FR3037770A1 - DRILLING ARM FOR RECOVERING MACHINE, AND RECOVERING MACHINE HAVING A PLURALITY OF SHAKING ARMS. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a shaking arm (10) for harvesting machine, having at least one attachment (12a, 12b) for mounting the shaking arm on a support (16a, 16b). According to the invention, the fastening is a flange fastening (20a, 20b) formed integrally with the shaking arm (10). The invention finds applications in harvesting machines and in particular in harvesting machines for shaking vine plants.

Description

The present invention relates to a shaking arm for a harvesting machine and in particular a shaking arm for a harvesting machine. The invention also relates to a harvesting machine, in particular a harvesting machine, equipped with a plurality of shaking arms.

The invention generally relates to all machines for the mechanical harvesting of fruits, berries and in particular grapes, which use arms for threshing or shaking trees, shrubs and / or feet of trees. vine. It finds applications in the manufacture of shaking arms for the equipment of new harvesting machines, as well as for the replacement of the shaking arms of a harvesting machine during maintenance operations. STATE OF THE PRIOR ART Harvesting machines generally comprise shaking units of which there are two, or a multiple of two, arranged in pairs on either side of a plan of engagement of the plants to be harvested. The term "plant" is used to harvest a tree, a shrub or a vine, depending on the type of fruit for which the machine is intended. When operating a harvesting machine, it is moved along a row of plants, so that the plants pass between the shaking units. Each shaking unit may be provided with a plurality of shaking arms arranged one above the other, so as to act on a certain height of the plant. The plants are received between the shaking arms and are then shaken or shaken at a frequency to detach the fruit from the plants.

3037770 2 The shaking arms may be free end or fixed end. At least one of their ends is received on an oscillating support, the other end can be received on an oscillating or fixed support, or remain free. The oscillating support is for example an oscillating shaft common to all the shaking arms of a shaking unit. The shaking arms are generally formed of a synthetic plastic material, for example of the polyamide type, of the fiber type (glass, carbon or aramid) or even nylon type. Ertalon (trade name), in particular, is commonly used. The material of the shaking arms must give the arm both rigidity sufficient for shaking the plants, and sufficient flexibility to withstand the mechanical stresses of the oscillatory movement. An illustration of harvesting machines and shaking arms is given, for example, by the following documents: FR 2 868 663, FR 2 653 15 636, FR2 862 481, G 91 14 417.5 (German utility model). A technical difficulty related to the implementation of shaking arms is the fixing of their ends either on an oscillating support or on a fixed support of the harvesting machine. Fixing can take place, for example, by means of metal sleeves in which are retained the ends of the strands or bars forming the shaking arms. In particular, the end of the bar can be held in the sleeve by means of a screw passing through the bar. Such a construction emerges, for example from document FR 2 653 636. Document G 91 44 417 provides holes through the shaking arms, for fixing them. The document FR 2 862 481 describes a clamping device for receiving a plurality of bars forming shaking arms, and allowing their easy replacement. However, by opening this clamping device to replace one of the shaking arms, all the shaking arms are separated from the shaking unit at the same time. Whatever the method of attachment envisaged, a difficulty exists with regard to the safety of the attachment, and the risk of detachment of a shaking arm, or an end of the shaking arm, its fixed or mobile support. Unintentional detachment of the shaking arm can indeed cause damage to the harvested plants, to the harvesting machine, and may constitute a danger to the user. In fact, the devices used to date in the state of the art provide fastening systems for the attachment end or ends of the shaker arm which consist of steel fitting sleeves, often complex and expensive. In addition, the steel sleeves considerably weight the shaking unit and increase its inertia, and therefore the energy consumed for the shaking operation. Another difficulty lies in reconciling the requirements of a reliable and robust fastening, and the possibility of easy replacement of at least one shaking arm of a shaking unit, in particular during a maintenance operation. . The shaking arms are indeed wear parts of the harvesting machine. Finally, it is worth mentioning the risk of oxidation of the attachment elements of the shaking arms in contact with the fruits to be harvested, and of the fruit juices that can be deposited therein. This difficulty can be overcome by the use of stainless steel metal parts but at a cost of significant additional cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved shaker arm having, when attached to a harvesting machine, reduced weight and inertia. Another object of the invention is to provide a shaking arm that can be fixed easily and reliably on a harvesting machine. The invention also aims to reduce the cost of manufacturing a shaking arm and its attachment to the harvesting machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shaking arm, and an attachment of the shaking arm having good resistance to stresses and mechanical fatigues resulting from the shaking movement. The invention also aims to provide shaking arms whose fasteners are not sensitive to oxidation.

To achieve these aims, the invention provides a shaking arm for harvesting machine, having at least one attachment for mounting the shaking arm on a support. According to the invention the attachment comprises a flange formed in one piece with the shaking arm.

The flange is intended to engage the support, in particular by surrounding the support or by gripping the support. The support may be a part integral with the harvesting machine or, preferably, a removable part of the harvesting machine. In the case of a removable support, it can be mounted on the harvesting machine by screwing, bolting or complementary form. Moreover, the support may be integral with a fixed part of the harvesting machine or intended to be mounted on a fixed part of the harvesting machine, it is then designated "fixed support". The support may also be integral with a moving part or intended to be mounted on a movable part of the harvesting machine, configured to transmit the shaking movement to the shaking arms. This is for example an oscillating shaft. In this case the support is referred to as a "mobile support". The support is not part of the shaking arm, but can be marketed with the arm as a wear part, especially when the support is a removable part of the harvesting machine. It is, for example, in the form of a cylindrical pivot adapted to the flange. The support may be provided with an elastic damper such as a Silentbloc (trade name), for filtering vibrations, shocks and / or to absorb torsional stresses. zs The shaker arm may have one or more fasteners. The fastener (s) are preferably located at the ends of the arm. The location of a fixation at the end of the arm is however not a necessary feature. Fixation at an intermediate point between the ends of the arm can be envisaged.

However, and according to a preferred embodiment, the shaking arm of the invention may have a first fastening end and a second fastening end, each end then being provided with a flange formed integrally with the arm. shaker.

When such a shaker arm is mounted in a harvesting machine, a first flange of the first end may be mounted on a movable support while a second flange of the second end may be mounted either on a movable support or on a fixed support.

In the remainder of the description reference is made essentially to a single attachment, while keeping in mind that the shaker arm may be provided with a plurality of fasteners. The flange of the fastener can be shaped in different ways. According to a first possibility, the flange may be an open-loop flange. It is then provided with a clamping mechanism configured for clamping the loop around the support. By open loop is meant a loop having a free end, that is to say an end which is not welded to the arm. A spacing provided between the arm and the free end of the open loop can be reduced by the clamping mechanism. The reduction of this spacing is to slightly reduce the diameter of the loop and cause its tightening on the support. The clamping mechanism can be screw, clamp bolt, cam or clamp. It acts in particular on the free end of the loop to ensure the connection between the flange and the support.

Alternatively, the flange may also be a closed loop flange configured for snug fit on the support. In this case the flange is similar to a ring. The dimensions of the closed loop are adjusted preferably from the manufacture of the shaking arm to be adapted to the support. In particular, the diameter of the loop can be adapted to the diameter of the support in the case of a cylindrical support. Preferably, the closed loop flange can be mounted in force on the support, so as to avoid any play between the flange and the support. The mounting force also ensures the strength of the fixing of the flange, and therefore the arm 30 on the support. In this case, the flange forms a hoop. The flange may have a shoulder configured to bear on the support. In the case of a cylindrical support the shoulder may bear against an end face of the cylinder. The shoulder makes it possible to transmit axial stresses to the support, that is to say stresses 3037770 6 along the axis of attachment, perpendicular to a plane of the loop. The shoulder also makes it possible to prevent slippage and then disconnection of the support flange. The flange may also include an axial locking key configured to engage the support. Like the shoulder, the locking key is provided to transmit axial stresses towards the support and to avoid axial displacement of the flange on the support. The key engages the support by complementary form, either in a depression provided in the support or on the edges of the support. In the case of a cylindrical support, the key may engage the edges of the cylinder. The use of a locking key is particularly suitable for an open-loop flange. In this case, in fact, the key can be inserted into the spacing at the free end of the loop mentioned above and can be maintained by the clamping mechanism or a member of the clamping mechanism. When the key is held by the clamping mechanism or a member of the clamping mechanism, it can be used to materialize clamping of the clamp. For example, the key can be made with a calibrated thickness to define a sufficient clamping level of the flange when it closes over the calibrated thickness of the key. The elastic deformation of the flange around the support is then sufficient to ensure its attachment to the support. A calibrated key also makes it possible to prevent the tightening of the flange from exceeding its limit elasticity level. This is the level beyond which the flange would undergo plastic deformation due to fatigue stresses or stresses experienced during the shaking operation. According to yet another embodiment of the flange, it can form a collet with free end clamp branches. The free ends of the clamp legs are, in this case, provided with a clamping mechanism for clamping the clamp on the support. As with the open-loop flange, clamping can be by screwing or camming. Clamping the free ends of branches can also be performed by a clamping tool and maintained by a suitable tension key engaging the ends of the branches.

3037770 7 The clamp does not form a loop but its branches extend on both sides of the support. The branches can be adapted to have a shape complementary to that of the support. This then makes it possible to combine a maintenance by complementarity of form with maintaining by clamping the flange 5 on the support. The flange is for example a U-shaped flange. The shaking arm of the invention may have a bend according to a bending plane. In this case, the flange preferably has a mounting axis substantially perpendicular to the bending plane. The term "mounting axis" means an axis corresponding to the axis of the open or closed loop of the flange. It is also an axis corresponding to a support and in particular to a cylindrical support on which the flange can be mounted. Bending and mounting perpendicular to the bending plane makes it possible to absorb the shaking stresses without excessive axial stress on the flange. According to a particular embodiment of the shaking arm, it may have a butt, that is to say a bow-shaped bending. This form is particularly suitable for pinching the plants to be harvested, and in particular vines, for shaking.

Different materials may be envisaged for producing a shaking arm according to the invention. The arm may in particular be made of plastic, and in particular an injected plastic material. This is, for example, a polyamide arm, fiber (glass, carbon, aramid, ...) or nylon. The flange formed in one piece with the shaker arm is thus made of the same material. The invention also relates to a harvesting machine, and in particular a harvesting machine, comprising a plurality of shaking arms as described above. The harvesting machine comprises supports for mounting the shaker arms. These are preferably cylindrical pivots already mentioned. Mounting on ball joints or on non-cylindrical supports is also possible. The cylindrical pivots may respectively have a pivot axis perpendicular to a shaking plane, especially when the shaking arms 3037770 8 have a bending in a bending plane parallel to the shaking plane. The pivots are preferably removable pivots provided with an elastic damper. This makes it possible to absorb stresses at the pivot point and in particular vibration, shock and torsion stress constraints. Other features and advantages of the invention emerge from the description which follows, with reference to the figures of the drawings. This description is given by way of illustration and not limitation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 shows in perspective a shaker arm of known type, which does not form part of the invention.

Figure 2 shows in perspective a shaking arm according to the invention. FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C show on a larger scale shaker arm ends according to the invention, with an open-loop flange and a tightening mechanism by screwing.

Figure 4 shows a shaking arm end according to the invention with an open loop flange and a cam clamping mechanism. Figure 5 shows a shaking arm end according to the invention with a closed loop flange. Figure 6 shows a shaking arm end according to the invention with a clamp flange with a key clamping mechanism. Figure 7 shows a portion of a harvesting machine provided with shaking arms according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION In the description which follows, identical, similar or equivalent parts of the different figures are marked with the same reference signs, so that a figure can be referenced from FIG. other.

Before describing in more detail various embodiments of the invention, FIG. 1 makes it possible to take cognizance of a possibility of producing a shaking arm according to the state of the art. The shaking arm 10 of Figure 1 is in the form of a bar 11, with two attachment ends 12a and 12b. Each end is provided with a metal sleeve 14a, 14b by means of which the shaking arm is fixed on supports 16a, 16b, respectively. The supports 16a, 16b are removable supports of a harvesting machine, in the form of cylindrical pins provided with shock and vibration dampers. Each metal sleeve 14a, 14b is respectively around the support 16a, 16b on which it is adjusted. Furthermore, each sleeve is attached to the shaking arm 10 by means of two bolts which pass through the bar 11. FIG. 2 shows a shaking arm according to the invention. It also includes two attachment ends 12a, 12b. In contrast to the arm of FIG. 1, the attachments of the arm of FIG. 2 are made in one piece with the bar 11. The fastenings form, in the example of FIG. 2, flanges 20a, 20b with an open loop. The flanges engage on supports 16a, 16b comparable to those of FIG. 1. This is again removable media. The shaking arm 10 of Figure 2 has a generally curved shape forming a butt 18 in the vicinity of the first fixing end 12a. The bending, and more particularly the butt, define a bending plane, which also corresponds to a shaking plane for the arm installed in the harvesting machine. This plane is substantially perpendicular to the mounting axis 17a, 17b of the flanges 20a, 20b on the supports 16a, 16b. FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C show on a larger scale the fastening end 12a of the shaking arm 10 of FIG. 2. In particular, there is seen the flange 20a with an open loop.

Figure 3A shows the flange 20a in an unstressed configuration in which it forms a cylindrical loop with a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of a receiving cylinder 30 of the carrier 16a for which it is intended. The support receiving cylinder 16a is connected to a threaded central pin 32 via a resilient damper commonly referred to as Silentblock (trade name) 34 made of a resilient resilient material such as rubber capable of absorbing vibrations. , shocks and slight twisting movements. The elastic damper 34 is particularly provided for filtering vibrations and shocks generated by the shaking motion printed on the arm during a harvesting operation. The threaded central pivot 32 can be mounted on a harvesting machine. The assembly can be effected by means of a bolt 36 associated with the threaded pivot 32. By returning to the flange 20a, it can be seen that it has an end 22 bent towards the bar 11. The end 22 of the flange In the relaxed position of FIG. 3A, a spacing separates the end 22 of the flange 20a and the bearing surface 24 of the bar 11. This spacing characterizes a loop. opened. The bar and the end of the flange have a common through bore 26 coinciding with the bearing surface 24.

A clamping mechanism 40 is provided for clamping the flange 20a on its support. Tightening amounts to slightly reducing the spacing between the end 22 of the flange 20a and the bearing surface 24 of the bar, so as to reduce the diameter of the loop. In the example of FIG. 3A, the clamping mechanism comprises a bolt formed of a screw 42, a washer 43 and a nut 44. The screw 42 passes through the common through bore 26 of the bar and the end of the flange. The washer and the nut press on one side of the end 22 of the flange opposite the support pad 24, as further shown in Figures 3B and 3C. Figure 3B shows the flange 20a placed and tightened around the receiving cylinder 30 of the support 16a. One can observe the presence of a locking key 46 received in the spacing between the end 22 of the flange 20a and the bearing surface 24 of the bar. The locking key 46 has lugs which engage the edge of the cylinder 30 of the support 16a and which prevent accidental axial displacement of the flange 12a on the cylinder.

The key 46 has a bore, better visible in Figure 3A, which allows the passage of the screw 42 of the clamping mechanism. It is thus retained by the screw 42 and by the tightening of the end 22 of the buckle 20a on the bearing surface 24.

FIG. 3C is a view of the fastening end 12a in a plane perpendicular to the mounting axis 17a, in the direction of the nut 36 of the support 16a. There can also be seen a lug of the axial locking key 46 meshing with the receiving cylinder 30. FIG. 3C also shows, by transparency, a counterbore 48 made on the bar 11 of the shaker arm 10 opposite the end 22 of the flange 20a. The counterbore 48 is provided to receive the head of the screw of the clamping mechanism. The key 46 may have a calibrated thickness making it possible to materialize the clamping of the flange by the clamping mechanism 40. The clamping mechanism 10 indeed brings the end 22 of the buckle 20a of the bearing surface 24 together by grasping the key 46. The thickness of the key 46 then closes the loop 20a on the arm 11 and thus prevents excessive clamping, and therefore a plastic deformation of the flange 20a around the receiving cylinder 30 of the support 16a.

FIG. 4 also shows a fastener end 12a with an open-loop flange 20a engaged on a support 16a. In the case of Figure 4, the clamping mechanism 40 is a cam mechanism. The bolt 44 of the clamping mechanism 40 of FIGS. 3A to 3C is replaced by a lever cam 47 which presses against the end 22 of the flange 20a via the washer 43. advantage of allowing the clamping and loosening of the flange 12a without tools. A fastener according to FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 4 has the advantage of having only very few metal parts. Metal parts, if any, are limited to the clamping mechanism. It is thus possible to make the flange with a lighter weight, a reduced manufacturing cost, and using a clamping mechanism made of a stainless material, for example stainless steel. Figure 5 shows another possible embodiment of a fastening end 12a with a flange 21 without a clamping mechanism. The flange 21 of Figure 5 is a closed-loop flange forming a ring at the end of the bar 11 of the shaker arm 10. The closed-loop flange is a hoop around the support 16a on which it is mounted with a snug fit. It consists entirely of the material used for the bar 11 of the arm 3037770 12 shaker 10. The reference 23 designates a shoulder that bears on the support, in this case on the receiving cylinder 30. Its function is to avoid axial displacement or tearing of the flange 21. The shoulder 23 is located on one side of the opposite flange to the plane of the figure. The location 5 of its rim is thus indicated in broken lines. Forcibly mounting the flange on a removable support 16a may advantageously be performed in the factory, so as to ensure particularly reliable maintenance of the shaking arm on the support. In an embodiment corresponding to FIG. 5, the shaking arm can be commercialized by being equipped with removable support (s) 16a. Figure 6 shows yet another possible embodiment of a fastening end 12a in which the flange is a U-shaped flange forming a clamp. It has clamp branches 28, 29 engaged on the support 16a. More precisely, the gripper legs are tightened on the receiving cylinder 30 of the support 16a. The branches 28, 29 are forced against the receiving cylinder by using a spring effect by elastic deformation of the material forming the shaking arm. The free ends of the branches are indeed brought closer to each other so as to put them under mechanical tension, and then are held in this position by a tension key 49. The tension key engages on the sides of the branches 28, 29 opposed to the support 16a. The tension key is a tightening mechanism. It may, if necessary, be replaced by a clamping mechanism comparable to that of Figures 3A, 3B, 3C or 4.

It can be seen in FIG. 6 that the branches 28, 29 of the flange are also provided with a shoulder 23 which bears on one side of the receiving cylinder 30. FIG. 7 is a partial representation of a harvesting machine 50 provided with a plurality of shaking arms 10 according to the invention. The shaking arms are divided into two shaking units 8, 9 which face each other and between which are received the plans to shake. The shaking arms 10 of the two units are arranged in shaking planes which correspond to their bending plane.

Below each shaking unit 8, 9 are provided scales 58 for the recovery of the harvested fruits. In Figure 7 only the scales under one of the shaking units 8 are visible. The attachment ends 12a and 12b of the shaking arms 10 are mounted on supports 16a, 16b such as the cylindrical pivots described with reference to the preceding figures. These supports are removable media to the extent that they can be easily removed from the harvesting machine. The fixing ends 12a in the vicinity of the stock of the shaking arms are integral with the supports 16a, movable. It is recalled that the supports are said to be mobile when they are used to transmit a shaking motion to the shaking arm. The supports 16a are in fact mounted on rigid arms 54a of a drive shaft 52e. The motor shaft 52a is driven in an oscillatory movement by a drive mechanism 60 partially shown.

The fixing ends 12b, remote from the butts of the shaking arms 10, are secured to removable supports 16b said fixed. The fixed removable supports 16b are connected to a second shaft 52b, fixed, via bases 54b. The second shaft 52b is said to be stationary in the sense that it does not transmit motion to the shaking arms 10. It may optionally be mounted free to rotate relative to the casing 2 of the harvesting machine to accompany the movement of the shaking arms. According to another configuration of the harvesting machine, the second shaft 52b can also be configured as a motor shaft.

Claims (17)

REVENDICATIONS1. Shaking arm (10) for a harvesting machine, having at least one attachment for mounting the shaking arm on a support (16a, 16b), characterized in that the attachment comprises a flange (20a, 20b) formed of a single piece with the shaking arm (10). A shaking arm according to claim 1 wherein the flange (20a) is an open-loop clamp, provided with a clamping mechanism (40) configured to clamp the loop around the support (16a, 16b). The shaking arm of claim 2, wherein the clamping mechanism comprises at least one of a clamping bolt (42,44) and a clamping cam (42,47). The shaking arm of claim 1 wherein the flange (21) is a closed loop flange configured for snug fit on the support (16a, 16b). 25 5) shaking arm according to claim 4, wherein the flange (21) forms a hoop. 6) shaking arm according to claim 4, wherein the flange has a shoulder (23) configured to abut on the support. 30 7) shaking arm according to any preceding claim wherein the flange further comprises a key (46) for axial locking of the flange, configured to engage the support. 3037770 15 8) shaking arm according to claim 1, wherein the flange forms a collet with tongs (28,29) free end, the free ends of the clamp legs being provided with a clamping mechanism (49) for clamping the clamp on the support. 9) shaking arm according to any one of the preceding claims, having a bending according to a bending plane, wherein the flange (20a, 20b) has a mounting axis (17a, 17b) substantially perpendicular to the bending plane of the shaking arm (10). 10) shaking arm according to claim 9, wherein the shaking arm (10) forms a butt (18). 11) shaking arm according to any one of the preceding claims, having a first fixing end (12a) and a second fixing end (12b), each end being provided with a flange (20a, 20b) formed of a single piece with the shaking arm (10). 12) shaking arm according to any preceding claim made of plastic material, and in particular an injected plastic material. 13) A harvesting machine, particularly a grape harvester, comprising a plurality of shaking arms (10) according to any one of the preceding claims. 14) harvesting machine according to claim 13, comprising cylindrical pins (16a, 16b) forming removable media for mounting the shaking arms (10). 3037770 16 15) harvesting machine according to claim 14, wherein the cylindrical pins (16a, 16b) respectively have a pivot axis (32) perpendicular to a shaking plane, and wherein the shaking arms (10) have a bending according to a bending plan 5 parallel to the shaking plane. 16) Harvesting machine according to one of claims 14 or 15 wherein the cylindrical pins (16a, 16b) are resilient damping pins (34). 10 17) Harvesting machine according to one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the shaking arms have two clamping ends (12a, 12b) flange, a first fixing end (12a) being mounted on a movable support (16a, 52a) and a second securing end (12b) being mounted on one of a movable support and a fixed support (16b, 52b). ? ()