High-stem crop top ear harvesting header

Abstract

A high-stem crop top ear harvesting header belongs to the field of agricultural harvesting machinery and comprises a header frame and a cutting knife arranged in front of the header frame, a conveyor is arranged on the header frame and behind the cutting knife, and the conveyor extends transversely and extends out of the header frame towards the side surface. The loading equipment is used for conveying the top ears cut by the cutting knife to the side surface of the harvester; the conveyor comprises a conveying rack and a conveying belt arranged on the conveying rack, the conveying rack is provided with at least two segments which are rotationally connected with each other, and a folding driving device is connected between every two adjacent segments and used for driving the segments located at the outer end of the conveyor to be folded and lifted upwards. Therefore, the conveyor is controlled to be switched between a flattened working state and a folded closing state. And the conveyor can be folded towards the center by folding and lifting the sections at the outer end while ensuring that enough length meets the top ear conveying span, so that the purpose of saving the space on the two sides is achieved, and the ability of the header to adapt to roads and environments under non-operation conditions such as transportation and the like is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to agricultural harvesting machinery, specifically a harvesting platform for top ears of tall crops. Background Technology

[0002] Tall crops, such as sorghum and sugarcane, present challenges in harvesting the top ears or shoots due to their overall height. In existing harvesting machinery, sugarcane harvesters typically use a top-cutting mechanism to directly cut off the top of the sugarcane, harvesting only the stalks and wasting the top portion. There are several methods for harvesting sorghum: 1. Harvest the top ears separately, leaving the stalks for later processing. This method is mainly for shorter varieties where the stalks cannot be effectively utilized, resulting in low efficiency. 2. Harvest the stalks, treating the top ears as part of the stalks. This method is mainly for varieties like sweet sorghum where the top ears cannot be specifically utilized, making it difficult to maximize economic benefits. 3. Harvest the stalks and top ears simultaneously and then separate them. This method requires a complex separation mechanism, which is structurally complex, difficult to completely separate, and prone to damaging the top ears. Currently, some solutions propose using two harvesting components on the harvester to harvest the stalks and top ears simultaneously and separately. However, there are technical challenges in how to separately transport and collect the harvested stalks. The lower part of the machine is usually used as a transport channel after the stalks are harvested. However, after the top ears are harvested, the presence of the harvester's cab makes it difficult to arrange the transport mechanism. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the defect that the conveying mechanism is difficult to arrange after the top ears of tall crops are harvested, which makes it difficult to harvest the top ears and stalks at the same time. The present invention provides a harvesting platform for the top ears of tall crops.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: a top-ear harvesting header for tall crops includes a header frame for installation on a harvester and a cutter located in front of the header frame. A conveyor is provided on the header frame behind the cutter. The conveyor extends laterally and extends out of the header frame to transport the top ears cut by the cutter to a loading device on the side of the harvester. The conveyor includes a conveyor frame and a conveyor belt arranged on the conveyor frame. The conveyor frame has at least two sections that are rotatably connected to each other. A folding drive device is connected between two adjacent sections to drive the section located at the outer end of the conveyor to fold and lift upward, so as to control the conveyor to switch between a flattened working state and a folded and retracted state.

[0005] The conveyor frame includes three segments connected in sequence. The segments at both ends are rotatably connected to the two ends of the middle segment. The middle segment and the segments at both ends are connected to a folding drive device for driving the segments at both ends to fold and lift upward.

[0006] The conveyor is provided with a drive shaft and a driven shaft at both ends to support the conveyor belt. When the conveyor frame is folded and lifted upwards in sections, the conveyor belt hangs freely on the drive shaft and the driven shaft.

[0007] The cutting table frame is provided with rollers for supporting the conveyor frame, and a guide rail extending along its length and cooperating with the rollers is provided below the conveyor frame.

[0008] The cutting table frame is equipped with a lateral movement drive device for driving the conveyor frame to move laterally on the rollers.

[0009] Each section of the conveyor frame is equipped with guide rails. When the conveyor frame is in a flattened state, the guide rails of each section are connected to form a continuous guide rail.

[0010] The cutting blade is a reciprocating type, which is driven by a swing ring box mounted on the cutting table frame.

[0011] The cutter is equipped with a crop divider on the front of the cutter frame on both sides. The side opposite to the two crop dividers is a plane for gathering the crop to be cut, and the side opposite to the two crop dividers is equipped with a guide slope for pushing the crop to the side.

[0012] Above the header frame is a reel for pressing the crop against the cutter blade. The reel includes discs on both sides of the cutter blade and a lever connected between the two discs for pressing the crop.

[0013] The cutting machine frame is equipped with a baffle located behind the conveyor, which extends upward to prevent the top ears of grain from falling off after cutting.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: a laterally extending conveyor extends from the side of the header frame behind the cutter to transport the cut top ears of grain to the loading equipment on the side of the harvester. The conveyor adopts a segmented, foldable structure, which, while ensuring sufficient length to meet the span of top ear transport, allows the conveyor to converge towards the center by folding and raising the outer segments, thereby saving space on both sides and improving the header's adaptability to roads and the environment under non-operational conditions such as transportation.

[0015] Furthermore, the conveyor, through the cooperation of its segmented guide rails and rollers on the header frame, allows it to move laterally to the left or right of the harvester to which the header is mounted. This allows for adjustments to the conveying direction based on the position of the loading equipment, meeting the needs of different operating environments. Additionally, foldable segments can be installed at both ends of the conveyor, satisfying folding and collapsing requirements while extending the conveying distance of the top ears. This top-ear harvesting header can meet the harvesting needs of tall crops such as sorghum top ears and sugarcane top shoots. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the harvesting header of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the conveyor in the harvesting platform of the present invention in a folded state.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a side view of the harvesting header of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the conveyor structure in the harvesting platform of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the conveyor moving to the right in the harvesting platform of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the conveyor moving to the left in the harvesting platform of the present invention.

[0022] The markings in the diagram are: 1. Conveyor; 101. Conveyor frame; 102. Conveyor belt; 103. Drive shaft; 104. Driven shaft; 105. Guide rail; 2. Cutting table frame; 3. Reel; 301. Reel; 302. Lever; 4. Baffle; 5. Folding drive device; 6. Swing ring box; 7. Dividing support; 8. Cutter; 9. Lateral drive device; 10. Roller. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The specific contents listed in the following embodiments are not limited to the technical features necessary to solve the technical problem described in the claims. Furthermore, the enumerations are merely a part of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments.

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, the tall crop top ear harvesting header of the present invention includes a header frame 2, which is used to install the header frame 2 onto a harvester. For example, it can be raised to a sufficient height by a support structure such as a cantilever in front of the harvester, so that the header can cut the top ear or shoot of the crop. A cutter 8 is provided in front of the header frame 2 for cutting the top ear of the crop off the stem. The structure of the cutter 8 is set as needed, for example, a reciprocating cutter can be used, and it is driven by a swing ring box 6 set on the header frame 2.

[0025] Dividing supports 7 are located in front of the header frame 2 on both sides of the cutter 8. These supports separate the crop to be harvested from the crops on either side. Each dividing support has a pointed front end and gradually widens towards the rear. The opposite side of each dividing support is flat, allowing the crop to be cut to enter and gather within the area between the two dividing supports 7. The width of this area is approximately equal to the cutting range of the cutter 8. Guide ramps are located on the opposite sides of each dividing support. These ramps extend obliquely backward and outward from the front end of the dividing support, pushing the crop towards the side of the harvester to separate it from the crop to be cut.

[0026] Above the header frame 2 is a reel 3 for pressing the crop against the cutter blade. The reel includes two discs 301 located on either side of the cutter blade, and a lever 302 for pressing the crop is located between the two discs. The shape of the discs 301 is not limited to a disc shape; it can be any shape that can connect to the lever 302, for example... Figure 1 The structure shown has three branches in the circumferential direction. The center of the three branches is connected to a shaft for driving its rotation. A lever 302 is connected between the opposing branches of the two discs. When the discs rotate, the lever 302 presses the crop downwards against the cutter. Figure 3 As shown, the two arrows represent the direction of travel and the rotation direction of the reel 3, respectively.

[0027] like Figure 1 As shown, a conveyor 1 is located on the header frame 2 behind the cutter 8. The conveyor 1 extends laterally, that is, along the width of the harvester. As the harvester moves forward, the top ears of grain cut by the cutter 8 fall onto the conveyor 1. The conveyor 1 extends laterally beyond the header frame 2, and the extension is sufficient to transport the top ears cut by the cutter 8 to the loading device on the side of the harvester. The conveyor 1 includes a conveyor frame 101 and a conveyor belt 102. A drive shaft 103 and a driven shaft 104 are respectively provided at both ends of the conveyor 1. The conveyor belt 102 is supported on the conveyor frame 101 by the drive shaft 103 and the driven shaft 104. A baffle 4 is provided on the header frame 2 behind the conveyor. The baffle extends upward to prevent the cut top ears of grain from falling off.

[0028] For large agricultural machinery, a large safety distance must be maintained between the harvester and the loading equipment to meet the conveying span, and the extension range of the conveyor 1 is correspondingly large. The conveyor frame 101 is configured as at least two mutually rotatably connected segments, and adjacent segments are connected by a folding drive device 5. For example... Figure 1 , 2 As shown in Figure 4, the conveyor frame 101 includes three segments connected in sequence. The segments at both ends are rotatably connected to the two ends of the middle segment, and a folding drive device 5 is connected between the middle segment and the segments at both ends. The folding drive device 5 can be used as follows: Figure 1 and 4 The conveyor uses a folding arm hydraulic cylinder. By pulling with the cylinder, the sections located at the outer end of the conveyor can be folded and lifted upwards, allowing the conveyor to... Figure 1 The flattened working state shown and Figure 2 The folded, collapsed state shown is controlled by the folding drive device 5, which switches the conveyor between the two states. The folding drive device 5 can also be a motor-driven system or other drive methods. For example... Figure 2 As shown, with the conveyor frame folded upwards in sections, the conveyor belt 102 is no longer taut and hangs freely over the drive and driven shafts. When the conveyor is retracted, it frees up space on both sides, improving its adaptability to roads and the environment during non-operational conditions.

[0029] like Figure 1 and 4 As shown, the header frame 2 is equipped with rollers 10 for supporting the conveyor frame 101. Multiple rollers 10 can be provided. The conveyor frame 101 is mounted on the rollers 10 and can move laterally along the left-right direction of the harvester. The header frame 2 is equipped with a lateral drive device 9 for driving the conveyor frame 101 laterally on the rollers, such as a lateral hydraulic cylinder. The lateral drive device 9 can... Figure 5 and 6 As shown, the conveyor 1 is driven to extend to the left or right of the harvester as needed to meet loading requirements in different directions. A guide rail 105 is provided below the conveyor frame 101 to cooperate with the rollers 10. The guide rail 105 can be a track groove or other similar structure, extending along the length of the conveyor frame 101 to provide positioning and guidance. For each section of the conveyor frame 101, a guide rail 105 is provided below each section, and the position and size of the guide rails in each section are compatible. When the conveyor frame is in a flattened state, the guide rails of each section can connect to form a continuous guide rail, thereby increasing the range of left and right movement of the conveyor and fully utilizing the length of the conveyor to meet the loading needs on both sides.

[0030] The above description of specific embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the technical concept and core idea of ​​the present invention. Although specific preferred embodiments have been used to describe and illustrate the technical solutions, they should not be construed as limiting the present invention itself. Those skilled in the art can make various changes in form and detail without departing from the technical concept of the present invention. These easily conceived changes or substitutions should all be covered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A header for harvesting the top ears of tall crops, comprising a header frame (2) for mounting to a harvester and a cutter (8) disposed in front of the header frame, characterized in that: A conveyor (1) is provided on the header frame (2) behind the cutter (8). The conveyor (1) extends laterally and extends out of the header frame (2) to transport the top ears cut by the cutter (8) to the loading equipment on the side of the harvester. The conveyor (1) includes a conveyor frame (101) and a conveyor belt (102) set on the conveyor frame. The conveyor frame (101) has at least two sections that are rotatably connected to each other. A folding drive device (5) is connected between two adjacent sections to drive the section located at the outer end of the conveyor to fold and lift upward, so as to control the conveyor to switch between the flat working state and the folded and retracted state.

2. The harvesting platform for top ears of tall crops as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The conveyor frame (101) includes three segments connected in sequence. The segments at both ends are rotatably connected to the two ends of the middle segment. The middle segment and the segments at both ends are connected to a folding drive device (5) for driving the segments at both ends to fold and lift upward.

3. A harvesting platform for top ears of tall crops as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The conveyor (1) is provided with a drive shaft (103) and a driven shaft (104) at both ends to support the conveyor belt. When the conveyor frame is folded and lifted in sections, the conveyor belt (102) hangs freely on the drive shaft and the driven shaft.

4. A harvesting platform for top ears of tall crops as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The cutting table frame (2) is provided with rollers (10) for supporting the conveyor frame (101), and a guide rail (105) extending along its length and cooperating with the rollers (10) is provided below the conveyor frame (101).

5. A harvesting platform for top ears of tall crops as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The cutting table frame (2) is provided with a transverse drive device (9) for driving the conveyor frame (101) to move laterally on the rollers.

6. A harvesting platform for top ears of tall crops as described in claim 4, characterized in that: Each section of the conveyor frame (101) is equipped with a guide rail (105). When the conveyor frame is in a flattened state, the guide rails of each section are connected to each other to form a continuous guide rail.

7. A harvesting platform for top ears of tall crops as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The cutter (8) is a reciprocating cutter, which is driven by a swing ring box (6) set on the cutter frame (2).

8. A harvesting platform for top ears of tall crops as described in claim 1 or 7, characterized in that: The cutter (8) has a crop divider (7) in front of the cutter frame (2) on both sides. The two crop dividers are on opposite sides of a plane for gathering the crop to be cut, and the two crop dividers are on opposite sides of a guide slope for pushing the crop to the side.

9. A harvesting platform for top ears of tall crops as described in claim 1, characterized in that: Above the header frame (2) is a reel (3) for pressing the crop against the cutter blade. The reel includes a disc (301) located on both sides of the cutter blade and a lever (302) connected between the two discs for pressing the crop.

10. A harvesting platform for top ears of tall crops as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The cutting frame (2) is provided with a baffle (4) located behind the conveyor. The baffle extends upward to prevent the top spikes from falling off after cutting.

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