FR2754671A1 - Device for lifting and filling silage products, e.g. corn, grass, pulp etc., into a bucket - Google Patents

Abstract

The device carries a bucket (5), with an opening for receiving the load. It also carries at least one rotating cylindrical cutting device (6), which is linked to the bucket, in front of the opening and in such a way that it is able to create a cutting front (FT) from the compacted product (P). The rotating cutter is mounted so as to be mobile, with reference to the bucket, such that it can be displaced, in front of the opening (5A), between a high attack position of this product to a low position, at the end of the pass and to allow the loading of the product into the bucket. A single hydraulic circuit (20) is fitted to control simultaneously the rotation and displacement of the cutting element.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for removing and loading ensiled, compact products, as well as a vehicle equipped with said device.

More particularly, ensiled products relate to plants (corn, herbs, pulps, etc.) which are subsequently intended for animal feed. For this, the products are put in the form of silos or heaps, then subjected to a high pressure to obtain an effective compaction of these and thus guarantee a good conservation during their storage in order to avoid their degradation by aerobic process.

Devices are already known which consist of a bucket with a loading opening, and a rotary cutting member fixed to the upper edge of the bucket, on the side of its opening. To take the product (s) from a silo, the bucket is brought close to the latter so that the then rotary cutting member attacks the product and, by different movements of the bucket, creates a working face in the product. The removed product is then loaded into the cup.

Although improving the removal of compact silage products, this device nevertheless has drawbacks.

Indeed, the realization of the working face in the silo requires multiple maneuvers of the bucket, always penalizing and tedious, to suitably position the cutting member against the silo during all the sampling phase, on the one hand, and to load the products collected, on the other hand. Furthermore, in the case of particularly compact products, jams frequently occur due to the fact that the bucket is movable so that the cutting power of said member turns out to be poor.

The object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks.

To this end, the device for picking up and loading a silage product, compact, of the type comprising a bucket with loading opening, and at least one rotary cylindrical cutting member, linked to said bucket on the side of its opening and capable of creating a front of size in said compact product, is remarkable, according to the invention, in that said rotary cutting member is mounted movable relative to said bucket, so as to move, before the opening of said bucket, between a high position of attack of said product and a low end-of-pass position and allow loading of the product into said bucket, and in that it comprises a single hydraulic circuit for simultaneously controlling the rotation of said cutting member and the movement of said member between the two positions .

Thus, thanks to the invention, only the cutting member is actuated to take up and load the ensiled product, without resorting to maneuvers of the bucket which is only brought opposite the silo to be treated and remains static during the cutting of the product. In addition, we note that from the same hydraulic circuit, we can control the two functions of the cutting member, namely its rotation and its movement along the cutting face, in front of the opening of the bucket.

Advantageously, said cutting member is constituted by a cylindrical roller with a horizontal axis and provided at its peripheral surface with knives for cutting said compact product. Rotating the roller in the correct direction directs the cut product to the inside of the bucket, which automatically loads the bucket.

In particular, said cylindrical cutting member is carried by a support articulated to said bucket about an axis parallel to said cylindrical member, and actuation means control the movement of said member between its two limit positions. For example, said actuating means are defined by two jacks located respectively on either side of the side walls of said bucket, and connected, at their respective ends, to said bucket and to said support carrying said cutting member.

As regards the hydraulic circuit, it comprises at least one hydraulic motor capable of driving said cutting member in rotation, and of simultaneously controlling the movement of said member between its two upper and lower limit positions. Advantageously, said hydraulic motor has two directions of rotation and it is housed inside said cutting member. Thus, in the direction of cutting of the rotary member, a pressure drop (leakage) is created in the hydraulic motor, which is used to supply pressure simultaneously to the jacks, which has the effect of displacing the cutting member from its high position to its low position. To this end, the hydraulic pressure rise of the cylinders then avoids the problems of tampering encountered beforehand, even with very compact silos. All the power is restored in the cutting roller since the traction unit carrying the static bucket is not stressed during the cutting of the product. Then, by reversing the direction of rotation of the motor, after cutting, the jacks act so as to raise the cutting member from its low position to its high position.

According to another characteristic of the device, the bottom of said bucket, opposite to its opening, consists of a conveyor belt with bars or the like for discharging the product loaded in said bucket. Thus, after loading the bucket, the loaded product can be removed to a suitable place (stable), via the conveyor belt.

In this case, said hydraulic circuit includes a distributor allowing, in one position, the control of the hydraulic motor actuating the rotation and the displacement of said cutting member and, in another position, the control of a hydraulic motor actuating said conveyor belt.

In addition, on at least one of the lateral sides of said cutting member, there is mounted a circular saw which is linked in rotation to said member and whose diameter is greater than that of said member.

The invention also relates to a vehicle remarkable in that it carries, by means of appropriate coupling means, said device defined above.

The figures of the appended drawing will make it clear how the invention can be implemented. In these figures, identical references designate similar elements.

Figure 1 shows in perspective the device according to the invention mounted on a vehicle.

Figure 2 is a side view of said device.

Figure 3 shows the hydraulic circuit of the device allowing rotation and angular displacement of the cutting member in front of the opening of the product receiving bucket.

Figures 4 and 5 schematically illustrate the operation of the bucket, between the two upper and lower limit positions of the cutting member, when cutting the product.

Figure 6 is a top view of said device during cutting.

The device for removing and loading 1 a compact silage product P is mounted, in this embodiment, at the front of a vehicle 2 such as a tractor, by means of coupling means 3 known per se, connecting the device 1 to an arrow 4 or the like of the tractor.

Structurally, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the device 1 consists of a cup 5 for receiving the product to be treated, and a cutting member 6 for picking it up.

In particular, the cup 5 has a substantially truncated prismatic shape, the large base of which corresponds to the opening 5A of the cup through which said product is loaded, while the small base, opposite the large base, corresponds to the bottom 5B. Opposite side walls 5C and top walls 5D and bottom 5E define the peripheral belt of the bucket. In this nonlimiting example, the bottom wall 5E of the bucket is capable of coming into contact with the ground.

Furthermore, the cutting member 6 is, according to the invention, mounted movably relative to the bucket 5 and it is linked to the latter so that it can be moved in front of its opening 5A between two operating limit positions, respectively high and low, to create a FT size front in the product to be treated, as we will see later. Preferably, the cutting member 6 is in the form of a cylindrical, hollow and rotary roller 6A (or cutter), the length of which is substantially equal to the distance separating the side walls 5C of the bucket and the peripheral surface of which 6B is provided with knives 6C distributed appropriately thereon, to best attack the product.

Geometrically, the axis of rotation or pivoting 7 of the bucket 5 relative to the coupling means 3 is horizontal.

And the axis of rotation 8 of the cutting roller is also arranged horizontally, parallel to the axis of rotation 7 of the bucket.

To ensure the movement of the cutting roller 6A in front of the opening 5A of the bucket, there is provided a movable support 9 carrying the roller and linked to the bucket. For this, the support 9 consists of two side arms 9A respectively disposed on either side of the side walls 5C of the bucket.

The first ends of the arms are mounted in turn on collinear axes 10, parallel to axes 7 and 8 and integral with the corresponding side walls 5C, while the second ends of the arms carry the cylindrical roller, hollow along axis 8, in s' engaging in the end faces thereof, via bearings.

Actuation means 11 ensure the mobility of the support 9 and they are defined by two jacks 12 disposed respectively on either side of the side walls 5C of the bucket and articulated, on the one hand, in the upper part of the bucket and, d on the other hand, to the arms 9A of the support. The support arms could also be adjustable in length. In addition, the rotation of the cutting roller 6A about its axis 8 is provided by a hydraulic motor 14 housed inside the hollow roller, coaxial thereto, in the vicinity of one of its ends. At its other end, the cutting roller is equipped with a circular saw 15 which is integral in rotation with the roller and whose diameter is greater than that of the roller provided with its knives.

Furthermore, the bottom 5B of the bucket comprises an endless belt conveyor 16, such as a conveyor belt, the direction of movement of which is parallel to the abovementioned axes, that is to say it takes place from a wall lateral 5C towards the other and vice versa according to the direction of displacement imposed. For this, a hydraulic motor 17 is provided on the bucket to ensure the functioning of the conveyor belt 16. The latter is provided with transverse bars 16A arranged projecting from the carpet and parallel to one another, so that they allow 'evacuate the loaded product to the outside, from one or other of the selected side walls, after having lifted a retractable hatch 18 provided on each of said walls.

Advantageously, the same hydraulic circuit 20 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3 ensures the operation of the device 1, namely the rotation of the cutting member 6 and the displacement of the latter in front of the opening of the bucket, from the hydraulic motor 14. For this, this motor 14, which rotates the cutting roller, is also connected to the actuating cylinders 12 of the support carrying the roller and it is of the type with two directions of rotation. On one side, the motor 14 is connected by a link 21, to the outlet chambers 12A of the jacks (outlet from the rods of the jacks), successively through flow limiters 22 and 23, a pressure limiter 24 and a gate valve. two ways 25. On the other side, the motor 14 is connected by a link 26 to the re-entry chambers 12B of the jacks 12 (re-entry of the rods of the jacks), through, successively, a non-return valve 27, a pressure 28 and a two-way valve 29.

These two links 21 and 26 are, moreover, connected to a control distributor 30 of the circuit. In addition, a pressure gauge 31 is also provided between the pressure relief valve 24 and the valve 25, and a connection 32 connects the two relief valves 24 and 28.

It is further noted, in FIG. 3, that the motor 17 of the conveyor belt is connected, by respective links 33 and 34, to the control distributor 30. The motor 17 is also of the type with two directions of rotation so that the loaded product can be discharged through any of the side walls 5C.

With regard to the hydraulic circuit 20 which is of the double-acting type, the following indications are provided.

The distributor 30 makes it possible in particular to pass from the operation of removing the product to the operation of distributing the latter using a single hydraulic circuit.

The flow limiter 22 allows, in the opposite direction of rotation to F, to increase the pressure in the chambers 12B of the cylinders in order to raise the roller.

The flow limiter 23 regulates the speed of descent of the jacks 12 and therefore that of the cutting roller.

The valve 25 can, by closing it, immobilize the cutting roller in any position.

The valve 29 can be closed when the cutting roller is in the high position, for safety.

The non-return valve 27 retains the oil during the sampling phase and in the high position.

The pressure relief valve 28 is adjusted to compensate for the dead weight of the cutting roller.

The pressure gauge 31 indicates in particular the pressure during the sampling phase.

The operation of the device will now be described. First of all, the bucket 5 is brought in front of the product silo P to be sampled, by means of the tractor and the operating members of the coupling means 3 and of the boom 4, so that its opening 5A is next to the silo. The cutting roller 6A then occupies the high position shown in FIG. 4, for which it is located against the upper edge BS of the working face FT of the silo, and which corresponds to the hydraulic circuit 20 illustrated. The operation for removing the ensiled product P can begin, the bucket then remaining in the static position.

For this, the hydraulic motor 14 is actuated in the appropriate direction to drive the roller in rotation along the arrow F. Before the actual attack of the knives 6C of the roller, the circular saw 15 enters the product to cut it correctly and avoid thus an air inlet in the remaining ensiled product (Figure 6).

Simultaneously with the rotation of the roller, a pressure drop (calibrated oil leak) is created in the hydraulic motor 14 and it is directed, via the link 21, into the chambers 12A of the jacks 12, which causes the rods to exit. . In this way, the support 9 pivots around the axes 10 and thus gradually lowers the cutting roller 6A whose action of the knives 6C attacks the product. As a result of the rotation of the roller in direction F, the cut product is directed downwards towards the bucket 5 which automatically fills with the cut product as the cutting roller 6A is lowered by the action jacks 12, until reaching the low position shown in FIG. 5. The cutting face obtained FT after the end of the pass of the roller in the product P, is slightly curved, due to the rotary displacement of the cutting roller by relative to axes 10 of the support.

Thereafter, the reversal of the direction of rotation of the roller 6A is controlled by means of the motor 14, so that the chambers 12B of the jacks are supplied via the link 26, which has the consequence of causing the ascent of the movable support 9 and, therefore, of the cutting roller, from the low position to the high position. Then, by controlling the boom 4 and the means 3, the bucket 5 containing the product is raised to be directed by the tractor 2 to the cattle feeding site. From there, the distributor 30 is switched to be in communication with the hydraulic motor 17 which drives the treadmill 16 in the chosen direction. The bars 16A of the latter then evacuate the product to the outside.

From the above, the device according to the invention provides numerous advantages - the cutting roller ensures the simultaneous filling of the
bucket without having to perform any maneuvering - the bucket remains static during sampling - the pressure build-up in the cylinders, hydraulically regulated
only, delivers a high power which is totally
restored in the roller and which thereby avoids
jams, even with very compact piles - the distribution of the product sampled and loaded in the bucket
can be carried out regularly by the bar belt and
either right or left; and - the same hydraulic circuit controls the movement
angularity of the roller and its rotation simultaneously, as well
that the conveyor belt through the distribu
single author.

Claims (10)

1. Device for taking and loading a compact silage product, of the type comprising a bucket (5) with loading opening, and at least one rotary cylindrical cutting member (6), linked to said bucket on the side of its opening and capable of create a working face in said compact product, characterized in that said rotary cutting member (6) is mounted movable relative to said bucket (5), so as to move, in front of the opening (5A) of said bucket, between a high attack position of said product and a low end-of-pass position and allow loading of the product into said bucket, and in that it comprises a single hydraulic circuit (20) for simultaneously controlling the rotation of said cutting member and the movement of said member between the two positions. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said cutting member (6) consists of a cylindrical roller (6A) with a horizontal axis and provided at its peripheral surface with knives (6C) for cutting said compact product. 3. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said cylindrical cutting member is carried by a support (9) articulated to said bucket (5) about an axis parallel to said cylindrical member, and in that actuating means (11) control the movement of said member between its two limit positions. 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said actuating means (11) are defined by two jacks (12) located respectively on either side of the side walls of said bucket (5), and connected to their respective ends, said cup (5) and said support (9) carrying said cutting member. 5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said hydraulic circuit (20) comprises at least one hydraulic motor (14) capable of rotating said cutting member and simultaneously controlling the displacement of said member between its two limit positions. 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that said hydraulic motor (14) has two directions of rotation and it is housed inside said cutting member (6). 7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the bottom (5B) of said bucket, opposite its opening (5A), consists of a conveyor belt (16) with bars or the like for evacuation of the product loaded in said bucket. 8. Device according to claims 5 and 7, characterized in that said hydraulic circuit (20) comprises a distributor (30) allowing, in one position, the control of the hydraulic motor (14) actuating the rotation and the displacement of said cutting member and, in another position, the control of a hydraulic motor (17) actuating said conveyor belt. 9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, on at least one of the lateral sides of said cutting member, there is mounted a circular saw (15) which is linked in rotation to said member and the diameter is greater than that of said organ. 10. Vehicle, characterized in that it carries, by means of appropriate coupling means (3), said device (1) defined under any one of the preceding claims 1 to 9.