BAND CUTTING MACHINE

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a belt cutting device according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Band cutting systems comprise a frame with a central segment having at least one continuously rotating central belt and two side segments, each having at least one laterally conveying, continuously rotating side belt, as well as a knife bar. The side belts are arranged at an angle to the knife bar, viewed in the direction of travel. This arrangement results in grains that have become detached from the crop during pickup rolling on the side belts to the front edge of the side belts in the direction of the knife bar. To prevent these grains from falling from the side belt back to the knife bar, it is necessary to provide a trickle guard or barrier in the area of ​​the front side of the side belt facing the knife bar. Furthermore, the front side of the side belt at the transition to the knife bar must be sealed to such an extent that as few grains as possible can get between the knife bar and the side belt.

[0003] US 7,472,533 B2 describes a belt cutting system whose cutter bar has a C-shaped profile component that encloses the front side of the rotating side belt. In addition, the side belt has a strip of elastic material on its front edge. Together with the C-shaped profile component, the strip forms a kind of barrier to stop the grains rolling back toward the cutter bar. To ensure that the strip lies flat against the C-shaped profile component, a frame is provided in each side belt, which holds the material-conveying upper side of the belt in its required position. To achieve a seal between the side belt and the C-shaped profile component, very precise adjustment of these frames is required.

[0004] From US 7,908,836 B1 a structure comparable to that from US 7,472,533 B2 is known for sealing side belts against the knife bar on a belt cutting device.

[0005] The solutions known from US 7,472,533 B2 and US 7,908,836 B1, in addition to their complexity and complex adjustment, also have the limitation that these solutions do not allow application on a belt cutter with a flexible knife bar and flexible side belts.

[0006] A belt cutting device of the type mentioned above is known from US 8,091,330 B2. For sealing purposes, a circumferential rib is arranged on the material-conveying surface of the respective side belt, which is spaced from the front edge of the side belt. The area from the cutter bar to the respective side belt is covered with transition plates. The transition plates extend over the circumferential rib on the front edge of the respective side belt, whereby a gap of less than 0.6 mm remains between the transition plates and the circumferential rib. To ensure continuous contact, the transition plates exert a contact force directed towards the surface of the side belt, which is exerted on the rib in an uneven and uncontrolled manner due to the vertical movements of the cutter bar and side belts. Either the contact force exerted is so great that the transition plates rest so heavily on the rib, orare pressed against them so that the side belt or the surrounding rib is permanently damaged, or the transition plates protrude so far from the rib that the sealing function fails, whereby not only crops but also stalks or stems get between the knife bar and the side belt.

[0007] Based on the above-mentioned prior art, the object of the invention is to further develop a belt cutting device of the type mentioned at the outset, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art and is characterized in particular by a functionally improved and less wear-resistant seal.

[0008] This object is achieved by a belt cutting device having the features of independent patent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments can be found in the dependent claims.

[0009] According to claim 1, a belt cutting system is proposed which comprises a frame with a center segment having at least one continuously rotating center belt and two side segments each having at least one laterally conveying, continuously rotating side belt, as well as a flexible knife bar which is arranged on support arms pivotally connected to the frame, wherein the side belts are designed to follow a movement of the flexible knife bar. According to the invention, the respective side belt has a circumferential limiting rib in the material receiving area adjacent to the knife bar, which limiting rib is overlapped by a belt seal extending substantially across the width of the side segment, wherein the belt seal is fastened to the knife bar by means of segmented holding elements, and wherein the holding elements exert a compressive force on the belt seal in order to press it against the limiting rib.Because the holding elements are segmented, they can track the movements of the cutter bar through relative movements to immediately adjacent holding elements. This in turn has the effect that the pressure force exerted by the holding elements on the belt seal is subject to fewer fluctuations, resulting in a more uniform contact pressure that is less dependent on vertical movements of the flexible cutter bar and, correspondingly, the respective side belt. The occurrence of gaps between the belt seal or the holding elements and the limiting rib is reduced, thereby reducing the risk of crop material entering. Furthermore, wear on the limiting rib is minimized or shifted to the belt seal. The latter is easier and more cost-effective to replace than a damaged side belt, which can no longer perform its sealing function due to wear.

[0010] The band seal can preferably be made of a flexible material, in particular of plastic or rubber. This allows the wear behavior of the band seal to be influenced. Likewise, the required elasticity of the band seal can be provided by a suitable selection of material in order to better withstand dynamic alternating loads. More preferably, the band seal can be made of a rubber-elastic material. The use of a suitable rubber-elastic material for the band seal enables reversible deformation of the band seal. Furthermore, a suitable rubber-elastic material has the necessary rigidity to transfer the compressive force exerted by the retaining elements to the limiting rib, whereby a preferably flat contact between the band seal and the limiting rib is largely maintained.

[0011] It is advantageous that a non-overlapping area formed between the limiting rib and the retaining elements is covered by the strip seal. This non-overlapping area prevents the strip seal from pressing directly against the limiting rib. Rather, the material properties of the strip seal allow the pressure exerted by the retaining elements to be more easily adjusted.

[0012] Preferably, the limiting rib and the belt seal form a barrier with a height of between 10 mm and 15 mm. Due to the inclination of the respective side belt, crop rolling toward the cutter bar is stopped by this vertically extending barrier and can accumulate in front of it. Due to the height of this barrier, even larger grains can be stopped for laterally conveyed further, thereby reducing grain loss. The vertical barrier formed by the limiting rib and the belt seal also offers fewer disruptive contours to the crop flow.

[0013] In particular, the limiting rib can have a substantially cuboidal or trapezoidal cross-section. It is essential that a support surface is formed on the upper side of the limiting rib facing the belt seal. The support surface is continuous, viewed in the conveying direction, and has a substantially flat surface. This serves to absorb the compressive force indirectly applied by the retaining elements via the belt seal as evenly as possible.

[0014] Preferably, the respective retaining element can have, relative to the respective side belt, an inclined front section facing the cutter bar and a substantially parallel rear section facing the side belt. The retaining elements can be fastened to the cutter bar by means of their front section. For this purpose, the respective retaining element can be releasably fastened to the cutter bar with a screw connection. The strip seal can be releasably fastened to the retaining elements by means of the rear section of the respective retaining element. This can simplify any necessary replacement of the strip seal. The angle formed by the front section and the rear section of the respective retaining element determines the compressive force exerted indirectly by the strip seal on the limiting rib.

[0015] Preferably, the retaining elements can be designed as profile parts made of sheet metal. These can be identical parts that can be manufactured in large quantities, for example, by laser cutting or punching followed by forming processes.

[0016] According to a further development, the strip-shaped band seal, which has a cuboid cross-section, can be constructed in one or more parts. Preferably, the band seal of each side segment is constructed in one piece. In particular, the vertical end faces of the boundary rib and the band seal are essentially flush on the side facing away from the cutter bar. This avoids the formation of a butt edge at the transition from the boundary rib to the band seal.

[0017] According to a preferred development, at least one trough-shaped or curved collecting rib, the open side of which faces away from the cutter bar, can be arranged on the surface of the side belts between conveying ribs that run perpendicular to the limiting rib and are arranged equidistant from one another. The trough-shaped or curved collecting ribs are arranged essentially parallel to the limiting rib. The provision of collecting ribs on the material-conveying surface of the side belts contributes to improved trickle protection. The trough-shaped or curved collecting ribs stop grains falling onto the side belt in the area of ​​the arrangement of the collecting ribs. Furthermore, rolling grains can be slowed down by the collecting ribs so that they do not roll back to the cutter bar at such a high speed that they could potentially jump over the vertical barrier formed by the limiting rib and belt seal.In this way, losses in the area of ​​the sidebands can be specifically avoided.

[0018] In particular, the collecting ribs arranged in at least one row can be arranged at a distance from the limiting rib so that the collecting ribs are always located in the receiving area of ​​the at least one central belt. This is particularly advantageous since the at least one central belt is at a greater distance from the knife bar than the side belts. This minimizes the risk of losses in the area of ​​the central segment. The position of the trough-shaped or arched collecting ribs is specifically aligned with the central belt so that the grains held by the collecting ribs are conveyed to the central belt and are not released into the area between the knife bar and the central belt, where the central belt cannot receive the grains due to its distance from the knife bar.

[0019] For this purpose, the trough-shaped or curved collecting ribs, extending from the knife bar, can be positioned above the lower third of the side belt. This allows the grains falling onto the belt to be held in the upper and middle areas of the side belt.

[0020] Furthermore, the collecting ribs can extend essentially up to the conveying ribs. Thus, only small lateral gaps remain between the end regions of the respective trough-shaped or curved collecting rib and the adjacent conveying ribs.

[0021] According to a preferred development, the center segment can have at least one center belt which is oriented perpendicular to the conveying direction of the side belts.

[0022] Alternatively, the center segment can have two center belts arranged next to each other in a V-shape, which are arranged so as to converge towards each other in their conveying direction.

[0023] The present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings.

[0024] They show: Fig. 1 is an exemplary and schematic representation of a belt cutting device; Fig. 2 is an exemplary and schematic partial view of a knife bar of a side segment of the belt cutting device; Fig. 3 is an exemplary and schematic view of a partial section of a side belt according to Fig. 2 from above; Fig. 4 exemplary and schematic view of a middle segment of the band cutting device according to Fig. 1 from above; and Fig. 5 shows an exemplary and schematic view of a central segment of the belt cutting unit according to a further embodiment.

[0025] Fig. 1shows an exemplary and schematic representation of a belt cutting unit 1. The belt cutting unit 1 comprises a center segment 3 and at least two side segments 4 arranged adjacent to the center segment 3. The cutting unit 1 has a frame 2. The frame 2 can be segmented. The center segment 3 and the side segments 4 can each have individual frame segments on which they are arranged. The frame segments together can form the segmented frame 2. Two outer frame segments can be pivotably arranged on an inner frame segment.

[0026] A ground-following flexible cutter bar 6 is arranged on the central segment 3 and the side segments 4 on the front side of the belt cutting unit 1, opposite the frame 2. This flexible cutter bar extends essentially across the entire width of the belt cutting unit 1. The flexible cutter bar 6, which is mounted on support arms pivotably connected to the frame 2, can be deflected vertically around a horizontal position due to uneven ground. The flexible cutter bar 6 can be deflected upwards in a positive direction, away from the ground, and downwards in a negative direction, toward the ground.

[0027] The crop cut by the cutter bar 6 is fed to a conveyor device 5 arranged behind the cutter bar 6, which is designed as at least one continuously rotating side belt 7 on the respective side sections 4. The continuously rotating side belts 7 of the side segments 4 are each arranged adjacent to the center segment 3 in order to transport crop cut by the cutter bar 6 sideways in a conveying direction FR to the center segment 3 and feed it to an intake device 9. The side belts 7 are configured to follow a movement of the flexible cutter bar 6.

[0028] The middle segment 3 also comprises a conveyor device 5 designed as at least one endlessly circulating middle belt 8. The at least one middle belt 8 of the middle segment 3 conveys transversely to the conveying direction FR of the side belts 7 of the side segments 4. Other embodiments of the conveyor device 5 in the area of ​​the middle segment 3 are conceivable, as will be explained below with reference to an embodiment shown in Fig. 5 illustrated embodiment is explained. The intake device 9 is designed as a drivable intake roller 10. The intake device 9 feeds the crop fed laterally to the center segment 3 by the endlessly rotating side belts 7 to an opening 12 provided in the frame 2 of the center segment 3, located behind the intake roller 10, through which the collected crop is fed to the combine harvester for further processing through an intake channel 11 located on a combine harvester (not shown), to which the belt cutting device 1 is detachably attached.

[0029] Fig. 2 shows an exemplary and schematic partial view of the knife bar 6 of one of the side segments 4 of the belt cutting unit 1. The side segments 4 are constructed identically, so that the following explanations apply to both side segments 4.

[0030] The respective side belt 7 has, in the material receiving area 13 adjacent to the cutter bar 6, a circumferential limiting rib 14 which runs parallel to the cutter bar 6. The limiting rib 14 is arranged on the material-conveying upper side of the side belt 7. The limiting rib 14 is overlapped by a belt seal 15 which extends essentially across the width of the side segment 4. The belt seal 15 is fastened to the cutter bar 6 by means of segmented holding elements 16. The limiting rib 14 has an essentially cuboid-shaped or trapezoidal cross-section. This forms a support surface 17 which is parallel to the material-conveying upper side of the side belt 7. The support surface 17 is continuous, as seen in the conveying direction FR, and has an essentially flat surface.The holding elements 16 exert a compressive force on the band seal 15 in order to press the band seal 15 against the support surface 17 on the upper side of the limiting rib 14.

[0031] The band seal 15 is made of a flexible material, in particular a plastic or rubber. This allows the wear behavior of the band seal 15 to be influenced. The required elasticity of the band seal 15 can also be provided by a suitable selection of material in order to better withstand dynamic alternating loads. The band seal 15 can preferably be made of a rubber-elastic material. The use of a suitable rubber-elastic material for the band seal 15 enables reversible deformation of the band seal 15. Furthermore, a suitable rubber-elastic material has the necessary rigidity to transfer the compressive force exerted by the holding elements 16 to the limiting rib 14, whereby the surface contact of the band seal 15 with the limiting rib 14 is largely maintained.

[0032] The limiting rib 14, together with the sealing strip 15, forms a barrier with a height H between 10 mm and 15 mm. Thus, even larger grains, such as corn kernels, beans, or the like, can be stopped by the barrier.

[0033] The respective holding element 16 has, relative to the respective side belt 7, an inclined front section 18 facing the cutter bar 6 and a substantially parallel rear section 19 facing the side belt 7. The respective holding element 16 is releasably attached to the cutter bar 6 by means of a screw connection 20. The belt seal 15 can be releasably attached to the holding elements 16 by means of the rear section 19 of the respective holding element 16. The belt seal 15 is arranged on the underside of the rear section 19 of the holding elements 16 facing the side belt 4. This can preferably also be achieved by a screw connection. This can simplify any necessary replacement of the belt seal 15 due to wear.An angle 21, which is enclosed by the front section 18 and the rear section 19 of the respective holding element 16, determines the pressure force which is exerted indirectly by the band seal 15 on the support surface 17 of the limiting rib 14.

[0034] A non-overlap area formed between the limiting rib 14 and the holding elements 16 is covered by the belt seal 15. The non-overlap area forms between the end face of the rear section 19 of the respective holding element 16 and the support surface 17 of the limiting rib 14. Thus, no direct compressive force is exerted by the holding elements 16 on the limiting rib 14, as is the case in the generic prior art. A key effect is that wear is essentially shifted to the belt seal 15. Due to the elasticity of the belt seal 15, the gap formation between the limiting rib 14 and the belt seal 15 is minimized when a sectionally vertical deflection of the knife bar 6 and the side belt 4 results in a substantially arcuate deformation, the movement of which is transmitted to the holding elements 16.

[0035] The segmented holding elements 16 can execute a relative movement to each other about an axis perpendicular to the knife bar 6, initiated by a vertical movement of the knife bar 6. For this purpose, each knife finger 22 arranged on the knife bar 6 can be assigned a holding element 16. In the present embodiment of the knife bar, the knife fingers 22 are designed as double fingers, as can be seen from Fig. 3 is evident.

[0036] The retaining elements 16 are designed, in particular, as profiled parts made of sheet metal. This enables cost-effective production of the retaining elements 16 in large quantities.

[0037] The strip-shaped, cuboid-shaped cross-section band seal 15 can be constructed in one or more parts. Thus, the band seal 15 can extend completely across the width of a side segment 4 as a single element or consist of two or more individual elements arranged side by side on the retaining elements 16.

[0038] On the material-conveying surface of the side belts 7, conveying ribs 23 are arranged equidistantly from one another, extending perpendicularly to the limiting rib 14. The conveying ribs 23 extend to the material receiving area 13 and end in front of the limiting rib 14 at a distance therefrom. Between the conveying ribs 23, at least one trough-shaped or curved collecting rib 24 is arranged, the open side of which faces away from the knife bar 6, as shown in the Fig. 3 to 5 is shown.

[0039] The representation in Fig. 3shows an exemplary and schematic view of a partial section of the side band 7 according to Fig. 2 View obliquely from above. The illustration shows the section of the side band 7 without the retaining elements 16 and the band seal 15 arranged thereon. Angled fastening plates 25 are visible, which serve to releasably hold the retaining elements 16, which are arranged in the area between the side band 7 and the knife fingers 22 on the knife bar 6.

[0040] In Fig. 4 is an exemplary and schematic view of the middle segment 3 of the band cutting unit 1 according to Fig. 1shown from above. The center belt 8 of the center segment 3 conveys transversely to the conveying direction FR of the side belts 7 in the direction of the feed roller 10. In contrast to the side belts 7, which with their front edge, on which the limiting rib 14 is arranged, border almost directly on the knife bar 6, the front edge of the center belt 8 is at a greater distance from the knife bar 6. Due to the greater distance between the center belt 8 and the knife bar 6 compared to the side belts 7, an area 26 forms at the ends of the side belts 7 facing the center belt 8, in which area the crop is fed to the center belt 8 in front of it. The center belt 8, like the side belts 7, has equidistantly arranged conveying ribs 29, which are arranged on the center belt 8 so as to run parallel to the knife bar 6.In this area 26, material guide plates or the like can be arranged, which serve for the passive feeding of the crop to the central belt 8.

[0041] As mentioned with reference to Fig. 3 As already explained, at least one trough-shaped or curved collecting rib 24 is arranged between the conveying ribs 23, the open side of which faces away from the cutter bar 6. The collecting ribs 24 are arranged next to one another in at least one row 27A, 27B on the crop-conveying surface of the respective side belt 7. The collecting ribs 24 arranged next to one another in a row 27A, 27B are arranged at a distance from the limiting rib 14, so that the collecting ribs 24 are always located in the receiving area of ​​the at least one central belt 8. The receiving area is the area of ​​the central belt 8 in which the respective side belt 7 spatially overlaps the central belt 8, so that the crop passes directly from the respective side belt 7 to the central belt 8.

[0042] Preferably, two rows 27A, 27B are arranged parallel to each other on the material-conveying surface of the side belts 7. Due to their shape, the trough-shaped or curved collecting ribs 24 have a lowest point 28 in which the retained grains can collect. The spacing of the row 27A with collecting ribs 24, which is arranged closest to the knife bar 6 on the side belts 7, is selected such that the lowest point 28 of the collecting ribs 24 is always above the respective conveying rib 29, which passes the row 27A with collecting ribs 24 closest to the knife bar 6. This ensures that grains retained by the collecting ribs 24 always reach the central belt 8 above a conveying rib 29. This is illustrated by a dashed line 30, which is drawn from the lowest point 28 of the collecting rib 24 of the row 27A to the center band 8.

[0043] Preferably, the collecting ribs 24 are arranged, starting from the cutter bar 6, above the lower third of the respective side belt 7. A further aspect is that the collecting ribs 24 extend essentially to the conveying ribs 23, which run perpendicular to them.

[0044] In Fig. 5 1 shows an exemplary and schematic view of the center segment 3 of the belt cutting unit 1 according to a further embodiment. The center segment 3 differs only in the design of the conveyor device 5. The center segment 3 has two center belts 8A, 8B arranged side by side in a V-shape, which converge toward each other in their respective conveying directions FR. The design of the side belts 4 corresponds to that described above. List of reference symbols 1 Belt cutting unit FR Conveying direction 2 Frame 3 Middle segment 4 Side segment 5 Conveyor device 6 knife bar 7 collateral ligament 8 Midband 8A Midband 8B Midband 9 Feeding device 10 Feed roller 11 catchment canal 12 opening 13 Receiving area 14 limiting rib 15 Tape sealing 16 Holding element 17 Support surface 18 Front section 19 Rear section 20 screw connection 21 angle 22 knife finger 23 conveyor rib 24 Catch rib 25 Mounting plate 26 Area 27A Row 27B Row 28 Lowest point of 24 29 conveyor rib 30 line

Claims

1. A draper cutting unit (1), comprising: - a frame (2) with a centre segment (3) having at least one continuously revolving centre belt (8, 8A, 8B) and two side segments (4) respectively having at least one laterally-conveying, continuously revolving side belt (7), - a flexible cutter bar (6) which is disposed on support arms which are pivotally articulated on the frame (2), wherein the side belts (7) are configured to follow a movement of the flexible cutter bar (6), characterized in that in the crop intake region (13) adjacent to the cutter bar (6), the respective side belt (7) has a circumferential marginal rib (14) which is overlapped by a belt seal (15) which extends substantially over the width of the side segment (4), wherein the belt seal (15) is fastened to the cutter bar (6) by means of segmented retaining elements (16), and wherein the retaining elements (16) exert a compressive force on the belt seal (15) in order to press it against the marginal rib (14).

2. The draper cutting unit (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the belt seal (15) consists of a flexible material, in particular of a plastic or rubber.

3. The draper cutting unit (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that an overlap-free region formed between the marginal rib (14) and the retaining elements (16) is covered by the belt seal (15).

4. The draper cutting unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the marginal rib (14) with the belt seal (15) forms a barrier with a height of between 10 mm and 15 mm.

5. The draper cutting unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the marginal rib (14) has a substantially rectangular or trapezoidal cross section.

6. The draper cutting unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that relative to the respective side belt (7), the respective retaining element (16) has an inclined front section (18) which faces the cutter bar (6) and a substantially parallel rear section (19) which faces the side belt (7).

7. The draper cutting unit (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the retaining elements (16) are constructed from profiled parts which are fabricated from sheet metal.

8. The draper cutting unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the belt seal (15) which is in the form of a strip and has a rectangular cross section is constructed in one or more parts.

9. The draper cutting unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that on the surface of the side belts (7) between conveying ribs (23) which run perpendicularly to the marginal rib (14) and which are disposed equidistant from each other, there is a respective at least one trough-shaped or arcuate collecting rib (24) the open side of which faces away from the cutter bar (6).

10. The draper cutting unit (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the collecting ribs (24), which are disposed in at least one row (27A, 27B), are disposed at a distance from the marginal rib (14) so that the collecting ribs (24) are always located in the intake region of the at least one centre belt (8, 8A, 8B).

11. The draper cutting unit (1) according to claim 9 or claim 10, characterized in that starting from the cutter bar (6), the collecting ribs (24) are disposed above the lower third of the side belt (7).

12. The draper cutting unit (1) according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the collecting ribs (24) extend substantially to the conveying ribs (23).

13. The draper cutting unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the centre segment (3) has at least one centre belt (8) which is orientated perpendicularly to the conveying direction (FR) of the side belts (7).

14. The draper cutting unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the centre segment (3) has two centre belts (8A, 8B) which are disposed next to each other in a V-shape and which are disposed so as to converge when viewed in their conveying direction (FR).