Sugar cane harvester

Abstract

The present invention is provided with: front wheels for supporting the front part of a machine body; rear wheels 2 for supporting the rear part of the machine body; a travel drive mechanism 38 for driving the rear wheels 2; and a support frame 40 for supporting the travel drive mechanism 38. The support frame 40 is provided with a first rear-upwardly extending part 40e positioned to the rear of the axle of the rear wheels 2 and having a bottom surface formed in a rear-upwardly extending shape.

Description

sugarcane harvester

[0001] The present invention relates to a sugarcane harvester.

[0002] The sugarcane harvester is configured to have a cutting unit at the front of the machine body, the machine body being supported by front and rear wheels, the rear wheels being driven by a traveling drive mechanism to move the machine while harvesting, and the height of the crop cut by the cutting unit being changed by changing the height of the front of the machine body relative to the front wheels. Conventionally, the support frame that supports the traveling drive mechanism has a linear underside that runs along the front-to-rear direction (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] JP 2022-101186 A

[0004] When harvesting crops with a sugarcane harvester, the crops may be planted in a ridged field. In such cases, the left and right rear wheels must travel at a low position on both sides of the ridge, and the height of the reaping unit that reaps the crops at the top of the ridge must be adjusted to a higher position relative to the rear wheels to perform the harvesting work. Furthermore, the traveling drive mechanism must be installed at a low position near the rear axle in order to drive the rear wheels, and the support frame that supports the traveling drive mechanism must also be installed at a low position on the machine body.

[0005] As a result, the front of the machine swings upward around the rear wheels, causing the rear of the machine to drop downward, which in the conventional configuration could cause the support frame supporting the travel drive mechanism to come into contact with the field and be damaged.

[0006] Therefore, there has been a demand for a sugarcane harvester that can reduce the risk of damage to the machine body even when harvesting work is performed in a field with ridges.

[0007] The sugarcane harvester of the present invention is characterized by the fact that it is equipped with front wheels that support the front of the machine body, rear wheels that support the rear of the machine body, a travel drive mechanism that drives the rear wheels, and a support frame that supports the travel drive mechanism, and that the support frame is equipped with a first rear-rising portion that is located rearward of the axle of the rear wheels and has an underside that is formed in a rear-rising shape.

[0008] According to the present invention, the support frame that supports the traveling drive mechanism is provided with a first rear-rising portion. That is, the support frame has a lower surface that rises rearward behind the axle of the rear wheels. As a result, even when harvesting is performed in a ridged field, for example, and the cutting part at the front of the machine body is swung upward around the rear wheels so that it is in a high position, the support frame is less likely to come into contact with the ground.

[0009] Therefore, it has become possible to provide a sugarcane harvester that can reduce the risk of damage to the machine body even when harvesting work is carried out in a ridged field.

[0010] In the present invention, it is preferable that the support frame is provided with a right-side front-rear frame portion located on the right side of the aircraft and extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the aircraft, and a left-side front-and-aft frame portion located on the left side of the aircraft and extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the aircraft, and that the right-side front-and-aft frame portion and the left-side front-and-aft frame portion are provided with the first rear rising portion.

[0011] According to this configuration, the support frame includes a right-side front-rear frame portion and a left-side front-rear frame portion that extend in the fore-and-aft direction of the machine body, so that both the left and right sides of the machine body can be protected over a long range in the fore-and-aft direction. In addition, the right-side front-rear frame portion and the left-side front-rear frame portion are provided with the first rear rising portion, so that the right-side front-rear frame portion and the left-side front-rear frame portion can easily be prevented from coming into contact with the field surface.

[0012] In the present invention, it is preferable that the travel drive mechanism is fixed to the right front and left front and rear frame portions.

[0013] According to this configuration, the travel drive mechanism can be stably supported by the right front and left front frame portions while being supported on both the left and right sides.

[0014] In the present invention, a discharge conveyor is provided which transports the harvested product upward outside the body of the machine and discharges it outside the machine, and it is preferable that a conveyor support section which supports the discharge conveyor is provided at the rear of the support frame, and that the conveyor support section is provided with a second rear-rising section whose lower surface is formed in a rear-rising shape.

[0015] According to this configuration, the conveyor support portion located at the rear of the support frame is provided with the second rear rising portion, which makes it easier to avoid the conveyor support portion coming into contact with the field surface.

[0016] In the present invention, it is preferable that the farm machinery is provided with a cutting unit that cuts crops and a transport unit that transports the cut crops rearward, and that the support frame is fixed to the transport unit.

[0017] According to this configuration, the conveying section is configured to have high rigidity in order to convey crops cut by the cutting section rearward, and the support frame is firmly supported by using such a conveying section.

[0018] In the present invention, it is preferable that the support frame is detachably fixed to the transport device.

[0019] According to this configuration, the support frame can be removed from the transport unit, making it easy to perform maintenance on the travel drive mechanism.

[0020] In the present invention, a lifting device is provided that can change the height of the cutting unit and the conveying unit relative to the front wheels, and it is preferable that the cutting unit and the conveying unit are raised and lowered relative to the front wheels by lifting and lowering operation of the lifting device, with the rear wheels as a fulcrum.

[0021] According to this configuration, the mowing height, i.e., the height from the ground to the point where the crops are mowed, can be changed by changing the height of the mowing unit and the transport unit relative to the front wheels. Because the mowing unit and the transport unit are raised and lowered relative to the front wheels, using the rear wheels as a fulcrum, increasing the mowing height increases the risk of the rear side of the rear wheels moving downward and coming into contact with the ground. However, even with this configuration, the provision of the first rear rising portion prevents the support frame from coming into contact with the ground.

[0022] Fig. 1 is an overall side view of the sugarcane harvester. Fig. 2 is an overall plan view of the sugarcane harvester. Fig. 3 is a side view showing a connection structure between a conveying device and a support frame. Fig. 4 is a bottom view showing a connection structure between a conveying device and a support frame. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a driving section. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a side panel. Fig. 7 is a control block diagram. Fig. 8 is a control block diagram. Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a discharge conveyor.

[0023] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a sugarcane harvester according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, F indicates the forward direction, B indicates the backward direction, U indicates the upward direction, D indicates the downward direction, R indicates the rightward direction, and L indicates the leftward direction.

[0024] 1 and 2, the sugarcane harvester is equipped with front wheels 1 that support the front of the machine body and rear wheels 2 that support the rear of the machine body, and the machine body, which is the entire sugarcane harvester, is supported by the left and right front wheels 1 and the left and right rear wheels 2. The machine body is equipped with a reaping unit 3 that reaps the crops, a transport device 4 as a transport unit that transports the harvested crops rearward and upward, a separation device 5 as a post-processing unit connected to the rear of the transport device 4, a discharge conveyor 6 that extends diagonally upward from a position below the separation device 5, a driving unit 7 and an engine 8 that are provided above the reaping unit 3 and the transport device 4.

[0025] As the machine advances, the reaping unit 3 cuts the bases of the crops in the field to harvest them, and the harvested crops are transported rearward by the conveying device 4. When the crops reach the end of the conveying device 4, they are shredded by a chopper (shredding device) provided at the end of the conveying device 4 and supplied to the separating device 5. The shredded crops pass downward inside the separating device 5 and fall into a hopper 6b at the front of the discharge conveyor 6. Inside the separating device 5, sorting air is supplied to the crops, and the debris is separated, blown away, and discharged.

[0026] The crops (harvested goods) that fall into the hopper 6b of the discharge conveyor 6 are transported upward outside the machine body by the discharge conveyor 6, and are then released from the discharge section 6a at the top rear of the discharge conveyor 6 onto the loading platform of an accompanying transport vehicle such as a truck (not shown) for collection.

[0027] (Configuration of Reaping Unit) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the reaping unit 3 has left and right screws 9, a toppling device 10, a cutting device 11, an upper cutting device (hereinafter referred to as a topper) 87, and the like.

[0028] There are provided right inner and outer screws 9 and left inner and outer screws 9, and the screws 9 are configured in a shape in which a helical body is attached to the outer periphery of an elongated cylindrical main body.

[0029] A hydraulic motor 12 is provided above the screw 9, and an electromagnetically operated control valve 62 is provided to supply and discharge hydraulic oil to the hydraulic motor 12, and the screw 9 is driven to rotate about an axis extending in the up-and-down direction by the hydraulic motor 12. Left and right first hydraulic cylinders 13 are provided that can change the height of the left and right screws 9, and an electromagnetically operated control valve 63 is provided to the first hydraulic cylinders 13 to supply and discharge hydraulic oil.

[0030] The tipping device 10 is provided behind the screw 9 and includes a sweeping roller that sweeps the crops rearward while pushing them down so that they fall forward. The tipping device 10 is driven to rotate around a left-right axis by a hydraulic motor 14. An electromagnetically operated control valve 64 is provided to supply and discharge hydraulic oil to the hydraulic motor 14.

[0031] The left and right cutting devices 11 are provided behind the felling device 10 and have rotary blades that are rotatably supported around vertical axes. The rotary blades are driven to rotate by hydraulic motors 15. An electromagnetically operated control valve 65 is provided to the hydraulic motors 15 to supply and discharge hydraulic oil.

[0032] The topper 87 is supported above the screw 9 and has a rotary blade that is supported rotatably around an axis that extends in the vertical direction. The rotary blade is rotationally driven by a hydraulic motor 16. A second hydraulic cylinder 101 that can change the height of the topper 87 is provided.

[0033] As the machine moves forward, the left and right screws 9 separate the crops to be harvested from the crops to be left in the field, while the top leaves of the crops to be harvested are cut off by the topper 87 and the crops to be harvested are introduced between the left and right screws 9. The crops introduced between the left and right screws 9 are then felled forward by the felling device 10, and the bases of the plants are cut off by the cutting device 11, and the crops are supplied to the conveying device 4 from the bases of the plants.

[0034] 1, 2, and 7, the conveying device 4 has left and right side panels (not shown) that are arranged in a front-to-rear direction with an upward tilt at the rear, and an upper rotor (not shown) and a lower rotor (not shown) are supported by the side panels at a distance in the direction in which the crops are conveyed. The upper and lower rotors are driven to rotate in opposite directions about axes that extend in the left-to-right direction, so that the crops are sandwiched between the upper and lower rotors and conveyed rearward so that the base of the crop leads the top of the crop.

[0035] Choppers (not shown) are provided on the upper and lower rotors located at the end of the conveying section of the conveying device 4, and when the crop reaches the end of the conveying section of the conveying device 4, the choppers cut the crop into predetermined lengths and supply them to the separating device 5. Hydraulic motors 17 are provided to rotate the upper and lower rotors, and electromagnetically operated control valves 67 are provided to supply and discharge hydraulic oil to the hydraulic motors 17.

[0036] 1, 2 and 7, the separating device 5 has a cylindrical main body 18 connected to the rear of the conveying device 4 and arranged along the vertical direction, and a blower 19 supported inside the main body 18 so as to be rotatable about an axis that also extends along the vertical direction. The blower 19 is rotationally driven by a hydraulic motor 20.

[0037] When the shredded crops are supplied from the conveying device 4 to the main body 18, the crops pass downward inside the main body 18 and fall into the hopper 6b of the discharge conveyor 6. A blower 19 generates a sorting wind from the bottom to the top of the main body 18, which separates the waste from the crops and blows it upward to be discharged from the discharge outlet 18a at the top of the main body 18.

[0038] 1, 2, and 7, the discharge conveyor 6 has left and right frames (not shown) arranged in a rear-upward tilted position, and a conveyor belt (not shown) rotatably supported between the left and right frames. A hydraulic motor 21 is provided to rotate the conveyor belt, and an electromagnetically operated control valve 71 is provided to supply and discharge hydraulic oil to the hydraulic motor 21. The discharge conveyor 6 is configured to be switchable between a conveying state in which the harvested products are conveyed and a reverse state in which the discharge conveyor 6 rotates in the direction opposite to the rotation direction in the conveying state. The conveying state is achieved by driving the hydraulic motor 21 in the forward direction, and the reverse state is achieved by driving the hydraulic motor 21 in the reverse direction.

[0039] A hopper 6b is provided at the front of the discharge conveyor 6, and the crops from the separator 5 can be received and stored in the hopper 6b. A discharge section 6a is provided at the rear end of the discharge conveyor 6, and a guide member 23 is provided at the discharge section 6a of the discharge conveyor 6, and the orientation of the guide member 23 can be changed up and down by an electric motor 24. By changing the orientation of the guide member 23 up and down, the orientation of the crops discharged from the discharge section 6a of the discharge conveyor 6 can be changed up and down.

[0040] The discharge conveyor 6 is supported so as to be swingable left and right about a vertical axis P1 that passes through the conveyance starting end of the discharge conveyor 6 in the up-down direction, and is supported so as to be swingable up and down with the front part of the discharge conveyor 6 as a fulcrum. A third hydraulic cylinder 22 that can swing the discharge conveyor 6 left and right, and a fourth hydraulic cylinder 33 that can swing the discharge conveyor 6 up and down are provided, and electromagnetically operated control valves 72 and 73 that supply and discharge hydraulic oil to the third hydraulic cylinder 22 and the fourth hydraulic cylinder 33 are provided.

[0041] By swinging the discharge conveyor 6 left and right, the orientation of the discharge conveyor 6 and the position of the discharge portion 6a of the discharge conveyor 6 can be changed left and right. By swinging the discharge conveyor 6 up and down, the position of the discharge portion 6a of the discharge conveyor 6 can be changed up and down.

[0042] (Configuration of Support for Front Wheels) A fifth hydraulic cylinder 29 is provided as a lifting device that raises and lowers the front wheels 1 relative to the machine body. By raising and lowering the front wheels 1 relative to the machine body through the lifting and lowering operation of the fifth hydraulic cylinder 29, the front part of the machine body including the reaping unit 3 and the transport device 4 can be raised and lowered with the rear wheels 2 that come into contact with the field as a fulcrum. In addition, by rotating the main body 29a of the fifth hydraulic cylinder 29 with the sixth hydraulic cylinder 30, the front wheels 1 can be steered.

[0043] The fifth hydraulic cylinders 29 are arranged vertically on the right and left sides of the front of the machine body corresponding to the left and right front wheels 1. As shown in Figure 8, the piston 29b of the fifth hydraulic cylinder 29 is connected to the machine body. The main body 29a of the fifth hydraulic cylinder 29 is supported rotatably about the axis of the fifth hydraulic cylinder 29 by a support arm 31 that is supported on the machine body so as to be able to swing up and down. Note that for simplification, Figure 8 shows only one of the left and right fifth hydraulic cylinders 29.

[0044] A sixth hydraulic cylinder 30 is provided to rotate a main body 29a of the fifth hydraulic cylinder 29 relative to the piston 29b of the fifth hydraulic cylinder 29, and the front wheels 1 are rotatably supported by the main body 29a of the fifth hydraulic cylinder 29. An electromagnetically operated control valve 79 is provided to the fifth hydraulic cylinder 29 to supply and discharge hydraulic oil, and a mechanically operated control valve 80 is provided to the sixth hydraulic cylinder 30 to supply and discharge hydraulic oil.

[0045] (Configuration of Transmission System to Rear Wheels and Support Structure) As shown in Figure 8, a hydrostatic continuously variable transmission 26 is provided as a transmission for traveling. The hydrostatic continuously variable transmission 26 has a hydraulic pump 26a connected to the engine 8 and a hydraulic motor 26b provided at the rear of the vehicle, and the hydraulic pump 26a and the hydraulic motor 26b are connected by a hydraulic hose 26c. The hydrostatic continuously variable transmission 26 is configured to be able to continuously change speed from the neutral position to the forward side or the reverse side by changing the angle of the swash plate of the hydraulic pump 26a.

[0046] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a travel drive mechanism 38 for driving the rear wheels 2 is provided between the left and right rear wheels 2. The travel drive mechanism 38 includes a transmission case 38a that houses the hydraulic motor 26b of the hydrostatic continuously variable transmission 26, an auxiliary transmission (not shown), and a gear-type transmission mechanism (not shown) that branches and transmits power to the left and right rear wheels 2, left and right axle cases 38b that extend to both the left and right sides from the transmission case 38a, and left and right reduction cases 38c that are provided on the outer ends of the left and right axle cases 38b and have gear-type reduction mechanisms (not shown) that reduce the power. The transmission case 38a, the axle case 38b, and the left and right reduction cases 38c are integrally connected. The auxiliary transmission is configured as a gear-shift type and can be changed between two speeds: high and low. The auxiliary transmission is switched by operating an auxiliary speed change lever 53 (see Figure 5).

[0047] 4, there is provided a support frame 40 that supports the traveling drive mechanism 38. The support frame 40 includes a right front-rear frame portion 40a located on the right side of the machine body and extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the machine body, a left front-rear frame portion 40b located on the left side of the machine body and extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the machine body, two lateral connecting frame portions 40c, 40c that connect these, and a conveyor support portion 40d that supports the discharge conveyor 6.

[0048] The travel drive mechanism 38 is fixed to the right front and left front and rear frame portions 40 a, 40 b. The left and right deceleration cases 38 c of the travel drive mechanism 38 are mounted on and supported by connecting portions 55 provided on the right front and left front and rear frame portions 40 a, 40 b, and are fixed by flange connection.

[0049] The support frame 40 is fixed at its front and rear to the transport device 4. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a front connector 56 is fixed integrally to the front of the transport device 4. The front end of the support frame 40 is connected to the front connector 56 by bolts. The front connectors 56 are provided on both the left and right sides corresponding to the right front and left front and rear frame portions 40a, 40b.

[0050] The right front connector 56 is bolted to the right front / rear frame 40a, and is also bolted to the right front frame 57 of the left and right front frame 57 located on the front side of the aircraft. The left front connector 56 is bolted to the left front / rear frame 40b, and is also bolted to the left front frame 57.

[0051] The left and right front frame portions 57 are spaced apart from each other by a distance greater than the distance between the right front-rear frame portion 40 a and the left front-rear frame portion 40 b. The front portion of the transport device 4 extends between the left and right front frame portions 57 and projects downwardly beyond the front frame portions 57.

[0052] Vertical frame portions 58 extending upward are provided at the rear of each of the right front and left front and rear frame portions 40a and 40b. Connecting structures 59 are fixed integrally to both the left and right sides of the rear of the transport device 4. The upper portions of the left and right vertical frame portions 58 are connected to the connecting structures 59 by bolts.

[0053] The connecting structure 59 is formed in a substantially triangular shape in a side view. The upper part of the vertical frame portion 58 is connected to the lower rear end of the connecting structure 59 with bolts, and the upper part of the reduction gear case 38c is connected to the lower front end of the connecting structure 59 with bolts.

[0054] 3, a first rear rising portion 40e, which is located rearward of the axle of the rear wheel 2 and has a rearward rising lower surface, is provided at the rear ends of the right front / rear frame portion 40a and the left front / rear frame portion 40b of the support frame 40. In addition, a second rear rising portion 40f, which is connected to the first rear rising portion 40e and has a rearward rising lower surface, is provided at the conveyor support portion 40d.

[0055] By providing the first rear rising portion 40e and the second rear rising portion 40f in this manner, for example, when the ridges formed in the field are high and the rear wheels 2 are running in the grooves on both sides of the ridges, the cutting height control described below can be performed and the front of the machine body can swing upward around the axle of the rear wheels 2 to match the height of the ridges, but the support frame 40 can be prevented from coming into contact with the ground.

[0056] When the traveling drive mechanism 38 needs to be removed for maintenance, the traveling drive mechanism 38 and the support frame 40 can be removed as a unit. That is, the bolt connections between the right front-rear frame portion 40a and the left front-rear frame portion 40b of the support frame 40 and the left and right front connectors 56 of the transport device 4 are released, and the bolt connections between the left and right vertical frame portions 58 and the left and right connecting structures 59 are released. Furthermore, the bolt connections between the traveling drive mechanism 38 (deceleration case 38c) and the connecting structures 59 are released, so that the traveling drive mechanism 38 and the support frame 40 can be removed as a unit. That is, the support frame 40 is detachably fixed to the transport device 4.

[0057] 1, 2, and 5, the driver's section 7 is covered by a cabin 41. The driver's section 7 is provided with a driver's seat 42, a steering post 43 provided in front of the driver's seat 42, a steering handle 44 supported on the upper part of the steering post 43, a side panel 54 provided on the upper part of an operation box located to the right of the driver's seat 42, a monitor device 34 supported on the right pillar 32 of the left and right pillars 32 of the cabin 41, and the like.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 5 , on the floor 46 of the driving section 7, a swing pedal 50 for commanding the left-right swing of the discharge conveyor 6 is disposed on the left side of the steering post 43, and a brake pedal 48 and a conveyor operating pedal 47 for commanding the on / off operation of the discharge conveyor 6 are disposed on the right side of the steering post 43.

[0059] Although not described in detail, the swing pedal 50 is supported by a support portion located below so that it can swing left and right about a longitudinal axis and is biased back to a neutral position. A detection sensor (not shown) is provided to detect the swing operation of the swing pedal 50, and can detect whether the swing pedal is depressed to the right or to the left. A locking device 61 is provided near the swing pedal 50 to hold the swing pedal 50 in the neutral position.

[0060] When depression of the swing pedal 50 to the right is detected, the third hydraulic cylinder 22 swings the discharge conveyor 6 to the right in a plan view. When depression of the swing pedal 50 to the left is detected, the third hydraulic cylinder 22 swings the discharge conveyor 6 to the left in a plan view. When depression of the swing pedal 50 is stopped, the neutral biasing force returns the swing pedal 50 to the neutral position, and the swinging of the discharge conveyor 6 is stopped.

[0061] The conveyor operating pedal 47 can be swung about a horizontal axis by being depressed, and is biased back to an upper standby position. The conveyor operating pedal 47 is equipped with a detection sensor (not shown) that detects that the pedal is depressed. The conveyor operating pedal 47 is depressed against the biasing force, and this is detected by the detection sensor. Information from the detection sensor is transmitted to the control device 100.

[0062] 7 and 8, a control device 100 is provided that controls the operation of actuators such as a plurality of hydraulic cylinders and a plurality of hydraulic motors. The control device 100 controls the operation of the corresponding actuators in accordance with commands issued by a plurality of operating tools provided in the driving unit 7 and a preset processing program.

[0063] The conveyor operating pedal 47 is configured so that when depressed, it switches to an ON state in which the discharge conveyor 6 is operated, and remains in the ON state even when the depression is released. When the conveyor operating pedal 47 is depressed again in the ON state, it switches to an OFF state in which the operation of the discharge conveyor 6 is stopped. Specifically, based on the detection information of the detection sensor, the control device 100 switches between an operating mode (ON state) in which the discharge conveyor 6 is operated and a stop mode (OFF state) in which the operation of the discharge conveyor 6 is stopped.

[0064] Once the operator operates the conveyor operating pedal 47 to switch it to the ON state, the ON state is maintained even if the operator stops depressing the conveyor operating pedal 47, which reduces the operator's burden by eliminating the need to continue depressing the conveyor operating pedal 47. In addition, the conveyor operating pedal can be switched to the OFF state by depressing it again.

[0065] The steering handle 44 is mechanically connected to the control valve 80. When an operator seated in the driver's seat 42 operates the steering handle 44 to operate the control valve 80, the front wheels 1 are steered by the sixth hydraulic cylinder 30.

[0066] The brake pedal 48 and the brake 28 are mechanically connected via a linkage mechanism 60. By applying a lock lever 49 to the brake pedal 48, the brake pedal 48 can be held in a depressed state and used as a parking brake.

[0067] (Configuration of Side Panel) As shown in FIG. 6, a main speed change lever 51 capable of changing the speed of the hydrostatic continuously variable transmission 26 is provided on the front left side of the side panel 54.

[0068] A plurality of operating tools are arranged in a row along the horizontal direction and in multiple rows in the front-to-rear direction on the side panel 54. The operating tools in the front row are forward / reverse switching type operating tools that instruct switching between forward and reverse rotation directions of rotary drive devices provided in various parts of the machine body, and the operating tools in the row behind the front row are variable adjustment type operating tools that can set various control target values.

[0069] The multiple operating tools will be described in detail below. As shown in Figure 6, the front row of the row of multiple operating tools is equipped with a transport device operating tool 36 that switches the operation of the transport device 4 as a rotary drive device, a topper operating tool 75 that switches the operation of the topper 87 as a rotary drive device, and a conveyor reversing operating tool 37 that serves as a reversing indicator that switches the operation of the discharge conveyor 6 as a rotary drive device, all lined up in that order from the driver's seat side. In addition, a weed removal command switch 76 that is used when performing weed removal work is provided at the right end of the front row.

[0070] The transport device operating tool 36, the topper operating tool 75, and the conveyor reversing operating tool 37 are configured as seesaw switches that can be manually pushed back and forth. The transport device operating tool 36 and the topper operating tool 75 can be operated from a central stop position to a forward rotation position and a reverse rotation position.

[0071] The conveyor reversing operation device 37 can be switched between a non-operating position and a reverse operating position, and is biased back to the non-operating position. That is, the conveyor reversing operation device 37 is normally in the non-operating position, can be manually operated to the reverse operating position against the biasing force, and returns to the non-operating position when released.

[0072] The control valves 62, 64, 65, and 67 are operated by the transport device operating tool 36, and the hydraulic motors 12, 14, 15, and 17 are activated. Under normal operating conditions, the transport device operating tool 36 is set to the forward rotation position. If an abnormality occurs, such as crops or the like clogging the reaping unit 3 or the transport device 4, the transport device operating tool 36 is set to the reverse rotation position to clear the clogging or the like in the reaping unit 3 or the transport device 4.

[0073] The control valve 66 is operated by the topper operating device 75, which activates the hydraulic motor 16. Under normal operating conditions, the topper operating device 75 is set to the forward rotation position. If an abnormality occurs, such as crops or the like clogging the topper 87, the topper operating device 75 is set to the reverse rotation position to clear the clogging of the topper 87.

[0074] The conveyor reversing operation device 37 is set to the inactive position (OFF) under normal operating conditions. When an abnormality occurs, such as when crops or the like are jammed in the discharge conveyor 6, the conveyor reversing operation device 37 is operated to the reverse operating position (ON) to clear the jam in the discharge conveyor. As will be explained below, the operation and stop of the discharge conveyor 6 are commanded by the conveyor operating pedal 47.

[0075] The switching operation of the discharge conveyor 6 will now be described. When the conveyor operating pedal 47 is depressed, it is switched to the on state (ON) as described above. When it is in the on state, the discharge conveyor 6 operates in the transport state unless the conveyor reversing operation device 37 commands switching to the reverse state. That is, the control valve 72 is switched to rotate the hydraulic motor 21 in the forward direction, thereby performing the discharge operation by the discharge conveyor 6. Then, when the conveyor reversing operation device 37 commands switching to the reverse state, it is switched to the off state (OFF), and the control valve 72 is switched to rotate the hydraulic motor 21 in the reverse direction, thereby reversing the discharge conveyor 6.

[0076] When the conveyor operating pedal 47 is not depressed and is in the OFF state, the discharge conveyor 6 remains in the stopped state unless the conveyor reversing operation device 37 commands switching to the reverse state, and when the conveyor reversing operation device 37 commands switching to the reverse state, the discharge conveyor 6 switches to the reverse state.

[0077] As shown in Figure 9, when the conveyor reversing operation device 37 is operated to the inactive position (OFF) and the conveyor operating pedal 47 is depressed to turn on (ON), the discharge conveyor 6 operates in the forward direction. When the operation pedal is depressed again to turn off (OFF), the discharge conveyor 6 stops operating. Furthermore, regardless of whether the conveyor operating pedal 47 is in the on or off state (ON), when the conveyor reversing operation device 37 is operated to the reverse operating position (ON), the discharge conveyor 6 rotates in the reverse direction only while it is being operated.

[0078] The second row from the front on the side panel 54 is provided with a blower rotation speed adjuster 84, a reference height adjuster 85, and a reference load adjuster 86, which are variable adjustment type operating devices, lined up on the left and right.

[0079] The blower rotation speed adjuster 84 is a dial type that is rotated. By operating the blower rotation speed adjuster 84, the control valve 70 shown in Figure 14 is operated, and the rotation speed (an example of a control target value) of the hydraulic motor 20 (blower 19) is changed between high and low.

[0080] The reference height adjuster 85 is configured as a dial and is rotated. The reference height adjuster 85 allows the reference height (an example of a control target value) for mowing height control to be set, and the reference height can be changed to a higher or lower value. When the fifth hydraulic cylinder 29 is used to raise or lower the front part of the machine body (the mowing unit 3), the reference height is the limit value at which the lowering operation of the front part of the machine body (the mowing unit 3) is stopped.

[0081] The reference load adjuster 86 is a dial that is rotated to set the reference load (an example of a control target value) for cutting height control, and can change the reference load between high and low.

[0082] A load sensor (not shown) is provided to detect the load on the hydraulic motor 15 of the cutting device 11, and when the detected value of the load sensor becomes greater than the reference load, the fifth hydraulic cylinder 29 raises the front part of the machine body (the reaping unit 3) to reduce the load on the cutting device 11. When the detected load value returns to the reference load, the fifth hydraulic cylinder 29 lowers the front part of the machine body (the reaping unit 3).

[0083] The third row from the front of the side panel 54 is provided with a cutting height control operating device 81, an automatic storage operating device 83, and a work clutch switch 35.

[0084] The mowing height control operating device 81 is configured to be push-operated, and is operated to an active position and a stopped position by repeatedly pushing the operating device. The mowing height control is activated or deactivated depending on the operating position. In mowing height control, the front wheels 1 are raised or lowered relative to the machine body by the fifth hydraulic cylinder 29, thereby raising or lowering the front part of the machine body (the mowing unit 3) around the rear wheels 2 that are in contact with the field as a fulcrum. This makes it possible to change or adjust the height at which the crops are mowed by the mowing unit 3.

[0085] The automatic accumulation operating device 83 is configured to be push-operated, and is operated to an operating position and a stopped position by repeatedly pushing it. This activates and stops the automatic accumulation control. In the automatic accumulation control, when the hopper 6b of the discharge conveyor 6 becomes full with no crops on the discharge conveyor 6, the discharge conveyor 6 starts operating, and when the crops reach just before the discharge portion 6a of the discharge conveyor 6, the discharge conveyor 6 automatically stops.

[0086] The rearmost row of the side panel 54 is provided with an accelerator operating device 52 and a conveyor lift operating device 82. The accelerator operating device 52 is configured to be able to be held in any position by friction. Based on the operating position of the accelerator operating device 52, the speed governor 88 is operated by the control device 100.

[0087] The conveyor lifting / lowering operating device 82 is configured as a seesaw switch type that can be operated by manually pushing the front and rear portions, and can be operated to a stop position, an up position, and a down position. The conveyor lifting / lowering operating device 82 operates the control valve 73, and the discharge conveyor 6 is raised and lowered by the fourth hydraulic cylinder 33.

[0088] Other Embodiments The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Other embodiments are listed below.

[0089] (1) The lower surface of the conveyor support portion 40d may be formed linearly along the front-rear direction.

[0090] (2) The support frame 40 may be fixed integrally to the conveying device 4 (conveying section), or the support frame 40 may be provided as a separate body separate from the conveying device 4 (conveying section) without being fixed.

[0091] (3) Instead of the support frame 40 having the right front and rear frame portion 40a and the left front and rear frame portion 40b, the support frame 40 may have a plate-shaped frame structure that covers the bottom of the aircraft body.

[0092] The present invention is applicable to sugarcane harvesters.

[0093] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Front wheels 2 Rear wheels 3 Reaping section 4 Conveying device (conveying section) 29 Fifth hydraulic cylinder (lifting device) 38 Traveling drive mechanism 40 Support frame 40a Right front and rear frame section 40b Left front and rear frame section 40d Conveyor support section 40e First rear rising section 40f Second rear rising section

Claims

1. A sugarcane harvester comprising: front wheels supporting the front of the machine body; rear wheels supporting the rear of the machine body; a travel drive mechanism that drives the rear wheels; and a support frame that supports the travel drive mechanism, wherein the support frame is provided with a first rear-rising portion that is positioned rearward of the axle of the rear wheels and has an underside formed in a rear-rising shape.

2. A sugarcane harvester as described in claim 1, wherein the support frame is provided with a right front-rear frame section located on the right side of the machine body and extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the machine body, and a left front-and-aft frame section located on the left side of the machine body and extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the machine body, and the right front-and-aft frame section and the left front-and-aft frame section are provided with the first rear rising section.

3. A sugarcane harvester according to claim 2, wherein the travel drive mechanism is fixed to the right front and left front and rear frame sections.

4. A sugarcane harvester as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, which is provided with a discharge conveyor that transports harvested material upward outside the machine body and discharges it outside the machine, a conveyor support section that supports the discharge conveyor is provided at the rear of the support frame, and the conveyor support section is provided with a second rear-rising section whose underside is formed in a rear-rising shape.

5. A sugarcane harvester as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a cutting unit that cuts the crop and a transport unit that transports the cut crop rearward, and the support frame is fixed to the transport unit.

6. A sugarcane harvester according to claim 5, wherein said support frame is removably fixed to said carrier.

7. A sugarcane harvester as described in claim 5 or 6, which is provided with a lifting device that can change the height of the cutting unit and the transport unit relative to the front wheels, and by lifting and lowering operation of the lifting device, the cutting unit and the transport unit are raised and lowered relative to the front wheels, with the rear wheels as a fulcrum.

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