straddle agricultural vehicle with offset left rear half-axle

Abstract

Agricultural straddle vehicle with offset left rear half-running axle. The invention relates to a vehicle comprising a driver's position (3) supported by a rear beam (4) provided with a support leg (5) of a right rear half-running axle (6) and a support leg (7) of a left rear half-running axle (8) controlled in translation to delimit a first passage (P1), the driver's position (3) being connected to a straddle structure (14) delimiting a second passage (P2) and extending by a longitudinal member (16) equipped with a right front steering half-running axle (17), while the driver's position is extended, by a longitudinal member (18) equipped with a left front steering half-running axle (19) so that the right (17) and left (19) front steering half-running axles delimit a passage (P3) located in the extension of the second passage (P2). Figure for the abridged version: Fig. 6.

Description

Title of the invention: Straddle agricultural vehicle with offset left rear half-axle technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of transport and work vehicles used in connection with low, medium or even high-height row crops.

[0002] The object of the invention thus relates to a self-propelled straddle vehicle adapted to ensure progress between rows of crops rising on particularly irregular ground while ensuring various works relating to soil preparation and crop maintenance. Previous technique

[0003] In the state of the art, many vehicle solutions adapted to perform these functions have been proposed while allowing their progression taking into account the irregularities of the terrain.

[0004] For example, French patent FR 2 560 143 describes a straddle tractor with an inverted U-shaped chassis comprising a horizontal beam equipped with a driver's seat and an engine. This horizontal beam is extended on either side by vertical legs, each equipped with a rear wheel. Such a vehicle also includes a rocker arm articulated to the chassis and equipped with two stabilizing wheels, each located substantially in line with a rear wheel. The dimensions of the chassis and the rocker arm are adapted so that the driver's seat is positioned between two rows of crops, while the wheels are positioned on either side of these two rows. In practice, such a tractor proves to be rather unwieldy, with the driver's seat located in the upper part of the chassis, which is a disadvantage with regard to the overall stability of the vehicle.Furthermore, the driving position does not allow the driver to accurately visualize the work being done. However, particularly in the field of viticulture, there is an increasing need for soil cultivation work, requiring precise vehicle handling and consequently allowing the driver to have excellent visibility of the implements during their operation.

[0005] In the prior art, a straddle tractor with three wheels arranged in a delta shape is also known. This straddle tractor comprises a chassis supporting an engine unit and a driver's seat. The chassis is provided at the rear with a gantry having a support leg for a left rear half-axle and a support leg for a right rear half-axle. The support legs are spread apart in the working position so that the rear half-axles define a track width between them, allowing each support leg, together with the chassis, to create a passage for a row of crops. The chassis is equipped at the front with a steering axle, giving this straddle tractor good maneuverability thanks to the wide rotation of the front wheel. However, such a three-wheeled straddle tractor does not offer complete safety when moving across uneven or sloping terrain. Furthermore, using such a tractor leads to soil compaction and limits the permissible load on the front axle.

[0006] French patent FR 3 078 676 describes a self-propelled straddle quadricycle vehicle comprising a chassis supporting an engine and a driver's seat, and equipped at the front with a left-hand front steering half-axle and a right-hand front steering half-axle. At the rear, the chassis is provided with a support leg for a left-hand rear steering half-axle and a support leg for a right-hand rear steering half-axle. The support legs of the rear steering half-axles are spread apart in the working position so that the rear steering half-axles define a track width between them, such that each support leg, together with the chassis, defines a passage for a row of crops. While such a vehicle offers maximum safety during its movement, the driver's seat does not allow for easy control of the implements, particularly those working the soil. Description of the invention

[0007] The object of the invention aims to remedy the disadvantages of the prior art, by proposing a self-propelled straddle agricultural vehicle designed to ensure its safe progression on all types of terrain by allowing it to straddle at least two rows of crops and equipped with a driving position offering maximum visibility to ensure high precision for most work concerning the maintenance of row crops and more particularly soil preparation.

[0008] Another object of the invention aims to propose a new self-propelled straddle agricultural vehicle adapted to be maneuverable and to exhibit high productivity.

[0009] To achieve such objectives, the self-propelled straddle agricultural vehicle comprises a central chassis defining a driver's position supported by a rear beam equipped, on one side, with a support leg for a right rear half-axle and, on the other side, with a support leg for a left rear half-axle, controlled in translation relative to the driver's position to occupy a close driving position or a wide working position to define, with the driver's position, a first pass for a first row of crops, the central chassis being connected to a straddle structure equipped with the support leg of the half-axle. right rear bearing, and away from the driver's seat, to delimit with the latter a second passage for a second row of crops, the straddle structure extending in front of the driver's seat, by a side member equipped with a right front steering half-axle, while the central chassis extends in front of the driver's seat, by a side member equipped with a left front steering half-axle so that the right front steering half-axle and the left front steering half-axle are separated to delimit a passage located in the extension of the second passage for the second row of crops.

[0010] According to an advantageous embodiment, the support leg of the left rear half-running gear is controlled in spacing so that this left rear half-running gear delimits, in relation to the right rear half-running gear, a track width of between 1.8 m and 2.8 m to occupy the close driving position or the spread working position.

[0011] According to another advantageous embodiment, the left rear half-running gear delimits, in the working offset position, relative to the left front steering half-running gear, a track width of between 1m and 1.4m.

[0012] Advantageously, the right front steering half-axle and the left front steering half-axle are separated to delimit a track width of between 1m and 1.4m.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment, the support leg of the left rear half-axle is equipped with a support for a tool holder for tool positioning at the front of the left rear half-axle.

[0014] According to another preferred embodiment, the support leg of the left rear half-axle is equipped with a support for a tool holder for tool positioning at the front of the left rear half-axle.

[0015] Advantageously, the straddle structure is extended laterally outwards by a support for a motor unit for the vehicle. Brief description of the drawings

[0016] [Fig-1] The [Fig. 1] is a ¾ front perspective view of an example of an embodiment of a self-propelled straddle agricultural vehicle according to the invention, in driving position.

[0017] [Fig.2] The [Fig.2] is a ¾ rear perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of the self-propelled straddle agricultural vehicle according to the invention illustrated in the [Fig.1].

[0018] [Fig.3] The [Fig.3] is a top view of the example embodiment of the self-propelled straddle agricultural vehicle according to the invention illustrated in the [Fig.1].

[0019] [Fig.4] The [Fig.4] is a rear view of the exemplary embodiment of the self-propelled straddle agricultural vehicle according to the invention illustrated in the [Fig.1].

[0020] [Fig.5] The [Fig.5] is a front view of the exemplary embodiment of the self-propelled straddle agricultural vehicle according to the invention illustrated in the [Fig. 1].

[0021] [Fig.6] The [Fig.6] is a top view of the example embodiment of the self-propelled straddle agricultural vehicle according to the invention, in working position.

[0022] [Fig.7] The [Fig.7] is a front view of the example embodiment of the self-propelled straddle agricultural vehicle according to the invention, in working position. Description of the implementation methods

[0023] As can be seen from the figures, the object of the invention relates to a self-propelled straddle agricultural vehicle 1 adapted to perform various types of work related to soil preparation and crop maintenance. According to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the agricultural vehicle 1 is a quadricycle straddle vehicle adapted to straddle a first row RI and a second row R2 of row crops of all types, the axis of which is shown in Figures 6 and 7. Two adjacent rows of crops RI, R2 are separated by an inter-row space E.

[0024] The agricultural vehicle 1 according to the invention comprises a central chassis 2 delimiting a driver's position 3. The driver's position 3 is supported by a rear beam 4 of the chassis, provided on one side with a support leg 5 for a right rear half-running axle 6 and on the other side with a support leg 7 for a left rear half-running axle 8. The right side and the left side of the vehicle are defined in relation to the direction of travel of the vehicle represented by the arrow F in [Fig.6].

[0025] The left rear half-axle 8 and the right rear half-axle 6 thus form the rear axle assembly of the vehicle. Each left rear half-axle 8 and right rear half-axle 6 comprises a rolling element 10, which in the illustrated example is a wheel. Of course, each rear half-axle 6, 8 may comprise a rolling element 10 that is not a single wheel. In the illustrated embodiment, each support strut 5, 7 is equipped with a motor 12 for rotating the rolling element 10. Advantageously, the support struts 5 and 7 are inclined towards the front of the vehicle so that the right rear half-axle 6 and the left rear half-axle 8 are positioned on either side of the driver's seat 3.

[0026] The support legs 5, 7 are spread apart in the working position so that the rear half-carriages 6, 8 define a track width L1 between them, allowing the vehicle to straddle a first row RI and a second row R2 of row crops as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7. It should be noted that the track width of a vehicle corresponds to the distance between the centers of the contact patches of the wheels on the same axle. The track width L1 therefore corresponds to the distance between the centers of the wheels 10 of the left rear half-carriage 8 and the right rear half-carriage 6.

[0027] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the support leg 7 of the left rear half-axle 8 is controlled in translation relative to the driver's seat 3 to occupy either a close driving position (Figures 1 to 5) or a wide working position (Figures 6 and 7). In the driving position, the track width L1 is reduced compared to the track width in the working position. This arrangement thus allows the vehicle to travel on the road network while adapting to the width of the crop rows being straddled.

[0028] According to the invention, the support leg 7 of the left rear half-carriage 8 is controlled in distance relative to the support leg 5 of the right rear half-carriage 6 so as to modify the track width L1 between the so-called close driving position and the so-called wide working position. It should be noted that the support leg 5 of the right rear half-carriage 6 is fixed relative to the support leg 7 of the left rear half-carriage 8. According to one feature of the invention, the support leg 7 of the left rear half-carriage 8 is controlled in distance relative to the driver's seat 3 to delimit, with the driver's seat, a first passage PI for the first crop row RI. Typically, the support leg 7 of the left rear half-carriage 8 is controlled in extension by a measure A equal to 0.6 m.Such an extension makes it possible to delimit the first passage PI for the first row of crop RI between the driving position 3 (or central chassis 2) and the support leg 7 of the left rear half-running axle 8. .

[0029] The support leg 7 of the left rear half-axle 8 is controlled The left rear half-carriage 8 is positioned so that, relative to the right rear half-carriage 6, it defines a track width L1 of between 1.8 m and 2.8 m, allowing it to occupy either the close driving position or the wide working position. Thus, in the working position as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the rear half-carriages 6 and 8 define a track width L1 of, for example, 2.4 m, enabling it to straddle two crop rows RI and R2 separated by an inter-row space E of a width between 1 m and 1.4 m. In the driving position illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, the track width L1 is, for example, 1.8 m. In this driving position, the support leg 7 of the left rear half-carriage 8 is brought closer to the central frame 2.

[0030] Conventionally, the support leg 7 is part of a system for adjusting its distance from the central frame 2 and is in the form of a gantry comprising the rear beam 4, which is fixed and extends horizontally to the upper rear part of the central frame 2, and in which slides a movable arm 4a, at the end of which the support leg 7 is suspended. The movable arm 4a is moved by means of a jack 12, along a perpendicular transverse direction. dicular to the longitudinal direction of the straddling vehicle 1.

[0031] According to one feature of the invention, the central chassis 2 is connected to a straddle structure 14 equipped with the support leg 5 of the right rear half-axle 6 and positioned away from the driver's cab 3, to define, together with the latter, a second passage P2 for a second row of crops R2. It should be noted that the end of the rear beam 4, opposite to that carrying the support leg 7 of the left rear half-axle 8, is part of the straddle structure 14 so that the support leg 5 of the right rear half-axle 6 can be located outside the second row R2 of crops being straddled. The driver's cab 3, and consequently the central chassis 2, is able to be positioned in the inter-row space E, between the first row RI and the second row R2 of crops in rows.

[0032] According to another feature of the invention, the straddle structure 14 extends forward of the driver's seat 3 by means of a side member 16 equipped with a right front steering half-axle 17, while the central chassis 2 extends forward of the driver's seat 3 by means of a side member 18 equipped with a left front steering half-axle 19. Each left front 19 and right front 17 half-axle comprises a bearing 20 driven in rotation by a motor. The left front 19 and right front 17 half-axles are steerable and are associated with controls of all types known per se, which are not described in more detail because they are well known to those skilled in the art and are not specifically part of the object of the invention. Similarly, the bearings 20 are wheels in the illustrated example, but these bearings may be different.

[0033] The left front half-axle 19 and the right front half-axle 17 form the front axle of the vehicle, extending along an axis parallel to the rear axle of the vehicle. The side members 16, 18 project outward from the front of the vehicle, preferably symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal plane passing substantially through the middle of the straddle structure 14. The left front half-axle 19 and the right front half-axle 17 thus straddle the second row R2 of crops. It should be noted that the straddle structure 14 is extended laterally outward from the vehicle by a support 14a suitable for supporting a drive unit (not shown) for the vehicle, of any type known per se. The drive unit thus extends longitudinally in front of the right rear half-axle 6.

[0034] According to one feature of the invention, the right front steering half-axle 17 and the left front steering half-axle 19 are separated such that the right front steering half-axle 17 and the left front steering half-axle define between them a passage P3 located in the pro length of the second pass P2 for the second row of crops. Advantageously, the right front steering half-carriage 17 and the left front steering half-carriage 19 are arranged symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal plane passing substantially through the middle of the straddle structure 14. Thus, the right front steering half-carriage 17 is positioned substantially in line with the right rear steering half-carriage 6, along the outside of the second row R2 of crops, while the left front steering half-carriage 19 is positioned in line with the driver's position 3 along the inside of the second row R2 of crops.Thus, the second row R2 of crops is spanned on one side by the right front steering half-axle 17 and the left front steering half-axle 19 and on the other side by the straddling structure 14 provided on one side with the driver's seat 3 and on the other side with the support leg 5 of the right rear half-axle 6.

[0035] According to an advantageous embodiment, the right front steering half-axle 17 and the left front steering half-axle 19 are spaced apart to define a track width between them of between 1 m and 1.4 m. It should be noted that the left front steering half-axle 19, which is located in line with the driver's seat 3, is positioned in the inter-row space E between the first row RI and the second row R2 of crops. Thus, the left front steering half-axle 19 is positioned inside the first row RI of crops, while the left rear steering half-axle 7 is positioned outside the first row RI of crops.According to an advantageous embodiment, the front left steering half-axle 19 and the rear left half-axle 7 define between them, in the working offset position of the rear left half-axle 7, a track width of between 1m and 1.4m.

[0036] According to another advantageous embodiment, the support leg 7 of the left rear half-axle 8 is equipped with a support 25 for a tool holder 26 designed to support a tool adapted to a specific soil or crop row cultivation function ([Fig. 3]). Thus, the tool holder 26 can position tools at the front of the left rear half-axle 8. These tools, which are pushed, are positioned laterally relative to the driver's seat 3, towards the front of the driver's seat, or even extending beyond the front of the driver's seat, allowing the driver to easily observe the operation of these tools.

[0037] According to another advantageous embodiment, the side member 16 equipped with the right front steering half-axle 17 is provided with a support 27 for a tool holder 28 suitable for being positioned between said half-axle 17 and the driver's seat 3. Similarly, the side member 18 equipped with the left front steering half-axle 19 is provided with a support 29 for a tool holder 30 suitable for being positioned Positioned between the aforementioned half-train 19 and the driver's station 3, the implements on the tool carriers 28 and 30, which are pulled, are tools adapted to a specific function of working the soil or crop rows. These implements, positioned in front of the driver's station 3, allow the driver to easily observe their operation. The operation of the tool carriers 28 and 30 may correspond, for example, to the operation of the tool carriers as described in patent FR 3 028 711.

[0038] It is clear from the preceding description that the straddle tractor 1 according to the invention is characterized in particular by a left rear half-axle 8 which can be offset into the working position. The straddle tractor 1 is designed to straddle two rows of crops RI, R2 while being equipped with a driver's station 3 offering maximum visibility and safety by being positioned in the inter-row space E. The driver's station 3, which is supported by the rear beam 4 of the central frame 2, allows the driver to be ideally positioned so that the implements of the tool holders 26, 28, 30 are located directly in their field of vision to monitor the operation of the implements.

[0039] The self-propelled straddle vehicle 1 according to the invention, with its offset left rear half-axle, also exhibits excellent maneuverability and the ability to move safely by using four wheels. The straddle vehicle 1 offers all the advantages of a quadricycle, namely comfort, stability, soil compaction resistance, and permissible load on the running gear.

Claims

Claims

1. Self-propelled agricultural straddle vehicle comprising a central chassis (2) delimiting a driving position (3) supported by a rear beam (4) provided on one side with a support leg (5) for a right rear half-undercarriage (6) and on the other side with a support leg (7) for a left rear half-undercarriage (8), such that the right rear half-undercarriage (6) and the left rear half-undercarriage (8) are positioned on the sides of the driving position (3), the support leg (7) of the left rear half-undercarriage (8) being controlled in translation relative to the driving position to occupy a close driving position or a separate working position to delimit with the driving position, a first passage (PI) for a first row of crops defined between the driving position (3) and the support leg (7) of the left rear half-undercarriage (8),the central chassis (2) being connected laterally to a spanning structure (14) equipped with the support leg (5) of the right rear half-undercarriage (6), and spaced from the driving position, to delimit with the latter a second passage (P2) for a second row of crops, the spanning structure (14) extending in front of the driving position, by a side member (16) equipped with a right front steering half-undercarriage (17), while the central chassis (2) extends in front of the driving position, by a side member (18) equipped with a left front steering half-undercarriage (19) so that the right front steering half-undercarriage (17) and the left front steering half-undercarriage (19) are spaced apart to delimit a passage (P3) located in the extension of the second passage (P2) for the second row of crops.

2. Agricultural straddle vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support leg (7) of the left rear half-undercarriage (8) is controlled in spacing so that this left rear half-undercarriage delimits, in relation to the right rear half-undercarriage (6), a track width of between 1.8 m and 2.8 m to occupy the close driving position or the separated working position.

3. Agricultural straddle vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the left rear half-undercarriage (8) delimits, in the spaced working position, relative to the half-undercarriage front left steering (19), a track width between 1m and 1.4m.

4. A straddle agricultural vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the front right steering half-undercarriage (17) and the front left steering half-undercarriage (19) are spaced apart to delimit a track width of between 1m and 1.4m.

5. A straddle agricultural vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the support leg (7) of the left rear half-undercarriage (8) is equipped with a support (25) for a tool holder (26) for positioning tools at the front of the left rear half-undercarriage (8).

6. Agricultural straddle vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the side member (18) equipped with the front left steering half-undercarriage (19) is provided with a support (29) for a tool holder (30) capable of being positioned between said half-undercarriage and the driving position (3), while the side member (16) equipped with the front right steering half-undercarriage (17) is provided with a support (27) for a tool holder (28) capable of being positioned between said half-undercarriage and the driving position.

7. A straddle agricultural vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the straddle structure (14) is extended laterally outwards by a support (14a) of a power unit for the vehicle.

Images