Declutching device for distribution element and seed drill including such a device

Abstract

A declutching device for a seed drill distribution element including a locking element and a support element on which the locking element is mounted, in which the locking element allows two stable positions relative to the support element and can be moved between these, the locking element being configured, when in a stable position, to be able to declutch the distribution element.

Claims

1. A declutching device for a seed drill distribution element, comprising: a locking element including first and second abutment surfaces; and a support element including at least one lug on which the locking element is rotatably mounted, wherein the lug is posited between the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface, and wherein the locking element allows two stable positions relative to the support element and can be moved between the two stable positions, the two stable positions including: an active position in which the first abutment surface of the locking element directly contacts the support element, the locking element being configured, when in the active position, to be able to declutch the distribution element, and an inactive position in which the second abutment surface of the locking element directly contacts the support element.

2. The declutching device according to claim 1, including a return element that, when the locking element reaches the active position or the inactive position of the two stable positions, keeps the locking element in the active position or the inactive position reached, and/or pulls the locking element towards the active position or the inactive position.

3. The declutching device according to claim 2, the return element being a tension spring.

4. The declutching device according to claim 2, the return element being mounted respectively on the support element at a first hitching point and on the locking element at a second hitching point.

5. The declutching device according to claim 1, the support element including a pin spaced apart from the lug, the first abutment surface resting against the pin in the active position and the second abutment surface resting against the pin in the inactive position.

6. A seed drill comprising: a distribution element fitted with the declutching device according to claim 1, the support device being movable between two end positions relative to a machine chassis, one of the end positions being a deployed position.

7. The seed drill according to claim 6, the distribution element being declutched by the locking element when the latter is in the active position and when the support element is in the deployed position.

8. The declutching device according to claim 1, wherein the support element includes a protruding tongue and the at least one lug includes first and second lugs protruding from opposite sides of a distal end of the protruding tongue.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with regard to the attached drawings, which are only provided as non-limiting examples of the invention. In these drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a declutching lever in a retracted position and of a clutched distribution element of the prior art;

(3) FIG. 2 is a simplified longitudinal section and elevated view of the distribution element in FIG. 1 according to marker II-II;

(4) FIG. 3a is an elevation view of a declutching lever according to the invention, in a deployed position, comprising a locking element in an active position and a distribution element in a declutched state;

(5) FIG. 3b is an elevation view of the elements in FIG. 3a showing the locking element in an inactive position and the distribution element in a clutched state;

(6) FIG. 3c is an elevation view of the elements in FIG. 3a showing the locking element in an active position, the lever in a retracted position and the distribution element in a clutched state;

(7) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the elements in FIG. 3c also showing a declutching jack in a retracted position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(8) FIG. 3a shows the lower part of a distribution unit including a distribution element 31 and a declutching device 32.

(9) The distribution element 31 is in the disclosed embodiment of the same type as that described in the preamble to this application. For the sake of simplicity, only some components of the distribution element 31 in FIG. 2 are reproduced in FIGS. 1, 3a-3c and 4.

(10) The declutching device 32 is described hereinafter in reference to FIGS. 3a to 3c and 4. The device 32 includes a lever 60, a tipping flange 61 and a jack 62.

(11) The lever 60 includes a support element 70, or body, a locking element 80 and a return element 86 (see FIG. 3a in particular).

(12) The body 70 has two pairs of hooks 71 and 72 on either side. The first and second hooks 71 and 72 respectively keep the lever 60 on a pivot rod 15 and on a bar 16 of the seed drill.

(13) The lever 60 is attached to the end of the rod 63 of the jack 62 via the tipping flange 61. The jack 62 is for example connected to a chassis (not shown) of the seed drill. Due to the translatory movement of the rod 63, the bar 16 and consequently the lever 60 can be moved between a retracted position and a deployed position around the pivot rod 15.

(14) The body 70 also includes a protruding tongue 73. The tongue 73 has side lugs 74 on either side of its distal end. The tongue 73 also has a pair of stops 75 or stop teeth on either side, set back from the distal end relative to the side lugs 74.

(15) The locking element 80 is in this case a wedge. This wedge 80 includes a central flange 81 and two side flanges 82 or blocking stirrups. Preferably, the flanges 81 and 82 are formed of one part. Other embodiments are conceivable, for example welding the stirrups 82 onto the central flange 81.

(16) The blocking stirrups 82 are substantially U-shaped. Each stirrup 82 includes two abutment surfaces 83 opposite each other and each on a respective branch of the stirrup. The stirrups 82 are attached on either side of the central flange 81.

(17) The return element 86 is in this case a helical tension spring with a hitching loop for attachment at each end.

(18) The wedge 80 is mounted in a movable fashion on the tongue 73 so that each stirrup 82 is mounted on a respective lug 74, with the central flange 81 opposite the distal end. The wedge 80 can swivel around the lugs 74 between two stable positions determined by at least one of the abutment surfaces 83 coming into contact against the stop 75.

(19) Advantageously, a corridor 89 is in this case positioned between the abutment surfaces 83 to make it easier to mount the wedge 80 on the body 70 (FIG. 3a). The minimum width of the corridors 89 is greater than the smallest thickness of the lugs 74. As such, the stirrups 82 can be mounted on the lugs 74 by sliding the lugs 74 in the corridors 89.

(20) Alternatively, the corridors are absent and the wedge is assembled on the body 70 in another manner, for example by folding the stirrups 82 on either side of the tongue 73.

(21) The spring 86 is mounted stretched out on the lever 60 by its end loops at two hitching points 87 and 88. The first hitching point 87 is in this case situated where the body 70 and the tongue 73 meet. The second hitching point 88 is on the wedge 80, in this case at one end of the central flange 81, substantially in a median plane between the stirrups 82. The spring 86 constantly pulls the second hitching point 88 of the wedge 80 towards the body 70. As such, the wedge 80 is forced by the spring 86 to move towards one or other of two stable positions of the wedge relative to the body 70: an active position and an inactive position. Return element is taken to mean element for returning to one or other of the stable positions. The movement of the wedge 80 towards one or other of the stable positions depends on the side on which the second hitching point 88 is located relative to a median plane 90 defined by the first hitching point 87 and the two lugs 74. As such, when the second hitching point 88 is in the median plane 90, the spring 86 is stretched to the maximum. When the wedge 80 is in one or other of the stable positions, the spring 86 holds it there.

(22) The spring 86 also lends elasticity to the wedge 80 in the event that the latter strikes one of the surfaces 48b or 48c when the lever 60 moves from the retracted position (FIG. 3c) to the deployed position (FIG. 3a). As the wheel 41 is driven in rotation when the distribution element 31 is clutched, the end part 84 of the wedge 80 can slide against the surfaces 48c, 48b then 48d until the portion 84 comes to rest against the radial surface 48a and the distribution element 31 is declutched. This prevents damage to the wedge 80, the lever 60 and the teeth 48.

(23) In the embodiment shown, the inactive position corresponds to that of the end positions of the wedge 80 in which the flange 81 is the closest to the body 70 (FIG. 3b). Conversely, the active position corresponds to the position in which the flange 81 is the furthest away from the body 70 (FIGS. 3a and 3c).

(24) A simple manual effort is sufficient to move the wedge from one stable position to the other. As such, compared with the known lever 10, on which the mounting and removal of a buffer 27 requires the use of tools, the lever 60 has the advantage of not requiring the use of tools. This results in far simpler adjustments and in a far shorter period of time. Furthermore, the risk of losing tools or parts in the restricted space of the machine is eliminated.

(25) The distribution element 31 is only declutched when the wedge 80 is in an active position and the lever 60 is in a deployed position. To declutch a distribution element 31, it is therefore necessary, with the lever 60 in a retracted position, to move the wedge 80 to its active position (the distribution element 31 is then always clutched), then to move the lever 60 to its deployed position. Conversely, to clutch a distribution element 31, one only needs to move the lever 60 to its retracted position. The wedge 80 can then be moved to an inactive position.

(26) Depending on the machine, the number of levers 60 per semi-seed drill, i.e. per side of the machine, varies. This number may be comprised between one and six per semi-seed drill or even higher. The higher the number of levers 60, the more time is saved when adjusting the seed drill. This is particularly relevant for operators working with their machines for numerous different farmers each season, as the machines need to be adjusted for each new task.

(27) In a variant not shown, a seed drill can be fitted with one or several lever(s) 60 on one side only, the other side not having any. This is financially advantageous when the tramlines are made asymmetrically, i.e. when the two tracks of the same tramline are produced during two successive passes: one track on the outbound route and one track on the return route.

(28) Before each seeding, each of the wedges 80 must be adjusted by moving it to its active or inactive position as appropriate. According to the seed drill's position in the field, on each semi-seed drill, the jack 62, the bar 16 and the corresponding levers 60 will be moved to their retracted or deployed position. Those of the levers 60 whose wedge 80 is in an active position (FIG. 3a) then declutch the respective distribution elements 31, which stop distributing seed in the corresponding rows. These rows form tramline tracks that the wheels of the treatment devices can travel over. Conversely, the levers 60 whose wedge 80 is in an inactive position leave the distribution elements 31 in a clutched state and continue to distribute seed.

(29) Other embodiments are possible without departing from the framework of the invention.

(30) For example, in an alternative embodiment (not shown), the tongue 73 includes at least one stirrup with two abutment surfaces facing each other, the wedge 80 includes a flange with a protruding lug that rests respectively against one or other of the abutment surfaces depending on the stable position of the wedge 80.

(31) In other words, a first one from the support element 70 or the locking element 80 includes two abutment surfaces 83 substantially opposite each other, and the other from the support element 70 or the locking element 80 includes a pin 75, one of the abutment surfaces 83 resting against the pin 75 in each respective stable position.

(32) In another variant not shown, the tension spring 86 is substituted by a compression spring. The compression spring can be mounted on a brace rod limiting its transverse deformation. The compression spring is mounted at its ends on hitching points positioned respectively on the body and on the wedge, so as to force the wedge to move to one of its two stable positions.