Ear-side conveyor structure in the preprocessing section of a combine

Abstract

To provide an ear-side carrier structure in a pre-processing unit of a combine in which tines of an ear-side relay carrier device for engaging and carrying the reaped culm are supported and guided by a corner outside guide and a round outside guide, and thereby the excessive abrasion of the tine side is suppressed, and a long-term use is made possible.SOLUTION: A chain 51 rotationally driven in an ear-side relay carrier device 21 for relaying the grain culm to a back grain culm relayed carrying path H has multiple tines 50, which are supported and guided in a standing posture by an inside guide 53 and an outside guide 55. In that case, the outside guide 55 is made by a corner outside guide 55A provided in the relaying / carrying path K side and a round outside guide 55B provided in the relay unit G side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an ear-side carrier structure in the preprocessing section of a combine harvester.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, the preprocessing section of a multi-row cutting type combine harvester that cuts a plurality of planted cereal straws is configured such that, with respect to a transfer path formed by a stock base transfer carrier and an ear-side transfer device arranged in the front-rear direction, a cereal straw transfer path formed laterally by a rear stock base transfer carrier and an ear tip transfer carrier intersects, and the cereal straws conveyed from the terminal side of the transfer path are transferred to the cereal straw transfer path and supplied to the rear threshing section for conveyance. (For example, see Patent Document 1). And the ear-side transfer device that transfers the ear side of the cereal straws held and conveyed by the stock base transfer carrier to the intersection (merging section) is structured such that a plurality of tines that are rotatably and movably installed in its tine case (device case) engage with each other and are conveyed rearward, and it is an ear-side carrier structure that transfers from the transfer section formed at the terminal end of the transfer path to the cereal straw transfer path. In addition, the above ear-side transfer device adopts the same structure as a lifting device that is erected at the front of the preprocessing section generally implemented in combine harvesters and causes and engages and feeds planted cereal straws, and it is well known that it is configured to rotatably move the tines up and down. That is, the ear-side transfer device of this type of preprocessing section has a structure in the tine case that causes the tines to rotate and move up and down, and by a configuration substantially the same as that of the lifting device, a chain having a plurality of tines that can rotate and move up and down is stretched between a front wheel and a rear wheel, and an inner guide and an outer corner guide composed of a square bar member with a square cross-section form a transfer path that guides the tines in the engaging and conveying direction, and a structure that supports and guides the upper and lower side surfaces of the tines in a free-rotating state in a sliding contact state at the transfer section on the terminal side of the transfer path is common.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The ear-side carrier structure shown in the above Patent Document 1 has the advantage that when the tine of the ear-side continuous conveying device is in the upright position, the harvested cereal straw can be smoothly conveyed backward on the ear side and smoothly transferred from the continuous conveying part formed at the end part thereof to the tine of the ear tip carrier that moves laterally in the upright position provided in the intersecting direction. However, when a clogging of cereal straw occurs at the intersection where the cereal straw continuous conveying path of the ear tip carrier intersects with the continuous conveying part of the cereal straw continuous conveying path of the ear-side continuous conveying device, an excessive load is applied to the tine on the ear-side continuous conveying device side not only in the conveying direction but also in the vertical direction. Therefore, the tine that inclines in the vertical direction due to this load rotates and moves in a sliding contact state while the base side thereof contacts the corner part (outer edge part) of the flat surface of the corner outer guide, and when the pulling-in operation into the tine case is performed, the base side of the tine repeatedly contacts the edge part as if biting it. As a result, the tine has a large wear in the form of a groove on the base side, which increases the rotational movement resistance of the tine and causes problems such as early impairment of the durability of the tine.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention, firstly, to transfer the cut cereal straws from the transfer path K formed by the stock base transfer conveyor 19 and the ear side transfer conveyor 21 behind the cutter 6 to the cereal straw transfer path H formed by the rear stock base transfer conveyor 19R and the ear tip transfer conveyor 21R, in the tine case 52 composed of the upper cover 52C and the lower cover 52A of the ear side transfer conveyor 21, a chain 51 having a plurality of tines 50 that can undulate and rotate is stretched between the front wheel 32A and the rear wheel 32B, and a plurality of tines 50 are aligned in a transfer posture on the transfer path K side by the inner guide 53 and the outer guide 55 in the tine case 52. The cereal straws engaged by each tine 50 in the standing posture are transferred from the tine free rotation transfer path where the tine 50 is switched to a rearward inclined posture and rotated and moved by the transfer part G provided in the transfer path K to the cereal straw transfer path H. In the ear side conveyor structure in the preprocessing part of the combine, The outer guide 55 provided in the tine case 52 is formed by an angular outer guide 55A made of an angular bar member having a quadrangular cross-section and a round outer guide 55B made of a round bar member having a circular cross-section. The angular outer guide 55A is provided along the linear transfer path side where the tine 50 moves in the standing posture in the transfer path K, and the round outer guide 55B is provided along the transfer part G by connecting it to the end of the angular outer guide 55A. Thus, the tine 50 that is released from the standing movement and freely rotates and moves is supported and guided in a slidable contact manner. Secondly, the round outer guide 55B is characterized in that its thickness is made smaller than the vertical height at which the angular outer guide 55A supports and guides the side surface of the tine 50. Thirdly, the round outer guide 55B is formed in a series by a linear vertical guide part 57 extending from a part connected to the end of the angular outer guide 55A, Rear wheel 32B a bent guide part 58 having a curvature that gradually separates therefrom and is curved, The bending guide portion 58 and a horizontal guide part 59 along the transfer direction of the cereal straw transfer path H.

Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the invention of claim 1, in order to convey the cut cereal straws from the conveying path K formed by the stock base conveying body 19 and the ear side conveying device 21 behind the cutter 6 to the cereal straw conveyed path H formed by the rear stock base conveying body 19R and the ear tip conveying body 21R, the ear side conveying device 21 is provided with a chain 51 having a plurality of tines 50 that can undulate and rotate in a tine case 52 composed of an upper cover 52C and a lower cover 52A. The chain 51 is stretched between a front wheel 32A and a rear wheel 32B. At the same time, a plurality of tines 50 are guided to an erected posture on the conveying posture side of the conveying path K by an inner guide 53 and an outer guide 55 in the tine case 52. The cereal straws engaged by the erected tines 50 are conveyed from a tine free rotation movement path that switches the tines 50 to a rearward inclined posture and rotates and moves them by a conveying part G provided in the conveying path K to the cereal straw conveyed path H. In the ear side conveyor structure in the pre-processing part of the combine, the outer guide 55 provided in the tine case 52 is formed by an angular outer guide 55A made of a square bar member with a quadrangular cross-section and a round outer guide 55B made of a round bar member with a circular cross-section. The angular outer guide 55A is provided along the linear conveying path side where the tine 50 moves in an erected posture in the conveying path K, and the round outer guide 55B is provided continuously to the end of the angular outer guide 55A and along the conveying part G. By slidably supporting the tines 50 that are released from the erected movement and freely rotate and move, On the linear conveying path side of the conveying path K, since the side surface base part side of the tine 50 is stably supported and guided by the wide and flat guide surface of the angular outer guide 55A, smooth engagement conveyance can be achieved without significantly swinging the tine 50 in the vertical direction along a long linear path in the front-rear direction, and local wear of the tine side surface can be suppressed to enable long-term use. Also, the tine 50 from the angular outer guide 55A to the conveying part G slides while being in a state of being slidably contacted and supported in the direction of the tine tip by slidably contacting the tine 50 with respect to the smooth rounded surface made of a round bar material in the tine free rotation movement path. Therefore, the conveying can be performed smoothly without causing nibbling or scratches on its side surface, and local wear of the tine side surface can be suppressed to enable long-term use. According to the invention according to claim 2, the outer-round guide 55B has a diameter such that its thickness is smaller than the vertical height in which the outer-corner guide 55A supports the side surface of the tine 50, whereby The tine 50 from the outer-corner guide 55A to the transfer section G has the upper and lower side surfaces of the tine oscillating in the vertical direction with a larger amplitude between the upper and lower outer-round guides 55B. Therefore, when clogging of grains and straw occurs, the tip side of the tine oscillates according to the resistance within the clogged grains and straw to avoid excessive load, and since it is in sliding contact with the circular outer peripheral surface, smooth rotational movement without biting can be achieved. According to the invention according to claim 3, the outer-round guide 55B includes a linear vertical guide portion 57 extending from a portion continuous with the end of the outer-corner guide 55A, Rear wheel 32B a bending guide portion 58 that is curved with a curvature that gradually increases away from it, The bending guide portion 58 and a horizontal guide portion 59 that is arranged along the conveying direction of the grain and straw being transferred conveyance path H from it, and is formed in series by these, The tine 50 from the outer-corner guide 55A to the transfer section G smoothly receives the grains and straw from the outer-corner guide 55A to the linear vertical guide portion 57 and reaches the bending guide portion 58. While shifting the support guide position toward the tip side of the tine along the circular cross-sectional shape of the bending guide portion 58, it smoothly slides along the top of the circular outer periphery, and has a long sliding contact area in the tine direction for free rotational movement and reaches the horizontal guide portion 59. Therefore, even when clogging of grains and straw occurs, excessive load is not applied to the tine 50, and the grains and straw can be smoothly transferred to the grain and straw being transferred conveyance path H while making free rotational movement without biting by sliding contact with the circular outer periphery.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are a left side view and a plan view of the pretreatment unit 1 in the combine. The pretreatment unit 1 has a structure in which a weeding body 3, a lifting device 4, a cutter 6, and a grain straw conveying unit 7 are provided on a pretreatment frame 2 having a conventional structure. The pretreatment frame 2 is configured around a vertical transmission cylinder 8 in the front-rear direction and a horizontal transmission cylinder 9 in the left-right direction provided at the front end of the vertical transmission shaft 8.

[0009] The weeding body 3 is provided at the tip of a divider frame 11 protruding forward from the horizontal transmission cylinder 9. The cutter 6 is horizontally installed in the front of the horizontal transmission cylinder 9 in the left-right direction parallel to the horizontal transmission cylinder 9. A lifting transmission cylinder 12 protrudes upward from the horizontal transmission cylinder 9. The lifting device 4 is supported and attached to the lifting transmission cylinder 12.

[0010] The base end portion (rear end portion) of the vertical transmission cylinder 8 is pivotally supported by the traveling body of the combine so as to be vertically movable. Thereby, the pretreatment unit 1 is attached to the traveling body so as to be vertically movable. As shown in FIG. 3, a vertical transmission shaft 13 is installed inside the vertical transmission cylinder 8. Inside the horizontal transmission cylinder 9, a horizontal transmission shaft 14 to which driving force is transmitted from the vertical transmission shaft 13 is installed.

[0011] A driving force is input to the vertical transmission shaft 13 from an input pulley 15 provided on the base end side of the vertical transmission cylinder 8. Inside the causing transmission cylinder 12, a causing transmission shaft 16 to which a driving force is transmitted from the horizontal transmission shaft 14 is installed. The driving force is input to each part of the preprocessing unit 1 via the vertical transmission shaft 13, the horizontal transmission shaft 14, and the causing transmission shaft 16.

[0012] The grain and straw conveying unit 7 includes a scraping belt 17 that scrapes in the grain and straw caused by the causing device 4, a star wheel 18, left, right, and central stock base conveyors 19L, 19R, 19C that convey the stock base of the grain and straw after cutting, left, right, and central ear tip conveyors 21L, 21R, 21C that convey the ear side of the grain and straw after cutting, a handling depth conveyor 22 that adjusts the handling depth, and a continuous conveyor 23 that receives and conveys the stock base side of the grain and straw with the adjusted handling depth.

[0013] The preprocessing unit 1 of the present embodiment is for six-row cutting, and six star wheels 18 are provided side by side in the left-right direction. Above each star wheel 18, a scraping belt 17 is provided facing forward. The scraping belt 17 is wound around a driving pulley 24 and a driven pulley, and rotates by the rotational drive of the driving pulley 24.

[0014] The right ear tip conveyor 21R extends to the rear end of the preprocessing unit 1. The left ear tip conveyor 21L and the right ear tip conveyor 21R are arranged so as to form a Y shape in plan view. The central ear tip conveyor 21C extends near the confluence point of the left ear tip conveyor 21L and the right ear tip conveyor 21R. The central ear tip conveyor 21C and the left ear tip conveyor 21L have a shorter conveying distance compared to the right ear tip conveyor 21R. In the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 2, the grain and straw continuous conveyor 20 composed of the stock base conveyor 19R and the ear tip conveyor 21R forms a continuous conveying path K that collectively conveys the grain and straw cut by the cutter 6 toward the threshing unit side.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the left, right, and central stock base conveyors 19L, 19R, 19C are located below the left, right, and central ear tip conveyors 21L, 21R, 21C, respectively, and extend to below the vicinity of the confluence point of the left ear tip conveyor 21L and the right ear tip conveyor 21R. The handling depth conveyor 22 supports the base of the cereal straws and is provided so as to be swingable up and down with the front end side as a fulcrum.

[0016] This handling depth conveyor 22 adjusts the handling depth by swinging up and down to adjust the position of the base of the cereal straws in the pretreatment unit 1. Incidentally, this handling depth conveyor 22 is provided with a swing range regulating means for regulating the handling depth swing upper limit position and the handling depth swing lower limit position in the vicinity of the vertical swing axis support. Thus, the cereal straws with the handling depth adjusted have their base side taken over from the handling depth conveyor 22 to the relay conveyor 23. However, the ear tip side is continuously conveyed by the right ear tip conveyor 21R. The cereal straws are then conveyed and relayed to the feed chain of the combine and threshed by the threshing unit.

[0017] The handling depth conveyor 22, the left, right, and central base conveyors 19L, 19R, 19C, and the relay conveyor 23 have a structure in which a conveying chain is looped between a driving wheel (driving sprocket) and a driven wheel (driven sprocket) to which driving force is input. The base of the cereal straws is clamped between the conveying chain and a clamping rail provided opposite to the conveying chain, and the base of the cereal straws is conveyed rearward by the rotation of the conveying chain by the driving sprocket.

[0018] The left, right, and central ear side conveyors 21L, 21R, 21(21C) are configured by rotating an ear side conveying section in which a large number of conveying tines are mounted so as to be able to undulate at appropriate intervals by the same structure as before between a driving sprocket 32C to which driving force is input and a driven sprocket, and form an ear side conveyor structure for conveying the ear side of the cereal straws rearward by the tines between the conveying rail supported on the pretreatment frame 2 side and the tines. In the above ear side conveyor structure, the ear side conveyor 21 located at the center constitutes the ear side conveyor with a tine support guide structure related to the present invention as will be described later with reference to FIGS. 6 to 10.

[0019] Each star wheel 18 is pivotally supported either integrally or rotatably freely on a support shaft 26 fixed or rotatably provided on the pre-treatment frame 2 side. As shown in FIG. 3, the left outermost support shaft 26L on which the left outermost star wheel 18L is pivotally supported is fixed to the pre-treatment frame 2 side. A cylindrical tubular shaft 27L is externally fitted to the support shaft 26L. The tubular shaft 27L rotates coaxially with the support shaft. A driven sprocket 28L in the left stock base carrier 19L is attached to the tubular shaft 27L so as to rotate integrally.

[0020] The above tubular shaft 27L is integrally fixed to the upper surface of the left outermost star wheel 18L. A drive pulley 24 of the scraping belt 17 is attached to the tubular shaft 27L at a position above the driven sprocket 28L so as to rotate integrally. A drive sprocket 29L in the left stock base carrier 19L is pivotally supported on a left drive shaft 31 protruding from the lift transmission cylinder 12. A drive sprocket 32L of the left ear side carrier 21L is also pivotally supported on the left drive shaft 31.

[0021] When a driving force is transmitted to the drive sprocket 32L of the left ear side carrier 21L and the drive sprocket 29L of the left stock base carrier 19L by the left drive shaft 31, the left ear side carrier 21L and the left stock base carrier 19L are driven, and at the same time, the left outermost star wheel 18L and the scraping belt 17 positioned above the star wheel 18L are rotationally driven.

[0022] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the right outermost support shaft 26R on which the right outermost star wheel 18R is pivotally supported is also fixed to the pre-treatment frame 2 side in the same manner as the left outermost support shaft 26L on the left side, and a cylindrical tubular shaft 27R is externally fitted. The tubular shaft 27R rotates coaxially with the support shaft 26R. A driven sprocket 28R in the right stock base carrier 19R is attached to the tubular shaft 27R so as to rotate integrally.

[0023] The above-mentioned cylinder shaft 27R is integrally fixed to the upper surface of the outermost star wheel 18R on the right side. A drive pulley 24 of the scraping belt 17 is attached to the cylinder shaft 27R so as to integrally rotate at a position above the driven sprocket 28R. The drive sprocket 29R in the right stock base carrier 19R is pivotally supported by a right drive shaft 33 protruding from the vertical transmission cylinder 8.

[0024] When a driving force is transmitted to the drive sprocket 29R of the right stock base carrier 19R by the right drive shaft 33, the right stock base carrier 19R is driven, and the outermost star wheel 18R on the right side and the scraping belt 17 located above the star wheel 18R are rotationally driven. The outermost star wheel 18R on the right side and the star wheel 18A adjacent to the star wheel 18R are arranged so that their teeth mesh with each other.

[0025] The support shaft 26A on which the star wheel 18A is pivotally supported is coaxially and rotatably inserted into a cylinder 27A fixed to the pre-treatment frame 2 side. The star wheel 18A is attached to the support shaft 26A so as to integrally rotate at a position below the cylinder 27A, and the drive pulley 24 of the scraping belt 17 is attached to the support shaft 26A so as to integrally rotate at a position above the cylinder 27A.

[0026] When the outermost star wheel 18R on the right side is rotationally driven as described above, the adjacent star wheel 18A is driven by the meshing of the teeth, and the scraping belt 17 located above the star wheel 18A is driven. As shown in FIG. 3, the support shafts 26B, 26C, and 26D on which the other three star wheels 18B, 18C, and 18D are pivotally supported are coaxially and rotatably inserted into a cylinder 27 fixed to the pre-treatment frame 2 side.

[0027] The star wheels 18B, 18C, 18D are attached below the cylinders 27B, 27C, 27D on each of the support shafts 26B, 26C, 26D, and the drive pulleys 24 of the scraping belts 17 corresponding to the star wheels 18B, 18C, 18D are attached above the cylinders 27B, 27C, 27D so as to rotate integrally.

[0028] The three star wheels 18B, 18C, 18D are arranged such that the teeth mesh with the adjacent star wheels 18C, 18D in order. The star wheel 18B adjacent to the left outermost star wheel 18L is arranged such that the teeth mesh with the left outermost star wheel 18L.

[0029] When the left outermost star wheel 18L on the left side is rotationally driven as described above, the three star wheels 18B, 18C, 18D are driven by the meshing of the teeth, and the scraping belts 17 located above the star wheels 18B, 18C, 18D are driven.

[0030] As described above, the left drive shaft 31 drives the left ear side conveyor 21L, the left plant base conveyor 19L, the four left star wheels 18L, 18B, 18C, 18D, and the four left scraping belts 17, and the right drive shaft 33 drives the right plant base conveyor 19R, the two right star wheels 18R, 18A, and the two right scraping belts 17.

[0031] On the other hand, the middle transmission cylinder 34 protrudes from the vertical transmission cylinder 8. A shaft 36 to which the driving force is transmitted from the vertical transmission shaft 13 is installed and supported inside the middle transmission cylinder 34. A gear case 39 in which gears 37, 38 are accommodated is provided at the end of the middle transmission cylinder 34. A middle drive shaft 41 to which the drive sprocket 29C in the central plant base conveyor 19C is pivotally supported protrudes from the gear case 39.

[0032] The driving force transmitted to the shaft 36 is transmitted to the middle drive shaft 41 via gears. Above the drive sprocket 29C on the middle drive shaft 41, the drive sprocket 32C of the central ear side conveyor 21C is attached so as to rotate integrally.

[0033] When driving force is transmitted from the middle drive shaft 41 to the two drive sprockets 29C and 32C, the central stock base carrier 19C and the central ear side carrier 21C are driven. As described above, the central stock base carrier 19C is driven by a middle drive shaft 41 different from the right drive shaft 33 and the left drive shaft 31 that drive the star wheel 18.

[0034] From the base end side of the vertical transmission cylinder 8, a drive shaft 43 to which a drive sprocket 32R of the right ear side carrier 21R and a drive sprocket 42 of the relay conveyor 23 are attached so as to rotate integrally, and a drive shaft 46 to which a drive sprocket 44 of the handling depth carrier 22 is attached so as to rotate integrally protrude. The right ear side carrier 21R, the relay conveyor 23, and the handling depth carrier 22 are driven by the drive shaft 43 or 46.

[0035] Next, with reference to FIGS. 6 to 10, the central ear side carrier 21C of the ear side relay conveyor 21 according to the present invention will be described. The central ear side carrier 21C of the embodiment is attached and supported in an inclined posture with the front lower and the rear higher by a mounting member 2A provided on the pre-treatment frame 2 side so as to be positioned at a predetermined height along the upper side of the central stock base carrier 19C which is the stock base relay conveyor 19. Thereby, the central stock base carrier 19C and the central ear side carrier 21C form a relay conveyance path K for conveying and relaying the cereal straw collected from the central part of the cutting width by the cutter 6 toward the cereal straw relay conveyance path H formed by the stock base carrier 19R and the ear tip carrier 21R as the cereal straw relay carrier 20.

[0036] Then, the cereal straw conveyed rearward through the relay conveyance path K is relayed from the central stock base carrier 19C, which is a method of sandwiching and conveying the stock base side by a chain and a sandwiching rail, to the stock base carrier 19R, and is relayed through a relay part G (to be described later) of the central ear side carrier 21C, which is a method of relaying the ear tip side through the tine 50 and an ear side guide (not shown), to the ear tip carrier 21R that forms the cereal straw relay conveyance path H.

[0037] Next, with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the specific structure of the centrally located ear side conveyor 21C disposed above will be described. The illustrated centrally located ear side conveyor 21C has a spike side conveying structure in which a plurality of tines 50 as spike side conveying projections are rotatably attached via tine pins 51A to a driving sprocket 32C as a driving wheel to which driving force is input, a front side wheel 32A, and a rear side wheel 32B. Similar to the conventional one, it is covered by a tine case 52 for easy maintenance work. The tine case 52 of the embodiment is composed of a lower cover 52A fixedly attached to the mounting member 2A side, various connection frames 52B erected on the lower cover 52A, and an upper cover 52C screwed to the connection frame 52B to cover the spike side conveying structure from above.

[0038] And, between the front side wheel 32A and the rear side wheel 32B pivotally supported before and after the tine case 52, an inner guide 53 that contacts and supports the tine projections 50A protruding vertically above and below the base side of the tine 50 from the inner side of the case to switch and guide to an upright posture, and an outer guide 55 according to the present invention that contacts and supports the tine projections 50A from the outer side are provided by a configuration described later. Thus, the tine 50 is guided to an appropriate upright posture in the straight path of the continuous conveying path K, and the spike side is continuously conveyed toward the intersection with the grain and straw continuous conveying path H by a freely rotatable movement that is switched to a tilted posture at the continuous conveying section G on the terminal side.

[0039] The tine case 52 is provided with a buffer guide 56 at a position facing the rear side wheel 32B that tilts the tine 50 in a free state in the backward direction on the continuous conveying section G side of the continuous conveying path K. Thereby, the buffer guide 56 receives the tip side of the tine 50 that rotates and shifts to the return path side while buffering, and is configured to smoothly move downward in a return path posture along the chain 51 while tilting backward.

[0040] Next, the implementation structure of the outer guide 55 and other usage modes will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 10. The outer guide 55 in the illustrated example is composed of an angular outer guide 55A made of a square bar member with a square cross-section provided along the straight path of the transfer conveyance path K on the side of the tine standing guide, and a round outer guide 55B made of a round bar member with a circular cross-section provided along the transfer portion G of the transfer conveyance path K connected to the end (upper end) of the angular outer guide 55A.

[0041] That is, the angular outer guide 55A is attached with a straight bar portion along the inner surfaces on the transfer conveyance path K side of the upper cover 52C and the lower cover 52A, with a length spanning the front wheel 32A and the rear wheel 32B, and the front side of the curved bar portion faces substantially along the front wheel 32A. As a result, the angular outer guide 55A reinforces the cover edge portion that is the free end with a rigid structure, and guides the tine protrusion 50A in a sandwiched manner between the flat standing guide surface and the inner guide 53, restricts the tilting of the tine 50 in the front-rear direction, and smoothly performs the ear-side engagement conveyance of the tine 50 in an upright posture on the straight path of the transfer conveyance path K.

[0042] On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, the round outer guide 55B extends linearly from the portion connected to the end of the angular outer guide 55A in the transfer conveyance path K, and includes a vertical guide portion 57 that supports and guides the base side (base side surface) of the upper and lower side surfaces of the tine 50, and a bending guide portion 58 that is curved with a curvature that sequentially separates from the rear wheel 32B in the rotational movement direction from the vertical guide portion 57 and supports and guides the intermediate side surfaces of the upper and lower side surfaces of the tine 50. The bending guide portion 58 From this, a horizontal guide portion 59 is formed in a series that extends horizontally to the position facing the curved conveyance direction of the transfer portion G and reaching the rear of the buffer guide 56, and is arranged along the conveyance direction of the grain and straw transfer conveyance path H, making the overall shape hook-shaped in plan view.

[0043] In addition, the upper and lower paired outer circular guides 55B are configured to allow the tine 50 to slide in contact and move in parallel with the tine passage formed between the upper and lower vertical guide portions 57 and the bending guide portion 58. On the other hand, the tine passage formed by the upper and lower horizontal guide portions 59 is sequentially expanded in the conveying direction. Even when clogging of the grain straw occurs in the tine passage, it greatly allows the vertical swinging of the tine 50, enables smooth free rotation movement, and facilitates the discharge of the clogged grain straw outside the passage.

[0044] As a result, for the outer circular guide 55B, the tine protrusion 50A that rotates rearward gradually moves away from the portion extending toward the outer corner guide 55A side toward the tine tip side in sequence. Therefore, the tine 50 becomes free and gradually assumes a rearward inclined posture. After engaging and feeding the ear side in the forward conveying direction without difficulty by its rotational movement, it assumes a rearward inclined and lodged posture by contacting the buffer guide 56 and can smoothly move back into the tine case 52. In this way, the tine 50 that reaches the bending guide portion 58 and performs free rotational movement is smoothly slid in contact along the circular outer peripheral top while shifting the support guide position toward the tine tip side along the circular cross-sectional shape of the bending guide portion 58 and has a long sliding contact area in the tine direction (the length direction of the lug), and is stably guided and supported.

[0045] Furthermore, the tine 50 that is smoothly supported and guided as described above engages and feeds the ear side while sequentially shortening the acting length in the tine direction protruding from the bending guide portion 58 while tilting. It acts to feed toward the intersection of the grain straw being conveyed continuously path H, performs reliable and smooth continuous feeding while avoiding contact with the tine of the ear tip conveyor 21R, and suppresses the tine 50 from bringing in the chaff generated frequently on the continuous feeding portion G side into the tine case 52.

[0046] Therefore, the central ear side conveyor 21C that conveys the grain stalks in this way slides the tine 50 in contact with the smooth rounded surface made of a round bar without concentrating the sliding load or biting on the local area of the base side surface above and below the tine as in the conventional ones. Thus, it can be slid and conveyed continuously while smoothly contacting and supporting in the direction of the tine tip without causing biting or damage on its side surface. In addition, there are advantages such as enabling smooth sliding contact to disperse and support the tine load without causing deep and large local wear on the upper and lower side surfaces of the tine 50, suppressing local wear, and allowing long-term use.

[0047] On the other hand, the round outer guide 55B in the illustrated example is fixed to the outer peripheral edges at the rear end sides of the upper cover 52C and the lower cover 52A with mounting rigidity by attachment means such as spot welding at least at predetermined locations of the vertical guide portion 57 and the bending guide portion 58, and constitutes a tine flexible movement path in which the free end sides of the upper and lower horizontal guide portions 59 are sequentially expanded in the vertical direction toward the end side of the tine rotational movement.

[0048] When this tine flexible movement path causes a large amount of grain stalk clogging in the conveying section G and the grain stalks are sequentially compressed and enter between the upper and lower bending guide portions 58, making it difficult for the tine 50 to move, the free end sides of the upper and lower horizontal guide portions 59 gradually widen to relieve the compression clogging. Thus, the tine 50 can be smoothly pulled out from the clogged grain stalks through the upper and lower flexible movement margins and the rotational movement of the tine can be made smooth while being pulled out without difficulty.

[0049] That is, the central ear side conveyor 21C in the illustrated example provides a tine free rotational movement path as the conveying section G in which, after the upright conveying movement of the tine 50 by the inner guide 53 and the angular outer guide 55A is released at the end side of the continuous conveying path K due to the rotational movement of the chain 51 in the conveying direction, the tine 50 can freely tilt backward (rear tilt) on the side of the rear wheel 32B to enable rotational movement. Therefore, while allowing the rear tilt of the tine 50, the tine flexible movement path formed by the upper and lower round outer guides 55B is smoothly passed and moved toward the end side of the tine rotational movement.

[0050] As configured above, the preprocessing unit 3 of the combine forms a relay conveyance path K formed by the ear-side relay conveyance device 21 and the stock base relay conveyance body 19 (19C) provided in upper and lower stages for the cereal straw cut by the cutter 6. It forms a cereal straw relay conveyance path H formed by the stock base conveyance body 19R and the ear tip conveyance body 21R provided vertically side by side behind the relay conveyance path K. The cereal straw conveyed rearward from the relay conveyance path K is relayed to the cereal straw relay conveyance path H via the relay unit G, merged with the cut cereal straw sent from the right side, and conveyed toward the threshing unit side to continue the combine operation.

[0051] In this configuration, the ear-side relay conveyance device 21 stretches a chain 51 having a plurality of tines 50 rotatably in a tine case 52 composed of an upper cover 52C and a lower cover 52A between a front wheel 32A and a rear wheel 32B, and guides the plurality of tines 50 on the relay conveyance path K side into a conveyance posture by an inner guide 53 and an outer guide 55 provided in the tine case 52 to perform ear-side conveyance of the cereal straw. The upper and lower outer guides 55 are composed of an angular outer guide 55A made of an angular bar member with a quadrangular cross section and a round outer guide 55B made of a round bar member with a circular cross section connected to the end of the angular outer guide 55A.

[0052] As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, the upper and lower angular outer guides 55A provided on the tine upright conveyance side, which is a straight path of the relay conveyance path K, cause the base sides of the upper and lower side surfaces of the tines 50 moving in an upright posture within the upper and lower guide intervals along the relay conveyance path K to move along the flat and wide guide surfaces facing each other with a quadrangular cross section, and can properly maintain and move the upper tine movement gap U and the lower tine movement gap D. As shown in FIG. 10, the tines 50 reaching the relay unit G can move with appropriate upper tine movement gap U and lower tine movement gap D between the upper and lower side surfaces of the tines and the upper and lower round outer guides 55B.

[0053] However, when the tine 50 moves while appropriately having the upper tine movement gap U and the lower tine movement gap D at this time, it is limited to upright cereal culms that are well held and conveyed in an upright posture under good growth conditions and harvesting and conveying conditions of the cereal culms. Generally, there are many cases where the cereal culms are prostrate culms that have fallen forward to the front side, prostrate culms that have fallen backward to the rear side, or soft culms that have fallen irregularly or have weak waists. Therefore, the tine 50 will engage with and convey the mixed cereal culms in various conveying postures.

[0054] Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, when engaging and conveying cereal culms with the ear side variously tilted due to the characteristics of the cereal culms, in the tine 50 to which the cereal culm pressing force is applied from above, in the contact state where the lower tine movement gap D is reduced by the downward tilting component force as in the conventional one, it is supported and guided while slidingly contacting the lower outer corner guide 55A or the bent guide portion 58, and the cereal culms will be continuously fed backward.

[0055] On the other hand, the tine 50 when the cereal culm pressing force is applied from below is supported and guided while slidingly contacting the upper outer corner guide 55A or the bent guide portion 58 in the contact state where the upper tine movement gap U is reduced by the upward tilting component force, and the cereal culms are fed backward. Therefore, when the tine 50 is tilted upward or downward while receiving a large pressing force in the vertical direction according to the characteristics of the cereal culms being conveyed and conveys and moves in an upright posture, the ear side of the cereal culms is engaged and conveyed in the sliding contact support guide state where the upper and lower side surfaces of the tine 50 are slidably contacted with the outer corner guide 55A or the outer corner guide 55A.

[0056] At this time, in the straight path of the continuous conveying path K, the tine 50 is stably supported and guided by the wide and flat guide surface of the outer corner guide 55A on the side surface base side. Therefore, even in a long straight path in the front-rear direction, smooth engagement and conveyance can be enabled without greatly swaying the tine 50 in the vertical direction, and local wear on the tine side surface can be suppressed, enabling long-term use.

[0057] Then, the tine 50 that reaches the conveying section G and rotates while tilting backward the tine passage formed by the upper and lower round outer guides 55B is in smooth line contact with the outer periphery having a circular cross section as shown in FIG. 10, increasing the vertical swing width of the tine 50. Therefore, when grain and straw clogging occurs, the tip side of the tine 50 can freely swing vertically in the clogged grain and straw without applying an excessive load to the tine 50, and can perform a rotation movement without biting by smooth sliding contact with the circular outer periphery.

[0058] Next, another embodiment of the outer guide 55 will be described. The round outer guide 55B in the illustrated example shows that its diameter is made substantially the same as the height of the angular outer guide 55A. However, the thickness (diameter) of the round outer guide 55B is preferably made smaller while ensuring strength than the height of the receiving surface of the angular outer guide 55A for receiving the tine 50 in the vertical direction. In this case, the tine 50 from the angular outer guide 55A to the conveying section G can be moved with the upper tine movement gap U and the lower tine movement gap D made larger than those in the above embodiment between the upper and lower side surfaces of the tine and the upper and lower round outer guides 55B.

[0059] That is, the round outer guide 55B with a smaller diameter is in smooth line contact with the outer periphery having a circular cross section, increasing the vertical swing width of the tine 50. Therefore, when grain and straw clogging occurs, the tip side of the tine 50 can freely swing vertically with an up-and-down margin according to the resistance received in the clogged grain and straw without applying an excessive load to the tine 50, and can perform a rotation movement without biting by smooth sliding contact with the outer peripheral circular surface.

[0060] In addition, the installation structure of the round outer guide 55B with respect to the angular outer guide 55A in the illustrated example is such that both are separately attached to the tine case 52 as separate parts and arranged in series. Therefore, it has the advantage that it can be easily and inexpensively manufactured by freely selecting the angular outer guide 55A and the round outer guide 55B with a desired thickness and assembling them by any means without requiring a manufacturing process by machining. However, it is not limited to this, and both may be configured by a single bar.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0061] 1 Pretreatment Unit 6 Cutter 19 Stock Base Transfer Carrier 19R Stock Base Carrier 21 Ear Side Transfer Device 21R Ear Tip Carrier 32A Front Wheel 32B Rear Wheel 50 Tine 51 Chain 52 Tine Case 52A Lower Cover 52C Upper Cover 53 Inner Guide 55 Outer Guide 55A Angular Outer Guide 55B Round Outer Guide G Transfer Unit H Grain Straw Transfer Path K Transfer Path

Claims

1. In order to transfer the cut cereal straws from the transfer path (K) formed by the stubble-side transfer carrier (19) and the ear-side transfer device (21) behind the cutter (6) to the cereal straw transfer path (H) formed by the rear stubble transfer carrier (19R) and the ear tip transfer carrier (21R), in the tine case (52) consisting of the upper cover (52C) and the lower cover (52A) of the ear-side transfer device (21), a chain (51) having a plurality of tines (50) that can undulate and rotate is stretched between the front wheel (32A) and the rear wheel (32B), and a plurality of tines (50) are guided into a transfer posture on the transfer path (K) side by the inner guide (53) and the outer guide (55) in the tine case (52). The cereal straws engaged by each tine (50) in the standing posture are transferred from the tine free rotation movement path that switches the tine (50) to a rearwardly inclined posture and rotates and moves by the transfer section (G) provided in the transfer path (K) to the cereal straw transfer path H. In the ear-side transfer carrier structure in the preprocessing section of the combine, The outer guide (55) provided in the tine case (52) is formed by an angular outer guide (55A) made of a square bar member with a square cross-section and a round outer guide (55B) made of a round bar member with a circular cross-section. The angular outer guide (55A) is provided along the straight transfer path side where the tine (50) moves in the standing posture in the transfer path (K), and the round outer guide (55B) is provided along the transfer section (G) by connecting it to the end of the angular outer guide (55A). The ear-side transfer carrier structure in the preprocessing section of the combine is characterized in that the tine (50) that is released from the standing movement and freely rotates and moves is supported and guided in a slidable contact manner.

2. The ear-side transfer carrier structure in the preprocessing section of the combine according to claim 1, wherein the round outer guide (55B) has a diameter smaller than the vertical height at which the angular outer guide (55A) supports and guides the side surface of the tine (50).

3. The ear-side transfer carrier structure in the preprocessing section of the combine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the round outer guide (55B) is formed in series by a straight vertical guide portion (57) extending from a portion connected to the end of the angular outer guide (55A), a bent guide portion (58) having a curvature that sequentially separates from the rear wheel (32B) and is curved, and a horizontal guide portion (59) along the transfer direction of the cereal straw transfer path (H) from the bent guide portion (58).

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