Cutting Mechanism with Cutting Elements Which Are Mounted in a Height-Elastic Manner

Abstract

The aim of the invention is to mount the cutting elements in a height-elastic manner in order to allow the cutter bar to be guided as close to the base as possible and in the process reduce the risk of damage in the event of contacting the base. This is achieved in that the adjustment drive (22) is rotatably connected to a first side (28) of a rocker lever (24) which can be rotated about an axis (26) and the second side (30) of which rotatably engages with an energy store (32) that is adjustable in length, and the frame part (6) can be moved against the force of the energy store (32) that is adjustable in length by the swinging arms (12) via a rocking movement of the rocker lever (24) about the axis (26) miming transversely to the working direction of the cutting mechanism (4) when a lifting force acts on at least one swinging arm (12).

Claims

1.-19. (canceled)

20. A cutting mechanism for attachment to a harvesting machine, the cutting mechanism comprising: an attachment frame comprising connecting means for attachment to an intake channel of the harvesting machine; a frame part comprising swinging arms, wherein the swinging arms point in a working direction of the cutting mechanism and comprise leading ends in the working direction of the cutting mechanism; cutting elements connected to the leading ends of the swinging arms and configured to cut crop; wherein the frame part is rotatably supported in a rotary bearing of the attachment frame; a motor-driven adjustment drive connected to the frame part and configured to adjust, when actuated, a cutting angle of the cutting elements such that an angle of attack of the cutting elements in relation to the ground changes; a rocker lever connected to the frame part so as to rotate about a transverse axis extending transversely to the working direction of the cutting mechanism, the rocker lever comprising a first side and a second side, wherein the motor-driven adjustment drive is connected rotatably to the first side of the rocker lever; a length-changeable energy store engaging rotatably at the second side of the rocker lever; wherein the frame part with the swinging arms is movable against a force of the length-changeable energy store by a tilting movement of the rocker lever about the transverse axis when a lifting force is acting at least on one of the swinging arms.

21. The cutting mechanism according to claim 20, wherein the length-changeable energy store is comprised of one or a plurality of springs.

22. The cutting mechanism according to claim 20, further comprising: an evaluation electronics; a sensor configured to detect an actual length of the length-changeable energy store or a pivot position of the rocker lever, wherein the sensor is connected to the evaluation electronics and transmits a sensor signal, corresponding to the actual length or the pivot position, to the evaluation electronics; wherein the evaluation electronics comprises a program that generates with a corresponding programming a warning signal when the sensor signal is in a range of an upper limit value or a lower limit value of the actual length or of the pivot position.

23. The cutting mechanism according to claim 20, further comprising: an evaluation electronics; a sensor configured to detect an actual length of the length-changeable energy store or a pivot position of the rocker lever, wherein the sensor is connected to the evaluation electronics and transmits a sensor signal, corresponding to the actual length or the pivot position, to the evaluation electronics; wherein the evaluation electronics is connected to the motor-driven adjustment drive and comprises a program that compares with a corresponding programming the sensor signal with a nominal value; wherein the evaluation electronics issues an adjusting command to the motor-driven adjustment drive when the sensor signal deviates by a predetermined measure from the nominal value; wherein the adjusting command moves the motor-driven adjustment drive in a direction with which, by a tilting movement of the rocker lever, a pretension of the length-changeable energy store is increased or lowered, and/or wherein the adjusting command moves the motor-driven adjustment drive in a direction by which a difference between the sensor signal and the nominal value is reduced.

24. The cutting mechanism according to claim 23, further comprising: an evaluation electronics; a speed sensor configured to detect a travel speed of the harvesting machine, wherein the speed sensor is connected to the evaluation electronics and transmits a speed sensor signal to the evaluation electronics; wherein the evaluation electronics comprises a program that determines with a corresponding programming the adjusting command as a function of the speed sensor signal.

25. The cutting mechanism according to claim 23, wherein the evaluation electronics comprises a program that determines with a corresponding programming during an evaluation of the sensor signal an exceedance of a limit value of the sensor signal across a time interval and generates an adjusting signal to be issued to a height control of the intake channel of the harvesting machine and, in response to the adjusting signal, the height control lifts or lowers the intake channel.

26. The cutting mechanism according to claim 20, further comprising: an evaluation electronics; a force sensor configured to detect a force acting on the frame part and/or the length-adjustable energy store, wherein the force sensor is connected to the evaluation electronics and transmits a force sensor signal, corresponding to the force acting on the frame part and/or the length-adjustable energy store, to the evaluation electronics; wherein the evaluation electronics is connected to the motor-driven adjustment drive and comprises a program that compares with a corresponding programming the force sensor signal with a nominal value; wherein the evaluation electronics issues an adjusting command to the motor-driven adjustment drive when the force sensor signal deviates by a predetermined measure from the nominal value; wherein the adjusting command moves the motor-driven adjustment drive in a direction with which, by a tilting movement of the rocker lever, a pretension of the length-changeable energy store is increased or lowered, and/or the adjusting command moves the motor-driven adjustment drive in a direction by which a difference between the force sensor signal and the nominal value is reduced.

27. The cutting mechanism according to claim 26, further comprising: an evaluation electronics; a speed sensor configured to detect a travel speed of the harvesting machine, wherein the speed sensor is connected to the evaluation electronics and transmits a speed sensor signal to the evaluation electronics; wherein the evaluation electronics comprises a program that determines with a corresponding programming the adjusting command as a function of the speed sensor signal.

28. The cutting mechanism according to claim 26, wherein the evaluation electronics comprises a program that determines with a corresponding programming during an evaluation of the force sensor signal an exceedance of a limit value of the force sensor signal across a time interval and generates an adjusting signal to be issued to a height control of the intake channel of the harvesting machine and, in response to the adjusting signal, the height control lifts or lowers the intake channel.

29. The cutting mechanism according to claim 20, further comprising: an adjustable driven conveying aid: an evaluation electronics; a position sensor configured to monitor an actual position of the adjustable driven conveying aid, wherein the position sensor is connected to the evaluation electronics and transmits a position sensor signal corresponding to the actual position of the adjustable driven conveying aid to the evaluation electronics; wherein the evaluation electronics comprises a program that determines with a corresponding programming, as a function of the position sensor signal corresponding to the actual position of the adjustable driven conveying aid, an adjusting command to be issued to the motor-driven adjustment drive for adjustment of the cutting angle and/or to be issued to a height control of the intake channel.

30. The cutting mechanism according to claim 29, further comprising: an evaluation electronics; a speed sensor configured to detect a travel speed of the harvesting machine, wherein the speed sensor is connected to the evaluation electronics and transmits a speed sensor signal to the evaluation electronics; wherein the evaluation electronics comprises a program that determines with a corresponding programming the adjusting command as a function of the speed sensor signal.

31. The cutting mechanism according to claim 20, wherein two of said motor-driven adjustment drive, two of said rocker arm, and two of said length-changeable energy store are provided and arranged on opposite sides of the intake channel, respectively, wherein the frame part with the swinging arms is movable against the force of one or both of said two length-changeable energy stores by the tilting movement of one or both of said two rocker levers, respectively, when the lifting force is acting on at least one of the swinging arms.

32. The cutting mechanism according to claim 31, further comprising an evaluation electronics and one or more sensors selected from the group consisting of: a sensor configured to detect an actual length of one or both of said two length-changeable energy stores or a pivot position of one or both of said two rocker levers, wherein the sensor is connected to the evaluation electronics and transmits a first sensor signal corresponding to the actual length or the pivot position to the evaluation electronics; a force sensor configured to detect a force acting on the frame part and/or one or both of said two length-adjustable energy stores, wherein the force sensor is connected to the evaluation electronics and transmits a second sensor signal corresponding to the force acting on the frame part and/or one or both of said two length-adjustable energy stores to the evaluation electronics; a position sensor configured to monitor an actual position of an adjustable driven conveying aid, wherein the position sensor is connected to the evaluation electronics and transmits a third sensor signal corresponding to the actual position of the adjustable driven conveying aid to the evaluation electronics; and a speed sensor configured to detect a travel speed of the harvesting machine, wherein the speed sensor is connected to the evaluation electronics and transmits a fourth sensor signal corresponding to the travel speed to the evaluation electronics; wherein the evaluation electronics comprises a program with which with a corresponding programming said two adjustment drives are movable independent from each other by adjusting commands determined by the evaluation electronics based one or more of the first sensor signal, the second sensor signal, the third sensor signal, and the fourth sensor signal.

33. The cutting mechanism according to claim 32, further comprising a pivot control connected to the evaluation electronics and configured to pivot the cutting mechanism about a longitudinal axis of the harvesting machine pointing in the working direction of the harvesting machine, wherein the evaluation electronics comprises a program that determines with a corresponding programming an exceedance of a limit value across a time interval at one or both opposite sides of the intake channel during the evaluation of the first sensor signal or of the second sensor signal, and, when the exceedance of the limit value across a time interval on one side of the intake channel or a difference between the values of the first sensor signals or of the second sensor signals on the opposite sides of the intake channel exceeding a threshold value across a time interval is determined, generates an adjusting signal and transmits the adjusting signal to the pivot control, wherein the pivot control in response to the adjusting signal actuates a pivot drive to rotate the cutting mechanism in a direction about the longitudinal axis.

34. The cutting mechanism according to claim 20, wherein the rocker lever is arranged at an upper end or above a rear wall of the cutting mechanism and the length-changeable energy store is arranged at a rear side of the rear wall in a precisely vertical, or at least predominantly vertical, orientation.

35. The cutting mechanism according to claim 20, wherein the swinging arms are rigid and form a rigid component together with the frame part.

36. The cutting mechanism according to claim 20, further comprising lateral frames pivotably connected to opposite sides of the attachment frame and/or the frame part, wherein the lateral frames each comprise a longitudinal side facing in the working direction, wherein the lateral frames comprise lateral cutting elements arranged at the longitudinal sides, wherein the lateral frames each are supported by a wheel on the ground, wherein each wheel is connected to a trailing arm that is connected to the respective lateral frame so as to be pivotable, wherein each trailing arm is height-adjustable by a motor-driven height adjustment drive, wherein the motor-driven height adjustment drive is connected rotatably to a first side of a lateral rocker lever that is rotatable about an axis, wherein a lateral length-changeable energy store engages rotatably at a second side of the lateral rocker lever, and wherein the trailing arm is movable against a force of the lateral length-changeable energy store by a tilting movement of the lateral rocker lever.

37. The cutting mechanism according to claim 36, wherein the lateral length-changeable energy store is comprised of one or a plurality of springs.

38. The cutting mechanism according to claim 36, further comprising a sensor correlated with the trailing arm and configured to detect an actual pivot position of the trailing arm and/or a force acting on the trailing arm, wherein the sensor is connected to an evaluation electronics and transmits a sensor signal, corresponding to the actual pivot position or the force acting on the trailing arm, to the evaluation electronics, wherein the evaluation electronics comprises a program that generates with a corresponding programming a warning signal when the sensor signal is in a range of an upper limit value or lower limit value of the sensor signal.

39. The cutting mechanism according to claim 36, further comprising: an evaluation electronics; a sensor arranged at the trailing arm and configured to detect an actual pivot position of the trailing arm and/or a force acting on the trailing arm, wherein the sensor is connected to the evaluation electronics and transmits a sensor signal, corresponding to the actual pivot position or the force acting on the trailing arm, to the evaluation electronics; wherein the evaluation electronics is connected to the motor-driven height adjustment drive and comprises a program that compares with a corresponding programming the sensor signal with a nominal value; wherein the evaluation electronics issues an adjusting command to the motor-driven height adjustment drive when the sensor signal deviates by a predetermined measure from the nominal value; wherein the adjusting command moves the motor-driven height adjustment drive in a direction with which, by a tilting movement of the lateral rocker lever, a pretension of the lateral length-changeable energy store is increased or lowered, and/or the adjusting command moves the motor-driven height adjustment drive in a direction by which a difference between the sensor signal and the nominal value is reduced.

40. The cutting mechanism according to claim 36, further comprising tensions springs connected to the attachment frame and holding at least partially a weight of the lateral frames, wherein the tension springs extend transversely to the working direction and are arranged behind a rear wall of the lateral frames, wherein a weight proportion of the lateral frames held by the tension springs is adjustable by a pretension of the tension springs, wherein the pretension is adjustable by an adjustment device.

41. The cutting mechanism according to claim 36, further comprising sensors arranged at the lateral frames and configured to determine an actual angle position of the respective lateral frame in relation to the attachment frame and/or to the frame part, wherein the sensors are connected to an evaluation electronics and transmit sensor values of the actual angle position to the evaluation electronics, and wherein the evaluation electronics comprises a program that determines with a corresponding programming an adjusting command to be issued to the motor-driven height adjustment drive for adjustment of a pretension of the lateral length-changeable energy store as a function of the sensor value regarding the actual angle position.

Description

[0044] The invention will now be explained in more detail with the aid of embodiments. It is shown in:

[0045] FIG. 1: a portion of a harvesting machine with a cutting mechanism in a view at a slant from behind;

[0046] FIG. 2: an enlarged illustration of the cutting mechanism with a rectangle that marks the region that is illustrated enlarged in FIG. 3;

[0047] FIG. 3: details of the device for cutting angle adjustment;

[0048] FIG. 4: a lever linkage with sensor;

[0049] FIG. 5: a data flow of sensor values;

[0050] FIG. 6: an enlarged illustration of the connecting region of the wheel at a lateral frame; and

[0051] FIG. 7: an enlarged view of the attachment of the lateral frames.

[0052] In FIG. 1, a portion of a harvesting machine 2 with a cutting mechanism 4 in a view at a slant from the rear is illustrated. The cutting mechanism 4 comprises a frame part 6 that is connected by an attachment frame 8 to an intake channel 10 of the harvesting machine 2.

[0053] The cutter bar, with a plurality of adjacently arranged knife blades, as cutting element 14 fastened at the leading end of the cutting mechanism 4 is connected by a number of swinging arms 12 to the frame part 6. In the embodiment, the swinging arms 12 are rigid and form a rigid component together with the frame part 6. The cutting angle 16 at which the cutting element 14 is positioned in relation to the horizontal ground can be adjusted at the cutting mechanism 4 and adjusted to a desired value.

[0054] In FIG. 2, an enlarged illustration of the cutting mechanism 4 is illustrated. The device for adjustment of the cutting angle 16 of the cutting elements 14 is provided at the rear side 76 of the cutting mechanism 4 in the rectangle R whose contents is illustrated enlarged in FIG. 3. The rocker lever or rocker levers 24 are arranged at the upper end or above the rear wall 74 of the cutting mechanism 4. The length-changeable energy store or energy stores 32 are arranged at the rear side 76 of the rear wall 74 in a precisely vertical, or at least primarily vertical, orientation.

[0055] In FIG. 3, the details of the device for cutting angle adjustment can be seen more clearly. The frame part 6 is rotatably supported about axis 18 at the rotary bearing 20 fastened to the attachment frame 8. For adjustment of the cutting angle 16, a hydraulic cylinder is provided as an adjustment drive 22. For an extension movement in the direction of the arrow illustrated in the piston rod, the adjustment drive 22 pushes the upper end of the frame part 6 away from the attachment frame 8 wherein the frame part 6 rotates about the axis 18 in doing so. In this way, the cutting angle 16 at which the cutting element 14 is held in relation to the ground is steeper. Upon opposite movement, the angle of attack 16 becomes less steep. In this manner, a desired cutting angle of the cutting element 14 can be adjusted.

[0056] However, the adjustment drive 22 does not engage directly at the frame part 6 but is rotatably connected with the first side 28 of a rocker lever 24 rotatable about an axis 26 and is connected by the axis 26 to the frame part 6. The axis 26 extends preferably transversely to the working direction of the cutting mechanism 4, as indicated by the dashed line, wherein this orientation is to be maintained at least approximately, minimal deviations however mean no significant functional impairment in this context. When the adjustment drive 22 is in an unchanged position, the point of attack 27 of the adjustment drive 22 at the rocker lever 24 provides a fixation point about which the rocker lever 24 with the axis 26 rotates in the direction of the correspondingly indicated double arrow when the frame part 6 is moved about the axis 18 upwardly or downwardly due to a changing ground pressure, as is indicated in the region of the swinging arm 12 by the double arrow.

[0057] At the second side 30 of the rocker lever 24, a length-changeable energy store 32 engages in a rotatable manner. The other end of the length-changeable energy store 32 is connected to the attachment frame 8. In the illustrated embodiment, the length-changeable energy store 32 is a spiral spring. The length-changeable energy store 32 can also be formed of a plurality of spiral springs, as illustrated in FIG. 2. When the swinging arms 12 with their leading end at which the cutting element 14 is attached are pushed upwardly, for example, by ground contact, they push the axis 26 to which the rocker arm 24 is attached along a circular movement about the axis 18 to the rear by the rotary movement of the frame part 6 connected to the swinging arms 12. The lifting force can act directly on one or a plurality of swinging arms 12 but it can also act indirectly on the cutting element 14 or skid plates connected to the swinging arms 12 that can be attached below the swinging arms 12 to the bottom side of the cutting mechanism 4 and transmit the lifting force to one or a plurality of swinging arms 12. Upon rotary movement of the rocker lever 24 about the axis 26, the length-changeable force store 32 is compressed. When the force with which the swinging arms 12 have been pushed upwardly is canceled, the restoring forces that are existing in the length-changeable energy store 32 move the rocker lever 24 again into the neutral position. Upon this restoring movement, the frame part 6 together with the swinging arms 12 also moves back into the initial position due to the rocker lever 24.

[0058] In the described manner, the frame part 6 upon ground contact can adapt in upward and downward direction to changes in the ground contour in a very flexible manner against and with the force of the length-changeable energy store 32.

[0059] In FIG. 4, a sensor 34 is illustrated that detects by a lever linkage the deflection movements of the length-changeable energy store 32. Instead of detecting the deflection movements of the length-changeable energy store 32, the sensor 34 can also be designed to detect the tilting movements of the rocker lever 24. The sensor 34 transmits the measured movement data by means of a connection line 42 as sensor signal 50 to an evaluation electronics 36, as illustrated also in FIG. 5. The latter comprises a program 38 that generates with a corresponding programming a warning signal 40 at a decision point 39 when the sensor signal is in the range of an upper or lower limit value.

[0060] In FIG. 5, the data flow of sensor values is illustrated. The program 38 of the evaluation electronics 36 compares at a decision point 41 with a corresponding programming the sensor signal 50 with a nominal value 60. The evaluation electronics is connected to the motor-driven adjustment drive 22 and issues an adjusting command 44 to the adjustment drive 22 when the sensor signal 50 deviates by a predetermined measure from the nominal value 60. The adjusting command 44 moves the adjustment drive 22 in a direction with which, by a tilting movement of the rocker lever 24, the pretension of the length-changeable energy store 32 is increased or lowered. The evaluation electronics 36 can also comprise a program 38 that compares with a corresponding programming the sensor signal 50 to a nominal value 60, is connected to the motor-driven adjustment drive 22, and issues an adjusting command 44 to the adjustment drive 22 when the sensor signal 50 deviates by a predetermined measure from the nominal value 60, wherein the adjusting command 44 moves the adjustment drive 22 in a direction by which the difference between the sensor signal 50 and the nominal value 60 is reduced.

[0061] In a deviating embodiment, the program 38 does not receive a sensor signal 50 regarding a movement of a component but a force sensor signal 52 from a force sensor 48 about a change of an acting force, for example, the pressure in a hydraulic system. The program 38 of the evaluation electronics 36 compares then with a corresponding programming the force sensor signal 52 with a nominal value 60, the evaluation electronics 36 is connected to the motor-driven adjustment drive 22 and issues an adjusting command 44 to the adjustment drive 22 when the force sensor signal 52 deviates by a predetermined measure from the nominal value 60. The adjusting command 44 moves the adjustment drive 22 in a direction with which, by a tilting movement of the rocker lever 24, the pretension of the length-changeable energy store 32 is increased or lowered. The evaluation electronics 36 can also comprise a program 38 that compares with a corresponding programming the force sensor signal 52 with a nominal value 60, is connected to the motor-driven adjustment drive 22 and issues an adjusting command 44 to the adjustment drive 22 when the force sensor signal 52 deviates by a predetermined measure from the nominal value 60, wherein the adjusting command 44 moves the adjustment drive 22 in a direction by which the difference between the force sensor signal 52 and the nominal value 60 is reduced.

[0062] In FIG. 1, it is shown that the cutting mechanism 4 comprises an adjustable driven conveying aid 62 in the form of a reel whose actual position is monitored by a position sensor 64. The position sensor 64 is connected to the evaluation electronics 36 and transmits the position sensor value 54 to the evaluation electronics 36. The evaluation electronics 36 comprises a program 38 that determines with a corresponding programming the adjusting command 44 as a function of the position sensor value 54 regarding the actual position of the conveying aid 62. Again, the adjusting command 44 is transmitted to the adjustment drive 22.

[0063] According to an embodiment, the evaluation electronics 36 is connected to a speed sensor 66 and the evaluation electronics 36 comprises a program 38 that determines with a corresponding programming the adjusting command 44 as a function of the speed sensor signal transmitted by the speed sensor 66.

[0064] According to an embodiment, the evaluation electronics 36 comprises a program 38 that determines with a corresponding programming during the evaluation of the sensor signal 50 or of the force sensor signal 52 an exceedance of a limit value across a time interval and generates an adjusting signal 56 to a height control 70 of the intake channel 10 of the harvesting machine 2 in response to which the height control 70 lifts or lowers the intake channel 10.

[0065] The afore described adjustment drives 22 can, of course, be present at oppositely positioned sides of the intake channel 10 and enable with corresponding rocker levers 24 and length-changeable energy stores 32 a pivoting action of the frame part 6 about the axis 18. In this way, it is also possible that the frame part 6 on its right and left sides can dip to different degrees or even dip on one side while rebound on the other side and return again after a dip movement into the initial position when the force component causing the dip movement is canceled again. The evaluation electronics 36 can also move the adjustment drives 22 independent from each other with the program 38 with respective independent adjusting commands 44 if this appears to be expedient based on the sensor data of the oppositely positioned sides of the intake channel 10. Also, the evaluation electronics 36 can generate an adjusting signal 56 and transmit this to a pivot control 68 connected to the evaluation electronics 36 for pivoting the cutting mechanism 4 about the longitudinal axis of the harvesting machine 2 that is pointing in the working direction. The pivot control 68 rotates the cutting mechanism 4 then by actuation of a pivot drive 72 in a direction about the longitudinal axis.

[0066] In an embodiment not illustrated in more detail, the attachment frame 8 and/or the frame part 6 are pivotably connected at oppositely positioned sides to lateral frames 78 that are shown in FIG. 2 at whose longitudinal side facing in working direction cutting elements 14 are also arranged. The lateral frames 78 are supported respectively by a wheel 80 on the ground and the respective wheel 80 is fastened to a trailing arm 82 that is connected to the lateral frame 78 so as to be pivotable about an axis 84. FIG. 6 shows in an enlarged view the suspension of a wheel 80 in more detail. A respective trailing arm 82 is adjustable by means of a motor-driven adjustment drive 86 in its height position. The adjustment drive 86 is connected rotatably to a first side 90 of a rocker lever 88 that is rotatable about an axis 26; a length-changeable energy store 32 engages rotatably at its second side 92. The trailing arm 82 is movable against the force of the length-changeable energy store 32 by a tilting movement of the rocker lever 88. The afore described explanations apply likewise to the possibility of the wheels 80 to dip against the force of the length-changeable energy store and, after cancellation of a force component, rebound again into the initial position. A sensor 96 is correlated with the trailing arm 82 which detects, for example, as a rotary potentiometer, the actual pivot position of the trailing arm 82. The sensor 96, as illustrated in FIG. 5, is connected to an evaluation electronics 36 to which it transmits a sensor signal, corresponding to the actual pivot position or the acting force, and the evaluation electronics 36 comprises a program 38 that generates with a corresponding programming a warning signal 40 when the sensor signal is in the range of an upper or lower limit value.

[0067] As can be seen in the enlarged illustration in FIG. 7, the weight of the lateral frames 78 is at least partially held by a tension spring 98, respectively, extending transversely to the working direction, arranged behind the rear wall 74 of the lateral frames 78, not illustrated in detail in FIG. 7, and connected to the attachment frame 8. The weight proportion of the weight of the lateral frames 78 and the machine components connected thereto that is held by the tension springs 98 can be changed by a pretension of the tension springs 98 adjustable by an adjustment device 100. Sensors 102 are present at the lateral frames 78 which determine an actual angle position of a correlated lateral frame 78 to the attachment frame 8 and/or to the frame part 6. The sensors 102 are connected to the evaluation electronics 36 and transmit the sensor values 50 to the evaluation unit 36, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The evaluation electronics 36 comprises a program 38 that determines with a corresponding programming the adjusting command 104 to an adjustment drive 86 for adjusting the actual angle position of the correlated wheel support 82 with energy store 32 as a function of the sensor value 50. By means of the adjustment drive 86 controlled by the adjusting command 104, the pretension of the corresponding energy store 32 can be changed.

[0068] The invention is not limited to the afore described embodiments. A person of skill in the art will have no difficulties to modify the embodiments in a manner appearing suitable to him in order to adapt them to concrete application situations.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0069] 2 harvesting machine [0070] 4 cutting mechanism [0071] 6 frame part [0072] 8 attachment frame [0073] 10 intake channel [0074] 12 swinging arm [0075] 14 cutting element [0076] 16 cutting angle [0077] 18 axis [0078] 20 rotary bearing [0079] 22 adjustment drive [0080] 24 rocker lever [0081] 26 axis (rocker lever) [0082] 27 point of attack [0083] 28 first side [0084] 30 second side [0085] 32 energy store [0086] 34 sensor (energy stores/rocker lever) (claim 3, 4) [0087] 36 evaluation electronics [0088] 38 program [0089] 39 decision point [0090] 40 warning signal [0091] 41 decision point [0092] 42 connection line [0093] 44 adjusting command [0094] 46 drive for energy store [0095] 48 energy sensor [0096] 50 sensor signal [0097] 52 force sensor signal [0098] 54 position sensor value [0099] 56 adjusting signal [0100] 58 adjusting command [0101] 60 nominal value [0102] 62 conveying aid (reel) [0103] 64 position sensor [0104] 66 speed sensor [0105] 68 pivot control [0106] 70 height control intake channel [0107] 72 pivot drive [0108] 74 rear wall [0109] 76 rear side of rear wall [0110] 78 lateral frame [0111] 80 wheel [0112] 82 trailing arm [0113] 84 axis (trailing arm) [0114] 86 adjustment drive (trailing arm) [0115] 88 rocker lever [0116] 90 first side [0117] 92 second side [0118] 94 axis (rocker lever) [0119] 96 sensor (trailing arm) [0120] 98 tension spring [0121] 100 adjustment device (tension spring) [0122] 102 sensor (angle position) [0123] 104 adjusting command