Soil cultivation equipment

Abstract

Soil cultivation device with a frame on which at least one parallelogram-like holder with four articulation points (A, B, C, D) and four connecting elements (a, b, c, d) is provided, to which at least one tool for soil cultivation can be attached in its lower region, characterized in that the lower part of the holder can be pretensioned in the direction of travel and downwards towards the ground by means of at least one pretensioning device (5).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a soil cultivation device such as is used particularly in agriculture, and which can be equipped with a wide variety of tools for soil cultivation and mechanical weed control.

[0002] Such devices are known in a variety of designs; as self-propelled machines or as towed devices pulled behind a tractor. All these devices have in common that they are equipped with tools or tool holders for various tools, which then work the soil as desired while the device is moving. For this to work, it must be ensured that the tools penetrate the soil to the required depth. Various adjustment and setting devices for this purpose are known in the prior art.

[0003] The object of the invention is to create a soil cultivation device that, with a simple and robust design, enables reliable soil cultivation while ensuring the desired working depth.

[0004] This problem is solved by the features of claim 1. The soil cultivation implement according to the invention has a frame on which at least one parallelogram-shaped bracket with four pivot points and four connecting elements is provided. This parallelogram-shaped bracket is pivotable due to the four pivot points. At least one soil cultivation tool can be attached to its lower region, and this tool can be either interchangeable or permanently attached. To ensure effective soil cultivation, the lower part of the bracket on which the tool(s) are provided can be pre-tensioned in the direction of travel and downwards towards the ground by means of at least one pre-tensioning device. The force applied by the pre-tensioning device prevents the tool from being lifted out of the ground during soil cultivation or at least significantly reduces this lifting of the tool.In principle, when the tool moves across the ground, a force component is always generated by the tools engaging with the ground, which acts in the direction of lifting the tool out of the ground. This force is counteracted by the preload of the tool-supporting bracket according to the invention.

[0005] Because the tool(s) are mounted on a parallelogram-shaped bracket, the pivoting mechanism of the parallelogram allows for the simple application of a corresponding preload by the preloading device. Crucially, the preload must act in the direction of travel and towards the ground. This can be applied by a tensile force at suitable points on the parallelogram or by a compressive force. The only requirement is that the force creates a preload against the direction of travel and the ground. The desired force can therefore act on one or more pivot points of the bracket or on one or more connecting elements of the bracket. The force can be applied directly to these elements via the preloading device or via an intermediate element.For example, a connecting element between two joint points can be extended above the preferably upper joint point by an arm or other intermediate element, and the force can be applied to this lever.

[0006] The force required for preloading can be applied, for example, by one or more springs, a combination of springs, a hydraulic element, or a combination thereof. Both tension and compression springs, as well as torsion springs, can be used. When using a spring, it can be designed so that the actual force applied automatically increases as the resistance of the tools in the ground increases. This effect can also be achieved using hydraulics, pneumatics, or electric actuators.

[0007] The adjustable force applied by the pre-tensioning device is advantageous, allowing for optimal adjustment depending on the desired soil cultivation or the existing soil conditions. If the force is applied hydraulically, it can be easily regulated via the hydraulic pressure. If a spring is used, the force can be adjusted by varying the spring pre-tension. Different devices can be used for this purpose, depending on whether a compression, tension, or torsion spring, or a combination of springs, is employed. However, the pre-tension desired for soil cultivation, both in the direction of travel and towards the ground, becomes a hindrance when the implement is not in operation but is being moved from one location to another. Therefore, it is advantageous if the pre-tensioning device can be relieved of tension so that no force is exerted on the mounting bracket.Various devices can be used for this purpose. If springs are used to apply the aforementioned force, they can also be relieved to such an extent that they exert no force on the bracket against the ground, or the engagement between the spring and the bracket can be prevented so that the spring no longer exerts any force on the bracket.

[0008] Partial unloading can also be advantageous, in which the unloading of the parallelogram occurs in such a way that it still works and the residual force prevents the parallelogram from sagging downwards, despite ground contact.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment, a torsion spring is used to apply the preload force. One end of the spring is operatively connected to the holder or can be connected to it, and the other end is pressurized by means of a pressure device. This pressure device has a pressure element whose position can be adjusted by means of an adjustment mechanism in order to adjust the pressure force and thus ultimately the preload force.

[0010] Such an adjusting device can have a rotatable adjusting element on which the pressure element is provided, wherein the position of the adjusting element can be fixed at different positions by means of a locking device. For this purpose, the adjusting element can have an axially movable pin that can be inserted into spaced-apart holes provided radially on the adjusting device.

[0011] Preferably, such a soil cultivation implement will have several holders for multiple tools, preferably arranged side by side, to enable the desired working width. Each holder can have a pre-tensioning device, or a pre-tensioning device can interact with a group of holders or even with all of them. If several pre-tensioning devices are provided, they can be individually adjustable, or they can all be simultaneously set to the same pre-tension value via a single adjustment device.

[0012] To achieve the aforementioned relief of the pretensioning device, or to briefly tension it to enable easy adjustment, a suitable device can be provided which is operated manually via a lever, or by means of an electric or hydraulic actuator.

[0013] A preferred embodiment is described in detail below. It shows Fig. 1. The soil cultivation implement in one view; Fig. 2 the adjusting device of the preloading device from a first side; Fig. 3 the adjustment device from the opposite side; Fig. 4 the adjustment device from the front; Fig. 5 the adjusting device with relieved preload device from the side, which is in Fig. 3 is shown; Fig. Figures 6 to 9 show a schematic representation of the parallelogram with possible points of application of the preload force.

[0014] Fig. Figure 1 shows a section of the tillage implement. Specifically, it depicts a portion of the parallelogram under discussion, which has a lower section with a support 1(a) on which two mountings 2 for tillage tools are provided. A height-adjustable support wheel 3 is also shown. The tillage implement is moved across the ground by a towing vehicle in the direction of the arrow. At the rear of the support, i.e., opposite the direction of travel, a first joint A is provided, through which a connecting element d pivotally leads to a further upper joint D. This joint D is located in a frame mount 4, by means of which the lower section of the parallelogram is connected to the frame of the tillage implement. Likewise, at the front of the support 1(a), in the area of ​​the support wheel suspension, a second joint B is provided, which is connected to an upper joint C by a connecting element b.The upper joint C is also provided in a frame suspension 4, by means of which the front part of the lower part of the parallelogram is connected to the aforementioned frame of the tillage implement (not shown). The frame (not shown) thus represents the missing connecting link c between the upper joints C and D of the parallelogram.

[0015] The desired preload force in the direction of travel and ground direction is applied to the support beam 1(a) carrying the tillage tools via the preloading device 5 and the connecting element b. The preloading device is described in more detail with reference to the Fig. 2 to 5 explained. Fig. Figure 2 shows an enlarged view of the pre-tensioning device 5, as already shown in Fig. 1 can be seen. Fig. Figure 3 shows the rear view of the preload device. The frame suspension 4 is also clearly visible. In this specific embodiment, the preload device 5 has a torsion spring 6, which is clearly visible in Fig. Figure 3 shows that an angled end 7 of this torsion spring is firmly connected to the connecting element b by means of a screw. The other straight end 8 of the torsion spring 6 rests against a pressure element 9, which is designed here as a roller. The position of the pressure element 9 can be adjusted via an adjusting device 10. In this way, the pressure element 9 can be moved up and down in the illustration. Fig. Figure 3 shows a medium setting of the pressure element 9. To increase the spring tension and thus the preload force, the pressure element 9 can be moved further upwards from the position shown, thereby increasing the tension of the torsion spring 6. It can also be moved downwards to reduce the tension of the torsion spring 6 and thus the pressure force. To reduce friction between the curved or wound section of the torsion spring 6 and the connecting element b, a sliding element 11, for example made of Teflon, is provided in the corresponding area between them. This prevents unnecessary wear of the spring due to frictional forces.

[0016] The functionality of the adjustment device 10 looks good. Fig. 2 can be seen. The pressure element 9 is provided on a rotatable adjustment element 12, which is rotatable about an axis 13. Starting from the position as shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, when the adjusting element 12 is rotated counterclockwise, the tension of the torsion spring 6 is increased via the pressure element 9. Conversely, when rotated clockwise, the tension is decreased. To fix the position of the adjusting element 12, it is mounted with its axis of rotation 13 on a plate-like element 14 of the adjusting device 10. This plate-like element 14 has a plurality of holes 15 arranged radially to the axis 13, into which a pin 16 provided on the adjusting element 12 can engage. This pin 16 is axially movable on the adjusting element 12 and can thus, in this specific embodiment, be easily manually locked into the desired hole 15 of the adjusting device or released again for further adjustment.

[0017] Fig. Figure 4 shows the discussed elements in a front view for better understanding. Fig. Figure 5 shows the pre-tensioning device 5 in a representation according to Fig. 3 in the relaxed state. As can be clearly seen, the pressure element 9 is not in contact with the straight section 8 of the torsion spring 6 and therefore exerts no force on the torsion spring 6. The torsion spring 6 is thus not tensioned and no preload force is exerted on the parallelogram via the connecting element 6. This position is used, for example, to easily lift the support 1(a) of the parallelogram when no soil cultivation is intended and the soil cultivation implement is to be moved to another location. To put the preloading device 5 into the untensioned state, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 5, either the pressure element 9 can be removed, the adjusting element 12 pivoted, and the pressure element 9 placed on the other side of the straight section 8 of the torsion spring 6, i.e., in Fig. 5 above it, be reassembled. Alternatively, the straight section 8 of the torsion spring 6 can be deflected laterally by means of a lever, so that the pressure element 9 is no longer in contact with the straight section 8 and can be brought into the relaxed position above the straight section 8.

[0018] The Fig. Figures 6 to 9 show sketches illustrating further examples of implementation. Fig. Figure 6 shows a variant in which the connecting element 6 is extended by means of a lever b1, to which a force F2 can be applied, for example by means of a spring or hydraulics, to generate the desired force component F1. As schematically indicated by the double arrow, this force can be a compressive force on the right side of the lever b', as shown by arrow F2, whereby this force does not necessarily have to act at a right angle to the lever b', or a tensile force on the left side of the lever b1 in the illustration.

[0019] In Fig. Figure 7 shows a variant in which a tensile force acts on the connecting element b or on the joint B on the right side in the illustration, or alternatively a compressive force on the left side.

[0020] According to the variant Fig. 8 The same effect is achieved by applying a compressive force to the connecting element d or the joint A from the left side of the connecting element d or the joint A, or a tensile force on the opposite side.

[0021] In Fig. Figure 9 schematically illustrates various possibilities, such as applying tensile or compressive forces from the appropriate side to the connecting element b or the connecting element a, which in the specific embodiment is realized by the support 1(a), in order to achieve a prestress in the direction of travel and towards the ground.

Claims

[1] Soil cultivation implement with a frame on which at least one parallelogram-shaped bracket with four pivot points (A, B, C, D) and four connecting elements (a, b, c, d) is provided, on which at least one soil cultivation tool can be attached in its lower region, characterized by , that the lower part of the bracket can be pretensioned in the direction of travel and downwards towards the ground by means of at least one pretensioning device (5). [2] Soil cultivation implement according to claim 1, characterized by , that the pre-tensioning device (5) acts on at least one of the connecting elements (a, b, c, d) or a pivot point (A, B, C, D) of the support and applies a tensile or compressive force. [3] Soil cultivation implement according to claim 2, characterized by , that the prestressing device (5) is connected directly or via an intermediate element (b') to a connecting element (b) or a pivot point. [4] Soil cultivation implement according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that the preloading device (5) comprises a spring (6), a hydraulic element or a combination thereof, and / or a combination of springs or a combination of hydraulic elements and / or gas pressure elements optionally in combination with spring hydraulic elements. [5] Soil cultivation implement according to claim 4, characterized by , that the force that can be applied by the pre-tensioning device (5) is adjustable. [6] Soil cultivation implement according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by , that the preloading device (5) can be relieved in such a way that no force is applied by it to the parallelogram-shaped support. [7] Soil cultivation implement according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by, that the preloading device (5) has a torsion spring (6) the first end (7) of which is connected or connectable to the holder, and the second end (8) can be subjected to pressure by means of a pressure device (9). [8] Soil cultivation implement according to claim 7, characterized by , that the pressure device has a pressure element (9) whose position can be adjusted by means of an adjusting device (10) in order to adjust the pressure force. [9] Soil cultivation implement according to claim 8, characterized by , that the adjusting device (10) has a rotatable adjusting element (12) on which the pressure element (9) is provided, and the position of the adjusting element (12) can be fixed by means of a locking device. [10] Soil cultivation implement according to claim 9, characterized by, that the adjusting element (12) has an axially movable pin (16) which can be inserted into spaced-apart holes (15) which are provided radially to the axis of rotation of the adjusting element (12) on the adjusting device (10). [11] Soil cultivation implement according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized by that several supports are preferably provided next to each other, wherein a pretensioning device (5) is provided on each support, or a pretensioning device (5) interacts with several or all supports. [12] Soil cultivation implement according to claim 11, characterized by , that the adjustment of several preload devices (5) is carried out simultaneously via an adjustment device. [13] Soil cultivation implement according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized by a device preferably comprising a lever for relieving and / or tensioning the preloading device (5).

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