GB2057726A - Automatic steering control - Google Patents
Automatic steering control Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2057726A GB2057726A GB8027191A GB8027191A GB2057726A GB 2057726 A GB2057726 A GB 2057726A GB 8027191 A GB8027191 A GB 8027191A GB 8027191 A GB8027191 A GB 8027191A GB 2057726 A GB2057726 A GB 2057726A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- machine
- detecting
- steering
- detecting means
- signal
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 238000012937 correction Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 230000001105 regulatory effect Effects 0.000 claims description 8
- 230000001276 controlling effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 abstract description 8
- 239000002689 soil Substances 0.000 abstract description 8
- 240000008042 Zea mays Species 0.000 abstract description 3
- 235000016383 Zea mays subsp huehuetenangensis Nutrition 0.000 abstract description 3
- 235000002017 Zea mays subsp mays Nutrition 0.000 abstract description 3
- 235000009973 maize Nutrition 0.000 abstract description 3
- 241000196324 Embryophyta Species 0.000 description 5
- 230000002411 adverse Effects 0.000 description 1
- 244000038559 crop plants Species 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005096 rolling process Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
- G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G05D1/00—Control of position, course or altitude of land, water, air, or space vehicles, e.g. automatic pilot
- G05D1/02—Control of position or course in two dimensions
- G05D1/021—Control of position or course in two dimensions specially adapted to land vehicles
- G05D1/0259—Control of position or course in two dimensions specially adapted to land vehicles using magnetic or electromagnetic means
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01D—HARVESTING; MOWING
- A01D41/00—Combines, i.e. harvesters or mowers combined with threshing devices
- A01D41/12—Details of combines
- A01D41/127—Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines
- A01D41/1278—Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted for combines for automatic steering
Abstract
Steering control means for automatic steering correction in an agricultural machine, especially a harvester for maize or like crops, comprises a change-over switch (7) in an electrical circuit between a regulator (12) and a measurement value transmitter (4) or a feedback transmitter (15), the signal voltages of the two transmitters being summated in the regulator. The switch (7) includes at least two setting modes for setting of a level of resistance predetermined to be appropriate for the prevailing soil condition. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Agricultural machine
The present invention relates to an agricultural machine, for example, a harvester for maize or similar crop plants, and has particular reference to control means for effecting automatic steering correction in such a machine.
In German (Fed. Rep.) patent specification no. 97 341 there is disclosed an automatic steering control device in which a scanning device serves to scan a plant row and transmit a signal from a measurement value transmitter to an electronic regulating unit. The steering of an agricultural machine is controlled by this regulating unit through a hydraulic adjusting drive.
However, this control device has the disadvantage that good soil conditions are necessary for consistently accurate steering control.
With wet, slippery, marshy or sandy soil conditions, the accuracy of the steering is adversely affected and in an extreme case can lead to failure of the regulating unit. This is due to a steady rolling motion of the machine, which simulates a position change at the measurement value transmitter even though the scanned plant row is straight. In the worst cases, the steering corrections carried out are not sufficient to achieve changes in direction of the machine corresponding to the magnitudes of the measurement value transmitter signals.
There is therefore a need for a steering correcting device which, to compensate for slip of the steered wheels of the machine, allows a control which is dependent on soil conditions, whereby the automatic steering control is fully effective for a variety of soil conditions.
According to the present invention there is provided an agricultural machine provided with automatic steering control means comprising first detecting means for detecting the course of the machine relative to a reference path and providing a signal representative of the magnitude of any steering correction necessary to maintain a desired course, second detecting means for detecting the instantaneous setting of the steering and providing a signal representative thereof, electronic regulating means operable in response to said signals to provide a control signal for controlling steering adjusting means, and switching means for causing the signal of one of the two detecting means to be transmitted to the regulating means through resistance means of a selectable one of at least two different values.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of an agricultural machine according to the said embodiment; and
Figure 2 is a circuit diagram of automatic steering control means of the machine.
Referring now to the drawings, there is shown an automatic agricultural machine 1, for example a maize harvester, provided on its cutting mechanism 2 with a jib 5, on which is mounted a scanning device 3 for scanning a plant row followed by the machine. The scanning device 3 operates a measurement value transmitter 4 which transmits an electrical signal having a voltage proportional to the relationship of the machine to the scanned plant row as detected by the scanning device 3.
The transmitter 4 is connected with a weighting change-over switch unit 7 through a line 6 and a connector 8. The switch unit 7 includes two resistors 9 and 10 providing respectively different resistances, the resistors being selectivey connectible to the output of the unit 7 by a manually operable switch 11.
Connected to the output of the unit 7 is an electronic regulator 1 2 which is operatively connected to two electromagnetic valves 1 3 and 13' of a hydraulic steering control unit 1 4. The unit 1 4 is operatively connected to a steering drive cylinder 1 6 at the front axle 1 7 of the machine 1. Associated with the axle 1 7 is a feedback transmitter 1 7 for detecting the setting of the steering and transmitting a signal voltage proportional thereto to the regulator 1 2. The regulator 1 2 comprises a summator 18, a three-point routing switch 1 9 and a load switch 20.The valves 1 3 and 1 3' are acted on directly by the load switch 20 so that a steering correction can be initiated by the hydraulic unit 1 4.
In operation, the switch unit 7 receives a signal voltage transmitted by the measurement value transmitter 4 and passes it to the summator 1 8 in dependence on the set resistance in the unit 7. A second input to the summator 1 8 comes from the feedback transmitter 1 5. Thus the electronic regulator 1 2 receives on the one hand a signal from the measurement value transmitter 4 indicating the positional relationship of the machine 1 to the scanned plant row, for example at a crop boundary, and on the other hand a signal from the feedback transmitter 1 5 indicating the instantaneous setting or angle of the steered wheels of the machine.
The sum of these two signals is formed in the summator 1 8 and transmitted through the switch 1 9 to the load switch 20. The load switch 20 amplifies the unsteady voltage signals from the switch 20 into appropriate switching currents, by means of which a respective one of the electromagnetic valves 1 3 and 13' is actuated. The wheels are correspondingly displaced by the drive cylinder 1 6 under the control of the hydraulic unit 1 4 and the steering setting corrected until the sum signal of the two transmitters 4 and 1 5 is equal to zero.
To enable automatic steering adjustment in the machine 1 with wet and slippery soil conditions, a lower resistance is switched in at the switch unit 7 by the driver. As a result, the signal voltage of the measurement value transmitter 4 is higher than in the case of normal soil conditions. This higher voltage requires a higher feedback transmitter signal for compensation and this in turn a greater steering angle. Thus, deviation of the machine from the requisite course is compensated for.
This steering correction device has the advantage that appropriate values can be set in the case of changing soil conditions to ensure optimum guidance of the machine.
Claims (1)
1. An agricultural machine provided with automatic steering control means comprising first detecting means for detecting the course of the machine relative to a reference path and providing a signal representative of the magnitude of any steering correction necessary to maintain a desired course, second detecting means for detecting the instantaneous setting of the steering and providing a signal representative thereof, electronic regulating means operable in response to said signals to provide a control signal for controlling steering adjusting means, and switching means for causing the signal of one of the two detecting means to be transmitted to the regulating means through resistance means of a selectable one of at least two different values.
2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, the switching means comprising two resistors providing respectively different values of resistance and a manually operable switch for selectively connecting the resistors to the output of one of the detecting means.
3. A machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the first detecting means comprising a mechanical scanning device for scanning a plant row followed by the machine.
5. A machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the regulating means comprising a summator responsive to the two signals of the detecting means to provide a control signal dependent on the algebraic sum of the two signals.
6. An agricultural machine provided with automatic steering control means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DD79215298A DD145689A1 (en) | 1979-08-31 | 1979-08-31 | CORRECTION DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC STEERING IN SELF-PROPELLED AGRICULTURAL MACHINES |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB2057726A true GB2057726A (en) | 1981-04-01 |
| GB2057726B GB2057726B (en) | 1983-11-30 |
Family
ID=5519917
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8027191A Expired GB2057726B (en) | 1979-08-31 | 1980-08-21 | Automatic steering control |
Country Status (9)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| BG (1) | BG34467A1 (en) |
| CS (1) | CS228725B1 (en) |
| DD (1) | DD145689A1 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE3029005A1 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2464016A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2057726B (en) |
| HU (1) | HU189476B (en) |
| PL (1) | PL123210B1 (en) |
| SU (1) | SU1080771A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0732046A1 (en) * | 1995-03-13 | 1996-09-18 | CLAAS KGaA | Orientation device |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NL8303818A (en) * | 1983-11-07 | 1985-06-03 | Lely Nv C Van Der | TRACTOR. |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BE757894A (en) * | 1970-10-23 | 1971-04-01 | Clayson Nv | DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES MORE SPECIAL COMBINES, (VERSION: G. STRUBBE), |
| FR2240678B1 (en) * | 1973-08-14 | 1978-01-13 | Fahr Ag Maschf |
-
1979
- 1979-08-31 DD DD79215298A patent/DD145689A1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
1980
- 1980-07-31 DE DE19803029005 patent/DE3029005A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1980-08-05 SU SU807771328A patent/SU1080771A1/en active
- 1980-08-14 CS CS805632A patent/CS228725B1/en unknown
- 1980-08-18 BG BG8048861A patent/BG34467A1/en unknown
- 1980-08-20 FR FR8018246A patent/FR2464016A1/en active Granted
- 1980-08-21 GB GB8027191A patent/GB2057726B/en not_active Expired
- 1980-08-29 HU HU802140A patent/HU189476B/en unknown
- 1980-08-29 PL PL1980226483A patent/PL123210B1/en unknown
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0732046A1 (en) * | 1995-03-13 | 1996-09-18 | CLAAS KGaA | Orientation device |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| FR2464016A1 (en) | 1981-03-06 |
| DE3029005A1 (en) | 1981-03-19 |
| CS228725B1 (en) | 1984-05-14 |
| SU1080771A1 (en) | 1984-03-23 |
| PL226483A1 (en) | 1981-05-22 |
| DD145689A1 (en) | 1981-01-07 |
| PL123210B1 (en) | 1982-09-30 |
| FR2464016B1 (en) | 1984-03-16 |
| HU189476B (en) | 1986-07-28 |
| GB2057726B (en) | 1983-11-30 |
| BG34467A1 (en) | 1983-10-15 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |