MULCHING EQUIPMENT AND HARVESTING MACHINE OR TRAINING VEHICLE WITH A MULCHING EQUIPMENT

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an agricultural harvesting machine or an agricultural tractor with a mulching device.

[0002] A mulching device is used to process, namely shred, plant stumps or stubble left on the ground after separating crops. Shredding the stubble or stumps prevents insect larvae, such as the European corn borer, from overwintering in the stumps or stubble.

[0003] From DE 10 2019 128 214 A1 a mulching device is known, in particular for mounting on an agricultural harvesting machine or an agricultural tractor, wherein the mulching device is segmented as seen perpendicular to a working direction or direction of travel and has a plurality of mulcher segments and the mulcher segments are articulated to one another in order to tilt the mulcher segments relative to one another to ensure a ground fit.

[0004] DE 10 2019 128 215 A1 discloses such a mulching device, which is segmented when viewed perpendicular to a working direction or direction of travel and has a plurality of articulated mulching segments. Each mulching segment has a mulching roller rotatably mounted in a housing, which can be driven about a horizontal axis of rotation running perpendicular to the working direction or direction of travel. A drive shaft is used to drive the mulching segments, which directly drives one of the mulching segments via a gear mechanism, such as a belt drive or chain drive, and indirectly drives the other mulching segments via the directly driven mulching segment. In mulching devices known from the prior art, the drive shaft and the gear mechanism drive an outer or lateral mulching segment of the mulching device directly and indirectly drive the other mulching segments via this directly driven mulching segment.A drive solution in which the drive shaft and gearbox directly drive a lateral or outer mulcher segment requires a relatively large amount of installation space. Furthermore, when the mulching device is moved from a working position to a transport position, the drive shaft and gearbox obscure the driver's field of vision.

[0005] There is a need for a mulching system with a drive system that requires less installation space and does not obstruct the driver's field of vision when the mulching system is in transport position. Furthermore, there is a need for a harvester and a tractor with such a mulching system.

[0006] Based on this, the present invention is based on the object of creating a novel agricultural harvesting machine or an agricultural tractor with a mulching device.

[0007] This object is achieved by a mulching device according to patent claim 1. According to the invention, the mulching segment that can be driven directly via the drive shaft and the transmission is the middle mulching segment or one of the middle mulching segments.

[0008] The present invention proposes that the central mulcher segment or one of the central mulcher segments of the mulching device be directly driven via the drive shaft and the gear box of the mulching device. According to the invention, the drive shaft and the gear box are not assigned to an outer or lateral mulcher segment for direct driving, but rather to the central mulcher segment or one of the central mulcher segments. This results in space savings. Furthermore, the drive shaft and the gear box of the mulching device are prevented from obstructing a driver's field of vision in the transport position.

[0009] Preferably, the drive shaft of the mulching device, which can be coupled to the agricultural harvesting machine or agricultural tractor, extends parallel to the working direction or direction of travel. This serves to provide a particularly compact design of the mulching device for directly driving a central mulching segment.

[0010] Preferably, the gearing of the mulching device is connected between the drive shaft of the mulching device and the mulching roller of the directly driven mulching segment of the mulching device. This allows the middle mulching segment to be driven directly with minimal installation space. Preferably, the gearing of the mulching device comprises an angular gear and a spur gear, with one gear of the angular gear being connected to the drive shaft and one gear of the spur gear being connected to the mulching roller of the directly driven mulching segment. This is particularly preferred for directly driving the middle mulching segment with a compact design.

[0011] The agricultural harvesting machine or agricultural tractor has a switchable clutch, which is preferably connected between the output shaft of the harvesting machine or tractor and a shaft of the harvesting machine or tractor from which drive power for the mulching device is diverted. The switchable clutch is preferably a power-shiftable, in particular friction-locked, clutch. The switchable clutch makes it possible to couple and uncouple the mulching device on the drive side. Particularly when the coupling device is a friction-locked clutch, the mulching device can be started in a defined manner when it is coupled on the drive side, thus preventing overloading of the mulching device.

[0012] According to the invention, the agricultural harvesting machine or agricultural tractor comprises a transmission, preferably designed as an angular gear, which is connected between the output shaft of the harvesting machine or tractor and the shaft of the harvesting machine or tractor from which drive power for the mulching device is diverted. This ensures that little installation space is required even in the tractor or harvesting machine area.

[0013] According to the invention, the agricultural harvesting machine or agricultural tractor has a cardan shaft connected between the output shaft of the harvesting machine or tractor and the switchable clutch, with the switchable clutch preferably being connected between the cardan shaft and the transmission. The cardan shaft can compensate for relative movement between the mulching device and the harvesting machine or tractor with minimal installation space requirements.

[0014] Preferred developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and the following description. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail, without being limited thereto, with reference to the drawings. Herein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a mulching device according to the invention in working position; and Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of the mulching device according to the invention of Fig. 1 .

[0015] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a mulching device 1 according to the invention, which serves for processing plant stumps or stubble and is preferably coupled to an agricultural harvesting machine 100 or to an agricultural tractor, in order to be moved by the harvesting machine 100 or the tractor along a soil to be processed with plant stumps or stubble to be processed. By processing the plant stumps or stubble, the risk of insect larvae overwintering in the plant stumps or stubble is reduced.

[0016] The mulching device 1 is segmented in a direction 4 running perpendicular to a working direction or direction of movement 3 of the mulching device 1 and has a plurality of mulching segments 2a, 2b, 2c.

[0017] In the illustrated embodiment, three mulcher segments 2a, 2b, 2c are provided, with the mulcher segment 2a providing a central mulcher segment and the two mulcher segments 2b and 2c providing lateral or outer mulcher segments of the mulching device 1. Several, in particular two, central mulcher segments may also be provided.

[0018] The mulching segments 2a, 2b, and 2c of the mulching device 1 are connected to one another in an articulated manner. Thus, adjacent mulching segments are each connected in an articulated manner via a respective articulated connection 5 and can thus be tilted relative to one another, namely the two mulching segments 2b and 2a via one articulated connection 5, and the mulching segments 2a, 2c via another articulated connection 5.

[0019] Via these articulated joints 5, the adjacent mulching segments 2a, 2b, 2c of the mulching device 1 can be tilted relative to each other to ensure ground adaptation of the mulching device 1 to the soil to be worked, thus ensuring effective processing of plant stumps or stubble even with a large working width and uneven ground. The or each central mulching segment 2a is stationary. The lateral mulching segments 2b, 2c can be folded around the articulated joints 5.

[0020] The mulching device 1 can also be moved by folding the mulching segments 2b, 2c around the joint connections 5 between the Fig. 1 and 2 shown working position and a transport position.

[0021] The mulching segments 2a, 2b, 2c of the mulching device 1 are not only connected to one another via the articulated joints 5, but are also coupled to one another via a drive connection. Each of the mulching segments 2a, 2b, 2c of the mulching device 1 has a mulching roller 6 and a housing 7, wherein the mulching roller 6 is rotatable about a rotational axis extending horizontally perpendicular to the working direction or direction of travel of the mulching device 1.

[0022] The mulching roller 6 of the respective mulching segment 2a, 2b, 2c is rotatably mounted in the housing 7 of the respective mulching segment 2a, 2b, 2c. The housings 7 of the immediately adjacent and contiguous mulching segments 2b and 2a, 2a, and 2c are hingedly connected to one another via the hinged joints 5. As a result, the mulching segments 2b and 2a, 2a, and 2c are connected to one another on the one hand, and can also be tilted relative to one another about the hinged joints 5.

[0023] Furthermore, the mulching rollers 6 or the axes of rotation of the mulching rollers 6 of adjacent and mutually adjoining mulching segments of articulated mulching segments 2b and 2a, 2a and 2c are each connected to one another via a cardan shaft coupling 8, so that during ground adaptation, despite a tilting movement of the housings 7 and the mulching segments 2a, 2b and 2c relative to one another, the drive connection between the mulching segments 2a, 2b and 2c, namely between the mulching shafts 6 thereof, is maintained.

[0024] When the soil to be worked is level, the mulching rollers 6 or the rotation axes of the mulching rollers 6 of the articulated mulching segments 2a, 2b, and 2c of the mulching device 1 are aligned coaxially with each other in the working position. When working uneven soil, the mulching segments 2a, 2b, and 2c of the mulching device 1, and thus also the mulching rollers 6 and the rotation axes of the mulching rollers 6 of the mulching segments 2a, 2b, and 2c, are tilted relative to each other in the working position.

[0025] Particularly advantageous ground adaptation is possible when the rotational axis of the mulching roller 6 of each mulcher segment 2a, 2b, and 2c intersects approximately perpendicularly with a tilting axis of the articulated connection 5 of the respective mulcher segment 2a, 2b, and 2c to an adjacent mulcher segment. The tilting axis of the respective articulated connection 5 between adjacent mulcher segments 2a, 2b, and 2c runs in the working direction or direction of travel 3.

[0026] As already explained above, the mulching rollers 6 of adjacent mulching segments 2b and 2a, 2a and 2c of the mulching device 1 are each connected to one another via a cardan shaft coupling 8. This makes it possible to maintain a drive connection between the mulching rollers 6 of the adjacent mulching segments during a tilting movement of the adjacent mulching segments relative to one another, namely during a corresponding tilting movement of the housings 7 of the mulching segments, in connection with ground adaptation.

[0027] The mulcher segments 2a, 2b, 2c are driven via a drive shaft 9 and a gear 10. Starting from the harvesting machine 100 or from the towing vehicle, one of the mulcher segments can be driven directly via the drive shaft 9 and the gear 10; the other mulcher segments can be driven indirectly via the directly driven mulcher segment. According to the invention, the mulcher segment that can be driven via the drive shaft 9 and the gear 10 directly from the harvesting machine 100 or from the towing vehicle is the middle mulcher segment 2a or, if several, in particular two, middle mulcher segments are present, one of the middle mulcher segments.

[0028] The drive shaft 9 of the mulching device 1 can be coupled to the agricultural harvesting machine 100 or the towing vehicle, wherein this drive shaft 9 of the mulching device 1 extends parallel to the working direction or direction of travel of the mulching device 1 or the harvesting machine 100 carrying the mulching device 1, indicated by the arrow 3. The transmission 10 is connected between this drive shaft 9 and the directly driven, central mulcher segment 2a.

[0029] In the preferred embodiment shown, the gear 10 has an angular gear 11 and a spur gear 12.

[0030] A gear of the angular gear 11 is rotationally fixedly coupled to the drive shaft 9 and meshes with a second gear of the angular gear 11, which rotates about an axis of rotation offset by 90° to the drive shaft 9 and thus the axis of rotation of the gear of the angular gear 11 that is rotationally fixedly connected to the drive shaft 9. This gear of the angular gear 11, whose axis of rotation is offset by 90° to the axis of rotation of the drive shaft 9, is rotationally fixedly connected to a gear of the spur gear 12, which meshes via another gear with a gear that is connected to the axis of rotation of the mulching roller 8 of the middle mulching segment 2a. The gear 10 and the drive shaft 9 of the mulching device 1, which directly drive the middle mulching segment 2a, require little installation space and do not hinder when the mulching segments 2a, 2b and 2c are removed from the Fig. 1 , 2shown working position are pivoted towards each other into a transport position, not a driver's field of vision.

[0031] The invention further relates to the harvesting machine 100 or a towing vehicle, with a mulching device 1 according to the invention. The drive shaft 9 of the mulching device 1 is coupled to an output shaft 101 of the harvesting machine 100 or the towing vehicle.

[0032] Fig. 2 shows components of a harvesting machine 100 designed as a field chopper, namely an engine 102 and a chopper drum 103, wherein the chopper drum 103 can be driven from the engine 102 via a belt drive or chain drive 104.

[0033] The drive power for the mulching device 1 is Fig. 2 branched off from the chopping drum 103, wherein a gear 105, a clutch 106 designed as a separating clutch and a cardan shaft 107 are connected between the chopping drum 103 and the output shaft 101.

[0034] The gear 105 is an angular gear, with a first gear of the angular gear 105 being coupled to a shaft 108 of the chopping drum 103. Offset by 90° therefrom, a rotational axis of a second gear of the angular gear 105 extends, with this rotational axis preferably running coaxially with the drive shaft 9 of the mulching device 1.

[0035] The separating clutch 106 and the universal joint shaft 107 are connected between the transmission 105 of the harvesting machine 100 and the drive shaft 9 of the mulching device 1 or the output shaft 101 of the harvesting machine 100, wherein the separating clutch 106 is connected between the universal joint shaft 107 and the transmission 105.

[0036] The switchable separating clutch 106 is connected between the output shaft 101 of the harvesting machine 100 or the towing vehicle and the shaft 108 of the harvesting machine 100 or the towing vehicle, from which drive power for the mulching device 1 is branched off, wherein Fig. 1 and 2 the shaft 108, from which drive power for the mulching device 1 is branched off, is the shaft 108 of the chopping drum 103.

[0037] The separating clutch 106 is preferably a power-switchable, in particular a friction-engaging, separating clutch 106, such as a multi-disk clutch. The separating clutch 106 is switchable and can therefore be selectively opened and closed. If the separating clutch 106 is a friction-engaging separating clutch 106, it can be operated in a defined slip state to prevent overloading of the mulching device 1 when starting it.

[0038] To interrupt the drive connection to the mulching rollers 6, the separating clutch 106 can alternatively be arranged on or between other elements of the drive train of the mulching device 1. For example, the separating clutch 106 could be arranged on the drive shaft 9 or on a gear 10, such as the bevel gear 11 or the spur gear 12.

[0039] A relative movement between the harvesting machine 100 and the mulching device 1 can be compensated via the cardan shaft 107 in order to ensure a reliable drive connection between the drive shaft 9 of the mulching device 1 and the harvesting vehicle 100 despite such a relative movement.

[0040] The invention makes it possible to ensure a large working width for a mulching device 1, whereby even with a large working width in the transport position of the mulching device 1, the drive shaft 9 and the gear 10 of the mulching device 1 do not impair a driver's field of vision. A central mulching segment 2a can be driven directly via the drive shaft 9 and the gear 10, while the remaining mulching segments 2b, 2c are driven indirectly starting from the central mulching segment 2a. This provides a simple and compact drive solution for a mulching device 1 that is lightweight and does not impair a driver's field of vision in the transport position. List of reference symbols

[0041] 1Mulching device 2aMulcher segments 2bMulcher segments 2cMulcher segments 3Working direction or direction of travel 4Direction 5Articulated connection 6Mulching roller 7Housing 8Cardan shaft coupling 9Drive shaft 10Gearbox 11Angle gear 12Spur gear 100Harvester 101Output shaft 102Engine 103Chopper drum 104Belt or chain drive 105Gearbox 106Coupling 107Cardan shaft 108Rotary axis

Claims

1. Agricultural harvester (100) or agricultural towing vehicle, with an output shaft (101) and a mulching device (1), wherein the mulching device (1) is segmented when viewed perpendicularly with respect to a working direction or direction of movement (3) and has a plurality of mulching segments (2a, 2b, 2c) which are connected to one another in an articulated manner, namely at least one central mulcher segment (2a) and at least two lateral mulcher segments (2b, 2c), wherein each mulcher segment (2a, 2b, 2c) has a rotatably mounted mulching roller (6) which is rotatable about an axis of rotation running in the horizontal direction perpendicularly with respect to the working direction or the direction of movement (3), wherein one of the mulcher segments (2a) can be driven directly via a drive shaft (9) and a gearbox (10), and the other mulcher segments (2b, 2c) can be driven indirectly via the directly driven mulcher segment (2a), wherein the output shaft (101) of the harvester (100) or of the towing vehicle is coupled to the drive shaft (9) of the mulching device (1), and wherein a switchable clutch (106) is connected between the output shaft (101) of the harvester (100) or of the towing vehicle and a shaft (108) of the harvester (100) or of the towing vehicle, from which shaft drive power for the mulching device (1) is branched off, wherein a gearbox (105), preferably designed as an angular gear, is connected between the output shaft (101) of the harvester (100) or of the towing vehicle and a shaft (108) of the harvester (100) or of the towing vehicle, from which shaft drive power for the mulching device (1) is branched off, and a propeller shaft (107) is connected between the output shaft (101) of the harvester or of the towing vehicle and the switchable clutch (106), characterized in that the switchable clutch (106) is connected between the propeller shaft (107) and the gearbox (105), preferably designed as an angular gear, or is arranged in the drive train of the mulching device (1), in particular on a drive shaft (9) or on an angular gear (11) or on a spur gear (12), and in that the mulcher segment, which can be driven directly via the drive shaft and the gearbox, is the middle mulcher segment or one of the middle mulcher segments.

2. Agricultural harvester (100) or agricultural towing vehicle according to Claim 1, characterized in that the drive shaft (9) of the mulching device (1) extends parallel to the working direction or direction of movement.

3. Agricultural harvester (100) or agricultural towing vehicle according to Claim 2, characterized in that the gearbox (10) is connected between the drive shaft (9) and the mulching roller (6) of the directly driven mulcher segment (2a).

4. Agricultural harvester (100) or agricultural towing vehicle according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the gearbox (10) has an angular gear (11) and a spur gear (12), wherein a gearwheel of the angular gear (11) is connected to the drive shaft (9) and a gearwheel of the spur gear is connected to the mulching roller (6) of the directly driven mulcher segment (2a).

5. Agricultural harvester (100) or agricultural towing vehicle according to Claim 1, characterized in that the switchable clutch (106) is a friction clutch.