Separating device assembly and root crop harvester

Abstract

The invention relates to a separating device assembly for a root crop harvester, in particular for a potato or onion lifter, comprising at least one circulating conveyor element, via which the harvested crops are to be transported, and a first separating device which is provided with a first separating device frame and which is arranged over the conveyor element such that the harvested crops to be transported are processed in a working zone on the conveyor element. The invention is characterized in that the separating device assembly has at least one first adjusting device which is arranged on the first separating device frame, at least one second separating device which is provided with an additional second separating device frame, and at least one second adjusting device which is arranged on the second separating device frame, wherein the first separating device can be removed from the working zone by means of the first adjusting device, and the second separating device can be transferred to the working zone by means of the second adjusting device.

Description

[0001] Separator arrangement and root crop harvester

[0002] The present invention relates to a separator assembly for a root crop harvester, in particular for a potato harvester, comprising at least one rotating conveyor element over which the crop is to be transported during operation, and a first separator provided with a separator frame, which is arranged above the conveyor element in such a way that the crop to be transported on the conveyor element is processed in a working zone. Furthermore, the invention relates to a root crop harvester with such a separator.

[0003] With some root crop harvesters, it is possible to adapt separators to different applications by disassembling and installing a different one. However, since this setup is complex, performance or separation quality losses are often accepted instead if the separator is not optimally adapted to the prevailing conditions during root crop harvesting. Furthermore, with other root crop harvesters, the conversion of individual separators is simply not possible.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to facilitate the replacement of a separating device of a

[0005] To simplify the root crop harvesting machine. This object is achieved by an object according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims and the following description.

[0006] According to the invention, the separating device arrangement is characterized in that it has at least one first adjusting device arranged on the first separating device frame, at least one second separating device provided with a further, second separating device frame and at least one second adjusting device arranged on the second separating device frame, wherein the first separating device can be removed from the working zone by the first adjusting device and the second separating device can be transferred into the working zone by the second adjusting device.

[0007] This allows the separator assembly or associated root crop harvester, particularly a potato harvester, to be optimally adapted to the prevailing harvesting conditions. Harvesting performance and harvest quality are increased. Furthermore, eliminating the need for complex conversion saves time during ongoing operations. The two separator assemblies together form an interchangeable separator assembly having separators that can be transferred to a position above the conveyor belt in which, viewed from above, they can process the respective crop stream, which in particular comprises potatoes or onions and additionally in particular any impurities in the form of stones or clods, at the same point. The conveyor belt is designed in particular as a rubber studded belt or hedgehog belt.At least one of the two adjusting devices, preferably both adjusting devices, can be used additionally for fine adjustment of the respective cutting device in the operating position by variably positioning the respective cutting device in the working zone, e.g. moving it vertically and / or horizontally.

[0008] A working zone is generally the zone above the conveyor belt in which, during operation, the crop flow is influenced by a separating device. According to the invention, there is a - first, common - working zone in which, depending on the respective operating position of the separating devices, the first or the second separating device can act. In particular, in a plan view of the conveyor belt and a superimposed view, the separating devices overlap at least partially in their respective operating positions in this first, common working zone and / or the areas in which an effect is exerted on the crop overlap at least partially in this working zone.

[0009] The two separating devices, in particular, have different types of separating device elements that act on the crop during operation, for example, on the one hand, at least one deflector roller and, on the other hand, at least one finger belt. Preferably, the first or second separating device comprises at least one finger belt, a brush belt, or a combination thereof.

[0010] The adjusting devices comprise the means necessary for moving the separators. These include movable frame parts such as rods and levers, and / or actuators such as hydraulic cylinders, chain and / or electric drives, as well as bearings or joints. In particular, the adjusting and / or drive means of the separator assembly are integrated into the drive system of the root crop harvester during operation, particularly its hydraulic circuit.

[0011] In the case of a conveyor element designed as a conveyor belt, the separating device arrangement also comprises an associated conveyor element frame, which, when the separating device arrangement is installed in a root crop harvesting machine, can be part of the machine frame thereof.

[0012] Advantageously, a separating device arrangement according to the invention comprises a discharge element which, during operation, particularly in a plan view, has a direction of rotation parallel to or at an angle to the direction of rotation of the conveying element, and is thus itself designed to rotate. Both the first and the second separating device can thus be designed to redirect the conveyed material or crop from the conveying element, for example, a rotating conveyor belt, toward the discharge element.

[0013] In particular, the discharge element forms the working zone present during operation, preferably in that the first and second separating devices also extend above the discharge element in their respective operating positions and act on the crop located on the discharge element, for example a conveyor belt, during operation. Advantageously, the first and / or the second separating device can be moved into a respective inoperative position by means of a respective adjusting device. The respective separating device with its separating device frame can be moved into a respective inoperative position by means of the adjusting device. For this purpose, the respective separating device with its separating device frame can be pivoted, moved laterally and, in particular, moved horizontally and / or vertically.For this purpose, the separator frames and the adjusting devices can be integrated into a machine frame of a root crop harvester, so that the movement of the respective separator occurs relative to the machine frame of the root crop harvester and relative to the conveyor element. If the separators are held in a separator assembly frame, the parts of this separator assembly frame become part of the machine frame. It is understood that a frame of the conveyor element can be arranged fixedly on the machine frame, particularly regardless of any fine position adjustment.

[0014] According to a further development of a separating device arrangement according to the invention, one of the two separating devices is arranged in an operating position behind the other separating device by means of the respective adjusting device, wherein a further working zone present during operation, however, is only formed for this separating device. As a result, the two, in particular different, separating devices can both act on the crop flow, which is particularly advantageous when increased amounts of impurities from the crop are to be transferred to a waste conveyor. Furthermore, such an arrangement, in which both separating devices act on the crop, can be used effectively for size-sorting the crop to be transported towards a sorting table.

[0015] According to a further embodiment of the invention, a structurally simple adjusting device comprises at least one and in particular two horizontal guides arranged on the cutting device frame, which can pivot about at least one first cutting device pivot axis, preferably aligned vertically to the conveying plane of the conveying element. Horizontal guides are those guides that can be moved at least almost parallel to the ground and / or almost parallel to the conveying plane. "Almost" here refers to an angle of up to 20° that the direction of movement of the guide(s) can assume relative to the ground or the conveying plane.In particular, the horizontal links can ensure the integration of the separator into a root crop harvester by being arranged on the one hand on the separator frame and on the other hand on a frame of the separator assembly, which can be part of the machine frame of the root crop harvester, or directly on the machine frame of the root crop harvester. By pivoting parallel to the conveyor device and across the conveyor belt, the respective separator can be transferred to different operating positions above the conveyor belt and, in particular, pivoted out of the first working zone or, as described above, form an additional working zone when using multiple separators.The conveying plane generally corresponds to an imaginary plane on which the crop is transported. Any different elevations on the surface of the conveying element, e.g., a conveyor belt, such as knobs, ribs, or similar elements serving to transport and support the crop, are not taken into account. For example, in the case of a horizontally running, smooth conveyor belt, the conveying plane lies in the belt surface. In a plan view, a respective working zone above the conveying plane comprises the part of the conveyor plane in which the crop is processed by a separating device during operation.

[0016] Preferably, the first separating device is arranged at least partially between the horizontal links, viewed in plan view, in particular wherein these pivot at least partially in opposite directions to change the position of the separating device. Due to the opposite pivoting, different angular positions relative to the conveying direction of the conveyor belt are assumed, even with the same link lengths. In the operating position in a root crop harvester, the horizontal links are preferably arranged laterally of the conveyor belt. The horizontal links are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction of the separating device and, in particular, are arranged at opposite ends relative to the longitudinal direction of the separating device.

[0017] Advantageously, the second adjusting device has at least one and in particular two vertical guides which are pivotable about at least one further separator pivot axis, which is aligned in particular horizontally to the conveying plane of the conveying element, which is designed in particular as a conveyor belt, and which are arranged on the second separator frame. In particular, the vertical guides form a parallelogram guide for the second separator, so that the latter can be guided vertically using a comparatively simple mechanism. In an operating position in which the separator arrangement is integrated in the root crop harvester, the parallelogram guide can be arranged at one end on the machine frame or frame of the separator arrangement and at the other end on the separator frame, so that the second separator can be moved from above down into the working zone, while the first separator can be moved laterally out of the working zone.The height guide of the second cutting device enables the vertically movable cutting device to be lifted to a height that is greater than the structure of the laterally pivoting cutting device.

[0018] In a combination of the separating devices designed as finger belts and deflection rollers of a separating device arrangement according to the invention, according to a further development of the invention, together with the conveying element designed in particular as a conveyor belt, a channel limited on three sides can be formed, which enables additional and more intensive processing of the root crops.

[0019] In particular, the first or second separating device is provided with at least one and, in particular, with at least two deflection rollers extending at least substantially parallel to the conveying plane, which extend over the conveyor belt at a distance from the conveyor belt that can be adjusted by means of a further, additional adjusting means, if necessary, and at an angle to the conveying direction of the conveyor belt. Alternatively or additionally, one of the two separating devices is equipped with at least one circulating finger belt, which has a circulating direction in the working zone that, in a plan view, also extends transversely to the conveying direction of the conveyor belt and which ensures the deflection of the crop in the direction of an existing sorting table.

[0020] In particular, the first separating device is designed as a roller center separating device with deflection rollers, while the second separating device comprises a finger belt that can be moved upwards away from the working zone.

[0021] According to an advantageous further development, a separating device arrangement according to the invention comprises two superimposed, rotatably drivable discharge rollers of the first separating device, which are arranged in the first separating device frame.

[0022] The deflection rollers arranged in this way can, on the one hand, divert stones from the crop onto a trash belt or forward potatoes to a removal element, as well as crush clods. This separating device arrangement according to the invention further comprises two finger belts of the second separating device, arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction and located in the second separating device frame. The finger belts can preferably be driven individually by means of associated drives. The separating performance of the separator can be further improved by means of different numbers and spacings of the respective finger belts. The deflection directions of the first and second separating devices are preferably angled to one another in their respective operating positions. The deflection directions are the directions in which the crop is diverted by the respective separating device in order to reach a sorting table or a trash belt.For separators equipped with one or more deflector rollers, the deflection direction runs, at least to a first approximation, parallel to the direction of the rotational axes of these deflector rollers, whereby any momentum exerted on the crop by the rotation of the deflector rollers is not taken into account. For separators equipped with one or more finger belts, the deflection direction corresponds to the direction of the fingers of the finger belt located and moving in the working zone in a plan view.

[0023] It is understood that at least one of the actuating devices has at least one actuating means, in particular designed as a hydraulic cylinder, as an actuator. In particular, all actuating means of the separating device arrangement according to the invention are designed as hydraulic cylinders and, as such, can be integrated into the hydraulic circuit of, for example, a root crop harvester.

[0024] The object posed at the outset is also achieved by a root crop harvester for harvesting crops, in particular for harvesting potatoes or onions, which is characterized in that it comprises a separating device arrangement as described above or below. Accordingly, this root crop harvester has the advantages attributed to the separating device arrangement. Advantageously, such a separating device arrangement is arranged as the last processing unit acting on the crop, in front of a sorting table and thus in the upper region of a root crop harvester, so that sufficient space is available for lifting one of the two separating devices. In particular, the first and second adjusting devices of the respective separating device device are arranged on a machine frame, which thus forms part of the frame of the separating device arrangement.

[0025] In particular, the actuating and / or driving means of the separating device arrangement are integrated into the drive device of the root crop harvesting machine.

[0026] Further advantages and details of the invention can be found in the following description of the figures. Schematically shown:

[0027] Fig. 1 shows a root crop harvesting machine according to the invention in an isometric view,

[0028] Fig. 2 shows section B from Fig. 1 ,

[0029] Fig. 3 shows the separating device arrangement according to the invention of the root crop harvester according to Fig. 2 in a partial view,

[0030] Fig. 4 shows the object according to Fig. 3 in a further operating position and a partial, further view, Fig. 5 shows the object according to Fig. 4 in a plan view,

[0031] Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of another separating device arrangement according to the invention in a partial side view transverse to the conveying direction,

[0032] Fig. 7 shows the article according to Fig. 6 in a side view parallel to the conveying direction,

[0033] Fig. 8 shows the object according to Fig. 6 in a plan view,

[0034] Fig. 9 shows the object according to Fig. 6 in a further operating position in a

[0035] Side view transverse to the conveying direction,

[0036] Fig. 10 the object according to Fig. 9 in a further side view parallel to the conveying direction,

[0037] Fig. 11 shows the object according to Fig. 9 in a plan view.

[0038] Individual technical features of the exemplary embodiments described below can also be combined with previously described exemplary embodiments as well as the features of one of the independent claims and any further claims to form subject matter according to the invention. Where appropriate, elements that are at least partially functionally equivalent are provided with identical reference numerals.

[0039] A root crop harvester 2 according to the invention is designed, in the variant shown, as a towed root crop harvester 2 with two separating devices 3 and 5 of a separating device arrangement 4. The separating device arrangement 4 is arranged in an upper working area of ​​the root crop harvester 2 and is shown in more detail in detail section B in Fig. 2.

[0040] The separating device arrangement 4 is the last processing unit acting on the crop and is located in front of a sorting table 6, which is formed by a discharge element in the form of a conveyor belt. The discharge element has a direction of rotation V. The second separating device 5 of the separating device arrangement 4 has two finger belts 12, each provided with two rows 8 of fingers 10. For clarity, the rows 8 of fingers and the fingers 10 are shown in a partially simplified manner (see, for example, Figs. 2 to 4). In the position shown in Fig. 2, the separating device 5 is located above a conveying plane 14 of the separating device arrangement 4, which is formed by a conveyor belt 16 of the separating device arrangement 4. The first separating device 3 comprises two superimposed deflection rollers 18 running parallel to the conveying plane 14, extending transversely across the conveyor belt 16 and rotatably mounted in a first separating device frame 22.The conveying plane 14 corresponds to an imaginary plane in which the crop is transported by the conveyor belt 16 and on which the crop to be transported is transported, whereby any different elevations of the surface of the conveyor belt 16, for example by knobs, webs or the like, elements of the conveyor belt 16 serving to transport and support the crop are not taken into account.

[0041] Above the conveyor level 14, in the area in which the separating devices 3, 5 operate, a working zone Z is defined, which corresponds to the area in which the respective separating device 3, 5 acts on the crop.

[0042] The working zone Z comprises, for example, in Figs. 3 and 4, the identical area in which, on the one hand, the fingers 10 according to Fig. 4 and, on the other hand, the deflection rollers 18 according to Fig. 3 act above the conveying plane 14. In Fig. 4, the deflection rollers 18 of the first separating device 3 form a further, second working zone Z2.

[0043] Both separating devices 3 and 5 of the root crop harvesting machine 2 according to Fig. 1 are arranged above the conveyor belt 16 with its direction of rotation U. In the upper run, the direction of rotation U of the conveyor belt 16 corresponds to a conveying direction F of the harvested material.

[0044] The separating device arrangement 4 has a first separating device frame 22 of the

[0045] The first separator 3 has an adjusting device comprising horizontal links 24 and 26, via which the first separator 3 can be moved parallel to the conveying plane 14. The horizontal links are pivotally mounted at one end on the first separator frame 22 and at the other end on a separator assembly frame, which is formed by a part 34 of the machine frame of the root crop harvester 2. To move the separator 3, the adjusting device further comprises an adjusting means in the form of a hydraulic cylinder 36, which is also mounted on another machine frame part 34.

[0046] Furthermore, the separating device arrangement according to the invention of the root crop harvester according to Fig. 1 has a further, second separating device frame 28 (Fig. 3), on which a further, second adjusting device is arranged. This further adjusting device comprises a plurality of vertical links 30, which have respective separating device pivot axes 25 running parallel to the conveying plane 14, via which the separating device frame 28 can be moved vertically to the conveying plane 14. The four vertical links 30 (cf. Figs. 1, 3 and 4) form a parallelogram guide for the second separating device 5. The directions of movement of the two separating devices 3, 5, which can be implemented by the respective adjusting devices, run at an angle to one another, so that the first separating device 3 can be moved laterally out of the working zone Z by the first adjusting device and the second separating device 5 can be guided vertically out of the working zone Z or guided into it and transferred by the second adjusting device.A separating device arrangement according to the invention can be supplemented by a discharge conveyor element which, during operation, has a direction of rotation angled to the direction of rotation U of the conveying element and which, during operation, can also form the working zone. Furthermore, a separating device arrangement according to the invention can generally have another conveyor belt equipped with a direction of rotation parallel to the direction of rotation U, which also forms the conveying plane 14 and widens the working zone Z.

[0047] The deflection rollers 18 arranged on the first separating device frame 22 extend with their longitudinal and rotational axes parallel to the conveying plane and transverse to the conveying direction F over the conveyor belt 16. In the operating position according to Fig. 3, the deflection rollers 18 are located below the second separating device 5, thus below the finger belts 12. These are held in an inoperative position and by means of the second adjusting device above the deflection rollers 18.

[0048] By means of the horizontal links 24, the deflector rollers 18 can be moved into the position shown in Fig. 4, in which there is then sufficient space for lowering the second separator into the working zone Z and the fingers 10 of the finger belts act on the crop. The deflector rollers 18 are located behind the fingers 10 in the conveying direction F and, if the adjustment of the finger belt allows the further transport of parts of the crop in the conveying direction F behind the fingers 10, can divert or separate the remaining components of the crop in the second working zone Z2. For example, stones are diverted by means of the deflector rollers 18 onto a trash belt 32 (see Fig. 2).

[0049] The horizontal links 24 and 26 pivot relative to one another as can be seen in the plan view of Fig. 5, so that the coupled movement results in different angles of the longitudinal and rotational axes of the deflector rollers 18 relative to the conveying direction F, which represents a fine adjustment of the separating device 3. For the drive, the first adjusting device comprises the adjusting means 36 in the form of a hydraulic cylinder (Figs. 5, 8 and 11), which is to be arranged in an articulated manner on a machine frame of the root crop harvester 2.

[0050] The separator assembly according to the invention can alternatively have its own separator assembly frame, which, when integrated into the root crop harvester, is firmly connected to the machine frame of the same and becomes part of this machine frame. In this respect, the arrangement of the horizontal links 24 and 26, respectively, as well as the vertical links 30 on a separator assembly frame corresponds to the arrangement on a machine frame of the root crop harvester. If the separator assembly does not have its own frame, the adjusting devices are connected directly to a machine frame of the root crop harvester.

[0051] The actuating means 36 in the form of a hydraulic cylinder of the second separating device 5 is also integrated into the hydraulics of the root crop harvesting machine in the installed state, so that generally not only the movement of the first separating device but also the movement of the second separating device angled to the movement of the first separating device can be controlled via the hydraulics of the root crop harvesting machine.

[0052] In the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 to 11, the individual positions of the separating devices 3, 5 relative to each other and above the conveyor belt 16, for example, a hedgehog or dimpled belt, are shown, with some parts of the separating device arrangement omitted for clarity. The two embodiments differ essentially in the mounting of the deflection rollers 18, which in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4 are held in a slightly different separating device frame.

[0053] 6 to 8, the first separating device 3 is located below the second separating device 5 and thus between the conveyor belt 16 and the second separating device 5 having finger belts 12. The vertical links 30 have raised the separating device with its finger belts 12 into the inoperative position above the conveyor belt 16. The horizontal link 26 is pivoted as far as possible against the conveying direction F, so that the right end of the deflector rollers 18 in Fig. 8 with the hydraulic cylinder drive 19 of the deflector rollers is located at the upper right end 38 of the finger belt 16.

[0054] The deflection direction of the deflection rollers 18 is angled in the position shown in Fig. 11 to the deflection direction of the finger belts 12, so that for the transfer to the trash belt 32 there is a somewhat steeper angle with respect to the conveying direction F than for the deflection of the further crop in the direction of the sorting table 6. By means of the separating device arrangement 4 according to the invention, different separating device capacities can thus also be realized by the position of the horizontal links 24 and 26.

[0055] In the operating position according to Figs. 9, 10, and 11, the desired portions of the harvested crop, preferably potatoes or onions, are thus forwarded toward the sorting table, while the deflector rollers 18, which additionally form the working zone Z2, transport stones or earth-like debris onto the debris conveyor 32. Any clods can be crushed by the deflector rollers 18 and transported away from the root crop harvester by means of the conveyor belt 16.

Claims

Claims 1. Separator assembly for a root crop harvester (2), in particular for a potato or onion harvester, comprising at least one rotating conveyor element over which the crop is to be transported, and a first separator (3) provided with a first separator frame (22), which is arranged above the conveyor element in such a way that the crop to be transported is processed in a working zone (Z) on the conveyor element, characterized in that the separator assembly has at least one first adjusting device arranged on the first separator frame (22), at least one second separator (5) provided with a further, second separator frame (28), and at least one second adjusting device arranged on the second separator frame (28).wherein the first separating device (3) can be removed from the working zone (Z) by the first adjusting device and the second separating device (5) can be transferred into the working zone (Z) by the second adjusting device.

2. Separating device arrangement according to claim 1, characterized by a discharge element which, during operation, has a direction of rotation (V) parallel or angled to the direction of rotation (U) of the conveying element and, in particular, which, during operation, also forms the working zone Z.

3. Separating device arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and / or the second separating device (3, 5) can be transferred into a respective inoperative position by means of their respective adjusting device.

4. Separating device arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of the two separating devices (3, 5) is arranged by means of the respective adjusting device in an operating position behind the other separating device in the conveying direction (F) of the conveying element, forming a further working zone (Z2) present during operation.

5. Separating device arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first adjusting device has at least one and in particular two horizontal links (24, 26) which are pivotable about at least one first separating device pivot axis (25) which is aligned in particular vertically to the conveying plane (14) of the conveying element designed in particular as a conveyor belt (16), and which are arranged on the separating device frame.

6. Separating device arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the first separating device (3) is arranged at least partially between the horizontal links (24, 26) when viewed in a plan view, in particular which pivot at least partially in opposite directions to change the position of the separating device (3).

7. Separating device arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second adjusting device (5) has at least one and in particular two vertical links (30) which are pivotable about at least one second separating device pivot axis which is aligned in particular horizontally to a / the conveying plane (14) of the conveying element and which are arranged on the second separating device frame (28).

8. Separating device arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first or second separating device (3, 5) has at least one and in particular at least two deflection rollers (18) running at least substantially parallel to a / the conveying plane (14).

9. Separating device arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first or second separating device (3, 5) comprises at least one finger belt (12), a brush belt or a combination thereof.

10. Separating device arrangement according to claim 8 and claim 9, characterized in that the first separating device (3) has two superimposed deflection rollers (18) and the second separating device (5) has two finger belts (12) arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction (F). 11 . Separating device arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the discharge directions of the first and the second separating device (3, 5) are angled to each other in their respective operating positions.

12. Root crop harvesting machine for harvesting crops, in particular for harvesting potatoes or onions, characterized by a separating device arrangement (4) according to one of the preceding claims.

13. Root crop harvesting machine according to claim 12, characterized in that the separating device arrangement (4) is arranged as the last processing unit acting on the harvested crop in front of a sorting table (6).

14. Root crop harvesting device according to one of claims 12 or 13, characterized in that the first and second adjusting devices (3, 5) are arranged on the machine frame.

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