Roller for an agricultural conveying device, conveying device and agricultural work machine

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a roller for an agricultural conveying device for harvested crops, in particular for root crops, wherein the roller has an elongated roller body whose longitudinal center axis corresponds, during operation, to a rotational axis of the roller. Furthermore, the roller comprises a working tool that is releasably secured relative to the roller body and for acting on the harvested crop. A generic conveying device comprises a plurality of rollers as described above. Accordingly, a generic agricultural working machine, in particular a potato or beet harvester, comprises such a conveying device, which can also be used as a separating device or transfer device for separating the harvested crop from impurities and / or for forwarding the harvested crop picked up via a receptacle to other functional elements of a working machine.

[0002] A prior art device is equipped with working tools that are either optimized for a specific harvesting condition, including, for example, soil moisture and composition, or that are designed to accommodate a variety of such conditions, subject to compromise. If the harvesting conditions, including soil moisture, change, it may sometimes be useful or even necessary to implement different working tools or different configurations of working tools on a roller or conveyor device, or a roller designed for different working conditions may convey and / or clean suboptimally.

[0003] A prior art example can be found in EP 3 064 283 A2. For the adaptation of different root crop harvesters to the respective crop, as described therein, a respective roller must be completely removed from the conveyor device, after which the individual roller segments can be removed and replaced.

[0004] From EP 3 473 079 B1 it is known to design individual working tools of a roller so that they are interchangeable.

[0005] US Pat. No. 7,261,209 B2 discloses a modular roller for use in material separation units. The roller has a shaft with a rectangular cross-section, on which internal shells are arranged. These form a roller body. The half-shells containing the working tools are releasably secured to the roller body.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to improve the adaptability of a roller, a conveying device with such a roller and an agricultural working machine to different harvesting conditions.

[0007] The object is achieved by an article according to claim 1, an article according to claim 16 and by an article according to claim 17.

[0008] According to the invention, the working tools are arranged on at least two successive partial shells covering the roller body in the circumferential direction, which are releasably attached to the roller body by at least one fastening means. By separating the shell containing the working tools or covering the roller body of a roller into partial shells in the circumferential direction, these do not have to be removed from an associated frame of an agricultural conveyor device. The roller body, which is provided for connecting the roller to a frame and a drive element, can remain in the frame, which enables replacement, particularly during operation in the field. Several working tools arranged on a partial shell can be replaced at once by replacing a respective partial shell. Such replacement during operation in the field avoids downtime.At the same time, contamination of the bearings can be avoided because they do not have to be loosened and, if necessary, removed.

[0009] Working tools are understood to mean, in particular, catching ribs or web-like elevations of the dividing shell. These serve, on the one hand, to separate impurities adhering to the crop and, on the other hand, to accelerate and further transport the crop, especially root crops or potatoes. The working tools are, in particular, a fixed and non-detachable part of the dividing shell and, in particular, are formed integrally with the rest of the dividing shell.

[0010] The fastening elements for securing each shell section to the roller body can be made of one or more parts. For example, when screwing the shell sections to the roller body, the screw, including any nuts, represents the fastening element.

[0011] The roller body is provided, particularly in the area of ​​the partial shells, with an at least substantially cylindrical outer surface against which the respective partial shells can be placed. In the preferably hollow roller body, for example, threaded recesses can be arranged for screwing the partial shells to the roller body. The fastening means can fasten the respective partial shell in the end regions viewed in the circumferential direction. Alternatively or additionally, they can also be arranged between the respective end regions of a respective partial shell, depending on the design and strength or flexural rigidity of the partial shell. By fastening with the fastening means, centrifugal forces acting on the partial shells resulting from rotation during operation are absorbed and drive torques are transferred from the roller body.

[0012] The partial shells preferably completely cover the roller body in the circumferential direction and enclose it entirely. Alternatively, the partial shells can also be arranged in segments in respective sections in the circumferential direction on the roller body, one after the other, and thus spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction. It is understood that complete enclosing is understood to mean both a partial overlap and a sequence of partial shells arranged closely to one another in the circumferential direction, except for any gaps. Preferably, at least 90%, preferably at least 95%, and in particular 100% of the circumference of the roller body in the region of the partial shells are covered by the latter.

[0013] According to the invention, the partial shells are arranged centrally between outer fixed tools, which are fixedly mounted on the roller body, viewed transversely to the longitudinal center axis. The partial shells can thus be arranged in a central region of the roller, with further fixed tools in the form of working tools being present on the roller body outside this central region, particularly towards the sides. These tools are then, however, non-detachably and firmly connected to the roller body. Thus, only the central regions, which are typically subject to correspondingly high loads in a roller or conveyor device, can be provided with replaceable partial shells, while side regions, which are typically less heavily loaded, are equipped with working tools permanently mounted on the roller body.

[0014] Particularly simple replacement of the partial shells is achieved when they are designed as half shells. Thus, a roller according to the invention, which in particular has a diameter of no more than 40 cm, is easy to replace. The large contact surface facilitates the removal and installation of the partial shells.

[0015] According to a further embodiment of the invention, a plurality of partial shells are arranged side by side along the longitudinal center axis on the roller body, viewed in a direction transverse to the longitudinal center axis. This allows for more targeted replacement of individual areas of, for example, a heavily loaded central region of a conveyor device. In such an embodiment of the invention, two partial shells are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal center axis, and a total of at least four partial shells are present on one roller.

[0016] In particular, at least two of the partial shells are fastened to one another via at least one fastening means. The fastening means(s) can fix the partial shells indirectly to the roller body in such a way that, for example, the shells are merely clamped to the roller body by the fastening means being designed as clamping means that brace the respective partial shells against one another and thus also to the roller body. They can also be used directly, as described above, for example, for fastening to the roller body.

[0017] The fastening means preferably comprise at least one clamping element which passes through at least one recess in the roller body and by means of which two partial shells are clamped against one another and in particular against the roller body. This enables the torque to be transferred particularly well from the roller body to the partial shells. Particularly preferably, one clamping element passes through two recesses in the roller body so that any torque can be transmitted in a distributed manner to the partial shells. The plurality of fastening means is particularly advantageous, particularly when the clamping elements are designed as threaded rods or screws, in that the ends of the threaded rod orThe nuts and screw heads on the screw can protrude outwards after the partial shells are attached, allowing them to be easily sheared off if they become stuck due to corrosion or other contamination, allowing the partial shells to be removed without damaging the roller body. This eliminates the need to drill out any threads that might otherwise be located in the roller body.

[0018] The fastening of the partial shells is improved and simplified if they have circumferentially overlapping end regions which are clamped to one another and / or against the outer surface of the roller body by means of the fastening means.

[0019] Thus, a further development of a roller according to the invention is preferably provided with two half-shells, which are fastened to the roller body along the longitudinal direction with two or more fastening means, in particular threaded rods or screws. The fastening preferably takes place in the end region or transition region of the half-shells to one another, so that only one threaded rod or screw needs to be guided centrally through the roller body per fastening point in order to securely fasten the partial shells designed as half-shells. A clamping element then clamps one end region of the two half-shells against one another and against the roller body on surface regions of the roller body facing away from one another.

[0020] Advantageously, the roller body is provided with a profiled surface in the contact area for the partial shells, which corresponds to a surface of at least one of the partial shells and thus additionally contributes to torque transmission. Alternatively or additionally, the surface in the contact area for the partial shells, i.e., in the area where the surfaces of the partial shells rest against the surface of the roller body, is smooth.

[0021] The outer surface of the partial shells is preferably spaced further from the longitudinal center axis than the outer surface of the roller body not covered by a partial shell, with any working tools and their elevation above the outer surface being disregarded. For example, a roller body made of steel can be equipped with partial shells in the center, simply placed on this body, while any working tools in the form of driving ribs can be permanently welded onto the area toward its sides, which are to be arranged within a conveyor device. The manufacture of a roller according to the invention is then simplified.

[0022] Alternatively or additionally, at least one of the partial shells is arranged in a region of the roller body that is offset relative to an adjacent region toward the longitudinal center axis. The partial shells can be arranged in a region of the roller body that is recessed relative to an outer circumference relative to a longitudinal center axis in order to achieve the smallest possible offset, or even no offset, in the outer surfaces of the partial shells relative to the rest of the outer surface of the roller.

[0023] The fixing is further improved if the fastening means comprise at least one rail running longitudinally, parallel to the longitudinal center axis, with which the end regions are clamped against the roller body, and which is fastened to the partial shell and / or the roller body, for example, via the clamping element or an associated screw nut or a screw head. In the longitudinal direction, several rails per partial shell or just one longer rail, the length of which corresponds at least approximately (= at least 80%) to the length of the partial shell, can be used. In particular, in such a design with a rail, the latter is made of metal, while the partial shells are made of a plastic or rubber material.

[0024] In particular, the partial shells are made of a plastic, preferably of a polyurethane with a Shore A hardness between 45 and 95, and / or of steel.

[0025] Adaptation to different harvesting conditions can be achieved by using different Shore hardness and / or different materials.

[0026] In both steel and plastic versions, the roller can be equipped with at least one drive rib as a working tool, formed integrally with the other part of a respective partial shell. A drive rib is often provided with a widened base that tapers towards the top to increase the elasticity of the drive rib. Alternatively, webs of the same width can also be used.

[0027] For effective conveying, a roller is provided with a plurality of driving ribs, which are mirror-imaged relative to a plane of reflection extending transversely to the longitudinal center axis, and in particular, are arranged in a V-shape relative to each other around the longitudinal center axis. These can also be mirror-imaged spiral-shaped driving ribs.

[0028] Instead of a V-shaped design, the working tool can also be a profiled strip extending longitudinally (parallel to the longitudinal center axis). This generates a particularly high conveying capacity.

[0029] The object posed at the outset is also achieved by a conveying device for agricultural harvested material, in particular by a roller table for a beet or potato harvester, which comprises a plurality of rollers held in a frame and provided with parallel longitudinal center axes, at least some of which are designed according to the invention as described above or below. Accordingly, an agricultural work machine having a conveying device according to the invention also achieves the object posed at the outset.

[0030] Further advantages and details of the invention can be found in the following description of the figures. Schematically shown: Fig. 1 a device according to the invention, Fig. 2 a partial view of the object according to Fig. 1 from above, Fig. 3 a view according to Fig. 2 of a further object according to the invention, Fig. 4a - to 4h further objects according to the invention, Fig. 5a a view along AA according to Fig. 4a , Fig. 5b a view along BB according to Fig. 4b , Fig. 6a and 6b further objects not according to the invention, Fig. 7 a partial shell of the object according to Fig. 6b

[0031] The features of the exemplary embodiments according to the invention explained below may also be the subject of the invention individually or in combinations other than those shown or described, but always at least in combination with the features of one of the independent claims. Where appropriate, functionally equivalent parts are provided with identical reference numerals.

[0032] An agricultural working machine according to the invention is designed, for example, as a beet harvester 2 with a receiving unit 4, via which beets and impurities, particularly in the form of soil, are picked up during field operation of the device according to the invention. Part of the receiving unit 4 is a conveyor device designed as a roller table 6, which in this case comprises five conventional rollers 8 and one roller 10 according to the invention, which are mounted in a frame 7. The roller table 6 represents a conveyor line that extends between the harvesting shares 12, which function as a receiving device, and a further transfer device 14, which is arranged between two front wheels 16 of the beet harvester 2 ( Fig. 2 ).

[0033] Another object according to the invention Fig. 3 (in partial view) comprises a further roller table 6 according to the invention, which comprises three conventional rollers 8 and three rollers 10 according to the invention. The rollers 10 according to the invention according to Fig. 3 differ from those according to Fig. 2 in particular in that the rollers 10 are Fig. 3 each have six partial shells, which in the view plane Fig. 3 are arranged side by side in pairs over almost the entire length of the respective roller 10, while the roller 10 according to the invention is Fig. 2 only in a central section, which corresponds approximately to the width of the transfer device 14, has two partial shells designed as half shells. The different design of the rollers 10 according to the invention according to the Fig. 2 and 3 , which in the variants according to the Fig. 4a - h or 6a and 6b, enable the roller table 6 to be adapted to different harvesting conditions.

[0034] In addition, in particular the roller 10 is Fig. 2 arranged in an area in which a very large proportion of the volume flow is conveyed during harvesting. The rollers 8, which are arranged next to the digging shares 12, transport the harvested crop collected across the entire width of the receiving unit 4 towards the center, so that the roller 10 according to the invention is subjected to the greatest load precisely in the central area, which is located directly in front of the transfer device 14. The easy interchangeability of the partial shells of the roller 10 according to the invention, designed as half shells, enables rapid replacement in the event of wear or changed harvesting conditions.

[0035] A roller table 6 can have one or more rollers 10 according to the invention or can be completely equipped with rollers 10 according to the invention. These rollers 10 can be Fig. 4a - 4h be designed, whereby the design of the working tools influences both transverse conveyance in the direction of the double arrow Q and forward conveyance in the longitudinal direction of the arrow L.

[0036] The variants according to the Fig. 4a bis 4h have the common feature that only two partial shells 24 in the form of half shells are arranged centrally on a roller body 22, enclosing it. The half shells of the embodiment according to the Fig. 4a and Fig. 5a The drive ribs 26 arranged on these half-shells are made of steel and welded together. Additionally, a profiled strip 28 is also attached as a working tool by fastening means described below, which also attach the partial shells 24 to the roller body 22. Fixed tools 40 of the respective roller bodies 22 are firmly connected to them.

[0037] The partial shells 24 are fixed to the roller body 22 by fastening means arranged offset from one another in the longitudinal direction ( Fig. 5a ). The fastening means comprise a screw 31 provided with a head 30 at one end, which, by means of a screw nut 32, clamps the partial shells 24 against the roller body 22 and thus indirectly also against each other. In addition, the profile strip 28 is secured to the partial shell 24, which is essentially the left-hand part in the figure, by means of one of the two screw nuts 32.

[0038] The screws 31 penetrate through recesses of the roller body 22 and thus reliably transmit a torque introduced into the roller body 22, which torque is generated in a conventional manner by means of a known drive of the roller table 6.

[0039] While the partial shells 24 Fig. 5a closely follow one another in the circumferential direction and do not overlap, this applies to the partial shells 24, which are essentially made of a polyurethane, according to Fig. 5b not. The partial shells 24 according Fig. 5b have overlapping end regions 34, which are clamped or clamped against each other and against the roller body 22 by the screw 31 and its head or the screw nut 32 arranged at the end. In order to generate the most uniform pressure possible over the entire length of the partially flexible shells 24, the overlapping regions are clamped by a rail 36 running in the direction of the longitudinal center axes 18. The rail thus distributes the forces applied via the screw nuts or threaded rods over the longitudinal extent of a respective shell (see also Fig. 6a und 6b ).

[0040] The examples of implementation according to the Fig. 6a und 6b each have six partial shells 24, which cover the roller body 22 over a large part of the length of the respective roller 10. Only the ends 38 of the roller body 22 arranged towards the frame are not covered. In both rollers 10, the partial shells made of polyurethane are clamped to the roller body not only via the screws 31 but also via rails 36, which are pulled or tensioned against the partial shells 24 by several clamping devices. The partial shells 24 of the embodiments according to the Fig. 6a und 6b are made of polyurethane with a Shore A hardness between 45 and 95. The driving ribs 26 can be arranged symmetrically to one another in sections with respect to individual sections or even over longer lengths of the respective roller 10 with respect to a mirror axis or surface running transversely to the longitudinal axis 18. While in the exemplary embodiment according to the Fig. 6a The driving ribs 26 ensure that the material is transported both in the main conveying direction and transversely to the center of the roller, in the variant according to Fig. 6b A stronger cleaning effect can be expected by lifting individual parts of the crop more strongly.

[0041] A partial shell after the roller 10 according to Fig. 6b is in the detailed view after Fig. 7 revealed once again. This is constructed identically to the other partial shell, with which (cf. Fig. 5b ) then a complete covering in the circumferential direction of the respective roller body 22 is achieved. This in turn simplifies the arrangement and manufacture of the rollers 10 according to the invention.

Claims

1. Roller for an agricultural conveyor device for harvested crop, comprising an elongated roller body (22), the longitudinal midaxis (18) of which corresponds during operation to an axis of rotation of the roller (10), and comprising a working tool releasably fixed relative to the roller body (22) for acting on the harvested crop, wherein the working tools are arranged on at least two successive partial shells (24) that cover the roller body (22) in the circumferential direction and are releasably fixed to the roller body (22) via at least one fastening means, characterized in that the partial shells (24) are arranged centrally, as seen in a direction transverse to the longitudinal midaxis (18), between outer fixed tools (40) that are arranged firmly on the roller body (22).

2. Roller according to Claim 1, characterized in that the partial shells (24) fully enclose the roller body (22) in the circumferential direction.

3. Roller according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the partial shells (24) are configured as half shells.

4. Roller according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of partial shells arranged next to one another along the longitudinal midaxis (18) are arranged on the roller body (22), as seen in a direction transverse to the longitudinal midaxis (18).

5. Roller according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two of the partial shells (24) are fastened to one another via the at least one fastening means.

6. Roller according to one of the preceding claims and having a plurality of fastening means, characterized in that the fastening means comprise at least one bracing element that engages through at least one recess of the roller body (22) and via which two partial shells (24) are braced against one another and in particular against the roller body (22).

7. Roller according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the roller body (22) has a profiled surface in the bearing region for the partial shells (24), which corresponds with a surface of at least one of the partial shells (24), and / or is smoothly configured.

8. Roller according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer lateral face of the partial shells (24) is at a greater distance from the longitudinal midaxis (18) than the outer lateral face of the roller body (22) that is not covered by a partial shell (24).

9. Roller according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the partial shells (24) have end regions (38) that overlap in the circumferential direction and which are braced with one another by the at least one fastening means.

10. Roller according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening means comprise at least one rail that runs in a longitudinal direction parallel to the longitudinal midaxis and with which the end regions are clamped against the roller body.

11. Roller according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the partial shells (24) is arranged in a region of the roller body (22) that is offset towards the longitudinal midaxis (18) in relation to a neighbouring region.

12. Roller according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the partial shells (24) are formed from a plastic, preferably a polyurethane with a Shore A hardness of between 45 - 95, and / or from steel.

13. Roller according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the roller (10) is provided with at least one carrier rib (26), formed integrally with a respective partial shell (24), as a working tool.

14. Roller according to one of the preceding claims and having a plurality of carrier ribs (26), characterized in that the latter run mirror-symmetrically and particularly in a V-shaped manner with respect to one another around the longitudinal midaxis (18).

15. Roller according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a profiled strip (28) running in the longitudinal direction as a working tool.

16. Conveyor device for agricultural harvested crop, in particular roller table (6) for a beet harvester (2), comprising a plurality of rollers (8, 10) that are held in a frame (7) and provided with parallel longitudinal midaxes (18), characterized in that at least some of the rollers (10) are configured according to one of the preceding claims.

17. Agricultural machine comprising a conveyor device according to Claim 16.