bottom of a single or of the two stacks.

II

The current trend is not to carry out a manual finishing cut, at least one year Sout of two in order to make savings, or else because labourers who know how to cut d vines are becoming increasingly rare.

As can be seen in these figures, there is, at the bottom of the hexagonal section shaft 7, a disc 50 whose periphery comprises a plurality of knives 51 (16 in the example shown). The disc 50/51 forms a rotary knife.

00 C The rotary knife 50/51 is associated with a plate 52 furnished with fingers 53 (5 in the example shown). The plate 52 is fixed so that the mobile knives 51 and the N fixed fingers 53 operate in a manner similar to secateurs, which makes it possible to obtain a clean cut.

The fingers 53, longer than thile knives 51, channel the vine shoots and hold them in their position when they are cut which prevents breaking the spur bearers.

For certain grape varieties whose vine shoots to be cut are relatively thick, each of the two cutting assemblies A and B can be fitted with the additional tool shown in Figures 12, 16 and 17 as is shown in Figure As can be seen in this figure, the rotary knife assembly 50/51 and the fixed plate with fingers 52/53 occupies two inverse positions so that the rotary knives are face to face.

Although it is not shown, the additional cutting tool or tools may be driven by means that are independent from those that drive the other cutting tools.

Claims (11)

11.- Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the distance between the cutting members is adjustable.

12.- Machine according to Claim 11, in which the distance is the same over the whole height of a stack (A and B).

13.- Machine according to Claim 1 1, in which the distance is variable.

14.- Machine according to Claims 11 to 13, in which spacers are placed between the cutting members the dimension of the said spacers determining the value of the distance Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the teeth (43) have a profile similar to that of a gear tooth and are spaced from one another by a distance (49).

16.- Machine according to any one of thile preceding claims, in which the interpenetration of the stacks (A and B) determines a zone in which the vine shoots are trapped and held before being cut. Ni 17.- Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the d rotation speed of the stacks (A and B) lies between 200 and 850 rpm. C1 5 18. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the carrier disc (15) comprises a number of teeth lying between 14 and 20, preferably 16. 00

19. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the N' stack is positioned beside the tractor, the discs of the said stack being positioned above the discs of the other the direction of rotation of the stack being ri chosen so that the pieces of cut vine shoots are expelled towards the outer side of the tractor. Machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 19, in which an axial adjustment device of one of the two stacks (A or B) makes it possible to reduce or increase the space between the cutting tools facing one another.

21.- Machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 20, in which the distance between the pair of carrier discs of the arm is less than that of the discs situated above, in order to obtain a clean cut of the spur bearer.

22. Machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 21, in which the two bearings (12) of the arms (3 and 31) are arranged between the first and the second carrier disc of the arm of each tool, so that no protruding part hampers or damages the spur bearers.

23. Machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 22, comprising a special, additional cutting tool placed on the arm of each stack or of only one.

24. Machine according to Claim 23, in which the additional tool consists of a rotary knife (50/51) associated with a fixed plate with fingers (52/53), the mobile knives (51) interacting with the fixed fingers (53) in the manner of secateurs. 0 25. Machine according to Claim 24, in which the fingers (53) are longer C,1 than the knives (51).

26. Machine according to Claims 23 to 25, in which the additional tool or C, 5 tools may be driven by independent means. 00 00,