SUB-MOUNTED SOIL EXTRACTION DEVICE WITH SPLIT SIDE SHIELD

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an attachment soil removal device, hereinafter also referred to simply as a "soil removal device", for detachable connection with a work vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Such an attachment for soil removal is known from WO 2012 / 116821 A1.

[0003] On each axial side of the base structure of the generic attachment-type soil removal device, a lifting component is arranged on the base structure, guided by elongated holes and capable of being raised and lowered translationally. A cylindrical pin projects axially outwards from each lifting component, around which a pivoting component is pivotably arranged relative to the lifting component.

[0004] Another attachment soil removal device is known from EP 1 222 333 B1 or from WO 2001 / 025545 A, which belongs to the same family.

[0005] The side plates of this known soil removal device are formed in one piece and are also integrally formed with the soil contact section. A pivot pin of an eccentric lever of a lifting drive, guided in a first elongated hole and pivoting relative to the base structure, allows the known side plates to be moved orthogonally to the working axis. The removal depth is also adjusted by pivoting the pivot pin. During removal operation, the soil contact section of a side plate contacts the soil being worked. The distance by which the removal tool protrudes beyond the soil contact section from the device housing determines the removal depth.

[0006] The known side plates feature a second elongated hole into which a base-structure-fixed guide pin engages. The base-structure-fixed guide pin and the crank pin of the eccentric lever run parallel to each other. The curved elongated holes into which the two pins engage are rotated relative to each other about an axis of rotation parallel to the pins, so that the two pins define the position of an essentially flat side plate orthogonal to the direction of extension of the two pins relative to the base structure. The two elongated holes into which the two pins engage are curved about a common axis of curvature. The side plates can therefore rotate relative to the base structure about the axis of curvature, with the maximum possible angle of rotation being determined by the length of the shortest elongated hole.

[0007] The design of the known side plates and the base structure is such that the axis of curvature of the elongated holes ideally coincides with the working axis. This allows a self-propelled work vehicle carrying the attached soil removal device during soil removal to tilt around its pitching axis, a common occurrence in such soil removal operations, without this pitching motion altering the effective removal depth of the soil removal device. The side plates, which determine the removal depth, rotate around the pivot axis defined by the common axis of curvature of the two elongated holes under the influence of the work vehicle tilting around its pitching axis. The closer this pivot axis is to the working axis, the less influence the pitching motion has on the removal depth.

[0008] Due to the sliding coupling of pins and curved elongated holes, the side shields on the known soil removal device can only perform either a purely rotary passive movement, driven by the described pitching movement of the working vehicle, or a combined translational and rotary movement caused by the lifting drive, relative to the base structure which carries the working drive.

[0009] Another attachment-type soil removal device is known from EP 3 350 373 B1. Its side plate also has elongated holes in which a lifting pin and a guide pin are slidably received and guided. This side plate is also thus positionally variable relative to the base structure. The difference between this soil removal device and the aforementioned one lies in the fact that the guide pin of this soil removal device is arranged coaxially with the working axis, so that only the elongated hole of the side plate into which the lifting pin engages is curved, while the elongated hole into which the guide pin engages is a straight elongated hole.

[0010] As further prior art, reference is made to DE 101 05 475 C1, which discloses a trenching machine with a side plate having a cylindrical sector shape that can only pivot about the working axis. The exclusively pivotable side plate is pivoted by a sliding bracket about a pivot axis parallel to the working axis. The sliding bracket is articulated to a support arm of the trenching machine's base structure at a distance from the working axis for the exclusive pivoting movement about a bracket pivot axis parallel to the working axis. The sliding bracket is, in turn, coupled to the pivoting side plate by a articulated lever. The milling depth of the known trenching machine is achieved by limiting the pivoting range of motion of the sliding bracket. The sliding bracket, and not the pivoting side plate, has a ground contact section. The side plate itself of the known trenching machine generally does not have ground contact during soil application.

[0011] The ground contact sections of the side shields are subject to high wear due to their contact with the ground and their proximity to the excavation tool, from which abrasive particles, often consisting of mineral soil material, are ejected at high speed during excavation operations. Replacing worn ground contact sections always requires replacing the entire side shield. Because the side shield is typically made of steel, this replacement is a complex and labor-intensive process, sometimes requiring the use of lifting equipment.

[0012] It is therefore an object of the present invention to further develop a generic soil removal device in such a way that it is easier to maintain or repair.

[0013] This problem is solved by an attachment-type soil removal device with all the features of claim 1. As in the known attachment-type soil removal device of the generic type, at least one side plate is formed in multiple parts from the first and the second side plate and has a lifting component that is translationally displaceable relative to the base structure transversely to the working axis, as well as a pivoting component that is translationally displaceable together with the lifting component and pivotable relative to the lifting component about the pivot axis, wherein the ground contact section of the side plate is indirectly connected to the lifting component by means of an intermediate arrangement of the pivoting component.

[0014] Due to the multi-part design of the side plate, if a ground contact section needs replacing, it is advantageously sufficient to replace only the component of the side plate containing the ground contact section, while other components of the side plate, which are typically subject to less wear than the ground contact section, can remain on the device housing. For example, the lifting component, which, due to its position relative to the base structure, determines the setting of the cutting depth of the soil removal device during operation, can remain on the device housing, since the ground contact section is not directly formed on the lifting component but only indirectly connected to it.

[0015] The basic design of the attachment-type soil removal device is briefly explained below: The working drive is preferably a motor with a rotary output element, in particular with an output shaft. Preferably, the working drive is a hydraulic motor. Alternatively, the working drive can also be an electric motor or an internal combustion engine.

[0016] As a rule, the working drive, regardless of its physical mode of operation, is supplied with drive energy by the work vehicle. For this purpose, the attached soil removal device preferably has corresponding lines with couplings that can be connected to corresponding couplings on the work vehicle to transfer energy. The couplings can be, for example, hydraulic or electrical lines.

[0017] The output component is a component driven by the working drive, by means of which drive energy can be transferred to the material removal tool. In a particularly simple case, the output component can be an output shaft of the working drive provided for rotation. Preferably, the output component is a flange coupled to the output shaft for common rotation, to which a material removal tool, particularly suitable for the respective material removal task, can be connected for transmitting torque to it and will be connected to perform material removal tasks.

[0018] The removal tool can be a milling drum with a drum shell equipped with cutting tools, such as milling chisels. During removal, the milling chisels are rotated around the working axis and remove material from the soil by engaging with it. The milling drum has a connecting flange, preferably radially within its drum shell, with which it can be connected to the output component, preferably detachably.

[0019] Alternatively, the removal tool can be a cutting wheel, a cutting or saw blade, or a plurality of cutting or saw blades arranged axially at intervals. Such a removal tool also has a connecting flange, preferably radially within its cutting circle. A single cutting or saw blade is chosen when only one cut is to be made in the soil, for example, to remove a clod of soil as a whole. Multiple cutting or saw blades arranged at intervals can be used, for example, to create a desired surface texture in the soil surface, such as parallel grooves of a predetermined depth.

[0020] Since the present invention essentially relates to the design of at least one side panel, it is irrelevant whether the soil removal device, which is basically designed to accommodate a removal tool, actually has a removal tool or not.

[0021] The torque-transmitting coupling between the cutting tool and the driven component is preferably established via detachable fasteners, for example, using at least one screw component, or a plurality of threaded studs arranged circumferentially at a circumferential distance from each other and radially from the working axis, as is known, for example, from the coupling of vehicle wheels to the vehicle's wheel hub. Alternatively, to reduce assembly work when installing or changing a cutting tool, a central screw component whose screw axis is coaxial with the working axis, such as a central threaded stud or a central nut, can be used to secure the cutting tool to the driven component.

[0022] The device housing essentially serves to protect the area surrounding the soil removal device from removal particles, which are loosened from the soil material by the removal tool and immediately after being loosened are flung away from the removal site in all conceivable directions at high speed.

[0023] The support element, which carries the working drive, serves as the coordinate origin of the device housing. In this application, any movement of components of the device housing is described as a relative movement relative to the support element or to the base structure formed by the support element. The base structure comprises the support element and all other components of the device housing rigidly connected to the support element, regardless of whether they are integrally connected to the support element or are mounted to it directly or indirectly. The support element can, for example, be an arm and / or a plate on which the drive motor is mounted and torque-supported.

[0024] The device housing can also include a protective shield that extends circumferentially around the working axis at a distance from it. This shield then surrounds the cutting tools on the removal tool, which rotate around the working axis, at a radial distance. Since the removal tool must be able to engage with the ground, the protective shield does not completely encircle the removal tool, but only a portion of its circumference that is smaller than a full circle. The protective shield thus encloses a receiving space for the removal tool. The protective shield is preferably at least partially part of the base structure, but can include movable components relative to the base structure, such as maintenance hatches. For example, the support element can be located at an axial end region of the protective shield.A cutting tool connected to the drive component then projects axially from it on one side. With only one cutting or saw blade, this axial projection extends only over the thickness of the blade. However, with a milling drum or the multiple cutting or saw blades described above, this axial projection can lead to a significant tilting moment at the output component, which must be counteracted by appropriate design measures.

[0025] The outer shield, if present, is located axially between the first and second side shields. The side shields preferably adjoin the receiving space of the cutting tool, which is surrounded by the outer shield, on both sides of the receiving space. Axially between a side shield and the receiving space, the support element and / or, more generally, a section of the base structure, such as a rigid housing wall connected to the outer shield and oriented transversely to the working axis, may be located. On the side of the working drive, or on the axial side of the receiving space of the cutting tool closer to the working drive, a section of the base structure defining the receiving space may have an opening extending axially through the section. This opening may, for example, accommodate the working drive or allow operating fluids, such as hydraulic fluid and / or lubricant and / or coolant, to pass through it.This is particularly advantageous when the working drive is located wholly or partially within the receiving area of ​​the cutting tool.

[0026] The side plates of the soil removal attachment discussed here determine the removal depth due to their relative position to the base structure and thus to the working axis. During operation, the removal tool excavates soil material from the soil surface facing the removal attachment. For this reason, the translationally movable lifting component of at least one side plate is preferably self-locking and connected to a lifting drive for translational adjustment of the lifting component. This ensures that the lifting component, and thus the side plate, can only be translationally moved by the lifting drive, and not by a force exerted on the side plate by the base structure, such as the weight of the base structure and, if applicable, a weight component of a work vehicle connected to the soil removal attachment, or a removal reaction force of the removal tool.

[0027] The self-locking mechanism between the lifting component and an output component of a lifting drive can be achieved by selecting a contact angle between the lifting component and the output component, depending on the material pairing between the lifting component and the output component, and thus depending on the effective coefficient of friction between the components. This contact angle can be the lead angle of a threaded drive, if the lifting drive includes a threaded drive. The contact angle can also be the lead angle of a flank of an elongated hole into which the lifting journal engages and along which flank the lifting journal slides during a translational displacement of the lifting component, for example, if the lifting drive incorporates an eccentric lever known in the prior art for this purpose.Although in this latter case the lifting pin is preferably carried on the eccentric lever and projects from it, and particularly preferably projects orthogonally to the translational direction of the lifting movement, it should not be excluded that the elongated hole may be formed on the eccentric lever and the lifting pin may project from the lifting component.

[0028] Alternatively, the translational positioning of the lifting component relative to the base structure can be achieved by the lifting actuator itself, by locking the lifting actuator to prevent movement. This can be realized through positive or frictional engagement of a locking element, switchable between locking and release, with an output element of the lifting actuator. In the preferred hydraulic lifting actuator, this can be accomplished by corresponding switchable locking valves that isolate the hydraulic pressure or hydraulic fluid present in the lifting actuator from the hydraulic oil circuit that is generally connected to the hydraulic lifting actuator.

[0029] The side shields not only determine the removal depth of the soil removal device in the respective removal operation, but also close any existing gaps between the base structure and the soil surface of the soil being worked as effectively as possible. Due to the adjustable removal depth, such a gap between the base structure and the soil surface is almost unavoidable.

[0030] While it is not excluded that at least one intermediate component is arranged between the pivoting component and the lifting component, coupled to the lifting component on one side and to the pivoting component on the other, it is preferable, to reduce the assembly effort for manufacturing the soil removal device, if the pivoting component is mounted directly on the lifting component so as to pivot about the pivot axis. For this purpose, a component consisting of the lifting component and the pivoting component can have at least one curved elongated hole, preferably a plurality of curved elongated holes, into which a guide pin, projecting from the other component (lifting component and pivoting component), engages. The curvature of the at least one elongated hole is selected such that the axis of curvature of the at least one elongated hole, preferably of the plurality of elongated holes, is the pivot axis of the pivoting component.Additionally or alternatively, the pivoting component can be pivotally mounted on the lifting component via a pivot pin forming a pivot bearing, with the axis of the pivot pin being coaxial to the pivot axis. It is freely selectable whether the lifting component carries the pivot pin and the pivoting component carries a sliding bushing surrounding the pivot pin, or vice versa.

[0031] Preferably, the at least one guide pin has a sliding section surrounded by the elongated hole and a locking section, wherein the locking section has a larger dimension, in particular diameter, orthogonal to the guide pin axis than the sliding section, and a larger dimension orthogonal to the guide pin axis than the elongated hole through which the sliding section passes. The sliding section of a guide pin then lies along the guide pin axis between the locking section and the component supporting the guide pin. The locking section allows the guide pin to absorb and support transverse forces acting along the working axis.Therefore, to improve the ability to absorb lateral forces, more than one guide pin with a sliding section and a locking section is preferably provided, particularly to avoid tilting moments resulting from lateral forces in the feed direction of the soil removal device on both sides of a plane containing the working axis and orthogonal to the surface of the soil to be worked. On the soil removal device, which is not connected to a work vehicle, the feed direction and the orientation of the surface of the soil to be worked can be identified at the respective soil contact section of the side plate. A soil contact section generally has a contact surface designed for contact with the soil to be worked and / or contact points designed for contact with the soil to be worked. The feed direction is then parallel to the contact surface or...The direction lies parallel to a virtual ground surface defined by all the points of impact, and runs orthogonally to the working axis. The ground surface is directly determined by the contact area or by the aforementioned virtual ground surface.

[0032] The pivot pin, if present, can also have a locking section which has a larger dimension, in particular diameter, orthogonal to the pivot pin axis than a sliding opening, in particular a sliding bushing, through which the pivot pin passes, so that the pivot pin can also absorb transverse forces acting in the direction of the working axis. The sliding opening, in particular the sliding bushing, is then located along the longitudinal axis of the pivot pin between the component supporting the pivot pin and the locking section of the pivot pin.

[0033] To reduce the effort required for assembly and components, the swiveling component according to the invention has a ground contact section.

[0034] The ground contact section can be mounted on the swivel component or can be materially connected to the swivel component, for example by welding, or can be formed integrally with the swivel component, for example as the end face of a plate-shaped swivel component.

[0035] In principle, it is also possible to consider that at least one further intermediate component is provided between the lifting component and the base structure, so that the lifting component is guided directly on the intermediate component in a translationally displaceable manner and thus exhibits translational relative mobility to the lifting component. However, with the aim of manufacturing the soil removal device discussed here with the least possible expenditure of material and assembly, it is preferred if the lifting component is guided on the base structure in a translationally displaceable manner. For this purpose, at least one guide element can be provided on the base structure, which interacts with a corresponding guide element on the lifting component.The guide element can be formed integrally with the base structure, for example by milling a guide groove into a surface of the base structure facing the lifting component, or the guide element can be implemented on a guide component that is mounted to the base structure. The same applies, mutatis mutandis, to the counter-guide element on the lifting component.

[0036] Although a translational rolling element guidance between the base structure and the lifting component is conceivable in principle, a translational sliding guidance between the lifting component and the base structure is preferred due to the dirt load that occurs on the lifting component and the base structure as intended.

[0037] Although the translational direction of movement of the lifting component may be inclined to the working axis, for example if the device housing is designed to widen towards its outlet opening of the removal tool which faces the ground during removal operation, it is preferred, in order to avoid feedback effects of forces acting along the working axis on the translational displacement of the lifting component, if the lifting component can be translationally displaced orthogonally to the working axis.

[0038] The lifting component is preferably transverse, and especially preferably orthogonal, to the exit opening of the cutting tool and thus to the point of cutting engagement of the cutting tool with the ground, in order to effectively adjust the cutting depth with a short stroke.

[0039] Alternatively, or preferably additionally, it is preferred for the same reason if the pivot axis is oriented parallel or coaxial to the working axis. For the purposes of this application, coaxiality of two axes means parallelism of the axes with a distance of 0 between them.

[0040] It is not essential to rule out the possibility that the lifting component, in addition to its translational displacement movement, could also perform a relative movement to the base structure. However, a clear functional separation is advantageous, whereby the lifting component allows for unambiguous adjustment of the cutting depth, while the pivoting component ensures a reliable seal of the cutting tool's engagement zone. The former can be achieved by ensuring that the lifting component is only capable of translational displacement relative to the base structure. The latter can be achieved by ensuring that the pivoting component is only capable of pivoting relative to the lifting component.

[0041] To facilitate the replacement of the ground contact section, whether due to wear or the selection of a ground contact section particularly suitable for the specific material removal task, the component of the side plate that supports the ground contact section is, according to the invention, smaller than the lifting component. This simplifies both the storage and installation of ground contact sections due to their smaller size and thus lower weight. As explained above, according to the invention, the ground contact section is provided on the pivoting component and, for stability reasons, is preferably bonded to the pivoting component.Thus, the fact that the pivoting component is smaller than the lifting component can be simply expressed by the fact that the surface area of ​​the pivoting component facing away from the base structure in the direction of the pivot axis is less than 40%, preferably less than 30%, of the surface area of ​​the lifting component facing away from the base structure in the direction of the pivot axis. As essentially planar components, the surface area facing in the direction of the pivot axis is a good measure of the size and weight of the component in question.

[0042] In the prior art, it is always preferred that the pivot axis of the ground contact section is located as close as possible to the working axis, preferably coaxial with the working axis. However, the advantageous use of the smallest possible pivot component makes it more difficult to arrange the pivot axis coaxial with the working axis. According to the invention, sufficient sealing of the engagement zone of the removal tool to the external environment is ensured by the fact that, during a translational displacement of the lifting component over its entire operational displacement path, the pivot axis is always located on the same side of a threshold plane containing the working axis and orthogonal to a projection of the translational displacement path along the working axis.The lifting movement of the lifting component changes the position of the pivot axis relative to the threshold plane. Preferably, the pivot axis is always located at a distance from the threshold plane, even when the pivot axis is brought as close as possible to the threshold plane and the maximum possible lifting range is utilized. A pitching movement of a work vehicle connected to the soil removal device for the removal work does lead to an effective change in the cutting depth of the removal tool in the soil due to the given distance between the pivot axis and the threshold plane. However, these changes are tolerable as a percentage of the set cutting depth, especially since the soil removal attachments discussed here are typically used for rather coarse removal work, where strict flatness of the treated soil after removal by the soil removal device is not so critical.

[0043] The term "operating stroke" refers to the maximum stroke possible during an excavation operation. This does not preclude the possibility that a different stroke may be available for assembly purposes.

[0044] A lifting drive, which can be provided on the soil removal device to move the lifting component and thus the side plate translationally, has already been discussed above. Advantageously, and in a space-saving manner, the base structure can be designed to carry a lifting actuator whose output element interacts with the lifting component of the at least one multi-part side plate to move the lifting component translationally in opposite directions. In particular, the outer plate, as part of the base structure, offers sufficient space to accommodate the lifting actuator. Preferably, the lifting actuator is arranged on the outside of the outer plate, specifically on the side of the soil removal device opposite the exit opening for the removal tool for soil engagement, relative to the working axis. The lifting actuator can be an electric motor, for example, with a spindle drive or threaded drive. Preferably, the lifting actuator is a fluid-operated piston-cylinder arrangement.This lifting actuator with a linearly-translationally movable output element, be it a spindle or a piston rod, can pivot an eccentric lever pivotally mounted to the base structure about an eccentric pivot axis parallel to the pivot axis, particularly also to the working axis. This pivoting action allows the actuator to displace a configuration consisting of an elongated hole and a pivot pin formed on the eccentric lever at a distance from the eccentric pivot axis. This displacement, in turn, allows the lifting component, which is provided with the other configuration of an elongated hole and a pivot pin, to be translationally displaced relative to the base structure. Preferably, the pivot pin is arranged on the eccentric lever, and the elongated hole, preferably a straight, uncurved elongated hole that is easy to manufacture, is located on the lifting component.

[0045] While the lifting component is moved by the lifting actuator into a desired relative position to the base structure to adjust the cutting depth, and is preferably held there by self-locking to relieve stress on the lifting actuator, as described above, the pivoting component is preferably passively pivotable relative to the lifting component on the rest of the device housing, particularly on the lifting component. Thus, the pivoting component can ensure the sealing of the cutting tool's engagement point, as it can easily be displaced relative to the lifting component by external forces, such as a pitching motion of the connected work vehicle.

[0046] Preferably, not only one side plate is designed in the manner described above, but both side plates of the device housing are designed as described above. Everything stated above regarding the at least one side plate can therefore be implemented on either of the two side plates. Thus, both the first lifting component of the first side plate can be mounted to be translationally displaceable relative to the base structure by means of a first linear guide device with a first guide distance measured orthogonally to the translational displacement path, and the second lifting component of the second side plate can be mounted to be translationally displaceable relative to the base structure by means of a second linear guide device with a second guide distance measured orthogonally to the translational displacement path.The respective guide distances are formed between partial guide formations of a linear guide assembly, in particular the sliding guide mentioned above, to avoid undesirable stick-slip and / or drawer effects during the translational displacement of the lifting component. Preferably, the working axis, optionally extended, runs between the partial guide formations of a linear guide device of a side panel, preferably of each side panel, in order to minimize the effects of tilting moments acting around the working axis between the lifting component and the base structure.

[0047] To simplify manufacturing and assembly, the first and second side plates can comprise identical parts. Preferably, the first and second lifting components and / or the first and second pivoting components are identical. If the first and second ground contact sections are implemented on contact components separately from the pivoting component supporting them, such contact components can also be identical.

[0048] Since the two side panels are mounted with the same orientation on different or axially opposite sides of the base structure, the use of identical parts is considerably simplified if these parts are essentially flat and mirror-symmetrical with respect to a plane of symmetry parallel to their plane of extension. Then a component can be mounted identically to another component or to the base structure from both sides.

[0049] Preferably, the design of the first linear guide of the first side plate, in particular the first lifting element, on the base structure differs from the design of the second linear guide of the second side plate, in particular the second lifting element, on the base structure. It is particularly preferred that the first guide spacing differs in magnitude from the second guide spacing to accommodate the different design conditions on both side plates. As already explained above, at least the power supply for the working drive runs through the respective side plate, in particular through its lifting element, on one axial side of the device housing.On the other axial side of the device housing, the side plate can be designed with a larger or smaller guide distance to make the receiving space of the working tool in the device housing accessible, in order to be able to remove the working tool axially from the receiving space and insert it into the receiving space and connect it to the output component.

[0050] The ground contact section can include a skid which, during the removal process, rests on the surface of the soil being removed with a contact surface facing the soil. Alternatively or additionally, the ground contact section can have at least one roller which rolls on the surface of the soil being removed during the removal process. To prevent undesirable wear of the ground contact section on particularly abrasive soil surfaces, the ground contact section can have multiple rollers that roll on the soil surface, each roller being in a rolling or ready-to-roll position on the soil surface at its respective point of contact.

[0051] The use of sliding skids, which, at least when bonded to the pivoting component, can preferably project symmetrically beyond the pivoting component on both sides for the reasons mentioned above, does not preclude the fundamentally flat design of the pivoting component. Due to their function, the sliding skids are generally arranged at the edge of the pivoting component to ensure reliable ground contact during material removal.

[0052] A roller serving as a ground contact section is preferably mounted to the swivel component, and is particularly preferably detachable. When using identical swivel components, a roller serving as a ground contact section can be mounted to the identical swivel component from either side.

[0053] Since the drive vehicle carrying the soil removal device can perform not only a pitching motion about its pitch axis, but also other movements, such as a rolling motion about its roll axis, which should also not cause the soil contact sections to lift off, the soil removal device preferably has a coupling assembly with a coupling formation. The coupling assembly with the coupling formation is designed for detachable coupling with a self-propelled work vehicle, and the coupling assembly is movably connected to the base structure relative to it. The relative mobility of the coupling assembly relative to the base structure can include rotational mobility about an axis of rotation orthogonal to the working axis.When a soil removal device is connected to a work vehicle, the working axis usually runs parallel to the pitching axis of the work vehicle, so that the aforementioned axis of rotation then runs parallel or predominantly parallel to the roll axis of the work vehicle.

[0054] The soil removal device, or at least the basic structure, can be actively adjusted around the axis of rotation orthogonal to the working axis as a tilting axis by a rotary actuator as a tilting actuator and held in this tilting position, for example to obtain a processed soil surface in the soil after removal, which is inclined with respect to the feed direction during its creation around the tilting axis parallel to the feed direction.

[0055] The tilt axis crosses or, preferably, intersects the working axis. The point of intersection is preferably located at the position of the axial longitudinal center of the respective removal tool. This ensures that a tilt of the base structure, with equal angles of inclination in both possible directions, starting from a neutral position with a tilt angle of 0° to the pitch axis of the work vehicle carrying the soil removal device, has the same effect.

[0056] Alternatively, such an inclination can be achieved by different translational displacement positions, particularly lifting positions, of the first and second side plates relative to the base structure. Specifically, when the ground contact sections of both translationally displaced side plates rest on the soil to be worked, the working axis is inclined about the tilting axis parallel to the feed direction, depending on the difference in their translational displacement positions. To avoid undesirable overdetermination due to its unpredictable force feedback, it is advantageous if the tilting actuator, acting about the tilting axis orthogonal to the working axis, is held in a floating position without exerting any force when the inclination of the soil removal device or its base structure, and thus its working axis, is to be determined by the different translational displacement positions of the side plates.

[0057] Since the side shields determine the cutting depth of the cutting tool during soil removal through their translational displacement relative to the base structure, both side shields should generally not be simultaneously disengaged by their respective lifting actuators, allowing them to be both translationally displaced relative to the base structure by external force. In this case, the resulting cutting depth would always be the maximum possible cutting depth of the soil removal device.

[0058] In the case of desired soil removal with an inclined working axis, which is tilted relative to the ground surface around a tilt axis parallel to the feed direction into a tilt position deviating from parallelism, this can be achieved not only by the two specific, differently sized translational displacement positions of the two side plates with the tilt actuator disengaged, but also by setting a defined translational displacement position of only one side plate, by setting a defined tilt position of the base structure via the tilt actuator and disengaging the force from the lifting actuator of the other side plate. Then, a translational displacement position of the other side plate can freely adjust itself under the given boundary conditions.

[0059] Then, if it is desired to deliberately render lifting actuators force-free in order to allow a translational displacement position of a side plate to adjust freely under the given external influences, this side plate is preferably not self-locking coupled to its associated lifting actuator, since otherwise the self-locking would negate the desired free adjustability of the translational displacement position of the side plate relative to the base structure based on the effects prevailing on the side plate.

[0060] The relative mobility of the coupling assembly relative to the base structure can alternatively or preferably additionally include a translational displacement of the base structure relative to the coupling assembly along a displacement path extending along the working axis. When considering the soil removal device attached to a work vehicle, where the work vehicle rests on a horizontal, level surface, the displacement path runs parallel to the working axis and usually also to the pitch axis of the work vehicle.

[0061] A tilting mechanism that provides the tilting mobility of the base structure described above about a tilting axis orthogonal to the working axis, preferably intersecting the working axis, is preferably displaceable along the working axis together with the base structure. This ensures that the relative axial position of the tilting axis relative to the working axis does not change due to a lateral displacement of the base structure along the working axis.

[0062] The present invention also relates to a self-propelled work vehicle with a soil removal attachment detachably coupled to the work vehicle, as described and further developed above. A soil engagement area of ​​the soil removal attachment for soil removal is preferably located outside a soil area enclosed by the ground contact points of the work vehicle's chassis. This makes it possible, in principle, to use the weight of the work vehicle to load the soil removal attachment, and in particular its removal tool, towards the soil to be worked.

[0063] Preferably, the work vehicle has a manipulation frame that is movable relative to the vehicle frame, in particular pivotable about the pitch axis and / or translationally movable along the yaw axis, to which the soil removal device is directly connected. In the case of a multi-axle work vehicle, which will be the rule rather than the exception, the vehicle axle located closer to the soil removal device can be relieved of its load by lowering the manipulation frame towards the soil to be worked, thus transferring the load to the soil removal device.

[0064] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures. It illustrates: Fig. 1 shows an elevation view of an embodiment of an attachment soil removal device according to the invention, with a view along the working axis towards the first side plate in its fully raised operating position. Fig. 2 shows an elevation view of the embodiment of the soil removal device according to the invention. Figure 1 with a view along the working axis towards the second side plate, axially opposite the first side plate, in its fully raised operating position, Fig. 3 a top view of the embodiment of the soil removal device according to the invention. Figure 1 and 2 Viewing direction orthogonal to the working axis and orthogonal to the surface of a soil intended for soil removal, Fig. 4 a view accordingly Figure 1 , however with the first side panel fully lowered, Fig. 5 a view accordingly Figure 2 , however with the second side panel fully lowered, and Fig. 6 a top view accordingly Figure 3 , however, with the first and second side panels fully lowered.

[0065] In the Figures 1 to 6 An embodiment of an attachment-mounted soil removal device according to the invention is generally designated by 10. The soil removal device 10 has a device housing 12 with a [missing information] relative to the plane of the drawing. Figure 1 The parallel housing wall 14 acts as a support element. The housing wall 14 carries a working drive 16 in the exemplary form of a hydraulic motor. Figure 1 In front of the rigid housing wall 14 is a first side panel 18 with a central opening 20, through which the viewer can see Figure 1 The working drive 16 and a section of the housing wall 14 can be identified.

[0066] In the device housing 12, a milling drum 22 is used as a material removal tool to remove material from a plane of the drawing. Figure 1The orthogonal working axis A is rotatably mounted. The milling drum 22 is indicated by its cutting circle S, which represents the path of the cutting edges of cutting tools, for example milling chisels, as they rotate around the working axis A. Instead of the milling drum 22, the material removal tool could comprise a cutting blade or a saw blade. This, too, would be indicated by its cutting circle in the Figure 1 , 2 , 4 and 5 represented in the same way as the milling drum 22.

[0067] The working drive 16 drives a flange F, as an output component of the working drive 16, to rotate about the working axis A. The milling drum 22 is detachably connected to the flange F.

[0068] A protective shield 24 runs along a circumferential section at a radial distance relative to the working axis A around the milling drum 22 in order to prevent direct access to the milling drum 22 and its cutting tools from the outside for reasons of occupational safety, and also to protect the area U of the soil removal device 10 from grains of mineral and therefore abrasive soil material removed during normal removal operations, also for reasons of occupational safety. Such grains of material have very high kinetic energy immediately after removal.

[0069] With a back plate 26 also belonging to the device housing 12, the soil removal device 10, in a state recorded on a self-propelled work vehicle V, points towards the work vehicle V, which in Figure 1This is only a rough schematic representation. The work vehicle V is symbolized by a machine frame M of the work vehicle V, on which a manipulation frame R is mounted, allowing movement at least in the direction of the yaw axis Gi of the work vehicle V. The machine frame M and the manipulation frame R, which is movable relative to it, together symbolize the work vehicle V.

[0070] A lateral thrust mechanism 28 can be provided between the work vehicle V and the backplate 26, by which the soil removal device 10 can be moved translationally parallel to the working axis A and also parallel to the pitch axis Ni of the work vehicle V over a displacement width defined by the work vehicle V and / or the lateral thrust mechanism 28 itself. The backplate 26 can, in turn, be pivotably connected to the lateral thrust mechanism about a tilt axis B that is parallel to the roll axis Ro of the work vehicle V and / or orthogonal to the working axis A, so that the work vehicle V can perform a roll movement about its roll axis without adversely affecting the soil removal device 10 during its soil removal operation. Preferably, the tilt axis B intersects the working axis A.Alternatively, the tilting axis B can intersect the working axis A, preferably at a distance of no more than half the radius of the intersection, in order to advantageously keep the tilting arm effective during tilting between the tilting axis B and the working axis A short. A tilting actuator (not shown in the figures) allows the back plate, and with it the working axis A, to be selectively tilted about the tilting axis B, which is orthogonal to the working axis A.

[0071] A tilting mechanism (not shown in the figures), which provides the tilting mobility of the base structure 30 about the tilting axis B, is preferably arranged on the side thrust mechanism 28 for joint displacement movement with the base structure 30. This ensures that the relative axial position of the tilting axis B relative to the working axis A does not change when the side thrust mechanism 28 is actuated.

[0072] The tilting axis B crosses, or preferably intersects, the working axis A at the position of the axial longitudinal center of the respective removal tool. This ensures that a tilt of the base structure, with equal tilt angles in both possible directions, starting from a neutral position with a tilt angle of 0° to the pitching axis Ni of the work vehicle V carrying the soil removal device 10, has the same effect. This arrangement is generally preferred and is not limited to the illustrated embodiment.

[0073] In this case, the housing wall 14, the casing shield 24 and the back plate 26 are rigidly connected to each other and form a basic structure 30, relative to which the milling drum 22 and the flange F are rotatable only about the working axis A.

[0074] The first side panel 18 is in Figure 1The milling drum 22 is shown in its maximum raised operating position relative to the base structure 30. The milling drum 22 protrudes from the device housing 12 through an opening facing the ground surface G, thus forming a ground engagement area 23.

[0075] The first side panel 18 is, in the example shown, designed in two parts and comprises a Figure 1 The first lifting component 32 is upper, and the first pivoting component 34 is lower. The first pivoting component 34 is pivotably mounted on the first lifting component 32 about a first pivot axis P1. A first ground contact section 36, which in this case is designed as a sliding skid 38 with a contact surface 40, is bonded to the first pivoting component 34. During soil removal, the first pivoting component 34 slides on the surface G of the soil to be removed via the contact surface 40.

[0076] The pivot bearing of the first pivot component 34 directly on the first lifting component 32 comprises a first pivot pin 42 held on the first lifting component 32, which has a Figure 1 The opening of the first pivoting component 34 (not shown) is penetrated by a head 44, which carries a locking section with a larger diameter than the first pivot pin 42 and the opening through which the first pivot pin 42 penetrates the first pivoting component 34. The pivot pin is thus roughly mushroom-shaped. The locking section prevents the first pivoting component 34 from being axially pulled away from the first lifting component 32. The head 44, as the locking section, thus absorbs lateral forces acting along the working axis A or along the first pivot axis P1 and holds the first pivoting component 34 against the first lifting component 32 even under these lateral forces.

[0077] Furthermore, the first pivoting component 34 has a front first curved elongated hole 46 and a rear first curved elongated hole 48, whose common axis of curvature is the first pivot axis P1. The elongated holes 46 and 48 completely penetrate the first pivoting component 34. The elongated holes 46 and 48 are also penetrated by a front first guide pin 50 and a rear first guide pin 52, respectively. These guide pins 50 and 52 are each held on the first lifting component 32, slide through their respective first elongated holes 46 and 48 with a sliding section, and each has a head 44 at its free longitudinal end as a locking section. The guide pins 50 and 52 are therefore also roughly mushroom-shaped. The heads 44 again have a larger diameter than the first guide pins 50 and 52 that support them, with their diameter exceeding the width of the elongated hole traversed by the respective guide pin 50 and 52.The heads 44 thus hold the first pivoting component 34 axially on the first lifting component 32 and also absorb lateral forces along the working axis A or the first pivoting axis P1.

[0078] The extension length of the shorter of the first elongated holes 46 and 48 determines the maximum possible swivel angle of the first pivoting component 34 relative to the first lifting component 32 about the first swivel axis P1. In the example shown, however, the first elongated holes 46 and 48 are of the same length.

[0079] Due to the pivotability of the first pivoting component 34 relative to the first lifting component 32, the first ground contact section 36 with its contact surface 40 can remain in contact with the ground surface G even when the work vehicle V performs a pitching movement about its pitching axis Ni. This ensures that the point of engagement of the milling drum 22 with the soil to be worked remains optimally shielded from the surrounding environment U in the axial direction with respect to the working axis A.

[0080] The first lifting component 32 is axially secured to the base structure 30 at its front end, i.e., the end furthest from the work vehicle V, by a clamp 54 encompassing the first lifting component 32, and at its rear end by a strip 56 mounted to the back plate 26. Guide stones 58, indicated by dashed lines, guide the first lifting component 32 along the straight translational first lifting path H1 relative to the base structure 30. The first lifting path H1 corresponds to the path generally referred to in the introductory description as the translational "displacement path" and runs parallel to the guide direction defined by the sliding or guide stones 58. The guide stones 58, which in this example are located on the side facing the observer of the Figure 1The components located on the opposite side of the first lifting component 32 are in sliding engagement with guide rails 60 and 62 arranged one above the other on the housing wall 14 and thus on the base structure 30 (see also Figure 3 The guide rails 60 and 62 can also be implemented as a single-piece guide rail component, deviating from the illustration. The guide rail 62 has an opening 63 through which connection spigots 61a and 61b protrude for connecting supply lines, for example, to connect the working drive 16 to a hydraulic fluid circuit. The connection spigots 61a and 61b also pass through the opening 20 of the first side plate 18 or the first lifting component 32.

[0081] The first pivot axis P1 is located in the Figure 1The maximum raised position of the first lifting component 32, and thus of the first side plate 18, is shown at a distance from a sleeper plane SE containing the working axis A and orthogonal to the first lifting track H1, and below the same. Since the first lifting component 32, and thus the first side plate 18, starts from the in Figure 1 Since the position shown can only be lowered in the direction of the ground surface G, the distance of the first pivot axis P1 from the threshold plane SE can only increase.

[0082] In Figure 1Furthermore, a first eccentric lever 64 is partially visible, from which a first lifting pin 66 is guided parallel to the working axis A, and thus parallel to the first pivot axis P1 and parallel to the guide pins 50 and 52 as well as to the pivot pin 42, through an elongated hole 68 of the first lifting component 32. The roughly mushroom-shaped first lifting pin 66 also has a head 44 with a larger diameter at its free longitudinal end, so that the area of ​​the lifting component 32 containing the elongated hole 68 is positively engaged between the eccentric lever 64 and the head 44 of the lifting pin 66.

[0083] The elongated hole 68 runs essentially orthogonally to the first lifting track H1.

[0084] In Figure 2 is also parallel to the work axis A, but parallel to the viewing direction of Figure 1 opposite direction of view, the one in Figure 1The side shown is the axially opposite side of the soil removal device 10 in the same operating position of the soil removal device 10.

[0085] On this opposite side, the device housing has a second side plate 70, which is also divided into two parts and contains a second, in Figure 2 The upper lifting component 72 and a lower second pivoting component 74 pivotally connected to it about a second pivot axis P2. Like the first side plate 18, the second side plate 70 is also raised to its maximum position relative to the base structure 30.

[0086] The second pivoting component 74, which is preferably identical to the pivoting component 34 of the first side plate 18 and which is preferably designed to be mirror-symmetrical with respect to a mirror symmetry axis orthogonal to the pivot axes P1 or P2 for use on opposite axial sides of the device housing 12, has a second ground contact section 76.

[0087] Due to the identical design of the first pivoting component 34 and the second pivoting component 74, reference is made to the description of the first pivoting component 34 for the description of the second pivoting component 74, which also applies to the second pivoting component 74.

[0088] The second ground contact section 76 is also designed as a sliding skid 78 with a contact surface 80 for sliding engagement with the surface G of the ground to be worked.

[0089] A second pivot pin 82, mounted on the second lifting component 72 and projecting parallel to the working axis A or the second pivot axis P2 of the second lifting component 72, supports the second pivot component 74 pivotably about the second pivot axis P2 on the second lifting component 72. A front first elongated hole 84 and a rear first elongated hole 86 limit the maximum possible pivot range of the second pivot component 74 relative to the second lifting component 72 in the manner already described.

[0090] A clamp 54 encompassing the second lifting component 72, which is identical to the aforementioned clamp 54 on the other axial side of the device housing 12, holds the second lifting component 72 positively to the base structure 30 at its front region. The rear region of the second lifting component 72, which is located closer to the back plate 26, is held positively to the base structure 30 by a combined guide and bearing component 88 and is also guided for translational lifting and lowering movement along the second lifting path H2.

[0091] In the example shown, the first lifting path H1 and the second lifting path H2 are parallel to each other and orthogonal to the working axis A, so that each lifting path H1 or H2 also represents its projection along the working axis.

[0092] Sliding or guide stones 90 in the guide and bearing component 88 act with a guide rail 92 running parallel to the second lifting track H2 and fixed to the lifting component on the side facing the viewer. Figure 2 The indicative side of the second lifting component 72 is joined together. Below the guide rail 92, sliding or guide stones 93 are also received and held in the second lifting component 72, parallel to the second lifting track H2, but on the side visible to the observer. Figure 2 away from the base structure 30. Thus, while the sliding blocks 90 of the guide and bearing component 88 interact with the guide rail 92 on the side of the second lifting component 72 facing away from the base structure 30, the sliding blocks 93 are located between the second lifting component 72 and the base structure 30, approximately between the point described below in connection with Figure 3 the aforementioned basic structure-fixed frame component 120 and the second lifting component 72 in a sliding system engagement with a groove formed in the frame component 120.

[0093] The height adjustment of the second lifting component 72 is carried out in the same way as that of the first lifting component 32 by means of a second eccentric lever 94, from which a second lifting pin 96, which in the illustrated example is also roughly mushroom-shaped, extends parallel to the guide pins and the second pivot pin 82 as well as parallel to the working axis A and to the second pivot axis P2 and passes through an elongated hole 98 in the second lifting component 72 which, for example, runs orthogonally to the second lifting path H2 and is secured by a head 44.

[0094] While on the opposite axial side the working drive 16 is secured to the housing wall 14 orthogonal to the working axis A, on the side visible to the observer of Figure 2On the axially closer side of the device housing 12, no substantially continuous housing wall belonging to the base structure 30 is formed. By removing the second side plate 70 from the base structure 30, the milling drum 22 is fully accessible axially. The base structure 30 has, on the side facing the viewer, Figure 2 The facing side has such a large opening that, after removing the second side shield 70 from the base structure 30, the milling roller 22 can be axially removed from its receiving space in the device housing 12 and a milling roller 22 can be axially placed into the receiving space and connected to the flange F in a torque-transmitting manner.

[0095] Although the two pivot axes P1 and P2 can be located at different points and thus parallel to each other, but spaced apart (for example, when the work vehicle V is rolling), the two pivot axes P1 and P2 will be coaxial when the same cutting or milling depth is set on both side shields or when the work vehicle V is not rolling. The position of the second pivot axis P2 relative to the threshold plane SE is the same as described above for the first pivot axis P1. Preferably, the two pivot axes P1 and P2 always lie in a common plane, which runs parallel to the first and second lifting tracks H1 and H2, respectively.

[0096] Figure 3 shows a top view of the soil removal device 10 according to the invention. Figure 1 and 2 when viewed along arrow III in the Figure 1 and 2, i.e. when viewed orthogonally to the working axis and orthogonally to the surface G of a soil to be worked by the soil removal device 10. Figure 3 The figure essentially shows the axial end regions of the soil removal device 10. The sheathing shield 24 between these axial end regions is shown in abbreviated form, as indicated by the zigzag lines. The working vehicle V and the side thruster 28 are shown in Figure 3 not shown.

[0097] In Figure 3 Figure 1 shows a first and a second lifting drive 100 and 102 respectively, with a first lifting actuator 104 and a second lifting actuator 106, which are located in the Figure 1 , 2 , 4 and 5The lifting actuators 104 and 106 are piston-cylinder devices which are articulated at one of their longitudinal ends, for example the cylinder end, to the back plate 26 and whose projecting longitudinal end of the piston rod 105 or 107 is coupled to a first actuating arm 108 of the first eccentric lever 64 or to a second actuating arm 110 of the second eccentric lever 94. The lifting actuators 104 and 106 are preferably controlled for actuator operation from the work vehicle V and supplied with fluid, in particular hydraulic fluid.

[0098] The first and second lifting drives 100 and 102, respectively, are essentially identical, but are mirror-symmetrical with respect to an axis of symmetry orthogonal to the drive axis A. Each of the two lifting drives 100 and 102 includes a scale 112 and 114, respectively, which is movable by means of the respective driven eccentric lever 64 and 94, respectively. This scale, together with its eccentric lever 64 and 94, respectively, is movable relative to a base-structure-fixed indicator 116 and 118, respectively. The operator of the work vehicle V can see and read this robust display of the currently set cutting depth from his operator's station. Figure 3 Indicators 116 and 118 indicate the maximum working depth of 7 scale divisions.

[0099] On the side of the second side plate 70, a base-structure-fixed frame 120 is rigidly connected to the outer plate 24 between the outer plate 24 and the second side plate 70. This frame 120 has the opening for axial assembly and disassembly of the milling drum 22 and carries the clamp 54 as well as the guide and bearing component 88.

[0100] In Figure 4 Is the soil removal device 10 in the same perspective as in Figure 1 shown, but with the first side plate 18 lowered to its maximum extent. The cutting circle lies completely within the device housing 12. The milling drum 22 therefore cannot operate in a soil-removing manner.

[0101] Similarly, it shows Figure 5 the soil removal device 10 in the same perspective as Figure 2 , however, with the second side sign lowered to its maximum extent 70.

[0102] Figure 6 shows the soil removal device 10 in the same perspective as Figure 3, also along the direction of view VI into the Figure 4 and 5 . Since regarding Figure 3 the side shields 18 and 70 only orthogonal to the drawing plane of the Figure 3 and 6 The representation of side shields 18 and 70 in Figure 6 , compared to that of Figure 3 The only change is in the position of the lifting actuators 104 and 106, whose piston rods 105 and 107, respectively, are now fully extended. Consequently, the relative position of the eccentric levers 64 and 94 has also changed, as they have been pivoted about a pivot axis parallel to the working axis A and the pivot axes P1 and P2, respectively. Accordingly, the relative position between the scales 112 and 114 and the indicators 116 and 118 interacting with them has changed to show an operator working on the work vehicle V the currently set cutting depth, in this case zero.

Claims

1. An earth removal attachment device (10) for the detachable connection to a work vehicle (V), the earth removal attachment device (10) comprising: - a work drive (16) having an output component (F), the output component (F) being designed both for torque-transmitting coupling to a removal tool (22) rotating in removal operation as well as for rotation about a work axis (A), the work axis (A) defining an axial direction running along the work axis (A), radial directions running orthogonally to the work axis (A) and a circumferential direction running about the work axis (A), and - a device housing (12) having a support part (14), on which the work drive (16) is accommodated, the device housing (12) having a base structure (30), of which the support part (14) forms at least a section, the device housing further having a first side plate (18) running crosswise to the work axis (A) and a second side plate (70) running crosswise to the work axis (A) at an axial distance from the first side plate (18), the first side plate (18) having a first ground contact section (36) and the second side plate (70) having a second ground contact section (76), each ground contact section (36, 76) of the first and the second ground contact sections - being designed for contact with the earth to be worked during earth removal work of the earth removal attachment device (10), and - being accommodated relative to the base structure (30) so as to be displaceable in translatory fashion crosswise to the work axis (A) and so as to be able to swivel about a swivel axis (P1, P2) enclosing an angle of no more than 25° together with the work axis (A), wherein at least one side plate (18, 70) of the first and the second side plates is designed in multipart fashion and includes a lift component (32, 72) displaceable relative to the base structure in translatory fashion crosswise with respect to the work axis (A) and a swivel component (34, 74) that is displaceable in translatory fashion together with the lift component and that is swivable about the swivel axis (P1, P2) relative to the lift component (32, 72), the ground contact section (36, 74) of the side plate (18, 70) being connected to the lift component (32, 72) indirectly via the swivel component (34, 74) situated in between, wherein the swivel component (34, 74) comprises the ground contact section (36, 76), characterized in that the swivel component (34, 74) carrying the the ground contact section is smaller than the lift component (32, 72), wherein the swivel axis (P1, P2) in a translatory displacement of the lift component (32, 72) across its entire normal displacement path is always located on the same side of a threshold plane (SE) below the threshold plane (SE), said threshold plane (SE) containing the work axis (A) and being orthogonal to a projection of the displacement path along the work axis (A).

2. The earth removal attachment device (10) as recited in Claim 1, characterized in that the swivel component (34, 74) is supported on the lift component (32, 72) so as to be swivable about the swivel axis (P1, P2).

3. The earth removal attachment device (10) as recited in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lift component (32, 72) is guided on the base structure (30) in translatorily displaceable fashion.

4. The earth removal attachment device (10) as recited in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lift component (32, 72) is translatorily displaceable orthogonally to the work axis (A) and / or the swivel axis (P1, P2) is oriented in parallel or coaxially to the work axis (A).

5. The earth removal attachment device (10) as recited in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lift component (32, 72) is only translatorily displaceable relative to the base structure (30) and / or the swivel component (34, 74) is only swivable relative to the lift component (32, 72).

6. The earth removal attachment device (10) as recited in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface of the swivel component (34, 74) facing away from the base structure (30) in the direction of the swivel axis (P1, P2) is less than 40 %, preferably less than 30 %, of the surface of the lift component (32, 72) facing away from the base structure (30) in the direction of the swivel axis (P1, P2).

7. The earth removal attachment device (10) as recited in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base structure (30) supports a lift actuator (104, 106), whose output member (105, 107) cooperates with the lift component (32, 72) of the at least one multipart side plate (18, 70), in order to displace the lift component (32, 72) in translatory fashion in opposite directions.

8. The earth removal attachment device (10) as recited in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the swivel component (34, 74) is supported on the lift component (32, 72) so as to be passively swivable relative to the lift component (32, 72).

9. The earth removal attachment device (10) as recited in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that both the first (18) as well as the second side plate (70) are respectively designed in multipart fashion and have a lift component (32, 72) displaceable relative to the base structure (30) in translatory fashion crosswise to the work axis (A) and a swivel component (34, 74) that is displaceable in translatory fashion together with the lift component (32, 72) and that is swivable relative to the lift component (32, 72) about the swivel axis (P1, P2), the ground contact section (36, 74) of the side plate (18, 70) being connected to the respective lift component (32, 72) indirectly via the swivel component (34, 74) situated in between.

10. The earth removal attachment device (10) as recited in Claim 11, characterized in that both the first lift component (32) of the first side plate (18) is supported in translatorily displaceable fashion relative to the base structure (30) by a first linear guide device (58, 60, 62) having a first guide distance to be measured orthogonally to the translatory displacement path (H) and the second lift component (72) of the second side plate (70) is supported in translatorily displaceable fashion relative to the base structure (30) by a second linear guide device (88, 90, 92, 93) having a second guide distance to be measured orthogonally to the translatory displacement path (H), the first guide distance differing from the second guide distance in terms of absolute value.

11. The earth removal attachment device (10) as recited in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ground contact section (36, 76) comprises rollers and / or skids (38, 78).

12. The earth removal attachment device (10) as recited in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the earth removal device (10) comprises a coupling assembly having a coupling formation, the coupling assembly with the coupling formation being designed for detachable coupling to a self-propelled work vehicle (V), the coupling assembly being connected to the base structure (30) so as to be movable relative to the base structure (30).

13. A self-propelled work vehicle (V) having a earth removal attachment device (10) according to one of the preceding claims detachably coupled to it, an earth engagement area (23) of the earth removal device (10) for a removing earth engagement being situated outside a ground area enclosed by the ground contact points of the traveling gear of the work vehicle (V).