Ground-contact member and agricultural implement having ground-contact member

Abstract

To provide a grounding member and an agricultural machine having the grounding member, which, when a part of the grounding member is worn, deformed, damaged, etc., can be repaired or replaced only with the grounding member where the worn, deformed, damaged, etc. occurs, and the remaining grounding members can be used as they are. [Solution] A grounding member that is attached to the ground side of an apron main body that is arranged behind a work rotor so that it can rotate up and down, and that comes into contact with the ground to be tilled, wherein the width of the grounding member is long enough to allow multiple grounding members to be arranged on the apron main body in the width direction of the apron main body, and an agricultural work machine that is connected to a running body, and that comprises a work rotor, an apron main body that is arranged behind the work rotor so that it can rotate up and down, and a grounding member that is attached to the ground side of the apron main body and that comes into contact with the ground to be tilled, wherein multiple grounding members are attached to the apron main body in the width direction of the apron.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a ground-contact member and an agricultural implement having a ground-contact member. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, rotary tillers have been known that use an apron attached to the rear of the working unit to level the surface of a field after tilling (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-187027 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Conventional aprons for rotary tillers consist of an apron body and a ground contact member (ground leveling member) attached to the ground side of the apron body. The ground contact member (ground leveling member) has the same width as the apron body, and one ground contact member (ground leveling member) is attached to cover the entire width of the ground side of the apron body. Ground-contacting members (ground leveling members) are used to press down on the field surface after plowing to level it, so they are prone to wear, deformation, and damage due to friction with the field surface and soil lumps. Even if such wear, deformation, damage, etc. occurs in only a part of the ground-contacting member (ground-leveling member), the entire ground-contacting member (ground-leveling member), which has the same width as the entire apron body, must be repaired or replaced, resulting in high costs. Furthermore, the ground-contacting member (ground leveling member), which has the same width as the apron body, is a long member even when used alone, and there was also the problem that it was not easy to process, transport, attach or detach.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a grounding member and an agricultural machine having the grounding member such that, when a part of the grounding member becomes worn, deformed, damaged, etc., it is only necessary to repair or replace the grounding member that has become worn, deformed, damaged, etc., and the remaining grounding members can be used as is. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve such problems, the present invention has the following configuration. A grounding member attached to the ground side of an apron body portion that is provided rearward of the work rotor and can rotate up and down, and that contacts the tilled ground, The width of the grounding member is such that a plurality of the grounding members can be arranged on the apron main body in the width direction of the apron main body.

[0007] The present invention also has the following configuration. An agricultural machine connected to a traveling vehicle body, a working rotor; an apron main body provided at the rear of the work rotor so as to be vertically rotatable; A grounding member is attached to the ground side of the apron body and is in contact with the ground to be tilled. The agricultural machine is characterized in that a plurality of the ground contact members are attached to the apron main body in the width direction of the apron. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] To provide a grounding member and an agricultural machine having a grounding member in which, if a part of the grounding member becomes worn, deformed, damaged, etc., it is only necessary to repair or replace the grounding member that has become worn, deformed, damaged, etc., and the remaining grounding members can be used as they are. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a view of a rotary tiller A according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen from above and diagonally rear left. [Figure 2]1 is a view of a rotary tiller A according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen from below and diagonally rear left. [Figure 3] 1 is a view of a rotary tiller A according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the left side. [Figure 4] 1 is a view of a rotary tiller A according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen from above and diagonally rear left. [Figure 5] 1 is a view of a rotary tiller A according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen from below and diagonally rear left. [Figure 6] 1 is a view of a rotary tiller A according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the left side. [Figure 7] 3 is a diagram of an apron 34 of the rotary tiller A in this embodiment. FIG. [Figure 8] 3 is a cross-sectional view of an apron 34 of the rotary tiller A in this embodiment. FIG. [Figure 9] 3 is a diagram of an apron 34 of the rotary tiller A in this embodiment. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a view showing a plurality of ground contact members 342 arranged side by side in the left-right width direction of the apron 34. FIG. [Figure 11] 10 is a view showing a plurality of ground contact members 342 arranged side by side in the left-right width direction of the apron 34. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 8. [Figure 13] 10 is a diagram showing the attachment position of an apron shield 344 of the rotary tiller A in this embodiment. FIG. [Figure 14] 10 is a diagram showing the attachment position of an apron shield 344 of the rotary tiller A in this embodiment. FIG. [Figure 15] 10 is a diagram of an apron shield 344 of the rotary tiller A in this embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] [Embodiment] Hereinafter, a rotary tiller A according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The agricultural work machine is not limited to a rotary tiller, but may be another agricultural work machine, such as a harrow (plowing machine). In the following description, the same reference numerals in different drawings indicate parts with the same functions, and duplicated descriptions in each drawing will be omitted as appropriate. For ease of explanation, terms indicating directions such as up, down, front, rear, right, and left are used, but the direction in which gravity acts is down, and the opposite is up. Also, the direction in which the traveling vehicle body moves is forward, and the opposite is rear. Furthermore, when facing forward, the right side is right, and the left side is left.

[0011] [Overall configuration] FIG. 1 is a view of a rotary tiller A according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen from above and diagonally rear left. FIG. 2 is a view of the rotary tiller A according to the embodiment of the present invention as seen from below and diagonally rear left. FIG. 3 is a view of the rotary tiller A according to the embodiment of the present invention as seen from the left side. FIG. 4 is a view of the rotary tiller A according to the embodiment of the present invention as seen from above at an obliquely rear left position. FIG. 5 is a view of the rotary tiller A according to the embodiment of the present invention as seen from below and diagonally rear left. FIG. 6 is a view of the rotary tiller A according to the embodiment of the present invention as seen from the left side. 1 to 3 show the apron 34 rotated to the maximum raised position (highest position), and FIGS. 4 to 6 show the apron 34 rotated to the lowered position.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the rotary tiller A in this embodiment includes a mounting section 1, a frame section 2, and a working section 3. The rotary tiller A is connected to a traveling vehicle (not shown) such as a tractor by a mounting part 1. A frame part 2 and a working part 3 are connected to the mounting part 1. As a result, the rotary tiller A is towed as the traveling vehicle moves, and tilling work is performed by the working part 3.

[0013] [Installation part] The mounting unit 1 is connected to a three-point link (lifting means: not shown) provided at the rear of the traveling vehicle body. The three-point link is usually composed of a top link, a lift rod, a lower link, etc. The three-point link is a well-known mechanism, so a detailed description will be omitted. The mounting portion 1 has a top mast 11, a top link connection portion 12, and a lower link connection portion 13. The top mast 11 is fixed to a left frame 22L and a right frame 22R of the frame section 2, which will be described later. The top link connector 12 is attached to the top of the top mast 11 and is connected to a top link of the three-point link. The lower link connector 13 is attached to the left frame 22L and a right frame 22R of the frame section 2, which will be described later, and is connected to a lower link of the three-point link.

[0014] [Frame] The frame portion 2 has a gearbox 21, a left frame 22L, a right frame 22R, and a chain case 23. A left frame 22L and a right frame 22R are attached to the left and right sides of the gearbox 21. The gearbox 21 supports a power input shaft, to which power is transmitted from a PTO shaft (not shown) of the traveling vehicle body, so that the power input shaft protrudes forward. A bevel gear (not shown) is also housed within the gearbox 21. A side cover 33 (described later) of the working unit 3 is attached to the outer ends of the left frame 22L and the right frame 22R, and the working unit 3 is supported by the left frame 22L and the right frame 22R. A chain case 23 that transmits power to the working unit 3 is attached to the outside of a side cover 33 supported on the outer end of the left frame 22L. A power transmission shaft (not shown) that transmits power from the bevel gear inside the gearbox 21 to the working unit 3 is housed inside the left frame 22L. A chain mechanism that transmits power from the power transmission shaft to a rotor shaft 311 of the work rotor 31, which will be described later, is housed inside the chain case 23. Note that instead of the chain mechanism, other power transmission means such as a belt drive mechanism or a gear mechanism may also be used. In this embodiment, power is transmitted from the gearbox 21 to the working unit 3 via a power transmission shaft in the left frame 22L, but power may also be transmitted from the gearbox 21 to the working unit 3 via a power transmission shaft in the right frame 22R.

[0015] [Working section] The working unit 3 has a working rotor 31, a shield cover 32, a side cover 33, an apron 34, and a side shield 35. The work rotor 31 has a rotor shaft 311 suspended between left and right side covers 33 and a plurality of tillage tines 312 detachably attached to the circumferential surface of the rotor shaft 311 . The shield cover 32 is a cover that is installed so as to cover the upper part of the work rotor 31, and is supported at both left and right ends by side covers 33. The work rotor 31 is configured to rotate counterclockwise when viewed from the left, and to till the field with the tilling tines 312. A side shield 35 is attached to the rear end of the side cover 33 so as to protrude rearward. The side shield 35 is a member that prevents the soil tilled by the work rotor 31 from escaping outside the working part 3. An apron stopper 331 is attached to the rear lower portion of the side cover 33 to abut against an apron shield 344 (described later) and prevent the apron 34 from approaching the work rotor 31 more than a predetermined distance.

[0016] In this embodiment, the side shields 35 cooperate with the apron shield 344 (described later) so that, when the apron 34 is raised to the highest position, no gap is formed between them and the apron side plates 343 (described later) in a side view (see FIG. 3). This makes it possible to prevent soil and other foreign matter from being discharged to the outside from inside the working unit 3 when the apron 34 is at the highest position. Furthermore, when the apron 34 is lowered from the highest position, no foreign matter is caught between the apron 34 (apron side plates 343) and the side shields 35. While it is preferable that no gap is formed between the side shields 35 and the apron side plates 343, a small gap that does not allow foreign matter to be caught does not pose a problem.

[0017] [apron] An apron 34 is connected to the rear of the shield cover 32 so as to be able to rotate up and down, and is installed so as to cover the rear of the work rotor 31. Note that the apron 34 is not limited to one that is connected so as to be able to rotate up and down, and any type of apron that is connected so as to be able to move up and down may be used. The rear end of the apron 34 comes into contact with the tillage surface (work surface) that has been tilled by the tillage tines 312, and levels the tillage surface. As shown in FIG. 7, the apron 34 includes an apron main body 341, a grounding member 342, apron side plates 343, and an apron shield 344. The front end of the apron main body 341 is supported at the rear end of the shield cover 32 so as to be vertically rotatable about an axis parallel to the rotor shaft 311 . Apron side panels 343 are provided on both the left and right sides of the apron main body 341, and apron shields 344 are attached to the outside of the apron side panels 343 on both the left and right sides to adjust the amount of soil discharged from the openings on both the left and right sides of the working area formed between the side shields 35 and the apron 34 (details will be described later). On the upper side of the apron main body 341, i.e., the side opposite the work rotor 31, there are provided a compression rod 4 for adjusting the ground pressure of the apron main body 341 with the tillage surface, and an apron lifting assist mechanism 5 for assisting the worker in lifting (flipping up) the apron 34 upward when it is in the lowered position.

[0018] The compression rod 4 is installed at four locations in total: two locations between the left frame 22L and the base 3411 attached to the apron main body 341, and two locations between the right frame 22R and the base 3411 attached to the apron main body 341. A coil spring is fitted around the compression rod 4, and biases the apron 34 in a direction to rotate downward. The compression rod 4 has a known configuration, so a detailed description will be omitted.

[0019] The apron lifting assist mechanism 5 has a gas spring, a base 51, a first link member 52, a second link member 53, and an apron connecting member 54. The front end of the gas spring is attached to the base 51 and the rear end is attached to the first link member 52, and the expansion and contraction of the gas spring is transmitted to the apron 34 via the first link member 52, the second link member 53, and the apron connecting member 54. The base 51 is a member with a roughly U-shaped cross section that is disposed on the shield cover 32 and extends in the front-to-rear direction, and has a front base portion and a rear fulcrum shaft portion, with a support portion that supports the front end of the gas spring supported at the front end of the base portion and a fulcrum shaft 511 that supports the first link member 52 and the second link member 53 supported at the upper rear part of the fulcrum shaft portion. The base 51 is attached to the shield cover 32 so that the opening side of the roughly U-shaped cross section faces the shield cover 32, i.e., faces downward.

[0020] The first link member 52 is a member that is rotatably supported on a fulcrum shaft 511 of the base 51 and has a roughly fan shape in side view, with a support shaft that rotatably supports the rear end of the gas spring supported at its lower part, and the fulcrum shaft 511 of the base 51 supported at its upper part. The first link member 52 has its front end rotatably supported on the fulcrum shaft 511 of the base 51, and is connected to the upper part of the second link member 53. The rotation of the first link member 52 about the fulcrum shaft 511 due to the expansion and contraction of the gas spring is transmitted to the rotation of the second link member 53. The second link member 53 is a member with a generally U-shaped cross section extending in the front-to-rear direction, whose front end is rotatably supported on the fulcrum shaft 511 of the base 51, and whose front end rotatably supports the fulcrum shaft 511 of the base 51, and whose rear end supports a fulcrum shaft 531 that rotatably supports the apron connecting member 54. The second link member 53 is connected to the upper part of the first link member 52, and is a member that converts the rotation of the first link member 52 about the fulcrum shaft 511 of the base 51 as the rotation axis into vertical movement of the apron connecting member 54.

[0021] The apron connecting member 54 is a member with a generally U-shaped cross section, the upper end of which is rotatably connected to the rear side of the second link member 53, and the upper end rotatably supports a fulcrum shaft 531 supported on the rear end of the second link member 53, and the lower end rotatably supports a fulcrum shaft supported on a base 3412 provided on the apron main body 341 of the apron 34. The apron connecting member 54 is a member that connects the second link member 53 and the apron 34, and is a member that converts vertical movement of the apron connecting member 54 into rotation of the apron 34. The front end of the gas spring is rotatably connected to support shafts (not shown) supported on two opposing surfaces of a base 51 having a generally U-shaped cross section, and the rear end is rotatably connected to a support shaft (not shown) supported on the lower part of the first link member 52. The gas spring is configured so that elastic force is always generated in the extension direction.

[0022] When the apron 34 is in the lowered position, the gas spring is in a contracted state (almost fully contracted state). When an operator lifts the apron 34 from the lowered position, the gas spring expands, exerting a biasing force to rotate the apron 34 upward. More specifically, when the gas spring expands, the first link member 52 to which the rear side of the gas spring is connected rotates upward around a fulcrum shaft 511 provided at the upper part of the rear end of the base 51. As the first link member 52 rotates upward, the second link member 53 to which the first link member 52 is connected also rotates upward around the fulcrum shaft 511 provided at the upper part of the rear end of the base 51. The rotational force of the second link member 53 acts on the apron 34 via the apron connecting member 54, exerting a force in the direction of rotating the apron 34 upward. In this way, in the apron lifting assist mechanism 5, the extension force of the gas spring is converted into a force in the direction of rotating the apron 34 upward, so that the worker can lift the apron 34 with little force. In addition, the apron lifting assist mechanism 5 has a locking mechanism that prevents upward rotation around the fulcrum axis 511 provided at the top of the rear end of the base 51 of the first link member 52, i.e., locks the gas spring to prevent it from extending.

[0023] On the other hand, when lowering the apron from its highest position to its lowest position, the operator lowers the apron 34 against the extension force of the gas spring (the resulting force that tends to rotate the apron 34 upward). When the operator presses down on the apron 34, a force acts through the apron connecting member 54, causing the second link member 53 to rotate downward (clockwise as viewed from the left side) around a fulcrum shaft 511 provided at the upper part of the rear end of the base 51. As the second link member 53 rotates downward, the first link member 52 to which the second link member 53 is connected also rotates downward around the fulcrum shaft 511 provided at the upper part of the rear end of the base 51. Furthermore, as the first link member 52 rotates downward, the expanded gas spring contracts.

[0024] A ground contact member 342 is attached to the rear side of the apron main body 341, more specifically, the rear end side opposite the front end side of the apron main body 341 connected to the shield cover 32, so as to cover the ground side surface of the apron main body 341, in other words, the surface facing the work rotor 31. The ground contact member 342 is a member that comes into contact (grounds) with the tilled surface that has been tilled by the tillage tines 312, and works together with the apron main body 341 to level the tilled surface. An apron cover to prevent soil from adhering may be attached to the surface of the apron body 341 facing the work rotor 31 where the ground contact member 342 is not attached. A well-known apron cover made of resin such as rubber may be used, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. Also, a shield cover similar to the apron cover may be attached to the surface of the shield cover 32 on the work rotor 31 side. The apron cover and the shield cover may be used to cover the apron main body 341 and the shield cover 32, respectively, by one piece, or may be used in combination with a plurality of pieces.

[0025] 7A and 7B are diagrams showing the apron 34, in which (a) is a diagram showing a part of the apron 34 as seen from the front, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in (a). FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 7, showing the rear side of the apron main body 341 and the left ground contact member 342L. The apron main body 341 has a first flat surface 341a that is linear in side view at the front end, in other words, at the side connected to the shield cover 32. A second flat surface 341b that is linear in side view is bent downward from the rear end thereof. A third flat surface 341c, a fourth flat surface 341d, and a fifth flat surface 341e that are linear in side view are bent upward or backward from the rear end thereof. A sixth flat surface 341f and a seventh flat surface 341g that are linear in side view are bent downward from the rear end of the fifth flat surface 341e. A ground contact member support piece 345 is fixed to the underside (work rotor 31 side) of the fourth flat surface 341d of the apron main body 341. The ground contact member support piece 345 extends from the underside of the fourth flat surface 341d downward toward the fifth flat surface 341e and sixth flat surface 341f, with its rear end bent upward and fixed to the seventh flat surface 341g. The fifth flat surface 341e, sixth flat surface 341f, seventh flat surface 341g of the apron main body 341 and the ground contact member support piece 345 form a space having a cross-sectional shape resembling the cross-section of a drop of water. The second flat surface portion 341b, the third flat surface portion 341c, the fourth flat surface portion 341d, the fifth flat surface portion 341e, the sixth flat surface portion 341f, and the seventh flat surface portion 341g of the apron main body portion 341 are formed into a flat surface by bending to facilitate manufacturing, but at least a portion of these may be formed into a curved surface.

[0026] [Grounding member] FIG. 9 is a diagram of the apron 34 of the rotary tiller A in this embodiment, and from the top left are a view from the front, a view from the left side, and a view from the rear, and from the bottom left are a view from below diagonally forward left, and a view from above diagonally rear left. Figures 10 and 11 are views showing a ground contact member 342 made up of multiple members arranged side by side in the left-right width direction of the apron. Figures 10(a) and (b) and Figures 11(a) and (b) show a ground contact member 342 made up of two members (a left ground contact member 342L and a right ground contact member 342R), while Figures 10(c) to (e) show a ground contact member 342 made up of three members (a central ground contact member 342m and left and right side ground contact members 342s). Also, bolts and nuts 346, which will be described later, are omitted from Figures 10 and 11. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 8, showing three modified examples of the arrangement of the left ground contact member 342L and the right ground contact member 342R at the boundary 342B between the left ground contact member 342L and the right ground contact member 342R. As described above, the ground contact member 342 is attached to the rear side of the apron main body 341 on the ground contact side of the apron main body 341. The grounding member 342 of this embodiment is made of a stainless steel plate, which makes it difficult for soil to adhere to the grounding member 342. Note that the grounding member 342 may be made of metal such as aluminum or resin such as rubber, in addition to stainless steel.

[0027] The grounding member 342 has, in order from the front end, a first grounding plane portion 342a that is approximately linear in side view, a curved portion 342b that is convex downward (toward the work rotor 31), a second grounding plane portion 342c that is also approximately linear in side view, and a grounding arc portion 342d that is curved upward in an approximately semicircular shape (see Figure 8). The first ground contact plane portion 342a, the curved surface portion 342b, the second ground contact plane portion 342c, and the ground contact arc portion 342d are formed in shapes that roughly follow the shape of the underside (the work rotor 31 side) and rear end of the apron main body 341, but there is a slight gap between the third flat surface portion 341c of the apron main body 341 and the curved surface portion 342b of the ground contact member 342. In addition, the ground contact arc portion 342d of the ground contact member 342 is formed so as to engage with the sixth flat surface portion 341f, the seventh flat surface portion 341g, and the ground contact member support piece 345 of the apron main body 341 from the rear side. The ground contact member 342 is a member that comes into direct contact with the tillage surface, and is formed with curved surfaces such as the curved surface portion 342b and the ground contact arc portion 342d to prevent soil and the like from adhering to it. Note that instead of being curved, it may also be formed with a flat portion and a bent portion, like the apron main body portion 341.

[0028] The grounding member 342 is attached to the apron main body 341 by engaging (hooking) the grounding arc portion 342d at one end (rear end) with the sixth flat portion 341f, the seventh flat portion 341g, and the grounding member support piece 345 of the apron main body 341 from the rear side, and by fixing the other end (front end) to the apron main body 341 with bolts and nuts 346. With this mounting structure, the grounding member 342 can be easily mounted to and removed from the apron main body 341 by simply fastening and removing the bolt and nut 346 on the other end side. In addition, the grounding arc portion 342d of the grounding member 342 is not limited to a configuration in which it engages with the sixth flat portion 341f, the seventh flat portion 341g, and the grounding member support piece 345 of the apron main body 341 from the rear side, but can also be configured to fit into them.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b), in this embodiment, the ground contact member 342 is made up of a left ground contact member 342L and a right ground contact member 342R, that is, a plurality of members, arranged side by side in the left-right width direction. The ground contact member 342 is a member that comes into contact with the surface plowed by the tillage tines 312 to level the surface, and may become worn, deformed, or damaged. In this case, the ground contact member 342 needs to be repaired or replaced. In the conventional configuration in which the width (working width) of the apron main body 341 is covered by a single grounding member 342, even if wear, deformation, damage, etc. occurs to a part of the grounding member 342, the entire grounding member 342 that covers the width (working width) of the apron main body 341 needs to be repaired or replaced. In contrast, when the grounding member 342 is made up of multiple members (two in this embodiment) as in this embodiment, if one of the multiple grounding members 342 becomes worn, deformed, damaged, etc., it is not necessary to repair or replace all of the multiple grounding members 342, but it is sufficient to repair or replace only the one grounding member 342 that has become worn, deformed, damaged, etc., thereby reducing maintenance costs. Furthermore, when the grounding member 342 is made up of multiple members, the width of each grounding member 342 is shorter than the width of one grounding member 342 that covers the width of the conventional apron main body 341 (it is half the width when two grounding members 342 of the same width are used), which not only eliminates the need for large processing machines but also has the advantage of being easier to handle when transporting, repairing, or replacing. When the ground contact member 342 is made up of two members, as shown in Figures 10(a) and 10(b), ground contact members 342 of the same width are prepared for each rotary tiller with a different width (working width). In other words, ground contact members 342 for rotary tillers with different widths are prepared. Note that when the ground contact member 342 is made up of two members, it is not limited to using two ground contact members 342 of the same width, and it is also possible to use two ground contact members 342 of different widths.

[0030] In this embodiment, the grounding member 342 covering the width of the apron main body 341 is composed of two grounding members 342 (left grounding member 342L and right grounding member 342R), but the number of grounding members 342 constituting the grounding member 342 covering the width of the apron main body 341 is not limited to this, and it is also possible to configure it with three or more grounding members 342. When using three ground contact members 342, prepare ground contact members 342 having a width that divides the entire width of the apron main body 341 into thirds. Then, three ground contact members 342 of the same width are lined up and attached to the width of the apron main body 341. In this case, for each rotary tiller with a different width, a ground contact member 342 having a width that divides the width (working width) into three equal parts is prepared.

[0031] It is also possible to provide ground contact members 342 of the same width for all rotary tillers of different widths, and provide ground contact members 342 of the remaining widths for each rotary tiller of a different width. As shown in FIG. 10(c), a rotary tiller having a predetermined width is provided with a ground contact member 342m having a width L1 for the center and ground contact members 342s having a width L2 for the left and right sides. As shown in Figure 10(d), for a rotary tiller with a different width from the rotary tiller shown in Figure 10(c), a grounding member 342m with width L1 is used as the center grounding member 342m, and grounding members 342s with the remaining width L3 are prepared for the left and right sides. In other words, a common grounding member 342m can be used as the center grounding member for all rotary tillers with different widths, and grounding members 342s with different widths can be prepared for the left and right sides for each rotary tiller with a different width. 10(e), for a rotary tiller with a different width from the rotary tiller shown in Fig. 10(c), ground contact members 342s with width L2 are used as the ground contact members for the left and right sides, and a ground contact member 342m with width L4 is prepared for the remaining center. In other words, it is possible to use the same ground contact members 342s as the ground contact members for all left and right sides of rotary tillers with different widths, and prepare ground contact members 342m with different widths for the center for each rotary tiller with a different width.

[0032] Even when configured with two grounding members 342, it is possible to provide grounding members 342 of the same width for all rotary tillers of different widths, and to provide grounding members 342 of the remaining widths for each rotary tiller of a different width. As shown in FIG. 11(a), a left ground contact member 342L having a width L1 and a right ground contact member 342R having a width L2 are prepared for a rotary tiller having a predetermined width. As shown in FIG. 11(b), a rotary tiller with a different width from the rotary tiller shown in FIG. 11(a) uses a left grounding member 342L with a width L1 on the left side and a right grounding member 342R with a width L3 on the right side. That is, a common left grounding member 342L can be used as the grounding member for all rotary tillers with different widths, and a different width right grounding member 342R can be prepared for each rotary tiller with different widths. The right side may also be a common grounding member. Furthermore, the widths of the left grounding member 342L and the right grounding member 342R do not need to be different for all rotary tillers with different widths. For a specific type of rotary tiller, the widths of the left grounding member 342L and the right grounding member 342R can be the same. In other words, a grounding member 342 with a length that halves the width of a specific type of rotary tiller can be used as the common grounding member.

[0033] [Boundary] In this embodiment, at a boundary 342B between the left ground contact member 342L and the right ground contact member 342R, an end of the left ground contact member 342L and an end of the right ground contact member 342R are arranged to abut against each other. In this way, when the end of the left ground contact member 342L and the end of the right ground contact member 342R are butted together, there is an advantage in that steps are less likely to form (in the thickness direction) at the butted ends of the left ground contact member 342L and the right ground contact member 342R, and streaks are less likely to form when the ground is leveled. On the other hand, if the ends of the left ground contact member 342L and the right ground contact member 342R are arranged to butt together, a small gap will be created at the butted portion, which may result in streaks when the ground is leveled. Therefore, as a modified example of the arrangement of the end of the left ground contact member 342L and the end of the right ground contact member 342R at the boundary portion 342B, the end of the left ground contact member 342L and the end of the right ground contact member 342R can be arranged so as to overlap. As shown in Figure 12(a), an offset portion 3421 is formed by offsetting (creating a step) the end of the left grounding member 342L by the thickness of the right grounding member 342R, and the offset portion 3421 of the left grounding member 342L is placed overlapping on the right grounding member 342R so that it is on the work rotor 31 side. As shown in FIG. 12(b), an overlapping piece 3422 is fixed to the end of the left ground contact member 342L by welding or the like, and the overlapping piece 3422 is arranged so as to overlap on the right ground contact member 342R.

[0034] In the arrangement shown in FIGS. 12(a) and 12(b), a convex portion is formed on the contact surface of the boundary portion 342B. Therefore, as shown in Figure 12(c), an offset portion 3421 is formed by offsetting (creating a step) the end of the left ground contact member 342L by the thickness of the right ground contact member 342R, and the left ground contact member 342L is positioned so that the offset portion 3421 is on the apron main body 341 side and overlaps the right ground contact member 342R. With this arrangement, no protrusions are formed on the ground contact surface at the boundary portion 342B, making it possible to make it flush. However, slight gaps are generated between the left ground contact member 342L and the apron main body 341, and between the right ground contact member 342R and the apron main body 341 near the boundary portion 342B, so filler material 3423 is placed to fill these gaps. It goes without saying that in the above three modified examples, the left ground contact member 342L and the right ground contact member 342R may be interchanged, i.e., the offset portion 3421 and the overlapping piece 3422 may be provided on the right ground contact member 342R. Also, the overlapping piece 3422 shown in Fig. 12(b) may be placed overlapping under the right ground contact member 342R so that it is on the apron main body 341 side, and filler material 3423 may be placed in the gaps generated between the left ground contact member 342L and the apron main body 341 and between the right ground contact member 342R and the apron main body 341, as shown in Fig. 12(c).

[0035] If the boundary 342B between the left and right ground contact members 342L, 342R is formed so as to be perpendicular to the left-right width direction, a line formed by the boundary 342B may remain in the field after tilling and leveling. To prevent this, the boundary 342B between the left and right ground contact members 342L, 342R may be formed so as to be inclined with respect to the left-right width direction, or formed in a zigzag (triangular wave shape). The above-described configuration of the boundary portion 342B is not limited to the case where two ground members 342 are used, but can be used for the boundary portion 342B between adjacent ground members when three or more ground members 342 are used.

[0036] [Apron Shield] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the attachment position of the apron shield 344 of the rotary tiller A in this embodiment, and (a) and (b) show the apron shield 344 attached in two different positions. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the attachment position of the apron shield 344 of the rotary tiller A in this embodiment, and (a) and (b) show the apron shield 344 attached in two different positions. FIG. 15 shows an apron shield 344 of the rotary tiller A in this embodiment, and (a) to (c) show three different examples. In Fig. 13, the apron 34 is in the most raised position, as in Figs. 1 to 3, and in Fig. 14, the apron 34 is in the lowered position, as in Figs. 4 to 6. In Fig. 14, the side shields 35 are omitted so that the apron stoppers 331 can be seen.

[0037] Apron shields 344 are attached to both the left and right sides of the apron 34. The apron shield 344 is attached to the apron side plate 343 of the apron main body 341 with two bolts and nuts 3442 . As shown in Figure 15(a), the apron shield 344 has three mounting holes 344a, 344b, and 344c formed therein, and is attached to the apron side panel 343 using either mounting holes 344a and 344b or two of the mounting holes 344a and 344c. Apron shield 344 can be attached to two different positions on apron main body 341. The distance between attachment holes 344a and 344b and the distance between attachment holes 344a and 344c are set equal. In other words, the different positions of apron shield 344 are positions rotated around attachment hole 344a. 13, by rotating the apron shield 344 around the mounting hole 344a so that it can be mounted in two different positions, it is possible to change the area of ​​the openings (gaps) on both the left and right sides of the working section formed between the side shields 35 and the apron 34 in a side view. This makes it possible to adjust the amount of soil discharged from the openings (amount of soil spilling).

[0038] In this embodiment, in addition to mounting hole 344a, two mounting holes 344b and 344c are provided that are equidistant from mounting hole 344a, but it is also possible to provide three or more mounting holes that are equidistant from mounting hole 344a so that apron shield 344 can be attached to three or more different positions on apron main body 341. In other words, all mounting holes formed in apron shield 344, excluding mounting hole 344a, should be formed on arcs of the same circle centered on mounting hole 344a. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 15(b), by forming an arc-shaped slit 344d centered on the mounting hole 344a and attaching a bolt and nut 3442 at any position on this slit 344d, the apron shield 344 and the apron main body 341 can be attached at any rotational position, thereby making it possible to configure the area of ​​the openings on both the left and right sides of the working section formed between the side shield 35 and the apron 34 to be continuously adjustable. In addition, in this embodiment, since there are two mounting positions (mounting holes) for the apron shield 344 formed on the apron side plate 343, the mounting holes 344b and 344c are formed on an arc of a circle centered on the mounting hole 344a, but if there are three mounting positions (mounting holes) for the apron shield 344 formed on the apron side plate 343, it is not necessary to form the mounting holes 344b and 344c on an arc of the same circle centered on the mounting hole 344a. In addition, in this embodiment, two bolts and nuts 3442 are used to attach the apron shield 344, but it is also possible to provide a protrusion (pin) on the apron side plate 343 and use this protrusion in place of one of the bolts and nuts 3442.

[0039] A front edge 3441 of the apron shield 344 can come into contact with an apron stopper 331 provided at the rear lower part of the side cover 33. When the apron 34 is further rotated downward (clockwise) from the state shown in FIG. 13 and reaches a predetermined lowered position, the front edge 3441 comes into contact with the apron stopper 331. The apron shield 344 comes into contact with the apron stopper 331, thereby preventing the apron 34 from coming any closer to the work rotor 31. Furthermore, the gas spring of the apron lifting assist mechanism 5 is in a (nearly) fully compressed state when the apron 34 is in the lowered position. In this embodiment, the apron stopper 331 is provided, preventing the apron 34 from rotating from a predetermined lowered position toward the work rotor 31. This prevents the apron 34 from rotating downward too much, which would place an excessive load on the gas spring in a (nearly) fully compressed state, and prevents damage to the gas spring due to excessive downward rotation of the apron 34.

[0040] 15(a), in this embodiment, the front edge 3441 of the apron shield 344 is formed in an arc shape centered on the mounting hole 344a. As a result, when the apron shield 344 is rotated about the mounting hole 344a to change the mounting position of the apron shield 344 to the apron main body 341, the distance between the mounting hole 344a and the contact point between the apron shield 344 and the apron stopper 331 when the apron shield 344 and the apron stopper 331 are in contact with each other becomes equal or approximately equal. That is, even if the mounting position of the apron shield 344 on the apron main body 341 is changed, the rotational position of the apron 34 remains the same or approximately the same when the apron shield 344 is in contact with the apron stopper 331. In other words, the distance between the apron 34 and the work rotor 31 remains the same when the apron shield 344 is in contact with the apron stopper 331. As a result, even if the attachment position of the apron shield 344 to the apron main body 341 is changed, the distance between the apron 34 and the work rotor 31 when the apron shield 344 and the apron stopper 331 are in contact does not change or remains almost unchanged. In other words, regardless of the attachment position of the apron shield 344, when the apron 34 is rotated downward by a predetermined angle, the apron shield 344 comes into contact with the apron stopper 331, thereby appropriately preventing the apron 34 from coming closer to the work rotor 31 than a predetermined distance (interference between the apron 34 and the work rotor 31). Furthermore, regardless of the attachment position of the apron shield 344, damage to the apron lifting assist mechanism 5 can be prevented.

[0041] In this embodiment, the front edge 3441 of the apron shield 344 is formed in an arc shape centered on the mounting hole 344a, but it is sufficient that the distance between the mounting hole 344a and the abutting portion with the apron stopper 331 at the two mounting positions of the apron shield 344 is equal, and it is not necessary to form the front edge 3441 in an arc shape. As shown in Fig. 15(c), the shape of the front edge 3441 of the apron shield 344 is sufficient that the distance between the mounting hole 344a and two front edge portions 3441a, 3441b around the abutting portion with the apron stopper 331 at the two mounting positions of the apron shield 344 is equal.

[0042] In addition, in this embodiment, the different positions of the apron shield 344 are positions rotated around the mounting hole 344a, and the apron shield 344 is shaped so that the distance between the abutment portion with the apron stopper 331 and the mounting hole 344a is equal at all mounting positions of the apron shield 344.This ensures that even if the mounting position of the apron shield 344 to the apron main body 341 is changed, the rotational position of the apron 344 when the apron shield 344 and the apron stopper 331 are abutting does not change, or does not change much. However, the arrangement of the multiple different mounting positions of the apron shield 344 and the shape of the front edge 3441 of the apron shield 344 may be any as long as the arrangement of the mounting positions and the shape of the front edge 3441 do not change or do not change much when the apron shield 344 and the apron stopper 331 are in contact with each other, even if the mounting position of the apron shield 344 to the apron main body 341 is changed. In other words, even if the mounting position of the apron shield 344 relative to the apron main body 341 is changed not by rotation but by changing it to an upper position, a lower position, etc., like conventional apron shields, by making the shape of the front edge 3441 of the apron shield 344 such that the rotational position of the apron 34 when the apron shield 344 and the apron stopper 331 are in contact does not change or remains almost unchanged even if the mounting position is changed, it is possible to apply this to a configuration in which the mounting position of the apron shield 344 relative to the apron main body 341 is changed by changing it to an upper position, a lower position, etc., like conventional apron shields.

[0043] As described above, the embodiments of the rotary tiller A, which is an example of an agricultural work machine according to the present invention, have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, but the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes design changes and the like that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments can be combined by utilizing each other's technology as long as there are no particular contradictions or problems in their purpose, configuration, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] A rotary tiller 1. Mounting part 11 Topmast 12 Mounting unit main frame 13 Lower link connection 2 Frame section 21 Gearbox 22L left frame 22R Right Frame 23 Chain case 3 Working section 31 Working rotor 311 Rotor shaft 312 Cultivating Claw 32 Shield cover 33 Side cover 331 Apron Stopper 34 Apron 341 Apron body 341a 1st plane part 341b 2nd plane part 341c 3rd plane section 341d 4th plane section 341e 5th plane section 341f 6th plane section 341g 7th plane part 3411, 3412 Pedestal 342 Grounding member 342a 1st ground plane section 342b Curved section 342c 2nd ground plane section 342d Ground arc 342B Boundary 342L Left ground contact member 342R Right ground contact member 342m grounding member 342s Grounding member 3421 Offset section 3422 Overlapping piece 3423 Filling material 343 Apron side panel 344 Apron Shield 344a, 344b, 344c Mounting holes 344d slit 3441, 3441a, 3441b front edge 3442 Bolts and nuts 345 Grounding member support piece 346 Bolts and Nuts 35 Side shield 4 compression rod 5 Apron lifting assist mechanism 51 Pedestal 511 Fulcrum Axis 52 First link member 53 Second link member 531 Fulcrum Axis 54 Apron connection member

Claims

1. A grounding member attached to the ground side of an apron body portion that is provided rearward of the work rotor and can rotate up and down, and that contacts the tilled ground, The width of the grounding member is such that a plurality of the grounding members can be arranged on the apron main body in the width direction of the apron main body.

2. 2. The ground contact member according to claim 1, wherein the width of the ground contact member is a length obtained by dividing the width of the apron body into approximately equal parts.

3. An agricultural machine connected to a traveling vehicle body, a working rotor; an apron main body provided at the rear of the work rotor so as to be vertically rotatable; A grounding member is attached to the ground side of the apron body and is in contact with the ground to be tilled. The agricultural machine is characterized in that a plurality of the ground contact members are attached to the apron main body in the width direction of the apron.

4. 4. The agricultural machine according to claim 3, wherein the widths of the plurality of ground contact members are all substantially equal divisions of the width of the apron body.

5. The agricultural machine described in claim 3, characterized in that at least one of the plurality of ground contact members has a predetermined width that can be used commonly for a plurality of types of apron body portions having different widths.

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