阅读说明：本技术 用于农业机械的碎屑提取器组和收割机 (Chip extractor group and harvester for agricultural machinery ) 是由 E·J·曼托姆 于 2020-02-25 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种新型的碎屑提取器组,其用于诸如甘蔗和高粱采摘器之类的高大茎秆类植物的收割机,并且所述提取器组被开发以改善机器的运输条件,而且还优化了对通风器的轴承的润滑,确保轴承充分润滑。更具体地,本发明的碎屑提取器组由具有支撑臂(90)的通风器(56、80)的布置形成,该支撑臂从提取器组的覆盖物向下延伸,并且该支撑臂的下端部与套(91)相关联,在套的内部安装有马达单元(92),该马达单元与驱动轴(93)相关联,驱动轴又由滚子轴承(94a、94b)支撑,并且进一步通过毂(59a)联接到推进器(59)上,叶片(59b)紧固在毂上。(The present invention relates to a novel group of chip extractors for harvesters of high and large stalk plants, such as sugar cane and sorghum pickers, and which has been developed to improve the transport conditions of the machine, but also to optimize the lubrication of the bearings of the ventilator, ensuring adequate lubrication of the bearings. More specifically, the debris extractor group of the invention is formed by an arrangement of ventilators (56, 80) having a support arm (90) which extends downwards from the cover of the extractor group and whose lower end is associated with a jacket (91) inside of which is mounted a motor unit (92) associated with a drive shaft (93) which in turn is supported by roller bearings (94a, 94b) and is further coupled to a propeller (59) through a hub (59a) on which the blades (59b) are fastened.)

1. A debris extractor group for agricultural machines, comprising a ventilator (56, 80) with a support arm (90) extending downwards from the cover of the extractor group, characterized in that the lower end of said support arm is associated with a sleeve (91) inside which is mounted a motor unit (92) associated with a drive shaft (93) supported by roller bearings (94a, 94b) and further coupled to a propeller (59) through a hub (59a) on which blades (59b) are fixed.

2. The group of debris extractors for agricultural machines according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve (91) comprises a configuration housed inside a casing (57) formed by at least an upper deflector structure (57 a).

3. The group of debris extractors for agricultural machines according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve (91) is provided inside a housing (57) formed by an upper deflector structure (57a) and a lower deflector structure (57b) comprising a configuration of a hub cap.

4. The group of debris extractors for agricultural machines according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the casing (57) further comprises an intermediate portion (57c) which surrounds the hub (59a) and has a substantially cylindrical configuration, the edge of which coincides with the edge of the upper deflector structure (57a) and of the lower deflector structure (57 b).

5. The group of debris extractors for agricultural machines according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the upper deflector structure (57a) comprises a peripheral projection (57a') directly locked on the hub (59a) of the propeller (59) and the opposite end is associated with a movable sleeve (95) extending along the entire length of the support arm (90).

6. The group of debris extractors for agricultural machines according to claim 3, wherein the lower deflector structure (57b) comprises a hollow extreme central recess (57b') to house a fastening element (94) locked at the end of the drive shaft (93).

7. The group of debris extractors for agricultural machines according to claim 1, wherein the drive shaft (93) comprises at least a lubrication channel (93a) communicating with the roller bearings (94a, 94 b).

8. The group of debris extractors for agricultural machines according to claim 1, wherein the drive shaft (93) comprises a base (93b) for connection with the motor unit (92), the base having a concave recess (93b') for circulation of a lubricating fluid.

9. The group of debris extractors for agricultural machines according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve (91) comprises a fluid circulation system formed by a capillary tube, a feed port (96a) and an outlet port (96b) respectively connected downstream of the roller bearings (94a, 94 b).

10. The group of debris extractors for agricultural machines according to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting arm (90) is fastened and houses, inside it, the electrical, electronic and hydraulic components of the motor unit (92).

11. The group of debris extractors for agricultural machines according to claim 1, wherein the motor unit (92) is an electric motor or a hydraulic motor.

12. Harvester for picking up high stalk plants, formed by a chassis (12) mounted on wheels (14, 16) or belts, a motor, an operator cabin (18) and at least one group of chip extractors (54, 78) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ventilator (56, 80) comprises a support arm (90) extending downwards from the covering of the group of extractors (54, 78) and associated at its lower end with a jacket (91) inside which a motor unit (92) is arranged, associated with the propeller (59) through a drive shaft (93).

13. A harvester according to claim 12, characterised in that the drive shaft (93) comprises at least a lubrication channel (93a) communicating with the roller bearings (94a, 94 b).

14. A harvester according to claim 12, in which the harvester is for harvesting sugar cane.

Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to a novel group of chip extractors for agricultural machines, such as those known as high stalk-type plant pickers. More specifically, the set of debris extractors comprises features developed to improve the transport conditions of the machine, but also to optimize the lubrication of the bearings of the ventilator. Furthermore, according to an object of the present invention, the invention proposes a harvester intended for harvesting plants of the high stalk type, such as a sugar cane picker, having at least a chip extractor.

Background

There are numerous equipment and models of agricultural machinery in the art that have been developed to improve the harvesting efficiency of various vegetable crops, such as grain harvesters, diggers, and pickers of so-called high stalk plants like sugarcane and sweet sorghum.

The machinery used to harvest these high stalk plants was designed and developed to provide for harvesting of this particular type of culture, as its inherent characteristics require special conditions to properly handle it, from cutting to transfer to a transfer facility and/or truck.

In this context, it is well known that these high stalk plant pickers comprise a chassis supporting a series of conveyor rollers and choppers responsible for conveying and chopping the sugar cane into inserts which are then transferred by an elevator to a transfer device and/or truck.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, these conveyor rollers and choppers, in addition to the sugar cane or sorghum, convey a variety of other debris, such as leaves, branches, dirt, which are dragged into the machine as it moves through the field. Thus, to facilitate separation of the harvested material and transfer only the sugar cane or sorghum inserts to the transfer equipment and/or trucks, these pickers include a material cleaning system, which is typically comprised of a primary debris extractor located at the shredder outlet and a secondary debris extractor disposed at the outlet of the elevator when the sugar cane and sorghum grass are dumped into the transfer equipment and/or trucks.

These extractors typically include ventilators designed to be of an aerodynamic form to create a vortex capable of generating a suction or vacuum force sufficient to capture the debris and expel it out of the machine through the extractor. Thus, according to the material-clearing system from these prior art machines, these ventilators are formed by blades and further by a protective structure supporting the bearings, the purpose of which, in addition to protecting the ventilator hub and the bearings themselves, also helps to form a vortex to extract the debris lighter than the inserts.

Disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new type of chip extractor applied to harvesters such as sugar cane and sorghum pickers, which comprises technical, constructional and functional features designed and developed to reduce the height of the machines, thus facilitating the transportation process of these machines, and also increasing the service life of the chip extractor group to prolong the effective production time of said machines.

More specifically, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a debris extractor for agricultural machines comprising a motor unit mounted inside a protective structure of the support bearings, so as to reduce the final height of the machine, and also to improve the lubrication of the support bearings of the ventilator. That is, the transportation process of the machine is substantially simplified, and there is also no need to disassemble the apparatus to facilitate lubrication of the bearings.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a picking machine, particularly for harvesting vegetable crops of the tall stalk type, such as sugar cane and sorghum, comprising at least a chip extractor as described above.

Therefore, in order to achieve the technical and functional effects outlined above, the invention relates in particular to a group of debris extractors for agricultural machines comprising a ventilator having a support arm which extends downwards from the covering of the group of extractors and the lower end of which is associated with a sleeve inside which is mounted a motor unit associated with a drive shaft supported by roller bearings and further coupled to a propeller through a hub on which the blades are fastened, among other things.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the configuration of the sleeve is accommodated within a housing formed by at least the upper deflector structure. Optionally, the sleeve is arranged inside a housing formed by an upper deflector structure and a lower deflector structure configured with a hub cap.

In addition, the housing may include a middle portion surrounding the hub and having a substantially cylindrical configuration with edges conforming to edges of the lower and upper deflector structures.

According to another embodiment and assembly of the casing, the upper deflector structure comprises a peripheral projection directly locked on the hub of the thruster, and the opposite end is associated with a movable sleeve extending along the entire length of the support arm. And the lower deflector structure may comprise a hollow extreme central recess to accommodate a fastening element locked on the end of the drive shaft.

Furthermore, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the drive shaft includes at least one lubrication passage in communication with the roller bearing.

Another point of relevance according to embodiments of the present invention relates to the construction of a drive shaft having a base for connection with a motor unit, the base having a recessed recess for circulation of a lubricating fluid.

Additionally, and in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the sleeve includes a fluid circulation system formed by a capillary tube, a feed port, and an outlet port respectively connected downstream of the roller bearings.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the support arm is fastened and internally houses the electric, electronic and hydraulic components of the motor unit, which may be an electric motor or a hydraulic motor.

As mentioned above, the invention also relates to a harvester for picking up high stalk plants, formed by a chassis mounted on wheels or belts, a motor, an operator cabin and at least one group of chip extractors according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ventilator is formed by a support arm extending downwards from the cover of the group of extractors, and the lower end of the support arm is associated with a jacket inside of which a motor unit is arranged, which motor unit is associated with a propeller by means of a drive shaft.

According to a particular embodiment of the harvester, object of the present invention, said drive shaft of the ventilator of the extractor group comprises at least a lubrication channel communicating with the roller bearing.

Finally, the harvester according to the invention is used for harvesting sugar cane.

Drawings

The features, advantages and technical effects of the invention described above will be better understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which is provided merely as a non-limiting example of a preferred embodiment, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a picker for harvesting up to stalk vegetable crops such as sugar cane and sorghum;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a ventilator for a group of debris extractors for agricultural machines, according to the object of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional schematic side view of a ventilator for a debris extractor of an agricultural machine according to the present invention; and

fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the area of the casing of the motor unit of the ventilator of the debris extractor for agricultural machines, according to the object of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The present invention will now be described in connection with specific embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings. The figures are schematic and their dimensions and/or proportions may not be realistic as they are designed to teach the invention. Additionally, certain well-known and well-known structural details may be omitted in order not to obscure the description set forth below. Reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate the same or similar elements. Any terms that may be used, such as "upper," "lower," "front," "back," "right," "left," etc., and variations thereof, should be construed in accordance with the guidance provided in fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, fig. 1 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of an agricultural harvester 10 in accordance with aspects known in the art. Harvester 10 is configured as a sugar cane harvester. However, in other embodiments, harvester 10 may correspond to any suitable agricultural harvester known in the art, such as sorghum and energy cane harvesters.

As shown in fig. 1, the harvester 10 includes a chassis 12, a pair of front wheels 14, a pair of rear wheels 16, and an operator compartment 18. The harvester 10 may also include a primary energy source (e.g., a motor mounted on the chassis 12) that powers one or both pairs of wheels 14, 16 through a transmission (not shown). Alternatively, the harvester 10 may be a belt driven harvester and may therefore include belts driven by a motor mechanism in place of the wheels 14, 16 shown. The motor mechanism may also drive a hydraulic fluid pump (not shown) configured to generate pressurized hydraulic fluid to drive the various hydraulic components of the harvester 10.

Additionally, the harvester 10 may include various components for cutting, processing, cleaning, and unloading the sugar cane as it is harvested from the field 20. For example, harvester 10 may include an end cutter set 22 at a forward end thereof to sever sugar cane as harvester 10 moves in a forward direction indicated by arrow X. As shown, the end cutter group 22 may include a collection tray 24 and a cutting tray 26. The collection pan 24 may be configured to collect the sugarcane stalks such that the cutting pan 26 may be used to cut the end of each stalk. Typically, the height of the end cutter group 22 may be adjusted by a pair of arms 28 that are hydraulically raised and lowered, as desired by the operator.

Further, the harvester 10 can include a wire divider 30 that extends upwardly and rearwardly from the field 20. In general, the thread separator 30 may include two helical feed rollers 32, also referred to as "lollipop-type feed rollers". Each feed roller 32 may include a ground shoe 34 as its lower end assists the dividers 30 by separating the sugar cane stalks for harvesting. Additionally, as shown in fig. 1, the harvester 10 can include a tip-over roller 36 positioned adjacent the front wheel 14 and a roller 38 with projections positioned behind the tip-over roller 36. When the turnover rollers 36 rotate, the harvested sugarcane stalks are dumped and the spreader 30 collects the stalks from the field 20 in an inward direction of the machine 10. Additionally, as shown in fig. 1, the roller 38 with projections may include a plurality of intermittently mounted fins 40 that help force the sugarcane stalk downward. As the rollers 38 are rotated during harvesting, the sugarcane stalks dumped on the tipping rollers 36 are separated and then tipped over by the rollers 38 as the harvester 10 continues to move forward in the field 20.

Still referring to fig. 1, harvester 10 may also include a base cutter set 42 located behind roller 38. As is generally understood, the base cutter set 42 may include blades (not shown) to cut the cane stalks as the cane is harvested. The blades located in the periphery of the group 42 may be rotated by hydraulic motors (not shown) driven by the vehicle's hydraulic system. Additionally, in various embodiments, the blades may be inclined downwardly to cut the roots of the cane as the cane is tipped by the rollers 38.

Additionally, the harvester 10 may include a set of one or more conveyor rollers 44 downstream of the base cutter set 42 to move the sugarcane stalks from the base cutter set 42 along the processing trajectory. As shown in fig. 1, the set of conveyor rolls 44 may include a plurality of lower rolls 46 and a plurality of upper rolls 48. Debris (e.g., stones, dirt, and/or the like) may also be transported or dropped onto the field 20 by the lower rollers 46 as the sugar cane is transported by the set of conveyor rollers 44.

Additionally, the harvester 10 can include a shredder set 50 located at a downstream end of the set of conveyor rollers 44 (e.g., adjacent the last upper and lower rollers 46, 48 of the set of conveyor rollers). Generally, the chopper set 50 may be used to cut or chop harvested sugarcane stalks into small pieces or "bits" 51, which may measure, for example, 15.24 centimeters (six (6) inches), also known as inserts. The pieces 51 may then be propelled toward a lift set 52 of the harvester 10 to be collected in an external receptacle or storage device (not shown).

Generally, pieces of debris 53 (e.g., dust, dirt, leaves, etc.) separated from the pieces 51 of sugarcane can be discharged from the harvester 10 by a primary debris extractor set 54 located behind the chopper set 50 and oriented to direct the debris 53 out of the harvester 10. Additionally, a ventilator 56 may be mounted on the primary extractor 54 to generate a suction or vacuum force sufficient to capture the debris 53 and force the debris 53 through the primary extractor 54. The debris 53 is then directed outwardly through an outlet of the primary extractor 54, generally in the opposite direction to the harvester 10. Separated pieces 51 heavier than the chips 53 discharged from the extractor 54 may then fall onto the elevator group 52.

As shown in fig. 1, the elevator group 52 may generally include an elevator housing 58 and an elevator 60 extending inside the elevator housing 58 between a lower proximal end 62 and an upper distal end 64. In general, the elevator 60 may include a chain or conveyor belt 66 and a plurality of blades or breaks 68 coupled or evenly spaced on the chain 66. Fracture 68 may be configured to secure fragment 51 of sugar cane to elevator 60 when fragment 51 rises up to the top of elevator 70. Additionally, the elevator 60 may include lower and upper notch wheels 72, 74 located near the proximal and distal ends 62, 64, respectively. As shown in fig. 1, an elevator motor 76 may be coupled to one of the notch wheels (e.g., upper notch wheel 74) to drive the chain 66 to enable the chain 66 and break 68 to move in an uninterrupted cycle between the proximal end 62 and the distal end 64 of the elevator 60.

In addition, pieces of debris 53 (e.g., dust, dirt, leaves, etc.) separated from the sugarcane fragments 51 may be discharged from the harvester 10 through a secondary extractor 78 coupled to the rear end 58 of the elevator. As shown in fig. 1, the secondary extractor 78 may be positioned adjacent the distal end 64 of the elevator 60 and may be oriented to direct the debris 53 to the exterior of the harvester 10. Additionally, a ventilator 80 may be mounted on the secondary extractor 78 to generate a suction or vacuum force sufficient to extract the debris 53 and force the debris 53 through the secondary extractor 78. Separated pieces 51 heavier than the debris 53 discharged from the extractor 78 may then fall from the distal end 64 of the elevator 60. Typically, the pieces 51 may fall through the discharge opening 82 of the elevator group 52 into an external storage device (not shown), such as an automobile, a transfer device, a garbage truck, or the like.

During operation, the harvester 10 is driven throughout the field 20 to harvest sugar cane. After the height of the end cutters 22 (if used) is adjusted by the arms 28, the collection pans 24 on the end cutter set 22 may be used to collect the cane ends as the harvester 10 traverses the field 20, while the cutting pans 26 cut the leaf ends of the cane stalks to dump them along both sides of the harvester 10. The shoes 34 may be configured to an operative width to determine the amount of sugar cane entering the inlet opening of the harvester 10 in a fixed or adjustable manner as the stalks enter the line divider 30. The lollipop type feed rollers 32 then collect the stalks at the entrance of the machine so that the tipping rollers 36 can tip the stalks down under the action of the finned rollers 38. Once the stems are positioned at the angle shown in fig. 1, the base cutter set 42 can cut the bases of the stems from the field 20. The cut stems are then directed to a set of conveyor rolls 44.

The cut cane stalks are fed back by conveyor rollers 46, 48 which compress the stalks and the harvest. At the downstream end of the set of conveyor rolls 44, a chopper set 50 cuts or chops the compressed cane stalks into small pieces or chunks 51. The conveyed debris 53 (e.g., dust, dirt, leaves, etc.) separated from the sugarcane cuttings 51 is then extracted by the primary debris extractor group 54 using suction or vacuum generated by the ventilator 56. The separated/washed pieces 51 then fall onto elevator group 52 and are moved upwardly from their proximal end 62 to their distal end 64 by means of elevator 60. During normal operation, because the fragments 51 reach the distal end 64 of the elevator 60, the fragments 51 fall through the discharge opening 82 to the external storage device. Similar to the primary extractor 54, the debris is blown outwardly from the harvester 10 by the secondary set of debris extractors 78 with the aid of a ventilator 80.

The picker as described above may be a sugar cane picker which may include and receive a set of chip extractors according to the invention, and the picker 10 may be, for example, a machine known in the art, such as a sugar cane harvester sold under the trade mark Case IH of CNH industries limited.

As used herein, terms such as harvester, picker and variations thereof are used interchangeably to refer to a machine for picking vegetable crops.

Referring now to fig. 2 and 3, it is noted that the aerators 56, 80 of the debris extractor group according to the present invention, which may be the primary and secondary debris extractor groups 54, 78 described above, may be provided. Said ventilators 56, 80 comprise a support arm 90 extending downwards from the covering of the extractor group 54, 78, the lower end of which is associated with a jacket 91, inside which is arranged a motor unit 92, in turn associated with a drive shaft 93 supported by roller bearings 94a, 94b and coupled to the propeller 59 by means of a hub 59a on which the blades 59b are fixed.

According to an embodiment of the invention, said jacket 91 is configured to be housed inside a housing 57 formed by at least the upper deflector structure 57 a. Optionally, the housing 57 includes a lower deflector structure 57b and the upper and lower deflector structures 57a, 57b include a spinner configuration to create an anti-vortex action for the input and outlet of debris passing through the extractor group.

In addition, the housing 57 may include a middle portion 57c, which is intended to surround the hub 59a and which also has a substantially cylindrical configuration such that its edges coincide with the edges of the upper and lower deflector structures 57a, 57 b.

According to embodiments and assembly of the housing 57, the lower deflector structure 57b may comprise a hollow extreme central recess 57b' to accommodate a fastening element 94 locked on the end of the drive shaft 93. The upper deflector structure 57a comprises a peripheral projection 57a' directly locked on the hub 59a of the thruster 59 and the opposite end is associated with a movable sleeve 95 extending along the entire length of said support arm 90 to surround and protect it.

Another related aspect of the present invention relates to the configuration of said drive shaft 93, the base 93b of which, responsible for the connection with the motor unit 92, has a concave recess 93b' with the purpose of improving the circulation conditions of the lubricating fluid, so that the circular movement of said drive shaft 93 means the creation of centrifugal forces, favouring the movement and circulation of the lubricating fluid.

Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the invention, said drive shaft 93 comprises at least one lubrication channel 93a responsible for supplying said roller bearings 94a, 94b with a lubricating fluid. The sleeve 91 additionally includes a fluid circulation system formed by a capillary tube, feed port 96a and outlet port 96b, which are connected downstream of the roller bearings 94a, 94b, respectively, to provide cooling of the fluid used to lubricate these bearings. In this case, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the maintenance of the extractor group becomes more efficient and functional, bearing in mind that the roller bearings 94a and 94b remain lubricated without having to disassemble the structure of the extractor group.

Considering that the motor unit 92 may be an electric motor or a hydraulic motor, the support arm 90 is secured and may house all of the electrical, electronic and hydraulic components of the motor unit 92, such as cables and wiring harnesses, conduits and hydraulic hoses, the hydraulic motor may also utilize pressurized hydraulic fluid produced by a pump driven by a motor mechanism typically provided by the machine harvester 10.

As mentioned above, the invention also relates to a harvester 10, for example for harvesting high and large stalk plants, and said harvester 10 comprises at least an extractor group, whose ventilators 56, 80 comprise an extended support arm 90, which extends downwards from the covering of the extractor group 54, 78 and whose lower end is associated with a jacket 91, inside of which a motor unit 92 is arranged, which is associated with the propeller 59 by means of a drive shaft 93. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the harvester 10 is a sugar cane or sorghum picker.

According to a particular embodiment of the harvester object of the present invention, said drive shaft 93 comprises at least a lubrication channel 93a communicating with said roller bearings 94a, 94b, thus eliminating the need to disassemble the group for maintenance and lubrication of these bearings.

The purpose of this description is only to propose and define an example of a preferred embodiment of a group of debris extractors for harvesters of high stalk type plants according to the invention. Thus, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, various modifications and combinations of equivalent elements and details are possible without departing from the scope of protection defined by the appended claims.