Agricultural machine, in particular a machine for harvesting plants, comprising two driven work units articulated to a same lateral arm

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9877423-B2
Application number	US-201415032148-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2014
Priority date	Nov 22, 2013
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

An agricultural machine including a chassis carrying an arm including first and second ends, a first unit connected to the arm and extending laterally between the first and second ends, a second unit connected to the arm and extending laterally beyond the second end, a device connecting the second unit to the arm in vicinity of its second end and allowing it to swivel relative to the arm around a second longitudinal axis close to the second end, a mechanism driving elements of the first and second units and carried by the arm in vicinity of the second end. The device includes an axis oriented upwards during work around which the mechanism is mounted with swiveling action on the arm, and the mechanism and at least one of the first and second units can, in a lateral position of the arm relative to the chassis, jointly swivel around the axis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An agricultural machine for harvesting plants, comprising:
a chassis that can be attached to a motor vehicle movable in a direction of advance;
an arm connected to the chassis and extending between a first lateral end of the arm and a second lateral end of the arm;
a first articulation device connecting the arm to the chassis in vicinity of the first lateral end, the first articulation device allowing the arm to be moved relative to the chassis:
between a work position, in which the arm extends laterally relative to the chassis, and
a transport position, in which the arm is swiveled relative to the chassis so that, perpendicularly to the direction of advance, it is smaller in size than in the work position;

a first work unit connected to the arm and extending, in the work position of the arm and in a direction perpendicular to the direction of advance, from the second lateral end towards the first lateral end;
a second work unit connected to the arm and extending, in the work position of the arm and in a direction perpendicular to the direction of advance and oriented from the first lateral end towards the second lateral end, from the second lateral end of the arm;
a second articulation device carried by the arm in vicinity of the second lateral end;
the second articulation device connecting the second work unit to the arm in vicinity of the second lateral end;
the second articulation device allowing the second work unit to swivel relative to the arm around a second geometric axis situated in vicinity of the second lateral end and oriented, when the arm is in a work position, substantially in the direction of advance;

a drive mechanism configured to drive work elements of the first and second work units, carried by the arm in vicinity of the second lateral end;
wherein
the second articulation device connects the first work unit to the arm in vicinity of the second lateral end;
the second articulation device allows, during work, the first work unit to swivel relative to the arm around a first geometric axis situated in vicinity of the second lateral end and oriented, when the arm is in work position, substantially in the direction of advance;
the second articulation device includes a swivel pin oriented upwards in the work position of the arm;
the drive mechanism includes a swivel mounting on the arm around the swivel pin;
the drive mechanism and at least one of the first and second work units can, in a position of the arm in which the at in extends laterally relative to the chassis, jointly swivel around the swivel pin.

2. A machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one of the first and second work units comprises a frame;
the frame carries at least one work element that can be driven in rotation relative to the frame by the drive mechanism and around a rotation axis that remains, during work, at least substantially immobile relative to the frame;
the frame is carried by the arm, in an articulated manner, by a first bearing connected to the frame and having as its axis the corresponding first or second geometric axis of the at least one of the first and second work units, and of a second bearing connected to the first bearing and the arm and having as its axis the swivel pin.

3. A machine according to claim 1 , wherein the corresponding first or second geometric axis of the at least one of the first and second work units intersects at least substantially the swivel pin.

4. A machine according to claim 1 , wherein the second articulation device is configured so that in a position of the arm in which the arm extends laterally relative to the chassis:
the drive mechanism and the first work unit can jointly swivel around the swivel pin;
and the drive mechanism and the second work unit can jointly swivel around the swivel pin.

5. A machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the first work unit includes a first portion positioned, in the work position of the arm and in a direction perpendicular to the direction of advance, between the first lateral end and the second lateral end;
in a position of the arm in which the arm extends laterally relative to the chassis, the first portion can leave a first work position by a first swiveling backwards relative to the arm around the swivel pin.

6. A machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the second work unit includes a second portion positioned, in the work position of the arm and in a direction perpendicular to the direction of advance and oriented from the first lateral end towards the second lateral end, beyond the second lateral end;
in a position of the arm in which the arm extends laterally relative to the chassis, the second portion can leave a second work position by a second swiveling forwards relative to the arm around the swivel pin.

7. A machine according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a first activation means positioned between the arm and the first or second work unit;
the first activation means allows the first swiveling of the first portion of the first work unit, only when a force exerted on the first portion causes a force on the first activation means exceeding a first determined threshold.

8. A machine according to claim 7 , wherein when the first activation means allows the first swiveling of the first portion, the first activation means causes an additional upwards swiveling of the first portion around the first geometric axis.

9. A machine according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a second activation means positioned between the arm and the first or second work unit;
when the second portion performs the second swiveling, the second activation means causes an additional upwards swiveling of the second portion around the second geometric axis.

10. A machine according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a stop means allowing a first backward swiveling of the first portion of the first work unit from the first work position;
the stop means limits a forward swiveling of the first portion relative to the arm, around the swivel pin, from the first work position.

11. A machine according to claim 5 , wherein
the second work unit comprises a second portion positioned, in the work position of the arm and in a direction perpendicular to the direction of advance and oriented from the first lateral end towards the second lateral end, beyond the second lateral end; and
the machine further comprises a stop means limiting a swiveling of the second portion backwards relative to the arm, around the swivel pin, from a second position relative to the arm occupied by the second portion during the work of the machine.

12. A machine according to claim 1 , wherein the second articulation device allows each of the first and second work units to swivel relative to the arm in work position, around its respective first or second geometric axis, upwards and downwards from a horizontal position, independently of the other of the first and second work units.

13. A machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a lightening means for the first and second work units positioned between the arm and the at least one of the first and second work units.

14. A machine according to claim 1 , wherein the machine is transposed from a work configuration to a manoeuvre configuration and/or a transport configuration by respective swiveling movements in a same direction:
of the second work unit relative to the arm, upwards around the second geometric axis;
and of the arm relative to the chassis, around an articulation axis oriented, in the work position of the arm, substantially in the direction of advance.

15. A

Assignees

• Kuhn Sa

Inventors

• Billard Sylvain

Classifications

• A01B73/06

  foldable about a vertical axis · CPC title

• A01D34/66 Primary

  with two or more cutters · CPC title

• A01B73/042 Primary

  specially adapted for actively driven implements · CPC title

• A01B73/044 Primary

  the axis being oriented in a longitudinal direction (A01B73/042 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A01D34/661

  Mounting means · CPC title