DE102007055756A1 - Forage harvester for processing granular harvested crop e.g. corn, has conveyer system for reforwarding of harvested crop, where crushing device or conveyer system are used alternatively at similar position of process section - Google Patents

Abstract

The harvester (100) has a process section for processing harvested crop e.g. corn or grass. A crushing device (30) is used for processing the granular harvested crop. A conveyer system (140) is used for reforwarding the harvested crop, where the crushing device or the conveyer system is used alternatively at similar position of the process section. The crushing device and the conveyer system are arranged at a common carrier body (50). The carrier body is rotatably movable around a rotation axis. The crushing device has two rotatable rollers that are interlinked with curved lateral surfaces.

Description

The The invention relates to a forage harvester having a process section for processing crops such as corn or grass in particular.

Forage of the aforementioned type have been known for a long time. The Process section of such forage harvesters usually includes a receiving unit for collecting crops, chopping drums for crushing the crop, and a crackers for shredding of grains in the crop. Furthermore, behind the cracker arranged a Nachbeschleuniger, with the collected near the ground Crop on the back of a forage harvester next to the forage harvester thrown by a moving collection vehicle. If not grainy Crop is processed, but for example, grass, the Crackers are being developed. On the way between shredding drums and Nachbeschleuniger it can then because of the large Distance between chopper drum and post accelerator easily causing a jam of crop with the result of clogging and an interruption of processing.

In front Against this background, it was an object of the present invention, a Forage harvester with greater reliability provide.

• a) Eine Zerkleinerungseinrichtung, die insbesondere der Zerkleinerung von körnigem Erntegut wie beispielsweise Maiskörnern dient.
• b) Eine Fördereinrichtung zur Weiterbeförderung von Erntegut.

This object is achieved by a forage harvester having a process section for processing crop material, in particular maize or grass, which contains the following components:

• a) A shredding device, which is used in particular for the comminution of granular crop such as corn kernels.
• b) A conveyor for the further transport of crops.

there the forage harvester is designed so that either the crushing device or the conveyor can be used at the same position of the process line.

One such forage harvester has the advantage that when needed (i.e. H. especially when processing granular crops) in a first operating mode a shredding device in the process line can be introduced. Is one Crushing device, however, not required or even excluded for technical reasons (eg during processing of grass), so it can be removed. Different from known forage harvesters However, her place is not free, but he can in a second Operating mode are taken by the conveyor. This will leave a large gap between the previous one Processing stage, for example a chopper drum, and the next conveyor or post-accelerator avoided. This will prevent crops from being in the area the process line, otherwise from the crushing device is taken, accumulate and lead there to a constipation can. Otherwise the process route remains unchanged d. H. the components in front of and behind the position of the crusher / conveyor can work the same way in both operating modes.

in principle is it possible that the shredder and the conveyor separately movable, "loose" components are, for example, cassette-like by installing and removing against each other be replaced. It is particularly preferred, however, if the Crushing device and the conveyor in a movable carrier system are stored, wherein in a first configuration of the carrier system, the shredding device and in a second configuration of the carrier system the Conveyor located in the process line. The user then does not have to make a complicated installation and removal of components, but just change the configuration of the carrier system. However, this can be automated and thus "at the push of a button" respectively.

For the realization of the above-mentioned carrier system There are different possibilities. In particular, it can comprise a (rigid) body, hereinafter called "carrier body" and at which both the shredder and the Conveyor are attached. By a movement of this Carrier body can then simultaneously the shredder removed from its operative position and the conveyor be introduced here or vice versa.

Of the The aforementioned carrier body can in particular be mounted pivotably about a rotation axis, so that a simple rotation around this axis the replacement of crushing device and conveyor can be done.

The comminution device is preferably designed such that it has a conveying capacity comparable to that of the (granular) crop. This ensures that the crop in both modes of operation is similarly transported from the previous to the next station of the process line. In this case, the design of comminution device and conveying device can in particular be such that no further conveying device is necessary after these two components. On a component such as a post-accelerator, which leads to significant additional costs because of its power requirements in operation, can Use in the corn crop then be waived. The delivery rate of the shredding device and conveying device can in particular be designed so large that the crop is ejected by typically one to three meters from a ground-level position into a sufficient height for transfer to a collecting vehicle.

There are various possibilities for the construction of the shredding device. It is particularly preferred if the shredding device comprises two rotatable rollers which engage with each other with their complementarily wavy lateral surfaces. Such rolls can be produced, for example, by juxtaposing similar wedge disks or disk elements. Suitable rollers of this type are used for example in the DE 101 51 246 B4 and the WO 2007/051834 A2 which are fully incorporated by reference into the present application.

As already mentioned several times, the ejection direction for crop from the conveyor or the Crushing device in the condition of use of the forage harvester be essentially vertical to the crop from a ground level position in sufficient amount for the transfer to bring to a moving collection vehicle.

The Conveyor can be a rotatably mounted impeller include, which grabs crops with its wings and drives tangentially to the direction of rotation. Especially preferred it is when the conveyor two in opposite directions includes rotatable impellers, which in grab their crops and drive crops together. An entrapment of crop between an impeller and a fixed housing wall is then largely avoided.

The Process section of the forage harvester is usually next the shredding device or conveyor still include further components. This can in particular a collecting device for harvested crop, a chopping device for Crushing of crop, and / or at least one other conveyor belong.

in the The invention will be exemplified with the aid of the figures explained. It shows:

1 the relevant components of the process line of a forage harvester 100 according to a first embodiment of the invention in (a) a perspective view, (b) a side view and (c) a top view, wherein for the processing of maize the comminution device is in the process section;

2 the forage harvester of 1 in the respective views, wherein for the processing of grass, the conveyor is in the process line;

3 the relevant components of the process line of a forage harvester 200. according to a second embodiment of the invention in a side view, wherein the crushing device is in the process line and wherein the conveyor comprises two counter-rotating impellers;

4 the forage harvester of 3 , wherein the conveyor is in the process line for processing grass.

• – Eine Sammeleinrichtung 10 für das Erntegut. Diese kann in bekannter Weise ausgestaltet sein und beispielsweise mehrere Paare von gegenläufig rotierenden Walzen umfassen, die zwischen sich das Erntegut 1 einziehen.
• – Eine Häckseltrommel 20, die mit radial außen angebrachten Schneidmessern bei ihrer Rotation das Erntegut zerstückelt.
• – Eine Zerkleinerungseinrichtung 30 ("Cracker") zur Nachzerkleinerung des Erntegutes. Im dargestellten Beispiel besteht die Zerkleinerungseinrichtung 30 aus zwei gegenläufig rotierenden Walzen 31a, 31b, die mit ihren gewellten Mantelflächen ineinander greifen. Eine solche Zerkleinerungseinrichtung hat den Vorteil, körniges Erntegut sowohl zu zerkleinern als auch mit hoher Geschwindigkeit auszuwerfen und dadurch weiterzubefördern. Die Zerkleinerungseinrichtung 30 kann insbesondere gemäß der DE 101 51 246 B4 oder der WO 2007/051834 A2 ausgestaltet sein.
• – Einen im Gebrauchszustand im Wesentlichen vertikal verlaufenden Auswurfschacht 60, über den das zerkleinerte Erntegut auf die Ladefläche eines nebenher fahrenden Sammelfahrzeuges (nicht dargestellt) geworfen wird. Aufgrund der hohen Förderleistung der Zerkleinerungseinrichtung 30 ist dabei eine weitere Fördereinrichtung (Nachbeschleuniger) in diesem Abschnitt der Prozessstrecke nicht erforderlich.

1 shows in various views the essential components of the process line of a self-propelled forage harvester 100 , For the present invention, not relevant parts (in particular vehicle parts) are omitted for clarity. The process line is in a first operating mode for processing granular crops such as corn 1 , In the process direction (from right to left), it comprises the following components in succession:

• - A collection facility 10 for the crop. This can be configured in a known manner and, for example, comprise a plurality of pairs of counter-rotating rollers, the crop between them 1 move in.
• - A chopper drum 20 which cuts the crop with its radially outwardly positioned cutting blades as it rotates.
• - A shredder 30 ("Cracker") for the shredding of the crop. In the example shown, the shredding device 30 from two counter-rotating rollers 31a . 31b , which mesh with their wavy lateral surfaces. Such a shredding device has the advantage of both shredding granular crop and ejecting it at high speed, thereby further conveying it. The shredder 30 can in particular according to the DE 101 51 246 B4 or the WO 2007/051834 A2 be designed.
• - In use substantially vertically extending chute 60 over which the shredded crop is thrown onto the loading area of a collecting vehicle traveling alongside (not shown). Due to the high capacity of the shredder 30 In this case, a further conveyor (post-accelerator) is not required in this section of the process line.

The shredder 30 is on a carrier body 50 stored, which by one swivel axis 51 is pivotable. At this carrier body 50 is still a conveyor 140 attached, which in this embodiment by a rotatably mounted impeller 141 is realized. In the in 1 illustrated position (configuration) of the carrier 50 is the conveyor 140 not in the process line and is therefore not active.

If with the described forage harvester 100 a crop such as grass 2 is to be processed, is the crushing device 30 Not required or even out of place in the process line. In this case, by a (for example automatically by pressing a button) pivoting of the carrier 50 the shredder 30 removed from the process line and in their place the conveyor 140 be inserted into the process line. Such a second operating mode of the forage harvester 100 is in 2 shown. The crop 2 is doing after the chopper drum 20 from the conveyor 140 recorded and without further processing via the channel 60 ejected from the forage harvester.

Of the described forage harvester has the advantage of a comfortable, at the push of a button possible adaptation to a Processing of granular crop or grassy crop to enable. Through the use of a conveyor instead of a removed shredding device is doing In both operating modes, an equally good promotion of the crop reached. By using well-conveying (disc) rollers can Furthermore, a sufficiently high flow rate in the crushing device be achieved, a waiver of downstream accelerator possible power. This also has considerable energy advantages in operation, because in addition to the line saving for a post-accelerator Such a shredding device already has a relative per se low power requirement.

In the 3 and 4 is a modified embodiment of a forage harvester 200. represented, wherein the same components as in the 1 and 2 bear the same reference numerals and therefore need not be re-explained. Modified in the forage harvester 200. only the conveyor 240 , This now consists of two counter-rotating (smaller) impellers 241a and 241b who grab crops with their wings between them and carry them on. This can be prevented that crops clamped between the wing of an impeller and the rigid housing wall and thus leads to increased power requirements due to the friction between the housing rear wall and wings.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list The documents listed by the applicant have been automated generated and is solely for better information recorded by the reader. The list is not part of the German Patent or utility model application. The DPMA takes over no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• - DE 10151246 B4 [0011, 0020]
• - WO 2007/051834 A2 [0011, 0020]

Claims (9)

Forage harvester ( 100 . 200. ) with a process section for processing crop material, in particular maize ( 1 ) or grass ( 2 ), comprising a) a comminuting device ( 30 ) for granular crops ( 1 ), and b) a conveyor ( 140 . 240 ) for further transport of crop, optionally either the shredder or the conveyor can be used at the same position of the process line. Forage harvester ( 100 . 200. ) according to claim 1, characterized in that the shredding device ( 30 ) and the conveyor ( 140 . 240 ) on a carrier system ( 50 ), wherein in a first configuration of the carrier system, the shredding device and in a second configuration of the carrier system, the conveyor is in the process line. Forage harvester ( 100 . 200. ) according to claim 2, characterized in that the shredding device ( 30 ) and the conveyor ( 140 . 240 ) on a common carrier body ( 50 ) are arranged. Forage harvester ( 100 . 200. ) according to claim 3, characterized in that the carrier body ( 50 ) about a rotation axis ( 51 ) is pivotable. Forage harvester ( 100 . 200. ) according to at least one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the comminution device ( 30 ) one of the conveyor ( 140 . 240 ) has comparable capacity for crop. Forage harvester ( 100 . 200. ) according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the comminution device ( 30 ) two with their corrugated lateral surfaces interlocking, rotatable rollers ( 31a . 31b ). Forage harvester ( 100 . 200. ) according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the ejection direction for crop from the conveyor ( 140 . 240 ) or the shredding device ( 30 ) is substantially vertical in use. Forage harvester ( 100 . 200. ) according to at least one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that along the process line a collecting device ( 10 ) for harvesting, a chopping device ( 20 ) and / or at least one further conveyor are arranged. Forage harvester ( 200. ) according to at least one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the conveyor ( 240 ) two counter-rotating impellers ( 241a . 241b ).