Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Agricultural soil cultivation device and
agricultural machine combination
The invention relates to an agricultural soil cultivation device and to an
agricultural machine
combination.
Background
Agricultural soil cultivation devices or machines are used to cultivate the
soil in the field,
wherein the soil is acted upon by means of implements or tools. For example,
the soil is culti-
vated by plowing. Another type of soil cultivation is the use of harrows to
loosen upper layers
of soil, break up clods of earth, create good crumbs for seedbed preparation,
and / or control
weeds.
In the case of soil cultivation devices, it can be provided that a plurality
of soil cultivation tools
are arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel of the
agricultural tractor or tractor,
which is used to move the soil cultivation device over the soil during field
cultivation, wherein
the soil cultivation tools can be of the same or different types. The various
soil cultivation tools
are usually held on a support frame.
The soil cultivation device can be coupled to an agricultural tractor in
different ways. Soil culti-
vation devices are known which releasably couple to the agricultural tractor
and are pulled
behind it. A distinction must be made here from soil cultivation devices that
are connected to
a three-point power lift of the agricultural tractor. With the help of such a
three-point coupling,
it is regularly possible to lift the soil cultivation device off the ground,
in particular for transport
on the road. However, the soil cultivation device can also be disengaged from
the ground in
the headland with the aid of the three-point power lift when working in the
field.
Summary
The object of the invention is to provide an agricultural soil cultivation
device as well as an
agricultural machine combination in which the soil cultivation device, which
is mounted on the
agricultural tractor by means of a three-point power lift, can be used more
efficiently and safely.
To achieve this, an agricultural soil cultivation device according to
independent claim 1 and an
agricultural machine combination according to dependent claim 14 are created.
The dependent
claims relate to embodiments.
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According to one aspect, an agricultural soil cultivation device is provided,
comprising the fol-
lowing: a support frame; a connecting device which is formed in a central
portion on the support
frame and is configured to be connected to a three-point power lift of an
agricultural tractor;
frame components which extend on opposite sides of the support frame and are
each pivotably
connected to a joint providing a horizontal pivot axis, such that the frame
components are
pivotable between a working position, in which the frame component extends in
the horizontal
direction transversely to the direction of travel, and a non-working position,
in which the frame
component extends in the vertical direction; soil cultivation tools which are
held on the respec-
tively associated frame component and are formed along the frame component,
wherein the
soil cultivation tools, in the working position, are arranged ahead of the
respectively associated
frame component in the direction of travel; guide and re-compacting tools,
which are held on
the respectively associated frame component and are formed along the frame
component,
wherein the guide and re-compacting tools, in the working position, are
arranged behind the
respectively associated frame component in the direction of travel, such that
in the working
position, as seen from above, the associated joint and the associated frame
component are
each arranged in a central region of the arrangements, formed on opposite
sides of the support
frame, comprising the soil cultivation tool and the guide and re-compacting
tool; a setting de-
vice which is connected to the soil cultivation tool and is configured to set
a relative position of
the soil cultivation tool with respect to the guide and re-compacting tool;
and a pivoting device
which is respectively connected to the frame components and is configured to
shift the frame
components with the associated soil cultivation tool and the associated guide
and re-compact-
ing tool between the working position and the non-working position.
According to a further aspect, an agricultural machine combination is created
which has an
agricultural tractor and an agricultural soil cultivation device, wherein the
agricultural soil culti-
vation device is connected to a three-point power lift of the agricultural
tractor.
The soil cultivation device makes it possible, during operation, to act on the
soil initially with
the soil cultivation tools and then with the guide and re-compacting tools.
Attaching the soil
cultivation device to the three-point power lift of an agricultural tractor
allows the soil cultivation
device to be shifted or lifted into different height positions relative to the
ground with the aid of
the three-point power lift. Independently of this, the soil cultivation tool
can (additionally) be
shifted into different positions relative to the guide and re-compacting tool
and relative to the
support frame with the aid of the setting device. In this way, the guide and
re-compacting tools
on the one hand and the soil cultivation tools on the other hand can be
brought into different
positions relative to the soil, for example to set different working depths.
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With the help of the pivoting device, the frame components extending on both
sides can be
shifted in a simple manner with the respectively associated tools between the
(horizontal)
working position and the (vertical) non-working position. Due to the
arrangement of the joints
providing the horizontal pivot axis via which the frame components are
articulated, the torque
to be absorbed at the joint is minimized in the central region of the
arrangement with the soil
tool and the guide and re-compacting tool (as seen from above).
A simplified support frame can be used, which does not necessarily have to
extend in depth
over the entire width of the soil cultivation device. Due to the independent
adjustability of the
soil cultivation tool relative to the guide and re-compacting tool, it can
move upwards if the load
is too high.
The arrangement of the joints in the central region of the arrangement with
the soil tool and
the guide and re-compacting tool (as seen from above) also supports a compact
design. The
distance between the center of gravity and the tractor's three-point power
lift is reduced.
The setting device can be configured to shift the soil cultivation tools above
the ground respec-
tively between a first working position corresponding to a first working depth
and a second
working position corresponding to a second working depth, wherein the soil
cultivation tool is
shifted here in relation to the respectively associated guide and re-
compacting tool between a
first and a second relative position. The second relative position is
different from the first rela-
tive position of the soil cultivation tool with respect to the respectively
associated guide and re-
compacting tool. In the different relative positions, the respective soil
cultivation tool may have
a different distance from the soil to be cultivated. The working depth or
height of the soil culti-
vation tool can be set independently of the current position of the associated
guide and re-
compacting tool, in particular independently of the connection to the three-
point power lift of
the tractor.
The soil cultivation tools can be displaceable between the first and the
second working position
while maintaining a current pivot position of the respectively associated
frame component. Re-
gardless of the pivot position in which the respectively associated frame
component is currently
located, be it in an oblique position to the ground or in a substantially
parallel (horizontal) po-
sition to the ground, which may be different working positions, the soil
cultivation tool can be
shifted relative to this without it being necessary for this to also shift the
guide and re-compact-
ing tool. Rather, it can remain in a current position.
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The soil cultivation tools can each be accommodated in a displaceable manner
on the associ-
ated frame component via a first partial connection and a second partial
connection formed
separately therefrom. The two partial connections each allow a relative
shifting of the soil cul-
tivation tool relative to the associated frame component, for example by means
of a pivoting
movement. Alternatively, more than two partial connections can be provided,
which are used
to hold or accommodate the soil cultivation tool on the respectively
associated frame compo-
nent.
The first and the second partial connection may be formed as a proximal and a
distal partial
connection relative to the central portion of the support frame. In one
embodiment, the proximal
and distal partial connections can be arranged in opposite end regions of the
associated frame
component. In addition, for example, at least one further partial connection
can be provided in
a central region between the proximal and the distal partial connection. In
this or other embod-
iments, the one or more partial connections are designed as an articulated
connection in order
to allow the relative shifting of the soil cultivation tool with respect to
the associated frame
component.
The first and / or the second partial connection can be arranged, relative to
the joint, proximally
to the central portion of the support frame when the associated frame
component is arranged
in the working position. The soil cultivation tool is thus also held at least
in a region between
the central portion of the support frame and the joint by means of at least
one of the partial
connections on the associated support frame.
The soil cultivation tool can be accommodated displaceably on the respectively
associated
frame component via a parallelogram connection. As an alternative to the
parallelogram con-
nection, linear adjustment or link gears with linear guides can be provided.
The parallelogram connection can be assigned an actuator of the setting
device, by means of
which the relative position of the soil cultivation tool with respect to the
guide and re-compact-
ing tool can be set. Hydraulic, electrical or magnetic actuators, for example,
can be used as
actuators. In one embodiment, the actuator can be formed with a hydraulic
cylinder. If a plu-
rality of partial connections are provided with which the cultivation tool is
accommodated and
held on the respectively associated frame component, different actuators can
each be associ-
ated with one of the partial connections. For example, a hydraulic cylinder
can be provided at
each partial connection, which cylinder is extended and retracted during
operation, in order to
pivot connection components relative to one another.
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The guide and re-compacting tools can each be accommodated or arranged on the
associated
frame component. The guide and re-compacting tool can be mounted on the frame
component
by means of a rigid connection, such that a relative movement, for example by
means of piv-
oting, with respect to the frame component is prevented, apart from a rotation
of tool elements
about a support axle of the guide and re-compacting tool. A flange plate and /
or one or more
support arms can be provided for mounting the guide and re-compacting tool on
the frame
component. With the help of the flange plate and / or the support arms, the
support axle of the
guide and re-compacting tool can be held in a fixed position relative to the
frame component.
One or more tool elements, which are used for soil cultivation, can be
rotatably mounted on
the support axle.
The soil cultivation tools can each be formed with an arrangement of rotary
harrow tines which
extend along the associated frame component and are arranged underneath a gear
pan and
rotatably mounted. A transmission is arranged in the gear pan, to which the
rotatably mounted
rotary harrow tines on the one hand and a drive on the other are coupled in
order to rotate the
rotary harrow tines during operation. The arrangement of rotary harrow tines
as well as the
gear pan can extend substantially over the entire length of the associated
frame component.
If the soil cultivation tool is shifted relative to the frame component (and
relative to the guide
and re-compacting tool), the gear pan and rotary harrow tines are shifted
together, for example
pivoted. The connection between the associated frame component and the soil
cultivation tool,
be it with one or more partial connections, can be connected to the gear pan
on the soil tool
side, for example on the cover side on a housing of the gear pan.
The guide and re-compacting tools can each be formed with a roller extending
along the as-
sociated frame component.
Actuators of the pivoting device that are pivotably accommodated on the
support frame can
pivot in a respective pivot plane of the frame component when the respectively
associated
frame component is shifted between the working position and the non-working
position. The
one or more actuators of the pivot device can each be formed, for example,
with a hydraulic
cylinder which extends and retracts when the frame components are pivoted and
is thereby
pivotably shifted in the pivot plane of the frame component.
At least one of the soil cultivation tools can be assigned an overload
protection device which
is configured to shift the at least one soil cultivation tool from a current
working position to a
raised position when an overload occurs on the at least one soil cultivation
tool relative to the
associated frame component and relative to the guide and re-compacting tool.
In the raised
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position, there is no longer any overload on the soil cultivation tool. In one
embodiment, the
overload protection device can be configured to automatically shift the at
least one soil cultiva-
tion tool between the current working position and the raised position.
In one embodiment, the overload protection device is formed with a sensor
device which is
configured to detect an overload (force) occurring on the soil cultivation
tools during operation
and to provide corresponding measurement signals that indicate the overload.
The measure-
ment signals are sent to a control device which is connected to the sensor
device and which
is arranged on the agricultural tractor or the agricultural soil cultivation
device. In response to
this, the control device provides overload control signals which, by means of
the setting device,
cause the soil cultivation tools to be raised relative to the respectively
associated frame com-
ponent and relative to the guide and re-compacting tool compared to a previous
working posi-
tion (but remaining in contact with the soil) or completely from the soil, in
order to counteract
the overload. The lifting or raising takes place with the setting device
assigned to the soil tools,
which has one or more actuators which work together, for example with
parallelogram connec-
tions. The actuators can be formed, for example, with hydraulic cylinders.
The sensor device detects measured values which, in the event of an overload,
are indicative
of an excessive force acting on the soil cultivation tools. For example, they
can indicate that a
threshold value has been reached or exceeded. The sensor device can be formed
with a force
sensor. If hydraulic cylinders are used, these can be assigned a pressure
sensor which, in the
event of an overload, detects increased pressure values that indicate the
overload.
In connection with the device for overload protection, a hydraulic valve can
be provided in an
alternative embodiment on a hydraulic cylinder, which is assigned as an
actuator to at least
one of the soil cultivation tools for the setting thereof (setting of the
height relative to the soil),
which from a predetermined (adjustable) pressure (overload or threshold
pressure) allows hy-
draulic oil to flow out of the hydraulic cylinder into an associated diaphragm
accumulator. Such
an overflow of the hydraulic oil takes place when an overload acts on the soil
tool in the oper-
ating or working position. The draining of the hydraulic oil into the
diaphragm accumulator then
causes the assigned soil cultivation tool for which the overload occurs,
relative to the associ-
ated frame component and relative to the respective guide and re-compacting
tool - compared
to the previously set working position - to automatically be raised (but
remaining in contact with
the soil) or completely lifted from the ground to counter the overload.
Here the hydraulic valve takes on the function of sensor and actuator. From a
preset overload
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pressure, it allows the hydraulic oil to flow into the diaphragm accumulator
independently, with-
out the need for an additional sensor that sends the signal to an actuator.
This function is
mapped mechanically in the valve. The hydraulic valve thus takes over the
functions of the
sensor device and control device and influences the setting device.
If the pressure in the hydraulic cylinder falls below the overload pressure
again, the hydraulic
oil automatically flows back into the hydraulic cylinder, whereby the soil
cultivation tool is low-
ered again, for example into the previously set working position.
The embodiments explained above in connection with the soil cultivation device
can be pro-
vided accordingly in connection with the agricultural machine combination.
In the various embodiments, the two frame components that extend on the
opposite sides of
the soil cultivation device (as seen from above) in the central region of the
arrangement of the
soil cultivation tool and the guide and re-compacting tool, can be made of a
metal hollow profile,
for example a metal tube having a round or angular cross section. The soil
cultivation tools as
well as the guide and re-compacting tools are directly or indirectly
accommodated and held on
this (i.e., via one or more connections).
Description of embodiments
Further embodiments are explained below with reference to the drawings, in
which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective illustration of a soil cultivation device in
a working position
obliquely from the rear;
Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective illustration of the soil cultivation device
from Fig. 1 in the
working position obliquely from the front;
Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective illustration of the soil cultivation device
from Fig. 1 in a non-
working position obliquely from the rear;
Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective illustration of the soil cultivation device
from Fig. 1 in the
non-working position obliquely from the front;
Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective illustration of an arrangement with soil
cultivation tool and
guide and re-compacting tool in a first position relative to each other; and
Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective illustration of the arrangement from Fig. 5
with a soil tool
and guide and re-compacting tool in a second position relative to one another,
wherein
the soil cultivation tool is lowered towards the soil in relation to the guide
and re-com-
pacting tool.
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In Fig. 1 and 2, a soil cultivation device 1 is shown in a working position,
in perspective,
obliquely from the rear and obliquely from the front. A support frame 2 is
provided, which is
configured in a central portion 3 to be connected to a three-point power lift
of an agricultural
tractor (not shown) in a manner known per se. Frame components 4, 5, which in
the embodi-
ment shown are each designed as a tubular component, extend on opposite sides.
The frame
components 4, 5 are pivotally accommodated on the support frame 2 via an
associated joint
6, 7. The frame components 4, 5 are each assigned an actuator 10, 11 as part
of a pivoting
device 8, 9, with the actuation of which the frame components 4, 5 are shifted
between the
(horizontal) working position shown in Fig. 1 and 2 and a (vertical) non-
working position, which
is shown in Fig. 3 and 4.
The frame components 4, 5 are each assigned a soil cultivation tool 12, 13
(see Fig. 2) and a
guide and re-compacting tool 14, 15 (see Fig. 1). With a view from above of
the arrangement
having the soil cultivation tool 12, 13 and the guide and re-compacting tool
14, 15 in the working
position shown in Fig. 1 and 2, the joint 6, 7 and the frame components 4, 5
are arranged in a
central region 16. In the embodiment shown, the hydraulic cylinders 10, 11
also extend along
the central region 13.
If the frame components 4, 5 with the soil tools 12, 13 accommodated thereon
and the guide
and re-compacting tools 14, 15 also accommodated or mounted thereon are
pivoted between
the working position and the non-working position, the actuators 10, 11 also
pivot in an upright
(vertical) pivot plane.
The soil tools 12, 13 are arranged with the aid of a respectively assigned
parallelogram con-
nection 17, 18 on the associated frame component 4, 5 and can be displaced
relative thereto.
In the embodiment shown, the parallelogram connections 17, 18 each have
partial connections
17a, 17b, 18a, 18b which are formed in opposite end regions of the frame
components 4, 5.
One or more actuators are associated with the parallelogram connections 17,
18, for example
in the form of hydraulic cylinders, in order to effect the shifting of the
soil cultivation tools 12,
13 relative to the associated frame component 4, 5. For this purpose, Fig. 4
and 5 show differ-
ent shifting positions for an arrangement with a soil cultivation tool 12 and
a guide and re-
compacting tool 14. By actuating the associated parallelogram connection 18,
the soil cultiva-
tion tool 12 in Fig. 6 is lowered towards the soil relative to the frame
component 4 in comparison
with Fig. 5. In this way, a setting of the soil tool 14, in particular for
changing a working depth,
is made possible independently of a shifting position of the frame component 4
and of the
guide and re-compacting tool 14. And in addition, the function of evasive
action in the event of
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an excessively high load (overload) on the soil cultivation tool 12 is made
possible.
Provision can be made for an overload protection device for the soil
cultivation tools 12, 13 to
be formed on or with the actuators which are associated with the parallelogram
connections
17, 18 and are, for example, in the form of hydraulic cylinders, as explained
in more detail
above.
In the embodiment shown, the soil cultivation tools 12, 13 are each formed
with an arrange-
ment of rotary harrow tines 19, 20 which extend in the longitudinal direction
of the respectively
associated frame component 4, 5. The rotary harrow tines 19, 20 are arranged
below a gear
pan 21, 22 and are rotatably mounted. Configurations for such a rotary harrow
are known per
se in various embodiments.
In the embodiment shown, the guide and re-compacting tools 14, 15 are formed
with a respec-
tive rotatably mounted bottom roller 14a, 15a. The guide and re-compacting
tools 14, 15 are
connected to the associated frame component 4, 5, for example rigidly, by
means of a respec-
tive flange plate 23 and support arms 24. Other guide or re-compacting tools
may be provided.
In operation, the soil tools 12, 13 are leading in the direction of travel
relative to the respectively
associated frame component 4, 5. In contrast, the guide and re-compacting
tools 14, 15 are
arranged behind the respective frame component 4, 5.
The features disclosed in the above description, the claims, and the drawings
may be of rele-
vance, both individually and also in any combination, for implementing the
various embodi-
ments.
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