FR3050093A1 - DEVICE FOR DISPENSING GRANULAR MATERIALS AND POWDERS AND AGRICULTURAL MACHINE COMPRISING SUCH A DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a dispensing cartridge (40) for a dispensing module (20) of an agricultural granular material dispensing machine comprising: - a reference body (420) configured to be fixed to the dispensing module (20) ; - a drive shaft (61) having an end (611) projecting from the reference body (420); - a distribution wheel (58, 59, 64) granular material mounted on the projecting end (611) of the shaft (61); - A drive gear (55) of the distribution wheel (58, 59, 64), integral in rotation with the drive shaft (61); the dispensing cartridge (40) has an assembled state in which the dispensing wheel (58, 59, 64) is mounted in translation on the shaft (61).

Description

Description

The present invention relates to the general technical field of agricultural machinery and in particular to seed drills with pneumatic distribution.

A pneumatic planter comprises at least one hopper containing the seeds to be sown, a distribution module arranged at the bottom of the hopper and a sowing unit leading the seed closer to the ground.

Drawer systems are known in which housings are attached to each other in an elongated extractable drawer. Each housing then has a volumetric distribution wheel and two openings, one for the entry of granular materials, the other for the output thereof. Changing a distribution wheel is tedious and requires extracting the entire drawer, individualizing and deboning each case.

In another known system of WO 2014/040190, each row is fed by an individualized distribution module mounted in a housing oriented transversely to the largest dimension of the hopper in its constricted bottom. Each individual module has a central socket and a clean motor. Each module has a distribution wheel that is inserted beforehand into the housing. Intervening in a housing for a change of distribution wheel or a cleaning before change of granular material requires successively removing the motor, the bushing and the distribution wheel, each of these parts can fall between the rank units of the machine. In general, an agricultural seed drill can have many units of adjacent ranks, for example twelve or sixteen, etc., which amplifies the problem of maintenance time.

There is generally a need for simplification of maintenance operations of agricultural machinery distribution modules for the user. This is both to limit the time and effort required by each maintenance operation. By maintenance operation, it is a matter here of understanding all the interventions intended to replace a distribution wheel, cleaning the housing in which such a wheel is mounted or more generally requiring the wheel to be removed from its housing. The invention thus relates to a dispensing cartridge for dispensing module of an agricultural machine for dispensing granular material such as seeds or fertilizer comprising: a reference body configured to be fixed to the dispensing module; a drive shaft having a projecting end of the reference body; - A granular material distribution wheel mounted on the projecting end of the shaft; - A drive gear of the distribution wheel, integral in rotation with the drive shaft. The invention is remarkable in that the dispensing cartridge has an assembled configuration in which it is configured to be extractable from a block with the dispensing wheel and the dispensing wheel is mounted contained in translation on the shaft.

The term granular material covers here various products such as seeds, fertilizers in the form of granules or pesticides in the form of granules or powder.

Thanks to the invention, any maintenance operation, for example requiring replacement and / or changing the useful width of distribution, is particularly simple, the various components such as the distribution wheel not likely to fall or remain in the distribution module during extraction.

According to an advantageous characteristic, the reference body comprises an internal cavity delimited by a side wall and in which the drive pinion is housed. The sidewall has a day through which the sprockets of the drive sprocket are accessible from outside the cartridge.

With this feature, the grip of the cartridge is optimal and the handling of the cartridge is facilitated. In addition, the risk of injury is limited.

According to an advantageous characteristic, the cartridge comprising at least one flow control wedge is fixedly mounted relative to the reference body in order to reduce the useful width of the seed outlet in a specific assembled state. In other words, the cartridge has a reduced width configuration in which a shim is fixedly mounted relative to the reference body and limits the width of the seed outlet.

Advantageously, the flow adjustment wedge comprises at least one first interlocking member, the cartridge comprises a second interlocking member and the two interlocking members are configured to cooperate and block the wedge in rotation with respect to the reference body. in the specific assembled state.

These interlocking members are particularly simple and economical to manufacture.

Advantageously, the cartridge comprises a storage chamber configured to accommodate spare annular elements such as distribution wheels and / or flow control shims, and / or the cartridge has a storage chamber of internal diameter greater than the wheel. dispensing and / or a flow control wedge.

This storage chamber keeps the spare annular elements within easy reach for a quick change of dosing wheel and / or useful width.

In a particular variant, the storage chamber is coaxial with the drive shaft. Advantageously, the storage chamber is disposed opposite the distribution wheel relative to the drive pinion and is reclosable by a pivoting and / or snap-on valve. These configurations are particularly advantageous and limit the radial volume occupied by the cartridge on the distribution block.

Advantageously, the cartridge may comprise a nut mounted at the end of the drive shaft and having a locking position in which it holds the distribution wheel on the shaft. The nut is for example snapped onto end tabs of the drive shaft and can be tilted between a maintenance position in which it allows the addition of annular elements to the drive shaft or the withdrawal. from there, and a locking position in which it prevents this exchange of annular elements and maintains any annular elements on the shaft. The passage can be allowed by the correspondence of form between grooves that carry respectively the shaft and the nut. The tilting can be done by rotating a quarter or eighth of a turn or more generally by half the number of flutes.

Alternatively, the nut has no maintenance position and is simply free after rotation from its locking position, for example at least one eighth of a turn.

These types of retaining means of the annular elements around the shaft are particularly economical and simple to implement. The invention also relates to an agricultural machine for dispensing granular material (seed drill or spreader type) comprising: - a hopper having at least one housing at the bottom; - A dispensing cartridge as described above, the cartridge being adapted to be inserted into the housing.

Advantageously, the housing is oriented in a direction transverse to the largest dimension of the hopper in its constricted bottom, for example the front-rear direction of the machine and / or the cartridge comprises a plurality of housings and corresponding cartridges and / or , the distribution wheel has a rotation axis transverse to the largest horizontal dimension of the hopper, for example the front-rear direction of the machine when the cartridge is mounted in the housing.

According to other particularly advantageous features of the invention: the cartridge is extractable from a block with the dispensing wheel in its assembled state; - The housing is oriented in a direction transverse to a general orientation of the hopper bottom, and / or the dispensing wheel has an axis of rotation transverse to a general orientation of the hopper bottom; - The machine comprises a plurality of housings and corresponding cartridges, each housing being for example formed in a respective module, such modules being nestable with each other; each module preferably incorporates an air supply chamber section; an active part of each cartridge is associated with a source of movement, the source of motion remaining integral with the hopper when the cartridge is extracted from the housing; the source of movement is an individual electrical motor specific to each cartridge, or is a drive common to all the cartridges. Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the nonlimiting exemplary embodiments of the invention which will follow and the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a bottom part of a hopper and a dispensing cartridge facing a housing that includes the lower part of the hopper; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the elements of FIG. 1, the cartridge being mounted in the housing; - Figure 3 is a partially exploded view in perspective of the cartridge and different wheels and wedges it can carry; - Figure 4a is a longitudinal sectional view of the elements of Figure 2; FIG. 4b is an enlargement of a system for centering the cartridge visible in FIG. 4a; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the components of FIG. 1; FIG. 6 is a perspective diagram showing an interlocking of distribution modules each comprising a distribution cartridge and a respective electric motor, as well as corresponding sowing elements.

Figures 1 to 4 illustrate an agricultural machine dispensing system 10 having a dispensing module 20 and a dispensing cartridge 40. The orientation of the system 10 with respect to a general direction of the agricultural machine is represented by the arrow A.

The module 20 has a lower section 21 of hopper 19 leading to an exit of the seeds 22. The module 20 further comprises a distribution block 23. The block 23 has a housing 24, a drive mechanism 25, a retaining member 26 and a section 270 of an air supply chamber 27. In addition, the module 20 comprises a centering device 70 at the bottom of the housing 24.

The lower section 21 is here in the form of two sides 210 inclined towards each other so as to channel the flow of seeds. Successive modules 20 can be nested and / or stacked against each other. The internal sides of the hopper 19 narrow towards the bottom and extend in a general direction B which is here transverse to the direction A (Figure 1). Direction B could be confused with direction A or exceptionally different.

The housing 24 is for receiving the cartridge 40. The housing 24 extends along an axis 240 which is transverse to the direction B in the embodiment shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4a. More specifically, the housing 24 extends horizontally through the block 23 from the rear and opens between the hopper lower section 21 and the outlet 22. Alternatively, the cartridge 40 can be inserted from the front of the block 23 or a dawn way and / or dawn inclined relative to the horizontal, the housing 24 then having a corresponding orientation.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4a, the driving mechanism 25 is a source of motion from a drive shaft (not illus- trated) common to different nested modules. The mechanism 25 then comprises a bearing ring 84 drooled by a conduit 85 here hexagonal section. The conduit 85 is intended to receive the drive shaft.

The motion source 25 further includes a pinion 83 mounted on the ring 84, and a gear 80 with double toothing 81 and 82 axis parallel to the A section. The pinion 80 is here semi-conical. The peaks of the toothing 82 are inscribed in a cone which converges towards the rear while the toothing 81 is with straight teeth (FIG. 4a). The teeth of the pinion 83 mesh with the conical toothing 82. When the cartridge 40 is in place in the housing 24, the right toothing 81 meshes with a drive pinion 55 of the cartridge 40 (see further description of the cartridge 40).

FIG. 5 illustrates a variant 120 of the module 20 described above. Here, the module 120 comprises a disbibution block 123 which differs from the block 23 in that the drive is provided by individual motors 125. These motors 125 preferably each comprise a not shown pinion rotating about an axis 126 (FIG. ) for driving the metering wheel or wheels of the cartridge 40. Such individual motors are mounted for example above the housing 24 in place of the motion source 25, the axis 126 may be parallel to the axis 240 24. The pinion that includes the motor 125 for driving the metering wheels is for example a spur gear.

In any case, the cartridge 40 can be extracted from the housing 24 independently of any mechanism for rotating the pinion 55, that is to say without having to disassemble any particular motor or driving element other than the cartridge 40 itself. The source of motion remains secured to the block 23 when the cartridge 40 is extracted. Preferably, the cartridge 40 is inserted or extracted by simple sliding along the longitudinal axis 240 of the housing 24 (Figure 4a). The retaining member 26 takes for example the shape of an ear as shown in Figure 4a. Thus, a detent tab 56 (or pusher) of the cartridge 40 can engage the ear 26 and retain the cartridge 40 in the dispensing module 20. Conversely, the tab 56 can be pushed manually to disengage the cartridge 40 from the module 20.

With the interlocking of modules 20, the sections 270 form the air supply chamber 27. The air supply chamber 27 (see for example FIG. 1) is supplied with a stream of air which allows the transport of the seeds. . The flow coming from the chamber 27 is here divided in two: one enveloping the distribution wheels 58, 59 or 64, the other bypassing the cartridge 40 around a constricted portion 424 (FIG. 3) to assist the flow in downstream of the wheels 58, 59 or 64 at the outlet 22 of the hopper.

The centering device 70 comprises a fixed member 72, for example screwed into the block 23, and provided with a finger 73 (Figure 4b). The device 70 also comprises a bearing cone 75 mounted on a spring 74. The cone 75 is held by the fixed member 72 integral with the block 23. The centering device 70 is designed to facilitate the mounting of the cartridge 40, such as shown in detail in Figure 4b. The cone 75 is intended to be pressed against the distribution wheels 58, 59 and / or 64 (described later) by the spring 74.

In the embodiment shown, the cartridge 40 has a storage chamber 41, a body or tubular portion 42 and an active portion 43 arranged consecutively in this order. The active portion 43 extends here to the front of the tubular portion 42. This fore-and-aft distinction for the cartridge 40 is given relative to the direction of insertion of the cartridge 40 into the block 23. The active portion 43 is inserted first and therefore is referred to as the front portion of the cartridge 40.

The cartridge 40 is of elongated shape and corresponding at least over part of its length to the shape of the housing 24 (see in particular Figure 3). The cartridge 40 extends generally along a longitudinal axis 50 coincides with the axis 240 of the housing 24 when the cartridge 40 is mounted thereon.

The tubular portion 42 comprises a housing 420 serving as a reference body intended to be fixed to the module 20. The housing 420 has an internal cavity 423 in which is housed a pinion 55 driving at least one of the distribution wheels 58, 59 or 64 described below. One day 54 is formed through a side wall of the portion 42, here the upper wall 421. The front edge 49 of the day 54 is in depression towards the center of the housing, for example rounded. The tubular portion 42 is thus shaped so that the teeth of the drive pinion 55 protrude through the day 54. More specifically, the teeth of the pinion 55 are accessible from the cartridge 40 to allow meshing of the pinion 55 through the day 54 with a toothed wheel 80 outside the cartridge 40. Preferably, during the insertion of the cartridge 40 in the housing 24, the pinion 55 does not encounter any obstacle and meshes directly with the toothed wheel 80 of the module 20.

The tubular portion 42 here comprises a section 424 of reduced section located between the flange 49 and the active portion 43 (Figure 3). This part allows the passage of air around the cartridge 40 to allow the transport of seed output 22.

The latching lug 56 for holding the cartridge in the module 20 is arranged non-limitatively diametrically opposite the day 54.

The active part 43 comprises a flange 57, the front end 611 of a shaft 61 and annular elements generally designated 44 (Figure 3).

Active part 43 is actively involved in seed distribution. More specifically, the active portion 43 extends between the hopper bottom section 21 and the outlet 22 when the cartridge 40 is inserted into the distribution block 23.

A shaft 61 on which is fixed the pinion 55 extends longitudinally forwards, through the front wall 422 of the tubular portion 42 and in part active 43. The shaft 61 has splines 610 at the surface on a portion of its length giving it a cross section. In a variant, the shaft 61 and the pinion 55 are formed in one piece.

At its distal end, the shaft 61 has flexible detent tabs 62. A retaining member 63 called a nut is provided for snap-fitting on the tabs 62. The nut 63 has splines 630 which are in correspondence with the splines 610 in a maintenance position of the nut 63. The nut 63 also admits a non-illustrated locking position in which it is pivoted relative to the axis 61. The flutes 630 are then offset relative to the flutes 610 so as to retain the annular elements 44 mounted on the shaft. In this case, the nut 63 is rotated one-eighth of a turn between the maintenance and locking positions.

Alternatively, the retaining member may take another form. For example, it may be a quarter turn nut (not shown). In the locking position, it holds the annular elements 44 on the shaft 61, for example by means of lugs or flanges configured to cooperate with one or more flanges or lugs at the distal shaft end 61. In the maintenance position, it is simply free with respect to the shaft 61.

The detent tabs 62 are chamfered at their outer end and delimit a housing 71. The housing 71 is intended to receive the centering finger 73 for positioning the cartridge 40 in the module 20. The introduction of the cartridges 40 will be detailed below.

The flange 57 is a flattened and inclined portion, for example a portion of cylinder eccentric with respect to the shaft 61. The rim 57 contributes during the distribution to channel the seeds towards the outlet 22. In addition, the flange 57, which delimits the flow volume of the seeds under the dispensing wheel, is integral with the cartridge 40. At removal of the cartridge 40, the flange 57 disappears and allows to empty the hopper 19/21 and the outlet 22 completely.

The annular elements 44 are wheels of different sizes such as the distribution wheels 58, 59 and 64 or the wedges 60a and 60b, also called spacers (Figure 3). The annular elements 44 are selected by the user according to the desired flow rate and the type of seeds.

The distribution wheels 58 and 59 have an opening 65 in their center (Figure 3). In the example shown, the opening 65 is cross-shaped and in correspondence of shape with the cross section of the shaft 61, that is to say with the grooves 610 and 630. The section in the form of a cross cross of the shaft 61, the nut 63 and the openings 65 facilitates the introduction of the wheels 58 and 59 and their rotational drive by the shaft 61, while allowing a displacement of the swiveling type around the shaft 61. This deflection allows the side faces of the metering wheels 58, 59 and 64, such as the smooth face of the wheels 58, to remain in abutment against each other and against the adjacent fixed surface (wedge 60a or 60b or wall 422 ). Thus, the contact between the components is ensured, and the product dispensed does not pass between the various components, which would degrade them and affect the seal. This bearing is carried out thanks to the spring 74 of the centering device 70.

The wedges 60a and 60b have an opening 66 of diameter greater than the diameter of the shaft 61. The wedges 60a and 60b comprise at least one interlocking member, such as a recess 67 and / or a not shown spigot. An interlocking member complementary to that of the wedges 60a or 60b is then formed on the cartridge 40, on the front face 422 and / or on the flange 57. The complementary interlocking member takes for example the shape of a pin and / or a recess cooperating with the interlocking member of the wedge 60a or 60b mounted on the shaft 61. Due to the large diameter of the opening 66 and the interlocking members, the wedges 60a and 60b do not are not rotated by the shaft 61 during seed distribution. Rotation of the shims 60a or 60b would cause them to rub continuously against the product, increase the driving torque and could damage the seeds.

The wedges 60a and 60b serve to reduce the effective width of the seed exit 22, that is to say to limit the seed entrainment width that the distribution wheels 58, 59 or 64 offer (see, for example the chosen assembly 58, 59 and 60a in Figure 1). The cartridge 40 thus has at least one reduced width configuration which is a particular assembled state and in which at least one wedge 60a or 60b is fixedly mounted relative to the housing 420 around the shaft 61.

The two wedges 60a and 60b, when mounted on the cartridge 40 both, may have complementary inclined portions 68a and 68b so that the slope of one is tangent to the slope of the other to jointly promote the flow of seeds to the exit.

By arranging the splines 630 facing the splines 610, it is possible to extract, mount or replace the elements 44. By rotating a fraction of a turn of the nut 63, the elements 44 are held on the shaft 61 and the cartridge 40 ready to be mounted. In general, any dispensing wheel (or metering wheel) 58, 59 or 64 placed on the shaft 61 is contained in translation. This limitation is provided by the nut 63 on the one hand and the face 422 on the other hand, and, where appropriate, by the neighboring annular elements 44. The expression "contained in translation" covers both the case where the distribution wheel 58, 59 or 64 is held on the shaft 61, integral with its end 611 while being subject to the clearance mentioned above and a particular case where the distribution wheel 58, 59 or 64 is mounted without deflection. As an indication, the annular elements 44 may be chosen and installed as required, for example and not limited to: - two wedges 60a and 60b with two thin wheels 58 in the case of small seeds sown at low doses; two thin wheels 58 with three wheels of intermediate width 59; two fine wheels 58 with a wide helical wheel 64 in the case of large seeds.

The storage chamber 41 is in the form of a hollow block 410 of internal diameter greater than the diameter of the various annular elements 44 provided for the flow control such as the elements 58, 59, 60a, 60b and 64 (see FIG. 4a). . In the embodiment shown, the block 410 is partially inserted in the housing 420. The block 410 and the housing 420 are here screwed to each other. In non-illustrated variants, the block 410 and the housing 420 are abutted and / or fixed to each other in another way, for example by interlocking or by latching members.

The chamber 41 is closed by a valve 51. The valve 51 is hinged by a hinge 52 and held closed by a flexible tab 53 snapped onto a notch 48 of the block 410.

The storage chamber 41 is optional but is particularly advantageous for retaining different annular elements 44 such as the distribution wheels 58, 59 and 64 or the wedges 60a and 60b (see for example Figure 4a). The annular elements 44 are thus directly close to the cartridge for change and / or repair.

Preferably, but not exclusively, the storage chamber 41 is disposed at the rear of the cartridge 40, coaxial with the shaft 61, that is to say opposite the active portion 43 with respect to the body 42.

To mount the cartridge 40 in the module 20, it is primarily necessary to mount the annular elements 44 corresponding to the next site as explained above.

The cartridge 40 can then be inserted into the housing 24. The centering finger 73 then comes to fit in the housing 71, possibly with deformation of the spring 74, a shoulder 613 of the arm 61 bearing on the rim 76 of the cone 75 The detent tab 56 locks in the ear 26.

The centering device 70 makes it possible to guarantee the exact positioning of the active part 43 at the bottom of the hopper.

When the cartridge 40 is mounted on the module 20, the teeth of the pinion 55 are engaged in the toothing 81, as in Figure 4a. The distribution wheels 58, 59 or 64 mounted on the cartridge 40 can then be driven via the mechanism 25 (not shown).

In variant not shown, the pinion 55 is provided outside the housing 420, behind it. The casing 420 nevertheless still ensures the positioning of the pinion 55 and the active part 43 relative to the dispensing module 20 and still allows extraction of the cartridge in a block with the distribution wheel or wheels 58, 59 or 64 of the part active 43.

Figure 6 schematically shows four modules 120 nested with each other. Each is connected to a corresponding sowing unit 18 via an outlet pipe 17. The invention also relates to a machine comprising a cartridge 40 as described above and / or a dispensing system 10.

Claims (15)

claims A dispensing cartridge (40) for a dispensing module (20) of an agricultural granular material dispensing machine comprising: - a reference body (420) configured to be attached to the dispensing module (20); - a drive shaft (61) having an end (611) projecting from the reference body (420); - a distribution wheel (58, 59, 64) granular material mounted on the projecting end (611) of the shaft (61); - A drive gear (55) of the distribution wheel (58, 59, 64), integral in rotation with the drive shaft (61); characterized in that: the dispensing cartridge (40) comprises an assembled state in which the dispensing wheel (58, 59, 64) is mounted contained in translation on the shaft (61). 2. Dispensing cartridge according to the preceding claim, the reference body (420) having an internal cavity (423) delimited by a side wall (421), the drive pinion (55) being housed in the internal cavity (423) the side wall (421) having a day (54) through which the teeth of the drive pinion (55) are accessible from outside the cartridge (40). 3. Dispensing cartridge according to one of the preceding claims, the cartridge (40) having at least one flow control wedge (60a, 60b) configured to be fixedly mounted relative to the reference body (420), around the shaft (61) in a reduced width configuration. 4. Dispensing cartridge according to the preceding claim, the flow control wedge (60a, 60b) having at least one first interlocking member (67) and the cartridge (40) having a second interlocking member, the two members interlocking means being configured to cooperate and lock the shim (60a, 60b) in rotation relative to the reference body (420) in the reduced width configuration. Cartridge according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a storage chamber (41) configured to accommodate replacement annular elements (44) such as distribution wheels (58, 59, 64) and / or shims. flow rate (60a, 60b) and / or diameter greater than the distribution wheel (58, 59, 64) and / or a rate adjustment wedge (60a, 60b). 6. Cartridge according to the preceding claim, the storage chamber (41) being coaxial with the drive shaft (61). 7. Cartridge according to one of claims 5 or 6, the storage chamber (41) being disposed opposite the distribution wheel (58, 59, 64) relative to the drive pinion (55) and being reclosable by a valve (51) pivoting and / or snap-fit. 8. Cartridge according to one of the preceding claims, the cartridge (40) having a nut (63) mounted at the end (611) of the drive shaft (61) and having a locking position in which it maintains the distribution wheel (58, 59, 64) on the shaft (61). Agricultural machine for dispensing granular material comprising: - a hopper (19) having at least one housing (24) at the bottom (21); - A dispensing cartridge (40) according to one of the preceding claims, the cartridge (40) being adapted to be inserted into the housing (24). 10. Agricultural machine according to the preceding claim, the cartridge (40) being extractable from a block with the dispensing wheel (58, 59, 64) in its assembled state. 11. Agricultural machine according to one of claims 9 or 10, the housing (24) being oriented in a direction transverse to a general orientation of the hopper bottom, and / or the distribution wheel (58, 59, 64) having a transverse axis of rotation at a general orientation of the hopper bottom. Agricultural machine according to one of claims 9 to 11, comprising a plurality of housings (24) and corresponding cartridges (40). 13. Agricultural machine according to the preceding claim, each housing (24) being formed in a respective module (20, 120), the modules (20, 120) being interlockable, each module incorporating a section (270) of feed chamber. air (27). Agricultural machine according to one of claims 9 to 13, an active part (43) of each cartridge (40) being associated with a source of movement (25), the movement source (25) remaining integral with the hopper ( 19) when the cartridge (40) is extracted from the housing (24). 15. Agricultural machine according to the preceding claim, the source of movement being an individual electric motor specific to each cartridge (40).