GB2438064A

GB2438064A - Silo cutting attachment for mechanical excavator

Info

Publication number: GB2438064A
Application number: GB0708765A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arnaud Miossec; Pierre Nedelec; Francois Podeur
Original assignee: Emily SAS
Current assignee: Emily SAS
Priority date: 2006-05-10
Filing date: 2007-05-04
Publication date: 2007-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 2027-05-04
Also published as: BE1017306A3; ES2330069B2; FR2900791B1; GB0708765D0; GB2438064B; ES2330069A1; FR2900791A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a loading and unloading bucket assembly (100) designed to be attached to a lifting arm (B) of a self-propelling machine (M), the bucket assembly (100) comprises a tub (110), a toothed roller (160) mounted in articulated fashion on the tub (110) through the intermediary of arms (151, 152) against an operating means (180) to extract product stored in a silo (S), a deflector (200) disposed close to the toothed roller (160) to deflect the product extracted by the toothed roller (160) back into the tub (110), the deflector (200) comprising a mobile wall (232). According to the invention, the relative movement of the mobile wall (232) is controlled by that of the arms (151, 152) and can be defined so that the mobile wall can deflect the particles of product extracted from the silo by the toothed roller back into the interior of the tub and in particular into its rear portion.

Description

The present invention relates to a loading and unloading bucket

assembly designed to be attached to a self-propelling machine, such as an agricultural tractor or telescopic loader.

Such a bucket assembly is suitable for transporting bulk products and for example feeds between a storage silo and a mixing and distributing tub having no loading system.

To facilitate collection of the stored feeds, the bucket assembly can be provided with a toothed roller driven in rotation between two arms mounted in articulated fashion on the bucket assembly. This toothed roller, which is provided with cutters, is designed to be moved vertically by the arms along one wall of the silo and in front of the loading opening of the bucket so that the cutters scrape said wall and extract feed particles from it which are ejected in the direction of the bucket. To promote better filling of the bucket, i.e. to avoid an excessive quantity of feed falling outside the bucket, the inventor had the idea of placing a deflector close the toothed roller. This is shown in particular in patent application DE-A-199 14 00. The deflector shown in this document is of adjustable type. It is mounted free to rotate about the axis of the toothed roller. It comprises a curved plate to channel the particles of product in the direction of a container and here a trailer, and a stop which can slide against the scraped wall of the silo to adjust the curved plate.

However, the adjustment of this curved plate is approximate so that the efficiency of the deflector is affected by it.

Thus, the object of the invention is to propose a loading and unloading bucket assembly provided with a toothed roller mounted so as to be mobile in front of the loading opening of the bucket, and in the vicinity of which is installed a deflector which is articulated and the operation of which is more efficient.

To this end, a loading and unloading bucket assembly is proposed designed to be attached to a lifting arm of a self-propelling machine, the bucket assembly comprising a tub, a toothed roller mounted in articulated fashion on the tub through the intermediary of arms against an operating means to extract product stored in a silo, a deflector disposed close to the toothed roller to deflect the product extracted by the toothed roller into the tub, the deflector comprising a mobile wall. According to the invention, the relative movement of this mobile wall is controlled by that of the arms.

The adjustment of the mobile of the deflector in relation to the opening of the tub can thus be defined so that the mobile wall can deflect the particles of product extracted from the silo by the toothed roller into the inside of the tub. Advantageously, the adjustment of the mobile wall is defined so that particles of product can be sent to the rear portion of the tub to ensure complete filling of the latter.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the bucket assembly is provided with a hydraulic actuator capable of being operated by the movement of one of the arms to supply a hydraulic jack disposed so as to be able to modify the adjustment of the mobile wall.

This simple design makes it possible to obtain autonomous operation of the mobile wall of the deflector.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the hydraulic actuator and the hydraulic jack are identical hydraulic jacks of double-acting type.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the arms are fixed on the tub through the intermediary of articulations held offset to the rear of the tub by two supports respectively.

Thanks to this design, the toothed roller does not dig into the wall of the silo as much as a conventional bucket during its movement.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the tub comprises lateral flanks, each support being constituted by a flange fixed against a lateral flank exhibiting a projecting portion such that each articulation can be mounted between the projecting portion of the lateral flank and the corresponding flange.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the deflector is provided with a fixed wall.

This fixed wall is disposed so as to be able to deflect the particles of product received directly from the toothed roller back into the interior of the tub or to deflect them back in the directionof the mobile wall.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the fixed wall comprises a flat wall fixed on a crossmember connecting the arms, facing towards the tub and extending in the direction of the toothed roller, the front portion of the fixed wall extending on this side of a plane perpendicular to said wall and which is secant to the axis of the toothed roller, the front portion of the fixed wall exhibiting a curved zone facing towards the toothed roller.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the mobile wall is fixed by an articulation on the rear portion of the fixed wall.

A deflector of simple design is obtained having a fixed wall and a mobile wall.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, a lug is provided on the back of the mobile wall and on which is fixed one articulation of the hydraulic jack, the other articulation of said jack being fixed on a return provided on the rear portion of the fixed wall.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the hydraulic actuator is mounted in articulated fashion firstly between a support and secondly on one of the first branches of one of the arms.

The characteristics of the invention mentioned above, and others, will become more clearly apparent on reading the following description of an embodiment example, said description being given in connection with the attached drawings in which: fig. 1 shows a view of a self-propelling machine provided with an articulated arm on which is mounted a loading and unloading bucket assembly according to the invention; fig. 2 shows a front view in perspective of a loading and unloading bucket assembly according to the invention; fig. 3 shows a rear view in perspective of a loading and unloading bucket assembly according to the invention; fig. 4 shows a side view of a loading and unloading bucket assembly provided with a collecting device placed in a raised position according to the invention; fig. S shows a side view of a loading and unloading bucket assembly provided with a collecting device placed in a lowered position according to the invention; fig. 6 shows a view of a self-propelling machine provided with an articulated arm on which is mounted a loading and unloading bucket assembly the collecting device of which is placed in a raised position according to the invention; fig. 7 shows a view of an articulated arm of a self-propelling machine and on which is mounted a loading and unloading bucket assembly the collecting device of which is placed in an intermediate position according to the invention, and fig. 8 shows a view of an articulated arm of a self-propelling machine and on which is mounted a loading and unloading bucket assembly the collecting device of which is placed in a lowered position according to the invention.

The loading and unloading bucket assembly 100 shown in fig. 1 is carried by the lifting arm B of a self-propelling machine M such as a telescopic loader as shown.

Thus, the self-propelling machine can move and manoeuvre the bucket assembly 100. The bucket assembly 100 is designed to collect product stored in a silo in order to transport it and discharge it in an intended location. In particular, it is suitable for extracting grass or corn silage stored in a silo in order to transport it then discharge it into a tub for distribution of feeds. Only this application for collecting and transporting feeds for animals is presented in the remainder of this description.

The loading and unloading bucket assembly 100 essentially comprises a tub 110, a device 130 for attachment of the bucket assembly 100 to the lifting arm of the self-propelling machine, and a collecting device 150 designed to extract product stored in a silo and direct it into the tub 110.

The tub 110 forms a container for the products to be transported. It is constituted in figs. 2 and 3 by a back wall 111 designed to be turned towards the self-propelling machine, a front wall 112, connected between them by a bottom 113, and which are all three bounded laterally by two lateral flanks 114, 115.

The collecting device 150 is designed to extract product stored in a silo in order to project it into the tub 110.

It is provided with a toothed roller 160 mounted in articulated fashion on the tub 110, in front of its loading and unloading opening, in order to be able to be moved, through the intermediary of an operating means 180, against a wall of a silo S from which it is desired to collect a quantity of product to transfer it to the interior of said tub as shown in figs. 6, 7 and 8.

Thus, the collecting device 150 in figs. 2 and 3 comprises two arms 151, 152 of general L profile provided respectively with two first branches l5la, 152a mounted rotatably on the two lateral flanks 114, 115 and which are extended respectively by two second branches isib, l52b between which the toothed roller 160 is mounted rotatably.

The collecting device 150 also comprises in these figs. 2 and 3 a deflector 200 designed to deflect the product extracted by the toothed roller 160 into the interior of the tub 110.

In fig. 3 the collecting device 150 is mounted in articulated fashion on the tub 110, level with the free ends of the first branches iSla and 152a, through the intermediary of two articulations 153 and 154. These articulations 153 and 154 are held offset to the rear of the tub 110 by respectively two supports 155 and 156. This design makes it possible to increase the distance separating the toothed roller 160 from its articulations 153, 154, which, when in operation, makes it possible to reduce the digging into the vertical wall of the silo during the work of the toothed roller 160 when it is moved by the operating means 180. This design also makes it possible to reach the top of the wall of the silo without moving the bucket assembly.

Each support 155, 156 is constituted by a flange fixed level with the back wall ill against a lateral flank 114 or 115 exhibiting a projecting portion such that each articulation 153, 154 can be mounted between the projecting portion of the lateral flank 114 or 115 and the corresponding flange 115, 156.

In fig. 2 the toothed roller 160 is constituted by a cylinder 162 around which is mounted a plurality of scraping means 170.

The cylinder 162 is mounted free to rotate about a shaft 163 held at one end by a bearing fixed on the second branch l5lb of an arm 151 and held at its other end by a means of entrainment disposed in a casing 164 fixed on the second branch 152b of the other arm 152. This casing 164 is housed in one end of the cylinder 162. The means of entrainment is constituted advantageously by a hydraulic motor designed to be powered by the hydraulic circuit of the self-propelling machine to permit the entrainment in rotation of the cylinder 162 supporting the scraping means 170.

A free wheel, not shown, is also mounted between the hydraulic motor and the shaft 163 supporting the cylinder 162 in order to reduce the jerks in operation. This free wheel is preferably of hydraulic type comprising a non-return valve.

In fig. 2 the scraping means 170 are constituted by a plurality of cutters 174 projecting on the periphery of the cylinder 162 in order to tear away the product stored in the silo during the movement of the toothed roller 160 against one wall of said silo as it rotates. The extracted product is then centrifuged in the direction of the deflector 200 which deflects it into the interior of the tub 110 where it accumulates. The cutters 174 are distributed uniformly around the cylinder 162. They are also distributed in rows disposed parallel to the shaft 163 and/or disposed in a helix around the cylinder 162.

The cutters 174 are positioned so as to be inclined in relation to a plane perpendicular to the axis passing through the shaft 163. The inclination of the cutters 174 is common in each same row. The value of this inclination is preferably equal to 450 The collecting device 150 is mounted so as to be mobile between a so-called raised position in which the toothed roller 160 can reach the top portion of a silo, as shown in figs. 4 and 6, and a so-called lowered position in which the toothed roller 160 can reach the bottom portion of a silo, as shown in figs. 5 and 8.

Between these two positions, in collaboration with the deflector 200, the toothed roller 160 can direct the product collected from the silo into the tub 110.

In figs. 4 and 5 the operating means 180 of the collecting device 150 is constituted by a pair of hydraulic jacks of double-acting type, designed to be powered by the hydraulic circuit of the self-propelling machine. The hydraulic jacks are anchored on the first branches 151a, 152a of the arms 151, 152 and between the supports 155, 156 and the lateral flanks 114, 115.

In figs. 3, 4 and 5 the deflector 200 is fixed on a crossmember 157 mounted between the first two branches 151a, 152a while being disposed above the arms 151, 152 and close to the toothed roller 160.

The deflector 200 comprises a fixed portion 210 and a mobile portion 230 which is moved by an operating means 250 such as a hydraulic jack, preferably of double-acting type.

The direction of rotation of the toothed roller 160 is shown by the arrow R in figs. 4 and 5. The direction of rotation is such that during its operation the toothed roller 160 ejects the material which it is capable of tearing from a silo and then directs it in the direction of the fixed portion 210 and the mobile portion 230 so that the product ricochets on these and is transferred to the interior of the tub 110. In the views from the left of the bucket assembly 100 shown in these figs. 4 and 5, the direction of rotation R of the toothed roller is of anti-clockwise type.

In figs. 4 and 5 the fixed portion 210 comprises an envelope fixed on the crossmember 157 and which comprises a wall 212 facing towards the tub 110 and which extends in the direction of the toothed roller 160.

The front portion of this wall 212, i.e. the portion which extends in the direction of the toothed roller 160, extends on this side of a plane perpendicular to said wall and which is secant to the axis of the toothed roller 160.

The front portion of the wall 212 exhibits a curved zone facing in the direction of the toothed roller 160 to pick up the particles of product torn away and projected by the toothed roller 160 very close to the silo. This fixed wall 212 can thus deflect the particles of product which it receives directly from the toothed roller 160 back into the inside of the tub 110 or deflect them back in the direction of the mobile portion 230.

The mobile portion 230 comprises a wall 232 the relative movement of which is linked to that of the arms 151, 152.

The adjustment of the wall 232 can thus be modified such that it can deflect the particles of product which strike it and which come from the toothed roller 160 or the fixed wall 212 back into the interior of the tub 110. The adjustment of the wall 232 is advantageously defined such that the particles of product can be deflected back into the rear portion of the tub 110, i.e. in the direction of its back wall 111 so that the tub 110 can be filled completely when it is disposed in its loading position, i.e. with its front wall 112 placed virtually horizontally, as shown in figs. 4 and 5.

The mobile wall 232 is thus assembled, through the intermediary of an articulation 234, on the fixed wall 212 and in its rear portion. A lug 236 is provided on the back of this wall and on which is fixed one articulation of the hydraulic jack 250 while the other articulation of this jack is fixed on a return of the envelope of the fixed portion 210. This mobile wall 232 reinforces the effectiveness of the fixed wall 212 to the extent that its adjustment in relation to the fixed wall 212 is linked to the position of the arms 151, 152 in relation to the tub 110. Thus, the mobile wall 232 can channel the particles of products extracted by the toothed roller 160 by ricochets into the interior of the tub 110, and preferably into its rear portion, regardless of the position of the arms 151, 152 of the collecting device 150. The mobile wall 232 is advantageously constituted by a flat plate to direct the product into the interior of the tub 110 with precision.

To move the mobile wall 232, a hydraulic actuator 240 is entrained by one of the arms 151, 152. The movement of this actuator 240 powers the hydraulic jack 250.

This actuator 240 is preferably constituted by a hydraulic jack of double-acting type. The hydraulic jacks 240 and 250 of double-acting type are preferably identical jacks.

Here the hydraulic actuator 240 is mounted in articulated fashion between firstly one support 155 or 156 and secondly one of the first branches l5la, 152a of one of the arms 151 or 152.

The connecting orifices of the actuator 240 are connected through the intermediary of pipes 242 to those of the hydraulic jack 250 such that the mobile wall 232 can be made to move between a position in which it is disposed substantially in the same plane as the fixed wall 212 in the lowered position of the collecting device 150 which can be seen in fig. 5, and a position in which it is inclined in relation to the fixed wall 212 in the raised position of the collecting device 150 which can be seen in fig. 4 and in which a plane P tangential to said mobile wall 232 extends inside the tub 110. More precisely, the downstream chamber of the actuator 240 is connected to the downstream chamber of the hydraulic jack 250 and the upstream chamber of the actuator 240 is connected to the upstream chamber of the hydraulic jack 250.

Thus, whatever the position of the toothed roller 160 of the collecting device 150 between its two remarkable positions, the product extracted from the silo then centrifuged by the toothed roller 160 is all sent into the tub 110.

The operation of the loading and unloading bucket assembly is assured as follows. The bucket assembly 100 is attached to a self-propelling machine and connected hydraulically and/or electrically so that it can be operated and controlled by said machine.

As shown in fig. 6, the bucket assembly 100 is positioned against a silo S with its collecting device 150 placed in the raised position, and the entrainment in rotation of the toothed roller 160 is started, then the arms 151 and 152 are lowered in the direction of the arrow D so that the toothed roller 160 nibbles a thickness from the wall of the silo S. In fig. 7, and during the lowering of the arms 151, 152 through the effect of the operation of the operating jacks 180, the hydraulic actuator 240 is operated mechanically.

Through circulation of hydraulic fluid through the pipes 242, this drives the hydraulic jack 250 which then operates the mobile wall 232 so that the particles of product which are extracted by the toothed roller 160 and strike said mobile wall and the paths of which are indicated by lines T are ejected into the interior of the tub 110 into its rear portion. The particles of product which strike the fixed wall 212 drop back directly into the tub 110 or strike the mobile wall 232 which deflects them back into the interior of the tub 110.

In fig. 8 when the toothed roller 160 reaches the lowered position, the mobile wall 232 is disposed approximately in the extension of the fixed wall 212. These two walls 232 and 212 then together deflect the particles of product back into the tub 110.

The loading and unloading bucket assembly according to the invention allows rapid filling of its tub.

The positioning of the mobile wall of the deflector has a great effect during the filling of the tub since the entirety of the product extracted by the toothed roller is deflected into the tub.

The positioning of the mobile wall of the deflector is automatic and does not require any intervention on the part of the operator.

The rear offset of the articulations fixing the arms reduces the operating angle between the two extreme positions of the toothed roller in a given pass. In use this results in reduced digging into the wall of the silo during the working of the bucket assembly. The top portion of the silo rio longer collapses and the tub can be filled more rapidly. In practice, the bucket can be filled in a single pass.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Loading and unloading bucket assembly (100) designed to be attached to a lifting arm (B) of a self-propelling machine (M), the bucket assembly (100) comprising a tub (110), a toothed roller (160) mounted in articulated fashion on the tub (110) through the intermediary of arms (151, 152) against an operating means (180) to extract product stored in a silo CS), a deflector (200) disposed close to the toothed roller (160) to deflect the product extracted by the toothed roller (160) back into the tub (110), the deflector (200) comprising a mobile wall (232) the relative movement of the mobile wall (232) being controlled by that of the arms (151, 152), characterised in that the bucket assembly (100) is provided with a hydraulic actuator (240) capable of being operated by the movement of one of the arms (151, 152) to power a hydraulic jack (250) disposed so as to be able to modify the adjustment of the mobile wall (232).

2. Bucket assembly (100) according to claim 1, characterised in that the hydraulic actuator (240) and the hydraulic jack (250) are identical hydraulic jacks of double-acting type.

3. Bucket assembly (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the arms (151, 152) are fixed on the tub (110) through the intermediary of articulations (153, 154) held offset to the rear of the tub (110) by respectively two supports (155, 156).

4. Bucket assembly (100) according to claim 3, characterised in that the *tub (110) comprises lateral flanks (114, 115), each support (155, 156) being constituted by a flange fixed against a lateral flank (114, 115) exhibiting a projecting portion such that each articulation (153, 154) can be mounted between the projecting portion of the lateral flank (114, 115) and the corresponding flange (155, 156) 5. Bucket assembly (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the deflector (200) is provided with a fixed wall (212).

6. Bucket assembly (100) according to claim 5, characterised in that the fixed wall (212) comprises a flat wall fixed on a croasmember (157) connecting the arms (151, 152) facing towards the tub (110) and extending in the direction of the toothed roller (160), the front portion of the fixed wall (212) extending on this side of a plane perpendicular to said wall and which is secant to the axis of the toothed roller (160), the front portion of the fixed wall (212) exhibiting a curved zone facing in the direction of the toothed roller (160).

7. Bucket assembly (100) according to claim 6, characterised in that the mobile wall (232) is fixed by an articulation (234) on the rear portion of the fixed wall (212) 8. Bucket assembly (100) according to any one of claims to 7, characterised in that a lug (236) is provided on the back of the mobile wall (232) and on which is fixed one articulation of the hydraulic jack (250), the other articulation of said jack being fixed on a return provided on the rear portion of the fixed wall (212).

9. Bucket assembly (100) according to claim 4, characterised in that the hydraulic actuator (240) is mounted in articulated fashion firstly between a support (155, 156) and secondly on one of the first branches (iSla, 152a) of one of the arms (151, 152)