BE1024691B1 - EXCAVATOR - Google Patents

Abstract

Harvester for harvesting of chopped fruits when moving the harvester according to a direction of travel (C), comprising a frame (4), at least one harvesting unit (8) for harvesting the chopped fruits, which is pivotally arranged in the harvester, rotatable about a pivot axis (F) according to the direction of travel (C) of the harvester, and which is resiliently suspended from the frame (4), measuring means (15) for determining the angular rotation (A, A ') of the harvester unit (8) around said harvester pivot axis (F) and control means (13) for rotating the harvesting unit (8) around said pivot axis (F) in function of the angular rotation (A, A ') determined with the measuring means (15). This invention further relates to a method for adapting an existing harvesting machine to a harvesting machine according to the present invention.

Description

(30) Priority data:

24/10/2016 BE 2016/5800 (73) Holder (s):

DEWULF NV 8800, ROESELARE Belgium (72) Inventor (s):

DE BOE Gert 9080 LOCHRISTI Belgium

VAN ISEGHEM Joeri 8770 INGELMUNSTER Belgium (54) ROOFING MACHINE (57) Harvester for harvesting root crops when the harvester is moved in a direction of travel (C), comprising a frame (4), at least one harvesting unit (8) for harvesting the root crops pivotally mounted in the harvester, rotatable about a pivot axis (F) according to the direction of travel (C) of the harvester, and suspended on the frame (4), measuring means (15) for determining the angular rotation (A Aj of the grubbing unit (8) around said hinge axis (F) and control means (13) for rotating the grubbing unit (8) around said hinge axis (F) in function of the angular rotation (A) determined with the measuring means (15) This invention further relates to a method for adapting an existing harvester to a harvester according to this invention.

rial

BELGIAN INVENTION PATENT

FPS Economy, K.M.O., Self-employed & Energy

Publication number: 1024691 Filing number: BE2016 / 5948

Intellectual Property Office

International classification: A01D 33/14 A01B 63/114 Date of issue: 29/05/2018

The Minister of Economy,

Having regard to the Paris Convention of 20 March 1883 for the Protection of Industrial Property;

Having regard to the Law of March 28, 1984 on inventive patents, Article 22, for patent applications filed before September 22, 2014;

Having regard to Title 1 Invention Patents of Book XI of the Economic Law Code, Article XI.24, for patent applications filed from September 22, 2014;

Having regard to the Royal Decree of 2 December 1986 on the filing, granting and maintenance of inventive patents, Article 28;

Having regard to the application for an invention patent received by the Intellectual Property Office on 19/12/2016.

Whereas for patent applications that fall within the scope of Title 1, Book XI, of the Code of Economic Law (hereinafter WER), in accordance with Article XI.19, § 4, second paragraph, of the WER, the granted patent will be limited. to the patent claims for which the novelty search report was prepared, when the patent application is the subject of a novelty search report indicating a lack of unity of invention as referred to in paragraph 1, and when the applicant does not limit his filing and does not file a divisional application in accordance with the search report.

Decision:

Article 1

DEWULF NV, Moorseelsesteenweg 20, 8800 ROESELARE Belgium;

represented by

HOSTENS Veerle, Pres. Kennedypark 31c, 8500, KORTRIJK;

OSTYN Frans, Pres. Kennedypark 31c, 8500, KORTRIJK;

CHIELENS Kristof, Pres. Kennedypark 31c, 8500, KORTRIJK;

CARDOON Annelies, Pres. Kennedypark 31c, 8500, KORTRIJK;

a Belgian invention patent with a term of 20 years, subject to payment of the annual fees as referred to in Article XI.48, § 1 of the Code of Economic Law, for: ROOIMACHINE.

INVENTOR (S):

DE BOE Gert, Heidgrond 27, 9080, LOCHRISTI;

VAN ISEGHEM Joeri, Molleveld 1, 8770, INGELMUNSTER;

PRIORITY:

24/10/2016 BE 2016/5800;

BREAKDOWN:

Split from basic application: Filing date of the basic application:

Article 2. - This patent is granted without prior investigation into the patentability of the invention, without warranty of the Merit of the invention, nor of the accuracy of its description and at the risk of the applicant (s).

Brussels, 29/05/2018,

With special authorization:

BE2016 / 5948

VARIETY

The invention relates to a harvesting machine for harvesting root crops such as potatoes, turnips or similar harvested material.

Root crop harvesters are known in various embodiments, for example as structures being pulled by a tractor / tractor or the like, or as so-called self-propellers.

Such lifting machines comprise a transport device for driving the lifting machine on a ground, with one or more wheels and / or one or more tracks. This transport device carries a frame. A pick-up device is hung from this frame with one or more harvesting units with harvesting units with lifting shears for harvesting the root crops. This pick-up device can be pushed or pulled into the harvester.

It is generally known to integrate inclination sensors or similar sensors in lifting machines, so that when a wheel axle is tilted relative to a horizontal plane, in particular when lifting on sloping or sloping fields, a horizontal alignment of the frame is possible is via one or more adjustment bodies. In this way, most of the harvester is horizontal. The wheels and / or tracks with their corresponding wheel axles follow the slope of the field. The pick-up device or its lifting units can also be hinged around a pivot axis according to the driving direction of the lifting machine. The pick-up device or the harvesting unit can be tilted in this way in relation to the frame during harvesting, in order to follow the slope of the field in sloping or sloping fields. However, there may also be an undesired skew that causes negative effects. For example, the depth of one or more of the harvesting shears can undesirably vary during harvesting, so that root crops can be cut. An uneven soil structure is also created on the field, which, together with the complex mass system of the harvester, ensures that the machine will move less stable, so that the harvesting process and the attainable speed are adversely affected.

BE2016 / 5948. For example, if two or more harvesting units are mounted on the take-up device and the take-up device has a different slope than the field, the harvester will be deeper in one row than in another row being lifted. In a potato harvester, the harvesting depth is adjusted by means of support wheels that run between the potato ridges, or by means of a support drum (diabolo) or a similar support element that rests on a potato back. In the case of the version with a support drum, undesired tilting of the pick-up device can cause greater pressure on a potato back compared to another potato back being harvested.

In order to reduce the pressure exerted by the one or more harvesting units on the ground during harvesting, the pick-up device is suspended on the frame, for example by means of one or more actuators. Such actuators can be controlled during harvesting to (partially) maintain the self-weight of the pick-up device and thus not allow it to rest completely on the bottom. However, these actuators are then not controlled sufficiently to completely lift the pick-up device.

Practice has shown that when the soil pressure is relieved by the resilient suspension of the pick-up device, more and / or faster undesired tilting of the one or more harvesting units occurs.

The object of this invention is to overcome this undesired skew.

This object of the invention is solved by providing a harvesting machine according to claim 1, wherein now on top of the relief of the pressure exerted by the one or more harvesting units on the bottom during lifting with the aid of a resilient suspension, the rotation of the lifting unit around the pivot axis, it can be actively controlled by means of control means, in function of the angular rotation of the lifting unit around the pivot axis, which is determined with measuring means.

BE2016 / 5948

The said pivot axis is preferably arranged in a fixed position. Even more preferably, this hinge shaft is arranged in the center of the pick-up device.

The resilient suspension can be advantageously realized by suspending the harvesting unit from the frame using one or more actuators.

More specifically, the harvesting unit can for instance be suspended by means of two actuators, which can for instance be arranged on the harvesting unit on either side of the hinge axis.

Alternatively, the harvesting unit can more specifically be suspended, for example, with the aid of one centrally arranged actuator.

Furthermore, it is of course also possible to suspend the harvesting unit with more than two actuators.

Preferably, the spring force with which the harvesting unit is suspended from the frame is then adjustable with said one or more actuators. These actuators can then be controlled during harvesting to partially lift the self-weight of the harvesting unit.

These one or more actuators mentioned may optionally also form part of the control means. The rotation of the harvesting unit is then obtained on the basis of a specific control of these actuators.

As an alternative to the actuators or in addition to the actuators, the harvesting unit can also be suspended from the frame using one or more resilient elements. These resilient elements can advantageously be springs and / or accumulators.

In embodiments in which actuators with which the lifting unit is suspended resiliently also form part of the control means, it becomes

BE2016 / 5948 self-weight of the pick-up device is preferably also partly lifted by a system other than these actuators, such as said springs and / or accumulators.

In order to be able to easily control the rotation of the harvesting unit, the control means of a harvesting machine according to the invention preferably comprise one or more separate actuators, which are only provided for rotating the harvesting unit around said hinge axis. When the inclination control of the lifting unit is controlled by a said separate actuator, the pressure relief principle can still be carried out using, for example, one or more of the mentioned actuators with which the lifting unit is suspended.

Such a separate actuator for rotating the harvesting unit around its said pivot axis can be a hydraulic, electric or pneumatic actuator.

Alternatively, any other control means can also be used to rotate the harvesting unit around said hinge axis.

The harvesting unit of a harvesting machine according to the present invention can form part of a pick-up device of the harvesting machine, which comprises several harvesting units.

This pick-up device can be pivotally arranged in the harvester in order to arrange the harvesting units pivotally in this harvester. In such embodiments, the control means will therefore be provided for rotating this pick-up device in order to rotate these lifting units. Preferably, in such an embodiment with a pick-up device with a plurality of lifting units, each of these lifting units is separately hingedly arranged in the pick-up device, wherein said control means are provided for digging this lifting unit per lifting unit.

A harvesting unit of a harvesting machine according to this invention may comprise one or more harvesting units. These lifting units then each comprise a lifting shears and a supporting element, or other means for harvesting root crops.

BE2016 / 5948

The measuring means of a harvesting machine according to the present invention preferably comprise a tilt sensor for determining the angular rotation of the harvesting unit around said hinge axis.

For this purpose, this inclination sensor can be mounted, for example, on a said pick-up device or, for this purpose, can also be mounted on the lifting unit for this purpose.

In a simple embodiment, the lifting machine comprises a transport device for driving the lifting machine, on which the frame is hingedly mounted, rotatable about a pivot axis according to the direction of travel of the lifting machine and this lifting machine comprises measuring means for determining the angular rotation of this transport device around its mentioned hinge shaft. The control means are then preferably provided for rotating the digging unit around its pivot axis until the angular rotation of the digging unit is equal to the angular rotation of the conveying device.

In an easily controllable version of such an embodiment, the actuators for resiliently suspending the lifting unit from the frame comprise two hydraulic cylinders, which are arranged on either side of the pivot shaft, these hydraulic cylinders being mutually communicating vessels on their rod side and the harvester comprises measuring means for determining the pressure on the rod side of these hydraulic cylinders.

More specifically, the measuring means for determining the angular rotation of the transport device about its said pivot axis preferably comprises a second inclination sensor which is mounted on the transport device for determining the angular rotation of the transport device around its said pivot axis.

When such a transport device comprises a wheel axle, this second inclination sensor is preferably mounted on this wheel axle. When this

BE2016 / 5948 transport device comprises several wheel axles, it is then possible to choose on which wheel axle this inclination sensor is to be fitted.

The said angular rotations can alternatively also be adjusted in a different manner than with the aid of the said inclination sensors.

The object of the present invention is further achieved also by providing a method for adjusting a harvesting machine comprising a frame and at least one harvesting unit for harvesting the root crops, wherein the harvesting machine is provided with means for resiliently suspending the harvesting unit and / or measuring means for determining the angular rotation of the lifting unit around said pivot axis and / or control means for rotating the lifting unit around said pivot axis in function of the angular rotation determined by the measuring means, in order to arrive at a lifting machine according to this invention.

Finally, the object of the invention is also achieved by providing a method for controlling the angular rotation of a lifting unit of a lifting machine described above with two hydraulic cylinders interconnected on their rod sides, the method comprising the following steps:

measuring the pressure on the rod side of the hydraulic cylinders with the aid of the relevant measuring means;

comparing this measured pressure with a reference range;

measuring the angular rotation of the transport device around its hinge axis by means of the relevant measuring means;

measuring the angular rotation of the harvesting unit around its said pivot axis with the aid of the relevant measuring means;

comparing the measured angular rotation of the conveying device about its said pivot axis with the measured angular rotation of the lifting unit around its said pivot axis;

BE2016 / 5948 adjusting the pressure on the rod side of the hydraulic cylinders, when the measured pressure falls outside the reference range until this measured pressure falls within the reference range;

rotating the lifting unit around its said pivot axis using the control means, when the measured angular rotation of the conveying device deviates from the measured angular rotation of the lifting unit until these measured angular rotations are equal.

The present invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the following detailed description of a harvesting machine according to this invention. The purpose of this description is only to provide illustrative examples and to indicate further advantages and details of this harvester, and thus cannot be construed as limiting the scope of the invention or the patent rights claimed in the claims.

Throughout this detailed description reference is made to the accompanying drawings by reference numerals, where:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the frame with the wheel axle and receiving device of an embodiment of a harvesting machine according to the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a rear view of the frame with the pivoting wheel axle of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the pick-up device of figure 1 with two lifting units;

Figure 4 shows a front view of the pick-up device of Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a front view of the pick-up device of Figure 1 rotated in one direction;

Figure 6 shows a front view of the pick-up device of Figure 1 rotated in the other direction;

Figure 7 shows a side view of the pick-up device of Figure 1;

BE2016 / 5948

Figure 8 shows the hydraulic diagram to control the pressure relief and the angular rotation of the pick-up device of Figure 1.

The figures show parts of a lifting machine comprising a frame (4), a wheel axle (1), with wheels (2) and a pick-up device (6).

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the frame (4) with the wheel axle (1) and wheels (2) and the receiving device (6). The harvester drives in the direction indicated by arrow (C). The pick-up device (6) is pulled into the harvester. Figure 2 shows the wheel axle (1) with an associated left and right wheel (2) running on a field (3) that is at an angle (A) to the horizontal plane (H), so that the wheel axle (1) is at this angle (A).

The frame (4) and the parts (not shown) of the harvester shown are kept horizontal according to the inclination adjustment of the wheel axle (1). Namely, the wheel axle (1) is pivotally mounted on the frame (4), rotatable about a pivot axis (B), which extends according to the direction of travel (C). The inclination (A) of the wheel axle (1) is detected by the inclination sensor (7) on the wheel axle (1). The hydraulic cylinder (5) of this inclination control is controlled in function of this inclination sensor (7) until the frame (4) is parallel to the horizontal plane (H).

The tilt sensor (7) measures the slope of the field and the harvester, but this can also be measured in another way. For example, the length of an extended or not extended hydraulic cylinder (5) with which the frame (4) is placed horizontally can be measured and calculated to the slope (A) of the wheel axle (1).

Figure 3 is a perspective view, Figure 4 is a front view and Figure 7 is a side view of the pick-up device (6), which in this example contains a single lifting unit (8) with two lifting units (9). Such a pick-up device (6) could also comprise several such lifting units (8) with one or more lifting units (9).

Each depicted grubbing unit (9) includes a grub shear (10) and a support element (11), but may also comprise other means for removing root crops (E) such as potatoes,

BE2016 / 5948 to harvest turnips or similar crops. As usual, the depth between the harvesting shears (10) and the support element (11) can be adjusted, for example manually using a lever. Alternatively, this depth could also be hydraulically adjustable, for example.

The product flow of the root crops (E) is indicated by the arrows (D).

The entire pick-up device (6) can be lifted up and down using one or more hydraulic cylinders (12). These hydraulic cylinders (12) are hinged to the frame (4) by means of a hinge connection (19). In figure 3, two hydraulic cylinders (12) are placed, one on each side of the pick-up device (6). Another possibility is to lift the pick-up device (6) via one centrally located hydraulic cylinder or via several hydraulic cylinders.

The complete pick-up device (6) - and therefore also the harvesting unit (8) - is hinged in the harvester. At the front, the pick-up device (6) is hinged to the frame (4), rotatable about a pivot axis (F) according to the driving direction (C) of the machine. This hinge shaft (F) does not necessarily have to be centrally located in the receiving device (6). The connection between the frame (4) and the Hinge (14) of the front receiving device (6) is made by means of a connecting mechanism (16). This connecting mechanism (16) is also hingedly connected to the frame (4) at several pivot points (18). This connecting mechanism (16) between the pick-up device (6) at the front and the frame (4) allows the pick-up device (6) to move up and down (according to the direction (G)) with no left and right movement possible ( according to direction (I)) and whereby the front and rear movement (according to direction (J)) is kept to a minimum. The pick-up device (6) is attached at the back to the rest of the harvester and thus also to the frame (4) in pivot point (17) in such a way that a pivot movement of the pick-up device (6) around pivot shaft (F) is possible. Figures 5 and 6 show an angle of inclination of the pick-up device (6) which provides a height difference (K) in lifting depth with respect to horizontal plane (H), which can differ per lifting unit (9).

BE2016 / 5948

The desired rotation of the pick-up device (6) is obtained by means of an additional hydraulic cylinder (13). This hydraulic cylinder (13) controls the inclination (A ') from the take-up device (6) until the inclination sensor (15) on the take-up device (6) reaches the same value as the inclination (A) that the inclination sensor (7) on the wheel axle ( 1) measure, as further explained by the hydraulic scheme in figure 8. The slopes (A, A ') of the field (3), the harvester and the pick-up device (6) are measured here with inclination sensors (7, 15), but this can also be measured in another way. Also, the hydraulic cylinder (13) on the take-up device (6) can be steered with the same hydraulic circuit as the hydraulic cylinder (5) on the wheel axle (1), such that the take-up device (6) is at the same angle (A ') as the angle (A) of the wheel axle (1). Another possibility to determine the slope (A ') of the pick-up device (6) is to install additional sensors on the pick-up device (6) that support on the ground and thus the slope of the field (3) at the level of the crop to be harvested to follow. Because the inclination control of the pick-up device (6) is controlled by an additional hydraulic cylinder (13), the principle of relieving the ground pressure can still be carried out by the hydraulic cylinders (12) which lift the pick-up device (6). These hydraulic cylinders (12) are hereby actuated during harvesting in order to partially stop the pick-up device (6) and thus not to let it rust on the bottom. However, these hydraulic cylinders (12) are not actuated sufficiently to lift the receiving device (6) smoothly. This is done using the illustrated hydraulic circuit by applying an adjustable pressure to the rod side of the cylinders (12). In this case valve (20) is in the middle position and valves (21), (22) and (23) are open, so oil permeable. The other side of the cylinders (12) are both connected to the tank. The rod sides of the cylinders (12) are constantly at the same pressure and act as communicating vessels. The piston of one cylinder (12) may be deeper than the other. As soon as one cylinder (12) is pushed in, the other (12) will extend accordingly. Suppose the set pressure is at 80 bar, the bellows (27) will ensure that pressure fluctuations over a difference of

BE2016 / 5948, for example, 10 bar, so between 70 and 90 bar, can be collected. Outside these limits, the pressure will be adjusted and the valve (20) will be actuated for this. While the pressure on the rod sides of the cylinders (12) is kept between 70 bar and 90 bar, the additional hydraulic cylinder (13) will be activated.

During harvesting, valves (24), (25) and (26) are all allowed and the extra cylinder (13) is thus fixed. If the inclination (A) that measures the inclination sensor (7) on the wheel axle (1) differs from the inclination (A ') that measures the inclination sensor (15) of the pick-up device (6), the cylinder (13) will be activated by briefly applying valve (24) in one direction or the other and then returning it to its closed position. Valves (25) and (26) are only opened to fully lift the take-up device (6) and not during grubbing.

BE2016 / 5948

Claims (18)

CONCLUSIONS 1. Harvester for harvesting root crops (E) when the harvester is moved in a direction of travel (C), comprising: a frame (4); at least one harvesting unit (8) for harvesting the root crops (E), which is hinged in the harvester, rotatable about a pivot axis (F) according to the direction of travel (C) of the harvester, and which 10 is resiliently suspended from the frame (4) with a spring force that partially overrides the self-weight of the lifting unit (8); characterized in that the harvester: measuring means (15) for determining the angular rotation (A ') of the harvesting unit (8) around said hinge axis (F); And control means (13) for rotating the lifting unit (8) around said hinge axis (F) in function of the angular rotation (A ') determined with the measuring means (15) while the lifting unit (8) resiliently suspended. 20 Harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that the harvesting unit (8) is suspended from the frame (4) by means of one or more actuators (12) to suspend it from this frame (4). Harvester according to claim 2, characterized in that the spring force is adjustable 25 with said one or more actuators (12). Harvester according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the one or more actuators (12) form part of the control means (13). BE2016 / 5948 Harvester according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the harvesting unit (8) is suspended from the frame (4) by means of one or more resilient elements to suspend it from this frame (4). Harvester according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control means (13) comprise one or more additional actuators (13). Harvester according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the harvester unit (8) forms part of a lifting device (6) of the harvester, which comprises several harvester units (8). 8. Harvester according to claim 7, wherein the pick-up device (6) is hingedly mounted in the harvester to arrange the harvester units (8) in a hinged manner. Harvester according to claim 7, characterized in that each harvesting unit (8) is separately hinged in the pick-up device (6) to be arranged hinged in the harvester. Harvester according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measuring means comprise an inclination sensor (15) for determining the angular rotation (A ') of the harvesting unit (8) around said pivot axis (F). 11. Harvester according to claim 8 and 10, characterized in that the tilt sensor (15) is arranged on the pick-up device (6). Harvester according to claim 10, characterized in that the tilt sensor (15) is mounted on the harvester unit (8). Harvester according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the harvester comprises a conveyor for driving the harvester, on which the frame (4) is hinged, rotatable about a hinge axis (B) according to the direction of travel of the harvester, that the harvester BE2016 / 5948 comprises measuring means (7) for determining the angular rotation (A) of this transport device around its said hinge axis (B) and that the control means (13) are provided for rotating the grubbing unit (8) around its hinge axis ( F) until the angular rotation (A ') of the lifting unit (8) is equal to the angular rotation (A) of the transport device. Harvester according to claims 3, 6 and 13, characterized in that the actuators (12) for resiliently suspending the harvesting unit (8) on the frame (4) comprise two hydraulic cylinders (12), on either side of the pivot shaft (F) are arranged, these hydraulic cylinders (12) being interconnected on their rod side as communicating vessels and the lifting machine comprising measuring means (28) for determining the pressure on the rod side of these hydraulic cylinders (12). Harvester according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the measuring means (7) for determining the angular rotation (A) of the transport device around its said hinge axis (B) comprise a second inclination sensor (7), which is on the transport device arranged to determine the angular rotation (A) of the conveyor around its said pivot axis (B). Harvester according to claim 15, characterized in that the transport device comprises a wheel axle (1) and that the second inclination sensor (7) is arranged on this wheel axle (1). Method for adjusting a harvesting machine comprising a frame (4) and at least one harvesting unit (8) for harvesting the roots (E), characterized in that the harvesting machine is provided with means (12) for resiliently suspending the lifting unit (8) and / or measuring means (15) for determining the angular rotation (A ') of the lifting unit (8) around said hinge axis (F) and / or control means (13) for rotating the lifting unit (8 ) around said pivot axis (F) in function of the measurements determined with the measuring means (15) BE2016 / 5948 angle rotation (A '), to arrive at a harvesting machine according to one of the preceding claims. Method for controlling the angular rotation of a harvesting unit (8) of a harvesting machine for harvesting root crops (E) when the harvesting machine is moved in a direction of travel (C), characterized in that the harvesting machine is a harvesting machine according to claim 14 , and that the method includes the following steps: measuring the pressure on the rod side of the hydraulic cylinders (12) with the aid of the relevant measuring means (28); comparing this measured pressure with a reference range; measuring the angular rotation (A) of the transport device around its said pivot axis (B) with the aid of the relevant measuring means (7); measuring the angular rotation (A ') of the harvesting unit (8) around its hinge axis (F) with the aid of the relevant measuring means (15); comparing the measured angular rotation (A) of the conveyor around its said pivot axis (B) with the measured angular rotation (A ') of the grubbing unit (8) around its said pivot axis (F); controlling the rod side pressure of the hydraulic cylinders (12) when the measured pressure falls outside the reference range until this measured pressure falls within the reference range; rotating the harvesting unit (8) around its said pivot axis (7) with the aid of the control means (13), when the measured angular rotation (A) of the transport device deviates from the measured angular rotation (A ') of the lifting unit (8) until these measured angular rotations (A, A ') are equal. BE2016 / 5948