Chopping drum for a forage harvester

Abstract

Chopping drum (1) for a forage harvester, comprising: a circular cylindrical drum body (10) with a drum shell (11) which defines an outer diameter of the drum body (10) and has an axial length that is limited by first and second axial ends (11.1, 11.2) pointing in opposite directions to each other, two pairs of knife carriers (20, 20.1, 20.2; 20.3, 20.4), wherein each knife carrier (20) is formed with a plurality of knife carrier segments, each having an outer circumferential surface with a predetermined number of knife receptacles (22), and is detachably attached to the outer diameter of the drum body (10) in an annular arrangement of its knife carrier segments, wherein a first pair of knife carriers (20.1, 20.2) is arranged axially offset from each other on a first axial side of the drum shell (11) and a second pair of knife carriers (20.3, 20.4) is arranged axially offset from each other on a second axial side of the drum shell (11), characterized in that an intermediate knife carrier (25, 25.1, 25.2) designed like these knife carriers (20) is provided axially of the drum shell (11) both between the first pair of knife carriers (20.1, 20.2) and between the second pair of knife carriers (20.3, 20.4) and is detachably attached to the outer diameter of the drum body (10) and is equipped with a plurality of strip-shaped cutting knives (90) which are arranged circumferentially around the drum shell (11) and are each attached to two knife receptacles (22) arranged axially of the drum shell (11) at a distance from each other, one of which is arranged on one of the intermediate knife carriers (25.1, 25.2), wherein the cutting knives (90) comprise at least one short knife (90.2) which has a length such that the at least one short knife (90.2) extends from one of the knife carriers (20) to an intermediate knife carrier (25) directly adjacent to the respective knife carrier (20) axially of the drum shell (11) and is attached to a knife receptacle (22) of the respective knife carrier (20) and of the respective intermediate knife carrier (25), wherein all cutting knives (90) of the chopping drum (1) are designed like the at least one short knife (90.2), wherein half of the cutting knives (90) are arranged circumferentially around the drum shell (11) on the side of the first pair of knife carriers (20.1, 20.2) and the other half of the cutting knives (90) are arranged circumferentially around the drum shell (11) on the side of the second pair of knife carriers (20.3, 20.4), wherein in each half of cutting knives (90) a first group of cutting knives (90) is attached to one knife carrier (20.1, 20.4) and the intermediate knife carrier (25) of the respective pair of knife carriers (20.1, 20.2; 20.3, 20.4) which is axially adjacent to the drum shell (11), and a second group of cutting knives (90) is arranged on the other knife carrier (20.2, 20.3) and the intermediate knife carrier (25) of the respective pair of knife carriers (20.1, 20.2; 20.3, 20.4) which is axially adjacent to the drum shell (11).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a chopping drum for a forage harvester as defined in the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] A chopping drum of the type mentioned above is known, for example, from DE 10 2012 023 431 A1. This chopping drum has a circular cylindrical drum body and two pairs of knife carriers. The drum body is provided with a drum shell that defines an outer diameter of the drum body and has an axial length limited by first and second axial ends pointing in opposite directions. Each of the knife carriers is formed with a plurality of knife carrier segments, each having an outer surface with a predetermined number of knife receptacles, and is detachably attached to the outer diameter of the drum body in an annular arrangement of its knife carrier segments. A first pair of knife carriers is arranged axially offset from each other on a first axial side of the drum shell.A second pair of knife carriers is arranged axially offset from each other on a second axial side of the drum shell.

[0003] The chopping drum known from DE 10 2012 023 431 A1 is equipped with a plurality of strip-shaped cutting knives, which are arranged evenly distributed around the drum shell for so-called full-knife operation and are each attached to two knife holders arranged axially on the drum shell at a distance from each other. More precisely, a first group of cutting knives is attached to the knife holders of the two knife carriers on the first axial side of the drum shell, so that the cutting knives span both knife carriers. A second group of cutting knives is attached to the knife holders of the two knife carriers on the second axial side of the drum shell, so that the cutting knives span both knife carriers.

[0004] If longer cutting lengths are to be achieved in the operation of the chopping drum known from DE 10 2012 023 431 A1, half of the cutting knives (circumferentially every second cutting knife) on each of the two axial sides of the drum shell can be removed, thus enabling so-called half-knife operation of the chopping drum. However, the resulting irregular cutting knife distribution creates an uneven flow of chopped material and causes poor feeding of downstream units, which in turn leads to vibrations and increased stress on the downstream units.

[0005] To address these problems, while retaining the full number of cutting knives, each one could be designed with only half a cutting edge along its length to enable half-knife operation of the chopping drum. However, this requires a special design for the cutting knives with half a cutting edge, which increases manufacturing costs. Furthermore, the half-cutting edge reduces the mechanical stability of the cutting knives.

[0006] Overall, this well-known chopping drum can therefore only be operated with limitations in half-knife mode.

[0007] From DE 35 15 393 A1, a cutting and throwing drum for a chopping unit is known, the drum body of which preferably consists of two outer and one middle drum disc, on the circumference of which two ring rows of replaceable knife carriers extending to the center of the drum and simultaneously formed with throwing vanes, and chopping knives attached thereto, are arranged, wherein knife carriers extending to the center of the drum, which are attached to outer drum discs by side plates, are guided radially to the drum shaft in an oblique upward inclination up to a middle drum disc and are attached to middle side plates, wherein the throwing vanes of the knife carriers, which run in the same oblique position and at a constant distance to the cutting edges of the chopping knives, are formed as arcuately shaped guide surfaces in the area of ​​the middle drum disc approximately in the last quarter of their length.which are brought in a plane approximately adapted to the drum shaft up to the upper edges of the middle side plates.

[0008] DE 10 2012 101 270 A1 discloses a chopping drum for a forage harvester, which is driveable around its circumference, with several holders distributed around the outer circumference for receiving screw connections for chopping knives with a cutting edge which, in cooperation with a counter blade, chops the material to be harvested, wherein at least two adjacent chopping knives on the outer circumference of the chopping drum form a row of chopping knives, and the chopping knives are designed as bowl knives with a curved inner surface and the cutting edge of at least one chopping knife has a recess in its longitudinal extent.

[0009] The invention is based on the objective of further developing a chopping drum for a field chopper as defined in the preamble of claim 1 in such a way as to facilitate its operation.

[0010] This is achieved by the features in the characterizing part of claim 1. Further developments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

[0011] According to the invention, a chopping drum for a forage harvester comprises a circular cylindrical drum body and two pairs of knife carriers. The drum body is provided with a drum shell that defines an outer diameter of the drum body and has a predetermined axial length, which is limited by first and second axial ends pointing in opposite directions.

[0012] Each knife carrier is formed with a plurality of knife carrier segments, each having an outer surface with a predetermined number of knife receptacles, and is detachably attached to the outer diameter of the drum body in an annular arrangement of its knife carrier segments. Preferably, the knife carrier segments each have the shape of an annular disc section of a predetermined circumferential length and are detachably attached to the outer diameter of the drum body in an annular disc arrangement of their knife carrier segments.

[0013] A first pair of knife carriers is arranged axially offset from each other on a first axial side of the drum shell. A second pair of knife carriers is arranged axially offset from each other on a second axial side of the drum shell. Preferably, one knife carrier of the first pair is arranged at the first axial end of the drum shell, and the other knife carrier is arranged offset by a predetermined axial length towards the second axial end of the drum shell. Furthermore, preferably, one knife carrier of the second pair of knife carriers is arranged at the second axial end of the drum shell, and the other knife carrier is arranged offset by a predetermined axial length towards the first axial end of the drum shell.

[0014] The chopping drum according to the invention is characterized in that an intermediate knife carrier designed like these knife carriers is provided axially to the drum shell both between the first pair of knife carriers and between the second pair of knife carriers and is detachably attached to the outer diameter of the drum body.

[0015] The two intermediate knife carriers provide an additional mounting point and support for the cutting knives between each pair of knife carriers, thus increasing the mechanical stability of the cutting knives in full-knife operation. For half-knife operation, the additional mounting point and support allow the use of shortened (e.g., half-length) cutting knives instead of the full-knife knives, thanks to this additional mounting point and support. These can be easily manufactured with good mechanical stability by modifying (shortening) the full-knife cutting knives. As a result, half-knife operation of the chopping drum is simplified.

[0016] According to the invention, the shredding drum is therefore provided with a plurality of strip-shaped cutting blades, which are arranged distributed around the outer circumference of the drum shell and each is attached to at least two blade holders arranged axially on the drum shell at a distance from one another. One of the blade holders, which enables the attachment of a respective cutting blade, is arranged or formed on one of the intermediate blade carriers.

[0017] According to a further embodiment of the invention, in each of the first and second pairs of knife carriers, the respective intermediate knife carrier is arranged axially on the drum shell, centrally between one knife carrier and the other knife carrier of the respective pair of knife carriers. This advantageously makes it possible to manufacture the shortened cutting knives for half-knife operation to be exactly half as long as the full-length cutting knives for full-knife operation, thus reducing the manufacturing effort for the shortened cutting knives. Furthermore, this arrangement of the intermediate knife carrier advantageously influences the symmetry of the cutting knife arrangement in half-knife operation, thereby reducing vibrations.

[0018] According to an unclaimed embodiment, the cutting blades comprise at least one long blade (a full-length cutting blade with a continuous cutting edge) of such length and arranged such that the at least one long blade spans the blade carriers of a pair of the first and second pairs of blade carriers and is attached to three aligned blade receptacles of the two blade carriers of the respective pair of blade carriers and of the intermediate blade carrier arranged between them. In this way, the long blade is attached and supported at three points and thus exhibits increased mechanical stability.

[0019] According to the invention, the cutting blades comprise at least one short blade (a shortened and, in particular, half-length cutting blade with a continuous cutting edge) which has a length such that it extends from one of the blade carriers to an intermediate blade carrier directly adjacent to the drum shell and is attached to a blade receptacle of the respective blade carrier and intermediate blade carrier, respectively. In this way, the short blade is attached and supported at two points and thus exhibits good mechanical stability.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the invention, an additional intermediate knife carrier, designed like these knife carriers, is provided axially on the drum shell between both the first pair of knife carriers and the second pair of knife carriers, directly adjacent to one of the intermediate knife carriers and detachably attached to the outer diameter of the drum body, so that the pair of intermediate knife carriers is arranged centrally between one knife carrier and the other knife carrier of the respective pair of knife carriers. The additional intermediate knife carrier advantageously increases the variability of the arrangement of shortened cutting knives.

[0021] According to a further unclaimed embodiment, the cutting blades comprise at least one long blade (a full-length cutting blade with a continuous cutting edge) which has a length such that it spans the blade carriers of a pair of the first and second pairs of blade carriers and is attached to four aligned blade receptacles of the two blade carriers of the respective pair of blade carriers and the two intermediate blade carriers arranged between them. In this way, the long blade is attached and supported at four points and thus exhibits even greater mechanical stability.

[0022] According to the invention, the cutting blades comprise at least one short blade (a shortened and, in particular, half-length cutting blade with a continuous cutting edge) which has a length such that it extends from one of the blade carriers to an intermediate blade carrier directly adjacent to the drum shell and is attached to a blade receptacle of the respective blade carrier and intermediate blade carrier, respectively. In this way, the short blade is attached and supported at two points and thus exhibits good mechanical stability.

[0023] For full-blade operation, all cutting blades of the chopping drum are designed like the at least one long blade, wherein a first group of cutting blades is arranged circumferentially around the drum shell on the first pair of blade carriers, and a second group of cutting blades is arranged circumferentially around the drum shell on the second pair of blade carriers. Preferably, the first group of cutting blades is arranged circumferentially offset from the second group of cutting blades, such that each cutting blade of one group is located circumferentially at a distance between two circumferentially directly adjacent cutting blades of the other group.

[0024] According to the invention, for half-knife operation, all cutting knives of the chopping drum are designed like the at least one short knife, wherein half of the cutting knives are arranged circumferentially around the drum shell on the side of the first pair of knife carriers, and the other half of the cutting knives are arranged circumferentially around the drum shell on the side of the second pair of knife carriers. For each half of the cutting knives, a first group of cutting knives is arranged on one knife carrier and the intermediate knife carrier of the respective pair of knife carriers that is directly adjacent to it axially along the drum shell, and a second group of cutting knives is arranged on the other knife carrier and the intermediate knife carrier of the respective pair of knife carriers that is directly adjacent to it axially along the drum shell.

[0025] Preferably, for half-circle operation, the first group of cutting knives in each half of the cutting knives is arranged circumferentially offset from the second group of cutting knives, so that each cutting knife of one group is located circumferentially at a circumferential distance between two circumferentially directly adjacent cutting knives of the other group.

[0026] Furthermore, for half-knife operation, the cutting knives of two axially adjacent groups of cutting knives of one and the other half of cutting knives are preferably arranged circumferentially offset from each other, so that each cutting knife of one group is located circumferentially at a circumferential distance between two circumferentially directly adjacent cutting knives of the other group.

[0027] Overall, the inventive chopping drum achieves a uniform material flow, reduced noise, and lower vibrations in half-knife operation. Simultaneously, full-length cutting blades with a continuous cutting edge can be used for full-knife operation. The inventive chopping drum ensures good mechanical stability of the cutting blades, even under the increased blade forces in half-knife operation. Furthermore, the shortened cutting blades used in half-knife operation are cost-effective and can be manufactured with good stability.

[0028] The invention expressly extends to embodiments which are not given by combinations of features from explicit cross-references of the claims, whereby the disclosed features of the invention can be combined arbitrarily with one another - insofar as this is technically sensible.

[0029] The invention is described in more detail below with reference to a preferred embodiment and the accompanying figures. Fig. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a chopping drum designed according to an embodiment of the invention for a field chopper in a full-blade configuration. Fig. Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the chopping drum of Fig. 1 in a radius configuration.

[0030] The following refers to the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 a chopping drum 1 designed according to an embodiment of the invention for a field chopper (not shown) is described.

[0031] As in Fig. 1 and Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the chopping drum 1 has a circular cylindrical drum body 10 with a drum shell 11 that defines an outer diameter of the drum body 10. The drum shell 11 has an axial length that is limited by first and second axial ends 11.1, 11.2 pointing in opposite directions to each other.

[0032] The chopping drum 1 points to a point in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 on each left axial side a first pair of knife carriers 20.1, 20.2 and on one in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 on each right axial side a second pair of knife carriers 20.3, 20.4.

[0033] Of the first pair of knife carriers 20.1, 20.2, one knife carrier 20.1 is arranged at the first axial end 11.1 of the drum shell 11, and the other knife carrier 20.2 is offset by a predetermined axial length towards the second axial end 11.2 of the drum shell 11. Of the second pair of knife carriers 20.3, 20.4, one knife carrier 20.3 is arranged at the second axial end 11.2 of the drum shell 11, and the other knife carrier 20.4 is offset by a predetermined axial length towards the first axial end 11.1 of the drum shell 11. The two offset knife carriers 20.2, 20.3 of the two pairs are arranged axially at the center of the drum shell 11 when viewed as a pair.

[0034] The knife carriers 20.1-20.4 of both pairs are identical except for differences in their arrangement on the left or right axial side of the chopping drum 1 and are therefore referred to below by the reference numeral “20”.

[0035] The chopping drum 1 also has two intermediate knife carriers 25.1, 25.2, one of which is arranged axially to the drum shell 11 between the first pair of knife carriers 20.1, 20.2, and the other intermediate knife carrier 25.2 is arranged axially to the drum shell 11 between the second pair of knife carriers 20.3, 20.4. For each of the first pair of knife carriers 20.1, 20.2 and the second pair of knife carriers 20.3, 20.4, the respective intermediate knife carrier 25.1 or 25.2 is arranged axially to the drum shell 11 centrally between one knife carrier 20.1, 20.4 and the other knife carrier 20.2, 20.3 of the respective pair of knife carriers 20.1, 20.2 or 20.3, 20.4.

[0036] The two intermediate knife carriers 25.1, 25.2 are identical except for differences in their arrangement on the left and right axial sides of the chopping drum 1, respectively, and are therefore referred to below by the reference numeral "25". Furthermore, the two intermediate knife carriers 25.1, 25.2 are identical to the knife carriers 20.

[0037] The knife carriers 20 and the intermediate knife carriers 25 are each formed with a plurality of knife carrier segments (not separately designated), each having the shape of an annular disk section of a predetermined circumferential length and an outer circumferential surface (not separately designated) with a predetermined number of knife receptacles 22 (preferably several knife receptacles 22). The knife carriers 20 and the intermediate knife carriers 25 are each detachably attached to the outer diameter or the drum shell 11 of the drum body 10 in an annular disk-shaped arrangement of their knife carrier segments.

[0038] For fastening purposes, a circular ring-shaped fixing element 40 is fixed (e.g., by welding) to the outer diameter or drum shell 11 of the drum body 10 for each knife carrier 20 and each intermediate knife carrier 25. The respective knife carrier 20 or intermediate knife carrier 25 is itself detachably fastened to the associated fixing element 40, and thus detachably fastened to the outer diameter or drum shell 11 of the drum body 10, via a plurality of screw connections (not separately designated).

[0039] More precise details regarding the annular disc-shaped arrangement of the respective knife carrier segments of knife carriers 20 and intermediate knife carriers 25 and their attachment to the respective fixing elements 40 can be taken from DE 10 2012 023 431 A1 due to the essentially identical design.

[0040] As in Fig. 1 and Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the chopping drum 1 has a plurality of strip-shaped cutting blades 90, which are arranged circumferentially around the drum shell 11 and are each attached to at least two blade holders 22 arranged axially on the drum shell 11 at a distance from one another. In each case, one of the blade holders 22 that provides the attachment is arranged on or formed on one of the intermediate blade carriers 25.1, 25.2. Preferably, the cutting blades 90 are each designed as paddle blades.

[0041] Specifically referring to Fig. Figure 1, which shows the chopping drum 1 in a full-blade configuration, shows all cutting blades 90 designed as long blades 90.1. Each long blade 90.1 has a length of and is arranged such that the long blade 90.1 spans the blade carriers 20 of a pair of the first and second pairs of blade carriers 20.1, 20.2 and 20.3, 20.4 respectively, and is attached to three aligned blade receptacles 22 of the two blade carriers 20 of the respective pair of blade carriers 20.1, 20.2 and 20.3, 20.4 and of the intermediate blade carrier 25.1 and 25.2 arranged between them.

[0042] More precisely, a first group of cutting knives 90, each designed as long knives 90.1, is arranged circumferentially around the drum shell 11 on the first pair of knife carriers 20.1, 20.2, such that each of the long knives 90.1 spans these two knife carriers 20.1, 20.2 and the intermediate knife carrier 25.1 arranged between them. Each long knife 90.1 is attached to three aligned knife receptacles 22 of the first pair of knife carriers 20.1, 20.2 and the intermediate knife carrier 25.1.

[0043] A second group of cutting knives 90, each designed as long knives 90.1, is arranged around the outer circumference of the drum shell 11 on the second pair of knife carriers 20.3, 20.4, such that each of the long knives 90.1 spans these two knife carriers 20.3, 20.4 and the intermediate knife carrier 25.2 arranged between them. Each long knife 90.1 is attached to three aligned knife receptacles 22 of the second pair of knife carriers 20.3, 20.4 and the intermediate knife carrier 25.2.

[0044] As from Fig. As can be seen in Figure 1, the first group of cutting knives 90 (long knives 90.1) arranged on the left axial side of the chopping drum 1 is arranged circumferentially offset from the second group of cutting knives 90 (long knives 90.1) arranged on the right axial side of the chopping drum 1, so that each cutting knife 90 (long knives 90.1) of one group is located circumferentially at a circumferential distance between two circumferentially directly adjacent cutting knives 90 (long knives 90.1) of the other group.

[0045] Now, specifically referring to Fig. Figure 2, which shows the chopping drum 1 in a half-knife configuration, shows all cutting knives 90 designed as short knives 90.2. Each short knife 90.2 has a length such that it extends from one of the knife carriers 20 to an intermediate knife carrier 25.1, 25.2 directly adjacent to the drum shell 11 and the respective knife carrier 20, and is attached to a knife receptacle 22 of the respective knife carrier 20 and of the respective intermediate knife carrier 25.1, 25.2.

[0046] More precisely, half of the cutting knives 90, each designed as short knives 90.2, are arranged around the outer circumference of the drum shell 11 on the side of the first pair of knife carriers 20.1, 20.2, and the other half of the cutting knives 90, each designed as short knives 90.2, are arranged around the outer circumference of the drum shell 11 on the side of the second pair of knife carriers 20.3, 20.4.

[0047] In each numerical half of cutting knives 90 (short knives 90.2), a first group of cutting knives 90 (short knives 90.2) is arranged on the axially end-facing knife carrier 20.1, 20.4 and the intermediate knife carrier 25.1, 25.2 directly adjacent to it axially of the drum shell 11 of the respective pair of knife carriers 20.1, 20.2 or 20.3, 20.4, such that each of the short knives 90.2 spans the respective axially end-facing knife carrier 20.1, 20.4 and the respective intermediate knife carrier 25.1, 25.2 and is attached to two aligned respective knife receptacles 22 therein.

[0048] In each group of cutting knives 90 (short knives 90.2), a second group of cutting knives 90 (short knives 90.2) is also arranged on the axially central knife carrier 20.2, 20.3 and the intermediate knife carrier 25.1, 25.2 of the respective pair of knife carriers 20.1, 20.2 or 20.3, 20.4, which is directly adjacent to the axially central knife carrier 20.2, 20.3 and the intermediate knife carrier 25.1, 25.2, respectively, such that each of the short knives 90.2 spans the respective axially central knife carrier 20.2, 20.3 and the respective intermediate knife carrier 25.1, 25.2 and is attached to two aligned knife receptacles 22 of these.

[0049] As from Fig. As can be seen in Figure 2, in each numerical half of cutting knives 90 (short knives 90.2) the first group of cutting knives 90 (short knives 90.2) is arranged circumferentially offset to the second group of cutting knives 90 (short knives 90.2), so that each cutting knife 90 (short knife 90.2) of one group is located circumferentially at a circumferential distance between two circumferentially directly adjacent cutting knives 90 (short knives 90.2) of the other group.

[0050] As from Fig. 2 as can also be seen, the cutting knives 90 (short knives 90.2) of two axially adjacent groups of cutting knives 90 (short knives 90.2) of one and the other numerical half of cutting knives 90 (short knives 90.2) are arranged circumferentially offset from each other, so that each cutting knife 90 (short knives 90.2) of one group is located circumferentially at a circumferential distance between two circumferentially directly adjacent cutting knives 90 (short knives 90.2) of the other group.

[0051] According to a study in the Fig. 1 and Fig. In the modification of the chopping drum 1 (not shown), an additional intermediate knife carrier 25.1, 25.2, designed like the first pair of knife carriers 20.1, 20.2 and the second pair of knife carriers 20.3, 20.4, can be provided axially along the drum body 11, directly adjacent to the first intermediate knife carrier 25.1, 25.2 and detachably attached to the outer diameter of the drum body 11. Viewed as a pair, the two directly adjacent intermediate knife carriers 25.1, 25.2 are then arranged centrally between the axially end-facing knife carrier 20.1, 20.4 and the axially centered knife carrier 20.2, 20.3 of the respective pair of knife carriers 20.1, 20.2 or 20.3, 20.4.

[0052] Regarding the full-blade configuration of Fig. In this modification of the chopping drum 1, each long knife 90.1 has such a length and is arranged such that the long knife 90.1 spans the knife carriers 20 of a pair of the first and second pairs of knife carriers 20.1, 20.2 or 20.3, 20.4 and is attached to four aligned respective knife receptacles 22 of the two knife carriers 20 of the respective pair of knife carriers 20.1, 20.2 or 20.3, 20.4 and the two intermediate knife carriers 25 arranged between them.

[0053] Regarding the radius configuration of Fig.In this modification of the chopping drum 1, each short knife 90.2 has such a length and is arranged such that the short knife 90.2 extends from one of the knife carriers 20 to an intermediate knife carrier 25 directly adjacent axially to the drum shell 11 and is attached to a knife receptacle 22 of the respective knife carrier 20 and of the respective intermediate knife carrier 25. Reference symbol list 1 shredding drum 10 drum bodies 11 Drum shell 11.1 Axial end 11.2 Axial end 20 knife carriers (general) 20.1, 20.2 Knife carrier (first pair) 20.3, 20.4 Knife carrier (second pair) 22 knife holder 25 Intermediate knife carriers (general) 25.1 Intermediate knife carrier 25.2 Intermediate knife carrier 40 fixing element 90 cutting blades 90.1 Long knife 90.2 Kurzmesser

Claims

[1] Chopping drum (1) for a forage harvester, comprising: a circular cylindrical drum body (10) with a drum shell (11) which defines an outer diameter of the drum body (10) and has an axial length that is limited by first and second axial ends (11.1, 11.2) pointing in opposite directions to each other, two pairs of knife carriers (20, 20.1, 20.2; 20.3, 20.4), wherein each knife carrier (20) is formed with a plurality of knife carrier segments, each having an outer circumferential surface with a predetermined number of knife receptacles (22), and is detachably attached to the outer diameter of the drum body (10) in an annular arrangement of its knife carrier segments, wherein a first pair of knife carriers (20.1, 20.2) is arranged axially offset from each other on a first axial side of the drum shell (11) and a second pair of knife carriers (20.3, 20.4) is arranged axially offset from each other on a second axial side of the drum shell (11), characterized by, that an intermediate knife carrier (25, 25.1, 25.2) designed like these knife carriers (20) is provided axially of the drum shell (11) both between the first pair of knife carriers (20.1, 20.2) and between the second pair of knife carriers (20.3, 20.4) and is detachably attached to the outer diameter of the drum body (10) and is equipped with a plurality of strip-shaped cutting knives (90) which are arranged circumferentially around the drum shell (11) and are each attached to two knife receptacles (22) arranged axially of the drum shell (11) at a distance from each other, one of which is arranged on one of the intermediate knife carriers (25.1, 25.2), wherein the cutting knives (90) comprise at least one short knife (90.2) which has a length such that the at least one short knife (90.2) extends from one of the knife carriers (20) to an intermediate knife carrier (25) directly adjacent to the respective knife carrier (20) axially of the drum shell (11) and is attached to a knife receptacle (22) of the respective knife carrier (20) and of the respective intermediate knife carrier (25), wherein all cutting knives (90) of the chopping drum (1) are designed like the at least one short knife (90.2), wherein half of the cutting knives (90) are arranged circumferentially around the drum shell (11) on the side of the first pair of knife carriers (20.1, 20.2) and the other half of the cutting knives (90) are arranged circumferentially around the drum shell (11) on the side of the second pair of knife carriers (20.3, 20.4), wherein in each half of cutting knives (90) a first group of cutting knives (90) is attached to one knife carrier (20.1, 20.4) and the intermediate knife carrier (25) of the respective pair of knife carriers (20.1, 20.2; 20.3, 20.4) which is axially adjacent to the drum shell (11), and a second group of cutting knives (90) is arranged on the other knife carrier (20.2, 20.3) and the intermediate knife carrier (25) of the respective pair of knife carriers (20.1, 20.2; 20.3, 20.4) which is axially adjacent to the drum shell (11). [2] Chopping drum (1) according to claim 1, wherein in each of the first pair of knife carriers (20.1, 20.2) and the second pair of knife carriers (20.3, 20.4) the respective intermediate knife carrier (25.1, 25.2) is arranged axially of the drum shell (11) centrally between one knife carrier (20.1, 20.4) and the other knife carrier (20.2, 20.3) of the respective pair of knife carriers (20.1, 20.2; 20.3, 20.4). [3] Chopping drum (1) according to claim 1, wherein axially of the drum shell (11) a further intermediate knife carrier (25) designed like these knife carriers (20) is provided directly adjacent to one intermediate knife carrier (25) and detachably attached to the outer diameter of the drum body (10) both between the first pair of knife carriers (20.1, 20.2) and between the second pair of knife carriers (20.3, 20.4), so that the pair of intermediate knife carriers (25) is arranged centrally between one knife carrier (20.1, 20.4) and the other knife carrier (20.2, 20.3) of the respective pair of knife carriers (20.1, 20.2; 20.3, 20.4). [4] Chopping drum (1) according to claim 3, wherein the cutting knives (90) comprise at least one short knife (90.2) which has such a length and is arranged such that the at least one short knife (90.2) extends from one of the knife carriers (20) to an intermediate knife carrier (25) which is directly adjacent axially to the drum shell (11) to the respective knife carrier (20) and is attached to a knife receptacle (22) of the respective knife carrier (20) and of the respective intermediate knife carrier (25).

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