DISC SHAREHOLDER

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a disc coulter according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and an agricultural implement according to the preamble of patent claim 11.

[0002] In a variety of applications, particularly in agriculture, implements with at least one share mounted on a holder are used to cultivate agricultural land, in particular a field. The implements are preferably designed to be towed by an agricultural tractor and / or mounted on such a tractor. Examples of use in such applications include agricultural sowing and / or soil tillage implements, in particular soil tillage implements with at least one tool that engages the soil. The tools of soil tillage implements include shares, in particular those designed as disc shares, and also, for example, coulter discs.

[0003] Due to possible buildup, for example in the form of dirt, scraper elements are used on these types of shares, especially disc shares, which are assigned to the share. The scraper elements are designed in such a way that they can be pressed at least partially against the surface of the tool engaging the soil, and the buildup can thus be at least partially removed from at least one side of the disc share by means of the scraper elements.

[0004] Such a disc coulter is described in DE 196 53 014 A1. The disc coulter comprises at least one rotatably mounted disc arranged on at least one coulter holder. At least two scraper elements, which are combined, in particular in a U-shape, to form a scraper assembly, are each assigned to one side of the disc. The scraper elements are designed to be compressible against the disc by means of at least one tensioning device, in particular with adjustable pressure.

[0005] A disadvantage of this design is, among other things, that the pressure exerted by the scraper elements on the disc, particularly by means of the clamping device, gradually decreases due to, for example, wear of at least one scraper element and / or the disc. Thus, a nearly constant removal of the previously described buildup over a longer period of time has so far only been achievable with considerable effort. This requires regular adjustment of the pressure by an operator using the clamping devices. Discs of a coulter that also exhibit unevenness along their geometry can also only be reliably freed of buildup with significantly increased effort.

[0006] In order to counteract the decreasing pressure of the wiper elements on the disc with increasing operating time, it is known, as described in US 785 865 A, that the tensioning device is designed by means of at least one spring element in such a way that it is adapted to automatically adjust the pressure exerted by the wiper elements on the disc.

[0007] Other similar wiper elements are known from US 808 021 A and EP 0 170 140 A1. Furthermore, with the previous solutions known from the prior art, wear phenomena have a negative impact on the area of ​​the wiper elements that contact the discs, particularly on the geometry.

[0008] The scraper elements are also subjected to additional stress from solid material in the field, such as stones, and / or heavily compacted soil. This significantly limits the service life and / or operating time of the scraper elements, and they must therefore be replaced at regular intervals.

[0009] The object underlying the invention is therefore to design a disc coulter in such a way that an adjustment and / or assembly of the disc coulter, in particular the scraper assembly, is made possible in a simple manner.

[0010] This object is achieved according to the invention by the characterizing features of claim 1.

[0011] As a result of this arrangement, a tensioning device is created by utilizing a spring characteristic, in particular at least one linear spring rate, of the at least one spring element, by means of which at least two scraper elements each bear against one side of at least one disc with an at least virtually constant pressure. Depending on the application, in particular the disc coulter used, a corresponding pressure can preferably be adjusted manually and / or automatically using the tensioning device. The spring element is arranged within the tensioning device in such a way that the spring element can be pretensioned relative to the disc and / or the at least one scraper element. Depending on the selection and / or design of the spring characteristic, in particular the spring rate, of the spring element and the degree of pretension, a force acting between the scraper element and the disc can be reduced or increased particularly easily.The spring element is designed to at least partially press the at least two wiper elements of at least one wiper assembly towards each other.

[0012] According to the invention, the spring characteristic curve, in particular the spring rate, of the spring element represents the ratio of at least one force, preferably emanating from the spring element, to a deflection or compression of the at least one spring element. Furthermore, in addition to a single spring element with a spring rate, the spring characteristic curve can be composed of at least one further spring element with the same or a different spring rate. The at least one further spring element can be designed as a spring element arranged parallel to the first spring element or in series. With a parallel arrangement of at least two spring elements, the spring characteristic curve has a higher spring rate than the highest spring rate of the at least two spring elements. With at least two spring elements arranged in series, the spring characteristic curve has a lower spring rate than the lowest spring rate of the at least two spring elements.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the at least one spring element is designed as a torsion spring, in particular a helical spring. A spring element designed as a torsion spring has the decisive advantage that the tensioning device can be implemented particularly easily. Furthermore, torsion springs are available with almost all conceivable spring rates. Alternatively or additionally, the spring element is designed as a leaf spring and / or disc spring. With a spring element designed as a leaf spring and / or disc spring, a spring rate that is particularly high compared to a torsion spring can be achieved, with dimensions that are at least almost identical. Alternatively or additionally, tensioning devices are conceivable that comprise at least one spring element made of an elastic plastic, in particular as a rubber spring.These have the advantage that, in addition to their springy properties, they also exhibit damping properties, particularly against vibrations. Furthermore, rubber springs are at least virtually wear-free and / or insensitive to external contamination.

[0014] Furthermore, a tensioning device is conceivable that can be at least partially assembled from at least two different spring elements. This allows the individual advantages of each spring type to be utilized in combination.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the disc coulter according to the invention, the tensioning device comprises at least one screw and one screw nut in addition to the at least one spring element, wherein the spring element is preferably arranged between the at least one scraper element and the screw and / or the screw nut. A first end of the spring element faces the screw, in particular the screw head, and / or the screw nut, wherein the second end of the spring element faces the at least one scraper element. By designing the thread pitch of the screw connections, the accuracy of the adjustable pressure can be adjusted particularly variably. For example, fine threads can be used for particularly precise adjustment of the pressure force and / or standard threads for particularly high preload forces.Furthermore, the arrangement of the at least one spring element between the at least one wiper element and the at least one screw nut is particularly preferred. The screw nut can also be designed as a hexagon screw nut and / or preferably as a wing nut and / or other variants of screw nuts. A further increased preload force of the spring element can be achieved by means of a hexagon screw nut that can be tightened with a tool. A wing nut and / or wing screw allows for tool-free and thus rapid adjustment of the preload force.

[0016] InIn a further development of the disc coulter according to the invention, at least one of the scraper elements is at least partially elastically deformable, in particular by means of the tensioning device. By means of the, in particular elastic, deformation, an increased service life and / or usage time of the at least one scraper element and / or the disc can be achieved. Particularly preferred in this case is a scraper element designed as a bent sheet metal part which is deformable, in particular elastically, at least in sections as a result of a force acting thereon. The force results, for example, from the pretensioning of the at least one tensioning device and / or the disc in contact. In addition, the particularly inexpensive production and the particularly low weight of the at least one scraper element designed as a bent sheet metal part are particularly advantageous.Furthermore, depending on the degree of bending of the sheet metal part, the angle enclosed by the at least one disc and the at least one scraper element can be adjusted depending on the bending. Thus, deposits, especially from the field, on the disc can be removed particularly well, especially with minimal force, by designing an acute angle between the scraper element and the disc.

[0017] Alternatively or additionally, the wiper element can be formed at least partially as a preferably metallic formed part, in particular as a forged and / or stamped part. These are characterized by their particularly high inherent stability, which allows for a particularly long service life of the at least one wiper element. Furthermore, complex configurations of the wiper element are possible with a preferably metallic formed part. Alternatively or additionally, a wiper element made at least partially from an elastic plastic material is also conceivable. Wiper elements made of a plastic material are particularly inexpensive and can be produced with a particularly low weight.

[0018] According to the invention, at least two of the wiper elements of a wiper assembly can be inserted into one another, preferably detachably. At least one of the wiper elements can be inserted into at least one other wiper element of the wiper assembly. The connection between the at least two wiper elements can be at least partially positively and / or non-positively connected, in particular in a force-transmitting manner, with a materially bonded connection also being conceivable. In a positively connected connection variant, at least one wiper element of the wiper assembly comprises at least one section that is at least partially bent over at at least one of its ends. The at least one bent end of the at least one wiper element can be inserted into at least one opening provided for this purpose in at least one other wiper element.A connection variant that allows tool-free assembly and / or disassembly of at least one scraper element is particularly advantageous. Thus, the disc coulter according to the invention, in particular the scraper assembly, can be adapted particularly easily and quickly.

[0019] Furthermore, a wiper assembly is conceivable in which at least one wiper element can be connected alternatively or additionally by means of at least one screw connection to at least one other wiper element of the wiper assembly.

[0020] In another embodiment of the disc coulter according to the invention, at least one scraper element has at least one tab, wherein the scraper element can be positively and / or non-positively coupled to the coulter holder via the tab. The connection between the at least one scraper element, in particular the tab, and the coulter holder is preferably force-transmitting and / or rigid. Thus, the scraper element is designed to follow the coulter holder and / or the disc at least virtually instantaneously in the vertical and / or horizontal direction, due, for example, to unevenness in the agricultural area. A particularly advantageous design of the connection between the tab and the coulter holder is created by means of at least one detachable screw connection. This allows for particularly simple and / or quick replacement of the scraper assembly if necessary.

[0021] The at least one tab is at least partially formed on the at least one scraper element. Alternatively or additionally, the at least one tab can be at least partially connected to the scraper element in a form-fitting and / or force-fitting and / or material-fitting manner. Furthermore, a tab that is screwed to the at least one scraper element and / or connected thereto by means of a screw connection is also conceivable. A tab that has at least one cutout and / or a bore by means of which it can be connected to the blade holder is particularly preferred.

[0022] In a further preferred embodiment of the disc coulter according to the invention, the scraper assembly comprises at least one elastic element, preferably an elastomer, wherein the at least one elastic element is arranged between the tab and the coulter holder. An elastic element that is at least partially disc-shaped and / or formed in one piece is particularly preferred. Alternatively or additionally, a multi-part elastic element and / or several elastic elements arranged in a row are also conceivable. The at least one elastic element is designed to at least partially compensate for and / or absorb vibrations that can be transmitted from the at least one coulter holder and / or the at least one disc to the at least one scraper element. The elastic element can be made, for example, from a plastic and / or rubber material.

[0023] In a further development of the disc coulter according to the invention, at least one scraper element has at least one angled end piece, wherein the at least one angled end piece rests at least partially, preferably in a force-transmitting manner, on the coulter holder. The at least one angled end piece can be connected to the scraper element and / or is at least partially formed on the scraper element. The angled end piece is preferably bent in a direction facing away from the longitudinal axis of the scraper element. The cross-section of the scraper element formed in the region of the angled end piece can be substantially L- and / or Z-shaped. In an L-shaped cross-section, the at least one section is substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction of the scraper element.With the Z-shaped cross-section, the angled end piece has at least one further section that is formed at least substantially in the longitudinal direction of the scraper element. Thus, a force directed essentially vertically and / or in the direction of travel of the agricultural implement, which can be introduced into at least one scraper element, can be at least partially transmitted to the share holder via the at least one angled end piece. Furthermore, the end piece formed on the scraper element, preferably by bending, allows for additional stiffening of the scraper element while maintaining at least a substantially constant weight.

[0024] It is also conceivable that at least one further elastic element is arranged between the share holder and the at least one angled end piece for further compensation of vibrations and / or mechanical loads.

[0025] Furthermore, a disc coulter according to the invention is preferred in which at least one scraper element, preferably at least one of its end regions, is at least partially made of a virtually wear-resistant material. The scraper element here comprises at least one section, preferably on its surface, which has a particularly high hardness. The end region is preferably arranged at an end of the scraper element assigned to at least one disc of the disc coulter. The at least one region and / or the surface of the scraper element is at least partially hardened, in particular austenitized and / or nitrided. Austenitizing here refers to hardening processes such as flame hardening, induction hardening, laser beam hardening and / or electron beam hardening.Nitriding involves, among other things, hardening the material by additionally introducing nitrogen into a metallic structure. This results in a wiper element with particularly high abrasion and / or impact resistance, thus ensuring long service life and / or operational reliability.

[0026] In another preferred embodiment of the disc coulter according to the invention, at least one scraper element has, preferably at least on one of its end regions, at least one wear protection element made of a virtually wear-resistant material. The at least one scraper element comprises, at least on one of its sides, at least one wear protection element arranged on the surface and / or adjoining the end region. The wear protection element is at least partially connected to the scraper element in a form-fitting and / or force-fitting and / or material-fitting manner. A connection which is at least partially formed from a screw and / or welded and / or adhesive connection is particularly advantageous. This design achieves a particularly cost-effective variant of a virtually wear-resistant scraper element with high operational reliability.The wear protection element is arranged such that essentially only the area of ​​the wiper element that corresponds to the disk and / or is at least partially in contact with it is covered by the wear protection element. A detachable connection between the at least one wear protection element and the wiper element allows the wear protection element to be flexibly replaced, preferably individually, as needed.

[0027] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the disc coulter according to the invention, the wear-resistant material is a hard material, in particular hard metal. The hard material is advantageously at least partially sintered. This allows for further increased abrasion resistance and / or impact resistance of the scraper element.

[0028] In a particularly preferred development of the disc coulter according to the invention, at least one scraper element, preferably on at least one of its end regions, has at least partially a virtually wear-resistant coating. The coating is understood to mean the application of a material to the at least one scraper element, wherein the material of the coating preferably differs from the material of the scraper element. The coating is designed to at least partially protect the scraper element against wear and / or corrosion. The material of the coating can consist of a metallic and / or ceramic material. Alternatively and / or additionally, the material of the coating can comprise a plastic material and / or be made of plastic. An impact- and / or scratch-resistant, in particular elastic, material is particularly advantageous in this case.

[0029] The object underlying the invention is further achieved by an agricultural implement of the type mentioned above, wherein at least one disc coulter is designed according to one of the embodiments described above. Regarding the advantages and modifications of the agricultural implement according to the invention, reference is first made to the advantages and modifications of the disc coulter according to the invention.

[0030] Further details of the invention can be found in the example description and the drawings. The drawings show Fig. 1 shows an agricultural implement with several disc coulters according to the invention in a perspective view; Fig. 2 shows a disc coulter according to the invention with scraper elements on a row unit of the agricultural implement from Fig. 1in a perspective detailed view; and Fig. 3 the disc coulter according to the invention with scraper elements made of Fig. 2 in a front view.

[0031] An agricultural implement 10 pulled by a tractor S for cultivating an agricultural area is shown in the Fig. 1 shown. The agricultural implement 10, designed as a seed drill, comprises, in addition to a central storage container 11 for storing seed and / or fertilizer, several row units 20 arranged on a frame 12.

[0032] The Fig. 2The row unit 20 shown in detail comprises a disc coulter 30 designed as a double disc coulter, which has two discs 32 rotatably mounted on a coulter holder 31. In addition, the disc coulter 30 comprises a scraper assembly 40 assigned to each of the discs 32, which is designed to at least partially detach residues from the agricultural area, in particular a field, adhering to the disc 32 from the disc 32. The scraper assembly 40 is formed from two individual scraper elements 41 designed as bent sheet metal parts, with one scraper element 41 being assigned to each side of the disc 32. The scraper elements 41 extend essentially so far from the outer radius in the direction of an axis of rotation D of the disc 32, so that in particular the area of ​​the disc 32 engaging in the ground is in contact with the scraper elements 41 and can thus be freed from adhesions.

[0033] The Fig. 2 The embodiment shown of a stripper element 41 designed as a bent sheet metal part is exemplary and not limited to this embodiment. Alternatively or additionally, the at least one stripper element 41 can be designed at least partially as a preferably metallic formed part, in particular as a forged and / or stamped part, and / or as a plastic part.

[0034] As the Fig. 3shows, the wiper assembly 40 is essentially U-shaped and arranged so as to be compressible around the disc 32. A tensioning device 42, which is formed from at least one screw 43, a screw nut 44 and a spring element 45, is arranged transversely to the disc 32 within the wiper assembly 40 and is designed to at least partially elastically deform the wiper elements 41 and to press them against the disc 32 with an adjustable pressure. The pressure can be adjusted particularly easily by an operator by means of the screw 43 and / or the screw nut 44, preferably by means of a tool, wherein a particularly high pressure can be achieved between the wiper elements 41 and the disc 32 by means of the tool.By means of the spring element 45, designed as a helical spring and arranged between the screw nut 44 and one of the scraper elements 41, the tensioning device 42 is also configured to automatically adjust the pressure on the respective sides of the disc 32, which can be adjusted by the scraper elements 41. This ensures particularly high operational reliability of the disc coulter 30 during cultivation of the agricultural land.

[0035] Alternatively or in addition to the illustrated embodiment of the spring element 45, the spring element 45 can also be designed as a leaf and / or disc spring element with preferably particularly high spring rates. Furthermore, a spring element 45 designed as an elastic plastic spring element, in particular as a rubber spring, with vibration-damping properties is conceivable.

[0036] The scraper elements 41 of each scraper assembly 40 are designed such that they can be releasably inserted into one another. At least one of the scraper elements 41 has at least one at least partially bent end section 51, which can be inserted into a designated opening 52 on the other scraper element 41. This ensures that the scraper assembly 40 can be coupled to the share holder 31 by only one of the scraper elements 41 that can be inserted into one another, by means of a tab 46 that is integrally formed on one of the scraper elements 41. The positive and / or non-positive connection between the scraper assembly 40 and the share holder 31 is designed in this example as a releasable screw connection 47, with an elastic element 48 designed as an elastomer being arranged between the share holder 31 and the tab 46.By means of the elastic element 48, the vibrations transmitted between the share holder 31 and the scraper assembly 40 can be significantly reduced. This results in a particularly material-friendly connection between the share holder 31 and the scraper assembly 40.

[0037] Furthermore, the scraper element 41 having the tab 46 comprises an angled end piece 49, which is bent in a direction away from the longitudinal axis of the scraper element 41 and at least partially abuts the share holder 31. Due to the additional force-transmitting connection between the scraper element 41 and the share holder 31 achieved by means of the angled end piece 49, a force acting in the direction of travel and / or vertically upwards towards the scraper elements 41 can be at least partially transmitted to the share holder 31. Furthermore, an angled end piece 49 implemented by bending increases the stiffness and / or strength of the scraper element 41 while maintaining at least a virtually constant weight.

[0038] In addition, the wiper elements 41 comprise at least one end region 50 which is at least partially in contact with the disk 32 and is additionally formed from a virtually wear-resistant material. Alternatively or additionally, the application of a wear-resistant coating and / or a wear protection element is also conceivable. These are advantageously designed to at least partially protect the at least one end region 50 of at least one wiper element 41 from wear and / or corrosion. In this case, the wear-resistant material is to be understood as a hard material, in particular hard metal, which is at least virtually abrasion- and / or impact-resistant. This measure, in particular, allows the service life of the wiper elements 41 to be significantly increased. List of reference symbols

[0039] 10Agricultural implement 11Storage container 12Frame 20Row units 30Disc share 31Share holder 32Discs 40Scraper assembly 41Scraper element 42Clamping device 43Screw 44Screw nut 45Spring element 46Tab 47Screw connection 48Elastic element 49End piece 50End areas 51Section 52Opening DRotary axis SStug

Claims

1. Disk colter (30) for an agricultural implement (10), in particular a sowing machine and / or a soil tillage implement, comprising at least one colter holder (31), at least one disk (32) rotatably mounted on the colter holder (31), and at least two scraper elements (41), each of which is assigned to one side of the disk (32), at least two scraper elements (41) being combined to form a scraper assembly (40), preferably U-shaped, and the scraper elements (41) being designed to be compressible against the disk (32) by means of at least one tensioning device (42), preferably with adjustable pressure, and the tensioning device (42) being set up by means of at least one spring element (45) to automatically adjust the pressure exerted by the scraper elements (41) on the disk (32), characterized in that at least two of the scraper elements (41) of a scraper assembly (40) can be inserted into one another, preferably detachably.

2. Disk colter (30) according to claim 1, characterized in that the tensioning device (42) comprises at least one screw (43) and at least one screw nut (44) in addition to the at least one spring element (45), the spring element (45) being arranged preferably between the at least one scraper element (41) and the screw (43) and / or the screw nut (44).

3. Disk colter (30) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the scraper elements (41) is at least partially elastically deformable, in particular by means of the tensioning device.

4. Disk colter (30) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one scraper element (41) has at least one tab (46), in that the scraper element (41) can be coupled to the colter holder (31) in a form-fitting and / or force-fitting manner via the tab (46).

5. Disk colter (30) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the scraper assembly (40) comprises at least one elastic element (48), preferably an elastomer, the at least one elastic element (48) being arranged between the tab (46) and the colter holder (31).

6. Disk colter (30) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one scraper element (41) has at least one angled end piece (49), the at least one angled end piece (49) at least partly resting on the colter holder (31), preferably in a force-transmitting manner.

7. Disk colter (30) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one scraper element (41), preferably on at least one of its end regions (50), is at least partly made of a virtually wear-resistant material.

8. Disk colter (30) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one scraper element (41), preferably on at least one of its end regions (50), has at least one wear protection element made of a virtually wear-resistant material.

9. Disk colter (30) according to at least one of the preceding claims 7-8, characterized in that the wear-resistant material is a hard material, in particular hard metal.

10. Disk colter (30) according to at least one of the preceding claims 1-6, characterized in that at least one scraper element (41), preferably on at least one of its end regions (50), at least partly has a virtually wear-resistant coating.

11. Agricultural implement (10), in particular sowing machine and / or soil tillage implement, comprising at least one disk colter (30), characterized in that the disk colter (30) is designed according to any of the preceding claims.