excavator

Abstract

To prevent a change of a clearance between a digging tool and an endless rotor by adjusting tension of the endless rotor.SOLUTION: A digger includes: a machine casing; a digging tool that is provided on the front of the machine casing so as to dig away crops cultivated in a farm field by making the machine casing move forward; an endless rotor that is provided posterior to the digging tool so as to convey the crops dug away by the digging tool; and an adjustment mechanism that can adjust tension of the endless rotor and that can change a position of the digging tool in tandem with the adjustment of the tension of the endless rotor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12A

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an excavator. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, an excavator disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. The digger disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a digging tool attached to the front of the machine frame, and as the machine frame moves forward, the digging tool digs up crops grown in the field. The crops dug up by the digging tool are transported rearward by an endless rotor attached to the rear of the digging tool. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-185846 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The digging tool and the endless rotor are spaced apart at an appropriate distance so that the dug up crops can be transferred smoothly from the digging tool to the endless rotor. However, when the tension of the endless rotor is adjusted, the distance between the digging tool and the endless rotor may change. In view of the above problems, the present invention has an object to prevent the distance between the digging tool and the endless rotor from changing by adjusting the tension of the endless rotor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A digging machine according to one aspect of the present invention includes a machine frame, a digging tool provided at the front of the machine frame and configured to dig up crops grown in a field as the machine frame moves forward, and an endless rotor provided at the rear of the digging tool and configured to transport the crops dug up by the digging tool. a drive wheel that rotates the endless rotating body and a driven wheel that is driven by the rotation of the endless rotating body;an adjustment mechanism that can adjust the tension of the endless rotor and change the position of the digging tool in conjunction with the adjustment of the tension of the endless rotor; The adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment member that moves the driven wheel relative to the drive wheel in an adjustment direction that adjusts the tension of the endless rotor, a connecting member that is connected to the adjustment member and the digging tool, and a support shaft that supports the driven wheel and penetrates the adjustment member and the connecting member to move integrally with the adjustment member and the connecting member in the adjustment direction. are.

[0006] Ma Before The adjustment mechanism adjusts the center distance between the drive wheel and the driven wheel and also changes the position of the digging tool. In addition, the above Adjustment direction is the direction connecting the center of the driving wheel and the center of the driven wheel relative to the driving wheel.

[0007] Ma Before The machine frame has a pair of side frames arranged at a distance in the machine width direction, which is the width direction of the machine frame, and the digging tool and the endless rotating body are arranged between the pair of side frames, the adjustment member is arranged on the outer side of the side frames in the machine width direction, the connecting member is arranged on the inner side of the side frames in the machine width direction, and the support shaft passes through a long hole formed in the side frame that is long in the adjustment direction and is movable within the long hole.

[0008] The adjustment mechanism also has a guide shaft that guides the adjustment member and the connecting member in the adjustment direction relative to the side frame, and that passes through the adjustment member and the connecting member and is capable of moving integrally with the adjustment member and the connecting member in the adjustment direction, and that passes through a guide hole that is long in the adjustment direction and is formed in the side frame and is capable of moving within the guide hole in the adjustment direction.

[0009] The adjustment mechanism also has an operation mechanism that moves and adjusts the adjustment member in the adjustment direction and fixes it at the adjusted position. The operation mechanism is provided on the outer side of the side frame in the width direction of the machine. The apparatus also includes a mounting member to which the digging tool is attached, the mounting member being attached to the connecting member so that the angle of the digging tool relative to the horizontal can be adjusted.

[0010] The adjustment mechanism includes a first adjustment mechanism provided on one side of the machine casing in the machine width direction, and a second adjustment mechanism provided on the other side of the machine casing in the machine width direction. The device also includes a connecting bar that connects the connecting member of the first adjustment mechanism and the connecting member of the second adjustment mechanism. In addition, the drive wheel is arranged at the rear of the machine frame, the driven wheel is arranged at the front of the machine frame and behind the digging tool, and the endless rotating body has a number of conveying rods arranged in a loop in parallel with gaps in the direction of rotation of the endless rotating body, to which power is transmitted from the drive wheel, and an endless belt made of an elastic material that connects the many conveying rods to each other and is wrapped around the driven wheel. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the above-mentioned excavation machine, when the tension of the endless rotor is adjusted, the position of the digging tool is also changed in conjunction with the adjustment of the tension of the endless rotor, so that the distance between the digging tool and the endless rotor can be maintained constant. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the power transmission system of the excavator. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the endless rolling body. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of a portion of the endless rotating body. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12A] FIG. [Figure 12B] FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a plan cross-sectional view of the adjustment mechanism. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a side view of the mechanism for guiding the crop. [Figure 15] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a mechanism for guiding a crop. [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a mechanism for guiding a crop. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a rear view showing the relationship between the elastic guide plate and the groove forming member. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a side view of the groove forming member, the mounting device, and the ground leveling device. [Figure 19] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a groove forming member and a mounting device. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a rear view showing the relationship between the crop and the furrow forming member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. 1 shows a schematic side view illustrating the overall configuration of a ground work machine 1. The ground work machine 1 has a tractor 2, which is exemplified as a traveling vehicle (traveling body), and an excavator 4 attached to the rear of the tractor 2 via a lifting link mechanism 3. In this embodiment, the direction indicated by arrow A1 in Figure 1 (the forward direction of tractor 2) will be referred to as the front, the direction indicated by arrow A2 (the reverse direction of tractor 2) will be referred to as the rear, and the direction indicated by arrow A3 will be referred to as the fore-and-aft direction.

[0014] Further, the horizontal direction (left-right direction) that is perpendicular to the front-rear direction A3 will be described as the machine width direction K1 (see FIG. 2). The machine width direction K1 is the width direction of the excavator 4 (machine frame 17). The direction from the center of the width direction of the ground work machine 1 (excavator 4) toward the right or left will be described as the outward side of the machine width direction K1 (machine width direction K1 outward). In other words, the machine width direction K1 outward is the direction away from the center of the width direction of the ground work machine 1 (excavator 4) in the machine width direction K1. The direction opposite to the above will be described as the inward direction in the machine width direction K1 (inward direction in the machine width direction K1). In other words, the inward direction in the machine width direction K1 is the direction approaching the center of the width of the ground work machine 1 (excavator 4) in the machine width direction K1.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the tractor 2 has a body 9 supported for travel by left and right front wheels (not shown) and left and right rear wheels 5. A driver's seat 30 for an operator (driver) is provided at the rear of the body 9. A hydraulic unit 6 is also mounted at the rear of the body 9. Lift arms 7 are provided on the left and right sides of the hydraulic unit 6. The lift arms 7 are rotatable about axes extending in the machine width direction K1, and are driven by hydraulic force from the hydraulic unit 6 to swing upward. When the hydraulic force from the hydraulic unit 6 is released, the lift arms 7 swing downward. A top link bracket 8 is provided at the rear of the hydraulic unit 6. A PTO shaft 10, which is a power take-off shaft that takes off rotational power, is provided at the rear of the body 9.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 1, in this embodiment, the lifting link mechanism 3 is configured as a three-point link mechanism. The three-point link mechanism 3 has one top link 11 and a pair of lower links 12 arranged below the top link 11 at a distance in the machine width direction K1. The front portion of the top link 11 is connected (pivoted) to the top link bracket 8 so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the machine width direction K1. The front portion of the lower link 12 is connected (pivoted) to the side of the vehicle body 9 so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the machine width direction K1. The middle portion of the lower link 12 is connected to the rear portion of the lift arm 7 by a lift rod 13.

[0017] The rear of the top link 11 and the rear of the lower link 12 are connected to the digger 4 so as to be rotatable around an axis extending in the machine width direction K1. Therefore, the digger 4 is connected to the rear of the tractor 2 via the lifting link mechanism 3 so as to be able to rise and fall, and is raised and lowered by the hydraulic device 6. In detail, when the lift rod 13 swings upward, the top link 11 and the lower link 12 move upward and the digger 4 rises, and when the lift rod 13 swings downward, the top link 11 and the lower link 12 move downward and the digger 4 descends. The vertical stopping position of the digger 4 can be adjusted by the hydraulic device 6.

[0018] As shown in Figure 6, the digger 4 is a work machine (onion digger) that digs up crops 16 (e.g., onions) grown in a field 14 (ridges 15) using a digging tool 20 and transports the dug-up crops 16 rearward (upward and rearward) using a transport body 25. 1, 2, 3, and 4, the excavator 4 has a machine frame 17. The machine frame 17 has a mounting frame 21 connected to the three-point linkage 3, a transmission case 22 fixed to the mounting frame 21, a pair of support arms 23 provided on the left and right sides of the transmission case 22 (on both sides in the machine width direction K1), a pair of side frames 18 arranged at an interval in the machine width direction K1 so as to sandwich the transmission case 22 and the pair of support arms 23, and a connecting frame 19 connecting the rear portions of the pair of side frames 18 together.

[0019] The mounting frame 21 has a pair of fixing plates 26 bolted to the left and right surfaces of the transmission case 22, an upper frame 27 extending in an inclined direction that becomes upward as it moves forward from between the pair of fixing plates 26, a pair of lower frames 28 extending forward from each of the pair of support arms 23, a first connecting plate 29L connecting the upper frame 27 to one (left) lower frame 28, a second connecting plate 29R connecting the upper frame 27 to the other (right) lower frame 28, and a connecting body 32 connecting the pair of lower frames 28 to each other.

[0020] The transmission case 22 is disposed at the center of the machine frame 17 in the width direction (machine width direction K1). An input shaft 24 is provided in the transmission case 22 so as to protrude forward. The input shaft 24 is connected to the PTO shaft 10 of the tractor 2 via a joint shaft (universal joint). Power from the PTO shaft 10 is taken into the transmission case 22 via the input shaft 24. One support arm 23 (referred to as a first support arm 23L) extends leftward from the transmission case 22. Specifically, the first support arm 23L is formed of a pipe material (a cylindrical member) having an axis in the machine width direction K1, and is disposed between the transmission case 22 and the upper part of the left side frame 18. The right end side is fixed to the left fixing plate 26, and the left end side is fixed to the left side frame 18. It is connected to the top of the tower 18.

[0021] The other support arm 23 (referred to as the second support arm 23R) extends rightward from the transmission case 22. More specifically, the second support arm 23R is formed of a pipe material (a cylindrical member) having an axis in the machine width direction K1, and is disposed between the transmission case 22 and the upper part of the right side frame 18. The left end side is fixed to the right fixing plate 26, and the right end side is connected to the upper part of the right side frame 18.

[0022] 1, the front upper portion of the upper frame 27 is connected to the rear portion of the top link 11 via the attitude adjustment mechanism 33. The top link 11 may also be connected directly to the front upper portion of the upper frame 27. Each lower frame 28 has a first member 28A fixed to the support arm 23 and a second member 28B whose rear portion is connected to the first member 28A, and the rear portion of the corresponding lower link 12 in the aircraft width direction K1 is connected to the front portion of the second member 28B.

[0023] The attitude adjustment mechanism 33 changes the attitude of the digging machine 4 during operation between the normal working attitude (working attitude during normal operation) when performing normal digging work as shown in Figure 1 and a downward-front working attitude in which the digging tool 20 is tilted more downward at the front than in the normal working attitude (working attitude in which the entire digging machine 4 is tilted downward at the front from the normal working attitude). The downward-front working attitude is an operating attitude that allows the digging tool 20 to penetrate deeper into the soil when the normal working attitude would result in the digging tool 20 penetrating shallower into the soil. For example, if there is a step on the longitudinal end side of the ridge 15, and when the tractor 2 enters the ridge 15 and steps over the step, the digger 4 will penetrate shallower into the soil, the digger 4 is put into a forward-tilting working position before entering the ridge 15, and when the digger 4 has entered the ridge 15 and traveled a predetermined distance (for example, 2 to 3 m), the digger 4 is released from the forward-tilting working position and changed to a normal working position, and then most of the crops 16 on the ridge 15 are dug up in the normal working position.

[0024] The operation for releasing the front-down working posture can be performed by the operator pulling the rope 110 from the driver's seat 30. One (left) side frame 18 of the pair of side frames 18 is referred to as a first side frame 18L, and the other (right) side frame 18 is referred to as a second side frame 18R. 3, each side frame 18 has a first frame member 34 and a second frame member 35. The first frame member 34 and the second frame member 35 are formed from plate material. The first frame member 34 and the second frame member 35 are arranged so that their plate surfaces face the width direction K1.

[0025] The first frame member 34 is provided to extend downward from the end of the support arm 23 opposite the transmission case 22. The lower part of the first frame member 34 is formed to be longer in front-to-rear width than the upper part, and the rear part of the lower part of the first frame member 34 is located below the end of the support arm 23, and the front part of the lower part of the first frame member 34 extends to be located below the front parts of the upper frame 27 and the lower frame 28 in a side view.

[0026] 3 and 4, the front portion of the second frame member 35 is connected to the rear portion of the lower part of the first frame member 34. Therefore, the first frame member 34 protrudes upward from the front portion of the second frame member 35, and the second frame member 35 protrudes rearward from the lower part of the first frame member 34. The front portion of the second frame member 35 is connected to the first frame member 34 by overlapping it with the outer surface of the first frame member 34 in the aircraft width direction K1.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 3, the lower end of each side frame 18 is provided with a notch 36 cut from bottom to top. Specifically, the notch 36 includes a first notch 36A and a second notch 36B. The first notch 36A is formed in the front portion of the lower end of the first frame member 34. The second notch 36B is formed in the front portion of the lower end of the second frame member 35 and in the rear portion of the lower end of the first frame member 34. As shown in FIG. 6, the first notch 36A corresponds to the side of the digging tool 20, and the second notch 36B corresponds to the lower side of the front portion of the carrier 25. The notch 36 allows stones, soil, and the like to escape from between the first side frame 18L and the second side frame 18R outward in the machine width direction K1 between the first side frame 18L and the second side frame 18R.

[0028] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the connecting frame 19 includes an elongated installation member 37 extending in the aircraft width direction K1, a pair of plate members 38 fixed to one end and the other end of the installation member 37 in the longitudinal direction (aircraft width direction K1), and a support bracket 39 disposed rearward of the installation member 37. The installation member 37 is disposed so as to extend between the rear portion of the second frame member 35 of the first side frame 18L and the rear portion of the second frame member 35 of the second side frame 18R. One (left) plate member 38 is attached to the inner surface of the second frame member 35 of the first side frame 18L in the aircraft width direction K1, and the other (right) plate member 38 is attached to the inner surface of the second frame member 35 of the second side frame 18R in the aircraft width direction K1. The support bracket 39 is provided rearward of the installation member 37 and between the pair of plate members 38.

[0029] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, digging tool 20 is provided at the front of machine casing 17. Digging tool 20 is disposed between first side frame 18L and second side frame 18R. As shown in Figures 6 and 14, digging tool 20 is disposed at a position corresponding to first cutout portion 36A. As shown in Figures 4 and 12A, digging tool 20 is formed from a plate material. More specifically, digging tool 20 is arranged with the plate surface facing up and down, and is attached to the front of machine frame 17 via mounting member 41. Machine frame 17 moves forward as tractor 2 moves forward, and is thereby pulled by tractor 2. As shown in Figure 6, as machine frame 17 moves forward, digging tool 20 moves forward over the top of ridge 15, digging up crop 16 (onions, etc.) grown in ridge 15 while cutting roots 16a of the crop 16.

[0030] As shown in Figure 4, the digging tool 20 has a main body 20A at the front and a guide portion 20B at the rear. The front edge 20a of the main body 20A (digging tool 20) is formed in an inclined shape that slopes rearward from both ends in the width direction K1 of the machine toward the center in the width direction K1. As the digging tool 20 moves forward, the inclined front edge 20a slides against the roots 16a of the crops 16, allowing the roots 16a to be effectively cut.

[0031] 12A, guiding portion 20B is bent slightly upward relative to main body portion 20A. Specifically, guiding portion 20B extends in an inclined direction that gradually becomes upward as it extends from the rear end of main body portion 20A toward the rear. By bending the rear portion of digging tool 20 upward relative to the front portion, a guiding surface (the upper surface of guiding portion 20B) is formed that guides dug-up crops 16 toward the upper surface of carrier 25.

[0032] 4, the guide section 20B is formed in a slatted shape with longitudinal notches in the front-rear direction at intervals in the width direction K1 of the machine so that soil does not accumulate on the guide surface. Note that the guide section 20B is not limited to a slatted shape and may be a flat plate shape. 4, the mounting member 41 has a pair of plates 42 spaced apart in the aircraft width direction K1, and an erection bar 43. The left plate 42 is disposed on the inner side of the first side frame 18L in the aircraft width direction K1, and the right plate 42 is disposed on the inner side of the second side frame 18R in the aircraft width direction K1.

[0033] 12A, the plate 42 is disposed at a position corresponding to the first cutout portion 36A. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12A, the plate 42 is attached to a connecting member 74 of the adjustment mechanism 70, which will be described later, by a pair of fasteners 46. The erection bar 43 is disposed between a pair of plates 42, spanning the left plate 42 and the right plate 42. One end of the erection bar 43 in the longitudinal direction (machine width direction K1) is fixed to the left plate 42, and the other end is fixed to the right plate 42. As shown in Figure 12A, the rear part of the main body 20A of the digging tool 20 is placed on top of the erection bar 43. The main body 20A is attached to the erection bar 43 by a plurality of screw members 44 provided at intervals in the machine width direction K1.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 13, a pair of fasteners 46 for attaching the plate 42 to the connecting member 74 are spaced apart in the front-rear direction A3. Each fastener 46 is composed of a screw member 46A and a nut member 46B. As shown in Fig. 12A, the screw insertion holes 47 formed in the plate 42, through which the screw member 46A of the front fastener 46 is inserted, are , and is formed in an arc shape centered on screw member 46A of rear fixing member 46. Therefore, by loosening front and rear fixing members 46, digging tool 20 can swing up and down together with plate 42 (see the solid line and two-dot chain line in Figure 12A). By tightening fixing member 46, the swinging of plate 42 relative to connecting member 74 is fixed, and by loosening fixing member 46, the swinging of plate 42 relative to connecting member 74 is permitted. This makes it possible to adjust the angle of digging tool 20 relative to the horizontal. In other words, mounting member 41 is attached to connecting member 74 in a way that allows the angle of digging tool 20 relative to the horizontal to be adjusted.

[0035] As shown in Figure 6, the transport body 25 is disposed behind the digging tool 20. Specifically, the transport body 25 is disposed behind the digging tool 20 and between the first side frame 18L and the second side frame 18R. The transport body 25 is also disposed on an incline that slopes upward toward the rear. Therefore, the transport body 25 transports the crop 16 dug up by the digging tool 20 rearward and upward, and drops the crop 16 at its rear end 25a onto the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 (field 14). The crop 16 that has fallen onto the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 is picked up by a picker or the like operated separately.

[0036] 5 and 6, the power transmitted to the input shaft 24 is transmitted to the conveying body 25 via a power transmission device 48. The power transmission device 48 has a transmission shaft 49 housed in the second support arm 23R, a gear mechanism (bevel gear mechanism) 50 that transmits power from the input shaft 24 to the transmission shaft 49, and a transmission mechanism (belt winding transmission mechanism) 52 that transmits power from the transmission shaft 49 to a drive shaft 51 of the conveying body 25.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 6, the conveying body 25 includes a drive shaft 51, a drive wheel 53, a driven wheel 54, and an endless rotating body (endless rotating body) 55. 5, the drive shaft 51 is disposed at the rear of the machine casing 17. More specifically, the drive shaft 51 is disposed at a vertically midway point at the rear of the second frame members 35, spanning from the left second frame member 35 to the right second frame member 35. An end side of the drive shaft 51 is supported by the second frame members 35 via a bearing 56 so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the machine width direction K1.

[0038] The drive wheels 53 are disposed at the rear of the machine frame 17, and are provided on the left and right portions of the drive shaft 51 between the left second frame member 35 and the right second frame member 35. Each drive wheel 53 is fixed by a bolt or the like to a mounting plate 57 fixed to the drive shaft 51. Therefore, the drive wheels 53 rotate integrally with the drive shaft 51. As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, the drive wheel 53 is configured as a sprocket having a plurality of teeth 53a arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the drive wheel 53 and around the entire circumference.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 6, the driven wheels 54 are disposed in front of the machine frame 17 (second frame members 35) and behind the digging tool 20. As shown in Fig. 5, the driven wheels 54 are provided on the inward side in the machine width direction K1 of the front part of the left second frame member 35 and on the inward side in the machine width direction K1 of the front part of the right second frame member 35. In other words, there are a pair (plurality) of driven wheels 54. As shown in FIG. 13, each driven wheel 54 is supported by a support shaft 58 attached to the machine frame 17 so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the machine width direction K1.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 9, endless rolling body 55 is wound around drive wheel 53 and driven wheel 54, and receives power from drive wheel 53 to rotate in the circumferential direction (the direction of arrow 59 in Fig. 9). As shown in Figs. 7 and 9, endless rolling body 55 has a number of conveying rods 61 and a plurality of endless belts 62. 7 and 9, a large number of conveying rods 61 are arranged in parallel at equal intervals in a loop shape in the direction of rotation (the direction of arrow 59 in FIG. 9) of the endless rotating body 55. Each conveying rod 61 is formed from a pipe material extending in the machine width direction K1, and has flattened portions 63 formed by crushing the pipe material at both ends and the center in the longitudinal direction (machine width direction K1) of the pipe material.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 9, the endless belt 62 is formed by forming an elastic belt made of an elastic material such as rubber into a belt shape into a ring shape, and then overlapping and joining both ends of the elastic belt to form an endless belt. It has been done. 7, the multiple endless belts 62 include a first endless belt 62A arranged at one end (left portion) in the longitudinal direction of the multiple conveying rods 61, a second endless belt 62B arranged at the other end (right portion), and a third endless belt 62C arranged at the center. The first endless belt 62A is arranged to surround the flat portions 63 at the left portions of the multiple conveying rods 61, the second endless belt 62B is arranged to surround the flat portions 63 at the right portions of the multiple conveying rods 61, and the third endless belt 62C is arranged to surround the flat portions 63 at the center of the multiple conveying rods 61.

[0042] 10, each endless belt 62 is connected to the flat portion 63 by a fastener 64. The fastener 64 includes a bolt member 64A that passes through the endless belt 62 and a nut member 64B that is screwed onto the bolt member 64A. 7, the first endless belt 62A and the second endless belt 62B are wound around a driven wheel 54. Therefore, the driven wheel 54 is driven by the rotation of the endless rotating body 55.

[0043] 13, a flange portion 54b is provided at an outer side portion in the machine width direction K1 of the driven wheel 54. The flange portion 54b can restrict movement of the endless runner 55 in the machine width direction K1. As shown in Fig. 7, the drive wheel 53 is disposed on the inner side of the first endless belt 62A and the second endless belt 62B in the machine width direction K1. As shown in Fig. 9, the drive wheel 53 meshes with the cylindrical portion of the conveying rod 61. This transmits power from the drive wheel 53 to the endless runner 55. When the drive wheel 53 rotates in the direction of arrow 60 in Fig. 9, the endless runner 55 circulates in the direction of arrow 59 in Fig. 9, conveying the crops 16 rearward and upward.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 7, a large number of conveying rods 61 are arranged at equal intervals (equal pitch) in the rotating direction 59. As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the endless belt 62 is formed by overlapping and joining the ends of strip plate material, and therefore there is a step at the overlapping portion 66. Therefore, in the past, when a conveying rod 61A fastened to the overlapping portion 66 of the endless belt 62 meshes with the sprocket (drive wheel 53), it comes into strong contact with the teeth 53a of the sprocket (drive wheel 53), causing a problem of wear on the conveying rod 61A.

[0045] This problem occurs because when the sprocket (drive wheel 53) engages with the conveying rod 61, the distance (pitch) between the adjacent conveying rods 61A and 61B changes at the step portion 67. In other words, this problem occurs because the trajectories of the adjacent conveying rods 61A and 61B at the step portion 67 are different. Therefore, in this embodiment, the R-shape of the tooth tip side portion of the circumferential surface 53b of the tooth portion 53a of the drive wheel 53 is formed into an R-shape that matches the trajectory of the conveying rod 61A that is fastened to the overlapping portion 66 of the adjacent conveying rods 61A, 61B at the step portion 67, thereby absorbing the difference in distance between the adjacent conveying rods 61A, 61B at the step portion 67 and reducing wear.

[0046] As shown in Fig. 7, the conveyor 25 has a plurality of guide wheels 68A, 68B. As shown in Fig. 5, the guide wheel 68A of the plurality of guide wheels 68A, 68B is rotatably supported on a support shaft 69 attached to the second frame member 35. Also, as shown in Fig. 9, the guide wheel 68A is disposed below the upper and lower parts of the endless belt 62 (first endless belt 62A and second endless belt 62B). As shown in Fig. 7, the other guide wheel 68B is disposed laterally on the front part of the third endless belt 62C.

[0047] As shown in Figure 11, the digging machine 4 is equipped with an adjustment mechanism 70 at the front of the machine frame 17 for adjusting the tension of the endless rolling body (endless rotating body) 55. The adjustment mechanism 70 is a mechanism that can adjust the tension of the endless rolling body 55 and change the position of the digging tool 20 in conjunction with the adjustment of the tension of the endless rolling body 55. Therefore, even if the tension of the endless rolling body 55 is adjusted, the position of the digging tool 20 is also changed in conjunction with the adjustment of the tension of the endless rolling body 55, so that the distance between the digging tool 20 and the conveying body 25 can be maintained constant. In other words, the distance between the digging tool 20 and the conveying body 25 is set to an appropriate distance so that the dug crop 16 moves smoothly from the digging tool 20 to the conveying body 25, but the tension of the endless rolling body 55 can be adjusted without changing this distance.

[0048] In this embodiment, the tension of the endless rolling body 55 (endless belt 62) is adjusted by adjusting the center-to-center distance 71 between the drive wheel 53 and the driven wheel 54, as shown in Fig. 9. Specifically, the tension of the endless rolling body 55 (endless belt 62) can be adjusted by moving the driven wheel 54 in an adjustment direction 72, which is a direction connecting the center (rotation axis) 53c of the drive wheel 53 and the center (rotation axis) 54a of the driven wheel 54.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 11, the adjustment mechanism 70 includes a first adjustment mechanism 70L provided on the left side of the machine frame 17 (first side frame 18L) and a second adjustment mechanism 70R provided on the right side of the machine frame 17 (second side frame 18R). As shown in FIGS. 12A and 13, the adjustment mechanism 70 includes an adjustment member 73, a connecting member 74, the support shaft 58, a guide shaft 75, and an operation mechanism 76.

[0050] The adjustment member 73 is a member that adjusts the tension of the endless runner 55 by moving the driven wheel 54 in the adjustment direction 72. More specifically, the adjustment member 73 is formed of a plate material and is disposed on the outer side of the side frame 18 in the machine width direction K1. The adjustment member 73 has a main plate portion 73a and an extension piece 73b. The main plate portion 73a is formed in the shape of a strip plate that is long in one direction and is disposed so that its plate surface faces the machine width direction K1 and its longitudinal direction is aligned (aligns) with the adjustment direction 72. The main plate portion 73a is disposed at the rear of the lower part of the first frame member 34 (at the front and lower part of the second frame member 35). The main plate portion 73a is disposed in contact with the outer surface of the second frame member 35 (side frame 18) in the machine width direction K1. The extension piece 73b extends outward in the machine width direction K1 from the rear end of the main plate portion 73a.

[0051] 3, 12A, and 13, oblong holes 77 and guide holes 78 that penetrate the side frames 18 (first frame member 34 and second frame member 35) are formed in the portions of the side frames 18 that correspond to the main plate portions 73a. The oblong holes 77 and guide holes 78 are holes that are elongated in the adjustment direction 72, and are formed side by side in the adjustment direction 72. The guide holes 78 are formed behind the oblong holes 77.

[0052] As shown in Figures 12A and 13, the connecting member 74 connects the adjustment member 73 and the digging tool 20. In other words, the connecting member 74 is a member that connects the adjustment member 73 and the digging tool 20. The connecting member 74 is formed of a plate material and is arranged on the inward side of the side frame 18 in the machine width direction K1. Specifically, the connecting member 74 is formed in the shape of a strip that is long in one direction and is arranged so that the plate surface faces the machine width direction K1 and the longitudinal direction is along the adjustment direction 72. Furthermore, the rear part of the connecting member 74 corresponds to the main plate portion 73a of the adjustment member 73, and the front part protrudes forward beyond the main plate portion 73a. The plate 42 of the mounting member 41 to which the digging tool 20 is attached is attached to the front part of the connecting member 74. As a result, the connecting member 74 is connected to the digging tool 20 via the mounting member 41.

[0053] 4, the left (first adjustment mechanism 70L) connecting member 74 and the right (second adjustment mechanism 70R) connecting member 74 are connected by a connecting bar 79. The guide wheel 78B is supported by a bracket (not shown) fixed to the connecting bar 79 so as to be rotatable about an axis in the machine width direction K1. As shown in Fig. 3, the connecting bar 79 is formed of a cylindrical pipe material (round pipe). The connecting bar 79 may also be formed of a square tubular pipe material (square pipe). Note that a round pipe is preferable in that it is less likely for stones to be caught between the connecting bar 79 and the conveying rod 61.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 13 , the support shaft 58 has an axis extending in the aircraft width direction K1, and supports the driven wheel 54 at an inner portion in the aircraft width direction K1 so as to be rotatable about the axis via a bearing (not shown). An outer portion of the support shaft 58 in the aircraft width direction K1 protrudes outward from the driven wheel 54 in the aircraft width direction K1 and penetrates the connecting member 74, the side frame 18 (the first frame member 34 and the second frame member 35), and the adjustment member 73. More specifically, the support shaft 58 penetrates the adjustment member 73 and the connecting member 74, and thereby moves integrally with the adjustment member 73 and the connecting member 74 in the adjustment direction 72. The support shaft 58 also penetrates the elongated hole 77 and is movable within the elongated hole 77 in the adjustment direction 72. As a result, the adjustment member 73, the connecting member 74, and the driven wheel 54 are supported by the side frame 18 via the support shaft 58 so that the connecting member 74 and the driven wheel 54 move in the adjustment direction 72 together with the adjustment member 73.

[0055] 13, the support shaft 58 has a male thread 58a on the outer side in the machine width direction K1. The male thread 58a protrudes outward in the machine width direction K1 from the adjustment member 73, and a nut member 80 is threadedly engaged with the male thread 58a on this protruding portion. The support shaft 58 also has a flange 58b that abuts against the inner surface of the connecting member 74 in the machine width direction K1. The nut member 80 and the flange 58b sandwich the side frame 18, the adjustment member 73, and the connecting member 74, thereby restricting movement of the support shaft 58 in the axial direction (machine width direction K1).

[0056] The nut member 80 is tightened to such an extent that it can move the adjustment member 73. By tightening the nut member 80, the support shaft 58 can also be fixed to the side frame 18. The guide shaft 75 is a member that guides the adjustment member 73 and the connecting member 74 in the adjustment direction 72 relative to the side frame 18 .

[0057] As shown in FIG. 13 , the guide shaft 75 penetrates the connecting member 74, the guide hole 78, and the adjustment member 73 from the inner side of the connecting member 74 in the machine width direction K1. The guide shaft 75 is formed by a bolt member, and a head 75a abuts against the inner surface of the connecting member 74 in the machine width direction K1. The guide shaft 75 is movable integrally with the adjustment member 73 and the connecting member 74 in the adjustment direction 72 and is also movable within the guide hole 78 in the adjustment direction 72. The guide shaft 75 protrudes outward from the adjustment member 73 in the machine width direction K1, and a nut member 81 is threadedly engaged with this protruding portion. The nut member 81 prevents the guide shaft 75 from coming off. The guide shaft 75 is inserted through a collar 82 disposed in the guide hole 78. The collar 82 is rotatable about the axis of the guide shaft 75.

[0058] The nut member 81 is tightened to such an extent that it moves the adjustment member 73. By tightening the nut member 81, the guide shaft 75 can also be fixed to the side frame 18. The connecting member 74 is connected to the adjusting member 73 by the support shaft 58, the nut member 80, the guide shaft 75, the nut member 81, and the like.

[0059] The operating mechanism 76 is a mechanism for moving and adjusting the adjustment member 73 in the adjustment direction 72 and fixing it at the adjusted position. 12A and 12B, the operating mechanism 76 is provided on the outer side of the side frame 18 (second frame member 35) in the machine width direction K1. The operating mechanism 76 includes a stay member 83, an operating bolt 84, and multiple nut members 85 (a first nut member 85A, a second nut member 85B, and a third nut member 85C).

[0060] The stay member 83 is disposed rearward of the adjustment member 73 in the adjustment direction 72 with a gap therebetween. The stay member 83 is formed of a plate material and has a first portion 83a and a second portion 83b. The first portion 83a is disposed along the adjustment direction 72 with its plate surface facing the aircraft width direction K1. The first portion 83a is fixed to the outer surface of the second frame member 35 (side frame 18) in the aircraft width direction K1 by welding or the like. The second portion 83b extends outward in the aircraft width direction K1 from the front end of the first portion 83a and faces the extending piece 73b of the adjustment member 73 in the adjustment direction 72.

[0061] The operation bolt 84 has a head 84a that abuts against the front surface of the extension piece 73b, and a shaft 84b that penetrates the extension piece 73b and the second portion 83b. 12A and 12B, the multiple nut members 85 are threaded onto the shaft portion 84b of the operation bolt 84. Specifically, the first nut member 85A abuts against the front surface of the second portion 83b of the stay member 83. The second nut member 85B abuts against the rear surface of the second portion 83b. The third nut member 85C abuts against the rear surface of the extension piece 73b. By sandwiching the second portion 83b between the first nut member 85A and the second nut member 85B and sandwiching the extension piece 73b between the head 84a of the operation bolt 84 and the third nut member 85C, the adjustment member 73 is fixed to the side frame 18 so as not to move in the adjustment direction 72.

[0062] In the above-mentioned adjustment mechanism 70, by moving and adjusting the adjustment member 73 in the adjustment direction 72 using the operating mechanism 76, the tension of the endless rotating body 55 (endless belt 62) can be adjusted, and the position of the digging tool 20 can be adjusted in conjunction with the adjustment of the tension of the endless rotating body 55. The operation mechanism 76, for example, loosens the second nut member 85B, rotates the operation bolt 84 in the direction of loosening the screw (retracts it) relative to the first nut member 85A, and also loosens the third nut member 8 By screwing in 5C, the adjustment member 73 can be moved forward (in the tension direction of the endless rolling body 55). When the adjustment member 73 moves forward, the driven wheel 54 also moves forward together with the adjustment member 73, increasing the tension of the endless rolling body 55. Furthermore, when the adjustment member 73 moves forward, the connecting member 74 and the digging tool 20 also move forward together with the adjustment member 73.

[0063] Furthermore, for example, by loosening second nut member 85B and third nut member 85C and rotating (screwing forward) operating bolt 84 in the screwing direction relative to first nut member 85A, adjustment member 73 can be moved rearward (in the direction of loosening endless rolling body 55). When adjustment member 73 moves rearward, driven wheel 54 also moves rearward together with adjustment member 73, and tension on endless rolling body 55 is loosened. When adjustment member 73 moves rearward, connecting member 74 and digging tool 20 also move rearward together with adjustment member 73.

[0064] The method of operating the operating mechanism 76 is not limited to the above method. Furthermore, in this embodiment, it has been described that "the tension of endless rolling body 55 is adjusted by adjusting the center-to-center distance 71 between drive wheel 53 and driven wheel 54," but this is not limited to this. For example, in a configuration in which endless rolling body 55 has a pair of driven wheels 54 spaced apart in one direction and drive wheel 53 is located between the pair of driven wheels 54, the tension of endless rolling body 55 is adjusted by adjusting the center-to-center distance between the pair of driven wheels 54. Specifically, the driven wheel 54 closer to digging tool 20 is moved relative to the driven wheel 54 farther from digging tool 20 to adjust the tension of endless rolling body (endless rotating body) 55. In short, the tension of endless rolling body (endless rotating body) 55 may be adjusted by moving the driven wheel 54 located behind digging tool 20. Furthermore, when adjusting the tension of the endless rotating body 55, the side of the endless rotating body 55 facing the digging tool 20 moves toward and opposite the digging tool 20, and the position of the digging tool 20 is also changed in conjunction with this movement.

[0065] 2, a pair of side plates 86 are provided at the front of the machine frame 17, located on one side (left) and the other side (right) of the digging tool 20 in the machine width direction K1. More specifically, the pair of side plates 86 are a first side plate 86L located on the left side of the digging tool 20 and a second side plate 86R located on the right side of the digging tool 20. The first side plate 86L and the second side plate 86R can prevent the crops 16 dug up by the digging tool 20 from escaping outward in the machine width direction K1 and can also guide the crops 16 from the digging tool 20 to the conveyor 25.

[0066] 6 and 14, the side plate 86 is positioned above the digging tool 20. As shown in Fig. 15, the side plate 86 is positioned so that the plate surface faces the machine width direction K1, and is attached to the first frame member 34 of the side frame 18 via a plurality of mounting fixtures 87 so that the position can be adjusted in the machine width direction K1. As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the multiple mounting fixtures 87 include a pair of upper and lower first mounting fixtures 87A, and a second mounting fixture 87B provided behind the upper first mounting fixture 87A.

[0067] The mounting fixture 87 has a bolt member 88 that is inserted between the side plate 86 and the first frame member 34, a nut member 90 that is screwed onto the bolt member 88 on the outer side of the first frame member 34 in the machine width direction K1, and a plurality of collars (spacers) 89 that are interposed between the side plate 86 and the first frame member 34 and that are inserted into the bolt member 88. One of the multiple collars 89, a collar 89A, is welded and fixed to the outer surface of the side plate 86 (a rear plate 86B described later) in the aircraft width direction K1. The other collars 89B, 89C, and 89D are arranged between the collar 89A and the first frame member 34. By changing the number of collars 89B, 89C, and 89D arranged between the collar 89A and the first frame member 34, the distance between the side plate 86 and the first frame member 34 can be changed, as shown in Fig. 16. In other words, the distance between the first side plate 86L and the second side plate 86R in the aircraft width direction K1 can be changed (the distance can be adjusted).

[0068] 16, when the side plate 86 is brought closest to the first frame member 34, the bolt members 88 used are short in length so that the bolt members 88 do not excessively protrude from the first frame member 34. Furthermore, the number and lengths of the collars 89B, 89C, and 89D disposed between the collar 89A and the first frame member 34 are not limited to those in the illustrated embodiment.

[0069] As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the side plate 86 has a front plate 86A and a rear plate 86B. The front portion of the front plate 86A is formed in an inclined shape that transitions outward in the aircraft width direction K1 as it moves forward, and the rear portion is formed to extend in the front-to-rear direction. The rear plate 86B is formed in a flat plate shape that extends in the front-to-rear direction. The rear portion of the front plate 86A is superimposed on the inner surface of the front portion of the rear plate 86B in the aircraft width direction K1 and is attached to the front portion of the rear plate 86B by a pair of upper and lower first attachment fixtures 87A that are fastened together. A midpoint of the rear plate 86B in the front-to-rear direction A3 is attached to the first frame member 34 by a second attachment fixture 87B.

[0070] 14, the rear of front plate 86A is located above main body 20A of digging tool 20. Furthermore, front plate 86A has long bolt insertion holes 91 formed in the vertical direction, through which bolt members 88 of first mounting fixture 87A are inserted. Therefore, the position of front plate 86A can be adjusted in the vertical direction relative to rear plate 86B and first frame member 34. Front plate 86A abuts against the upper surface of digging tool 20 to prevent weeds or the stems and leaves of crop 16 from clogging the gap between front plate 86A and digging tool 20. Because the position of front plate 86A is adjustable in the vertical direction, it is possible to allow adjustment of the angle of digging tool 20, and even when the angle of digging tool 20 is adjusted, the lower end of front plate 86A can be made to abut against the upper surface of digging tool 20 by adjusting the position of front plate 86A in the vertical direction.

[0071] 6, the rear plate 86B extends rearward from the rear of the front plate 86A and above the front of the carrier 25. The rear plate 86B is also positioned so that its plate surface is perpendicular to the machine width direction K1. This allows the crops 16 dug up by the digging tool 20 to be guided above the front of the carrier 25 without being retained. In this embodiment, the position of the side plate 86 in the machine width direction K1 is adjusted in stages using collars, but this is not limited to this. For example, the position of the side plate 86 in the machine width direction K1 may be adjusted continuously using a screw structure. Also, the position of the side plate 86 may be adjusted using an expandable structure in which multiple tubes are combined in a nested manner.

[0072] As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the digger 4 is equipped with a crop guide device 92 that guides the crop 16, which is transported rearward and upward by the transport body 25 and dropped onto the top surface of the ridge 15 at the rear end 25a of the transport body 25, to the inner side (center) in the machine width direction K1 of the transport body 25. The crop guide device 92 allows the crop 16 to be dropped inward (center) in the ridge width direction rather than the ends in the ridge width direction (ridge width direction) of the ridge 15. By dropping the crop 16 closer to the center in the ridge width direction rather than the ends in the ridge width direction, the crop 16 that falls from the rear end 25a of the transport body 25 can be prevented from rolling on the ridge 15 and falling off the ridge 15.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 2, the crop guide device 92 includes a first guide device 92L provided on the left side of the digger 4 and a second guide device 92R provided on the right side of the digger 4. The first guide device 92L is disposed rearward of the first side plate 86L. The second guide device 92R is disposed rearward of the second side plate 86R. The front portion of the first guide device 92L is connected to the rear end of the first side plate 86L, and the front portion of the second guide device 92R is connected to the rear end of the second side plate 86R. By providing the crop guide devices 92 continuously behind the side plates 86, the crops 16 on the conveyor 25 are smoothly guided from the side plates 86 to the crop guide devices 92, preventing the crops 16 from becoming stuck on the conveyor 25.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 14, the crop guiding device 92 includes a guide plate 94 , a swing restriction mechanism 95 , an elastic guide plate 96 , and a restriction member 97 . As shown in FIG. 6, the guide plate 94 is disposed above the conveying body 25 and guides the crops 16 on the conveying body 25 toward the rear of the conveying body 25. As shown in FIG. 14, the front end of the guide plate 94 is pivotally supported on the rear end of the side plate 86, and is freely swingable in the machine width direction K1 around the pivot. The swing restriction mechanism 95 restricts the swing of the guide plate 94. The elastic guide plate 96 is formed of an elastic plate material and extends downward from the rear of the guide plate 94. It guides the crops 16 that fall from the conveying body 25 to the top surface of the ridge 15. The restriction member 97 is located outward of the elastic guide plate 96 in the machine width direction K1 and restricts outward deformation of the elastic guide plate 96 in the machine width direction K1.

[0075] As shown in FIGS. 6, 14, and 15, the guide plate 94 is formed of a plate material. The guide plate 94 is disposed so that its plate surface faces the width direction K1. The guide plate 94 has a first portion 94a that constitutes the front and middle portions of the guide plate 94, and a second portion 94b that constitutes the rear portion. The first portion 94a extends rearward from the rear end of the side plate 86 above the conveying body 25 and extends to the rear end of the conveying body 25. A front portion of the first portion 94a is connected to the rear end of the side plate 86 via a pivot mechanism 98.

[0076] The pivot mechanism 98 has a first cylindrical member 99, a second cylindrical member 100, and a pin member 101. The first cylindrical member 99 is a tube with an inclined axis that slopes forward as it extends upward, and is fixed to the rear end of the side plate 86 by welding or the like. The second cylindrical member 100 is concentrically disposed below the first cylindrical member 99 and is fixed to a mounting plate 102 attached to the guide plate 94 by welding or the like. The pin member 101 has a fixed portion 101a fixed to the front and upper portion of the guide plate 94, and a pivot portion 101b bent downward from the fixed portion 101a and inserted through the first cylindrical member 99 and the second cylindrical member 100. The pivot mechanism 98 attaches the guide plate 94 to the side plate 86 so as to be swingable about the axes of the first cylindrical member 99 and the second cylindrical member 100.

[0077] The second portion 94b of the guide plate 94 extends downward and rearward from the rear of the first portion 94a at the rear of the conveying body 25. 14 and 15, the swing restriction mechanism 95 is disposed on the rear side of the guide plate 94. The swing restriction mechanism 95 has a restriction plate 103 and a fixing member 104.

[0078] The regulating plate 103 is formed of a plate material that is long in one direction, and one end side in the longitudinal direction is pivotally supported to the guide plate 94. More specifically, a support wall 105 that protrudes outward from the outer surface of the guide plate 94 in the width direction K1 of the aircraft is provided on the outer surface of the guide plate 94 in the width direction K1 of the aircraft, and one end side of the regulating plate 103 is pivotally supported to the support wall 105 via a pivot 106. The fixing device 104 can fix the other longitudinal end of the regulating plate 103 to the upper part of the second frame member 35. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 14 , a support wall 107 protruding outward in the machine width direction K1 is provided at the upper end of the second frame member 35. The support wall 107 has a fixing piece 107a to which the other end of the regulating plate 103 is fixed. The fixing device 104 has a bolt member 104A having an operating handle and a nut member 104B threadedly engaged with the bolt member 104A. The other longitudinal end of the regulating plate 103 can be fixed to the support wall 107 by passing a screw shaft portion 104Aa of the bolt member 104A through the washer member 108, the regulating plate 103, and the fixing piece 107a and screwing the nut member 104B onto the screw shaft portion 104Aa. By fixing the other end of the regulating plate 103 with the fixture 104, the guide plate 94 can be held in an inclined position that shifts inward in the aircraft width direction K1 as it moves rearward, as shown in FIG.

[0079] As shown in Fig. 15, a plurality of hook grooves 103a are formed at the other longitudinal end of the regulating plate 103 and are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction. The fastener 104 can fasten the other longitudinal end of the regulating plate 103 via the hook grooves 103a. By changing the fixing position of the fastener 104, the inclination angle of the guide plate 94 with respect to the front-rear direction can be changed. Furthermore, because the inclination angle of the guide plate 94 with respect to the front-rear direction A3 can be changed, it is possible to adjust the position of the side plate 86 in the machine width direction K1 (see Fig. 16).

[0080] 14 and 17, the upper part of the elastic guide plate 96 is overlapped with the lower part of the second portion 94b of the guide plate 94 and is fixed to the guide plate 94 by bolts 109. The elastic guide plate 96 extends downward from the lower part of the second portion 94b of the guide plate 94 and is provided so that its lower end is close to the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15. As shown in Figures 14 and 17, the regulating member 97 is located on the outer side of the elastic guide plate 96 in the machine width direction K1. The regulating member 97 is made of a hard material such as metal, and suppresses outward deformation of the elastic guide plate 96 in the machine width direction K1. For example, when the regulating member 97 is provided, Without this, the crops 16 falling from the rear end side 25a of the conveying body 25 would hit the elastic guide plate 96, causing the elastic guide plate 96 to elastically deform, which could cause the crops 16 to roll in a direction from the center toward the ends in the width direction of the ridges 15. In this embodiment, the regulating member 97 restricts the elastic guide plate 96 from deforming outward in the machine width direction K1, thereby preventing the crops 16 from rolling in a direction from the center toward the ends in the width direction of the ridges 15.

[0081] In this embodiment, the regulating members 97 are provided at the front and rear of the elastic guide plate 96. That is, a pair (plural) of regulating members are provided, one at the front and one at the rear. The pair of regulating members 97 are arranged with a gap in the front-to-rear direction. The regulating members 97 are formed of a strip plate material that is long in the vertical direction. The upper part of the regulating member 97 is attached to the guide plate 94 by being fastened together with the bolt 109 that attaches the elastic guide plate 96.

[0082] 17, the regulating member 97 is formed in an inclined shape that transitions inward in the machine width direction K1 as it extends downward from the upper mounting portion. In addition, the elastic guide plate 96 protrudes downward from the lower end of the regulating member 97. Therefore, the upper part of the elastic guide plate 96 is regulated by the regulating member 97 and deforms in an inclined shape that transitions inward in the machine width direction K1 as it extends downward, and the lower part protrudes downward from the lower end of the regulating member 97.

[0083] The regulating member 97 regulates the overall deformation of the elastic guide plate 96 in the machine width direction K1 when the crop 16 hits the elastic guide plate 96, but since the regulating member 97 is not provided over the entire surface of the elastic guide plate 96, localized deformation when the crop 16 hits the elastic guide plate 96 is permitted, thereby absorbing the impact when the crop 16 hits the elastic guide plate 96.

[0084] As shown in Figures 2 and 6, a ground leveling mechanism 111 is provided at the rear of the machine frame 17. The ground leveling mechanism 111 is provided behind the digging tool 20 and levels the ridges 15 after the crops 16 have been dug up by the digging tool 20. More specifically, the ground leveling mechanism 111 is provided between the first side frame 18L and the second side frame 18R and below the rear side of the carrier 25 and levels the upper surface 15a of the ridges 15 after they have been dug up by the digging tool 20 below the rear side of the carrier 25. The crops 16 transported by the carrier 25 fall onto the upper surface 15a of the ridges 15 that has been leveled by the ground leveling mechanism 111.

[0085] As shown in Figures 4 and 18, the leveling mechanism 111 has a pair of stay members 112 arranged at a distance from each other in the machine width direction K1, a leveling plate 113 provided between the pair of stay members 112, and a pressure mechanism 114 that presses (urges) the stay members 112 and the leveling plate 113 downward (towards the upper surface of the ridge 15). One (left) stay member 112 is arranged on the inner side in the machine width direction K1 of the left plate member 38 of the connecting frame 19, and the other (right) stay member 112 is arranged on the inner side in the machine width direction K1 of the right plate member 38 of the connecting frame 19. The front portion of the stay member 112 is supported by a pivot 115 provided at the front portion of the installation member 37 so as to be rotatable around an axis extending in the machine width direction K1.

[0086] The leveling plate 113 is disposed between the pair of stay members 112 and spanning from one stay member 112 to the other stay member 112. The leveling plate 113 is fixed to the pair of stay members 112 and is free to swing up and down together with the stay members 112 around a pivot 115. The rear portion of the leveling plate 113 protrudes rearward from between the pair of stay members 112 and comes into contact with the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 to level the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15.

[0087] A pair of pressure mechanisms 114 is provided corresponding to the pair of stay members 112. By using the pressure mechanism 114 to press the leveling plate 113 toward the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15, the leveling plate 113 levels the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 and forms a depression in the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15. By forming a depression in the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15, it is possible to prevent the crops 16 that have fallen onto the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 from falling off the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 from falling off the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15. This makes it easy to pick up the crops 16 that have fallen onto the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 using a picker or the like. Furthermore, by leveling the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 with the leveling plate 113, it is possible to prevent the crops 16 that have fallen onto the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 from being buried in the soil. This makes it easier for the crops 16 to dry and to pick up.

[0088] 2, the width of the leveling board 113 in the machine width direction K1 is formed to be slightly narrower than the width of the conveying body 25 in the machine width direction K1. Specifically, the leveling board 113 is arranged so that the center of the leveling board 113 in the machine width direction K1 and the center of the conveying body 25 in the machine width direction K1 approximately coincide with each other, and the left end of the leveling board 113 is located inward of the left end of the conveying body 25 in the machine width direction K1, and the right end of the leveling board 113 is located inward of the right end of the conveying body 25 in the machine width direction K1.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 18 , the pressure mechanism 114 has an interlocking member 116 and a biasing member 117. The interlocking member 116 has a rod portion 116a and a connecting portion 116b fixed to the lower end of the rod portion 116a. The rod portion 116a passes through the upper wall 39a of the support bracket 39 so as to be movable in the up and down direction. A washer 118 and a pin 119 that prevents the washer 118 from coming off are provided at the top of the rod portion 116a, and the washer 118 and pin 119 restrict downward movement of the rod portion 116a (downward swing of the leveling plate 113). In addition, a ring-shaped disk-shaped spring bearing 120 is fitted to the rod portion 116a so as to be movable in the axial direction. The downward movement of the spring bearing 120 is restricted by the pin at the lower side of the rod portion 116a. The connecting portion 116b is pivotally connected to the stay member 112 via a support shaft 121 having an axis extending in the machine width direction K1. The biasing member 117 is formed of a compression coil spring, and is fitted onto the outside of the rod portion 116a between the upper wall 39a of the support bracket 39 and a spring bearing 120.

[0090] In the pressure mechanism 114 configured as described above, when the ground leveling plate 113 touches the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15, it swings upward around the pivot 115, compressing the biasing member 117. The biasing force of this biasing member 11783 presses the ground leveling plate 113 toward the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15. It should be noted that the biasing member 117 is not limited to a compression coil spring, and may be, for example, a torsion coil spring.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 2, a groove forming member 122 is provided behind the machine frame 17. The groove forming member 122 forms a groove 123 on the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 after the crops 16 have been dug up. The groove forming member 122 is disposed rearward of the end 25b of the conveying body 25 in the machine width direction K1. The groove forming member 122 is also disposed inward in the machine width direction K1 from the end 25b of the conveying body 25 in the machine width direction K1. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 20, the groove forming member 122 is disposed so as to overlap the conveying body 25 in a rear view. Specifically, in FIG. 20, the rear portion of the conveying body 25 is indicated by a two-dot chain line, and the groove forming member 122 overlaps with the rear portion of the conveying body 25 in a rear view. Note that the rear portion of the conveying body 25 is also indicated by a two-dot chain line in the rear view of FIG. 17.

[0092] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 20, the groove forming member 122 includes a first groove forming member 122L that is disposed on one end side (left side) of the conveying body 25 in the machine width direction K1 and is located more inward in the machine width direction K1 than the one end, and a second groove forming member 122R that is disposed on the other end side (right side) of the conveying body 25 in the machine width direction K1 and is located more inward in the machine width direction K1 than the other end. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 20, the first groove forming member 122L forms a groove 123 on one end side of the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 in the ridge width direction, and the second groove forming member 122R forms a groove 123 on the other end side of the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 in the ridge width direction. In other words, grooves 123 are formed on both sides of the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 in the ridge width direction.

[0093] As shown in Figure 20, by forming grooves 123 on both sides of the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 in the ridge width direction, it is possible to prevent the crop 16 from falling off the ridge 15. In other words, when the crop 16 falls from the rear end side 25a of the transport body 25 and rolls on the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 toward the side of the ridge 15, the crop 16 fits into the grooves 123 formed on the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15, thereby stopping the crop 16 from rolling. This in turn makes it possible to prevent the crop 16 from falling off the ridge 15.

[0094] For example, if crops 16 fall off ridges 15, the fallen crops 16 cannot be picked up by the picker. Also, when digging up crops 16 on ridges 15 adjacent to ridges 15 for which digging work has already been completed, the crops 16 may be run over by the tractor 2 pulling the digger 4. For this reason, conventionally, fallen crops 16 have been returned to the top surface 15a of the ridges 15 by hand. Conventionally, this work has been troublesome, but the digger 4 of this embodiment eliminates this work.

[0095] 2 and 6, the groove forming member 122 is disposed behind the ground leveling plate 113. By forming the groove 123 in the area left after the ground has been leveled by the ground leveling plate 113, the groove 123 can be clearly formed. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the groove forming member 122 is disposed inward in the machine width direction K1 from the end 113a of the ground leveling plate 113 in the machine width direction K1. Therefore, the depression formed in the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 by the ground leveling plate 113 and the groove 123 formed in the area left after the ground has been leveled by the groove forming member 122 have a synergistic effect, which enhances the fall prevention effect of preventing the crops 16 from falling off the ridge 15.

[0096] 17, the groove forming member 122 is disposed on the outer side of the elastic guide plate 96 in the machine width direction K1. As shown in FIG. 14, the groove forming member 122 overlaps with the elastic guide plate 96 in side view. By disposing the groove forming member 122 on the outer side of the elastic guide plate 96 in the machine width direction K1 so as to overlap with the elastic guide plate 96 in side view, the crop 16 that is transported rearward and upward by the conveying body 25 and falls onto the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 at the rear end side 25a of the conveying body 25 can be guided by the crop guiding device 92 to the inner side of the groove forming member 122 in the machine width direction K1, and the crop 16 that falls from the conveying body 25 can be prevented from directly hitting the groove forming member 122.

[0097] 18 and 19, the groove forming member 122 is formed by a wheel. In this embodiment, the groove forming member 122 is formed by a wheel with a tire attached to the outer periphery of the wheel. As shown in Fig. 2, the groove forming members 122 are attached to the machine frame 17. Specifically, the groove forming members 122 are attached to both sides in the machine width direction K1 at the rear of the machine frame 17. More specifically, the first groove forming member 122L is attached to the rear of the first side frame 18L (the second frame member 35 of the first side frame 18L), and the second groove forming member 122R is attached to the rear of the second side frame 18R (the second frame member 35 of the second side frame 18R). Therefore, the groove forming members 122 support the rear of the machine frame 17.

[0098] 18 and 19, the groove forming member 122 is attached to the second frame member 35 via a mounting device 124. The mounting device 124 has a mounting plate 125, a support bracket 126, a support cylinder 127, a support member 128, and a stay (wheel stay) 129. The mounting plate 125 is attached via bolts or the like to the outer surface of the second frame member 35 in the aircraft width direction K1. The mounting plate 125 has a mounting portion 125a that protrudes rearward from the second frame member 35.

[0099] The support bracket 126 is formed in a square tubular shape having an axis extending in the aircraft width direction K1, and the outer portion in the aircraft width direction K1 passes through the mounting portion 125a of the mounting plate 125 and is welded and fixed to the mounting portion 125a. Therefore, the support bracket 126 protrudes inward in the aircraft width direction K1 from the mounting plate 125. The support tube 127 is formed in a rectangular tube shape having an axis extending in the vertical direction, and is arranged on the inner side of the support bracket 126 in the machine width direction K1 and fixed to the inner end of the support bracket 126 in the machine width direction K1 by welding or the like.

[0100] The support column member 128 is formed in the shape of a square tube having an axis extending in the vertical direction, and is inserted through the support column 127 so as to be relatively movable in the vertical direction. The support column member 128 is fixed to the support column 127 by a pin 130 that passes through the support column 127 and the support column member 128. The support column member 128 is formed with a plurality of pin insertion holes 131 (holes through which the pins 130 are inserted) arranged at intervals in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction). Therefore, the position of the groove forming member 122 in the vertical direction is adjustable.

[0101] The wheel stay 129 has a front portion fixed to the lower portion of the support member 128 and protrudes rearward from the support member 128. A scraper 133 is attached to the wheel stay 129. The groove forming member 122 is disposed inward of the wheel stay 129 in the vehicle width direction K1, and is The trench forming member 122 is supported rotatably about an axis extending in the machine width direction K1 via a support 132. When the excavator 4 is pulled forward by the tractor 2 and moves forward, the trench forming member 122 rolls on the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 while rolling forward.

[0102] 1, a stand member 134 is provided at the front of the machine casing 17. The stand member 134 is changeable between a stand position X1 (a position indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1) where it supports the machine casing 17 and a retracted position X2 (a position indicated by a solid line in FIG. 1) where it is retracted upward from the stand position X1. 1, the groove forming member 122 can be moved downward from a groove forming position X3 (position shown by a solid line in FIG. 1) where grooves are formed in the ridges 15, to a machine frame support position X4 (position shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1) where the groove forming member 122 supports the machine frame 17 in cooperation with the stand member 134 located at the stand position X1. In other words, the groove forming member 122 also serves as a stand member when the digger 4 is removed from the tractor 2 and stored (to make the digger 4 stand on its own) (for example, when storing it).

[0103] Furthermore, by attaching the left support member 128 to the right support tube 127 and the right support member 128 to the left support tube 127, that is, by switching the left and right trench forming members 122, the trench forming member 122 can be configured to roll in the inter-furrow 15 furrows (the furrows between furrows 15) during the crop 16 digging operation, and function as a gauge wheel supporting the machine frame 17.

[0104] Furthermore, the groove forming member 122 is not limited to a wheel shape, and may be formed in, for example, a skid shape (sled shape). In short, the groove forming member 122 may be formed in any shape that can form a groove on the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15. The digging machine 4 of the above embodiment comprises a machine frame 17, a digging tool 20 provided at the front of the machine frame 17 and digging up crops 16 grown in the field 14 as the machine frame 17 moves forward, an endless rotor 55 provided at the rear of the digging tool 20 and transporting the crops 16 dug up by the digging tool 20, and an adjustment mechanism 70 that can adjust the tension of the endless rotor 55 and change the position of the digging tool 20 in conjunction with adjusting the tension of the endless rotor 55.

[0105] According to this configuration, when the tension of the endless rotor 55 is adjusted, the position of the digging tool 20 is also changed in conjunction with the adjustment of the tension of the endless rotor 55, so that the distance between the digging tool 20 and the endless rotor 55 can be maintained constant. It also has a drive wheel 53 that rotates the endless rotating body 55 and a driven wheel 54 that follows the rotation of the endless rotating body 55, and the adjustment mechanism 70 changes the position of the digging tool 20 by adjusting the center distance 71 between the drive wheel 53 and the driven wheel 54.

[0106] In this configuration, the adjustment mechanism 70 changes the position of the digging tool 20 while adjusting the center distance 71 between the drive wheel 53 and the driven wheel 54, so that even if the tension of the endless rotating body 55 is adjusted, the distance between the digging tool 20 and the endless rotating body 55 can be kept constant. The adjustment mechanism 70 also has an adjustment member 73 that adjusts the tension of the endless rotating body 55 by moving the driven wheel 54 relative to the drive wheel 53 in an adjustment direction 72, which is the direction connecting the center 53c of the drive wheel 53 and the center 54a of the driven wheel 54, and a connecting member 74 connected to the adjustment member 73 and the digging tool 20.

[0107] According to this configuration, when driven wheel 54 is moved in adjustment direction 72 by adjustment member 73, connecting member 74 connected to adjustment member 73 and digging tool 20 connected to connecting member 74 also move together with adjustment member 73. This makes it possible to adjust the tension of endless rotating body 55 while changing the position of digging tool 20 in conjunction with the adjustment of the tension of endless rotating body 55. The adjustment mechanism 70 also has a support shaft 58 that supports the driven wheel 54, and that passes through the adjustment member 73 and the connecting member 74 and moves integrally with the adjustment member 73 and the connecting member 74 in the adjustment direction 72.

[0108] According to this configuration, the adjustment member 73 and the connecting member 74 can be connected by the support shaft 58 that supports the driven wheel 54, thereby simplifying the structure. The machine frame 17 has a pair of side frames 18 arranged at an interval in the machine width direction K1, which is the width direction of the machine frame 17. The digging tool 20 and the endless rotor 55 are mounted on the pair of side frames 18. The adjustment member 73 is arranged between the side frames 18, the adjustment member 73 is arranged on the outer side of the side frames 18 in the machine width direction K1, the connecting member 74 is arranged on the inner side of the side frames 18 in the machine width direction K1, and the support shaft passes through a long hole 77 formed in the side frame 18 in the adjustment direction 72 and is movable within the long hole 77.

[0109] According to this configuration, the adjustment member 73 can be operated from outside the machine casing 17, improving operability. The adjustment mechanism 70 also has a guide shaft 75 that guides the adjustment member 73 and the connecting member 74 in the adjustment direction 72 relative to the side frame 18, and which penetrates the adjustment member 73 and the connecting member 74 and is movable integrally with the adjustment member 73 and the connecting member 74 in the adjustment direction 72, and which also penetrates a guide hole 78 that is long in the adjustment direction 72 and is formed in the side frame 18 and is movable within the guide hole 78 in the adjustment direction 72.

[0110] According to this configuration, the adjustment member 73 and the connecting member 74 can be moved stably. The adjustment mechanism 70 also has an operating mechanism 76 that moves and adjusts the adjustment member 73 in the adjustment direction 72 and fixes it at the adjusted position. According to this configuration, the adjustment member 73 can be moved and fixed by the operation mechanism 76.

[0111] The operating mechanism 76 is provided on the outer side of the side frame 18 in the machine width direction K1. According to this configuration, the operation mechanism 76 can be operated from outside the machine casing 17, improving operability. Also provided is a mounting member 41 to which the digging tool 20 is attached, the mounting member 41 being attached to the connecting member 74 so that the angle of the digging tool 20 relative to the horizontal can be adjusted.

[0112] According to this configuration, the position of the digging tool 20 can be changed in conjunction with the adjustment of the tension of the endless rotor 55, and the angle of the digging tool 20 relative to the horizontal can be adjusted. The adjustment mechanism 70 also includes a first adjustment mechanism 70L provided on one side of the machine casing 17 in the machine width direction K1, and a second adjustment mechanism 70R provided on the other side of the machine casing 17 in the machine width direction K1. According to this configuration, the tension of the endless rotating body 55 can be adjusted on both sides of the endless rotating body 55 using the first adjustment mechanism 70L and the second adjustment mechanism 70R, thereby allowing the tension of the endless rotating body 55 to be adjusted well.

[0113] Also provided is a connecting bar 79 that connects the connecting member 74 of the first adjustment mechanism 70L and the connecting member 74 of the second adjustment mechanism 70R. This configuration can prevent misalignment between the connecting member 74 of the first adjustment mechanism 70L and the connecting member 74 of the second adjustment mechanism 70R. In addition, the drive wheel 53 may be arranged at the rear of the machine frame 17, the driven wheel 54 may be arranged at the front of the machine frame 17 and behind the digging tool 20, and the endless rotating body 55 may be configured to have a number of conveying rods 61 arranged in a loop in parallel with gaps in the direction of rotation of the endless rotating body 55, to which power is transmitted from the drive wheel 53, and an endless belt 62 made of an elastic material that connects the many conveying rods 61 to each other and is wrapped around the driven wheel 54.

[0114] The digger 4 also comprises a machine frame 17, a digging tool 20 that is provided at the front of the machine frame 17 and digs up the crops 16 cultivated on the ridges 15 as the machine frame 17 moves forward, a conveying body 25 that transports the crops 16 dug up by the digging tool 20 rearward and upward and drops them onto the upper surface 15a of the ridges 15 at the rear end, and a groove forming member 122 that is positioned behind the end side of the conveying body 25 in the machine width direction K1, which is the width direction of the machine frame 17, and forms a groove 123 in the ridges 15.

[0115] According to this configuration, grooves 123 are formed in ridges 15 by groove forming member 122, thereby preventing crops 16 that have fallen from conveying body 25 from falling off ridges 15. In other words, grooves 123 formed in ridges 15 by groove forming member 122 can stop crops 16 that have fallen from conveying body 25 from rolling over upper surface 15a of ridges 15, thereby preventing crops 16 from falling off ridges 15.

[0116] The groove forming member 122 is formed so that the groove forming member 122 is positioned closer to the inside of the machine width direction K1 than the end of the conveying body 25 in the machine width direction K1. It is placed on one side. According to this configuration, if the groove forming member 122 is positioned closer to the end of the conveying body 25 in the machine width direction K1, there is a risk that the groove forming member 122 will collapse the end side of the ridge 15 in the machine width direction. However, by positioning the groove forming member 122 more inward in the machine width direction K1 than the end of the conveying body 25 in the machine width direction K1, the groove 123 formed by the groove forming member 122 is formed away from the end side of the ridge 15 in the machine width direction, thereby preventing the ridge 15 from collapsing.

[0117] In addition, the groove forming member 122 includes a first groove forming member 122L located on one end side of the conveying body 25 in the machine width direction K1 and positioned more inward in the machine width direction K1 than the one end, and a second groove forming member 122R located on the other end side of the conveying body 25 in the machine width direction K1 and positioned more inward in the machine width direction K1 than the other end. According to this configuration, by forming grooves 123 on both sides of the intended fall position of the crop 16 when it falls from the conveying body 25, the fall prevention effect of preventing the crop 16 from falling off the ridge 15 can be improved.

[0118] Moreover, the groove forming member 122 is disposed so as to overlap with the conveying body 25 in rear view. According to this configuration, the groove forming member 122 is formed at a height that overlaps with the conveying body 25 when viewed from behind, so that the crops 16 can be prevented from falling over the groove forming member 122 and down the ridge 15 while falling from the conveying body 25.

[0119] In addition, a leveling board 113 for leveling the upper surface 15 a of the ridge 15 is provided below the rear side of the conveying body 25 , and the groove forming member 122 is disposed behind the leveling board 113 . According to this configuration, the grooves 123 formed by the groove forming members 122 are formed on the upper surface 15a of the ridges 15 after the ground has been leveled by the ground leveling board 113. This allows the grooves 123 to be formed clearly.

[0120] The groove forming member 122 is disposed on the inner side in the machine width direction K1 than the end of the ground leveling plate 113 in the machine width direction K1. According to this configuration, the grooves 123 can be reliably formed on the upper surface 15 a of the ridges 15 after the ground has been leveled by the ground leveling board 113 . It also has a crop guide device 92 that guides the crops 16 that are transported rearward and upward by the transport body 25 and dropped onto the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15 at the rear end of the transport body 25 to the inner side of the furrow forming member 122 in the machine width direction K1.

[0121] According to this configuration, the crops 16 can be dropped on the inner side of the groove 123 formed by the groove forming member 122 in the machine width direction K1, i.e., on the center side of the ridge 15, and the crops 16 falling from the conveying body 25 can be prevented from falling off the ridge 15. The crop guide device 92 also has a guide plate 94 that is arranged above the conveying body 25 and guides the crops 16 on the conveying body 25 to the rear of the conveying body 25, and an elastic guide plate 96 that extends downward from the rear of the guide plate 94 and is formed from an elastic plate material that guides the crops 16 falling from the conveying body 25 to the upper surface 15a of the ridge 15, and the groove forming member 122 is arranged on the outer side of the elastic guide plate 96 in the machine width direction K1.

[0122] According to this configuration, elastic guide plate 96 can prevent crop 16 falling from conveyor 25 from hitting groove forming member 122 , and can protect crop 16 from groove forming member 122 . The crop guide device 92 also has a restricting member 97 that is positioned outward of the elastic guide plate 96 in the machine width direction K1 and that restricts the elastic guide plate 96 from deforming outward in the machine width direction K1.

[0123] According to this configuration, when the crop 16 hits the elastic guide plate 96, the elastic guide plate 96 deforms outward in the machine width direction K1, preventing the crop 16 from rolling outward in the machine width direction K1. The groove forming member 122 also forms grooves 123 on the widthwise end side of the ridge 15 and on the upper surface 15a side.

[0124] According to this configuration, the crops 16 dropped from the conveyor 25 to the center of the width direction of the ridges 15 are Grooves 123 formed on the widthwise end sides of the upper surface 15a of ridges 15 can prevent crops 16 from falling off ridges 15. In addition, the excavator 4 is mounted on the rear of the running body (tractor 2) so that it can be raised and lowered, and the trench forming member 122 is attached to both sides of the rear of the machine frame 17 in the machine width direction K1 and is composed of wheels that support the machine frame 17.

[0125] With this configuration, trench forming member 122 is attached to the rear of traveling body 2 to support the rear of excavator 4 which performs digging work, and can also form trenches 123 in ridges 15. In other words, trench forming member 122 functions both as a support wheel which supports the rear of excavator 4 and as a function which forms trenches 123 in ridges 15. The machine frame 17 is also provided with a stand member 134 which is provided at the front of the machine frame 17 and can be moved between a stand position X1 that supports the machine frame 17 and a retracted position X2 that is retracted upward from the stand position X1, and the groove forming member 122 can be moved downward from a groove forming position X3 where it forms grooves in the ridges 15 to a machine frame supporting position X4 where it supports the machine frame 17 in cooperation with the stand member 134 at the stand position X1.

[0126] According to this configuration, the groove forming member 122 can function as a stand member for the excavator 4 to stand on its own. Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the embodiment disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0127] 4 Excavator 14 Field 16 crops 17 machine frame 18 Side frame 20 Digging tools 41 Mounting material 55 Endless rotating body 53 Drive wheels 53c center 54 Driven wheels 54a center 58 Spindle 61 Transport rod 62 endless belt 70 Adjustment mechanism 70L 1st adjustment mechanism 70R 2nd adjustment mechanism 71 Center distance 72 Adjustment direction 73 Adjustment member 74 Connecting member 75 Guide shaft 76 Operating mechanism 77 slotted hole 78 Guide hole 79 Connecting bar K1 Machine width direction

Claims

1. The machine frame and a digging tool provided at the front of the machine frame and configured to dig up crops grown in the field as the machine frame moves forward; an endless rotor provided behind the digging tool for transporting the crops dug up by the digging tool; a drive wheel that rotates the endless rotating body and a driven wheel that is driven by the rotation of the endless rotating body; an adjustment mechanism that can adjust the tension of the endless rotor and change the position of the digging tool in conjunction with the adjustment of the tension of the endless rotor; Equipped with The adjustment mechanism includes: an adjustment member that moves the driven wheel relative to the drive wheel in an adjustment direction to adjust the tension of the endless rotating body; a connecting member connected to the adjustment member and the digging tool; a support shaft that supports the driven wheel and penetrates the adjustment member and the connecting member to move integrally with the adjustment member and the connecting member in the adjustment direction; An excavator having:

2. The digging machine according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism changes the position of the digging tool in addition to adjusting the center distance between the drive wheel and the driven wheel.

3. 3. The excavator according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment direction is a direction connecting the center of the driving wheel and the center of the driven wheel.

4. The machine frame has a pair of side frames arranged at an interval in a machine width direction, which is a width direction of the machine frame, The digging tool and the endless rotor are disposed between the pair of side frames, the adjustment member is disposed on an outer side of the side frame in the vehicle width direction, the connecting member is disposed on an inner side of the side frame in the vehicle width direction, The excavator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the support shaft passes through an elongated hole formed in the side frame and is long in the adjustment direction, and is movable within the elongated hole.

5. The excavator described in claim 4, wherein the adjustment mechanism has a guide shaft that guides the adjustment member and the connecting member in the adjustment direction relative to the side frame, passes through the adjustment member and the connecting member and is movable integrally with the adjustment member and the connecting member in the adjustment direction, and passes through a guide hole formed in the side frame that is long in the adjustment direction and is movable within the guide hole in the adjustment direction.

6. 6. The excavator according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism has an operating mechanism that moves and adjusts the adjustment member in the adjustment direction and fixes it at the adjusted position.

7. 7. The excavator according to claim 6, wherein the operating mechanism is provided on the outer side of the side frame in the machine width direction.

8. An excavator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising an attachment member to which the digging tool is attached, the attachment member being attached to the connecting member so that the angle of the digging tool relative to the horizontal can be adjusted.

9. An excavator according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a first adjustment mechanism provided on one side of the machine frame in the machine width direction, and a second adjustment mechanism provided on the other side of the machine frame in the machine width direction.

10. The excavator according to claim 9, further comprising a connecting bar connecting the connecting member of the first adjustment mechanism and the connecting member of the second adjustment mechanism.

11. the drive wheels are disposed at the rear of the machine frame; the driven wheel is located in front of the machine frame and behind the digging tool; The endless rotating body is an excavator described in any one of claims 1 to 10, which has a number of conveying rods arranged in a loop in parallel with gaps in the direction of rotation of the endless rotating body, to which power is transmitted from the drive wheel, and an endless belt made of an elastic material that connects the number of conveying rods to each other and is wrapped around the driven wheel.

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