GB2127358A

GB2127358A - Handling hopper for a harvesting machine

Info

Publication number: GB2127358A
Application number: GB08317587A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerard Albert Tasset; Jean Camille Dutrieux
Original assignee: Cockerill Sambre SA
Current assignee: ArcelorMittal Liege Upstream SA
Priority date: 1982-07-01
Filing date: 1983-06-29
Publication date: 1984-04-11
Also published as: IT8367672A0; LU84867A1; GB8317587D0; NL8302329A; BE893732A; IT1218937B; DE3322351A1

Abstract

The hopper comprises a storage container 2, and means such as a hinge to enable it to pivot about a substantially horizontal axis 6 between an inclined collecting position and a horizontal discharge position. Means such as a pivot 3 enable it to pivot about a substantially vertical axis thus allowing the discharge direction of the hopper to be selected. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A handling hopper The present invention relates to handling hoppers and in particular to hoppers of this type used in agriculture during the harvesting of beets, carrots, potatoes, and other like products.

The harvesting operations for products such as those mentioned above often make use of a handling hopper which may be rigid with the harvesting machine. The products are pulled or at least lifted from the ground, conveyed, and then, either simultaneously or after a certain time lapse, discharged to large capacity transportation means such as, for example, lorries.

Present harvesting machines make use of two major categories of handling hoppers, those with rear discharge and those with lateral discharge.

A hopper with rear discharge may be designed such that it is very long and one can increase its capacity and its discharge height without modifying its width, the width having to be limited to three metres if a certificate of approval for travel on public roads is to be obtained. However, this type of hopper may only be used either to deposit its contents in a heap on the ground, when the hopper is moving, or to transfer the load to another vehicle, when the hopper is stationary and the other vehicle is moving in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hopper. It can therefore be seen that it is not possible to empty the hopper while filling it and that it is always necessary to stop the machine which drives and fills the hopper.

In order to remedy this drawback, hoppers of the second type, i.e. having lateral discharge, were designed, enabling parallel operation with another vehicle. The harvesting machine to which the hopper is connected fills the hopper, which discharges its contents laterally into another vehicle moving parallel to the harvesting machine. However, if it is desired to exceed a certain capacity, for example 5 tonnes, it is necessary to design a hopper, certain of whose portions have to be folded back for road travel, as its total width in operation is greater than the prescribed 3 metres. In addition, the bases of these hoppers generally comprise a moving conveyor and problems may arise with respect to articulation, transfer, and motor control.

It is obvious that the hopper of the first type, i.e.

with rear discharge, does not present any problems of utilization over the entire surface area of a field, although the time loss resulting from the stoppage of harvesting for discharge operations represents a significant handicap.

Hoppers of the second type, i.e. with lateral discharge, do not present the above drawbacks, but their use is restricted to the central portion of a field, since it is necessary for a vehicle to follow a path parallel to the hopper. With respect to the periphery of the field to be harvested, the hopper must operatesolely on the basis of its own capacity, then discharge its contents and recommence harvesting.

This procedure requires many manoeuvres and leads to considerable down times during harvesting.

As far as we know there is at present no hopper enabling the above-mentioned drawbacks to be remedied. The selection of one type of hopper automatically involves one type of discharge and therefore involves the acceptance of drawbacks.

We have designed a hopper which has the considerable advantage of avoiding the above-mentioned drawbacks.

The following description is based principally on the case of a hopper connected to a harvesting machine, but this is in no way limiting and is imposed solely so as to be able to describe the invention in a concrete manner.

The present invention provides a hopper which comprises both means designed to cause it to pivot about a substantially vertical axis and means designed to cause it to pivot about a substantially horizontal axis.

In a preferred embodiment the hopper is supported exclusively or partially by a pivot and/or a circular or non-circular runway so that it may pivot about a vertical axis and may pivot about a horizontal axis under the action of jacks.

Preferably, the hopper comprises a storage container having a substantially parallelepipedic shape, one of whose substantially vertical sides may be tilted horizontally, the container being mounted on a pivot having a vertical axis and/or a horizontal runway enabling a rotation of, preferably, 90" and one or more jacks acting as one or a plurality of locations enabling it to be tilted about a horizontal axis.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, whose sole Figure shows an exploded isometric view of a hopper.

The handling hopper illustrated comprises a mobile main chassis 1 which is connected to a harvesting machine (not shown) and which carries a pivotable chassis 5 mounted on the main chassis 1 by means of a supporting pivot 3 whose axis is substantially vertical. A storage container 2 is mounted on the pivotable chassis 5 and is hinged to it along a substantially horizontal axis 6. A hydraulic jack4fortilting the container 2 about the axis 6 is connected between one side of the container and the chassis 5. Preferably, a second jack (not visible) is provided on the opposite side.

The container 2 has a substantially rectangular base 7 and three upstanding side-walls 8, the fourth side of the container having a side-wall which is tiltable, for discharge of produce. The container is tiltable by the jack 4 between the collecting position shown and a discharge position in which its base 7 rests on the chassis 5. Jacks or other transmission means (not shown) are also provided for turning the chassis 5 about the axis of the pivot 3 so as to direct the open discharge side of the container 2 to the rear or to either side (i.e. through a maximum angle of at least 2700).

The means for discharging the storage container, for example by means of a moving conveyor, and the required hydraulic and/or mechanical transmissions are not shown.

The hopper described above has the following advantages: - it can be provided with a large volume yet kept to a size which is compatible with requirements for travel on public roads; - rear and lateral discharge are both possible; - simultaneous loading and discharge either on the left-hand or right-hand side of the harvesting machine, in accordance with the best possibilities of access, can be achieved.

Claims

1. A handling hopper comprising a storage container, first means mounting the container for pivoting about a substantially vertical axis, and second means mounting the container for pivoting about a substantially horizontal axis.

2. A hopper as claimed in claim 1, in which the said first means comprises a pivot.

3. A hopper as claimed in claim 1, in which the said first means comprises a runway.

4. A hopper as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, further comprising at least one jack for pivoting the container about a substantially horizontal axis.

5. A hopper as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, in which the container is pivotable through at least 90" about a substantially vertical axis.

6. A hopper as claimed in claim 5, in which the container is pivotable through at least 270 about a substantially vertical axis.

7. A hopper as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, in which the container comprises a substantially rectangular base and three upstanding side walls.

8. A hopper as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, in which the said first means comprises a main chassis, a pivotable chassis supporting the container and being mounted on the main chassis so as to be pivotable about a substantially vertical axis, and the said second means comprises a hinge connection between the container and the pivotable chassis.

9. A handling hopper substantially as described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawing.