FR2790907A1 - DIRT COLLECTION DEVICE FOR AGRICULTURAL MACHINE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a dirt collecting device (50) for an agricultural machine comprising a device for pivoting and locking in different positions the dirt collecting device (50), the dirt collecting device (50) being lockable. in at least three positions and being usable on any machine (20) for receiving a crop of an agricultural machine (10). Application in particular to combine harvesters, forage harvesters and balers.

Description

i

DIRTY COLLECTION DEVICE

  The invention relates to a device for collecting dirt for an agricultural machine, comprising a device for pivoting and locking in different positions the device for collecting dirt. In the prior art, various harvesting machines are used in combine harvesters, chopper harvesters and other agricultural harvesters, such as harvesters, chopper-loaders, picking or cutting tools, to receive the harvested material. To protect the driver's cabin of these vehicles from the swirling crop, it is known to use grids for collecting dirt, which are mounted on the side, facing the driver's cabin, of the machine. of reception of the harvest. These dirt collection grids are generally rigidly fixed, but there are also known dirt collection grids, which can be manually rotated between an approximately horizontal position, in which the dirt collection grid is supported on a part of the crop receiving device, and an approximately vertical position. They are locked using a pneumatic cylinder in the positions indicated, such as the hood of the luggage compartment of a motor vehicle. A disadvantage must be seen in the fact that, under certain conditions which depend on the material harvested and the respective influences of the bad weather, optimal protection of the driver's cabin against dirt entrained in swirling is not possible nor when the dirt collection grid is in the lower position,

  nor when it is in the upper position.

  In addition, there are chopper collectors comprising a dirt collection grid, which is fixed so that it can pivot on these machines. This grid can be manually rotated by means of two rotary anchoring members with clamping, which are mounted on the two front faces. A disadvantage must be seen in the fact that it is not possible to re-adjust - or only very difficultly - a certain pivoting angle, since no scale or the like is provided. In addition, two operators are required to activate the two anchoring members.

with clamping.

  The object of the invention is to improve a device for collecting dirt from a crop reception device so that it acts effectively and can be easily adjusted in

  different exterior conditions.

  This problem is solved in accordance with the invention using a dirt collection device for an agricultural machine, comprising a device for pivoting and locking the dirt collection device in different positions, characterized in that the device dirt collection can be locked in at least three positions. The basic idea is to arrange the dirt collection device so that it can pivot and be locked in at least three different positions. In this way it is possible to have a flexible adaptation of the dirt collection device to the most diverse conditions, such as for example a light, heavy, long, short, dry or wet harvest. Under the effect of the locking of the dirt collection device in the different positions, it is again possible to easily adjust a pivoting angle, which has proven to be optimum. The adjustment and / or locking takes place: in particular manually, but can also be carried out by means of an electric motor or by

hydraulic way.

  The invention is applicable to all types of agricultural machines for receiving a crop, such as for example pickers, balers, attached harvesting tools, cereal cutting tools, chopper harvesters (whatever we call machines

  corn picking beaker) or picking machines.

  The dirt collection device can be attached to the harvesting machine itself; if not or in addition, it can be mounted on a vehicle (harvester), which can be for example a combine harvester or even a chopper

self-propelled.

  According to the invention, the dirt collection device can be brought into different pivoted positions and be locked there. It is possible to equip it with an element which can pivot around a first horizontal axis, which extends transversely with respect to the direction of movement of the harvesting machine. The element can be locked relative to this first axis, which can be done from

different ways.

  First of all, one could imagine fixing the element directly on the axis or at a short distance from the latter, for example by a split pin, which crosses the element, and a neighboring part of the machine for receiving the harvest. For the different pivoted positions, several holes could then be formed. Similarly blocking the axis of rotation for example by means of a suitable clamping device would be possible. However, a drawback would consist in the intense torque that the blocking device

should apply.

  This is why in an advantageous alternative embodiment of the invention it is proposed that the harvesting machine be equipped with a spacer, which can pivot around a second axis which is distant from the first axis and that the 'spacer can be locked on the element. Said second axis is located at a distance from the first axis and generally extends

  (but not necessarily) parallel to the first axis.

  Consequently, the element of the dirt collection device is pivoted and the spacer is then pivoted correspondingly (or simultaneously) and the element and the spacer are connected together. Thanks to this connection, the lengths of three sides of a triangle are fixed - a first side is determined by the element, a second side by the spacer and a third side by the line drawn on the distance between the axes - from so the angles are also determined. As a result, the element is retained simply and securely. But in some cases, one could also imagine using a rigid spacer, which could be fixed in different locations of the element. Said element is in particular a frame, in which a net or a grid used for

  receive the crop or other dirt.

  There are different possibilities for blocking the spacer on the element. Thus one can fix the spacer to the element by hooking or screwing. For reasons of stability and convenience of handling, it is however preferable to use a bolt by means of which the element and the spacer are locked. Locking is advantageously effected by the fact that the bolt passes through an elongated hole comprising several enlargements in which it can be blocked. For this purpose the bolt can be translatable along its axis, and can include parts having different cross sections. The first part crosses both the entire elongated hole and the enlargements. The second part, however, crosses only the enlargements, but not the parts of the elongated hole situated between the enlargements. This is why the bolt is blocked when its second part is in a widening, and therefore the element and the spacer are locked. If, on the contrary, the second part of the bolt is pushed out of the enlargement, the first part reaches this enlargement and the snap-on connection is removed so that the angle of the dirt collection device can be adjusted. The bolt can be brought into its latching position, in which the second part (in the case of a corresponding angular position of the dirt collection device) is brought into an enlargement. As a result, a simple and appropriate blocking is obtained. It should be noted that instead of a translatable bolt, one could also imagine using a rotary bolt, which, in its first angular position, has an effective cross section which corresponds to the first zone, and which in a second angular position, has an effective cross section, which corresponds to that of the second zone. The cross section is therefore not circular but for example eccentric, oval or rectangular. We could then simply rotate the bolt to bring it into the first angular position to remove the blockage and bring it into the second angular position to restore the blockage again. However we can also imagine a blocking of the angle of the bolt to avoid an adjustment

  nuisance of the dirt collection device.

  In the embodiment comprising a translatable bolt, it is possible to load it with the force of a spring which pulls it into a position, in which the second part is arranged in the enlargement. Therefore the bolt is locked by the force of a spring in its normal position, in which also the dirt collection device is locked. An operator can move the bolt against the force of the spring to change the pivot angle of the dirt collection device. Similarly, a rotary bolt can also be

  brought by the force of a spring into its second position.

  In addition it is recommended to equip the bolt with a head, the cross section of which is greater than that of the widenings. The head prevents the bolt from passing through the neighboring enlargement respectively. In reality, the bolt can be attached to the frame of the dirt collection device, while the elongated hole can be formed in the spacer. Similarly we

  can also imagine the reverse configuration,

  i.e. an elongated hole formed in the frame and the bolt

arranged on the spacer.

  Finally it is proposed that the bolt be

  translatable or rotatable, but cannot be removed.

  The advantage lies on the one hand in the fact that it cannot be lost; on the other hand, there are obtained, in connection with the two outer ends of the elongated hole, two stops, that is to say limitations on the range of adjustment of the pivoting angle of the dirt collection device. Likewise during an untimely tightening of the blocking device (for an appropriate dimensioning of the elongated hole), there is no fear, because of the limitation, any damage to the device for collecting the dirt or even to the

  harvesting machine or vehicle.

  Other features and advantages of the

  present invention will emerge from the description given

  hereinafter taken with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - Figure 1 represents a chopper-chopper comprising a collecting device and a device for collecting dirt according to the invention;

  - Figure 2 shows a pick-up -

  chopper comprising a corn picking device and a dirt collecting device according to the invention; - Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a dirt collection device according to the invention; - Figure 4 shows a side elevational view of the dirt collection device; and - Figure 5 shows a plan view of a

  part of the dirt collection system.

  In Figure 1, a

  harvester arranged like a gatherer-

  self-propelled chopper 10. The chopper 10 is formed by a frame 12 which is carried by wheels

  front and rear 14 and 16. Operation of the pick-up

  chopper 10 is carried out from a driver's cabin 18, from which one can see a machine 20 for receiving the crop. The material which is harvested from the ground by means of the harvesting machine 20, for example grass or the like, is sent by means of feed rollers, not shown, which are arranged at the interior

  an inlet housing on the front of the picker

  chopper 10, to a chopper drum 22, which chops it into small pieces and sends it to a conveying device 24. The material leaves the chopper 10 by being transmitted to a trailer which moves beside it,

  via a rotary outlet duct 26.

  Between the chopping drum 22 and the conveying device 24 extends a post-fragmentation device 28, by means of which the material to be entrained is sent tangentially to the conveying device 24. The machine 20 for receiving the crop is arranged, in this embodiment in the form of what is called a pick-up and is designed in the form of an autonomous unit. The machine 20 for receiving the crop is formed by a frame 32 and bears on the ground by means of support wheels 38 installed on both sides and which are fixed by means of respective supports 46 to the frame 32. The role of the machine 20 for receiving the crop is to receive a material to be harvested arranged in swaths on the ground and is of different types and different qualities, and to send it to the harvester-chopper 10, for further processing. For this purpose the harvesting machine 20 moves on the field, during the harvesting operation, a short distance from the ground, while this machine is lifted for transport on road or on paths. The crop reception machine 20 comprises a conveyor device 36 in the form of a conveyor screw, which drives the material received, from the sides of the crop reception machine 20 towards an opening of outlet not shown, located in the center and behind which the feed rollers are arranged. The crop reception machine also has a reception device 34, which is rotated, as does the conveyor device 36, and which is arranged above the conveyor device 36 and separates the material from the ground by means of of its conveying teeth, so as to transfer it to the conveying device 36. In addition, a clamping device 40 in the form of a sheet placed above the receiving device 34 is fixed to the frame 32 by means of a retaining device 42. Otherwise the clamping device 40 could have the shape of a cylinder or could include several bars. The axes of the conveying device 36 and of the receiving device 34 are parallel to each other and to the ground and extend transversely with respect to the direction of movement of the chopper 10. The relative position of the conveying device 36 by

  compared to the reception device 34 is invariable.

  According to the invention, a device 50 for collecting dirt is mounted on the upper side of the chassis 32 of the machine 20 for receiving the crop. The dirt collection device 50 can pivot around a horizontal axis 52, which extends transversely to the direction of movement of the chopper 10 and can be locked in the three positions shown in FIG. 1. By therefore none of the three dirt collection devices 50 is present, and only one dirt collection device is provided, which can be locked in the three pivoted positions shown (an approximately horizontal position, a raised position about 30 and a raised position of about 60). The dirt collection device 50 prevents part of the material to be harvested or dirt from being raised by swirling in the field during operation of the crop reception machine and swirling against the underside and in particular the screen. - breeze in the driver's cabin 18 and obstructs the driver's view. The angles, which can be chosen differently, allow, depending on the respective conditions of the crop material and other external parameters, to adjust an optimal position of the

  device 50 for collecting dirt.

  In Figure 2, there is shown a chopper comprising another machine 20 'for receiving the crop in the form of a picking machine. The picking machines are suitable for harvesting materials including in particular corn, sunflower, cotton and beans, of which only the fruit which has grown on a stem, must be harvested. The picking machine grabs the stem of the plants, pulls it against a scraping edge and in this place separates the fruit, by scraping. The fruits are then sent to the harvesting machine for further processing, by means of conveyor chains, pallets, screws or the like. Since the picking machine is known as such, there is no need to give further explanations. Similarly, on the upper part of the machine 20 'for receiving the crop, which is turned towards the driver's cabin 18 and is situated behind the direction of advance of the vehicle, a collecting device 50 is also fixed. dirt that can pivot about a horizontal axis 52 disposed transversely to the direction of movement and can be

  locked in three different pivoted positions.

  With reference to the perspective view, represented in FIG. 3, of the device 50 for collecting dirt from the machine 20 for receiving the crop (in the form of a picker) of FIG. 1, it can be seen that this device consists by a U-shaped frame 60 on which is hung a net 58 which is in the form of a wire mesh. The width of the frame is slightly greater than that of the driver's cabin 18 in order to protect the latter effectively. The two ends of the frame 60 of the device 50 for collecting dirt are connected, so as to be able to pivot about the axis 52, to respective plates 53 which for their part are fixed to the

  chassis 32 of the harvesting machine 20.

  The plates 53 extend in a vertical plane parallel to the direction of movement. The plates 53 are screwed onto a retaining angle 55 which is welded to a tube of the chassis 32, as can be seen in FIG. 4. For blocking the device 50 for collecting dirt in the different pivoted positions, there is provided a flat spacer 54, which is fixed at one end to one of the plates 53, so as to be able to pivot around an axis of rotation 62 - which is distant from the axis 52 and parallel to the latter - and is connected, at a second (upper) end removably to the frame 60 by means of a bolt 56. A single spacer 54 is provided on one side of the device 50 for collecting dirt so that for reasons of convenience of handling , only one bolt 56 must be loosened and locked during pivoting. However, one could also imagine, for safety reasons, to provide spacers 54 on both sides of the device 50 for collecting dirt. The three different locking positions of the dirt collection device, which are characterized by the reference numerals 50.50 'and 50 ", are reached by means of different relative positions between the second end of the spacer 54 and the frame 60 . This is

  shown in more detail in Figure 4.

  With reference to the side elevation view, reproduced in FIG. 4, of the dirt collection device 50, it can be seen that an elongated hole 64 comprising three larger enlargements and of circular shape 66,66 ′, 66 ″ is formed on the second end of the spacer 54. The bolt 56 is mounted so as to be translatable in the frame 60 and passes through the elongated hole 64. The part of the bolt 56, which passes through the elongated hole 64, has a first part more thin 70 (see FIG. 5), which also engages in the zone situated between the enlargements 66, in the elongated hole 64, and a second thicker part 68, which penetrates only in the enlargements 66. For the adjustment of the angle of the device 50 for collecting dirt, the bolt 56 can first of all be removed from the frame 60, against the force of a spring 72, which is disposed on the side of the bolt 56 located at the opposite of the spacer 54 and rests on the cad re 60, at least to the point that the first part 70 is positioned in the elongated hole 64. Then the blocking, which is achieved by the second part 68 of the bolt 56 in the enlargement 66, is eliminated. We can then rotate the frame 60 fitted with the device 50 for collecting dirt on the pivot range shown in FIG. 4. A limitation of the range of pivotings ended by the two ends of the elongated hole, that is to say the outer end and the inner end when looking in the longitudinal direction of the spacer 54, against which the first part 70 of the bolt 56 abuts. Due to the limitation of the pivot range, there is no fear of untimely damage to the crop receiving machine 20 or to the driver's cabin 18. One could also imagine completely extracting the bolt 56; but there would no longer be any retaining system for the spacer 54 during adjustment nor any limitation of the pivot range. Once the desired pivoted position of the device 50 for collecting dirt is reached, the user again introduces the bolt 56, assisted by the force of the spring 72, as deeply as possible in the frame 60 so that the second part 58 of the second bolt 56 is appliedL in one of the enlargements 66,66,66 ", and is applied by its head, which has an even larger cross section than that of the second part 68, against the outer surface of the spacer 54. As a result, the spacer 54 is blocked - and therefore the device 50 for protection against dirt. It would also be possible to provide in the bolt 56, on the front side located at opposite of the spacer 54, a transverse hole, into which a safety pin could be inserted to prevent

  unwanted detachment of the bolt 56.

Claims (15)

  1. Device (50) for collecting dirt for an agricultural machine, comprising a device for pivoting and locking in different positions the device (50) for collecting dirt, characterized in that the device (50) for collecting dirt can   be locked in at least three positions.   2. Device (50) for collecting dirt according to claim 1, characterized in that it is fixed to a machine (20) for receiving the crop, which is in particular a pick-up, a baler, a   adaptable harvester tool, a mower-chopper-   loader or picking device, and / or on a vehicle, such as on a harvester,   including a combine harvester or chopper (10).   3. Device (50) for collecting dirt   according to either of claims 1 or 2,   characterized in that it comprises an element which can pivot around a first horizontal axis (52) which extends transversely with respect to the direction of movement of the machine (20) for receiving the crop. 4. Device (50) for collecting dirt according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a spacer (54), which can pivot around a second axis (62) which is distant from the first axis (52), and that the spacer (54) can be locked to the element. 5. Device (50) for collecting dirt   according to either of claims 3 and 4,   characterized in that the element is a frame (60) in   which is fixed a net (58) and / or a grid.   6. Device (50) for collecting dirt   according to either of claims 4 and 5,   characterized in that the spacer (54) and the element can be 'locked one on the other using a bolt (56).   7. Device (50) for collecting dirt according to claim 6, characterized in that the bolt (56) extends in an elongated hole (64) which has several enlargements (66,66 ', 66 "), in which the bolt (56) can be locked.   8. Device (50) for collecting dirt according to claim 7, characterized in that the bolt (56) can be brought into a first position and into a second position and that the bolt (56) has in the first position another transverse surface active only in the second position, so that the bolt (56) can be positioned in the second position, respectively in one of the enlargements (66), but not in the region of the elongated hole (64) between the enlargements (66,66 ', 66 "), while in the first position, the bolt (56) can be positioned both in the widenings (66,66', 66") and in the entire elongated hole (64).   9. Device (50) for collecting dirt from dirt according to claim 8, characterized in that the bolt (56) is loaded by the force of a spring (72)   which places the bolt in the second position.   10. Device (50) for collecting dirt according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the bolt (56) has a head, the cross section of which is greater than the cross section of enlargements (66,66 ', 66 ").   11. Device (50) for collecting dirt   according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that   that the bolt (56) can rotate and has a non-circular cross-section, for example eccentric, oval or rectangular.   12. Device (50) for collecting dirt   according to any one of claims 8 to 10,   characterized in that the bolt (56) is translatable and has a first part (70), which has a cross section smaller than that of a second part (68) of the bolt (56).   13. Device (50) for collecting dirt   according to any one of claims 6 to 12,   characterized in that the bolt (56) is fixed to the frame and that the elongated hole (64) is positioned in the spacer (54).   14. Device (50) for collecting dirt   according to any one of claims 6 to 13,   characterized in that the bolt (56) is movable in   translation or rotation, but cannot be removed.   15. Combined assembly formed by an agricultural machine, in particular a baler or a mower-chopper-loader (10) or a combine harvester or a machine (20) for receiving the crop, in particular a picker, with a device (50) for collecting dirt according to any one of claims 1 to 14.