DISTRIBUTING MACHINE AND METERING ELEMENT SUITABLE FOR SAID DISTRIBUTING MACHINE

Abstract

A distributing machinespreading machine and/or sowing machine includes a container, receiving material to be distributed, supported by a support frame, an outlet opening on the base of the container, a metering element downstream of the outlet opening, a motor-driven metering slide displaceable relative to the outlet opening, and a distributing element downstream of the metering element, for distributing the material. For adjusting a speed of the metering slide, while providing a compact design, the metering slide of the metering element includes a threaded spindle that is mounted axially fixed and is driven in rotation by a motor rotary drive having an axially fixed output shaft. Along the threaded spindle, a spindle nut is guided that engages with the threaded spindle. The spindle nut is connected to the metering slide, or to a lever arm arrange thereon, to actuate the metering slide by rotation of the threaded spindle.

Claims

1. A distributing machine comprising: a support frame; at least one container supported by the support frame, for receiving powdered and/or particulate material to be distributed; at least one outlet opening arranged on the base of the container; a metering element arranged downstream of the outlet opening the metering element comprising a motor-driven metering slide that can be displaced relative to the outlet opening; and at least one distributing element arranged downstream of the metering element, for distributing the material to be distributed on the ground, wherein: a drive of the metering slide of the metering element comprises a threaded spindle mounted axially fixed and driven in rotation by a motor rotary drive having an axially fixed output shaft; a spindle nut is guided along the threaded spindle and is in engagement with the threaded spindle and the spindle nut is connected to the metering slide to actuate the metering slide by rotation of the threaded spindle.

2. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an electric-motor rotary drive, wherein the threaded spindle is driven in rotation by means of the electric-motor rotary drive.

3. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the threaded spindle is comprised by an output shaft of the motor rotary drive or is connected to the output shaft of the motor rotary drive.

4. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a drive connection connecting the threaded spindle to the output shaft of the motor rotary drive the drive connection comprising a belt drive or meshing toothed wheels.

5. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the output shaft of the motor rotary drive is arranged substantially parallel to the threaded spindle.

6. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the metering slide of the metering element can be displaced at least translationally, substantially parallel to an axial direction of the threaded spindle, or rotationally, about a pivot axis arranged substantially perpendicularly in relation to the axial direction of the threaded spindle and/or at a radial distance therefrom.

7. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spindle nut is guided along the threaded spindle by means of a sliding block, in which the spindle nut is fastened rotationally fixed.

8. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the spindle nut or the sliding block has at least one driver, which is detachable and which extends substantially perpendicularly in relation to an axial direction of the threaded spindle, and which is in engagement with an oblong hole of the metering slide or of a lever arm arranged thereon.

9. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the threaded spindle is arranged jointly with the motor rotary drive, on a side of the outlet opening that is opposite to the metering slide of the metering element.

10. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the threaded spindle is arranged, in particular jointly with the motor rotary drive, detachably, on the base of the container that is provided with the outlet opening, or on a support flange fastened, in particular detachably, thereto.

11. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spindle nut is connected to the metering slide via a lever arm arranged on the spindle nut and the rotationally displaceable metering slide of the metering element has a pivot axis, which is arranged substantially perpendicularly in relation to the outlet opening, and which passes through the base of the container that is provided with the outlet opening, wherein, on a side of the base that is opposite to the metering slide, the lever arm, that is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the metering element pivot axis, is connected to the spindle nut.

12. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the metering slide and/or the lever arm connecting the metering slide to the spindle nut is detachably connected to the pivot axis of the metering slide.

13. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spindle nut is connected to the metering slide via a lever arm arranged on the spindle nut and the lever arm connecting the metering slide of the metering element to the spindle nut is displaceable between the base of the container that is provided with the outlet opening, or the support flange fastened thereto, and the motor rotary drive of the threaded spindle, substantially parallel to the plane of the base or of the support flange.

14. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a motor housing, wherein the motor rotary drive is accommodated in the motor housing, wherein the motor housing is configured to be substantially dust-tight and liquid-tight, and/or an axially fixed output shaft of the motor rotary drive is sealed against the motor housing by at least one mechanical face seal.

15. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the motor rotary drive has at least one transmission comprising a coupled transmission, a coaxial transmission, a bevel-gear transmission and/or a planetary-gear transmission.

16. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a position-sensing sensor, comprised of an angular displacement sensor and/or a rotational-speed sensor, which is connected to an open-loop and/or closed-loop control means of the distributing machine, is assigned to the output shaft of the motor rotary drive, or at least to another shaft of the motor rotary drive, or of a transmission thereof.

17. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the electric-motor rotary drive is supplied with electrical power from the electrical power supply of a towing machine, comprised of a tractor or a road vehicle, wherein the electric-motor rotary drive has an electrical interface that can be connected to the electrical power supply of the towing machine.

18. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a position-sensing sensor, wherein the position-sensing sensor is assigned to the spindle nut that can be displaced along the threaded spindle, and the position-sensing sensor, comprised of a sliding contact or rubbing contact that is arranged on a wall extending parallel to the threaded spindle and that acts in combination with the spindle nut, is connected to an open-loop and/or closed-loop control means of the distributing machine.

19. The distributing machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a handle fixed detachably to the metering slide forming an operating lever extending away therefrom, to enable the metering slide to be actuated manually.

20. A metering element comprising: a motor-driven metering slide that can be displaced relative to the outlet opening, and which is suitable for use in a distributing machine; a motor rotary drive having an axially fixed output shaft; a metering slide drive comprising a threaded spindle that is mounted in an axially fixed manner and that is driven in rotation by means of the motor rotary drive a spindle nut guided along which threaded spindle, wherein the spindle nut is in engagement with the threaded spindle and is connected to the metering slide to actuate the metering slide by rotation of threaded spindle.

21. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] In the drawings:

[0049] FIG. 1 is a schematic, perspective view, viewed obliquely from below of a distributing machine realized in the form of an agricultural dual-disk spreader;

[0050] FIG. 2 is a schematic, perspective view, viewed obliquely from below of an embodiment of one of the metering elements of the distributing machine according to FIG. 1, with a pivotably mounted metering slide acting in combination with an outlet opening in the base of the container;

[0051] FIG. 3 is a schematic, exploded, perspective view of the metering element, corresponding substantially to FIG. 2, and including an outlet chute that, likewise, is fixed to the underside of the base of the container;

[0052] FIG. 4 is a schematic, perspective view of an embodiment of a drive, according to the invention, of the metering slide of the metering element according to FIGS. 2 and 3, which comprises a spindle nut, which is guided along a threaded spindle that is driven in rotation, and which is in engagement therewith, and which is connected to a lever arm of the metering slide, viewed obliquely from above;

[0053] FIG. 5 is a schematic, perspective view of the drive of the metering slide according to FIG. 4, viewed obliquely from below; and

[0054] FIG. 6 is a schematic, perspective view of the drive of the metering slide according to FIGS. 4 and 5, similar to FIG. 4, viewed obliquely from above, but with the spindle nut removed to show the arrangement of the lever arm fixed to the metering slide.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0055] Referring to the drawings, the distributing machine represented in FIG. 1, in the form of a dual-disk spreader for agricultural purposes, has a frame 1 having a crosspiece 2 that, in the case of a mechanical drive of the distributing elements 3 being derived from the power take-off of a towing machine, such as a tractor, takes up a transverse force, while, in the case of an adjustable-speed hydraulic or, in particular, electrical drive (not shown), the hydraulic or electric motors assigned to each distributing element 3 may be fixed to the crosspiece 2. The distributing elements 3 are realized in the form of distributor disks 4a, 4b, which are driven in rotation about an approximately vertical axis of rotation V and which, in the usual manner, are equipped with projection vanes 5a, 5b.

[0056] The distributing machine additionally has a container 7, which serves to store the material to be distributed such as, in particular, fertilizer or seed, and which in the present case comprises two container parts 8, 9, tapering downward approximately in the form of funnels, that at the lower end each transition into a lower part 10, 11 having a downwardly open base ring (not visible in FIG. 1). Arranged directly beneath a respective base ring of the lower parts 10, 11 of a respective container part 8, 9 there is a respective base 14, shown by FIGS. 2 and 3, having an outlet opening, or metering opening 16, (cf. FIG. 2), the clear cross section of which can be controlled by electric motor to open and close by means of ain this case rotationallydisplaceable metering slide 18 of a metering element for the purpose of setting the desired mass flow rate of material to be distributed, between a closed position, in which the metering slide 18 completely closes the outlet opening 16, and a fully open position, and any partially open positions. The metering slide 18 that acts in combination with a respective outlet opening 16 in this case is again located immediately beneath a respective base 14 that is provided with the outlet opening 16, and is mounted so as to be pivotable about a substantially vertical axis D that is approximately perpendicular to the base 14 (regarding which, see also FIGS. 4 to 6). For the purpose of mechanically limiting its pivoting capability, the metering slide 18 may additionally be equipped, for example, with an oblong hole 15, which extends around a corresponding circumferential portion thereof and in which there engages a stud 17, arranged in a stationary manner on the underside of a respective base 14, in such a manner that, as the metering slide 18 pivots about its pivot axis D, the stud is displaced along the oblong hole 15 andas viewed in the circumferential directionimpinges against the opposite ends of the oblong hole 15 when the metering slide is, on the one hand, in the closed position and, on the other hand, in the maximally open position.

[0057] Furthermore, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is a handle 48, configured in the form of an operating lever 49, extending away approximately radially outward, substantially from its pivot axis D or to the side thereof, which serves, if necessary, for manual actuation of the metering slide 18. In the present case, the operating lever 49 is fastened rigidly but detachably, by means of screws, to the metering slide 18, but may also, for example, be integrally connected to the latter, or realized in the manner of a separate tool that can be inserted a corresponding receiver of the metering slide 18 as required (not shown). In this way, if a malfunction of the metering element, its drive or its electrical power supply should occur during field work, the metering slide 18 of the metering element can be closed, for example manually, by means of the handle 48 to enable the distributing machine to be removed without loss of material to be distributed. The exploded representation according to FIG. 3 additionally shows an outlet chute 50, which can be detachably fixed to the underside of the base 14, and which expediently extends to immediately above the distributor disks 4a, 4b, and inside which the material to be spread can be transferred from the metering element to the respective distributor disk 4a, 4b. Such outlet chutes are known from the prior art.

[0058] As again evident from FIG. 1, the distributing machine may furthermore be equipped with a distributor-disk protection 20, which partially surrounds the distributor disks 4a, 4b with the projection vanes 5a, 5b. In the present case, it is composed of a plurality of interconnected portions of metal plate, of which a middle portion 21 is arranged between the distributor disks 4a, 4b and the container parts 8, 9, in particular the lower parts 10, 11, thereof, and a further curved portion 22, 23 respectively surrounds the distributor disks 4a, 4bas viewed in the direction of travelin their front region.

[0059] Furthermore, a respective distributing element 3, in the form of the distributor disks 4a, 4b, may have an assigned means, not represented in detail in the drawing, for adjusting the point at which the material to be distributed is fed onto the distributor disks 4a, 4b, which means comprises, for example, a mounting of the base 14 of the container parts 8, 9 of the container 7 that is rotatable coaxially with the axis of rotation V of the distributor disks, and a corresponding rotary drivewhether manual or, in particular, motor or actuatorof the bases 14, as is known per se from the prior art, such as, for example, from the document EP 2 057 876 A1 cited at the outset. The metering or outlet opening 16 located in the bases 14 can thereby be displaced, e.g. along a circular path around a circumferential portion around the distributor disk 4a, 4b, as a result of which the feed point is adjustable in the circumferential direction of the distributor disk 4a, 4b. In this case, for example, connected to each rotatable base 14 there may be a position indictor 90, 91 in the form of a pointer, merely indicated in FIG. 1, which acts in combination with a scale 92, 93 that is fixed in a stationary manner to a respective container part 8, 9 of the container 7, which scales are provided with a scale marking that represents the position of the feed point.

[0060] Represented in FIGS. 4 to 6 are differing views of an exemplary embodiment of a drive, according to the invention, of the metering slide 18 of the metering element, the components of which drive, in the present case, are detachably fixed to a support flange 30 that is detachably fixed, e.g. by means of screws (not shown) that engage in corresponding drilled holes 31, to the side of the base 14, provided with the outlet opening 16, that is opposite to the metering slide 18, but outside of the container 7; 8, 9 (cf. FIG. 1), not shown again in FIGS. 4 to 6, such that the drive is optimally protected against the particles of spreading material spun out by the distributor disks 4a, 4b during operation. In the present case, the support flange 30 is of a two-part design and comprises, on the one hand, a support plate 30a on its side that faces toward the base 14, and on the other hand, on its side that faces away from the base 14, a mounting plate 30b, equipped with fastening elements, described in greater detail in the following, for holding the various components of the drive of the metering slide 18, the support plate 30a and the mounting plate 30b of the support flange 30 being jointly screw-connected to the base 14 by means of aligned drilled holes 31. The two-part design of the support flange 30 in this case provides the possibility, in particular, of being able to select differing materials for this purpose, it being possible, for example, for the support plate 30a to be produced from metal materials in order to impart a very high degree of mechanical strength and stiffness to the support flange 30, while the mounting plate 30b provided with the fastening elements may be produced, in particular as a single piece, from plastic, in order to achieve cost-effective manufacture, e.g. by means of injection molding. Clearly, however, the support flange 30 may also be realized as a single piece, such as, for example, as a shaped part made of cast metal or injection molding (not shown). While the metering slide 14, whose pivot axis D, in the case of the exemplary embodiment shown, passes approximately perpendicularly through the base 14, may in principle also be mounted on the base 14, it the present case it likewise is mounted on the support flange 30here: on the mounting plate 30b thereofand perpendicularly in relation thereto, the support flange 30or, more precisely: its mounting plate 30bhaving a corresponding bearing bush 37 for this purpose.

[0061] The drive of the metering slide 18, which is entirely without telescoping parts, comprises a threaded spindle 33 that is driven in rotation but is axially fixed, e.g. rotatably mounted on corresponding bearing blocks 32a, 32b of the support flange 30, or of its mounting plate 30b, and that extends substantially perpendicularly in relation to the pivot axis D of the metering slide 18, and both at a distance from and approximately tangentially in relation to the same. A spindle nut 34, which can be seen only in FIG. 4, is in engagement with the threaded spindle 33, and is guided along the threaded spindle 33, i.e. in the axial direction thereof, such that, as the threaded spindle 33 rotates, it moves translationally along it. For the purpose of guiding the spindle nut 34, a sliding block 35, for example, likewise visible only in FIG. 4, may be provided, in which it is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner, and/or it is formed integrally with it. There may be assigned to the sliding block 35 a usual guide groove (not visible in the drawings), which extends parallel to the threaded spindle 33 and which may be arranged on the support flange 30, or on the mounting plate 30b itself thereof and/or, for example, in a wall 36 connecting the bearing blocks 32a, 32b (cf. again FIG. 4).

[0062] As can be seen from FIGS. 4 to 6 in combination with FIGS. 3 and 4, the metering slide 18 of the metering element is consequently screw-connected, together with the handle 48 serving as an operating lever 49, to a shaft flange 38 that passes approximately perpendicularly through the base 14 and forms its pivot axis D, and that, for its part, is pivotably mounted in the bearing bush 37 of the support flange 38. As shown by FIGS. 4 to 6 and best by FIG. 6, the shaft flange 38 that forms the pivot axis D of the metering slide 18 is additionally connected in a rotationally fixed manner, at its end that is opposite to the metering slide 18, i.e. on its side of the base 14 that is opposite to the metering slide 18, to a lever arm 39 in order to actuate it by rotation of the threaded spindle 33 and resultant displacement of the spindle nut 34 along the same. For this purpose, the lever arm 39 is connected to the spindle nut 34, which in the present case is effected via the sliding block 35 that is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the spindle nut 34.

[0063] In order to compensate the differing distances of the spindle nut 34, or of the sliding block 35, in relation to the pivot axis D of the metering slide 18, according to which axial position of the threaded spindle 33 that the spindle nut 34 is in at a particular time, the lever arm 39, at its end that is opposite to the shaft flange 38 that forms the pivot axis D, facing toward the spindle nut 34, has an oblong hole 40 that extends substantially in the radial direction in relation to the pivot axis D, or substantially in the direction of extent of the lever arm 39. The sliding block 35 connected to the spindle nut 34, in turn, has a driver 41 (cf. FIG. 4), which engages in the oblong hole 40 of the lever arm 39 and expediently extends approximately perpendicularly both in relation to said oblong hole and to the axial direction of the threaded spindle 33, and which, for ease of mounting, is preferably detachably fastened to the spindle nut 34, or to the sliding block 35, for example screw-connected thereto. While the driver 41 may be constituted, for example, by a stud having a round (circular) cross section of a diameter approximately corresponding to the width of the oblong hole (40) (not shown), in the case of the present exemplary embodiment, for the purpose of a yet more exact and absolutely zero-backlash guidance in the oblong hole 40, it comprises a formed piece 42, having two opposite edge portions that are parallel to the longitudinal edges of the oblong hole 40 and the distance of which corresponds approximately to the width of the oblong hole 40, the length of the formed piece 41 being dimensioned in such a manner, in particular, that it impinges against the ends of the oblong hole 40 only when the lever arm 39 in each case has attained a position, pivoted about the pivot axis D, that corresponds to the closed position, or to the fully open position of the metering slide 18, in which it completely frees the outlet opening 16 of the base 14 (see FIG. 2).

[0064] As is furthermore shown by FIGS. 4 to 6, the drive of the metering slide 18 additionally has an electric-motor rotary drive 42, which serves to drive the threaded spindle 33 rotationally, in that it transmits an exclusively rotational movement to it. While the axially fixed output shaft 44 of the electric-motor rotary drive 42, formed by a shaft stub, may in principle also be arranged, for example, coaxially with the threaded spindle 33 and connected to it in a rotationally fixed manner (not shown), in the case of the present embodiment it is providednot least with regard to a very compact structure of the drivethat the electric-motor drive unit 43 is arranged approximately parallel to the threaded spindle 33, and between the same and the pivot axis V of the metering slide 18, it being likewise fixed to the support flange 30or, more precisely: to holding parts 45a, 45b of its mounting plate 30b that are provided for this purposein a detachable manner. The electric-motor rotary drive 42 in this case overlaps, for example, the lever arm 39 of the metering slide 18, which consequently is pivotably displaceable, about the pivot axis D, between the surface of the support flange 30or, more precisely: its mounting plate 30band the electric-motor rotary drive 42, in a plane extending parallel to the support flange 30 and to the base 14. Consequently, the output shaft 44 of the electric-motor rotary drive 42, mounted in an axially fixed manner, likewise extends parallel to the threaded spindle 33, a toothed belt drive 46 serving in the present case to transmit the rotational movement of the output shaft 44 to the threaded spindle 33, which toothed belt drive comprises a toothed belt 46a that is in engagement, on the one hand, on a toothed-belt wheel 46b seated in a rotationally fixed manner on the output shaft 44, and on the other hand with a toothed-belt wheel 46c seated in a rotationally fixed manner on the axis of rotation of the threaded spindle 33. The toothed-belt wheel 46b seated on the output shaft 44 in this case is preferably (appreciably) smaller than the toothed-belt wheel 46b seated on the axis of rotation of the threaded spindle 33, in order to provide for stepping-down of the rotational speed of the output shaft 44 of the electric-motor rotary drive 42 and thereby to provide, not only for a very rapid, but also very exact, displacement, or setting, of the metering slide 18 to its desired open position in relation to the outlet opening 16. Clearly, instead of the toothed belt drive 46, other torque transmission means may also be provided, such as frictional or vee-belt drives, meshing toothed wheels or the like (not shown).

[0065] The electric-motor rotary drive 42 expediently has an electric motor accommodated in a housing 47; the electric motor may be, in particular, a geared motor that is equipped with a transmission of practically any known design. The output shaft 44 of the electric-motor rotary drive 42 in this case passes through the housing 47, at the end face thereof, and is sealed against the latter in a dust-tight and liquid-tight manner by means of a mechanical face seal 40, not represented in the drawing. Preferably, there may also be accommodated in the housing 47 of the electric-motor rotary drive 42 position-sensing sensors, likewise not represented in the drawing, that, for example in the manner of angular-displacement and/or rotational-speed sensors, are able to sense the exact angular position of the output shaft 44 or of another shaft, e.g. of the transmission, and consequently the position of the metering slide 18 corresponding thereto. The position-sensing sensor(s) is or are operatively connected to an open-loop and/or closed-loop control means (likewise not represented) of the distributing machine, in order to set the desired metering quantities, or mass flow rates, of material to be distributed, and in particular to control these by closed-loop control on the basis of the actual mass flow rate of material to be distributed, likewise sensed by sensor means, and possibly also in dependence on the position, for example sensed by means of GPS, of the distributing machine on the field during the spreading work. The electric-motor rotary drive 42 may consequently be designed in the manner of a servomotor such as, for example, a brushless DC motor.

[0066] As an alternative or in addition to the position-sensing sensor(s) of the electric-motor rotary drive 42, there may also be assigned, for example, to the spindle nut 34 that can be displaced along the threaded spindle 33, or to the sliding block 35 connected in a rotationally fixed manner thereto, a position-sensing sensor (not shown) which, for the aforementioned purposes, is likewise connected to the open-loop and/or closed-loop control means of the distributing machine, and which may be realized, for example, in the form of a sliding contact or rubbing contact that is arranged on the wall 36 extending parallel to the threaded spindle 33 (cf. FIG. 4) and that acts in combination with the spindle nut 34, or with the sliding block 35.

[0067] The electric-motor rotary drive 42, like the possibly present position-sensing sensors, may expediently be able to be connected to the electrical power supply of the towing machine via an electrical interface (not shown) provided on the distributing machine or on a towing machine of the same, such as, for example, a tractor, such that the distributing machine itself does not require its own electrical power supply, but is supplied with electrical energy from the electrical system of the towing machine.

[0068] Finally, it proves expedient to encapsulate the entire drive of the metering slide 18 for the purpose of protecting against external influences, which may be effected, for example, by means of a cover 51 that can be put onto the support flange 30or, more precisely: onto its mounting plate 30band of which the portion that faces toward the pivot axis D can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, and that comprises, for example, an inlet, provided with a threaded body, for an electrical cable (not shown) serving to supply electrical power to the electric-motor rotary drive 42. The cover 51 in this case may be realized in the form of a covering cap that can be put onto the support flange 30 and that covers the entire drive of the metering slide 18, including the electric-motor rotary drive 42, the belt drive 46, the threaded spindle 33, with the spindle nut 34 that can be displaced along it and the lever arm 39 fixed thereto, as well as the shaft flange 38.

[0069] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.