WO2015069117A1

WO2015069117A1 - Reversible plough depth wheel arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2015069117A1
Application number: PCT/NO2014/050201
Authority: WO
Inventors: Svein SIGMUNDSTAD
Original assignee: Kverneland Group Operations Norway As
Priority date: 2013-11-08
Filing date: 2014-10-27
Publication date: 2015-05-14
Also published as: CN105578866B; EA031751B1; EP3065524A4; EP3065524A1; CA2925538A1; NO336571B1; CN105578866A; EA201690805A1; NO20131496A1

Abstract

A depth-wheel arrangement (2) for a reversible plough (1) is described, in which two concentric depth wheels (21, 22) are attached to a wheel arm (24) connecting a middle portion (231) of a wheel shaft (23) to a wheel mount (25).

Description

REVERSIBLE PLOUGH DEPTH WHEEL ARRANGEMENT

The invention relates to a depth-wheel arrangement for a reversible plough including two concentric depth wheels arranged with a clearance between them.

On a three-point-mounted plough, a single depth wheel is used today. Normally it gives sufficient load-carrying capacity, thereby keeping the working depth of the rear part of the plough at a correct working level. When there is a need for a greater load- carrying capacity of the depth wheel, a challenge still exists by the very fact of there being limitations on how large a diameter a depth wheel may have because of requirements of ground clearance during the turn-over of a three-point-mounted reversible plough.

On a semi-mounted plough, on the other hand, two depth wheels are used, mounted relatively far apart in a wheel set, in view of the fact that these wheels are also used during transport driving of the plough.

In general, a single depth wheel will give some challenges as far as the dimensioning of the wheel suspension is concerned, as the wheel suspension will have to be attached asymmetrically relative to the centre plane of the wheel, the wheel suspension being connected to a projecting wheel shaft. This subjects the wheel suspension to a torque around the centre axis of a wheel arm.

Alternatively, a single depth wheel may be suspended in a fork, but this creates problems with adapting the wheel suspension to different wheel dimensions, and there is a strong tendency of the fork to collect earth, plant material and so on, adhering to the depth wheel.

A single depth wheel for a three-point-mounted reversible plough gives a further problem, namely that the wheel arm faces alternately inwards and outwards. When facing outwards, that is to say towards un-ploughed land, the wheel arm may easily catch on a fence, hedge and so on when the edge area of the field is ploughed. The invention has for its object to remedy or reduce at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art or at least provide a useful alternative to the prior art.

The object is achieved through features, which are specified in the description below and in the claims that follow.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved depth-wheel arrangement for a three-point-mounted reversible plough, in which it is taken into consideration that the carrying-wheel arrangement should have a good load-carrying capacity with the use of a moderate wheel dimension, exhibit good stability during ploughing and during transport driving in which the depth-wheel arrangement is possibly used as a supporting/transport wheel, apply a centric load to the wheel suspension with minimal torsional forces, exhibit clean external side faces and be easy to adapt to different adjusting devices.

A reversible-plough depth-wheel device has been provided, in which two depth wheels are arranged concentrically side by side with an axial clearance sufficiently large to accommodate a portion of a wheel arm that extends from a wheel shaft to a wheel mount.

The wheel arm preferably exhibits a height, which is considerably larger than the width of the wheel arm, as the arrangement, because of the wheels placed symmetrically, involves small torsional forces on the wheel arm around the centre axis thereof.

The wheel arm may be pivotal attached to the wheel mount around a horizontal pivot joint arranged transversely to the working direction of the reversible plough. The pivot joint may be attached to a sleeve, which is pivotal around the horizontal rotational axis of a shaft arranged in the working direction of the reversible plough. The pivot shaft may be rigidly attached to a mounting bracket. On the pivot sleeve, a mounting arm for a depth-adjusting device extending between the mounting arm and the wheel arm may be arranged, preferably arranged diametrically opposite said pivot joint. The depth-adjusting device may be a crank, an adjustable rod, a hydraulic or electric actuator or the equivalent.

The pivot sleeve may be provided with one or more spring-loaded locking devices to increase the stability of the depth-wheel arrangement further. The locking device includes one or more latch balls or latch pins which are arranged in respective cut-outs arranged axially in or on the pivot sleeve and rest against a compression spring arranged in the cut-out as well. A surface from which the pivot shaft projects is correspondingly provided with one or more corresponding recesses arranged to receive a portion of the latch ball or latch pin for a releasable locking engagement. The depth- wheel arrangement may thereby be kept locked in one or more positions, for example in its two working positions, the locking being released when the depth wheels are subjected to sufficiently large lateral forces, for example from gravity as the reversible plough is turned to the opposite ploughing direction. It is common knowledge to a person skilled in the art how the releasing force can be determined by the choice of compression-spring characteristics, the design of the recesses or the means of the cut-outs of restricting the axial travel of the latch ball / latch pin in the cut-out.

Alternatively, the latch ball / latch pin may be arranged in a radial cut-out in the pivot sleeve, the pivot shaft being provided with one or more sets of corresponding recesses arranged to receive a portion of the latch ball or latch pin for a releasable, locking engagement. The compression spring may possibly be arranged in a casing projecting from the periphery of the pivot sleeve.

A transport latch for locking the depth wheels in an intermediate position, for example for the support of the rear part of the reversible plough during transport driving, in which the reversible plough is turned to an intermediate position, is provided in association with the pivot sleeve. A locking bolt is arranged in an axial guide on the periphery of the pivot sleeve and is arranged to engage with a cut-out or recess in the surface from which the pivot shaft projects.

Alternatively, the locking bolt may be arranged radially on the pivot sleeve, it being arranged to engage with a recess in the pivot shaft.

The invention relates more specifically to a depth-wheel arrangement for a reversible plough, characterized by two concentric depth wheels being attached to a wheel arm connecting a middle portion of a wheel shaft to a wheel mount. The advantage of this is that, in the main, the wheel arm is subjected to a centric load without any significant torque.

The height of the wheel arm may be considerably larger than the width of the wheel arm. The advantage of this is that the depth-wheel arrangement may be made sufficiently strong without the distance between the depth wheels, and thereby the width of the depth-wheel arrangement, being made impractically large.

The height/width ratio of the wheel arm may lie in the range of 3: 1-10: 1, more typically 4: 1-9 : 1, most typically 4: 1-8: 1. The strength of the wheel arm may thereby, to a substantial extent, be provided by adapting the height of the wheel arm. The wheel arm may thereby exhibit a greater degree of flexibility in its transverse direction, and the wheel arm may even be formed from spring steel or other material with a high yield point.

A forward wheel-arm portion, which is outside the periphery of the depth wheels may be salient. This gives the advantage of allowing the wheel arm to be given greater rigidity in a mounting area of the wheel arm and a depth-adjusting device.

The wheel arm may be attached to a horizontal pivot joint arranged on a pivot sleeve on the wheel mount, the pivot joint being arranged transversely to the working direction of the reversible plough, and the pivot sleeve being pivotally supported on a horizontal pivot shaft which is rigidly fixed in a wheel bracket with an axial direction coinciding with the working direction of the reversible plough. Thereby the advantage of the adjusting mechanism being well shielded from any influence from earth and plant residues adhering to the wheel mount is achieved.

The wheel mount may include a locking device arranged to hold a pivot sleeve rota- tionally rigidly and releasably locked to a pivot shaft.

On or in the pivot sleeve, one or more axial cut-outs may be arranged, each accommodating a latch body, and a wheel bracket may be provided with several corresponding recesses, the rotating sleeve being releasable from its locking engagement with the wheel bracket when an axial force component is applied to the depth wheels. Alternatively, one or more radial cut-outs may be arranged in the pivot sleeve, each accommodating a spring-loaded latch body, and the pivot shaft may be provided with several corresponding recesses. Thereby the advantage of the depth-wheel arrangement exhibiting greater lateral stability in its working positions without the adjustment between the different positions being obstructed is achieved.

The recess may be provided with a ramp arranged to guide the latch body into or out of the recess. The depth-wheel arrangement is thereby blocked from being rotated past its working position when the ploughing direction of the reversible plough is being reversed.

The wheel mount may include a depth-adjusting device, which extends between a mounting arm arranged on a pivot sleeve supported in the wheel mount and a forward wheel-arm portion. The depth-adjusting device thereby follows the depth-wheel arrangement when it is rotated during the turning of the plough, and one depth- adjusting device will be sufficient.

The depth-adjusting device may be taken from the group comprising a crank, an ad- justable rod and an electric or hydraulic actuator. Several alternatives for depth adjustment are thereby provided, from manual to remote-operated hydraulic or electric operation.

A locking bolt arranged in a guide on a pivot sleeve may be axially displaceable into engagement with a cut-out in a wheel bracket or in a pivot shaft. A stable locking of the depth-wheel arrangement in a transport position is thereby provided, without this function affecting the operative readjustment of the depth wheels during the turning of the plough.

In what follows, an example of a preferred embodiment is described, which is visualized in the accompanying drawings, in which :

Figure 1 shows a perspective view, at an angle from the front, of a rear portion of a reversible plough with a depth-wheel arrangement according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a perspective view on a larger scale of the depth-wheel arrangement seen at an angle from behind and from the left;

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the depth-wheel arrangement seen at an angle from behind and from the right;

Figure 4 shows a side view of the depth-wheel arrangement;

Figure 5 shows an end view of the depth-wheel arrangement from the rear; and

Figure 6 shows a longitudinal section, on a larger scale, through a locking device.

Reference is first made to figure 1, in which a reversible plough which is indicated by the reference numeral 1 is provided with a depth-wheel arrangement 2 according to the invention. For further details, reference is made to the figures 2-6.

The depth-wheel arrangement 2 includes first and second identical depth wheels 21, 22 arranged concentrically on a wheel shaft 23. A clearance between the depth wheels 21, 22 gives room for a wheel arm 24 to be inserted to a middle portion 231 of the wheel shaft 23, where the wheel arm 24 is attached to the wheel shaft 23. The height of the wheel arm 24 is indicated by the reference H, and the width of the wheel arm 24 is indicated by the reference W (see figure 2) . Here, the wheel arm 24 is shown as being made from plate components bolted together. A forward wheel-arm portion 241 is salient and is connected to a pivot sleeve 251 via a transverse pivot joint 252. The large height H of the wheel arm 24 in proportion to its width W provides sufficient bending resistance in the vertical direction while, at the same time, the relatively modest width W of the wheel arm provides the possibility of using a small clearance between the depth wheels 21, 22. The centred positioning of the wheel arm 24 relative to the depth wheels 21, 22 also reduces the torsional stress on the wheel arm 24 when there is unbalanced stress on the depth-wheel arrangement 2. By the use of a material with a high yield point, for example spring steel, in the wheel arm 24, the wheel arm 24 will, in addition, exhibit great lateral flexibility.

In the embodiment shown, the height/width ratio (H :W) is approximately 4: 1.

The pivot sleeve 251 is rotatably supported on a pivot shaft 2561 projecting from a wheel bracket 256 which is arranged to be attached to the reversible plough 1 (see figure 1).

The pivot sleeve 251 is provided with a locking device 255, shown here arranged in the axial direction of the rotating sleeve 251 (see figure 3). Reference is now made to figure 6 which shows the details of the locking device 255. In a cut-out 254, a latch body 2551 is arranged, shown here as a latch ball recessedly arranged in a seat 2554, partially protruding from the cut-out 254 and arranged to engage with a recess 2562, here arranged in a rearward-facing surface of the wheel bracket 256. The latch body 2551 is spring-loaded as a compression spring 2552 is arranged between the seat 2554 and an adjustable spring abutment 2555 provided in an end portion of a spring casing 2553.

The recess 2562 is provided with a ramp 2563, which is arranged to guide the latch body 2551 into and out of the recess 2562 (see figures 2 and 5) . Diametrically opposite the ramp 2563, the recess 2562 exhibits a relatively steep inclined plane. Thereby the depth-wheel arrangement 2 is blocked from being rotated past its working position when the ploughing direction of the reversible plough 1 is being reversed.

It is obvious to a person skilled in the art to arrange the locking device in some other way, for example arranged in the radial direction of the rotating sleeve 251, the recess 2562 being arranged on the periphery of the pivot shaft 2561.

The pivot sleeve 251 is further provided with a locking bolt 258 (see figures 2 and 3 in particular) arranged in a guide 259, which is placed on the periphery of the rotating sleeve 251 in the axial direction of the pivot sleeve 251. The locking bolt 258 is arranged to engage with a cut-out 257 arranged in the wheel bracket 256 when the reversible plough 1 is placed in a middle position (not shown) for transport. From the pivot sleeve 251, two mounting arms 253 extend rearwards. A depth- adjusting device 26 forms an adjustable connection between the rear end portions of the mounting arms 253 and the forward wheel-arm portion 241, there being a crank 261 supported in a crank bearing 262 fixed to the mounting arms 253 and a crank nut 263 being fixed to the forward wheel-arm portion 241.

Claims

C l a i m s

1. A depth-wheel arrangement (2) for a reversible plough (1), c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that two concentric depth wheels (21, 22) are attached to a wheel arm (24) connecting a middle portion (231) of a wheel shaft (23) to a wheel mount (25).

2. The depth-wheel arrangement (2) according to claim 1, wherein the height (H) of the wheel arm (24) is considerably larger than the width (W) of the wheel arm (24) .

3. The depth-wheel arrangement (2) according to claim 1, wherein the

height/width ratio (H :W) of the wheel arm (24) lies in the range of 3: 1- 10: 1, more typically 4: 1-9: 1, most typically 4: 1-8: 1.

4. The depth-wheel arrangement (2) according to claim 1, wherein the wheel arm (24) is formed from spring steel.

5. The depth-wheel arrangement (2) according to claim 1, wherein a forward wheel-arm portion (241) which is located outside the periphery of the depth wheels (21, 22) is salient.

6. The depth-wheel arrangement (2) according to claim 1, wherein the wheel arm (24) is attached to a horizontal pivot joint (252) arranged on a pivot sleeve (251) on the wheel mount (25), the pivot joint (252) being arranged transversely to the working direction of the reversible plough (1), and the pivot sleeve (251) being rotatably supported on a horizontal pivot shaft (2561) which is rigidly attached to a wheel bracket (256) and with an axial direction coinciding with the working direction of the reversible plough (1).

7. The depth-wheel arrangement (2) according to claim 1, wherein the wheel mount (25) includes a locking device (255) arranged to hold a pivot sleeve (251) rotationally rigidly and releasably locked to a pivot shaft (2561).

8. The depth-wheel arrangement (2) according to claim 7, wherein one or more axial cut-outs (254) are arranged on or in the pivot sleeve (251), each accommodating a spring-loaded latch body (2551), and a wheel bracket (256) is provided with several corresponding recesses (2562), the pivot sleeve (251) being releasable from its locking engagement with the wheel bracket (256) by the application of an axial force component to the depth wheels (21, 22).

9. The depth-wheel arrangement (2) according to claim 7, wherein, in the pivot sleeve (251), one or more radial cut-outs (254) have been arranged, each accommodating a spring-loaded latch body (2551), and the pivot shaft (2561) is provided with several corresponding recesses (2562), the rotating sleeve (251) being releasable from its locking engagement with the pivot shaft (2561) by the application of an axial force component to the depth wheels (21, 22).

10. The depth-wheel arrangement (2) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the recess (2562) is provided with a ramp (2563) arranged to guide the latch body (2551) into or out of the recess (2562).

11. The depth-wheel arrangement (2) according to claim 1, wherein the wheel mount (25) includes a depth-adjusting device (26) extending between a mounting arm (253) arranged on a pivot sleeve (251), which is supported on the wheel mount (25), and a forward wheel-arm portion (241).

12. The depth-wheel arrangement (2) according to claim 1, wherein the depth- adjusting device (26) is taken from the group comprising a crank, an adjustable rod and an electric or hydraulic actuator.

13. The depth-wheel arrangement (2) according to claim 1, wherein a locking bolt (2554) arranged in a guide (2555) on a pivot sleeve (251) is axially dis- placeable into engagement with a cut-out (2553) in a wheel bracket (255) or in a pivot shaft (2551).