Abstract
A screening belt unit is provided for a harvesting machine or harvested material transportation device and for screening extraneous material out of a mixture of harvested material and extraneous material. A screening belt has at least two endless carriers, preferably in the form of carrier belts or chains, between which screening bars are arranged in a direction transversely to the conveying direction. The screening bars form a plurality of screening bar units that comprise in each case at least two screening bars. At least a part of the screening bars is fixed so as to be movable relative to the endless carriers. The screening belt unit has a positioning means arranged at least locally along the screening belt and acts on the movable screening bars and via which, in the screening zone S as seen in the screening direction, a spacing A in the conveying direction F of successive screening bars is defined. Furthermore, a flap unit, a screening belt and a harvesting machine or a harvested material transportation device are provided.
Claims
1. A screening belt unit for a harvesting machine or harvested material transportation device for screening extraneous material out of a mixture of harvested material and extraneous material, the screening belt unit comprising: a screening belt having at least two endless carriers between which screening bars are arranged in a direction transversely to a conveying direction F, said screening bars forming a plurality of screening bar units that comprise in each case at least two screening bars, wherein at least a part of the screening bars is fixed so as to be movable relative to the endless carriers; and a positioning means arranged at least locally along the screening belt and acting on the movable screening bars and via which, in a screening zone S, as seen in the screening direction, a spacing A in the conveying direction F of successive screening bars is defined and settable in a variable manner.
2. The screening belt unit according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the screening bar unit is variable in position relative to the endless carrier by the positioning means.
3. The screening belt unit according to claim 1, wherein the screening bar unit has a screening bar that is mounted eccentrically in a cross section.
4. The screening belt unit according to claim 1, wherein each screening bar unit has at least one flap unit having at least one of the two screening bars, the flap unit being pivotable or rotatable via at least one joint connected to the endless carrier and provided in particular with a flexible joint part, and the positioning means influencing an angular position of the flap unit.
5. The screening belt unit according to claim 4, wherein the positioning means is configured to limit in particular gravity related pivoting or rotation of the flap units.
6. The screening belt unit according to claim 4, wherein the positioning means has, in the screening zone S, at least one guide surface for the flap units to rest on.
7. The screening belt unit according to claim 6, wherein the guide surface, as seen perpendicularly to the conveying direction F, is arranged next to the endless carriers.
8. The screening belt unit according to claim 6, wherein the guide surface, in order to create a selectively variable spacing A, is provided with a profiling.
9. The screening belt unit according to claim 6, wherein at least one portion of the guide surface is configured such that its spacing from a conveying surface, which is spanned by the longitudinal center axes of screening bars that are immovable relative to the endless carriers, increases or decreases continuously in the conveying direction F and/or depending on a pitch angle B of the conveying surface.
10. The screening belt unit according to claim 4, wherein at least one adjusting member is assigned to the positioning means, via which the spacing of at least one part, guiding the flap unit, of the positioning means with respect to the endless carrier is settable.
11. The screening belt unit according to claim 1, wherein the positioning means is configured in a multipart manner in the screening zone.
12. The screening belt unit according to claim 1, wherein the screening bars of a screening bar unit are at an at least substantially fixed spacing from one another.
13. The screening belt unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the movable screening bars is at different large spacings from the upstream or downstream immovable screening bars in a central position in which the longitudinal center axis of the one movable screening bar is arranged in one plane with the longitudinal center axes of screening bars which are arranged upstream and downstream in the conveying direction F and are immovable relative to the endless carriers.
14. The screening belt unit according to claim 4, wherein one screening bar of each screening bar unit is fixed to the endless carriers and forms a part of two joints for the attachment of the flap unit.
15. The screening belt unit according to claim 1, wherein the positioning means is configured in a concurrently running manner.
16. The screening belt unit according to claim 1, wherein at least 25% and up to 75% of the screening bars are configured to be variable in position relative to the endless carrier.
17. The screening belt unit according to claim 1, further including a guide unit that limits the variation in position in particular on account of centrifugal force.
18. The screening belt unit according to claim 1, wherein the positioning means is configured to be at least partially strip shaped.
19. The screening belt unit according to claim 1, wherein the positioning means comprises a roller.
20. The screening belt unit according to claim 19, wherein the roller in the upper strand is configured to push up at least the screening bars that are fixed so as to be movable relative to the endless carriers.
21. The screening belt unit according to claim 20, wherein the screening bars that are configured so as to be movable relative to the endless carriers (3) rest in the upper strand on the endless carriers.
22. The screening belt unit according to claim 1, further including a plurality of positioning means.
23. A flap unit comprising: a screening bar; and at least one joint part configured to be fixed releasably to a further screening bar of a screening bar unit according to claim 1, wherein the joint part or the screening bar of the flap unit has an outer surface configured to rest on a positioning means.
24. The flap unit according to claim 23, wherein the joint part is configured in at least two parts and to receive the further screening bar of the screening belt unit.
25. The flap unit according to claim 23, further including a shoulder element which has the outer surface configured for resting on the positioning means and has an extent E transversely to a plane in which a longitudinal center axis of the one screening bar and a longitudinal center axis of a receptacle for fixing on the further screening bar are arranged, wherein the extent E corresponds to at least 25% of the spacing D of the longitudinal center axes from each other.
26. The flap unit according to claim 23, wherein the one screening bar has a profile bent from the joint part, wherein, in a side view, a center portion longitudinal center axis of a rectilinearly running portion of the one screening bar is at a spacing C from the joint part that is at least 10% of the spacing D of the center portion longitudinal center axis from the longitudinal center axis of a receptacle for fixing to the further screening bar.
27. A screening belt having at least two endless carriers between which screening bars are arranged in a direction transversely to the conveying direction (F), and further including a plurality of flap units according to claim 23.
28. The screening belt according to claim 27, wherein the joint part is configured in such a manner that the screening bar is movable up and/or down at least in portions orthogonally to the conveying surface by at least 10 mm, and/or is pivotable up and/or down by an angle (W) of at least 10°, from a center position in which the longitudinal center axis of the screening bar is arranged in one plane with the longitudinal center axes of screening bars which are arranged upstream or downstream in the conveying direction F and are immovable relative to the endless carriers.
29. The screening belt according to claim 27, wherein the joint part is configured in such a manner that a supporting axis which intersects the longitudinal center axis of the screening bar and a central position contact region of the outer surface of the joint part, with which the joint part rests on the positioning means in the central position, in which the longitudinal center axis of the screening bar is arranged in one plane with the longitudinal center axes of screening bars which are arranged upstream or downstream in the conveying direction F and are immovable relative to the endless carriers, and which supporting axis is arranged orthogonally to the longitudinal center axis, is arranged in a manner pivoted relative to the conveying direction F, in particular by an angle of at least 45°, in the central position.
30. (canceled)
31. (canceled)
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0054] Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the views.
[0055] FIG. 1: shows subject matter according to the invention in a perspective illustration.
[0056] FIG. 2: shows a partial view of further subject matter according to the invention in a side illustration.
[0057] FIG. 3: shows the subject matter according to FIG. 2 in a further operating position.
[0058] FIG. 4: shows the subject matter according to FIG. 2 in a further operating position.
[0059] FIG. 5: shows the subject matter according to FIG. 3 in a detailed illustration.
[0060] FIG. 6: shows a detail of a device according to the invention.
[0061] FIG. 7: shows a further detail of a device according to the invention.
[0062] FIG. 8: shows a further subject matter according to the invention in a broken, slightly perspective illustration.
[0063] FIG. 9: shows a detailed view of further subject matter according to the invention in a detailed view.
[0064] FIG. 10: shows the subject matter according to FIG. 9 in a further operating position.
[0065] FIG. 11: shows the subject matter according to FIG. 9 in a further operating position.
[0066] FIG. 12: shows a partial view of further subject matter according to the invention in a side illustration.
[0067] FIG. 13: shows a partial view of subject matter according to FIG. 12.
[0068] FIG. 14: shows the subject matter according to FIG. 12 in a partial top view.
[0069] FIG. 15: shows further subject matter according to the invention.
[0070] FIG. 16: shows further subject matter according to the invention in a longitudinal section.
[0071] FIG. 17: shows the subject matter according to FIG. 16 in a detailed illustration.
[0072] FIG. 18: shows the subject matter according to FIG. 16 in a perspective view.
[0073] FIG. 19: shows the subject matter according to FIG. 16 in a further detailed illustration.
[0074] FIG. 20: shows further subject matter according to the invention in a longitudinal section.
[0075] FIG. 21: shows the subject matter according to FIG. 20 in a detailed illustration.
[0076] FIG. 22: shows the subject matter according to FIG. 20 in a perspective view.
[0077] FIG. 23: shows the subject matter according to FIG. 20 in a further detailed illustration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0078] Individual technical features of the exemplary embodiments described below can also be combined to form subject matter according to the invention in combination with above-described exemplary embodiments and the features of the independent claims and any further claims. Where appropriate, elements that are functionally equivalent at least in parts are provided with identical reference signs.
[0079] A screening belt unit 1 according to the invention comprises, according to FIG. 1, a screening belt 2, which is provided to screen extraneous material out of a mixture of harvested material and extraneous material. The screening belt 2 has two endless carriers 3, in the form of carrier belts, between which screening bars 4 and 6 are arranged in a direction transversely to the conveying direction. With respect to a horizontal, not indicated, the conveying direction F has different pitches over the course of a screening zone S formed by the upper strand of the screening belt 2. These pitches result from the positioning of deflection rollers or deflection pulleys 7, which may partially be in the form of drive pulleys. A tension pulley 8 tensions the screening belt 2 against a drive pulley 9, such that, depending on the set pitch of the screening belt, there is sufficient contact with the drive roller 9 in the individual screening belt zones.
[0080] Individual screening belts 4 and 6, which will be described in more detail below, form screening bar units 11 (cf. FIG. 6), which have a screening bar 4 fixed to the screening belt 2 and a screening bar 6, fixed thereto in an articulated manner, including an associated joint part 12.
[0081] The screening bars 6 are fixed in a movable manner relative to the endless carriers 3 via the rotary or pivot joints formed between and by the screening bars 4. Along the screening belt 2, a plurality of positioning means 13 are arranged both on the left-hand side in the conveying direction and on the right-hand side in the conveying direction, said positioning means 13 acting on the movable screening bars 6 in such a manner that, in the screening zone, a spacing A (cf. FIGS. 9 to 11), as seen in the screening direction R, is defined and can be set in a variable manner by adjusting members. In particular, the spacing A as a spacing of screening bars following one another in the conveying direction can vary along the screening zone length in the conveying direction F.
[0082] The positioning means 13 is configured as a guide rail and in a multipart manner, such that, analogously to the individual pitch portions of the screening belt 2, individual portions of guide rails 13 result. With a plurality of associated adjusting members 14 (FIG. 2), the individual portions or parts of the positioning element 13 are able to be moved into the desired relative position with respect to the endless carrier 3. In order, in the case of different pitches of the screening belt in the course of the screening zone S, to be able to make the necessary adaptations, the multipart positioning element 13 is provided with a series of sliding connections that are movable by means of slots. The individual parts of the positioning element are thus guided one inside another and as a result can be moved towards and away from one another, in order for it to be possible to design the overall length of the positioning element 13 in the upper strand and the corresponding sorting zone S in a variable manner. In FIGS. 2 to 4, conventional parts of a harvesting machine according to the invention are furthermore apparent.
[0083] The screening belt 2 together with the upper conveying strand forms a conveying surface 40 which has four conveying surface portions 52, 54, 56, 58 adjoining one another in the conveying direction (cf. FIG. 4). The first conveying surface portion 52 in the conveying direction in particular has a pitch of 42° relative to a horizontal, and the final conveying surface portion 58 in the conveying direction in particular has a pitch of 18° relative to the horizontal.
[0084] FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 and 9, 10 and 11 illustrate the different screening belt parts and spacings A on account of different relative positions of the positioning element 13 or of parts of the positioning element 13 with respect to the endless carrier 3. As a result of the spacing apart of the positioning elements 13, arranged at least partially between the endless carriers 3 in a top view, from the endless carrier 3, the individual flap units of the screening bar units can take up a different angular position relative to the longitudinal extent of the endless carrier 3 or to the respective conveying direction. As a result, the spacing A of mutually successive screening bars 4, 6 of different screening bar units changes.
[0085] The positioning means 13 arranged to the left and right on the inside of the endless carriers 3 along the screening belt 2 limit the gravity-related pivoting or rotation of the movable parts of the screening bar units 11 or of the flap units until the opening, as described above, is at a maximum, when the screening belt 2 extends horizontally, on account of a lack of contact with the support (FIG. 11). In order to limit the gravity-related pivoting or rotation of the flap units, the positioning means 13 is provided in the screening zone with a guide surface 16, on which, in the illustration in FIG. 5, the undersides, not shown in more detail, of the joint parts 12 of the flap units, comprising screening bars 6 and the joint part 12, rest. In order to reduce friction with the undersides of the flap units, the surface 16 is provided with a plastics coating. During operation of the screening belt unit according to the invention, as a result of the flap units running or sliding along the guide surface, the latter is cleaned of extraneous material dropping down from the upper strand.
[0086] The flap units according to the invention can, according to FIG. 8, have at both ends joint parts 12, which are connected by the screening bar 6, illustrated in a broken manner. The screening bar 6 extends along its longitudinal centre axis 46. The joint part 12 has a receptacle 48 for a further screening bar 4 which is arranged immovably with respect to the endless carriers 3 of a screening belt. The receptacle has a longitudinal centre axis 44 which extends parallel to the longitudinal centre axis 46 and, in the mounted state of the flap unit, corresponds to the longitudinal centre axis 44 of the further screening bar 4 of a screening bar unit 11 formed from the flap unit and the same screening bar 4. The longitudinal centre axis 44 coincides here in particular with the pivot axis of the screening bar unit 11.
[0087] The screening bars 4 of a respective screening bar unit 11 are fixed to the endless carrier, and therefore the screening bar 6 is fixed via the joint formed between screening bar 4 and screening bar 6 so as to be variable in position with respect to the endless carrier 3 (cf. FIGS. 5 and 6). For maintenance purposes, a joint part 12 is formed preferably with two housing halves 18 (FIG. 7), which are connected together via fastening means 15. A defective or damaged or worn flap unit can be replaced accordingly quickly.
[0088] The angular position of the flap unit or of the screening bar unit is, as shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, delimited in the screening zone S by the spacing of the positioning means 13 and in particular the guide surface 16 thereof from the screening belt carrier 3. In the comparatively close position according to FIG. 9, an angle W between a straight line 19 formed parallel to the conveying direction F and thus to the endless carrier 3, and a straight line 20 formed by the longitudinal extent of a flap unit is virtually 0 (FIG. 9). At an angle W of 0, the movable screening bar is in a central position. As a result of the spacing apart of the positioning means 13 from the endless carrier or the axis of rotation of the stationary screening bars 4, the flap units can open under gravity and optionally loaded by mixture to be screened to a larger angle W and continue to rest on the guide surface 16 (FIG. 10). The greater spacing apart for the positioning means 13 from the axis of rotation of the respective stationary screening bar of a respective flap unit has the result, in the horizontal orientation, illustrated in FIG. 11, of the screening belt 2, that the joint parts 12 no longer rest on the guide surface 16 and the flap parts are pivoted open to a maximum. Depending on the symmetry of the flap unit, the angle W taken up for this purpose is virtually 90°, but at least preferably between 80° and 100°. In particular, the spacing of the positioning means 13 depends on a local pitch 41 of the conveying surface 40 (in which the straight line 19 lies). In order to avoid gravity-related overturning of the flap units in the region of the deflection of the endless carriers 3 or of the screening belt 2, a roller that is conventionally used as a guide unit 21 in the form of a haulm feed-in roller and is preferably formed in a wider manner than the endless carrier may be present in the deflection region (FIG. 2). The angle W can in particular assume angles of at least 60° both with a positive and with a negative sign. In addition, the movable screening bar 6 or the longitudinal centre axis 46 thereof can be situated up and down away from the conveying surface 40 in particular by at least 10 mm, preferably by at least 20 mm, particularly preferably by at least 30 mm.
[0089] FIG. 12 shows a further variant according to the invention of a screening belt unit, in which guide rails 13 may be present, but are positioned fixedly. In addition, there are rollers 25, the axis of rotation of which runs parallel to the screening bars. The rollers have an outside diameter which is dimensioned in such a manner that, in the present example, a maximum of two screening bar units lying next to each other are detected. Owing to the positioning and arrangement of the roller on the frame of the screening belt unit or on the machine frame, the outer surface, which serves as a guide and resting surface for the screening bars, is above the surrounding guides for the endless carrier with respect to a direction vertically to the conveying direction. By this means, the screening bar units entering into contact with the outer surface are partially also raised with the endless carrier fastened thereon. This gives rise to a shaking movement which leads to a greater screening efficiency. The rollers can be exchanged with respect to their diameter and the fixing of one side such that only individual screening bar units or else only the movable screening bars of a screening bar unit are raised.
[0090] According to FIG. 13, the rollers 25 are positioned in the direction of the axis of rotation or the longitudinal direction of the screening position to such an extent that an outer surface 26 of the rollers, which is a guide surface, enters into contact with the screening bars and therefore laterally next to the connection 27 between a screening bar 4 connected fixedly to an endless carrier 3 and a movable screening bar 6. The screening bar 6 is wider than the screening bars according to the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1. Without the influence of the positioning means, the bars 6 rest on the endless carrier 3 owing to gravity, but also because of the rigidity of the joint part 28, which is produced from polyurethane. The screening bar 6 is deflected counter to the joint part 28 only by means of the positioning means.
[0091] The two ends of the screening bars 6 rest on the endless carriers, as seen in the conveying direction. The positioning means having rollers are likewise preferably arranged at least with the contact surfaces on the inside of the joints (cf. FIG. 14). The rollers can be adjusted in particular via adjusting means, not illustrated, in a direction vertically to the plane of FIG. 14, and therefore the change in the screening bar spacings associated with the relative movement of the screening bars 6 can be varied.
[0092] In the embodiment of the invention that is illustrated by FIGS. 20 to 23, the screening bar unit 11 or the flap unit has a shoulder element 43 which has the outer surface configured for resting on the positioning means 13. The shoulder element has an extent E transversely to the plane 42 which, in a side view or a longitudinal section, coincides with the straight line 20 (cf. inter alia, FIG. 9) (and coincides only in the central position with the conveying surface 40). A longitudinal centre axis 46 of the movable screening bar 6 and a longitudinal centre axis 44 are arranged in the plane 42. In the case with the flap element, the longitudinal centre axis 44 is the longitudinal centre axis of a receptacle 48 (cf. FIG. 9 too). In the case of the screening bar unit 11, the longitudinal centre axis 44 is the longitudinal centre axis of the immovable screening bar 4. In the embodiment shown, the extent E of the shoulder element 43 is at least 50% of the spacing D of said longitudinal centre axes 44, 46 from each other. The shoulder element 43 is formed here integrally with the joint part 12.
[0093] In an alternative embodiment of the invention that is illustrated by FIGS. 16 to 19, the movable screening bar 6 of the flap unit or of the screening bar unit 11 has a profile bent from the joint part. For this purpose, the screening bar has, in the central region, a rectilinear centre portion running parallel to the fixed screening bar 6 and regions which adjoin the latter laterally, run at least partially vertically thereto and adjoining the joint part 12. A centre portion longitudinal centre axis 47 about which the central rectilinear region extends has a spacing C which corresponds to at least 25% of the spacing D from the joint part 12 in the side view according to FIGS. 16/17. The spacing D describes the distance of the centre portion longitudinal centre axis 47 from the longitudinal centre axis 44 of the receptacle 48 or of the screening bar 4.
[0094] A supporting axis 52 which is illustrated in FIG. 21 and intersects the longitudinal centre axis 46 of the movable screening bar 6 and a central position contact region 50 and is arranged orthogonally to the longitudinal centre axis 46 encloses an angle of at least 70° in the central position with the conveying direction or the conveying surface or, irrespective of the position, with the plane 42. The central position contact region 50 is that part of the outer surface of the joint part 12 which rests on the positioning means 13 in the central position.
[0095] A harvesting machine according to the invention (FIG. 15), here for harvesting potatoes, has a conveying section which is formed by a previously described screening belt unit 30 and has a conveying direction F initially running substantially counter to the direction of travel. The harvesting machine has an inclination sensor, not illustrated, which is assigned to the screening belt unit 30 and is coupled to the adjusting member 14 (cf., inter alia, FIG. 2). The harvesting machine is designed in such a manner that, as the measured inclination of the harvesting machine increases, an automatic adjustment of the positioning means 13 can be initiated.
