Machine for mowing stalk-like crops

Abstract

Machine (10) for mowing stem-like crops, comprising at least two mowing and intake devices (16, 16') arranged laterally adjacent to one another on one side of the longitudinal median plane (12) of the machine (10), each comprising a lower cutting disc (20) for cutting plant stems, rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation by a drive shaft (40), and vertically spaced conveying discs (22, 24, 26, 28) arranged above it, rotatable about an axis of rotation by a drive shaft (30), with recesses (34) distributed around the circumference for receiving and conveying plant stems, wherein the conveying discs (22, 24, 26, 28) can be driven in the same direction during harvesting and with their front faces pointing towards the longitudinal median plane (12) of the machine (10), and the crop is drawn into the intersecting area between the adjacent mowing and intake devices. Collection devices (16,16') from an outer mowing and intake device (16) to the inwardly following mowing and intake device (16, 16'), characterized in that the axis of rotation of the conveyor discs (22, 24, 26, 28) is inclined further forward than the axis of rotation of the cutting disc (20) and drive means for driving the cutting discs (20) and conveyor discs (22, 24, 26, 28) are arranged between the cutting disc (20) and the conveyor discs (22, 24, 26, 28).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a machine for mowing stalk-like crops, with at least two mowing and intake devices arranged laterally adjacent to one another on one side of the longitudinal center plane of the machine, each comprising a lower cutting disc for cutting plant stems, which can be set in rotation about an approximately vertical axis by a drive shaft, and conveyor discs arranged above said cutting discs, which can be set in rotation about an axis by a drive shaft, are vertically spaced from one another and have recesses distributed around the circumference for receiving and conveying away plant stems, wherein the conveyor discs can be driven in the same direction during harvesting and with the front sides rotating in the direction of the longitudinal center plane of the machine, and the crop can be transferred from an outer mowing and intake device to the mowing and intake device following inwards in the area between the adjacent mowing and intake devices. State of the art

[0002] Machines of the type mentioned above are primarily used for harvesting maize, but can also be used for harvesting thinner-stemmed plants, such as immature grain in whole-crop silage harvesting. The above-ground parts of the plants are separated from their roots by a number of mowing and intake devices arranged side by side, and are then collected and transported away. These mowing and intake devices comprise lower cutting discs for cutting the plants and, arranged above them, conveyor discs rotating around approximately vertical or slightly forward-inclined axes. These discs have recesses distributed around their edges for receiving plant stems.

[0003] The plants are usually conveyed to the center of the machine at the rear of the mower and intake assemblies (EP 0 760 200 A1), i.e. the mower and intake assemblies rotate with their front ends facing outwards, with the exception of the mower and intake assemblies located at the very outside, which rotate in the opposite direction. The cutting discs are mounted on curved brackets that extend outwards and downwards in a bell-shaped manner from their attachment to their drive shaft on the gearbox mounted below the cutting discs, which drives the cutting discs and the conveyor discs via associated shafts. Analogously, the attachment of the lowest conveyor disc extends downwards and outwards from its connection point to the drive shaft.

[0004] However, it is also possible to transport the plants at the front ends of the mower and intake devices (EP 1 709 860 A1), i.e., the mower and intake devices rotate with their front ends facing inward, with the exception of the mower and intake devices located at the very inside, which rotate in the opposite direction. The crop is removed from the conveyor discs of the outer, discharging mower and intake device by a deflection and guide element and transferred to the conveyor discs of the inner, receiving mower and intake device.

[0005] DE 10 2005 006 216 A1 shows another machine that comprises a total of four chain conveyors for cutting and conveying the corn plants. All chain conveyors cut and convey the plants at their front ends toward the center of the machine. The outer chain conveyors can be pivoted into a non-operational position, where they are stacked above the two middle chain conveyors. The transfer of the plants from the outer chain conveyors to the middle chain conveyors takes place in their interstices by means of overlapping envelope curves of the chain conveyors.In order to achieve a lateral overlap of the stationary, lower cutting discs of the adjacent chain conveyors in the gusset area (and to avoid plants not being cut there), the outer chain conveyors with their underlying cutting discs are offset forward and mounted higher than the inner chain conveyors and their underlying cutting discs in order to achieve the same cutting heights across the width for a given forward inclination of the machine's rotation axes.

[0006] It was further proposed (EP 0 099 527 A2) to drive the conveyor and cutting discs through top-driven gears located inside the conveyor discs, and to arrange an intake conveyor so that it can rotate about an axis inclined forward and upward. However, driving the gear from above is hardly practical with more than two mowing and intake devices.

[0007] DE 22 09 517 A1 shows another corn harvesting device in which the two conveyors, arranged on either side of the pre-compression rollers of the chopping unit, serve to draw in the plants. They consist of upper conveyor augers and conical-cylindrical drums arranged coaxially below them, with drivers distributed around the circumference. The rotation axes of the conveyors, driven from below, are inclined forward and upward. Below the conveyors is a floor plate inclined backward and upward, on which the plants rest on their way to the pre-compression rollers.

[0008] A cutting device arranged horizontally with reciprocating blades or a rotating disc equipped with blades located below the base plate is used to cut the plants. A similar arrangement with a horizontal cutting disc and a forward-tilted rotation axis of the conveyor tines is shown in DE 196 27 872 A1, but the conveyor tines are driven by a chain drive arranged above them, and the cutting discs are driven by a hydraulic motor connected to a shaft extending downwards to the cutting disc. Task

[0009] Particularly when harvesting whole crop silage, but also when harvesting maize, there is often a desire to cut the plants as deeply as possible. During operation, the machines according to EP 0 099 527 A2, EP 0 760 200 A1, EP 1 709 860 A1 and DE 10 2005 006 216 A1 are therefore usually operated in a forwards and downwards tilted position, i.e. the (coaxial) axes of rotation of the cutting and conveyor discs are tilted forwards and upwards at an angle of approximately 10 to 20°. This means that the cutting height can be kept low, if desired. In addition, when the plants are transported backwards by the conveyor discs against the direction of travel on their way into the forage harvester, part of the height difference between the level at which the plants are cut and the intake level of the forage harvester is already overcome.Because the planes of the cutting and conveyor discs are aligned parallel to each other, the plants can rest on the cutting discs as they move backward through the machine and (due to the parallel alignment of the planes of the cutting and conveyor discs) do not move vertically relative to the conveyor discs, which could adversely affect the transport of the plants. However, the inclination of the cutting planes forwards and downwards has the disadvantage that plants entering the areas further back than the front edge of the cutting discs (the machines operate independently of rows, so it cannot always be guaranteed that the plants will not also enter the cutting discs off-center) are cut at a greater height than plants entering at the front edge of the cutting discs.This results in an uneven, wavy stubble pattern, and not all of the available crop is harvested. The machines according to DE 22 09 517 A1 and DE 196 27 872 A1 do not operate independently of the rows, and there is no cross-transport and transfer of the plants by several mowing and intake devices arranged side by side. Therefore, this machine cannot solve the aforementioned problem, and a non-parallel arrangement of the cutting and conveying planes of the mowing and intake devices on a machine where cross-transport is intended to occur via the mowing and intake devices is not recommended.

[0010] The object underlying the invention is to provide a machine for mowing stalk-like crops in which the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art do not occur or occur to a reduced extent. Solution

[0011] This object is achieved according to the invention by the teaching of patent claim 1, wherein the further patent claims list features which further develop the solution in an advantageous manner.

[0012] A machine for mowing stalk-like crops comprises at least two mowing and intake devices arranged laterally adjacent to one another on one side of the longitudinal center plane of the machine, each comprising a lower cutting disc for cutting plant stems, which can be rotated about an approximately vertical axis of rotation by a drive shaft, and conveyor discs arranged above them, which can be rotated about an axis of rotation by a drive shaft and are vertically spaced from one another and have recesses distributed around the circumference for receiving and conveying plant stems. During harvesting, the conveyor discs are driven in the same direction and rotate with their front sides facing towards the longitudinal center plane of the machine, and the crop is transferred from an outer mowing and intake device to the next mowing and intake device in the interstices between the adjacent mowing and intake devices.The rotational axis of the conveyor discs is tilted further forward than the rotational axis of the cutting disc. Drives for driving the cutting discs and conveyor discs are mounted between the cutting disc and the conveyor discs.

[0013] In other words, the cutting disc is arranged in a more horizontal plane than the forward and downward inclined plane of the conveyor discs. This creates an angle between the (more or less vertically oriented) axis of rotation of the cutting disc and the forward and upward inclined axis of rotation of the conveyor discs. The cutting disc and the conveyor discs are driven by drive means arranged vertically between them. The intended angles ensure that the plants are cut in a roughly horizontal plane and thus all plants are cut at least approximately the same height above the ground. The plants are conveyed away by the inward rotating conveyor discs at their front sides and there (in the wedge area) they are passed on to the following conveyor disc.The forward and downward inclination of the conveyor discs allows the conveyor discs of the most downstream mower and intake unit to convey the plants upwards, thus overcoming at least part of the height difference to the forage harvester's intake plane. On the other hand, the vertical movement of the plants (caused by the inclination of the conveyor discs) is kept within sufficiently small limits due to the front-side transfer to the conveyor discs of the downstream mower and intake unit, thus avoiding conveying problems.

[0014] In this way, all crops are cut at approximately the same height, even if they enter the mowing and intake systems off-center, resulting in a uniform stubble pattern and reducing losses, while still ensuring smooth crop flow.

[0015] Preferably, the conveyor discs of all the machine's mowing and intake devices rotate in the same direction during harvesting, with their front ends facing the longitudinal center plane of the machine. The plants are thus transported inward across the entire width of the machine at the front ends of the mowing and intake devices and discharged rearward into the forage harvester's intake channel through the innermost, inner mowing and intake devices. Alternatively, it would be conceivable to have only the inner mowing and intake devices rotate in the opposite direction to the outer mowing and intake devices, so that the plants are discharged into the forage harvester's intake channel at the rear of the inner mowing and intake devices, as shown in EP 1 709 860 A1.

[0016] Preferably, the conveyor discs of the adjacent mower and intake units are offset in height, and the envelope circles of the conveyor discs of the adjacent mower and intake units overlap. This ensures uninterrupted transport of the plants, preventing transfer problems, jams, and plant losses. Scrapers can also be used to lift the plants from the conveyor discs of the discharging mower and intake unit. The crop flow in the transfer area can also be limited to the front using guide fingers.

[0017] In one possible design, the enveloping circles of adjacent, height-staggered cutting discs overlap, or the cutting discs are mounted at the same height and not overlapping. This ensures that all plants are cut at approximately the same height, even if the angle of inclination of the machine changes to adjust the cutting height. Due to the overlap, the diameter of the cutting and conveying discs can be selected slightly larger than the usual row spacing of the plants to be harvested (or an integer multiple thereof).

[0018] Preferably, the conveyor discs of all mowing and intake devices of the machine have the same diameter.

[0019] To improve the transfer of plants from the outgoing mower and intake device to the receiving mower and intake device, it is proposed that the conveyor speed of the conveyor discs increase toward the longitudinal center plane of the machine. This means that the plants are removed from the intersecting area faster than they arrive, preventing jams.

[0020] The drive means may comprise gearboxes and / or one or more electric or hydraulic motors. Example

[0021] The drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention, described in more detail below. They show: Fig. 1 a plan view of the right half of a machine for mowing stalk-like crops, Fig. 2 a section through the machine along the line 2-2 of the Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a section through the machine along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

[0022] The Fig. 1 shows a plan view of the right half of a machine 10 for mowing stalk-like crops, opposite the forward direction V applicable during harvesting. The left half of the machine, not shown for reasons of clarity, is constructed mirror-symmetrically to the longitudinal center plane 12. The machine 10 comprises a support frame 14 (usually pivotable into a compact transport position) which, for harvesting, is attached to an intake channel of a forage harvester (not shown), which moves the machine 10 in a forward direction V across a field. In the embodiment shown, the machine 10 comprises a total of ten mowing and intake devices 16, which cut and transport the plants in the field during harvesting. The transverse transport of the plants takes place through the front sides of the mowing and intake devices 16, and finally, the plants are fed through the internally arranged mowing and intake device 16' (in Fig. 1 shown far right) and conveyed rearward into the intake channel by discharge conveyor drums 18. The machine 10 could comprise a larger or smaller number of mowing and intake devices 16, whose diameter (the same across the entire machine 10) (here slightly more than 75 cm, corresponding to a standard row spacing) could also be larger than shown. Larger stalk dividers 36 are arranged between adjacent mowing and intake devices 16, 16', and smaller stalk dividers 38 can be provided on the front sides of the mowing and intake devices 16, 16'.

[0023] The Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 show vertical sections through two adjacent mowing and intake devices 16, in Fig. 2 in the transverse direction and at Fig. 3 in the forward direction V. The mowing and intake devices each comprise a bell-shaped, yet relatively flat holder 42 with a lower cutting disc 20 attached circumferentially. The holder 42 is driven via a drive shaft 40 with an approximately vertical axis of rotation by a gear 32 arranged above it, serving as the drive means. The gear 32, in turn, is attached to the rear of a cross member 44 of the support frame 14 and is driven by a cross shaft (not shown) arranged in the cross member. Conveyor discs 22, 24, 26, 28 are arranged above the gear 32 and are drivable by a central drive shaft 30. The drive shaft 30 is also driven by the gear 32, but extends at an angle to the drive shaft 40 and is inclined forward and upward to a certain extent (a few 10°). The conveyor discs are generally driven at a lower speed than that of the cutting disc 20.Recesses 34 are distributed around the circumference of the conveyor discs 22, 24, 26, 28. The rotational axes of all shafts 30, 40 of the machine 10 are arranged on a horizontal straight line running transversely to the forward direction V. During harvesting, the rotational axes of the shafts 40 are oriented approximately vertically and the rotational axes of the shafts 30 are inclined forward, although the rotational axes 40 could also be tilted slightly forward. The cutting discs 20 separate the plants from the stumps remaining in the ground, and the conveyor discs 22, 24, 26, 28 receive the plants in their recesses 34 and transport them to the discharge conveyor drum 18.

[0024] From the figures, it can be seen that the enveloping circles of the conveyor discs 22, 24, 26, 28 of all adjacent mowing and intake devices 16 on each side of the machine 10 overlap in their intersecting areas. For this purpose, the conveyor discs 22, 24, 26, 28 of each mowing and intake device 16 are offset in height relative to the conveyor discs 22, 24, 26, 28 of the adjacent mowing and intake device 16 in order to avoid collision. The conveyor discs 22, 24, 26, 28 of the inwardly directed (in Fig. 2 right) following, in the Fig. 2 not shown mowing and intake device 16 would again be arranged at the same height as the conveyor discs 22, 24, 26, 28 of the Fig. 2 left-hand arranged mowing and intake device 16, and analogously, the conveyor discs 22, 24, 26, 28 of the further inward following mowing and intake device 16 would again be arranged at the same height as the conveyor discs 22, 24, 26, 28 of the in Fig. 2 mowing and intake device 16 arranged on the right, etc. The overlapping enveloping circles ensure continuous transport of the plants in the interstices. The plants entering from the outside are conveyed into the recesses 34 of the conveyor discs 22, 24, 26, 28 of the outer mowing and intake device 16 and are lifted out of these recesses 34 by the conveyor discs 22, 24, 26, 28 of the inwardly following mowing and intake device 16, 16' and taken over for further conveying.

[0025] The enveloping circles of the cutting discs 20 of adjacent mowing and intake devices 16 overlap. Adjacent cutting discs 20 are therefore arranged at different height levels, as shown in the Fig. 2. The Fig. 2 not shown, inwardly following mowing and intake device 16 would again be at the height of the Fig. 2 shown on the left, and the following mowing and intake device 16 would again be at the height of the Fig. 2 shown on the right. In another embodiment, not shown, the cutting discs 20 could all be arranged in a common height plane and not overlap. The described height offset of the cutting discs 20 and conveyor discs 22 to 28 can be achieved by gears 32 mounted at different heights, as shown in the Fig. 2, or mount the gears 32 at the same heights and select the drive shafts 30, 40 accordingly shorter or longer.

[0026] The conveying speeds of the conveyor discs 22 to 28 increase towards the center of the machine 10, as indicated by the arrows of different lengths of the Fig. 1. This improves the transfer of the plants from the mowing and intake devices 16 to the subsequent mowing and intake device 16 or 16'.

[0027] Due to the approximately horizontal mounting of the cutting discs 20, all plants are cut at approximately the same height above the ground. The forward and downward inclination of the planes of the conveyor discs 22 to 28 allows the gears 32 to be mounted between the cutting discs 20 and the conveyor discs 22 to 28 and also allows the internal mowing and intake device 16' to overcome a large part of the height difference between the plane at which the plants are cut and the discharge plane of the machine 10, at which the crop is transferred to the forage harvester that carries the crop and drives its moving elements.The difference in height between the cutting disc 20 and the conveyor discs 22 to 28, which is noticeable in this mowing and intake device 16' of the machine 10, which is located furthest downstream, rearward of the axis of rotation of the cutting disc 20 and the conveyor discs 22 to 28, can be compensated for by a floor plate 46 which rises towards the rear (in . Fig. 3), which is located, for example, to the rear and above the axis of rotation of the cutting disc 20 of the said mowing and intake device 16'. However, the vertical movement of the plants as they travel along the front of the machine 10 is kept within limits, since the transfer of the plants between the mowing and intake devices 16, 16' takes place at their front sides in the gusset area.

Claims

[1] Machine (10) for mowing stalk-like crops, with at least two mowing and intake devices (16, 16') arranged laterally adjacent to one another on one side of the longitudinal center plane (12) of the machine (10), each comprising a lower cutting disc (20) for cutting plant stems, which can be set in rotation about a vertical axis of rotation by a drive shaft (40), and conveyor discs (22, 24, 26, 28) arranged above it, which can be set in rotation about an axis of rotation by a drive shaft (30), are vertically spaced from one another and have recesses (34) distributed around the circumference for receiving and conveying plant stems, wherein the conveyor discs (22, 24, 26, 28) are drivable in the same direction during harvesting and with the front sides facing towards the longitudinal center plane (12) of the machine (10), and the crop in the region between the adjacent Mowing and intake devices (16,16') can be transferred from an outer mowing and intake device (16) to the inwardly following mowing and intake device (16, 16'), , characterized by that the axis of rotation of the conveyor discs (22, 24, 26, 28) is inclined further forward than the axis of rotation of the cutting disc (20) and drive means for driving the cutting discs (20) and conveyor discs (22, 24, 26, 28) are mounted between the cutting disc (20) and the conveyor discs (22, 24, 26, 28). [2] Machine (10) according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor discs (22, 24, 26, 28) of all the mowing and intake devices (16, 16') of the machine (10) can be driven in the same direction during harvesting and with the front sides in the direction of the longitudinal center plane (12) of the machine (10). [3] Machine (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the conveyor discs (22, 24, 26, 28) of the adjacent mowing and intake devices (16, 16') are offset in height and the enveloping circles of the conveyor discs (22, 24, 26, 28) of the adjacent mowing and intake devices (16, 16') overlap. [4] Machine (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cutting discs (20) of the adjacent mowing and intake devices (16, 16') are offset in height from one another and are arranged with overlapping enveloping circles. [5] Machine (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the conveyor discs (22, 24, 26, 28) of all mowing and intake devices (16, 16') of the machine (10) have the same diameter. [6] Machine (10) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the conveying speed of the conveyor discs (22, 24, 26, 28) increases towards the longitudinal center plane (12) of the machine (10). [7] Machine (10) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the drive means comprise gears (32) and / or one or more electric or hydraulic motors.

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