NL2028991B1 - Hoeing machine - Google Patents
Hoeing machine Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- NL2028991B1 NL2028991B1 NL2028991A NL2028991A NL2028991B1 NL 2028991 B1 NL2028991 B1 NL 2028991B1 NL 2028991 A NL2028991 A NL 2028991A NL 2028991 A NL2028991 A NL 2028991A NL 2028991 B1 NL2028991 B1 NL 2028991B1
- Authority
- NL
- Netherlands
- Prior art keywords
- hoeing
- rotor head
- elements
- contact surface
- soil
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01B—SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL
- A01B33/00—Tilling implements with rotary driven tools, e.g. in combination with fertiliser distributors or seeders, with grubbing chains, with sloping axles, with driven discs
- A01B33/06—Tilling implements with rotary driven tools, e.g. in combination with fertiliser distributors or seeders, with grubbing chains, with sloping axles, with driven discs with tools on vertical or steeply-inclined shaft
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01B—SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL
- A01B35/00—Other machines for working soil not specially adapted for working soil on which crops are growing
- A01B35/20—Tools; Details
- A01B35/28—Rotating tools; Mounting rotating tools
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01B—SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL
- A01B39/00—Other machines specially adapted for working soil on which crops are growing
- A01B39/12—Other machines specially adapted for working soil on which crops are growing for special purposes, e.g. for special culture
- A01B39/16—Other machines specially adapted for working soil on which crops are growing for special purposes, e.g. for special culture for working in vineyards, orchards, or the like ; Arrangements for preventing damage to vines
- A01B39/163—Other machines specially adapted for working soil on which crops are growing for special purposes, e.g. for special culture for working in vineyards, orchards, or the like ; Arrangements for preventing damage to vines comprising rotating tools
- A01B39/166—Other machines specially adapted for working soil on which crops are growing for special purposes, e.g. for special culture for working in vineyards, orchards, or the like ; Arrangements for preventing damage to vines comprising rotating tools actively driven
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01B—SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL
- A01B39/00—Other machines specially adapted for working soil on which crops are growing
- A01B39/12—Other machines specially adapted for working soil on which crops are growing for special purposes, e.g. for special culture
- A01B39/18—Other machines specially adapted for working soil on which crops are growing for special purposes, e.g. for special culture for weeding
Abstract
Hoeing machine comprising at least one swivel arm with at least one rotor head carrying a plurality of downwardly extending hoeing elements or teeth, and a drive for rotating the rotor head. The swivel arm comprises a surface—following member arranged to follow a soil surface during movement of the hoeing machine over the soil surface. The surface— following member comprises a soil contact surface of the rotor head between the hoeing elements. The hoeing elements can for example have a cutting level which is adjustable relative to the soil contact surface.
Description
NL33877-ZO0/av
HOEING MACHINE
The invention relates to a hoeing machine compris- ing a main frame and at least one swivel arm with a rotor head carrying a plurality of downwardly extending hoeing el- ements, such as hoeing teeth or prongs. The hoeing machine also comprises a drive for rotating the rotor head. The ro- tor head can be arranged to rotate the hoeing elements in a substantially horizontal plane.
Hoeing machines of this type are for example used in vineyards, fruit tree orchards and tree nurseries. For environmental reasons, chemical weed control is being re- placed with mechanical means for removing weeds, such as tractor propelled hoeing machines powered through the power take-off shaft of the tractor.
Hoeing machines can be provided with a swivel arm which can be moved sidewards relative to the travel direc- tion of the hoeing machine during use, so as to allow the hoeing machine to reach soil between two adjacent trees in a row. WO 2015/173736 discloses a weed cutter with hinged frame comprising a cutter disc with fixed cutting blades. In use the hinging frame rests on a supporting wheel. With ir- regular ground surfaces, such as with potholes or protruding tree roots, the cutter disc follows up and down movement of the support wheel. As a result, the cutting blades cannot work the soil surface evenly.
The object of the invention is to provide a hoeing machine allowing very efficient and even working of the soil surface to be treated.
The object of the invention is achieved with a hoeing machine comprising a main frame and at least one swivel arm with a surface following member arranged to fol- low a soil surface during movement of the hoeing machine over the soil surface, the surface following member compris- ing a soil contact surface of the rotor head between the hoeing elements. As a result, the rotor head follows any height variation of the soil surface. In operation, the ro- tor head is the lowest part of the swivel arm, with the soil contact surface and the hoeing elements engaging the soil surface. In such a configuration the level of the hoeing el- ements is not determined by the level of a supporting wheel, but rather by the soil contact surface of the rotor head.
This enables adjustment of the working level of the hoeing elements by adjusting the level relative to the soil contact surface.
Since the rotor head follows the soil surface, the swivel arm is fully supported by the frame and cannot have a support wheel, at least not between the rotor head and a horizontal swivel axis of the swivel arm.
To further improve even working of the hoeing ele- ments, the swivel arm can be pivotable about at least two axis of rotation, e.g., a vertical axis of rotation and at least one horizontal axis, in particular about an axis per- pendicular to a longitudinal axis of the swivel arm. This way the swivel arm has an additional degree of freedom to follow the soil surface.
Swiveling about a vertical axis facilitates side- ward movement. When the hoeing machine passes a tree, the swivel arm can be pushed inward towards the hoeing machine frame. After passing the tree, the rotor head can move back sidewards for cutting weed between the tree and a next tree.
Swiveling about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the swivel arm allows the rotor head to closely follow height variations of the soil sur- face.
Optionally, the rotor head can be swiveling about the longitudinal axis of the swivel arm. In this way the ro- tor head can also adapt its position to local variations in the angle of inclination of the soil surface.
The soil contact surface can for example be cup- shaped, e.g., with a lowest point aligned with the axis of rotation of the rotor head.
The hoeing elements can have a hoeing level which is adjustable relative to the soil contact surface of the rotor head. This relative distance between the tips of the hoeing teeth tips and the soil contact surface defines the working depth of the hoeing teeth. In this way, hoeing can be adapted to the type and hardness of soil or the type of weed to be cut.
In a specific embodiment, a biasing element such as a gas spring can be used to bias the swivel arm to an ex- tended position. When a tree is passed, the rotor head can passively be pushed back by the tree without needing active control of the swivel arm by a controller.
In another embodiment, one or more actuators can be used to actively control horizontal movement of the swivel arms in response to control signals, which may for example be generated by one or more sensors and/or feelers and/or a human operator.
To prevent damage of trees, the rotor head can have an outer circumferential edge provided with a bumper, e.g., of a rubber or elastomeric material. Good results are obtained if the bumper has a flat circumferential outer sur- face. This prevents concentrated impact loads when hitting a tree and substantially reduces damage to the trees. Such bumpers can also be used with outer types of hoeing ma- chines, regardless of the presence of a surface-following member and/or a soil contact surface of the rotor head be- tween the hoeing teeth.
In a further embodiment, the rotor head can be provided with a skirt or cylinder shielding the hoeing teeth. The hoeing elements and the ground following soil contact surface project from an open bottom side of the skirt. The skirt protects irrigation pipes and water hoses that may be present in the orchard or vineyard, or people or objects present in other operating environments. The skirt also limits rocketing of soil material loosened by the hoe- ing elements.
The invention also relates to a hoeing machine comprising at least one rotor head carrying a plurality of downwardly extending hoeing elements, and a drive for rotat- ing the rotor head, wherein the rotor head comprises a surface-follow- ing member which is vertically movable to follow a soil sur- face during movement of the hoeing machine over the soil surface, wherein the surface-following member comprises a soll contact surface of the rotor head between the hoeing elements; wherein the hoeing elements have a cutting level which is adjustable relative to the soil contact surface.
The rotor head can for example be suspended form a swiveling arm or from the main frame. In the latter case, the rotor head can for example be movable up and down along a vertical sliding guide, e.g., with a spring element sup- porting up or down movement. The hoeing machine may for ex- ample comprise one or more rows of such rotor heads, e.g., being movable up and down independently from each other.
The power drive can for example be a drive train powered via the power take-off shaft of a tractor, e.g., with the hoeing machine being arranged behind the tractor or in an offset arrangement. Alternatively, the tilling appa- 5 ratus can be a self-propelled carriage with a motor drive for driving the rotary supports, or the tilling apparatus can have any other suitable driving means.
The hoeing machine can for example be used as a weed cutter or for loosening and working a soil surface, e.g., vineyards, orchards, tree nurseries, cemeteries, park- ing lots, or similar areas with trees or lampposts or the like.
The invention is further explained with reference to the accompanying drawings showing exemplary embodiments.
Figure 1: shows an exemplary embodiment of a hoeing machine;
Figure 2: shows the hoeing machine of Figure 1 from the rear side;
Figure 3: shows a swivel arm of the hoeing machine in top view;
Figure 4: shows the swivel arm of Figure 3 in side view;
Figure 5: shows a rotor head of the hoeing machine in side view.
Figure 1 shows a hoeing machine 1, which can be coupled to a tractor and be driven via a power take-off shaft of the tractor. The hoeing machine 1 comprises a frame 2 with side walls 3, a central hollow beam 4 extending be- tween the two side walls 3 and two parallel uprights 5 car- ried by the central hollow bar 4. The two uprights 5 carry and guide a hitch frame 6 in a height adjustable manner. A yoke 7 is mounted on top of the hitch frame 6 for connection to a tractor. On top of the central hollow bar 4 below the yoke 7, is a gear box 8 connectable to the power take-off shaft of a tractor.
A row of rotary supports 9 is suspended from a lower side of the central hollow beam 4. The rotary supports 9 comprise a rotary disc 10 and a holder frame 11 mounted to the lower side of the rotary disc 10. The rotary discs 10 are driven to rotate by means of the tractors power drive via the gear box 8 and a drive train hidden from view within the central hollow beam 4. The rotary supports 9 are driven to rotate about a vertical axis of rotation R.
The hoeing machine 1 further has two swivel arms 21, both carrying a single rotor head 22 with a set of down- wardly extending hoeing elements or teeth 18. These rotor heads 22 serve to hoe areas besides the traveling path of the tractor, e.g., between trees.
At the front side of the hoeing machine 1 is a ro- tatable drum 23 with a substantially horizontal cylindrical axis for levelling and compacting the tilled soil. The drum 23 also contributes to stabilization of the hoeing machine during operation. Instead of a rotatable drum a sliding body or sledge can be used, if so desired.
One of the swivel arms 21 is shown in top view in
Figure 3. The swivel arm 21 is connected to the frame 2 by a pivot joint 25 defining a vertical swivel axis. The swivel arm 21 is swivelled about the pivot joint 25 between a re- tracted position (shown in Figure 3 in dotted lines) and an extended position (shown in uninterrupted lines). A first gas spring 26 biases the swivel arm 21 into the extended po- sition. When a tree is passed, the tree can push back the rotor head 22 of the swivel arm 21 against the action of the first gas spring 26. After passing the tree, the swivel arm
21 flips back into the extended position so the rotor head 22 can work the soil surface directly next to the tree.
The swivel arm 21 is provided with a foot 27 com- prising a damper 28 spacing the foot 27 from the frame 2 5 when the swivel arm 21 is in its extended position.
Figure 4 shows the swivel arm 21 in side view. The swivel arm 21 is a four bar linkage, in particular a paral- lelogram linkage with a foot link 30 fixed to the vertical pivot joint 25, an upper longitudinal link 31, a lower lon- gitudinal link 32 which is parallel to the upper longitudi- nal link 31, and a rotor head link 33 carrying the rotor head 22. The lower and upper longitudinal links 31, 32 are of even length and have one end pivotally connected to the foot link 30, and an opposite end pivotally connected to the rotor head link 33. The upper and lower links 31, 32 remain parallel while swivelling up and down relative to the foot link 30 and the rotor head link 33 remains parallel to the foot link 30.
A second gas spring 34 extends between the foot linkage 30 and the upper linkage 31. The second gas spring 34 acts against the weight of the rotor head, making it eas- ier for the rotor head to accurately follow surface irregu- larities.
The rotor head 22 comprises a rotary disc 35, which is powered to rotate relative to the swivel arm 21 about a vertical rotor axis of rotation R through the center of the rotary disc 35. The hoeing teeth 18 rotate with the rotary disc 35 and have a downwardly extending section 19 and a horizontal foot section 20 extending inwardly towards the vertical axis of rotation R.
A cylindrical skirt 36 is connected to the hoeing teeth 18 and shields the hoeing teeth 18 to prevent damag- ing, e.g., of irrigation pipes and hoses on the treated soil surface. The skirt 36 rotates with the rotary disc 35 and the hoeing teeth 18. The skirt 36 has an open top side and an open bottom side. The soil contact surface 38 and the hoeing elements 18 project from the open bottom side. Soil loosened by the hoeing teeth 18 remains in the skirt 36 and moves upwards until it escapes through the open top of the skirt 36.
The rotor head 22 also carries a surface-following member centrally between the hoeing teeth 18. The surface- following member 37 has a lower end defining a cup-shaped soll contact surface 38 with a lowest point aligned with the vertical rotary axis R. During operation, the soil contact surface 38 continuously contacts the soil, while the hoeing teeth 18 extend into the ground. Since the swivel arm 21 can swivel up and down, the rotor head 22 and the soil contact surface 38 follow any height variation of the soil surface.
The level of the hoeing teeth 18 relative to the soil contact surface 38 is adjustable
If the soil contact surface 38 passes a higher part of the soil surface, such as a heap or lump, the rotor head 22 is moved upwardly against the action of the second gas spring 34. If the rotor head 22 passes a pit or pothole, the weight of the rotor head 22 moves the soil contact sur- face 38 down against the action of the second gas spring 34.
This way, the rotor head 22 will closely follow any height differences of the soil surface.
To prevent damage of trees, the rotor head 22 has a circumferential bumper 40 of a rubber or elastomeric mate- rial with a flat and cylindrical circumferential outer sur- face.
Figure 5 shows a rotor head 22 without the skirt 36 to show more detail, in particular the level adjustment mechanism. The surface following member 37 has a central vertical shaft 42, vertically slidable in a hollow vertical cylinder 43, which is fixed to the rotor head 22. The cylin- der 43 is provided with a number of pairs of oppositely ar- ranged holes 44, the pairs being at different levels. The vertical shaft 42 of the surface-following member 37 is pro- vided with a horizontal transversal opening (not shown). A bolt 45 is inserted via one of the pair of holes 44 in the cylinder 43 in the transversal opening of the vertical shaft 42. The level of the hoeing teeth 18 relative to the surface following member 37 can be adjusted by selecting a different pair of holes 44 at a different level and inserting the bolt 45 into the selected pair of holes 44 and the transversal opening in the vertical shaft 42.
The terms “horizontal”, “vertical”, "upward", "downward", "below", "above", and the like relate to the em- bodiments as oriented during normal, regular use or storage, as shown in the drawings, unless otherwise specified.
The disclosure is not restricted to the above de- scribed embodiment which can be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the claims. For example, the hoeing ma- chine can be self-propelled or driven by any other power source than a tractor, or the first gas spring can be re- placed by a hydraulic, pneumatic or electric actuator for actively controlling movement of the swivel arm, and/or the swivel arm or arms can be provided with two or more rotor heads.
Claims (9)
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
NL2028991A NL2028991B1 (en) | 2021-08-19 | 2021-08-19 | Hoeing machine |
EP22187741.8A EP4136949A1 (en) | 2021-08-19 | 2022-07-29 | Hoeing machine |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
NL2028991A NL2028991B1 (en) | 2021-08-19 | 2021-08-19 | Hoeing machine |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
NL2028991B1 true NL2028991B1 (en) | 2023-02-24 |
Family
ID=77999346
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
NL2028991A NL2028991B1 (en) | 2021-08-19 | 2021-08-19 | Hoeing machine |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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NL (1) | NL2028991B1 (en) |
Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CA1192778A (en) * | 1981-03-03 | 1985-09-03 | Clayton Melrose | Retractable in-row tiller device |
US4544038A (en) * | 1983-01-17 | 1985-10-01 | Schonert Robert F | Rotary tiller apparatus and pivotal support structure therefor |
US5540287A (en) * | 1994-10-17 | 1996-07-30 | Zaharia; Paul M. | Ground working device for powered hand-held rotary devices |
WO2015173736A1 (en) | 2014-05-16 | 2015-11-19 | Laghi Moreno | An agricultural implement for removing the weeds that form in land used as orchards and vineyards |
-
2021
- 2021-08-19 NL NL2028991A patent/NL2028991B1/en active
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CA1192778A (en) * | 1981-03-03 | 1985-09-03 | Clayton Melrose | Retractable in-row tiller device |
US4544038A (en) * | 1983-01-17 | 1985-10-01 | Schonert Robert F | Rotary tiller apparatus and pivotal support structure therefor |
US5540287A (en) * | 1994-10-17 | 1996-07-30 | Zaharia; Paul M. | Ground working device for powered hand-held rotary devices |
WO2015173736A1 (en) | 2014-05-16 | 2015-11-19 | Laghi Moreno | An agricultural implement for removing the weeds that form in land used as orchards and vineyards |
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