Harvesting header with a mulching device

Abstract

A harvesting attachment (20) for harvesting maize, comprising a frame (84) movable in a forward direction (V) across a field, to which frame (84) are attached a harvesting device (72) or several harvesting devices (72) positioned laterally next to one another for harvesting maize plants and, downstream of the harvesting device (72) or harvesting devices (72), mulching devices (60) arranged laterally next to one another with actively drivable elements (66) for processing the plant stumps (74) remaining in the ground after harvesting, which mulching devices are vertically movable relative to the frame (84) and supported on skids (64) following the ground contour and arranged vertically exactly below the elements (66), wherein the mulching devices (60) are supported separately from one another on the frame (84) in a vertically movable manner, each mulching device (60) comprising a supporting frame,which is articulated with its front side to the frame (84) of the harvesting attachment (20) so as to be freely pivotable about an axis extending horizontally and transversely to the forward direction (V) and to which two skids (64) arranged side by side transversely to the forward direction (V) are fastened, which skids leave a space between them for receiving the plant stumps (74) which can be processed by the elements (66) of the mulching device (60) arranged above the space, and the mulching devices (60) are mounted on the frame of the harvesting attachment (20) so as to be freely pivotable about the vertical axis.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a harvesting attachment for maize harvesting, comprising a frame movable in a forward direction across a field, to which one or more harvesting devices positioned laterally next to one another for harvesting maize plants and mulching devices arranged downstream of the harvesting device(s) with actively drivable elements for processing the plant stumps remaining in the ground after harvesting are attached, which are vertically movable relative to the frame and supported on skids following the ground contour and arranged vertically exactly below the elements. Technological background

[0002] In many cases, mulching devices are installed beneath maize harvesting headers to shred and / or shred plant stumps remaining in the field after harvesting, either to protect the tires of vehicles driving on the field, to improve the decomposition of plant residues, or to destroy the overwintering habitat of the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis).

[0003] DE 35 15 295 A1 shows a corn header with a number of row units arranged side by side and a mulching device of this type, which extends across the entire width of the corn header and carries blades assigned to the row units, attached to a drivable, horizontal shaft. The shaft is arranged within a housing, which is pivotally mounted on the front of the corn header frame about an axis parallel to the shaft and is supported on the ground by skids. The areas of the skids that come into contact with the ground are located directly below the shaft's rotation axis.

[0004] DE 39 34 862 A1 shows a similar stalk chopper on a corn header, but the blades used to chop the crop residues rotate around vertical axes and are driven by cardan shafts or hydraulic motors.

[0005] DE 10 2004 020 447 A1 shows a header for harvesting whole corn plants. Mulchers with rotating blades are mounted side by side on the underside of the header. The mulchers are height-adjustable by parallelogram links on the header and rest on skids on the ground below the blades' rotation axes.

[0006] DE 10 2013 004 438 B3 describes a corn header with stalk benders assigned to the row units, which are individually movable and pre-tensioned downwards by spring force. Task

[0007] The mulchers according to DE 35 15 295 A1, DE 39 34 862 A1, and DE 10 2004 020 447 A1 each extend across the entire width of the corn harvester and move up and down together when the skids that support them and define their vertical position travel over bumps. However, if the ground contains depressions perpendicular to the forward direction, the stubble located there is only worked at a relatively high height above the ground. If the ground has a transverse elevation that does not interact with a skid, the blades can engage this elevation, leading to premature wear or damage to the blades.

[0008] The stem benders of DE 10 2013 004 438 B3 follow the respective soil contour individually, but no actively driven elements are provided.

[0009] The object underlying the invention is to provide a harvesting attachment for harvesting maize in which the disadvantages mentioned are not present or are present to a reduced extent. Solution

[0010] The present invention is defined by the claims.

[0011] A corn harvesting header comprises a frame movable in a forward direction across a field, to which one or more harvesting devices positioned side by side for harvesting corn plants are attached. Mulching devices arranged downstream of the harvesting device(s) are mounted, with actively driven elements for shredding, shredding, or otherwise destroying the plant stumps remaining in the soil after harvesting. These mulching devices are vertically movable relative to the frame and supported on skids arranged vertically directly below the elements, following the soil contour. The mulching devices are mounted separately on the frame and are vertically movable.

[0012] This ensures that the mulching devices follow the soil contour independently of one another, thus avoiding the disadvantages mentioned above. The height of the mulching devices is guided vertically by their skids, positioned exactly below the rotation axis of the mulching devices, preventing the active elements of the mulching device from accidentally penetrating the soil or incompletely processing the stubble.

[0013] Each mulching device comprises a supporting frame, the front of which is articulated on the frame of the harvesting header so as to be freely pivotable about an axis extending horizontally and transversely to the forward direction, and to which two skids are fastened, arranged side by side transversely to the forward direction, leaving a space between them for receiving the plant stumps which can be processed by the elements of the mulching device arranged above the space.

[0014] The frame may comprise two arms extending in the forward direction, which carry the elements of the mulching device in their rear region and are pivotally connected at their front end by the axle to a cross member which in turn is fastened to the frame of the harvesting header.

[0015] On each arm, approximately midway between the axle and the elements of the mulching device, a skid can be attached with its front end, from which it extends backwards and downwards.

[0016] The elements for processing the plant stumps can be driven in rotation about axes of rotation oriented transversely to the forward direction, although in another embodiment the axes of rotation could be oriented vertically or in the forward direction.

[0017] The mulching devices are mounted on the frame of the harvesting header and can pivot freely around the vertical axis in order to be able to easily follow the rows of maize, guided by the skids, if these are not planted in exactly straight rows.

[0018] The elements of the mulching device that process the plant stumps may comprise a shaft with attached brackets, on which blades for processing the plant stumps are mounted rigidly or pendulum-like. The blades may be angled outward in the axial direction.

[0019] The elements of the mulching device that process the plant stumps can be driven individually by electric or hydraulic motors, or can be driven by telescopic cardan shafts or flexible shafts from the harvesting header.

[0020] The harvesting attachment can be designed in the form of a corn header or a mowing attachment for harvesting entire corn plants. Example

[0021] An embodiment of the invention is explained with reference to the figures, whereby the reference numerals should not be used to limit the interpretation of the claims. They show: Fig. 1 a harvesting machine with a harvesting attachment for harvesting maize and mulching devices mounted underneath in a side view and in a schematic representation, and Fig. 2 a perspective view of one of the mulching devices.

[0022] One in the Fig. The self-propelled harvesting machine 10 shown in Figure 1, in the manner of a forage harvester, is mounted on a chassis 12 supported by driven front wheels 14 and steerable rear wheels 16, and is moved across a field in a forward direction V during harvesting. The harvesting machine 10 is operated from a driver's cab 18, from which a harvesting attachment 20 is visible. Crops picked up from the ground by the harvesting attachment 20, e.g., corn or sunflowers, are fed during harvesting by pre-compression rollers 30, 32 arranged in an intake housing 36 to a chopper drum 22. In cooperation with a counter-blade 46, the chopper drum chops the crop into small pieces and feeds it to a post-accelerator 24. The blades of the chopper drum 22 can be sharpened by a grinding device 42 if necessary. The crop leaves the harvesting machine 10 to a trailer traveling alongside via a height-adjustable discharge spout 26 that can be rotated about its vertical axis.Between the chopping drum 22 and the conveying device 24 extends (when harvesting maize) a secondary shredding device with rollers 28, 28', through which the material to be conveyed is fed tangentially to the secondary accelerator 24.

[0023] The harvesting header 20 is used to harvest entire corn plants and comprises a number of harvesting devices 72 arranged side by side in the form of mowing and intake devices with conveyor discs arranged one above the other, rotating about approximately vertical axes, and cutting discs arranged underneath with recesses distributed around the edge for transporting the plants, as described, for example, in EP 0 760 200 A1. The mowing and intake devices are supported by gear housings 76 on a frame 84 of the harvesting header 20.

[0024] Below the harvesting header 20, several mulching devices 60 are arranged side by side, each associated with a harvesting device 72. These mulching devices serve to shred the plant stumps 74 remaining in the soil after harvesting the corn plants, in particular to destroy the overwintering habitat of the European corn borer. The mulching devices 60 comprise elements 66 for processing the plant stumps 74 around a central shaft 78 (see Fig. 2) Distributed blades 70. The shaft 78 is oriented horizontally and transversely to the forward direction and is driven by a hydraulic motor 80. The shaft 78 extends between two arms 62 and is rotatably mounted on each of them.

[0025] The arms 62 extend forward from the shaft 78 to a bearing 68, on which the arms 62 are mounted on a cross member 82 so as to be freely pivotable about the transverse axis. The cross member 82, in turn, is centrally mounted on the frame 84 so as to be freely pivotable about a vertical axis 86, e.g., on the transmission housing 76 or a mounting element connected thereto.

[0026] Approximately in the middle of the arms 62, downwardly curved skids 64 are attached, extending from there backward and downward and in contact with the ground directly below the axis of rotation of the shaft 78. The arms 62 are connected to each other by the shaft 78 and, if necessary, other cross-connections (not shown) and move together around the bearing 68 (and around the axis 86).

[0027] The blades 70 are removably attached to brackets 88 of the shaft 78 by screws 90. They can be rigidly or pendulously suspended. The blades 66 are angled outward in the axial direction by approximately 45° at approximately half their length. Two blades 66 are attached to each bracket 88 in pairs, angled in opposite directions.

[0028] After all of this, the following mode of operation is obtained for the mulching devices 60, one or more of which can be assigned to one or more harvesting devices 72 and are mounted transversely of the harvesting header 20 at the point where the corn plants enter during normal operation, in order to process the plant stumps 74 remaining in the ground after the plants have been cut by the harvesting devices 72. The skids 64 rest on the ground exactly below the axis of rotation of the shaft 78 with respect to the forward direction V and define the angle of the arms 62 around the bearing 68. The skids 64 leave a space 92 between them through which the plant stumps 74 can pass when the harvesting header 20 is moved across the field. The plant stumps 74 are shredded or shredded by the elements 66 of the mulching device 60, i.e. the blades 70.The mulching device 60 follows the ground contour seamlessly, even if the ground has undulations in the forward direction. The separate suspension of all mulching devices 60 ensures that all mulching devices 60 precisely follow the ground contour even if the ground has undulations in the transverse direction. The skids 64, between which the plant stumps 74 run, also steer the mulching device in a lateral direction. If the plant stumps 74 are not in a straight row but are mounted in a curve, or if the harvesting attachment 20 does not precisely follow the row of plants, the plant stumps 74 would rotate the skids 64 and thus the entire mulching device 60 about the axis 86, ensuring that the plant stumps 74 are still grasped and shredded by the mulching device 60.

Claims

[1] Harvesting attachment (20) for harvesting maize, comprising a frame (84) movable in a forward direction (V) across a field, to which a harvesting device (72) or several harvesting devices (72) positioned laterally next to one another for harvesting maize plants are mounted, and downstream of the harvesting device (72) or harvesting devices (72) are mounted mulching devices (60) arranged laterally next to one another, with actively drivable elements (66) for processing the plant stumps (74) remaining in the ground after harvesting, which mulching devices are vertically movable relative to the frame (84) and supported on skids (64) following the ground contour and arranged in the vertical direction exactly below the elements (66), wherein the mulching devices (60) are supported separately from one another on the frame (84) in a vertically movable manner, each mulching device (60) comprising a supporting frame,which is articulated with its front side to the frame (84) of the harvesting attachment (20) so as to be freely pivotable about an axis extending horizontally and transversely to the forward direction (V) and to which two skids (64) arranged side by side transversely to the forward direction (V) are fastened, which skids leave a space between them for receiving the plant stumps (74) which can be processed by the elements (66) of the mulching device (60) arranged above the space, and the mulching devices (60) are mounted on the frame of the harvesting attachment (20) so as to be freely pivotable about the vertical axis. [2] Harvesting header (20) according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises two arms (62) extending in the forward direction (V), which arms carry the elements (66) of the mulching device (60) in their rear region and are pivotally connected at their front end by the axis to a cross member (82) which in turn is fastened to the frame (84) of the harvesting header (20). [3] Harvesting attachment (20) according to claim 2, wherein a skid (64) is attached to each arm (62) approximately centrally between the axis and the elements (66) of the mulching device (60) by its front end, from which it extends rearwardly and downwardly. [4] Harvesting attachment (20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the elements (66) of the mulching devices (60) which process the plant stumps (74) are rotatably driven about axes of rotation oriented transversely to the forward direction and horizontally. [5] Harvesting attachment (20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the elements (66) of the mulching devices (60) which process the plant stumps (74) each comprise a shaft (78) with brackets (88) attached thereto, on which blades (70) are mounted rigidly or pendulum-like. [6] Harvesting attachment (20) according to claim 5, wherein the blades (70) are angled outwards in the axial direction. [7] Harvesting attachment (20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the elements (66) of the mulching devices (60) which process the plant stumps (74) can be driven individually by electric or hydraulic motors (80) or by telescopic cardan shafts or flexible shafts from the harvesting attachment (20). [8] Harvesting attachment (20) according to one of claims 1 to 7 in the form of a corn picker or mowing attachment for harvesting whole corn plants.

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