Hay Making Machine Automatic Boom Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hay-making machines require manual adjustment of swivel arms to change working width, leading to additional operator effort and compromised ground tracking during windrowing of agricultural crops.
Innovation Solution
A hay-making machine with four rotary rakes aligned in a V-shape, featuring a central tension beam and pivot beams that pivot about vertical axes, allowing automatic adjustment of the rotary rakes' alignment and chassis position without operator intervention, enabling seamless transition between working and transport positions while maintaining optimal ground tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual actuators are used to adjust swivel arms when changing working width, then the working width can be adjusted, but additional operator effort is required and ground tracking deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically adjusts the swivel arms and boom orientation based on the position of the pivot beams, eliminating the need for manual operator intervention. The automatic tracking mechanism continuously adapts the rotary rakes' alignment to maintain optimal ground tracking as the working width changes
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical linkage between the pivot beams and swivel arms creates a feedback system where the position of the pivot beams automatically determines the orientation of the swivel arms and booms, ensuring continuous adaptation to maintain ground tracking without manual input
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual actuators are used to adjust swivel arms when changing working width, then the working width can be adjusted, but ground tracking deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic tracking system self-adjusts the boom orientation and swivel arm positions in response to pivot beam movement, ensuring continuous optimal ground tracking without manual intervention or deterioration of tracking quality during working width changes
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts the orientation of the booms and swivel arms in real-time as the pivot beams move to different positions, maintaining optimal ground tracking across the entire range of working width adjustments through continuous mechanical coupling
3Device complexity
If the machine frame is designed with fixed alignment between chassis and rotary rakes, then the structure is simpler, but the overall length increases in transport position
Solution Approach 1:
The booms are designed to pivot automatically relative to the pivot beams, changing their orientation from horizontal during work to vertical during transport. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the machine to maintain a compact overall length in transport position while preserving structural simplicity through the automatic tracking mechanism
Data Source
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AI summary
Hay making machine comprises connecting rods (24, 25) assigned to pivoting beams (6, 7) which hinge at one end to a central man beam (8). The alignment of a boom (18, 19) automatically changes in relation to the pivoting beams during the pivoting movement of the pivoting beams. Preferred Features: The pivoting beams have a hinge (29) with a pivoting axis aligned across the longitudinal alignment of the pivoting beams.