Cutting Device

Abstract

A cutting device is embodied for cutting agricultural crop plants by a rotational movement about a cutting rotation axis and has at least one knife element that, in a plan view of a top side of the cutting device, is embodied open in circulating direction. At least one radial conveying element, arranged at least at the top side and stationary relative to the knife element, is provided that at least in sections thereof is embodied for conveying the crop plants in a conveying direction that, relative to the cutting rotation axis, is oriented partly tangentially and partly radially relative to the cutting rotation axis. Moreover, a harvesting attachment with a plurality of such cutting devices and a field chopper with such a harvesting attachment is provided.

Claims

1.-16. (canceled)

17. A cutting device for cutting agricultural crop plants, the cutting device comprising: a knife element; a radial conveying element stationary relative to the knife element; wherein the cutting device is configured to rotate in a circulating direction about a cutting rotation axis for cutting the agricultural crop plants; wherein, in a plan view of a first top side of the cutting device, the knife element is embodied open in the circulating direction; wherein the radial conveying element is arranged at the first top side of the cutting element and is configured, at least in sections thereof, to convey the agricultural crop plants in a conveying direction that is oriented, relative to the cutting rotation axis, partly tangentially and partly radially in a radial direction in relation to the cutting rotation axis.

18. The cutting device according to claim 17, further comprising an intermediate element, wherein the radial conveying element comprises a conveying contour and adjoins the intermediate element along the conveying contour, wherein the intermediate element is arranged upstream of the radial conveying element in the circulating direction, wherein the conveying contour comprises a neutral conveying point and a conveying section that extends away from the neutral conveying point partly in the circulating direction and partly in the radial direction away from the cutting rotation axis.

19. The cutting device according to claim 18, wherein the radial conveying element and/or the intermediate element is a corrugated region of the cutting device, wherein the corrugated region starts from a region of a medium height of the cutting device.

20. The cutting device according to claim 18, wherein a material thickness of the intermediate element, measured in an axial direction of the cutting rotation axis, at least substantially matches a material thickness of the radial conveying element measured in the axial direction.

21. The cutting device according to claim 18, wherein the conveying section, in the plan view of the first top side of the cutting device, has an arc shape such that a conveying angle between a radial intersecting the neutral conveying point and the conveying section increases with an increasing radius of the cutting device.

22. The cutting device according to claim 18, wherein the conveying contour comprises a discharge section and the discharge section extends partly opposite to the circulating direction and partly in the radial direction away from the cutting rotation axis, wherein the discharge section is arranged between the cutting rotation axis and the conveying section.

23. The cutting device according to claim 17, wherein the radial conveying element, at least in sections, has a sickle shape.

24. The cutting device according to claim 17, comprising a plurality of the knife element and a plurality of the radial conveying element, wherein at least every fourth one of the plurality of the knife element has correlated therewith one of the plurality of the radial conveying element.

25. The cutting device according to claim 24, wherein every second one of the plurality of the knife element has correlated therewith one of the plurality of the radial conveying element.

26. The cutting device according to claim 17, wherein the cutting device comprises a second top side that is oppositely positioned to the first top side, wherein the cutting device is configured to be mounted in a first mounting position, in which the first top side is oriented at least partly upwardly, and is configured to be mounted in a second mounting position, in which the second top side is oriented at least partly upwardly.

27. The cutting device according to claim 26, further comprising another one of the radial conveying element arranged upstream in the circulating direction of the intermediate element, wherein the intermediate element comprises an intermediate contour and adjoins said another one of the radial conveying element along the intermediate contour, wherein, in the plan view of the first top side of the cutting device, a course of the intermediate contour matches a course of a conveying contour of said another one of the radial conveying element.

28. The cutting device according to claim 26, further comprising an intermediate element, wherein the radial conveying element comprises a conveying contour and adjoins the intermediate element along the conveying contour, wherein the intermediate element is arranged upstream of the radial conveying element in the circulating direction, wherein, in an axial direction of the cutting rotation axis, the conveying contour is embodied at the second top side opposite to the intermediate contour at the first top side.

29. The cutting device according to claim 17, comprising a plurality of the knife element, including a first knife element and a second knife element adjacently arranged to the first knife element in the circulating direction, wherein at least a part of a cutting edge of the first knife element is arranged displaced in an axial direction of the cutting rotation axis relative to at least a part of a cutting edge of the second knife element.

30. The cutting device according to claim 17, further comprising at least one groove arranged between the cutting rotation axis and the radial conveying element and extending circumferentially in the circulating direction.

31. A harvesting attachment for an agricultural harvester, the harvesting attachment comprising: a plurality of the cutting device according to claim 17 rotatably supported such that the cutting rotation axes of the plurality of the cutting device are spaced apart from each other in a transverse direction of the harvesting attachment; at least one follower device configured to circulate in operation and comprising follower elements arranged above the plurality of the cutting device for conveying the cut crop plants in the transverse direction.

32. The harvesting attachment according to claim 31, wherein the radial conveying element of at least one of the plurality of the cutting device comprises a conveying contour arranged at least partly upstream of the follower device in a driving direction for harvesting, wherein the conveying contour extends to a point below the follower elements.

33. A field chopper comprising: a harvesting attachment comprising: a plurality of the cutting device according to claim 17 rotatably supported such that the cutting rotation axes of the plurality of the cutting device are spaced apart from each other in a transverse direction of the harvesting attachment; at least one follower device configured to circulate in operation and comprising follower elements arranged above the plurality of the cutting device for conveying the cut crop plants in the transverse direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Further details and advantages of the invention can be taken from the schematically illustrated embodiments described in the following.

[0029] FIG. 1a shows a first embodiment of the cutting device according to the invention in a plan view.

[0030] FIG. 1b shows the first embodiment in a partially illustrated cross section according to auxiliary line B in FIG. 1a.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows the first embodiment in a perspective view.

[0032] FIG. 3a shows the first embodiment in the plan view.

[0033] FIG. 3b shows the first embodiment in a first partial section according to auxiliary line B in FIG. 3a.

[0034] FIG. 3c shows the first embodiment in a second partial section according to auxiliary line C in FIG. 3a.

[0035] FIG. 4a shows a second embodiment of the cutting device according to the invention in a plan view.

[0036] FIG. 4b shows the second embodiment in a partially illustrated cross section according to auxiliary line B in FIG. 4a.

[0037] FIG. 5 shows the second embodiment in a perspective view.

[0038] FIG. 6a shows the second embodiment in the plan view.

[0039] FIG. 6b shows the second embodiment in a first partial section according to auxiliary line B in FIG. 6a.

[0040] FIG. 6c shows the second embodiment in a second partial section according to auxiliary line C in FIG. 6a.

[0041] FIG. 7 shows a first embodiment of a harvesting attachment according to the invention in a partially illustrated plan view.

[0042] FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of a harvesting attachment according to the invention in a partially illustrated plan view.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0043] The features of the embodiments according to the invention explained in the following can also be subject matter of the invention individually or in other combinations than illustrated or described, but always at least in combination with the features of the independent claim. If expedient, functionally identically acting parts are provided with identical reference characters.

[0044] FIG. 1a and FIG. 4a show different embodiments of a cutting device 2 according to the invention. In both embodiments, the cutting device 2 is embodied for cutting agricultural crop plants by a rotational movement about a cutting rotation axis 4. The illustrated cutting devices 2 comprises a plurality of knife elements 6, 16 which, in the plan views of the top side 8 of the cutting devices 2, are embodied open in a circulating direction 10. In addition, the knife elements 6, 16 in the plan views of the top side 8 of the cutting devices 2 are of a sickle-shaped embodiment.

[0045] Both embodiments comprise radial conveying elements 12 arranged at the top side 8 and stationary relative to the knife elements 6, 16. The radial conveying elements in sections thereof are configured for conveying the crop plants in a conveying direction 14. In relation to the cutting rotation axis 4, the conveying direction 14 is oriented partly tangentially 14.1 and partly radially 14.2 in relation to the cutting rotation axis 4.

[0046] Each of the illustrated radial conveying elements 12 adjoins along a conveying contour 20 an intermediate element 22 which is arranged upstream in the circulating direction 10. A conveying section 24 of the conveying contour 20 extends from a neutral conveying point X partly in the circulating direction 10 and partly in radial direction away from the rotation axis 4. The radial conveying elements 12 are embodied to project by 6 mm in relation to the adjoining intermediate elements 22 in axial direction (compare FIGS. 1b and 4b). A material thickness of the intermediate element 22 measured in the axial direction matches a material thickness of the radial conveying element 12 measured in the axial direction and amounts to 3 mm.

[0047] The conveying sections 24 in the plan views are embodied in an arc shape such that a conveying angle α between a conveying tangent line ZT of the conveying section 24 and a radial R intersecting the neutral conveying point X of the conveying section 24 increases with increasing radius, i.e., distance from the cutting rotation axis 4 (compare FIGS. 3a and 6a). In addition to the conveying section 24, the illustrated conveying contours 20 each have a discharge section 34 which extends partly opposite to the circulating direction 10 and partly in radial direction away from the cutting rotation axis 4 and forms a discharge angle R between a discharge tangent line AT and the radial R. The discharge sections 34 are arranged between the cutting rotation axis 4 and the respective adjoining conveying section 24 and adjoin at the neutral conveying point X one of the conveying sections 24. Every second one of the knife elements 6, 16 has correlated therewith a radial conveying element 12 (compare in particular FIGS. 2 and 5). It is however also possible that every third, every fourth or every sixth knife element 6, 16 has correlated therewith a radial conveying element.

[0048] Both embodiments of the cutting device 2 according to the invention are embodied for mounting in a first mounting position (compare FIGS. 7 and 8) as well as for mounting in a second mounting position in which the circulating direction 10 is opposite to that in the first mounting position. In the first mounting position, the top side 8 which is embodied as a first top side is at least partly oriented upwardly. In the second mounting position, a second top side 18 of the cutting device 2 which is oppositely positioned to the first top side 8 is at least partly oriented upwardly.

[0049] The illustrated intermediate elements 22 adjoin each along an intermediate contour 30 a further radial conveying element 12 which is arranged upstream in the circulating direction 10. In the plan views of the first top side 8 (compare FIGS. 1a, 3a, 4a, 6a), the course of the intermediate contour 30 matches the course of the conveying contour 20. In axial direction opposite to the intermediate contour 30 of the first top side 80, a conveying contour 20 is formed at the second top side 18.

[0050] The second embodiment of the cutting device 2 has two different groups of knife elements 6, 16. The cutting edges of the knife elements 6 of a first group are arranged displaced relative to the cutting edges of the knife elements 16 of the second group in axial direction (compare FIG. 4b, FIG. 6b, and FIG. 6c). In this context, the knife elements 6, 16 of the different groups alternate in circulating direction 10. In contrast thereto, in the first embodiment, all knife elements 6 are arranged at the same medium axial height (compare FIGS. 1b, 3b, and 3c).

[0051] Both embodiments comprise, between their cutting rotation axis 4 and the radial conveying and intermediate elements 12, 22, a groove 32 extending in circulating direction 10 and illustrated in FIGS. 1b and 4b.

[0052] FIG. 7 shows a harvesting attachment 40 according to the invention, illustrated only partially here, with cutting devices 2 according to the first embodiment (FIGS. 1a to 3c). FIG. 8 shows a further harvesting attachment 40 according to the invention, illustrated also only partly, with cutting devices 2 according to the second embodiment (FIGS. 4a to 6c). The cutting devices 2 illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 are arranged in the same mounting position in this context.

[0053] The illustrated harvesting attachments 40 are embodied for agricultural harvesters, in particular for harvesting corn or grain. The illustrated cutting devices 2 are supported rotatably relative to a harvesting attachment frame, not shown. The cutting rotation axes 4 of the cutting devices 2 are spaced apart from each other in a transverse direction 42. The illustrated harvesting attachments 40 comprise a follower device 44 which is circulating in operation and is illustrated only partly. The follower devices 44 comprise above the cutting devices 2 two arranged follower elements 46 for conveying the cut-off crop plants in the transverse direction 42. The cutting devices 2 are partly arranged upstream of the follower device 44 in a driving direction 48 for harvesting.