Agricultural machinery

Abstract

To improve the maintainability of agricultural machinery. [Solution] One embodiment of the agricultural machine comprises a body including a first side plate and a second side plate, a tine shaft rotatably supported between the first side plate and the second side plate, a plurality of tillage tines attached to the tine shaft, a first connecting member rotatably connected to the first side plate and having a first mating surface, and a second connecting member provided at one end of the tine shaft, having a second mating surface that mates with the first mating surface, and removably connected to the first connecting member, and the tillage tine closest to the first side plate among the plurality of tillage tines is attached to the tine shaft via an attachment portion provided at a position spaced apart from the second connecting member.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an agricultural implement, and more particularly to an agricultural implement that tills a field by rotating a plurality of tilling tines. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, agricultural implements have been known in which multiple tillage tines are attached to a tine shaft, which serves as a rotating shaft, and the multiple tines are rotated together with the tine shaft to till a field. The tine shaft is rotatably supported between two side plates, which are part of the body of the agricultural implement, and rotates by power transmitted from the traveling body. Typically, a rotating shaft is connected to both ends of the tine shaft, and each rotating shaft is rotatably supported by a bearing member, such as a ball bearing, attached to the side plate (for example, see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-204785 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In conventional agricultural work machines, tines are typically attached to a flange that connects the tine shaft and the rotating shaft. In such cases, the fastening members (e.g., bolts and nuts) that connect the flange on the tine shaft to the flange on the rotating shaft also serve as fastening members for attaching the tines to the flange. Therefore, when replacing the tines, removing the fastening members that attach the tines breaks the connection between the flange on the tine shaft and the flange on the rotating shaft, potentially causing the tines to fall off.

[0005] One of the objects of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems and improve the maintainability of agricultural machines. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An agricultural work machine according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a body including a first side plate and a second side plate, a tine shaft rotatably supported between the first side plate and the second side plate, a plurality of tillage tines attached to the tine shaft, a first connecting member rotatably connected to the first side plate and having a first mating surface, and a second connecting member provided at one end of the tine shaft, having a second mating surface that mates with the first mating surface and removably connected to the first connecting member, and the tillage tine closest to the first side plate among the plurality of tillage tines is attached to the tine shaft via an attachment portion provided at a position spaced apart from the second connecting member.

[0007] The agricultural work machine may further include a clamping member that is arranged on the first side plate side of the first connecting member and clamps the first connecting member together with the second connecting member. In this case, the clamping member may have an outer periphery protection portion that covers outer peripheries of the first connecting member and the second connecting member.

[0008] In the agricultural work machine, the first connecting member may be a flange shaft, and a shaft portion of the flange shaft may transmit power output from a wrapping transmission device provided on the first side plate.

[0009] In the agricultural work machine, the first connecting member may have at least two stepped portions on a side closer to the rotation axis of the claw shaft than the first mating surface.

[0010] In the agricultural implement, the tiller tine closest to the first side plate may have a tip curved toward the first side plate.

[0011] In the agricultural work machine, a rotating shaft may be fixed to the other end of the claw shaft, and the other end of the claw shaft may be supported by a bearing portion provided on the second side plate.

[0012] In the agricultural work machine, the mounting portion may be a flange fixed to the claw shaft. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to improve the maintainability of an agricultural work machine. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing the configuration of an agricultural work machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a top view showing the configuration of an agricultural work machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a support structure for a claw shaft by a first claw shaft support portion in an agricultural work machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a diagram showing a state in which the connection between the flange shaft and the claw shaft shown in FIG. 3 is released. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the support structure of the claw shaft by the second claw shaft support portion in the agricultural work machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a structure for preventing the claw shaft from falling off in the first claw shaft support portion. [Figure 7] 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of the first mating surface of the first connecting member and the second mating surface of the second connecting member shown in FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a support structure for a claw shaft by a flange shaft according to a modified example of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of a first connecting member in an agricultural work machine according to a modified example of one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The agricultural implement of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, taking as an example a tiller (also called a rotary implement). However, the agricultural implement of the present invention can be embodied in many different forms, and should not be construed as being limited to the description of the example shown below. The agricultural implement of the present invention also includes other agricultural implements (e.g., plowers) that cultivate a field by rotating multiple tiller tines. In the drawings referred to in this embodiment, identical parts or parts having similar functions are designated with the same reference numerals or the same reference numerals followed by an alphabet, and repeated description thereof will be omitted. Furthermore, when identical or similar parts are provided on the left and right sides of the traveling direction, the reference numerals of the parts may be followed by L (left-side member) or R (right-side member). When no distinction is made between left and right members, the parts may be described using only the reference numerals, omitting L and R.

[0016] In the specification and claims of this application, "up" refers to the direction vertically away from the field when the agricultural work machine is traveling while performing tillage work on the field, and "down" refers to the opposite direction from "up." For ease of explanation, "front" refers to the direction in which the agricultural work machine is traveling, and "rear" refers to the opposite direction from "front." Furthermore, "left" and "right" refer to the left and right in a rear view of the agricultural work machine as seen from the rear of the agricultural work machine. Furthermore, when the center line of the agricultural work machine in a plan view (a line parallel to the direction of travel and passing through the center of the agricultural work machine) is used as a reference, the side closer to the center line is referred to as the "inner side," and the side farther from the center line is referred to as the "outer side."

[0017] In the present specification, a place containing soil where agricultural work is carried out, such as grassland, fields, or paddy fields, is collectively referred to as a field.

[0018] First Embodiment (Configuration of agricultural work machine 100) The configuration of the agricultural work machine 100 of this embodiment will be described below. In this embodiment, a tillage work machine that is attached to the rear of a traveling body such as a tractor and is towed by the traveling body to till a field is exemplified as the agricultural work machine 100. However, the agricultural work machine of this embodiment is not limited to a tillage work machine, and may be another agricultural work machine (such as a plow machine) that has a tillage rotor that rotates multiple tillage tines to till a field.

[0019] Fig. 1 is a front view showing the configuration of an agricultural work machine 100 according to this embodiment, and Fig. 2 is a top view showing the configuration of the agricultural work machine 100 according to this embodiment. Note that Figs. 1 and 2 show the general configuration of the agricultural work machine 100 according to this embodiment, and other components may be included, or some of the components shown may be omitted.

[0020] The agricultural work machine 100 of this embodiment broadly includes an attachment unit 10, a tilling work unit 20, a first tilling depth adjustment unit 30a, and a second tilling depth adjustment unit 30b. Each unit will be described in detail below.

[0021] The mounting portion 10 is a portion for mounting the agricultural work machine 100 to a traveling body such as a tractor. The mounting portion 10 has a top link pin 11 (top link connecting portion), a pair of lower link connecting portions 12a and 12b, top masts 13a and 13b, and a reinforcing member 14.

[0022] The top masts 13a and 13b are fixed to a first support frame 21 and a second support frame 22 of the tilling work unit 20 (described later), and support the top link pin 11. The lower link connectors 12a and 12b are fixed to the first support frame 21 via left and right connector holding plates. The reinforcing member 14 is provided on the first support frame 21 and extends forward, connecting the left and right connector holding plates that respectively hold the lower link connectors 12a and 12b, and functions as a member (stay) that reinforces the entire mounting unit 10.

[0023] The top link pin 11 and the lower link connecting portions 12a and 12b are connected to a three-point linkage (not shown) provided at the rear of the traveling machine body of a tractor or the like. The structure of the three-point linkage is well known, so a description thereof will be omitted here. By connecting the mounting portion 10 to the three-point linkage of the traveling machine body, the agricultural work machine 100 is mounted to the rear of the traveling machine body.

[0024] The tilling work unit 20 has a first support frame 21, a second support frame 22, a first side plate 23a, a second side plate 23b, a shield cover 24, a power transmission unit 25, a chain drive unit 26, a tilling work rotor 27 (also called the "rotary work unit"), a first claw shaft support unit 28a, a second claw shaft support unit 28b, and a ground leveling unit 29.

[0025] The first support frame 21 and the second support frame 22 are arranged parallel to each other and extend in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction (left-right direction). A first side plate 23a and a second side plate 23b are connected to both ends of the first support frame 21 and the second support frame 22, respectively supporting the first side plate 23a and the second side plate 23b. Although not shown, the second support frame 22 is located rearward and above (at a higher position) the first support frame 21 when the agricultural work machine 100 is viewed from the side, and extends left and right around a gearbox 25b included in the power transmission unit 25. Furthermore, a shield cover 24 is fitted across the first side plate 23a and the second side plate 23b to cover the top of the tillage rotor 27. The shield cover 24 serves to prevent soil clods from flying upward when the tillage rotor 27 is performing tillage work. The first support frame 21, the second support frame 22, the first side plate 23a, the second side plate 23b, and the shield cover 24 form the framework of the agricultural work machine 100 and function as a machine body frame.

[0026] The power transmission unit 25 has the function of transmitting power input from the running body (not shown) via the input shaft 25a to the chain drive unit 26, and is equipped with a gear box 25b that transmits power from the input shaft 25a, a transmission shaft (not shown) that is arranged inside the second support frame 22 and transmits power from the gear box 25b to the chain drive unit 26, and the like.

[0027] The chain drive unit 26 is connected to the transmission shaft and transmits the power transmitted via the transmission shaft to the tillage rotor 27. The chain drive unit 26 in this embodiment is a wrapping transmission device that combines a drive sprocket, a driven sprocket 26b (see Figure 3), and a chain 26a (see Figure 3), but is not limited to this example and may be a transmission device that combines multiple gears, or a wrapping transmission device that combines a pair of pulleys and a belt.

[0028] The tillage rotor 27 is journaled between the first side plate 23a and the second side plate 23b, and includes a tine shaft 27a and a plurality of tillage tines 27b attached to the tine shaft 27a. The tine shaft 27a is rotatably supported relative to the first side plate 23a and the second side plate 23b, and includes a shaft portion 27-1a, a flange portion 27-2a (second connecting member), a rotating shaft 27-3a, and an attachment portion 27c.

[0029] The shaft 27-1a is a member to which multiple tillage tines 27b are attached and is composed of a long, cylindrical member. The flange 27-2a is a circular, flange-shaped member that functions as a connecting member for connecting to a flange shaft 282a (described later) and is fixed to the end of the shaft 27-1a on the first side plate 23a side. However, this is not limited to this example, and the tine shaft 27a may be a member in which the shaft 27-1a and the flange 27-2a are integrally formed. The rotating shaft 27-3a is a member that is fixed to the end of the shaft 27-1a on the second side plate 23b side, i.e., the end of the shaft 27-1a opposite the end where the flange 27-2a is provided, and is rotatably supported by a second tine shaft support portion 28b (described later). In this embodiment, a soil removal member 27-3b is attached to the rotating shaft 27-3a (see FIG. 5). The soil removal member 27-3b is a member fixed to an annular protruding member fixed to the outer periphery of the rotating shaft 27-3a and rotates together with the rotating shaft 27-3a. As shown in Fig. 5, the soil removal member 27-3b extends toward the second side plate 23b and has a portion that covers a part of the second claw shaft support portion 28b (described later). The soil removal member 27-3b scrapes off and removes soil adhering to the periphery of the second claw shaft support portion 28b. However, the soil removal member 27-3b is not an essential component and can be omitted.

[0030] In this embodiment, the surface of the flange portion 27-2a of the claw shaft 27a that faces the flange portion 282-2a (see FIG. 3) of the flange shaft 282a, which will be described later, is referred to as the "second coupling surface." Furthermore, the surface of the second coupling surface that is located in a portion used for coupling with the flange portion 282-2a of the flange shaft 282a (i.e., a portion where a fastening member such as a bolt is attached) is referred to as the "second mating surface 83" (see FIG. 7). The shape of the flange portion 27-2a of the claw shaft 27a, the second coupling surface, and the second mating surface 83 will be described in detail below.

[0031] The tines 27b are arranged around the tine shaft 27a via mounting portions 27c fixed at predetermined positions. The mounting portions 27c are provided at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of the tine shaft 27a between the flange portion 27-2a and the rotating shaft 27-3a. While a flange is used as the mounting portion 27c in this embodiment, a holder into which the base end of the tine 27b is inserted may also be used. In this embodiment, the end tine (the tine closest to the first side plate 23a or the second side plate 23b) has a curved tip that faces outward (i.e., the tip is curved toward the first side plate 23a or the second side plate 23b). Curving the tip of the end tine outward can prevent the formation of residual tillage (areas that cannot be tilled) and remove soil adhering to the side plates.

[0032] In one embodiment of the present invention, the multiple tillage tines 27b may be attached to the tine shaft 27a with the phases of adjacent attachment portions 27c shifted, i.e., shifted by a predetermined angle in the rotational direction of the tine shaft 27a when viewed from the longitudinal direction of the tine shaft 27a. In other words, when the tillage rotor 27 is viewed from the direction along the tine shaft 27a (left-right direction), the multiple tillage tines 27b may be arranged in a spiral pattern from one side of the tine shaft 27a to the other. This reduces the resistance of the tillage rotor 27 during tillage and also enables the creation of a uniform field surface with minimal unevenness. The arrangement of the multiple tillage tines 27b is not limited to a spiral pattern and can be modified as appropriate.

[0033] The first claw shaft support portion 28a and the second claw shaft support portion 28b each serve to rotatably support the claw shaft 27a between the first side plate 23a and the second side plate 23b. The first claw shaft support portion 28a is attached to the first side plate 23a, and the second claw shaft support portion 28b is attached to the second side plate 23b. In other words, the claw shaft 27a is supported by the first side plate 23a by the first claw shaft support portion 28a, and is supported by the second side plate 23b by the second claw shaft support portion 28b. The detailed configurations of the first claw shaft support portion 28a and the second claw shaft support portion 28b will be described later.

[0034] The soil leveling unit 29 is rotatably connected to the rear end of the shield cover 24, and is positioned behind the tillage rotor 27. The soil leveling unit 29 levels (levels) the surface of the field that has been tilled by the tillage rotor 27 when its lower end comes into contact with the field during tillage work. In addition, the soil leveling unit 29 covers the rear of the tillage rotor 27, and therefore also plays a role in preventing clods of soil from being scattered rearward during tillage work.

[0035] The first tillage depth adjustment unit 30a and the second tillage depth adjustment unit 30b have the role of adjusting the tillage depth of the tillage work rotor 27. The first tillage depth adjustment unit 30a and the second tillage depth adjustment unit 30b are each fixed to the first support frame 21 and are arranged in front of the tillage work unit 20. The first tillage depth adjustment unit 30a and the second tillage depth adjustment unit 30b can maintain a constant distance between the field and the first support frame 21 by adjusting the height (up and down) positions of the first gauge wheel 31a and the second gauge wheel 31b, respectively.

[0036] (Configuration of Support Structure of Pawl Shaft 27a by First Pawl Shaft Support Portion 28a) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the support structure of the claw shaft 27a by the first claw shaft support portion 28a in the agricultural work machine 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the chain drive unit 26, the claw shaft 27a, and the first claw shaft support portion 28a, taken along a plane perpendicular to the direction of travel of the agricultural work machine 100 and passing through the rotation axis (center line C2) of the claw shaft 27a (see FIG. 6). The first claw shaft support portion 28a includes a bearing portion 281a and a flange shaft 282a. The bearing portion 281a is a cylindrical member including a bearing that rotatably supports the flange shaft 282a (first connecting member) that transmits power from the chain drive unit 26 to the claw shaft 27a, and is attached to the first side plate 23a. The flange shaft 282a is a flanged rotating shaft in which a shaft portion 282-1a and a flange portion 282-2a are integrated. The flange shaft 282a functions as a connecting member that is connected to the claw shaft 27a. However, this is not a limitation, and the connecting member may be a structure in which a flange is fixed to a rotating shaft by welding, fastening members, or the like, instead of the flange shaft 282a. As with the flange portion 27-2a of the claw shaft 27a described above, the surface of the flange portion 282-2a that faces the flange portion 27-2a of the claw shaft 27a is a first connecting surface, and the surface of the first connecting surface that is located in a portion that serves for connection with the flange portion 27-2a is a first mating surface 82 (see FIG. 7). The shape of the flange portion 282-2a of the flange shaft 282a, the first connecting surface, and the first mating surface 82 will be described in detail below.

[0037] The bearing portion 281a rotatably supports the shaft portion 282-1a of the flange shaft 282a. The flange portion 282-2a of the flange shaft 282a is coupled to the flange portion 27-2a of the claw shaft 27a. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the flange portion 282-2a of the flange shaft 282a and the flange portion 27-1a of the claw shaft 27a are fastened together by a fastening member with their mating surfaces (first mating surface 82 and second mating surface 83) in contact with each other. In this embodiment, a plurality of bolts 284a and a clamping member 285a are used as the fastening member. The clamping member 285a is a member having a female thread corresponding to the bolt 284a and functioning similarly to a nut, and clamps the flange portion 282-2a of the flange shaft 282a together with the flange portion 27-2a of the claw shaft 27a. For ease of explanation, although not shown in Figure 3, the clamping member 285a may be provided with an outer periphery protection portion that covers the outer periphery of the flange portion 282-2a of the flange shaft 282a, or the outer periphery of the flange portion 282-2a and the flange portion 27-2a of the claw shaft 27a.

[0038] The shaft portion 282-1a of the flange shaft 282a is inserted into the driven sprocket 26b of the chain drive unit 26. As a result, power transmitted from the drive sprocket (not shown) via the chain 26a of the chain drive unit 26 is transmitted to the claw shaft 27a via the driven sprocket 26b and the flange shaft 282a. In this way, in the agricultural work machine 100 of this embodiment, the claw shaft 27a is rotatably supported on the first side plate 23a via the first claw shaft support portion 28a.

[0039] The multiple tillage tines 27b are attached to attachment portions 27c fixed to the shaft portion 27-1a of the tine shaft 27a using fastening members (bolts 271c and nuts 272c). As shown in FIG. 3, the multiple tillage tines 27b are attached to a position separate from the flange portion 27-2a in the longitudinal direction of the shaft portion 27-1a. For example, the tine 27b closest to the first side plate 23a is attached to the tine shaft 27a via an attachment portion 27c located at a position separated from the flange portion 27-2a in the longitudinal direction of the shaft portion 27-1a. This means that the tine shaft 27a is detachably supported on the first side plate 23a regardless of whether the multiple tillage tines 27b are attached or detached. As described above, in this embodiment, the end claws (the claws closest to the first side plate 23a or the second side plate 23b) have their tips curved outward, and the flange portion 27-2a is disposed in the space formed by the end claws curved outward, i.e., in the space laterally inward of the tips of the curved end claws in a plan view or rear view. In addition, in a rear view, the tips of the curved end claws (their rotational loci) are disposed so as to overlap the flange shaft 282a.

[0040] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which the connection between the flange shaft 282a and the claw shaft 27a shown in Fig. 3 has been released. For ease of explanation, Fig. 4 also shows the bolts 284a and the clamping members 285a. As shown in Fig. 4, by removing the multiple bolts 284a, which are fastening members, the connection between the flange shaft 282a and the claw shaft 27a can be easily released, and the claw shaft 27a can be removed from the first claw shaft support portion 28a.

[0041] As described above, in this embodiment, in addition to the mounting portions 27c (i.e., claw mounting flanges) for mounting the multiple tillage tines 27b to the claw shaft 27a, flange portions 27-2a for detachably supporting the claw shaft 27a with the flange shaft 282a of the first claw shaft support portion 28a attached to the first side plate 23a are provided at the end of the claw shaft 27a. Therefore, according to this embodiment, when replacing the tillage tines, it is possible to prevent the connection between the flange on the claw shaft side and the flange on the rotating shaft side from being severed, causing the claw shaft to fall off, thereby improving the maintainability of the agricultural work machine. Furthermore, because the connection between the tillage rotor 27 and the chain drive unit 26 involves a complex configuration, such as a power transmission mechanism, removing the tillage rotor 27 from the chain drive unit 26 requires complex work such as removing the chain drive unit 26 from the first side plate 23a and disassembling the chain drive unit 26, which can be cumbersome. However, by connecting the tillage rotor 27 and the chain drive unit 26 by connecting the flange shaft 282a and flange portion 27-2a, as in the present invention, the tillage rotor 27 can be removed from the chain drive unit 26 by the simple task of removing the multiple bolts 284a that serve as fastening members.

[0042] (Configuration of Support Structure of Pawl Shaft 27a by Second Pawl Shaft Support Portion 28b) FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the support structure of the claw shaft 27a by the second claw shaft support portion 28b in an agricultural work machine 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the claw shaft 27a and the second claw shaft support portion 28b cut along a plane perpendicular to the direction of travel of the agricultural work machine 100 and passing through the rotation axis (center line C2) of the claw shaft 27a (see FIG. 6). The second claw shaft support portion 28b is configured with a bearing including a bearing. A portion of the outside of the second claw shaft support portion 28b is covered by an oil seal 231b. The second claw shaft support portion 28b is detachably connected to the second side plate 23b by a bolt 281b, and a protective cover 232b is provided to cover the detachable portion.

[0043] The second claw shaft support portion 28b is a cylindrical bearing member that rotatably supports the rotating shaft 27-3a fixed to the end of the shaft portion 27-1a of the claw shaft 27a, and is detachably attached to the second side plate 23b. Specifically, the second claw shaft support portion 28b is detachably fastened to the second side plate 23b with a plurality of bolts 281b. However, this configuration is not limited thereto, and the second claw shaft support portion 28b may be fixed to the second side plate 23b by means of welding or the like.

[0044] As described above, at the left end side of the claw shaft 27a (the side closer to the first side plate 23a), the flange shaft 282a and the claw shaft 27a are detachably connected by fastening members (the bolt 284a and the clamping member 285a), so it is possible to easily separate only the claw shaft 27a from the first claw shaft support portion 28a. On the other hand, at the right end side of the claw shaft 27a (the side closer to the second side plate 23b), the first claw shaft support portion 28a and the like restrict movement of the claw shaft 27a to the left (toward the first side plate 23a) within a certain range. Therefore, when the second claw shaft support portion 28b pivotally supports the claw shaft 27a (the rotating shaft 27-3a) and is attached to the second side plate 23b, it is not possible to separate only the claw shaft 27a from the second claw shaft support portion 28b. However, since the second claw shaft support portion 28b is detachably connected to the second side plate 23b by the bolt 281b, it is possible to remove the claw shaft 27a together with the second claw shaft support portion 28b from the second side plate 23b by removing the bolt 281b.

[0045] As described above, in the present embodiment, the second claw shaft support portion 28b supports the claw shaft 27a (rotating shaft 27-3a), and when attached to the second side plate 23b, the claw shaft 27a is supported non-detachably by the second claw shaft support portion 28b. However, this is not limited to this example, and the rotating shaft 27-3a of the claw shaft 27a may have a similar structure to the flange portion 27-2a, and the second claw shaft support portion 28b may have a similar structure to the first claw shaft support portion 28a. In other words, the claw shaft 27a may be supported detachably by the second claw shaft support portion 28b.

[0046] (Mechanism to prevent the claw shaft from falling off) As described above, the pawl shaft 27a is indirectly fixed to the second side plate 23b, and therefore its axial movement toward the second side plate 23b is restricted within a certain range. However, if the connection between the pawl shaft 27a and the first pawl shaft support portion 28a is released, for example, if all of the bolts 284a shown in FIG. 3 are lost, the pawl shaft 27a may fall off even if it moves slightly toward the second side plate 23b. Therefore, the first pawl shaft support portion 28a of this embodiment has a structure that prevents the pawl shaft 27a from falling off by changing the shape of the first connecting surface of the flange shaft 282a. The structure for preventing the pawl shaft 27a from falling off is described below.

[0047] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a structure for preventing the claw shaft 27a from falling off from the first claw shaft support portion 28a. Specifically, FIGS. 6(A) to 6(C) illustrate how the claw shaft 27a is prevented from falling off in stages when the flange portion 282-2a of the flange shaft 282a is released from the flange portion 27-2a of the claw shaft 27a. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the first mating surface 82 of the flange portion 282-2a and the second mating surface 83 of the flange portion 27-2a shown in FIG. 6. Specifically, FIGS. 7(A) to 7(C) are enlarged views corresponding to the enlarged frames 60a to 60c shown in FIGS. 6(A) to 6(C), respectively. Note that hatching of various parts has been omitted in FIG. 7 for ease of explanation.

[0048] First, the structure (shape) of the first connecting surface of the flange shaft 282a and the structure (shape) of the second connecting surface of the flange portion 27-2a of the claw shaft 27a will be described.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 7(A), the first connecting surface of the flange shaft 282a has an inclined surface 92, a first step D1, and a second step D2 extending from the first mating surface 82 toward the rotation axis (center line C1: see FIG. 6(A)) of the flange shaft 282a. The inclined surface 92 is inclined so that the distance from the rotation axis (center line C1) of the flange shaft 282a decreases toward the right (inner side) in a plan view or rear view, and the inclined surface 92 forms a truncated cone-shaped convex portion. The inclination of the inclined surface 92 corresponds to the inclination of the inclined surface 93 of the flange portion 27-2a of the claw shaft 27a, and is configured to have (approximately) the same inclination angle as the inclined surface 93. The "step" refers to the difference in height between the two surfaces that make up the first connecting surface in the left-right direction along the claw shaft. For example, the first step D1 is a step configured to form a convex portion 61 that protrudes rightward from the right end of the truncated convex portion that constitutes the inclined surface 92. The convex portion 61 formed by the first step D1 has an annular outer shape when the flange shaft 282a is viewed from the claw shaft 27a side. The second step D2 is a step configured to form a convex portion 62 that protrudes rightward from the top surface of the right end of the convex portion 61 formed by the first step D1. When the flange shaft 282a is viewed from the claw shaft 27a side, the convex portion 62 formed by the second step D2 has an annular outer shape that is concentric with the outer shape of the convex portion 61 and has a shorter diameter than the convex portion 61. The second step D2 is located closer to the second side plate 23b than the first step D1. That is, the surface of the first connecting surface that is closer to the rotation axis (center line C1) than the second step D2 is located closer to the second side plate 23b than the surface that is located between the first step D1 and the second step D2.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 7A, the second connecting surface of the flange portion 27-2a of the claw shaft 27a has an inclined surface 93 and a third step D3 extending from the second mating surface 83 toward the rotation axis (center line C2: FIG. 6A) of the claw shaft 27a. The inclined surface 93 and the inclined surface 92 are inclined in a cone shape that widens toward the outside (end) of the agricultural work machine 100 (claw shaft 27a) on the connecting surface in a plan view or rear view, i.e., the diameter increases toward the left, and the inclined surface 93 forms a truncated cone-shaped recess. The inclined surface 93 may be a flat surface or a surface with irregularities. The third step D3 is a step configured such that the second connecting surface recedes toward the right. That is, the surface of the second connecting surface closer to the rotation axis (center line C2) than the third step D3 is located to the right of the surface of the second connecting surface farther from the rotation axis (center line C2) than the third step D3.

[0051] There are no particular restrictions on the inclination of the inclined surface 92 (specifically, the angle that the inclined surface 92 makes with the rotation axis (center line C1) of the flange shaft 282a) and the inclination of the inclined surface 93 (specifically, the angle that the inclined surface 93 makes with the rotation axis (center line C2) of the claw shaft 27a), and they can be designed as appropriate.

[0052] Next, a description will be given of how the claw shaft 27a is prevented from falling off after the connection with the first claw shaft support portion 28a is released.

[0053] Fig. 6(A) shows the state immediately after the multiple bolts 284a, which serve as fastening members, are removed from the state shown in Fig. 3 (a state in which the flange portion 282-2a and the flange portion 27-2a can be connected). In this state, as shown in Fig. 7(A), the first mating surface 82 of the flange portion 282-2a and the second mating surface 83 of the flange portion 27-2a are in contact with each other, and the first step portion D1 and the third step portion D3 overlap in the left-right direction. In other words, the third step portion D3 is located outward of the first step portion D1 with respect to the rotation axis (center line C1). Furthermore, the inclined surface 92 and the inclined surface 93 are positioned so as to face each other. 6(A), the first step D1 and the third step D3 are mated (engaged) with each other, so that the rotation axis (center line C1) of the shaft portion 282-1a of the flange shaft 282a coincides with the rotation axis (center line C2) of the claw shaft 27a. This structure is also called a centering spigot joint.

[0054] As shown in Figure 6(A), when the flange portion 282-2a and the flange portion 27-2a are in a state in which they can be connected, the first step portion D1 of the flange portion 282-2a and the third step portion D3 of the flange portion 27-2a overlap and abut (engage) in the left-right direction, so that the downward movement of the claw shaft 27a is prevented by the flange portion 282-2a, and the claw shaft 27a is prevented from falling off.

[0055] Fig. 6(B) shows a state in which the claw shaft 27a has moved slightly to the right from the state shown in Fig. 6(A), resulting in the first step D1 and the third step D3 no longer overlapping and no longer abutting (disengaging) the first step D1 and the third step D3, and the claw shaft 27a has moved downward, i.e., the claw shaft 27a has shifted downward from the state shown in Fig. 6(A). In this state, as shown in Fig. 7(B), the inclined surface 93 of the second connecting surface of the flange portion 27-2a abuts against the corner of the first step D1 of the flange portion 282-2a, i.e., the edge portion where the convex portion 61 and the first step D1 intersect.

[0056] In this embodiment, the second connecting surface of the flange portion 27-2a has an inclined surface 93, so that when the claw shaft 27a moves downward, the inclined surface 93 and the flange portion 282-2a come into contact with the corner of the first step portion D1, i.e., the edge portion where the convex portion 61 and the first step portion D1 intersect. As a result, even if the claw shaft 27a moves rightward and the first step portion D1 and the third step portion D3 no longer overlap each other (i.e., the engagement between the first step portion D1 and the third step portion D3 is released), the flange portion 282-2a can prevent the claw shaft 27a from moving downward, and the claw shaft 27a can be prevented from falling off.

[0057] Fig. 6(C) shows a state in which the claw shaft 27a has moved further rightward from the state shown in Fig. 6(B), resulting in the claw shaft 27a moving further downward (shifting). In this state, as shown in Fig. 7(C), the inclined surface 93 of the second connecting surface of the flange portion 27-2a abuts against the corner of the second step portion D2 of the flange portion 282-2a, i.e., the edge portion where the convex portion 62 and the second step portion D2 intersect. As described above, on the second connecting surface of the flange portion 282-2a, the second step portion D2 is provided closer to the rotation axis (center line C1) than the first step portion D1. As a result, even if the claw shaft 27a moves to the right until the inclined surface 93 of the flange portion 27-2a no longer completely overlaps with the first step portion D1, the inclined surface 93 of the flange portion 27-2a abuts against the corner of the second step portion D2, and the downward movement of the claw shaft 27a is prevented by the second step portion D2 of the flange portion 282-2a, preventing the claw shaft 27a from falling off.

[0058] As described above, in this embodiment, the first connecting surface of the flange portion 282-2a of the flange shaft 282a has two steps (first step D1 and second step D2), and the second connecting surface of the flange portion 27-2a of the claw shaft 27a has one step (third step D3) and the inclined surface 93, thereby preventing the claw shaft 27a from unintentionally falling off. In other words, even if all of the bolts 284a fastening the flange shaft 282a and the claw shaft 27a are removed, the first step D1 of the flange shaft 282a and the third step D3 of the claw shaft 27a first engage with each other, so the claw shaft 27a will not immediately fall off. Furthermore, even if the claw shaft 27a moves to the right (disengagement direction) and the first step D1 of the flange shaft 282a disengages from the third step D3 of the claw shaft 27a, the inclined surface 93 of the claw shaft 27a functions as a receiving portion, and the two steps (edge ​​portions of the first step D1 and the second step D2) provided on the first connecting surface of the flange portion 282-2a function as receiving portions that receive the receiving surface of the claw shaft 27a. This prevents the claw shaft 27a from falling off in two stages, thereby more reliably preventing the claw shaft 27a from falling off. Note that it is also possible to configure the first connecting surface of the flange portion 282-2a to have three or more steps. In other words, to prevent the claw shaft 27a from falling off, if three or more receiving portions are provided on the first connecting surface of the flange portion 282-2a and configured to receive the receiving surface of the claw shaft 27a in three or more stages, the effect of preventing the claw shaft 27a from falling off can be further improved.

[0059] As long as the configuration can prevent the claw shaft 27a from falling off in multiple stages, the configuration is not limited to the above. For example, by forming multiple inclined surfaces that function as receiving portions on the second connecting surface of the flange portion 27-2a of the claw shaft 27a, and configuring the multiple inclined surfaces to gradually abut against the steps (first step portion D1 and second step portion D2) of the flange portion 282-2a that serve as receiving portions when the claw shaft 27a moves in the falling off direction, the claw shaft 27a can be prevented from falling off in multiple stages. When multiple receiving portions are provided on the claw shaft 27a in this way, it is also possible to use a single step portion on the flange portion 282-2a that serves as a receiving portion. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which multiple steps are provided for engaging with the first step portion D1 and second step portion D2 of the flange portion 282-2a.

[0060] (Variation 1) 7 shows an example in which at least two steps are provided on the first coupling surface of the flange portion 282-2a of the flange shaft 282a, which gradually approach the second side plate 23b toward the side closer to the rotation axis (center line C1), but this is not limitative. In Modification 1, another structural example for preventing the claw shaft 27a from falling off will be described.

[0061] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration for explaining the support structure of the claw shaft 27a by the flange shaft 282a in an agricultural work machine 100 according to a modified example of one embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 8, the same elements as those in Figures 6 and 7 are given the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof may be omitted. In the example shown in Figure 8, the position of the rotation axis (center line C1) of the flange shaft 282a shown in Figure 6 coincides with the position of the rotation axis (center line C2) of the claw shaft 27a, and therefore both are collectively referred to as the rotation axis (center line C).

[0062] In FIG. 8(A), the first connecting surface of the flange portion 282-2a of the flange shaft 282a has a first step D1 and a second step D2'. Unlike the example shown in FIG. 7, the second step D2' is provided so as to form a recess 72 having a depth in the left direction on the second connecting surface of the flange portion 282-2a. In this case, as shown in FIG. 8(A), the recess 72 of the flange portion 282-2a has a shape that allows the left end of the claw shaft 27a to be inserted. In other words, the inner diameter of the recess 72 is larger than the outer diameter of the claw shaft 27a. Furthermore, the depth of the recess 72 in the left direction is larger than the height of the first step D1 in the right direction.

[0063] In the structure shown in Fig. 8(A), the structure of the flange portion 27-2a is the same as the structure shown in Fig. 7, but the mounting position of the flange portion 27-2a is different from the mounting position shown in Fig. 7 and is mounted slightly to the right of the left end of the claw shaft 27a. Therefore, the left end of the claw shaft 27a is located to the left of the third step D3 of the flange portion 27-2a. In this case, the distance from the left end of the claw shaft 27a to the third step D3 may be determined according to the leftward depth of the recess 72 provided in the flange portion 27-2a.

[0064] In the structure shown in FIG. 8(A), when the first mating surface 82 of the flange portion 282-2a and the second mating surface 83 of the flange portion 27-2a are brought into contact with each other, the first step portion D1 of the flange portion 282-2a and the third step portion D3 of the flange portion 27-2a overlap with each other, and a portion of the claw shaft 27a is inserted into the recess 72 of the flange portion 282-2a. In this case, the insertion amount of the claw shaft 27a into the recess 72 can be adjusted by appropriately adjusting the distance from the left end of the claw shaft 27a to the third step portion D3. Thus, in the structure shown in FIG. 8(A), since the claw shaft 27a is inserted into the recess 72 of the flange portion 282-2a, even if the claw shaft 27a moves rightward until the first step portion D1 and the third step portion D3 no longer overlap, the claw shaft 27a can be prevented from falling off as long as the inserted state of the claw shaft 27a inside the recess 72 is maintained.

[0065] In the structure shown in FIG. 8(B), the structure of the flange portion 282-2a is the same as the structure shown in FIG. 8(A). On the other hand, the second coupling surface of the flange portion 27-2a has a fourth step portion D4 in addition to the third step portion D3. The fourth step portion D4 is provided to form a convex portion 73 that protrudes leftward on a side closer to the center line C than the third step portion D3. The convex portion 73 formed by the fourth step portion D4 has an annular outer shape when the flange portion 27-2a is viewed from the flange shaft 282a side. The convex portion 73 has a shape that can be inserted into the recessed portion 72 of the flange portion 282-2a. In this case, the leftward height of the fourth step portion D4 may be determined according to the leftward depth of the recessed portion 72 of the flange portion 282-2a.

[0066] 8(B), when the first mating surface 82 of the flange portion 282-2a and the second mating surface 83 of the flange portion 27-2a are brought into contact with each other, the first step D1 of the flange portion 282-2a and the third step D3 of the flange portion 27-2a are superimposed on each other, and the protrusion 73 of the flange portion 27-2a is inserted into the recess 72 of the flange portion 282-2a. In this case, by appropriately adjusting the height of the protrusion 73 in the left direction, it is possible to adjust the insertion amount of the claw shaft 27a (specifically, the flange portion 27-2a) into the recess 72. In this way, in the structure shown in Figure 8 (B), the convex portion 73 of the flange portion 27-2a is inserted into the concave portion 72 of the flange portion 282-2a, so even if the claw shaft 27a moves to the right until the first step portion D1 and the third step portion D3 no longer overlap, the claw shaft 27a can be prevented from falling off as long as the convex portion 73 remains inserted inside the concave portion 72.

[0067] In the structure shown in FIG. 8(C), the structure of the flange portion 27-2a is the same as the structure shown in FIG. 7. Meanwhile, the second connecting surface of the flange portion 282-2a is provided with a first step portion D1 and a truncated cone-shaped convex portion 74 whose diameter decreases toward the right. In other words, when the flange shaft 282a is viewed from the claw shaft 27a side, the convex portion 74 has an outer shape of a circular ring centered on the center line C. The second connecting surface of the flange portion 282-2a has an inclined surface 94 formed by a part (generatrix) of the convex portion 74. The inclined surface 94 may be a flat surface, a surface having projections and recesses, or a curved surface.

[0068] 8(C), when the first mating surface 82 of the flange portion 282-2a and the second mating surface 83 of the flange portion 27-2a are brought into contact, the first step D1 of the flange portion 282-2a and the third step D3 of the flange portion 27-2a overlap, and the convex portion 74 of the flange portion 282-2a is inserted into the hollow portion of the claw shaft 27a, so that a part of the flange portion 282-2a and the claw shaft 27a overlap. In the structure shown in FIG. 8(C), because the convex portion 74 of the flange portion 282-2a is inserted into the hollow portion of the claw shaft 27a, even if the claw shaft 27a moves rightward until the first step D1 and the third step D3 no longer overlap and falls downward, the flange portion 27-2a abuts against the inclined surface 94 near the third step D3, preventing the fall. That is, in the structure shown in FIG. 8(C), while the third step portion D3 of the flange portion 27-2a overlaps with the convex portion 74 (inclined surface 94) of the flange portion 282-2a, the claw shaft 27a can be prevented from falling off.

[0069] Second Embodiment In a tillage machine, multiple types of tine shafts may be connected to one type of flange shaft. For example, multiple types of tine shafts with different phases of the tines attached to the tine shaft (the rotational offset of the tine shaft of the tine) may be connected to one type of flange shaft. In particular, when attaching a tine (end tine) to a flange on the tine shaft connected to the flange shaft, if the phase of the tine shaft is not properly aligned, problems such as the end tine not being spirally aligned with the other tines may occur. For these reasons, when attaching an end tine to a flange on the tine shaft connected to the flange shaft, it may be necessary to align the phase for each type of tine shaft.

[0070] In the second embodiment, a structural example will be described in which multiple types of claw shafts can be attached to the first claw shaft support portion 28a. Specifically, the flange portion 282-2a of the flange shaft 282a is provided with through holes for attaching multiple types of end claws to correspond to different types of claw shafts 27a. In other words, in the second embodiment, different types of through holes are used to connect the flange shaft 282a to the claw shaft 27a and attach end claws to each type of claw shaft 27a connected to the flange shaft 282a.

[0071] Figure 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of a flange shaft 282a in an agricultural work machine 100 according to the second embodiment. Specifically, Figure 9 is a diagram showing the flange portion 282-2a of the flange shaft 282a as viewed from the shaft portion 282-1a side. As shown in Figure 9, the flange portion 282-2a is provided with a plurality of through holes 86a and 87b for connecting the flange portion 27-2a of the claw shaft 27a and for attaching the end claws. In the example shown in Figure 9, a set of four through holes 86a is used for attaching the end claws to one type of claw shaft 27a, and a set of four through holes 87a is used for attaching the end claws to another type of claw shaft 27a.

[0072] Furthermore, multiple types of marks 86 and 87 with different shapes are provided on the outer edge of the flange portion 282-2a. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the mark 86 is a semicircular notch and the mark 87 is a V-shaped notch, but this example is not limiting. Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which two types of marks 86 and 87 are provided, but two or more marks may be provided depending on the number of types of claw shafts 27a to be connected.

[0073] In this embodiment, marks 86 and 87 are used as indicators to properly use the through holes 86a for attaching end claws and the through holes 87a for attaching end claws for each type of claw shaft 27a. Specifically, mark 86 corresponds to the through holes 86a, and mark 87 corresponds to the through holes 87a. The through holes 86a are used to connect the flange shaft 282a and the claw shaft 27a, and when attaching end claws, the mark 86 is used as an indicator to attach the end claws to the flange shaft 282a using the through holes 86a and connect the flange shaft 282a and the claw shaft 27a, and the through holes 87a are used to connect the flange shaft 282a and the claw shaft 27a. Furthermore, the through hole 87a is used to connect the flange shaft 282a and the claw shaft 27a, and when attaching an end claw, the mark 87 is used as a guide to attach the end claw to the flange shaft 282a using the through hole 87a and connect the flange shaft 282a and the claw shaft 27a, and the through hole 86a is used to connect the flange shaft 282a and the claw shaft 27a.

[0074] Although not shown in the figures, the outer edge of the flange portion 27-2a of the tine shaft 27a is also provided with a mark 86 or a mark 87, and through holes 86a, 87a, similar to the flange portion 282-2a of the flange shaft 282a. For example, if the mark 86 is provided on the flange portion 27-2a, when connecting the flange portion 282-2a and the flange portion 27-2a, the marks 86 can be aligned so that they overlap, thereby appropriately matching the phase of the end tine and the tine attached to the tine shaft. Similarly, if the mark 87 is provided on the flange portion 27-2a, the marks 86 on the flange portion 282-2a and the flange portion 27-2a can be aligned so that the phase of the end tine and the tine attached to the tine shaft can be appropriately matched when connecting them. In this embodiment, the mark formed on the flange portion 282-2a of the flange shaft 282a and the mark formed on the flange portion 27-2a of the claw shaft 27a are configured as notches of the same shape, but as long as the correspondence between the mark provided on the flange portion 282-2a and the mark provided on the flange portion 27-2a can be understood, that is, as long as the flange portion 282-2a and the flange portion 27-2a can be aligned, the shapes, etc. are not limited to those described above. For example, the outer edge of flange portion 27-2a of claw shaft 27a may be formed with semicircular and V-shaped notch marks as described above, and flange portion 282-2a of flange shaft 282a may be formed with semicircular and V-shaped protrusions corresponding to the notch shapes of flange portion 27-2a, or with semicircular and V-shaped engravings. In this way, the marks on flange portion 282-2a and flange portion 27-2a may be configured to allow alignment of flange portion 282-2a and flange portion 27-2a based on the marks provided on each.

[0075] As described above, the flange portion 282-2a and the flange portion 27-2a can be aligned based on the marks 86 and 87, and even when multiple types of claw shafts 27a (i.e., multiple types of flange portions 27-2a) are attached to one type of flange shaft 282a, the through holes used to attach the end claws can be easily identified, thereby improving maintenance when replacing the claw shafts 27a, etc.

[0076] The tiller, which is an example of an agricultural machine according to the present invention, has been described above with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments (including modifications), and modifications can be made as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, a configuration in which a person skilled in the art appropriately adds, deletes, or modifies components based on the embodiments is also included within the scope of the present invention as long as it incorporates the gist of the present invention. Furthermore, the configurations according to the above-described embodiments can be appropriately combined as long as there are no mutual contradictions, and technical matters common to the embodiments are included in each configuration even if not explicitly stated.

[0077] Even if there are other effects and advantages different from those brought about by the aspects of each of the above-mentioned embodiments, those that are clear from the description in this specification or that can be easily predicted by a person skilled in the art are naturally understood to be brought about by the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 10...mounting portion, 11...top link pin, 12a, 12b...lower link connecting portion, 13a, 13b...top mast, 14...reinforcing member, 20...plowing work portion, 21...first support frame, 22...second support frame, 23a...first side plate, 23b...second side plate, 24...shield cover, 25...power transmission portion, 25a...input shaft, 25b...gearbox, 26...chain drive portion, 26a...chain, 26b...driven sprocket, 27...plowing work rotor, 27a...tine shaft, 27-1a...shaft portion, 27-2a...flange portion, 27-3a rotating shaft, 27-3b...soil removal member, 27b...tilling tine, 27c...mounting portion, 2 8a...first tine shaft support portion, 28b...second tine shaft support portion, 29...ground leveling portion, 30a...first tillage depth adjustment portion, 30b...second tillage depth adjustment portion, 31a...first gauge wheel, 31b...second gauge wheel, 60a-60c...expansion frame, 72...recessed portion, 73, 74...projecting portion, 82...first mating surface, 83...second mating surface, 86, 87...mark, 86a, 87a...through hole, 92, 93, 94...inclined surface, 100...agricultural implement, 231b...oil seal, 232b...protective cover, 281a, 281b...bearing portion, 282-1a...shaft portion, 282-2a...flange portion, 282a...flange shaft, 281b, 284a...bolt, 285a...clamping member

Claims

1. a fuselage including a first side plate and a second side plate; a pawl shaft rotatably supported between the first side plate and the second side plate; A plurality of tillage tines attached to the tine shaft; a first connecting member rotatably connected to the first side plate and having a first mating surface; a second connecting member provided at one end of the claw shaft, having a second mating surface mating with the first mating surface, and detachably connected to the first connecting member; The tillage tines closest to the first side plate among the plurality of tillage tines are attached to the tine shaft via an attachment portion provided at a position spaced apart from the second connecting member.

2. a clamping member disposed on the first side plate side of the first connecting member and configured to clamp the first connecting member together with the second connecting member, The agricultural work machine according to claim 1 , wherein the clamping member has an outer periphery protection portion that covers outer peripheries of the first connecting member and the second connecting member.

3. 3. The agricultural work machine according to claim 1, wherein the first connecting member is a flange shaft, and a shaft portion of the flange shaft transmits power output from a wrapping transmission device provided on the first side plate.

4. The agricultural work machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first connecting member has at least two stepped portions on a side closer to the rotation axis of the claw shaft than the first mating surface.

5. The agricultural implement according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tines closest to the first side plate are curved such that their tips point toward the first side plate.

6. A rotary shaft is fixed to the other end of the pawl shaft, The agricultural work machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the other end of the claw shaft is supported by a bearing portion of the rotary shaft provided on the second side plate.

7. The agricultural work machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mounting portion is a flange fixed to the claw shaft.

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