Towed Agricultural Machine Weight Shifting With Rear Support Wheels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing agricultural machinery faces challenges in achieving uniform weight distribution during field work and road transport, particularly with increasing working widths, due to complex swivel mechanisms that are limited to machines with a maximum axle load of 10 tons and support load of 3 tons, restricting the maximum working width.

Innovation Solution

A towed agricultural machine with a support wheel device at the rear, pivotably mounted and controlled by an actuating device, allows for adjustable weight distribution during both field work and road transport, using a coupling device and actuator system to manage operating support and wheel loads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If a complex swivel mechanism is used to change the relative position of wheels, then weight distribution is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweight distributionVSAvoidswivel mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the weight distribution function from a complex swivel mechanism and implements it through a simpler system where the support wheel device can be independently positioned and loaded. The ballast device is separated from the main chassis and can be independently adjusted to achieve desired weight distribution without complex mechanical linkages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the approach from mechanical position adjustment to parameter-based weight adjustment. By using ballast weights that can be independently positioned and adjusted, the system achieves weight distribution control through parameter changes (weight magnitude and position) rather than complex mechanical transformations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If weight shift is limited to relocation within the machine, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability decreases due to maximum axle load and support load limits

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweight shift mechanismVSAvoidweight distribution adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces ballast weights as counterweights that can be independently positioned on the chassis. These ballast weights compensate for the limited weight shift capability by adding adjustable mass at specific locations, enabling the system to adapt to different load requirements and legal limits without complex mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention makes the weight distribution system dynamic through independently adjustable ballast weights. The ballast device can be reconfigured for different operating conditions (road transport vs. field work) by changing the position and distribution of ballast weights, providing adaptability without requiring complex mechanical transformation mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If the machine is designed for large overall weight with large working width, then productivity is improved, but compliance with legal axle load and support load limits becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveworking widthVSAvoidcompliance with legal load limits
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the total machine weight into distinct components: operational weight, ballast weight, and their respective positions. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of each component's contribution to axle and support loads, enabling compliance with legal limits while maintaining large working width and overall machine weight for high productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4559297B1Towed agricultural work machine and method for weight shifting an agricultural work machine
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 HORSCH MASCHINEN SE & CO KG
  • EP4559297B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4559297B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4559297B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

Agricultural work machine (10) and method for soil cultivation and/or for spreading agricultural material, comprising a frame structure (16) which has a traction device (18) on a front side and a chassis (20) on a rear side, wherein the traction device (18) is configured to absorb an operating tractive force (FZ) of a tractor in the direction of travel (VR) and/or to transfer an operating support load (FS) of the work machine (10) to the tractor, wherein the chassis (20) has at least two support devices (22) which are provided for transferring an operating wheel load (FR) of the work machine (10) to the ground, and wherein a coupling device (24) is arranged on the frame structure (16) on the rear side, on which coupling device a soil cultivation and/or sowing device (12; 14) having a support frame (26) is received.To optimise the weight distribution, the working machine (10) is characterised by a support wheel device (40) arranged at the rear of the soil tillage and/or sowing device (12; 14).