ES2811322B2 - Multifunction front machine between plants coupled to tractor (brush cutter, shredder and pruner) - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

Multifunction front machine between plants, coupled to tractor (brush cutter, mulcher and pruner)

Technical sector

The present invention is intended for the agricultural sector, especially those farmers or contractors who are dedicated at some point in their activity to clearing weeds, shredding branches and all kinds of weeds that appear between trees as a result of rainfall or artificial irrigation.

Grass, weeds and branches will be cut and shredded into small chips, forming a breathable layer that will retain moisture, and then will become organic matter, necessary for trees.

With organic farming, where the use of herbicides is prohibited, this machine is more than justified in keeping the inevitable spring and summer grasses at bay.

In a vertical position, the cutting tool can be used as a pruner, especially in small and medium-sized trees, such as olive or almond trees in super intensive cultivation, called "hedge crops".

The object of the present invention is a multifunction front machine: brush cutter, shredder and pruner, with metal cutting elements, whose main advantage is to be able to couple it to an agricultural tractor in the three-point hitch at the front, so that the operator can see it. and control without having to look back, in case you can see something, since all modern tractors with cabs or safety arches, make rear vision very difficult.

This machine is made up of a tubular chassis on which two hydraulic cylinders are coupled, moved by the pressurized oil of the towing vehicle, and actuated by electro-hydraulic valves by means of an ergonomic handle from the driver's cabin.

One of the cylinders allows the cutting tool to be moved horizontally to move the machine closer to or away from the trees, and to prevent the latter from being damaged when the tractor passes.

Another cylinder allows you to control the vertical movement of the cutting disc to maintain an appropriate distance from the ground, taking care not to approach objects whose hardness could damage it, such as stones or small logs. In an upright position it prunes tree branches, which makes it a triple implement, or also called a "three-in-one machine".

A protection system for the hydraulic hoses, which can also be pneumatic or electric, so that they remain fixed inside a square tube, and this in turn moves inside another square tube (telescopic system), thus avoiding So that the hoses have to be tied with ropes or rubber bands, thus avoiding being stepped on, bruised or broken.

An electronic control unit, which we will call UEC, which allows to operate the cylinders of the three-point lift, the horizontal, the vertical, the hydraulic motor that drives the cutting disc, and also controls that the hydraulic circuit remains in " open regime ". The open regime consists in that the oil flows constantly through the main circuit and the pump, consuming less energy than if the circuit were closed, as it happened in old tractors.

The machine is coupled to the tractor in its front part by means of a three-point hitch (three-point), which facilitates handling, improves performance and prevents the tool from being damaged by possible obstacles on the ground.

Background of the invention

There are various clearing systems coupled to agricultural tractor, other systems for shredding the branches, and others for pruning, but always individual, in a single function. These systems are always coupled to the rear of the tractor, the operator having to look back for a longer time than forward, not getting a good job because even if he can see the cutting disc, he cannot control it with the same precision as if it were in the front, since to fix the approach to the tree, post or hedge, only a small correction of the steering wheel is necessary, and the cutting disc remains in the correct position.

The movement that the operator exerts on the steering wheel affects the rear part differently than the front part. To do this, you just have to study Ackerman's principle of direction to understand its effects.

Its field of action of this new machine is aimed at clearing, shredding and pruning. It is important that if the trees are watered by drippers and rubber, they are underground, or hung high enough not to be damaged by cutting tools.

Explanation of the invention

This multifunction machine comes to solve various technical problems:

• The first is to achieve efficient clearing, mulching and pruning work, placing the machine at the front of the tractor, since with existing machines it is very difficult to achieve this because they are coupled at the rear, and it is much more difficult to maintain the cutting tools in the proper position.

• The second consists of constantly protecting the hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical hoses, having devised to put them in a telescopic tube to prevent them from being dragged, stepped on and damaged.

• The third is to solve the problem of controlling the different components, having created an "Electronic Control Unit" (ECU) for this.

• And the fourth is to achieve greater security in the clamping of the cutting tools, these must be held at two points, and both joined by a steel screw of adequate dimensions and quality.

The advantages of this machine with respect to those already known, we can list them as follows: • The position of the cutting disc with respect to the trees and the ground can be precisely controlled, thus preventing the disc from being damaged by impact on stones or on any object whose hardness can break it or damage trees.

• It allows the operator a relaxed work without having to look back at any time, focusing only on the front of the tractor.

• The operator has the option of carrying out three different jobs without the need to purchase, or attach or detach new implements. Here is "the Three in one" to use it at will.

• When the rear drag system of the tractor is free, another implement can be attached to clean the entire strip of land between each row of trees of grass, thus saving time and fuel.

• The performance of this machine and its operator is clearly superior to those on the market, being able to operate up to a speed of six kilometers per hour, being advisable, both in small and large farms.

• The reliability of this machine is much higher, as the hoses are protected in a safe and efficient way, resulting in a compact and durable machine.

• The periphery of the disc has also been protected to retain any Chinese or small pieces of branches that may be thrown towards the towing vehicle and its operator. • And finally, the cutting tool has been protected with two anchors, thus preventing it from going off like a bullet and causing fatal accidents to people or breaking objects that are in its field of action.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1.- Shows an electrical-electronic diagram in which all the control components of the machine are listed.

Figure 2.- A front view (1) is shown, in the position of the cutting disc in a vertical position, making a review of its main cutting and drive elements. This is the transport and pruning position for medium-sized trees.

Figure 3.- Front view (2), the machine is in the clearing and shredding position.

Figure 4.- Side view, where the hooking system can be seen.

Figure 5.- Plan view, where the arrangement of its elements and the counterweight for a good balance of the machine can be seen.

Figure 6.- The anchoring system of the cutting tool is shown.

Preferred embodiment of the invention

The front multifunction machine will preferably be made according to the attached figures. It is basically composed of a steel frame (20), built with rolled profiles, on which two hydraulic cylinders (7 and 8) are adapted to move the cutting tools horizontally or vertically to place them on the working line. Two telescopic tubes (6 and 9) that house the hoses to prevent them from deteriorating. A guide disk (1) follows the periphery of the trunk without damaging it. Two cutting tools (2), a support disc (3), a protector (4), a hydraulic motor (5), a counterweight (10), and an Electronic Control Unit (11) (ECU) basically make up this machine.

"The electronic control unit" (11) is installed on the front of the tractor. It is made up of a control group of eight electro-hydraulic valves (11-1, 11-2, 11-3, 11-4, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7, and 11-8), an electronic circuit (11 -9), an ergonomic handle with six buttons (11-10), and a switch (11-11).

The electronic circuit (11-9) is the brain of the machine, and it is essential to simplify the hydraulic circuit and to be able to actuate in a quick and easy way each one of the hydraulic elements of the machine: hydraulic cylinders (7 and 8), three-point lift (12 and 13), and hydraulic motor (5) through switch (11-11).

One of the electro-hydraulic valves, (11-8), called the "in-line valve", has the mission of making it possible for the other valves to work in an open circuit, always remaining open, except when acting on any of the others, which it will close the circuit to obtain the adequate pressure in them.

The other electro-hydraulic valves open or close the hydraulic circuit depending on the mechanism to be activated.

An ergonomic handle with six buttons (11-10), being easy to use, and a switch (11-11) that opens the valve (11-7) and lets pressurized oil pass to the hydraulic motor.

The multifunction machine incorporates two double tubes, so that the two smallest can move inside the large ones, calling this a "telescopic system". Inside the tube (6) are housed the hoses that lead the oil to the hydraulic motor (5), and inside the tube (9) are housed those that lead it to the hydraulic cylinder (8). Until now, when a hydraulic cylinder moved longitudinally, so did its hoses or hoses, having to be tied to the structure or hung from it, assuming a great risk of being dragged and stepped on.

It is worth highlighting the multifunctionality of the machine, which allows it to be used both for weeding, shredding and pruning. It is, what we could call "Machine three in one", or "Machine of triple function".

The coupling of the cutting tool to two clamping or anchoring points (15 and 16) is also new, since it has been possible to verify that the coupling in a single point suffers rupture due to material fatigue, as the anchor is subjected to dynamic loads. cyclical and unforeseen efforts of the cutting tools with elements of different resistance.

Claims (9)

1. Multifunction front machine between plants, (brush cutter, shredder and pruner), coupled to the front part of the tractor, which comprises a laminated steel structure (20) in various profiles, and which is characterized in that said structure supports a guide disk ( 1), two cutting tools (2) that rotate on an axis driven by a hydraulic motor (5), a double anchoring system (15 and 16), a support disc (3), a protector (4), a hydraulic motor (5), two telescopic hose protection systems (6 and 9), two hydraulic cylinders for horizontal and vertical actuation (7 and 8), an electronic box (11), a three-point hitch (12 and 13), a counterweight (10), hydraulic hoses (14). 2. Multifunction front machine, according to claim 1, which is driven by the hydraulic motor (5) in a speed range between 800 and 1,500 rpm, and can also crush branches from pruning, and prune medium-sized trees, arranging in This is the case for cutting tools in a vertical position. 3. Multifunction front machine, according to claims 1 and 2, whose frame (20) will have a horizontal displacement hydraulic cylinder (7), to be able to bring the cutting tools (2) closer to the trees without damaging them. 4. Multifunction front machine, according to claims 1 to 3, whose frame (20) will have a hydraulic cylinder (8) for the vertical movement of the tools (2). 5. Multifunction front machine, according to claims 1 to 4, whose frame will have a telescopic tube (6) to protect the hydraulic hoses that lead the oil to the engine (5). 6. Multifunction front machine, according to claims 1 to 5, whose frame will have a telescopic tube (9) to protect the hoses that lead the oil to the vertical drive cylinder (8) of the disc (1) and its tools cutting (2). 7. Multifunction front machine, according to claims 1 to 6, whose frame (20) will have a closed box inside which will house the electronic control unit UEC (11), represented in the electronic scheme of figure 1, formed by 8 electro-hydraulic valves, from 11-1 to 11-8, each of which activates a different mechanism, as indicated in the electronic diagram (11-9). If we press the button (11-12), we feed the solenoid valve (11-1) with positive current, opening it and letting pressurized oil flow to the hydraulic cylinders of the front linkage. At the same time we send the current through one of the diodes (11-13) to the in-line Electrovalve (11-8) so that it closes and the adequate pressure is restored in the circuit. We must note that the other solenoid valves will not receive any electrical signal since the diodes are only conductive in one direction, and therefore, these valves will not receive current and will remain closed. The rest of the solenoid valves will work the same way. However, the one that controls the hydraulic motor, (11-7), will be activated with the switch (11-11), since it must remain active while the hydraulic motor that drives the cutting disc is operating. Also noteworthy in the installation are two external pushbuttons (11-14 and 11-15), which serve to couple and uncouple the machine to the tractor from the ground, thus simplifying said operations. 8. Multifunction front machine, according to claims 1 to 7, whose frame will have two cutting tools (2) that rotate on a shaft assembled to the hydraulic motor (5), whose blades have been coupled in double anchoring (15 and 16), interposing a steel bushing (17), and a screw (18), also made of steel, with a diameter of 14 mm, of quality 10.9, a safety washer, and a self-locking nut (19). All to improve the safety of the operator and of the people who for any reason may be near the machine. If we take into account that the tools have a mass of 0.870 kg, that they can rotate at an angular speed between 800 and 1500 rpm, and that their turning radius is 0.45 m, a considerable centrifugal force will appear, which can reach the 9,650 N, which is about 984 kgf. 9. Multifunction front machine, according to claims 1 to 8, whose frame will have a protector (4) to prevent the Chinese or pieces of branches that occasionally manage to shoot out, from reaching any person who may be in the vicinity of machine.