Abstract
The disclosure relates to a tool change system for agricultural ground cultivating machines, comprising: a ground cultivation tool, which is designed to be moved through soil for ground cultivation; a tool carrier, on which the ground cultivation tool is arranged; and a locking device; wherein the ground cultivation tool and the tool carrier together form an engagement mechanism, by means of which the ground cultivation tool and the tool carrier can be non-destructively and releasably brought into engagement with one another.
Claims
1. A Tool change system for agricultural ground cultivating machines, comprising: a ground cultivation tool which is configured to be moved through soil for ground cultivation; a tool carrier on which said ground cultivation tool is arranged, and a locking device; wherein said ground cultivation tool and said tool carrier together form an engagement mechanism by way of which said ground cultivation tool and said tool carrier can be made to engage with one another in a non-destructively releasable manner; and wherein said locking device comprises a clamping lever by way of which said engagement mechanism can be locked.
2. A tool change system according to claim 1, wherein said clamping lever has a locking section which can be inserted into a lever receiving recess of said engagement mechanism, and wherein said lever receiving recess is arranged in said ground cultivation.
3. A tool change system according to claim 1, wherein said ground cultivation tool and said tool carrier can be clamped to one another by way of a clamping lever.
4. A tool change system according to claim 2, wherein said clamping lever has a tool contact region which is configured to be pressed against the contour of said lever receiving recess when said ground cultivation tool and said tool carrier are clamped to one another.
5. A tool change system according to claim 3, wherein said clamping lever has a carrier contact region which is configured to be pressed against a lever guide region of said tool carrier when said ground cultivation tool and said tool carrier are clamped to one another.
6. A tool change system according to claim 5, wherein said carrier contact region of said clamping lever has a convexly curved contact surface; said lever guide region of said tool carrier has a concavely curved contact surface.
7. A tool change system according to claim 5, wherein said carrier contact region and said lever guide region together form a rotary bearing for said clamping lever which allows for a guided rotational motion of said clamping lever across a pivot angle range.
8. A tool change system according to one of the above claims, wherein said locking device has a retaining member which is configured to retain said clamping lever in a locking position in which said ground cultivation tool and said tool carrier are clamped to one another by way of said clamping lever.
9. A tool change system according to claim 1, wherein said engagement mechanism has one or more engagement bodies, wherein each engagement body is configured to engage in a receiving recess of said engagement mechanism.
10. A tool change system according to claim 9, wherein an engagement body of said engagement mechanism is configured to engage in said lever receiving recess into which also said locking section of said clamping lever can be inserted.
11. A tool change system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more engagement bodies have a contact surface which are each configured to press against a contact section of the inner contour of a receiving recess when said ground cultivation tool and said tool carrier are clamped to one another.
12. A tool change system according to claim 11, characterized in that wherein said contact surface of said one or more engagement bodies and said contact section of said inner contour of said one or more receiving recesses have corresponding bevels.
13. A tool change system according to at least one of the above claims, characterized in that said clamping lever is configured as a bent wire part, in particular as a spring clip.
14. A ground cultivation tool for a tool change system according to one of the claim 1, which is configured to be moved through soil for ground cultivation, wherein said ground cultivation tool has at least one receiving recess by way of which said ground cultivation tool is configured to form an engagement mechanism with a tool carrier in order to be arranged on said tool carrier, wherein said engagement mechanism includes a lever receiving recess into which a clamping lever can be replaced.
15. A method for mounting a ground cultivation tool on a soil cultivation machine using a tool change system according to claim 1 comprising: non-destructively releasing engagement of a ground cultivation tool and a tool carrier with one another by way of an engagement mechanism which is formed together by said ground cultivation tool and said tool carrier; and locking of said engagement mechanism by way of a clamping lever of a locking device of said tool change system.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] Preferred embodiments of the disclosure shall be explained and described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, where
[0032] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the tool change system according to the disclosure in a pre-locked state;
[0033] FIG. 2 shows the tool change system depicted in FIG. 1 in a locked state;
[0034] FIG. 3 shows in a sectional illustration of the engagement mechanism of the tool change system depicted in FIG. 1;
[0035] FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of the tool change system according to the disclosure prior to the insertion of the clamping lever;
[0036] FIG. 5 shows in a perspective illustration of the tool change system shown in FIG. 4 in a pre-locked state after the insertion of the clamping lever;
[0037] FIG. 6 shows in a side view the tool change system depicted in FIG. 4 when the clamping lever is moved to the locking position;
[0038] FIG. 7 shows the tool change system depicted in FIG. 4 when the clamping lever is introduced into the retaining member;
[0039] FIG. 8 shows in a side view a further embodiment of the tool change system according to the disclosure when the clamping lever is moved to the locking position;
[0040] FIG. 9 shows in a perspective illustration a further embodiment of the tool change system according to the disclosure in a pre-locked state after the insertion of the clamping lever;
[0041] FIG. 10 shows in a side view the tool change system shown in FIG. 9 when the clamping lever is moved to the locking position; and
[0042] FIG. 11 shows the tool change system depicted in FIG. 9 when the clamping lever is moved to the locking position with the aid of an assembly tool.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0043] FIG. 1 shows a tool change system 10 for an agricultural ground cultivating machine. Tool change system 10 comprises a ground cultivation tool 12 which is in engagement with a tool carrier 14. Ground cultivation tool 12 can be, for example, a share plate which is moved through the soil at a shallow depth as part of the ground cultivation. Ground cultivation tool 12 has a V-shaped plate shape and is configured as an integrally formed metal body. Tool carrier 14 has an elongate basic shape and is configured as an integrally formed carrier rod made of metal.
[0044] Ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 can be clamped to one another by way of a clamping lever 18.
[0045] FIG. 1 shows tool change system 10 in a pre-locked state in which clamping lever 18 has already been inserted into a (covered) lever receiving recess of an engagement mechanism.
[0046] To clamp ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 and to lock the engagement mechanism, clamping lever 18 is to be brought into the vicinity of the rear outer edge 16b of tool carrier 14.
[0047] FIG. 2 shows the locked state in which clamping lever 18 is disposed in a locking position and extends along a convexly curved rear end edge 16b of tool carrier 14. Clamping lever 18 can be made to assume the locking position manually and without the use of tools. Tool change system 10 has a retaining member 20 which retains clamping lever 18 in the locking position and prevents clamped clamping lever 18 from snapping back. Retaining member 20 is a ring-shaped body which rests in a front region on a support 22 of tool carrier 14. Support 22 is disposed on front edge 16a of tool carrier 14. Clamping lever 18 has a contour 24 in an upper end region. Contouring 24 consists of an indentation which is formed by two webs of material spaced apart from one another. The indentation of contouring 24 can made to engage with retaining member 20 in order to secure clamping lever 18 in the locking position. If retaining member 20 is not affixed by clamping lever 18, support 22 prevents retaining member 20 from dropping down in an uncontrolled manner. In the locking position depicted, clamping lever 18 is elastically deformed.
[0048] FIG. 3 shows locking device 26 and engagement mechanism 28 in detail. Engagement mechanism 28 is formed by ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14. Ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 can be made to engage with one another in a non-destructively releasable manner by way of engagement mechanism 28. For this purpose, engagement mechanism 28 has two engagement bodies 32a, 32b, where each engagement body 32a, 32b is configured to engage in a receiving recess 30a, 30b of engagement mechanism 28. Engagement bodies 32a, 32b are disposed on the underside of tool carrier 14 and are integral parts of tool carrier 14. Two receiving recesses 30a, 30b are disposed in ground cultivation tool 12. After the insertion of engagement bodies 32a, 32b into receiving recesses 30a, 30b, engagement bodies 32a, 32b protrude only slightly out of receiving recesses 30a, 30b so that engagement bodies 32a, 32b are protected from wear. Engagement bodies 32a, 32b each have a beveled contact surface which are pressed by clamping lever 18 against beveled inner contours of receiving recesses 30a, 30b. The bevels of engagement bodies 32a, 32b and the inner contours of receiving recesses 30a, 30b ensure that ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 wedge into one another when they are clamped to one another by way of clamping lever 18. Bevel angles ?, ? of the bevels of engagement bodies 32a, 32b and the inner contours of receiving recesses 30a, 30b match and in the embodiment shown are 45 degrees.
[0049] Clamping lever 18 is part of a locking device 26, by way of which the engagement mechanism can be locked. Clamping lever 18 has a locking section 34 which can be replaced in receiving recess 30b of engagement mechanism 28. Receiving recess 30b can therefore also be referred to as lever receiving recess 30b.
[0050] FIGS. 4 to 7 show by way of example the steps required to mount a ground cultivation tool 12. As indicated in FIG. 4, ground cultivation tool 12 must first be made to engage with tool carrier 14. For this purpose, ground cultivation tool 12 is first made to abut in vertical direction z against the lower edge of tool carrier 14. During the vertical motion, ground cultivation tool 12 is positioned in such a way that engagement bodies 32a, 32b of tool carrier 14 are inserted into receiving recesses 30a, 30b of ground cultivation tool 12. Ground cultivation tool 12 is thereafter to be moved backwards in horizontal direction x so that engagement bodies 32a, 32b engage with receiving recesses 30a, 30b. The horizontal motion of ground cultivation tool 12 makes a free region of receiving recess 30b accessible so that locking section 34 of clamping lever 18 can be inserted into receiving recess 30b. Receiving recess 30b is accessible from the rear side of ground cultivation tool 12 after ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 have been made to engage so that clamping lever 18 can be inserted into receiving recess 30b from the rear and above.
[0051] To complete the locking process, clamping lever 18 must still be moved to a locking position after it has been inserted into lever receiving recess 30b.
[0052] FIG. 5 shows clamping lever 18 while being pivoted to the locking position, where ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 are clamped to one another by way of clamping lever 18 while clamping lever 18 is being pivoted. When clamping ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14, ground cultivation tool 12 is pushed backwards by clamping lever 18. Ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 in an initial phase of the clamping process can first perform a motion relative to one another. After the end of the relative motion, a clamping force is built up via clamping lever 18 with which ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 are fastened to one another. Clamping lever 18 has a tool contact region which is pressed against the contour of lever receiving recess 30b when ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 are clamped to one another. The tool contact region is disposed in locking section 34 of clamping lever 18. When clamping lever 18 is moved to the locking position, the tool contact region of clamping lever 18 is in contact with the contour of lever receiving recess 30b.
[0053] Furthermore, clamping lever 18 has a carrier contact region which is pressed against a lever guide region of the tool carrier when ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 are clamped to one another. When clamping lever 18 is moved to the locking position, the carrier contact region of clamping lever 18 is in contact with the lever guide region of tool carrier 14. The carrier contact region of clamping lever 18 has a convexly curved contact surface 36. The lever guide region of tool carrier 14 has a concavely curved contact surface 38. Convexly curved contact surface 36 on clamping lever 18 and concavely curved contact surface 38 on tool carrier 14 together form a slide bearing or a rotary bearing 40, respectively. Rotary bearing 40 allows for a guided rotational motion of clamping lever 18 in pivot direction y.
[0054] FIG. 6 shows that clamping lever 18 is elastically deformed, namely is elastically bent, in a deformation region 42 when ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 are clamped to one another Clamping lever 18 to this end can also be referred to as a spring bar.
[0055] As shown in FIG. 7, moving clamping lever 18 to the locking position and securing clamping lever 18 to retaining member 20 can be effected manually using one or more fingers F. After contouring 24 has been inserted into ring-shaped retaining member 20, clamping lever 18 extends along rear curved edge 16b of tool carrier 14. The curved edge profile of tool carrier 14 is part of a rear end edge 16b of tool carrier 14.
[0056] As shown in FIG. 8, elastically deformable material 46, for example, foam rubber, can be arranged on the side of clamping lever 18 facing tool carrier 14. The remaining gap between rear edge 16b of tool carrier 14 and clamping lever 18 can be closed by way of elastically deformable material 46, so that no dirt can collect in this region. Furthermore, markings 44 for setting the position of ground cultivation tool 12 or for setting the working depth can be present on tool carrier 14. Markings 44 form a scale for adjusting the height of ground cultivation tool 12.
[0057] FIG. 9 shows clamping lever 18, which is configured as a bent wire part in this embodiment, while it is being pivoted to the locking position, where ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 are clamped to one another by way of clamping lever 18 while clamping lever 18 is being pivoted. When clamping ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14, ground cultivation tool 12 is pushed backwards by clamping lever 18. Ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 in an initial phase of the clamping process can first perform a motion relative to one another. After the end of the relative motion, a clamping force is built up via clamping lever 18 with which ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 are fastened to one another. Clamping lever 18 has a tool contact region which is pressed against the contour of lever receiving recess 30b when ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 are clamped to one another. The tool contact region is disposed in locking section 34 of clamping lever 18. When clamping lever 18 is moved to the locking position, the tool contact region of clamping lever 18 is in contact with the contour of lever receiving recess 30b.
[0058] Furthermore, clamping lever 18 has a carrier contact region which is pressed against a lever guide region of tool carrier 14 when ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 are clamped to one another. When clamping lever 18 is moved to the locking position, the carrier contact region of clamping lever 18 is in contact with the lever guide region of tool carrier 14. The carrier contact region of clamping lever 18 has a convexly curved contact surface 36. The lever guide region of tool carrier 14 has a concavely curved contact surface 38. Convexly curved contact surface 36 on clamping lever 18 and concavely curved contact surface 38 on tool carrier 14 together form a slide bearing or a rotary bearing 40, respectively. Rotary bearing 40 allows for a guided rotational motion of clamping lever 18 in pivot direction y.
[0059] Clamping lever 18 configured as a bent wire part can also be referred to as a spring clip. Clamping lever 18 is formed to be substantially U-shaped, where the two open ends form locking section 34 of clamping lever 18. A loop therefore arises at the closed end of clamping lever 18 and can serve as contouring 24. By pressing clamping lever 18 in pivot direction y, contouring 24 can engage behind retaining member 20 configured as a hook on tool carrier 14. Clamping lever 18 is retained in its locking position by hook-shaped retaining member 20 once loop-shaped contouring 24 engages therebehind. Clamping lever 18 has a mirror-symmetrical contour, which gives it its open shape.
[0060] FIG. 10 shows that clamping lever 18 is elastically deformed, namely is elastically bent, in a deformation region 42 when ground cultivation tool 12 and tool carrier 14 are clamped to one another. Clamping lever 18 to this end can also be referred to as a spring clip. Moving clamping lever 18 to the locking position and securing clamping lever 18 on retaining member 20 can be done by manually.
[0061] As an alternatively thereto, an assembly tool shown in FIG. 11 can be used for this purpose. The assembly tool can be applied from the side to the front of tool carrier 14 and at the underside of clamping lever 18. For this purpose, it has a lateral opening. By levering the assembly tool, clamping lever 18 can thereafter be moved upwards to its locking position in which contouring 24 engages behind retaining member 20. The assembly tool can also be used to release the locking position.
REFERENCE CHARACTERS
[0062] 10 tool change system [0063] 12 ground cultivation tool [0064] 14 tool carrier [0065] 16a, 16b edges [0066] 18 clamping lever [0067] 20 retaining member [0068] 22 support [0069] 24 contouring [0070] 26 locking device [0071] 28 engagement mechanism [0072] 30a, 30b receiving recesses [0073] 32a, 32b engagement body [0074] 34 locking section [0075] 36 contact surface [0076] 38 contact surface [0077] 40 rotary bearing [0078] 42 deformation region [0079] 44 markings [0080] 46 elastic material [0081] ?, ? bevel angles [0082] y pivot direction [0083] x, z directions of insertion [0084] F finger
