ES2757977B2 - Device for the displacement of mantles in an agricultural harvesting process - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

Device for the displacement of mantles in an agricultural harvesting process

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention belongs to the field of agricultural technology used in olive harvesting.

The object of the present invention is a new mechanical device designed to be coupled to a motor vehicle in order to move the mantles usually used in a harvesting process, such as for example in the harvesting of olives.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the field of collecting the mantles, various attempts have been made in the past to design devices that are capable of moving them efficiently.

Document ES2018422 describes a device whose objective is to directly collect the meshes on which the fruit is knocked down, depositing it directly on the container. However, this system has not been extended due to the great length of the meshes, which greatly hinders the maneuverability of the mantles between the trees.

At present there are numerous olive harvesting systems that use blankets on which the fallen fruit is deposited by the shaking of the olive trees, manually or mechanically, placing the blankets around the olive tree. In this regard, reference can be made to document ES2195723. There is also a set of devices that use rollers driven by an electric motor to place and collect the blankets, as described in document WO2009076729.

The device of patent US6299094 consists of three frames and a motor that pulls a roller to place and collect the blankets as well as their retention cables.

Document ES2352478 presents a plastics collector for crops that consists of a belt driven by rollers to collect plastics and store them in a support later.

There are also currently a large number of devices specially adapted for connection with agricultural vehicles such as ATVs or tractors, the aim of which is to improve the performance of agricultural tasks.

Document ES2259851 presents an attachable implement for harvesting fruits that is anchored to the front shovel of the agricultural vehicle, thus deploying a network at ground level in order to collect the fruit and then place it in a tank.

Other devices, such as the one described in document ES1056905, use blankets in the form of a folding umbrella operated by a hydraulic system. Unfortunately, none of the designs evaluated in the state of the art is specially designed to transfer the olive mantles from one tree to another.

In addition, the devices analyzed require electrical or hydraulic energy for their handling, and they must also be manufactured with heavy, non-sustainable metallic materials capable of withstanding the loads. The devices for moving the blankets are not foldable, using a large amount of heavy material for their manufacture, which increases the weight of the device and the energy consumption of the vehicle, etc.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves the above problems by means of a new mantle displacement device formed fundamentally by a mechanism that is fixed to the body of a motor vehicle and which is capable of grasping the blankets and lifting them off the ground. In particular, the device of the invention is designed in such a way that all the elements that comprise it work under compression. This constitutes an extremely important advantage because it allows it to be manufactured using materials much lighter than the usual metals used in mechanisms intended to load high weights.

Indeed, the weight that the mantles that are moved with the device of the invention can reach can reach 500 kg. To withstand the stresses to which they are subjected, the currently known mechanisms are designed and manufactured in very resistant materials, usually metal. As a consequence, the devices used today are extremely heavy and complicated to handle.

The inventors of the present application have designed the device of the invention so that all the bars work under compression. For this, among other measures, the horizontal bars of the structure have been divided into two pairs of bars, one of which works in compression and the other in tension, and prestressed threads have been added to the bar that works in tension. They absorb said traction to avoid the bar material itself having to do so. This allows the device to be manufactured from materials that are not normally considered suitable for lifting heavy loads due to their low tensile strength, such as plastic. An extremely light device is thus obtained, but which, at the same time, is capable of withstanding the stresses generated during the lifting of the blankets. An additional advantage of the possibility of using plastics for the manufacture of this device is that, in case of using biodegradable plastics, the mechanism can simply be abandoned in the field in case of breakage.

The design of the device of the invention has been carried out using complex topological optimization processes in order to minimize the amount of material used, thus lightening its weight even more. Furthermore, the device of the invention is made up of pieces of moderate size in order to allow additive manufacturing using 3D technology.

The mantle moving device of the present invention is defined by the appended claims. The dependent claims describe preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the device according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows another perspective view of the device according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 shows another perspective view of the device according to the present invention.

Fig. 4 shows another perspective view of the device according to the present invention.

Fig. 5 shows another perspective view of the device according to the present invention.

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of the upper rib structure of the device of the present invention.

Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of the lower rib structure of the device of the present invention.

Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of the central column of the device of the present invention.

Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of the guide base plate of the device of the present invention.

Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of the handle-guide handle assembly of the device of the present invention.

Fig. 11 shows a perspective view of the upper truss of the device of the present invention.

Fig. 12 shows a perspective view of the connecting rod of the device of the present invention.

Fig. 13 shows a perspective view of the lower horizontal bar of the device of the present invention.

Figs. 14a and 14b show respective sectional views of the fixing system of the prestressed wires inside the lower horizontal bar.

Fig. 15 shows a perspective view of the upper horizontal bar of the device of the present invention.

Fig. 16 shows a perspective view of the diagonal bar of the device of the present invention.

Fig. 17 shows a perspective view of the lower jaw member of the device of the present invention.

Fig. 18 shows a perspective view of the upper jaw member of the device of the present invention.

Fig. 19 shows a perspective view of the mantle fastening system of the device of the present invention in the closed position.

Fig. 20 shows a perspective view of the mantle fastening system of the device of the present invention in the open position.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of a particular example of a device according to the invention is described below with reference to the attached figures.

The device of the invention is mainly made up of three sets or mechanisms: a mechanism for attachment to the motor vehicle, a mechanism for transmitting movement, and a mechanism for securing blankets. Figs. 1-5 show different perspective views of the device of the invention in its entirety.

The function of the motor vehicle attachment mechanism is to connect the device to said motor vehicle, such as the rear box of a motor vehicle such as a quad bike. The movement transmission mechanism, in turn, is coupled to the joining mechanism and has the necessary elements to transmit the lifting and lowering movements, as well as opening and closing, to the mantle clamping mechanism arranged at its end. Finally, the mantle clamping mechanism has the function of firmly holding the mantle so that it does not come off when the motor vehicle is moving.

All the elements that constitute the different mechanisms of the device of the invention are capable of being manufactured additively by means of 3D printing. This greatly facilitates the manufacture and distribution of this device. In addition, they can be made from a biodegradable material, for example biodegradable plastic, so that in case of breakage the device of the invention can simply be thrown in the field and decomposes naturally.

Each of the mechanisms described in more detail is described below.

a) Mechanism of attachment to the motor vehicle

The mechanism for joining the motor vehicle mainly comprises two rib structures, respectively upper (1) and lower (2) specially designed to withstand the efforts of the mechanism and interconnected by means of a central column (3). The connection between the ribbed structures (1,2) and the central column (3) is implemented by means of a removable joint that allows modifying the distance between the upper structure (1) and the lower structure (2) depending on the fixing needs to the motor vehicle. In turn, the central column (3) is connected to a guide base plate (5) by means of a removable joint designed to allow an adjustable positioning of the plate (5) with respect to the central column (3). Telescopic connecting tubes (4) that are fixed to the upper ribbed structure (1) make it possible to connect the device of the invention to a motor vehicle, such as a quad bike. This configuration of the connection system makes it possible to adapt the position of the device of the invention to the dimensions of the motor vehicle. The mechanism of attachment to the motor vehicle is shown in Figs. 6-9.

Each of the elements that make up the attachment system to the motor vehicle is described in greater detail below.

a1) Upper ribbed structure (1)

Fig. 6 shows the upper ribbed structure (1), made of plastic, which is composed of two parallel flat horizontal surfaces (11) with preferably hollow hexagonal geometry, each of these surfaces comprising a plurality of reinforcing ribs that join and they reinforce the edges of the same. The design of the reinforcing ribs and their dimensioning is carried out according to the value of the loads supported by the device of the invention.

The two horizontal flat hexagonal surfaces (11) are parallel, and are joined by their four longest edges by a plurality of ribs of reinforcement preferably crossed in the shape of a St. Andrew's cross. The two shorter edges of the flat hexagonal horizontal surfaces (11), which make up the sides of the upper ribbed structure (1), comprise outer grooves (12) preferably H-shaped whose function is to house bars ( 81) connection and upper lattices (7) for joining to the upper ribbed structure (1) by removable joint. Specifically, the removable joint is formed by a series of pairs of holes (13) in the elements that delimit each of the outer grooves (12) configured to coincide with a corresponding hole in the connection bar (81) or upper lattice ( 7), both elements being joined by inserting a bolt or the like.

The two parallel flat hexagonal horizontal surfaces (11) comprise near their rear corner vertical through holes (14) of essentially circular cross section but provided with a pair of flat faces. These holes (14) have the function of housing the central column (3) and of positioning the structure (1) in height with respect to said central column (3). To do this, the holes (14) have pairs of transverse through holes designed to house separate removable connecting bolts between the upper ribbed structure (1) and the central column (3).

Furthermore, the outer surface of the hole (14) of the upper horizontal surface (11) has a horizontal bar (15) terminated in a spherical element, and the outer surface of the hole (14) of the lower horizontal surface (11) has two horizontal bars (15) preferably separated by an angle of 45 ° and each having spherical elements at their end. The spherical elements have a ball joint function in a joint between the upper ribbed structure (1) and some telescopic connecting tubes (4) to the upper part of the motor vehicle.

a2) Lower ribbed structure (2)

Fig. 7 shows the lower ribbed structure (2), made of plastic, which is composed of two flat horizontal surfaces (21) with preferably triangular geometry that comprise a plurality of reinforcing ribs that join and reinforce the edges of each of they. The design of the reinforcing ribs and their dimensioning is carried out according to the value of the loads supported by the device of the invention.

The two horizontal triangular flat surfaces (21) are parallel and are joined at all their edges by a plurality of reinforcing ribs preferably crossed in the shape of a St. Andrew's cross. Side edges of the ribbed lower support structure (2) comprise a plurality of outer grooves (22) preferably H-shaped whose function is to allow the connection of the horizontal bars (82i, 82s), each of said bars ( 82i, 82s) to the lower ribbed structure (2) by means of a removable joint. Said removable connection is formed by pairs of through holes (23) arranged to house respective connection bolts between the structure (2) and the horizontal bars (82i, 82s).

The two horizontal triangular flat surfaces (21) comprise in their central part two vertical through holes (24) of circular cross section provided with a pair of flat faces. These holes (24) are designed to connect the central column (3) to the lower ribbed structure (2) in a removable and variable height manner. To this end, the holes (24) have two pairs of transverse through holes designed to house separate removable connection bolts between the ribbed lower support structure (2) and the central column (3).

a3) Central column (3)

Fig. 8 shows the central column (3), made of plastic, which has an essentially prism shape of circular section with two flat faces whose shape corresponds to the shape of the inner surface of the holes (14, 24) of the upper (1) and lower (2) rib structure. The central column (3) can thus be housed inside said holes (14, 24) and the upper (1) and lower (2) ribbed structures are removably fixed to it at the most suitable height depending on of the fixing needs to the motor vehicle. For this, as mentioned above, the central column (3) has a plurality of holes (31) configured to receive respective fixing bolts.

The lower end of the central column (3) widens and presents an internal cavity (32) in the shape of a dovetail to house the guide base plate (5). The central column (3) is fixed to the guide base plate (5) through two transverse through holes (33) arranged on the sides of the inner cavity (32) to receive a respective connecting bolt. In this way, the guide base plate (5) can be fixed at the most suitable height of the column (3) for each application.

a4) Telescopic connecting pipes (4)

As shown in Fig. 6, these are three telescopic connecting tubes (4), made of plastic, which have an adjustable length. Each connecting tube (4) has at one of its ends a respective spherical housing designed to receive a corresponding spherical element (15) of the upper ribbed structure (1). The opposite end of each of the telescopic tubes (4) has a curved clamp (41) for coupling to a structure of the motor vehicle, for example the rear tray of a quad bike.

a5) Guide base plate (5)

The guide base plate (5), made of plastic material, is fixed to the lower cavity (32) of the central column (3) and to a lower area of the motor vehicle where the approved trailer hitch is located. For this, the guide base plate (5) has an essentially prismatic shape with a dovetail cross section and is provided with a plurality of horizontal transverse through holes (51). Thus, the guide base plate (5) can be removably attached to the central column (3) by inserting bolts in the respective through holes (33, 51) respectively of the central column (3) and the guide base plate ( 5). The variable positioning of the guide base plate (5) with respect to the central column (3) makes it possible to adapt the position of the device of the invention with respect to the position of the motor vehicle.

Furthermore, one end of the guide base plate (5) has an essentially inverted U-shaped cross section, thus forming a cavity (52) to house the approved hitch element of the motor vehicle.

b) Movement transmission mechanism

The movement transmission mechanism is designed to transmit the movements and efforts from the end of the device that is connected to the motor vehicle, from which an operator operates the device, to the end of the device where the mantle clamping mechanism is located ( 9). The different elements that make up the movement transmission mechanism, which are shown in Figs. 10-16, are a handle-guide handle assembly (6) that is operated by the operator, an upper lattice (7) that transmits in a tilting manner the lifting and lowering movements of the handle-guide handle assembly (6), and a bar mechanism (8) that transmits said lifting and lowering movement to the mantle clamping mechanism (9) arranged at its end .

Each of these items is described in more detail below.

b1) Handle-guide handle assembly (6)

The device of the invention includes two handle-guide handle assemblies (6), each of which is in turn formed by a handle (61), a handle (62) and a handle support (63). The function of the handle-guide handle assembly (6) is to guide and actuate the movement of the device of the invention. Fig. 10 shows an example of a handle-guide handle assembly (6).

The handle-guide handle assembly (6) is located at one end of the device opposite to that where the mantle clamping mechanism is located (which will be described later in this document). In this way, when the mantle clamping mechanism (9) holds a mantle, the very weight of the mantle causes the end where the mantle is to descend, causing the device to tilt and therefore the lifting of the handle-guide handle assembly. (6). Conversely, when the operator of the device wishes to lift the blankets, for example to eliminate friction with the ground that could damage the device or the blanket itself, he only has to apply a downward force on the handle-guide handle assembly (6) to cause the tilting the device in the opposite direction to the previous one and, in this way, causing the free end of the device in which the mantle clamping mechanism (9) is located. Also, the operator can lift the guide handle assembly (6) to lower the blanket clamping mechanism (9) until it reaches the ground, allowing the blanket to be collected.

Additionally, the actuation of the handles (62) allows the opening and closing of the mantle clamping system to be controlled by means of a system for controlling the movement of the mantle clamping mechanism that is described later in this document.

Each of the elements that make up the handle-guide handle assembly (6) are described in greater detail below.

Mango (61)

The handle (61), made of plastic, allows the operator to hold the device by its end fixed to the motor vehicle, for example with the operator located in the box of a quad, to direct the upward or downward tilting movement of the device of the motor vehicle. invention. The device of the invention consists of two handles (61), one on each side of the device, in order to distribute the load on both sides symmetrically. In a preferred embodiment, the handle (6) has an L-shaped geometry.

Thus, a downward mechanical movement applied to the handles (61) causes the device to tilt completely and, therefore, the rise of the free end where the mantle clamping mechanism (9) is located, which allows it not to rub. with the soil in the process of displacing the mantles. In its rest position, the handle (61) is in an upwardly displaced position due to the weight of the device, which causes the free end to be in a lower position favorable to gripping the ground cover. The handle (61) is attached to the upper lattice (7) by means of a simple removable joint, preferably with connecting bolts. The upper area of the handle (61) comprises a through hole (611) at its end for housing the bolts for connecting with the upper lattice (7) and another through hole (612) further away from its end for fixing the connecting rod (81), as described later in this document.

Lever (62)

The handle (62), which is made of plastic, has the function of controlling the movement of the mantle clamping mechanism (9). In a preferred embodiment, the device of the invention consists of two handles (62), one on each side of the device. Each lever (62) is connected to a respective cable (C) that runs through the device of the invention until its connection to a fixing projection (925) of the upper jaw element (92) of the mantle clamping mechanism (9). Each lever (62) has a vertical slit in its rear part where the end of the two cables (C) is connected by means of a fixed joint or a removable joint. In addition, each lever (62) It comprises a lateral through hole for connection to a respective handle support (63), for example by means of a removable bolt-type joint.

Thanks to this configuration, an upward turning movement of the handles (62) with respect to the connecting element with some handle supports (63) carried out manually by the operator of the device causes a displacement of the respective cables (C) that , in turn, they pull up the upper jaw member (92) of the mantle clamping mechanism (9). In this way, when the motor vehicle approaches the mantle and the lower element (91) of the mantle clamping mechanism (9) is placed under the mantle, it is possible to pick up and hold the mantle without the farmer getting off the motor vehicle or rotate the trunk. When the operator releases the handles (62), the own weight of the upper jaw element (92) of the mantle clamping mechanism (9) pulls on the cables (C), causing the mantle clamping mechanism (9) to close with the cloak attached and ready to move.

Lever bracket (63)

The handle support (63), made of plastic, has the function of holding and connecting the handles (62) to the handles (61). The handle support (63) has lateral through holes for fixing to the handles (62) by means of a removable joint that allows the rotation of said handles (62). The handle supports (63) comprise a rear surface like a reinforcement plate with a central hole for housing the cables (C) of the movement control system of the mantle clamping mechanism (9).

b2) Upper lattice (7)

The device has two upper lattices (7) made of plastic, each of which has an elongated polygonal contour provided with a plurality of holes inside. The lattice (7) is specially designed to withstand the large loads required by the device of the invention. Thus, sufficient mechanical strength is achieved while minimizing weight. The upper lattice (7) additionally has through holes (71, 72, 73) for its connection with the rest of the elements of the device of the invention. Fig. 11 shows an example of an upper lattice (7).

Specifically, a hole (71) located at the rear end of the upper lattice (7) is designed for the rotary type fixing of an upper end of the handle (61) through the hole (611). This fixing can be carried out, for example, with the aid of bolts, screws or the like. Thus, when the operator moves the handle (61) up or down, the rear end of the upper lattice (7) is dragged with him.

A hole (72) located in an intermediate portion of the upper lattice (7) is designed for fixing to the upper ribbed structure (1), specifically to one of the H-shaped grooves (12). rotatable, for example by bolts or the like. Furthermore, the edge of the upper lattice (7) adjacent to the hole (72) has a curved shape to favor the rotation of the upper lattice (7) in relation to the upper ribbed structure (1) on which it rests. Therefore, this union with the upper ribbed structure (1) constitutes a pivot point around which the upper lattice (7) tilts when the operator or the weight of the mantle causes the handle-guide handle assembly (6) to rise or fall. ).

A hole (73) located at a front end of the upper lattice (7) opposite that end where the hole (71) is located is designed for fixing to respective diagonal bars (83) that connect with the end of the device where the mantle clamping mechanism (9) is located. This fixing can be of the rotary type, for example by means of bolts or the like. Thus, when the upper lattice (7) swings around the holes (72), the mantle fastening system is raised or lowered.

b3) Bar mechanism (8)

The bars (8) destined to transmit the forces along the device of the invention between the handle-guide handle assembly (6) and the mantle clamping mechanism (9) are described here. These bars (8) mainly comprise connecting bars (81) that connect the handle-guide handle assembly (6) with the upper lattice (7), horizontal bars (82) that connect the lower ribbed structure (2) with the mantle clamping mechanism (9), and diagonal bars (83) that connect the upper ribbed structure (1) with the mantle clamping mechanism (9).

Each of these bars is described in more detail below.

Connecting bars (81)

It is a pair of bars (81), normally made of plastic, which are located under the upper lattice (7) to connect the upper ribbed structure (1), at a point of the grooves (12) near the hole (71 ) of the upper lattice (7), with the hole (612) of the respective handle (61). For this, each connecting bar (81) comprises respective holes (811, 812) at the ends to house respective removable connecting bolts. Both unions can be removable and rotatable thanks to bolt-type elements or similar. The connecting rods (81) are normally subjected to a very high compressive stress. Fig. 12 shows an example of a connecting rod (81).

Horizontal bars (82)

These are two pairs of cylindrical bars (82), normally made of plastic, whose position is normally essentially horizontal and which connect the mantle clamping mechanism (9) with the lower ribbed structure (2). More specifically, one end of the bars (82) is connected by means of attachment such as bolts to the grooves (22) of the lower ribbed structure (2) and, similarly, an opposite end of the bars (82) It is connected to the lower jaw member (91) of the mantle clamping mechanism (9). For this, each bar (82) comprises two pairs of flanges at its ends, each pair of flanges having a pair of connection holes (821, 822) facing each other.

The horizontal bars (82) preferably comprise a plurality of hexagonal perforations that form a honeycomb-like structure. In this way, the weight and the amount of material used are reduced without seriously affecting its resistance. Furthermore, in this particular example, in order to be able to manufacture the horizontal bars (82) with additive manufacturing technology by 3D printing and to be able to disassemble and fold the device of the invention in a reduced place, the horizontal bars (82) are divided in turn in 4 interconnected sections or sub-bars. The interconnection of Sub bars is made by fitting one inside the other and with the help of clamps (A). This not only reduces the storage space of the device of the invention when it is disassembled, but also makes it cheaper to manufacture.

Each pair of horizontal bars (82) is formed by a lower bar (82i) and an upper bar (82s), so that the lower bar (82i) is subjected to pure tensile stress and the upper bar (82s) is subjected at sheer compressive stresses. Indeed, when the device swings to raise the free end in which the mantle clamping mechanism (9) is located, the lower horizontal bar (82i) is subjected to a traction force and the upper horizontal bar (82s) is subjected to compressive stress.

Since the lower horizontal bars 82i are mainly subjected to pure tension, it is possible to reinforce them to support the greatest possible load with a minimum amount of material. To do this, two pre-stressed wires (H) with high tensile strength are arranged inside. The wires, which can be made, for example, of plastic, are connected and prestressed between the ends of the lower bars (82i), so that they absorb the tensile stresses of the lower horizontal bars (82i) that arise when it is done. tilt the device to lift the loaded sheets. In other words, the lower bars (82i) are normally subjected to compression due to the action of the prestressed threads (H), so that when the guide sleeve assembly (6) is lowered to raise the mantle clamping mechanism ( 9) and, as a consequence of the weight of the mantles, the lower bars (82i) are subjected to traction, an important part of this traction is absorbed by the pre-compression caused by the threads (H). Thus, less material can be used to manufacture the lower horizontal bars (82i). Fig. 13 shows an example of a lower horizontal bar (82i).

Next, the way in which the wires (H) are fixed to the ends of the lower horizontal bars (82i) is described.

Each lower horizontal bar (82i) has at one end a longitudinally oriented hole (823) that communicate the outside of the bar (82i) with the inside of it. To this hole (823) is fixed a clamping piece (826) consisting mainly of a washer provided with two contiguous longitudinal holes. At the opposite end of the rod (82i) is a longitudinally oriented hole (824) which also communicates the exterior and interior of the rod (82i). Furthermore, a threaded cross hole (825) connects the hole (824) with the outside of the bar (82i). Thus, to place the prestressed wire (H), it is only necessary to introduce one end of it through the longitudinal hole (824), make the wire (H) run longitudinally through the entire interior of the bar (82i) to the opposite end, where the thread (H) exits the bar through one of the holes of the clamping piece (826) and re-enters through the other hole (823) of said clamping piece (826). Next, the thread (H) runs again inside the bar (82i) until it returns to the first end, through which hole (824) it exits to the outside. Tensioning means, which are not shown in this document, apply the desired tension to the thread (H) and, finally, a screw is inserted through the transverse hole (825) and tightened strongly until its end catches the thread ( H) inside the hole (824) immobilizes it. Finally, the excess thread (H) that has remained outside the bar (82i) is cut. Figs. 14a and 14b show an example of configuration of the ends of the lower horizontal bar (82i) where the prestressed wires (H) are fixed.

On the other hand, the configuration of the upper horizontal bars (82s) is fundamentally similar to the configuration of the lower horizontal bars (82i) with a couple of exceptions. First of all, the upper bars (82s), which are mainly subjected to compression, do not require the aid of prestressed threads (H) to withstand the stresses, since the plastic supports the compression stresses sufficiently well in this context, and therefore both lack them. Second, the hexagonal holes of the upper horizontal bars (82s) are smaller than the holes of the lower horizontal bars (82i), since this improves their resistance to the compressive stresses to which they are subjected. Fig. 15 shows an example of an upper horizontal bar (82s).

Diagonal bars (83)

It is a pair of diagonal bars (83) fixed between the ribbed structure upper (1) and the mantle fastening mechanism (9) which, during use of the device of the invention, are normally subjected to traction. For this reason, the diagonal bars (83) have a structure similar to that of the lower horizontal bars (82i) described above. In other words, they are cylindrical bars (83) equipped with hexagonal holes in the shape of a honeycomb and internally equipped with high-strength prestressed wires (H) connected to their ends. The threads (H) apply a pre-compression on the diagonal bars (83), so that when the device of the invention swings to lift the free end in which the mantle clamping mechanism (9) is located, the traction that arises in the diagonal bars (83) it is partially offset by the prestressed wires (H).

The diagonal bars (83) also have flanges at their ends in which holes (831, 832) are arranged for the rotary and removable connection, by bolts or the like, of the upper ribbed structure (1) and the mantle clamping mechanism (9). In addition, the pair of flanges at the end that is fixed to the mantle clamping mechanism (9) have a greater separation than the pair of flanges at the opposite end of said diagonal bar (83) or than the pairs of flanges of the horizontal bars ( 82). The reason is that said end of the diagonal bar (83) joins the mantle clamping mechanism (9) at the same point as the corresponding upper horizontal bar (82s). That is, the same bolt passes through the hole (821) of the upper horizontal bar (82s) and the hole (832) of the diagonal bar (83).

In addition, the diagonal bars (83) have transverse guide projections (833) located at their ends to guide the cables (C) that transmit the force applied by the operator when squeezing the handle (62) to open the mechanism. mantle fastening (9). Indeed, said cables (C) have one end connected to the handle (62) and, after traveling through the upper lattice (7), they are arranged in parallel to said diagonal bars (83) between the guide projections (833) so that Finally, the opposite end is fixed to the upper jaw element (92) of the mantle clamping mechanism (9). Fig. 16 shows an example of a slash (83) according to the invention.

c) Cloak clamping mechanism (9)

The mechanism for holding the mantle (9) has a generally clamp or jaw configuration formed by a pair of respectively lower (91) and upper (92) jaw elements and opening control means. The function of the mantle clamping mechanism (9) is to grasp the mantle and securely hold it for movement to the next discharge location. Figs. 17 and 18 show respectively an example of a lower jaw element (91) and an upper jaw element (92) according to the invention. Figs. 19 and 20 show an example of the mantle clamping mechanism (9) assembled according to the invention.

Next, the elements that make up the mantle clamping mechanism (9) are described in greater detail.

c1) Lower (91) and upper (92) jaw elements

They are a lower jaw element (91) and an upper jaw element (92) that are preferably made of biodegradable plastic with additive manufacturing technology by 3D printing.

The lower jaw member (91) is an essentially wedge-shaped plate bounded by a flat horizontal lower surface and sloping upper surface. The angle between these flat top and sloped top surfaces is small, for example between 1 ° and 10 °. In this way, it is possible to insert the lower jaw element (91) under a blanket arranged on the ground in a quick and easy way. The plate that constitutes the lower jaw element (91) also has holes (915), in this case with rounded polygonal shapes, intended to be coupled with complementary elements arranged in the upper jaw element (92). The rear edge of the lower jaw element (91) also has vertical projections (911), each one of which is provided with two holes, respectively upper (912) and lower (913) respectively disposed at its free end and near the wedge-shaped plate attachment base. As will be described later, the holes (912, 913) allow the connection of the lower jaw element (91) to the bar system (8) that allows the transmission of the movement originated by the operator who handles the device by handling the set. guide handle-handle (6).

The upper jaw member (92) has a central portion intended to clamp the mantle against the lower jaw member (91), and a pair of side bars (921) projecting from its rear edge essentially oriented diagonally rearward. The bars (921) have at their free end a pair of flanges provided with respective holes (922) arranged for the passage of a fixing bolt. Furthermore, the central portion of the upper jaw member (92) has a shape complementary to the shape of the holes (915) of the lower jaw member (91) in the sense that said central portion fits into the holes (95). This allows the grip of the mantles by the mantle clamping mechanism (9) to be as firm as possible. On the other hand, fixing projections (923) intended to hold the movement control cable (C) of the mantle clamping system (9) are arranged near the free end of the bars (921).

Thus, the lower hole (913) of the lower jaw element (91) is designed for the connection of the lower horizontal bar (82i) through one of the holes (821, 822) arranged at the ends of said bar (82i ). For its part, the upper hole (912) of the lower jaw element (91) is designed for the connection of the upper horizontal bar (82s), the diagonal bar (83), and the upper jaw element (92). Indeed, the upper horizontal bar (82s) is connected to the upper hole (912) through one of the holes (821, 822) located at its end, the diagonal bar (83) is connected to the upper hole (912) at through the corresponding holes (831, 832) located at its end, and the upper jaw element (92) is connected to the upper hole (912) through its holes (923, 924). That is, the upper horizontal bar (82s), the diagonal bar (83) and the upper jaw member (92) are fixed to the same upper hole (912) by means of the same bolt. For this, the distance between the edges of their ends where their respective connection holes (821, 822, 831, 832, 923, 924) are located are different, being housed one inside the other.

c2) Opening control means

The opening control means basically comprise the cable (C) for transmitting the movement generated by the operator by handling the handle-guide handle assembly (6) together with the elements that guide and delimit its path along the device of the invention.

In effect, the mantle clamping mechanism (9) functions as a clamp to "grab" the mantles, and their opening and closing are carried out by acting on the handle (62) of the handle-guide handle assembly (6). For this, two cables (C) connect the handles (62) of the handle-guide handle assembly (6) with the upper jaw element (92) of the mantle clamping mechanism (9). Each cable (C) has one end fixed to the corresponding handle (62), runs through the upper lattice (7) until it reaches the diagonal bar (83), runs longitudinally through the diagonal bar (83) guided by the guide projections ( 833), and finally its opposite end is fixed to the fixing projection (923) of the upper jaw element (92). The opening control means may also include cable protection tubes (C) arranged around the cable (C) along its path. For example, the protection tubes can protect the entire path parallel to the diagonal bar (83), and can be fixed to the respective guide projections (833) or form part of the diagonal bar (83) itself. The cable (C) can be made of a plastic material with adequate strength.

Thus, when the operator pulls the handle (62), the traction applied to the cable (C) causes it to pull the upper clamp element (92), which in this way rotates around the axis that passes through the holes (912) connection with the lower jaw element (91). The upper jaw element (92) is separated from the lower jaw element (91) and, therefore, the clamp that constitutes the mantle clamping mechanism (9) is opened. It is then possible to introduce between both lower (91) and upper (92) jaw elements the blanket to be transported. Then, when the operator releases the lever, the own weight of the upper jaw element (92) causes its descent, and the complementary elements of the upper jaw element (92) are inserted into the holes (915) of the lower element plate. clamp (91), thus trapping the mantle firmly and securely.

In short, thanks to the configuration described, the device of the invention greatly facilitates the task of moving the mantles in any fruit harvesting process, such as olives. To do this, first the motor vehicle is reversed towards the mantle with the device of the invention in its raised position. That is, the end of the device where the mantle clamping mechanism (9) is located is raised and separated from the ground. Once the device is positioned near the mantle, the operator moves the handles (61) of the handle-guide handle assembly (6) upwards. This movement causes the end of the device where the clamping mechanism is located mantle (9) lower to the ground. At the same time, the operator turns the handles (62) upwards, thus pulling the cables (C), which cause the upper jaw element (92) to rise. As a result, the clamp that constitutes the mantle clamping mechanism (9) opens. The motor vehicle is then moved in reverse to insert the lower jaw member (91) under the mantle. The operator then releases the levers (62), ceasing to exert traction on the cables (C) attached to them. The upper jaw element (92) of the mantle clamping mechanism (9) returns to its closed position so that the complementary shapes of said upper jaw element (92) are inserted into the holes (915) of the lower jaw element. clamp (91), the mantle thus being trapped between both lower (91) and upper (92) clamp elements. Next, the operator moves the handles (61) down again to cause the mantle holding mechanism (9) to rise, and fixes the handle-guide handle assembly (6) in that position, for example through a stop or gripping means arranged in the body of the motor vehicle itself. The mantle clamping mechanism (9) is thus separated from the ground a sufficient height to avoid rubbing with stones and other elements. In this position, the motor vehicle can move the mantle to the next station, where the operator separates the handles (6) from the stop or gripping means and moves them upwards again, thus lowering the mantle clamping mechanism (9 ) to the ground due to the device's own weight. In this position, the operator rotates the handles (62) again to open the mantle clamping mechanism (9), thus leaving the mantle on the ground when the motor vehicle moves.

Claims (16)

1. Device for moving mantles in an agricultural harvesting process, characterized in that it comprises: - a mechanism for connecting to a motor vehicle, configured to be removably attached to a rear box of a motor vehicle; - a movement transmission mechanism connected to the motor vehicle attachment mechanism, having a rear side adjacent to the rear box of the motor vehicle and a front side adjacent to the mantle to be displaced, the movement transmission mechanism being configured to tilt vertically relative to said motor vehicle attachment mechanism such that the front side moves vertically in response to a vertical offset in the opposite direction of the rear side; Y - a mantle clamping mechanism (9) connected to the front side of the movement transmission mechanism. Device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism for joining the motor vehicle comprises an upper structure (1) and a lower structure (2) interconnected by a vertical bar (3), where the vertical bar (3) comprises means fixing the upper structure (1) and the lower structure (2) at different heights. Device according to claim 2, further comprising telescopic connecting tubes (4) joined by a spherical connection to the upper structure (1) for fixing said upper structure (1) to an edge of the rear box of the motor vehicle. Device according to any of claims 2-3, further comprising a guide base plate (5) joined by means of a sliding connection to a lower end of the vertical bar (3) located under the lower structure (2), where The guide base plate (5) comprises an inverted U-shaped cross-section rear portion for attachment to a rear hitch element of the motor vehicle. Device according to claim 4, wherein the guide base plate (5) comprises means for fixing the vertical bar (3) in different positions to facilitate its coupling to the rear hitch element of the motor vehicle. Device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the movement transmission mechanism comprises: - a handle-guide handle assembly (6) arranged on its rear side; - a pair of elongated upper lattices (7), having a rear end connected in a rotary manner to the handle-guide handle assembly (6) and an intermediate point pivotally coupled to the upper structure (1); - a pair of diagonal bars (83), having a rear end rotatably connected to a front end of the upper louvers (7) and a front end rotatably connected to the mantle clamping mechanism (9); Y - two pairs of horizontal bars respectively lower (82i) and upper (82s), having a rear end rotatably connected to the lower structure (2) and a front end rotatably connected to the mantle clamping mechanism (9) , so that, When the handle-guide handle assembly (6) descends, the upper lattices (7) swing around their point of attachment to the upper structure (1) and, as a consequence, the diagonal bars (83) pull the mantle clamping mechanism (9) and they make it ascend, and When the handle-guide lever assembly (6) rises, the upper lattices (7) swing around their point of attachment to the upper structure (1) and, as a consequence, the diagonal bars (83) and the weight of the mechanism itself. mantle clamping (9) propels it downwards and makes it descend. Device according to claim 6, wherein the handle-guide handle assembly (6) comprises a manual grip handle (61) and a manually operated handle (62), where the handle (62) is fixed to one end of an opening control cable (C) whose opposite end is fixed to the mantle clamping mechanism (9), so that the actuation of the handle (62) pulls the cable (C) and causes the clamping mechanism to open of mantles (9). Device according to any of claims 6-7, wherein the lower horizontal bars (82i) and the diagonal bars (83) comprise prestressed wires (H) connected to their ends to apply a force to them. of pre compression that improves its resistance to traction. Device according to any of claims 6-8, wherein the diagonal bars (83) and the lower (82i) and upper horizontal bars (82s) are hollow cylindrical bars provided with a plurality of honeycomb-shaped holes. to minimize your weight while maintaining your strength. 10. Device according to any of claims 6-9, wherein the diagonal bar (83) and the upper horizontal bar (82s) are connected to the same point of the mantle clamping mechanism (9). Device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mantle clamping mechanism (9) has a jaw-like configuration formed by a lower jaw element (91) and an upper jaw element (92) that are rotatably linked together, and where the opening control cable (C) is fixed to the upper jaw element (92) to cause its ascent in response to the actuation of the handle (62). Device according to claim 11, wherein the lower jaw element (91) comprises a plate with an essentially wedge shape to facilitate its introduction under a blanket to be moved. Device according to any of claims 11-12, wherein the lower jaw element (91) comprises holes (915) and the upper jaw element (92) comprises projections in a complementary shape to that of said holes ( 915), so that when the mantle clamping mechanism (9) closes as the upper jaw member (92) descends, the projections enter the holes (915) and thereby firmly grip the mantle. Device according to any of the preceding claims, which is made of plastic. 15. Device according to claim 14, wherein the plastic is biodegradable. Device according to any of the preceding claims, which is additively manufactured by 3D printing.