Forage chopper for accelerated drying

Abstract

A forage chopper for accelerating drying, characterized in that it comprises a supporting structure (1) with a coupling system (5) for attachment to an agricultural tractor, skids (7) for protecting the rotor, and rear wheels (8), wherein the supporting structure (1) houses a mechanical transmission, comprising a gearbox (6) and a belt-driven mechanical pulley variator (9), between a mechanical power input from the tractor's power take-off and a rotor that carries a system of straight blades (2) cooperating with a system of counter-blades (3) in the supporting structure (1), and a system of spreaders (10) for the chopped forage.

Description

Forage chopper for accelerated drying OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The invention, as the title of this descriptive document states, is a forage chopper for accelerating drying, of the type that forms an agricultural implement attachable to a tractor. It is an innovation that offers advantages previously unknown within current techniques. TECHNICAL SECTOR The present invention falls within the sector of everyday needs, in the subclass of agriculture, acquiring special relevance in the field of harvesting and mowing, particularly in the section of elements or constituent parts of haymakers, as well as in the treatment of the harvest, i.e., machines for crushing or grinding the stems. STATE OF THE ART The present invention arises from observing that agricultural producers face serious difficulties in drying forage in good conditions when handling large production volumes, especially during times of the year when climatic conditions are less favorable, such as spring, autumn or winter. Under these circumstances, high humidity and frequent dew or rain considerably prolong the drying time, negatively impacting the quality of the resulting product. This situation causes the forage to lose commercial value and may even spoil or become unusable, generating significant economic losses. Furthermore, traditional drying methods are often insufficient to ensure homogeneous dehydration of all the collected material. Accordingly, the present invention proposes a forage chopper for accelerating drying, of the type that constitutes an agricultural implement attachable to a tractor, intended to reduce the drying times of the forage, preserving its natural characteristics, improving its final quality and favoring optimal use of the collected material, even when climatic conditions are unfavorable. Currently, there is no known existence of any forage chopper for accelerated drying that presents structural and constitutive technical characteristics equal or similar to those described in this descriptive report, as claimed. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is the creation of a forage chopper for accelerating drying, constituted in an agricultural implement attachable to a tractor, which provides a notable innovation within its field of application in the current state of the art, the characterizing details that make it possible being conveniently included in the final claims that accompany the present description. The invention relates to a forage chopper for accelerating drying, comprising a support structure with a coupling system adapted for attachment to an agricultural tractor and a series of wheels. A transmission (driven by the tractor's power take-off via a cardan shaft) is mounted on the support structure and drives a horizontal-axis roller or rotor, transverse to the tractor's longitudinal direction. This roller or rotor has a system of straight blades cooperating with an adjustable counter-blade system mounted on the support structure, creating shearing torques. The chopper includes a system of spreaders behind the rotor designed to evenly distribute the chopped forage. The transmission comprises a 90-degree gearbox, a mechanical pulley variator that regulates the rotor speed according to the crop type or quantity, and transmission belts connecting the variator to the rotor shaft. The variator allows the rotor speed to be varied without affecting the tractor's operation. Furthermore, this configuration allows for the optimization of the conditioning process of the plant material and promotes uniform drying in large production volumes, contributing to preserving the quality of the forage and improving its utilization, even in unfavorable environmental conditions. This invention allows for a significant reduction in the difficulties associated with drying forage in large production volumes, especially during periods of the year characterized by unfavorable climatic conditions, optimizing the process to achieve faster and more homogeneous dehydration, avoiding quality losses and reducing the risk of deterioration of the collected material. This innovation is especially useful in agricultural operations with high production levels, where it is essential to guarantee efficient drying in short periods, contributing to improved profitability, preserving the value of the product and facilitating its use even in environments with high humidity or climatic variability. The supporting structure is designed to have a reinforced configuration to withstand continuous operation with large volumes of forage. This may include additional structural elements, reinforcing profiles, or specific geometric arrangements that increase its mechanical strength, thus improving the overall stability of the assembly, reducing deformation during prolonged use, and extending the equipment's lifespan in demanding working environments. The reinforced configuration of the supporting structure can be achieved by using thicker sheets, plates, and other materials in its construction. It can also be achieved by using reinforcing profiles placed at the points that bear the most weight or stress. Furthermore, the transmission allows for a rotation speed adapted to the treatment of green fodder under high humidity conditions, including a mechanical pulley variator that allows its operation to be adapted to different densities, humidity levels or types of crop, thereby promoting efficient processing and optimized energy consumption. Similarly, the counter-blade system is arranged in an adjustable position with respect to the blade system, and may include manual or automatic adjustment mechanisms that allow modification of the distance, angle or contact pressure, thus favoring precise control of the degree of chopping and allowing the performance of the assembly to be adapted to different operational needs. In turn, the rear wheels are configured to maintain a constant working height above the ground during movement, including adjustment systems for adapting to the terrain, which ensures adequate contact with the ground, improves stability during operation and optimizes the collection of plant material. Similarly, the spreader system is designed to distribute the chopped forage evenly across the entire working width, including deflectors, guide channels, and adjustable elements that allow modification of the dispersion pattern, thus contributing to homogeneous ventilation of the material and more balanced drying. On the other hand, the working width can be approximately 2.60 meters, although it may vary within technical limits compatible with the overall structure of the equipment, allowing the machine to be adapted to farms of different sizes, various field configurations, and different harvesting systems. The coupling system for an agricultural tractor can include different mechanical, structural or functional configurations compatible with various tractor models and power levels, ensuring a stable, safe and versatile connection, thus facilitating the integration of the equipment into different work environments and farming systems. To use the forage chopper for accelerated drying, the user must attach the machine to the tractor using the coupling system, ensuring it is securely fastened to allow for stable operation during transport. Once connected, the user must verify the correct positioning of the support structure, as well as the proper functioning of the transmission to the rotor, the blade system, and the counter-blade system, to guarantee efficient forage chopping. During operation, the user must move the assembly over the ground, allowing the rear wheels to maintain the appropriate working height, while the blade system acts on the plant material and the spreader system distributes the chopped forage evenly. EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES To complete the description being made and in order to help in the better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, this descriptive report is accompanied, as an integral part thereof, by three figures in which, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the different characteristics of the invention are represented. Figures 1, 2 and 3 correspond to perspective views of the chopper that is the subject of the invention. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The forage chopper for accelerated drying, of the type of agricultural implement attachable to a tractor, comprises a supporting structure (1) with a coupling system to a tractor (5) and wheels (8). On the supporting structure is a transmission, comprising a gearbox (6) and a mechanical variator of pulleys activated by belts (9), driven by the tractor's power take-off through a cardan joint, which produces the rotation of a rotor with a system of straight blades (2) cooperating with a system of counter-blades (3) in the supporting structure; in addition, said structure houses a system of spreaders (10) intended to distribute the chopped forage homogeneously.The supporting structure (1) comprises a base (4) incorporating rear wheels (8), hanging plates (11) that allow the passage of the forage while preventing stones from being projected towards the tractor, and a pair of skids (7) on both sides to protect the rotor and blades in case of punctures or breakage of the rear wheels. This configuration ensures efficient processing of the plant material, promoting controlled fragmentation, proper forage dispersal, and optimization of the drying process under intensive working conditions. In a preferred embodiment, the supporting structure (1) has a reinforced configuration designed to withstand continuous operation in large volumes of forage, integrating high-strength structural elements that guarantee the stability of the assembly, reduce deformations during prolonged work, and ensure a uniform transmission of stresses between the different components. Preferably, the transmission is configured to provide a rotational speed adapted to the treatment of green fodder under high humidity conditions, for example by varying the number of revolutions and consequently the torque, allowing stable operation of the blade system (2), ensuring constant performance, a reduction in jamming and a substantial improvement in chopping efficiency. Generally, the counter-blade system (3) is arranged in an adjustable position with respect to the blade system (2), allowing precise setting of the separation and cooperation angle between both elements, ensuring accurate control of the degree of chopping and effective adaptation to different types of forage. Generally, the structural base (4) is adapted for the treatment of green fodder, incorporating reinforcements, specific geometric configurations and internal arrangements that facilitate the passage of wet material, guaranteeing high robustness and functional integration with the rest of the assembly. Alternatively, the rear wheels (8) are configured to maintain a constant working height while moving over the ground, ensuring a uniform separation between the cutting system and the ground surface, improving the stability of the machine and promoting regular forage collection. In another preferred embodiment, the spreader system (7) is arranged to distribute the chopped forage evenly across the entire working width, orienting the processed material in a balanced manner, preventing localized accumulations, and promoting homogeneous ventilation that accelerates the drying process. An example of spreaders are deflectors that distribute the cut forage. Preferably, the working width is approximately 2.60 meters, this dimension corresponding to an optimized configuration for the treatment of the average width of a forage run which is between 1.90 meters and 2.50 meters, allowing an adequate balance between working capacity, maneuverability and operational efficiency. Having sufficiently described the nature of the present invention, as well as the manner of putting it into practice, it is not considered necessary to make its explanation more extensive so that any expert in the field may understand its scope and the advantages that derive from it, it being noted that, within its essentiality, it may be put into practice in other modes of embodiment that differ in detail from the one indicated by way of example, and which will also achieve the protection sought provided that its fundamental principle is not altered, changed or modified.

Claims

1. A forage chopper for accelerating drying, characterized in that it comprises a supporting structure (1) with a coupling system (5) for attachment to an agricultural tractor, skids (7) for protecting the rotor, and rear wheels (8), wherein the supporting structure (1) houses a mechanical transmission, comprising a gearbox (6) and a belt-driven mechanical pulley variator (9), between a mechanical power input from the tractor's power take-off and a rotor that carries a system of straight blades (2) cooperating with a system of counter-blades (3) in the supporting structure (1), and a system of spreaders (10) for the chopped forage.

2. A forage chopper for accelerating drying, according to claim 1, characterized in that the transmission comprises a speed variator. 3.Forage chopper for accelerated drying, according to claim 1, characterized in that the counter-blade system (3) is arranged in an adjustable position with respect to the blade system (2).

4. Forage chopper for accelerated drying, according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear wheels are configured to maintain a constant working height above the ground.

5. Forage chopper for accelerated drying, according to claim 1, characterized in that the spreader system comprises deflectors (10).