WO2003039238A1

WO2003039238A1 - Spreader having adjustable spreader wings

Info

Publication number: WO2003039238A1
Application number: PCT/SE2002/002031
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bengt Holmén
Original assignee: Rekordverken Sweden AB
Current assignee: Rekordverken Sweden AB
Priority date: 2001-11-07
Filing date: 2002-11-07
Publication date: 2003-05-15
Anticipated expiration: 2004-05-07
Also published as: DE10294970T5; SE520354C2; SE0103701D0; SE0103701L

Abstract

In a spreader (2) associated with combine harvester cutting machine (3) for spreading chopped comminuted material (5) over a ground (7) the spreader (2) is connected to an outlet (6) from the cutting machine (3) and has a plurality of spreader wings (11), said wings being pivotally mounted on said cutting machine in juxtaposed position and extending substantially backwards from to said outlet. The spreader wings are adjustable in the transverse direction of said spreader by means of an adjusting mechanism (15) comprising connection elements (18A, 18B) connected to the spreader wings and an actuator (20) connected to the connection elements. The spreader wings (11) are divided into two groups (11A, 11B), and one connection element (18A, 18B, respectively) is associated with each group of spreader wings whereas said actuator (20) is common to all spreader-wing groups. The actuator is connected to one (18A) of said connection elements and said connection elements are interconnected by means of a positionshiftable motion-transmission member (26) to make it possible to shift according to wish between adjustment of the spreading width of said chopped comminuted material(5) over the ground (7) and/or compensation for side winds.

Description

SPREADER HAVING ADJUSTABLE SPREADER WINGS

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a spreader accociated with a cutting machine for spreading over a ground chopped comminuted material received from the cutting machine, said spreader being connected to an outlet from the cutting machine and having a plurality of spreader wings, said wings being pivotally mounted on said cutting machine in juxtaposed position and extending substantially backwards from said outlet, in addition to which said spreader wings are adjustable in the transverse direction of said spreader by means of an adjusting mechanism comprising a connection element connected to the spreader wings and an actuator connected to the connection element.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention described and shown in the present application, the cutting machine preferably is a straw chopper, preferably a flail chopper incorporated in a combine harvester. In this case, the material to be chopped-up preferably is formed by ordinary, dry straw emanating usually from such crops as wheat, barley, rye and oats. The material likewise could consist of for instance maize, sunflower, etcetera, comprising comparatively large and stiff plant parts.

In the case of a straw chopper connected to a combine harvester it is for example desirable that it be possible to adjust the spreader wings in the spreader after the straw chopper such that the spreading width over the ground can be adjusted and/or side wind can be compensated for. Background of the Invention

A spreader of the kind defined in the introduction is previously known from SE 511 138 C2. In the spreader shown and described therein the spreader wings are divided in accordance with one embodiment into a left-hand group and a right-hand group, each having its separate connection element and with its separate actuator for individual and separate adjustment of the groups. Owing to this arrangement of the groups it is difficult to adjust the spreader wings in a simple and reliable manner in order to permit to shift according to wish between adjustment of the spreading width of the chopped material and/or compensation for side winds.

Object of the Invention

The main object of the invention is primarily to eliminate the above-described drawbacks and to provide a spreader, which while having a simple and reliable structure provides improved and more convenient adjusting of the spreading width of the chopped material over the ground and/or compensation for side winds.

Summary of the Invention

This main object is achieved in accordance with the teachings of the invention in that the spreader wings are divided into at least two groups, in that one connection element is associated with each group of spreader wings and in that said actuator is common to all spreader-wing groups, said actuator being interconnected to a first one of said connection elements and said connection elements being interconnected by means of a shiftable motion-transmission member to make it possible to shift according to wish between adjustment of the spreading width of said chopped material over the ground and/or compensation for side winds. Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described in more detail by means of one embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show a presently particularly preferred embodiment. In the drawings:

Fig 1 is a schematic side view of the rear part of a combine harvester comprising a spreader positioned after or downstream of a chopper and has an arrangement in accordance with the invention. Figs 3-6 are plan views of the spreader in accordance with Fig 1 and of groups of spreader wings incorporated therein in various adjustment positions for spreading and side-wind compensation.

Fig 7 is an enlarged view of the area within circle A in Fig 3, and

Fig 8 is an enlarged view of the area within circle B in Fig 6.

Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment The combine harvester designated generally by numeral 1 and only partly shown in Fig 1 is of a rather conventional structure, with the exception of the inventive spreader, generally designated by numeral 2, and for this reason neither the function nor the construction of the combine harvester will be described in any detail herein.

The combine harvester 1 is fitted e.g. with a cutting machine 3 in the form of a straw chopper, preferably a flail chopper, of prior-art construction. In the conventional manner the cutting machine 3 is located at the rear end of the combine harvester 1 as seen in the direction of travel C of the latter. The cutting machine 3 is formed with an inlet 4 for reception of threshed but unchopped cuttung material 5, usually straw emanating from such crops as wheat, barley, rye and oats a well as from oil-producing plants and maize, sunflower, etcetera, and with an outlet 6 for the chopped and comminuted cutting material 5.

The main task of the spreader 2 is to spread the chopped cutting material 5, discharged from the cutting machine 3 via the outlet 6 therein, over a ground 7, in this case a field.

More precisely, the spreader 2 in accordance with the embodiment shown and described herein essentially is configured as a nozzle 8, which is directed backwards and which is open in a downwards- backwards direction. The nozzle 8 has an upper essentially horizontal wall 9 and two essentially vertical end walls 10. The wall 9 and the end walls 10 preferably are made from sheet metal or some other rather rigid material and in any suitable, conventional manner they are connected to the outlet 6 from the cutting machine 3.

Positioned underneath the upper wall 9 and intermediate the end walls 10 are several spreader wings 11, in the present case in the number of ten and preferably made from the same material as the wall 9 and the end walls 10, i.e. from sheet metal or the like. These spreader wings 11 are pivotally mounted in the upper wall 9 for adjustment of the spreader wings in the transversal direction of the spreader 2 in consideration of the desired width and pattern of spreading and of the existing side wind as also of the slope of the ground 7. The spreader wings 11 are located essentially in parallel and in juxtaposed relationship and have an L-shaped profile with two horizontal and vertical flanges 12 and

13 arranged essentially at right angles to one another. The horizontal flange 12 on each spreader wing is a comparatively narrow attachment flange, see below, whereas the vertical flange 13 extends essentially backwards from the outlet 6 and forms the wing proper, which is comparatively wide. In order to make possible optional adjustment of the spreader wings 11 as regards desired width and pattern of spreading and side winds and slope of the ground 7, etcetera, the spreader wings 11 are divided into at least two groups, in this present case into one left-hand group 11A and one right-hand group 11B, each group comprising five spreader wings 11.

In accordance with the embodiment shown herein as one of numeral possible ones, the spreader wings 11 of both groups 11A and 11B are adjustable transversely or laterally at their front ends or leading edges 14 facing the outlet 6 of the cutting machine 3 by means of a adjusting mechanism, generally designated by numeral 15 and to be described further on. Intermediate their front and rear ends or leading and trailing edges 14 and 16, the spreader wings 11 are via their horizontal flanges 12 essentially vertically pivotally mounted in the upper wall 9 by means of support elements generally designated by numeral 17. These support elements 17 could be in the form of guide pins joining the upper wall 9 to the horizontal attachment flanges 12 of the spreader wings 11 and passing through oppositely positioned apertures made in the wall 9 and in the flanges 12.

The adjusting mechanism 15 could be constructed in various ways, but in the shown embodiment it is formed with connection elements 18A and 18B, respectively, each one of which is connected to its respective one of the groups 11A, 11B of the spreader wings 11, said connection elements extending in the transverse direction of the spreader 2, and thus also of the combine harvester 1 and the cutting machine 3, i.e. at right angles to the direction of travel C. The connection elements 18A, 18B are located on the upper face of the upper wall 9 of the spreader 2, and preferably they are shaped as elongated struts, such as a U-profile made of steel or the like. Each connection element 18A and 18B is connected to the respective front ends 14 of the spreader wings 11 of each group 11A, 11B by means of support elements generally designated by numeral 19. Like support elements 17 the support elements 19 could be in the form of guide pins which are arranged, preferably adjustably mounted, on the associated one of connection elements 18A, 18B and on the horizontal attachment flanges 12 of the spreader wings 11 at the front ends 14 of the spreader wings . The guide pins could in this case pass through guide slots formed in the upper wall 9, said slots extending in the transverse direction and in aligned relationship.

Also, the adjusting mechanism 15 comprises a single actuator 20 operating to move the connection elements 18A, 18B and consequently to adjust the two groups 11A, 11B of spreader wings 11 transversely. Thus, the actuator 20 is common to the two groups 11A and 11B of spreader wings 11 and it could be operated manually, hydraulically, pneumatically or electrically or in some other way. In the shown embodiment, the actuator 20 is formed by a hydraulically operated piston-and-cylinder unit, which is driven by a pump, not shown, via ducts, not shown either. The actuator 20 is articulated to a first one 18A of the connection elements 18A, 18B via a transmission means, generally designated by numeral 21.

In the shown embodiment, the transmission means 21 comprises as principal components an angle lever 22, which is pivotally mounted on the spreader 2 close to one of its side, an angle bracket 23 mounted on the first connection element 18A close to one of the ends thereof, in this case to the inner end, and a coupling link 24 arranged between the angle lever and the angle bracket.

In this manner, the actuator 20 and the angle lever 22 are hingedly interconnected and the angle lever 22, the coupling link 24 and the angle bracket 12 likewise are hingedly interconnected by means of suitable pivots 25, not described in closer detail.

The two connection elements 18A and 18B associated with groups 11A and 11B, respectively, preferably are interconnected by means of a shiftable motion-transmission member 26, which makes it possible to rapidly and in a simple manner shift between adjustment of the spreading width of the chopped material 5 over the ground 7 and/or side-wind compensation in response to the existing conditions and to the operator's choice.

The motion-transmission member 26 thus is hingedly connected, preferably such that its position may be shifted, on the one hand to the angle bracket 23 on the first connection element 18A and on the other to a link mechanism 27, which is hingedly connected to the second connection element 18B. As appears from the drawing figures, this link mechanism 27 may comprise a double-armed lever 29, which is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends in a pivot 28 on the spreader 2, preferably on the upper wall 9 thereof. At one of its ends, said lever 29 is hingedly connected by means of a pivot 30 to the second connection element 18B via a link rod 31. Thus, the link rod 31 is articulated at one of its ends to said one end of the lever 29 via the pivot 30, whereas at its opposite end it is connected via a pivot 32 to an attachment means 33 mounted on the second connection element 18B.

From a general point of view, the motion- transmission member 26 may be arranged to be shifted in any convenient manner but preferably by manual, hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical means.

In accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of the invention the motion-transmission member 26 is configured as a shifting rod 34. By means of a locking bolt 35 or the like, the shifting rod 34 may be shifted according to wish, preferably without the use of tools, for connection to two connections 36 in the form of locking holes or the like formed in the angle bracket 23. The connections 36 are located in alignment but differently spaced relative to the direction of travel C of the spreader 2. At its opposite end, the shifting rod 34 is connectable by means of a corresponding locking bolt 37 or the like in the same manner as above to two oppositely located connection 38 on the lever 29.

In this case the two connections 36 on the angle bracket 23 are located one on either side of the articulation point of said coupling rod 24 to the bracket via the pivot 25 whereas the two connections 38 on the lever 29 are positioned one on either side of the pivotal support of the lever on the upper wall of the spreader 2 via the pivot 28.

For the sake of completeness it should be mentioned that Fig 2 shows the spreader 2 in the situation when its spreader wings 11 of both groups 11A and 11B assume their position at delivery from the manufacturer, wherein the shifting rod 34 assumes the sidewind compensation position, see also Fig 7. Fig 3 shows the left-hand group 11A of the spreader wings 1 in the position of maximum spreading and the right-hand group 11B in the position of reduced spreading and side- wind compensation, whereas Fig 4 shows the left-hand group 11A in the position of reduced spreading and sidewind compensation and the right-hand group 11B in the position of maximum spreading. In Figs 5 and 6, se also Fig 8, the shifting rod 34 has been moved to the position for adjusting the spreading width only, which width is at its maximum in Fig 5 and at its minimum in Fig 6.

As will be appreciated, the invention must not be regarded as limited to the embodiment described herein and illustrated in the drawings but it could be modified according to wish within the scope of protection as defined in the subsequent patent claims.

For example, the number of spreader wings 11 in each group as also the number of groups on the spreader 2 could be varied according to need, and the arrangements of mounting the spreader wings on the spreader could differ from those described and shown. The configuration of the adjusting mechanism 15 including the connection elements 18 and the actuator 20 could also be altered in several different ways, and this is true particularly as regards the motion-transmission member 26.

Claims

1. A spreader (2) associated with a cutting machine (3) for spreading over a ground (7) chopped comminuted material (5) received from the cutter device, said spreader (2) being connected to an outlet (6) from the cutting machine (3) and having a plurality of spreader wings (11) , said wings being pivotally mounted on said cutting machine in juxtaposed position and extending substantially backwards from said outlet, in addition to which said spreader wings are adjustable in the transverse direction of said spreader by means of an adjusting mechanism (15) comprising a connection element (18) connected to the spreader wings and an actuator connected with the connection element, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the spreader wings (11) are divided into at least two groups (11A,11B), in that one connection element (18A, 18B, respectively) is associated with each group of spreader wings and in that said actuator (20) is common to all spreader-wing groups, said actuator being interconnected to a first one (18A) of said connection elements and said connection elements being interconnected by means of a shiftable motion- transmission member (26) to make it possible to shift according to wish between adjustment of the spreading width of said chopped material (5) over the ground (7) and/or compensation for side winds.

2. A spreader as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c - t e r i s e d in that the actuator (2) is hingedly connected to the first connection element (18A) via a transmission means (21) .

3. A spreader as claimed in claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the transmission means (21) comprises a angle lever (22) pivotally mounted on the spreader (2) , a bracket (23) mounted on said first connection element device (18A) and a coupling link (24) arranged between said angle lever and said bracket, said actuator (20) and said angle lever being hingedly interconnected and said angle lever, said coupling link and said bracket likewise being hingedly interconnected.

4. A spreader as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the actuator (20) is operated manually, hydraulically, pneumatically, electrically or in any other way.

5. A spreader as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that to allow shifting of the motion-transmission member (26) said member is articulated to on the one hand the bracket (23) on the first connection element (18A) and on the other to a link mechanism (27) hingedly connected to a second one (18B) of said connection elements.

6. A spreader as claimed in claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the link mechanism (27) comprises a lever (29) , which is pivotally mounted on the spreader (2) in a point intermediate the lever ends and one end of which is articulated to the second connection element (18B) via a link rod (31) .

7. A spreader as claimed in claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that at one end of its ends said link rod (31) is articulated to said one end of the lever (29) and at its opposite end to an attachment member (33) mounted on said second connection element (18B) .

8. A spreader as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the motion-transmission member (26) may be shifted by manual, hydraulic, pneumatic or electric means, or in some other way.

9. A spreader as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the motion-transmission member (26) is in the form of a shifting rod (34) one end of which is arranged to be shifted optionally without the use of tools for connection thereof to at least two connections (36) located on the bracket (23) in alignment but differently spaced relative to the direction of movement (C) of the spreader (2) , and the opposite end of which is arranged for connection to oppositely-located connections (38) on the lever (29) .

10. A spreader as claimed in claim 9, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the connections (36) on the bracket (23) are positioned one on either side of the articulation point of said coupling rod (24) to the bracket, and in that the connections (38) on the lever (29) are located one on either side of the pivotal mounting point of said lever to the spreader (2) .