GB2170684A

GB2170684A - Plough with width-of-cut adjustment facility

Info

Publication number: GB2170684A
Application number: GB08601152A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Laak Theo Van
Original assignee: Lemken GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Lemken GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1985-02-13
Filing date: 1986-01-17
Publication date: 1986-08-13
Also published as: FR2577104B1; NL192182C; DE3504865A1; NL8503072A; DE3504865C2; FR2577104A1; GB2170684B; NL192182B; GB8601152D0

Abstract

A plough which has a width-of-cut adjustment facility, the adjustment and simultaneous adaption of the front furrow width and traction point being facilitated by the fact that effects are not reciprocal, characterised in that the adjustment device is constructed as a four-bar linkage, 13, 14, 15, 16 of which the instantaneous centre of rotation is disposed in the centrode of the bottom link 2 of the tractor, of which the central link 16 is in an imaginary or actual manner pivotally connected on the plough frame 4 and the rod 7 which connects the plough bodies 5, 6 to one another and is lockable. The lockable construction is achieved thereby through two further links 19, 20 interposed on the one hand between the plough frame 4 and central link 16 and on the other between the plough frame and one of the other links 14 of the four-bar linkage. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Plough with width-of-cut adjustment facility The invention relates to a plough with a device for adjusting the width of cut ofthe plough bodies which are pivotally disposed on the plough frame and connected to one another by a rod, and with a device for adjusting the frontfurrow width and the tractorl plough tractrix and/ortraction point.

The known devices for adjusting the width of cut can be used to set this according to the tractor output available. Since itis possiblethatthe natureofthe field to beploughed maychangeduring ploughing, forexampledueto moistureorsomeothercomposi- tion, it is often necessary to correctthewidth of cut even during ploughing. Forthis purpose, the individual plough bodies which are pivotally mounted on the plough frame are connected to one another by a rod. A disadvantage of the prior art devices for adjusting the width of cut is that the front furrow width and also the tractor/plough tractrix will alter as a result.It hastherefore already been tried (DOS 31 53 302.6) so to construct the device that the bracket ofthe first plough bodyorthe rod which provides parallel guidance ofthe plough bodies is connected by a linkto thefront plough frame and in thatthe link,together with thefront plough frame,the ploughframe and the bracket or rod form a transmission system so that when the plough frame is pivoted,there is at the same time a rotation of all the plough bodies in relation to the front plough frame.

The drawback with the prior art adjusting device is that where the basic setting is concerned, the individual magnitudes must always be separately adjusted and affect one another. Therefore, the front furrowwidth and the pointoftraction adjustment must always match each other, requiring repeated setting and correction. Particularly in the case of major concerns with several tractors, however, this basic setting must be undertaken wheneverthe tractor is changed, so that considerable time it taken. Furthermore, it is inevitable that by reason ofthe cumbersome work of making the basic adjustment, a fine setting ofthe individual values is often dispensed with sothatthe ploughing work suffers.

The invention is based on the problem of providing a plough offering width-of-cut adjustment, in which a simple basic setting is possible, the othervalues being subsequently and automatically adapted.

According to the invention, the problem is resolved in that the device for setting the frontfurrow width and the tractor/plough tractrix or point of traction is constructed to accommodate the device for width-of cutadjustmentand isforthe purpose afour-bar linkage, of which the instantaneous centre of rotation is disposed in the region of the centrode of the bottom links ofthe tractor, of which the central link is actually ortheoretically pivotaily connected to the plough frame and the rod and which can be locked by two further links which are interposed on the one hand between the plough frame and central link and on the other between the plough frame and one ofthe other links ofthefour-bar linkage.

Such a combined adjustment device provides for simple basic setting since, for example, when adjust ing the pointof traction orthetractor/plough tractrix the frontfurrow width does not alter so that readjust- ment or resetting is not required. By the construction ofthe simple adjusting device and integration of the device for width-of-cut adjustment, automatic adaptation of the other values is assured when there is a change of the width of cut even during working.

Operation is simple and reliable and it thus optimally suitableforpractical use.

According to an expedient development, both links are movable orvariable in length sothatthe necessary corrections can be easily undertaken both with regard to lateral traction and also the width of cut. It is particularly expedient if the link connected between the central link and the plough frame, namely the link for width-of-cut adjustment, is constructed as a hydraulic cylinder. In this case, in fact, any correction to the width of cut which may possibly be necessary during operation can be carried out by the tractor driver without any need to stop working. This is particularlyadvantageouswhen ploughing on hilly terrain,when thework is sometimes on the level and sometines on a slope.

Thefrontfurrow width is easily adjusted during the basic setting or even with any other necessary corrections since according to the invention the link which converges on the main link is a tension jack or hydraulic cylinder. Via the tension jack or the hydraulic cylinder,thefour-bar linkage can in each case be so altered that the frontfurrowwidth adjustment can be moved by the necessary amount or adapted to circumstances.

An advantageous width-of-cut adjustment by means ofthe link is guaranteed if, as provided by the invention, the distance between the pivot point withe link and the point of articulation on the rod is greater than that between the pivot point of the body and the associated hinge point. In orderto achieve this different distance, a development ofthe invention envisages the pivot point of the link being associated with a projection protruding laterally above the plough frame. With such a construction, an advantageously straight rod can be used which thus runs parallel with the plough frame, while the necessary displacement of one of the two points is located in a region which does not hamperthe rest of the structure.

An expedient construction ofthe central link which facilitates the different abutment of the links provides forthe central linkto be bent to a boomerang shape, the points of attachment ofthe main link and ofthe link on the plough frame being on oppositely disposed bulges. In this respect, it is in particular possible to use a relatively narrow and thus lightweight central link.

The integration ofthe device for adjusting the cutting width and the four-bar linkage will constitute a system ifthe rod for pivoting of the plough bodies is connected to the central link orthe main linkand central link.

The supporting wheel which helps to carry the plough frame is easily and expediently positioned correctly if it is pivotally connected to the plough frame and rod through its bracket. When the width-ofcut adjustment device is actuated, there is at the same time a correction ofthe relevant position of the supporting wheel and the favourable easy movement of the entire plough is at once available when the setting process has been completed.

The same also applied to preliminarytools which, according to a further development of the invention, are expediently disposed on the pivotable part ofthe plough body. Therefore, they pivot together with the plough body into whatever is the optimum position so that no additional settings or corrections are needed.

In order likewise to facilitate the correction ofthe lateral traction or point oftraction, according to a further embodiment, the link which is of variable length forthis purpose ought to be a hydraulic cylinder. Therefore, this correction, too, can be made directlyfrom thetractorwithoutthe tractor driver having to leave his vehicle.

The invention is characterised particularly in that a plough is provided which is very versatile in use and which can easily and without any great complication be adapted to the particular circumstances both regarding the areas to be ploughed and also the particulartractorbeing used. Any correctionsto the width ofcutwhich become necessary during operation can also be made by the tractor driver from the tractor without his having to stop work.

Further details and advantages ofthe object ofthe invention will become evident from the ensuing description ofthe accompanying drawings which show a preferred embodiment with the necessary details and component parts. in the accompanying drawings: Fig. lisa plan view of a plough with a combined adjusting device; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic sketch showing two different width-of-cut adjustments, and Fig. 3 shows a plough frame with plough bodies and preliminary tools.

The plough 1 shown in Fig. 1 is as usual connected in the region ofthefront plough frame 3 to the bottom links 2 and the top linkwhich is notshown, i.e. in other words the three-point linkage ofthe tractor The plough frame 4 itself has distributed over its length plough bodies 5,6 which are so connected by a rod 7 extending in this case parallel with the plough frame 4 thatthey pivot simultaneouslyabouttheir pivot points when the rod 7 is moved.

The supporting wheel 8 is also connected by its bracket9tothe plough frame 4 on the one hand and the rod 7 on the other. In this way, when the width of cut is changed, there is simultaneously a correction to the setting ofthe supporting wheel 8.

The front furrow width andthetractoriplough tractrix or point of traction can be adjusted by the setting device 10 which is combined with the device 11 for adjusting the width of cut.

The adjusting device 10 consists of the link 13,the main link 14, the link 15 and the central link 16. This four-bar linkage, of which the instantaneous centre of frame 4 via an extension 17 ofthe central iink 16. Atthe same time, the central link 16 is connected tothe ploughframe4viathelink20which constitutesthe device 11 forsetting the width of cut, while the main link 14 is connected to the plough frame 4 via the link 19. This link 19 is used for setting the lateral traction and, like the link 15, is in the example illustrated constucted as a tension jack. The link 20 is a hydraulic cylinder.

The central link 16 or the extension 17 is articulated on the projection 18 which protrudes laterally beyond the plough frame 4. Thus there is an increase in the distance between the pivot point 27 of the link and the point of articulation 28 on the rod 7so that this distance is greaterthan the distance between the pivot point 29 ofthe body and the point of articulation 30.

The central link 16 is boomerang-shaped,the bulges 21, 22 providing the points of attachment23, of the main link 14 and the link 20.

Shown atthe end ofthe plough frame isa plough body, on the pivotable part ofwhich there are mounted preliminary tools 31 which are a disccoulter 32 or a fertiliserattachment33. Thus it is assured that when the device 11 is actuated for adjustment ofthe width of cut, these preliminary tools 31 also move into the new setting together with the relevant plough body 5, 6.

The function of the combined setting devices 10, 11 is illustrated in Fig. 2. Here, the three-point linkage 36 is shown in an original location in solid lines while the broken lines illustrate a pivoted location. This pivoting is achieved in thatthe link 20 is moved into the location 20' by being correspondingly shortened. When this happens,thefour-bar linkage comprising link 13, main link 14, link 15 and central link 16 pivots into the position shown by the broken lines. At the same time, too, the plough frame 4 is pivoted into the position shown by broken lines, as there is an increase in width of cut ofthe individual plough bodies 5,5,. With an altered, i.e. in this case increased width of cut, then, it is possible to work without any other changes because the lateral traction and the frontfu rrow width are simultaneously adjusted orwill work into the correct settings accordingly.

Fig. 3 showsthe last plough body 6' mounted on the plough frame 4. Fixed to its pivotable part are a disc coulter32 and a fertiliser attachment 33. In consequence,their position in relation to the plough body 6' itselfwill not change. Instead, they are pivoted together with the plough body 6'. The disc coulter32 is mounted directly on the pivotable part by its arm and through a holder 34.

Claims

1. Plough with a device for adjusting the width of cut ofthe plough bodies which are pivotally disposed on the plough frame and connected to one another by a rod, and with a device foradjusting the frontfurrow width and the tractor/plough tractrix and/ortraction point, characterised in that the adjusting device (10) is constructed to accommodate the device for cutting width adjustment and istothis end in theform of a four-bar linkage, ofwhich the istantaneous centre of rotation is disposed in the centrode of the bottom links (2) of the tractor, of which the central link (16) is actually ortheoretically pivotally connected to the plough frame (4) and the rod (7) and which can be locked by two further links (19,20) which are interposed on the one hand between the plough frame and the central link and on the other between the plough frame and oneofthe otherlinks (13,14,15) of the four-bar linkage.

2. Plough according to Claim 1, characterised in that both links (19, 20) are constructed to be movable orofvariable length.

3. Plough according to Claim 1 and Claim 2, characterised in thatthe link (20) incorporated between central link (16) and plough frame (4) is preferably constructed as a hydraulic cylinder.

4. Plough according to Claim 1, characterised in that the link (15) which is disposed to converge on the main link (14) isatensionjackorhydrauliccylinder.

5. Plough according to Claim 1, characterised in thatthe distance between the pivot point (27) of the link and the point of articulation (28) on the rod (7) is greaterthan that between pivot point (29) ofthe body and the associated pointofarticulation (30).

6. Plough according to Claim 5, characterised in that the pivot point (27) ofthe link is associated with a projection (18) protruding laterally above the plough frame (4).

7. Plough according to Claim 1, characterised in that the central link (16) is bent in a boomerang shape, the points (24,23) of attachment of the main link (14) and of the link (20) on the plough frame (4) being fixed on oppositely disposed bulges (22, 21).

8. Plough according to Claim 1, characterised in thatthe rod (7)forpivoting ofthe plough bodies (5, 6) is connected to the central link (16) orthe main link (14) and central link (16).

9. Plough according to Claim 1, characterised in thatthe supporting wheel (8) which helps to carry the plough frame (4) is connected via its bracket (9) to the plough frame and the rod (7).

10. Plough according to Claim 1, characterised in thatpreliminarytools (31 ) both intheform of a disc coulter (32) and also in the form of a fertiliser attachment (33) are disposed on the pivotable part of the plough body (5,6).

11. Plough according to Claim 1, characterised in thatthe link (19) is constructed as a hydraulic cylinder.

12. Plough as claimed in claim 1, substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.