Swather with a single or double raking frame, device for arms with wheel rakes and corresponding wheel rakes

Abstract

A swather having a horizontal bar with a device for connection to a towing vehicle and a generally horizontal bar, transverse to the first one, each end of which is associated with a generally vertical member bearing a wheel. The assembly of the transverse bar and the vertical members being associated with generally horizontal long arms directed toward a first end of the first horizontal bar and pivotally connected to the transverse bar or the vertical members, so that the arms, when extended to a working position, provide a V-shaped or Y-shaped configuration. Each arm is equipped with a pivoting wheel with tire at its end remote from the transverse bar, or distal end, and with wheel rakes. At least the pivoting wheels with tires are equipped with shock absorbing means capable of attenuating impulsive loads due to impact of the wheels against ground irregularities.

Claims

1. A swather including a first horizontal bar having at a first end a device for connection to a towing vehicle and at an opposite end a transverse horizontal bar, transverse to the first horizontal bar, of which each end is connected with a vertical member bearing a pivoting wheel equipped with a tyre, an assembly of the transverse horizontal bar and the vertical members being connected with horizontal arms which are each several meters long, are each formed by joining together multiple elements having a length shorter than an overall horizontal arm length, and are directed toward said first end of the first horizontal bar and pivotally connected to the transverse horizontal bar or the vertical members, so that said horizontal arms, when extended to a working position, can make the assembly take a V-shaped or Y-shaped configuration, each of said horizontal arms being equipped with a pivoting wheel with a tyre at a distal end thereof remote from said transverse horizontal bar, and with a plurality of wheel rakes, wherein at least the pivoting wheels with tyres located at or near the distal ends of said horizontal arms are each equipped with a shock absorbing device, capable of attenuating impulsive loads due to impact of the wheels themselves against irregularities of the ground, wherein each of said shock adsorbing devices includes a support column having a vertical axle secured to said horizontal arm and a bushing being rotatably mounted near the lower end of said vertical axle of said support column, wherein said bushing has fastened thereto a first arm extending away from the circumference of the bushing and inclined downwardly to the ground by an angle in a range of 30 to 60 with respect to the vertical axle and having a first end pivoting about the vertical axle and a second end pivotally connected by a rotating hinge to a second arm arranged at a right angle relative to the first arm, a distal end of said second arm being connected by a further arm to a hub of the wheel with tyre located at or near the distal end of said horizontal arm, and wherein near its articulation with said first arm, said second arm has pivotally mounted thereon a resiliently deformable member, parallel to said first arm and connected to a hinge located in correspondence of said bushing opposite to said support column with respect to said first end of said first arm.

2. The swather according to claim 1, wherein said resiliently deformable member comprises a spring.

3. The swather according to claim 1, wherein said resiliently deformable member comprises a shock absorber.

4. The swather according to claim 1, wherein said resiliently deformable member consists of a spring-shock absorber assembly.

5. The swather according to claim 1, wherein both the pivoting wheels with tyres located at or near the distal ends of said horizontal arms and the wheels located in correspondence of the vertical members are equipped with the shock absorbing device, capable of attenuating impulsive loads due to impact of the wheels themselves against irregularities of the ground.

6. The swather according to claim 2, wherein both the pivoting wheels with tyres located at or near the distal ends of said horizontal arms and the wheels located in correspondence of the vertical members are equipped with the shock absorbing device, capable of attenuating impulsive loads due to impact of the wheels themselves against irregularities of the ground.

7. The swather according to claim 3, wherein both the pivoting wheels with tyres located at or near the distal ends of said horizontal arms and the wheels located in correspondence of the vertical members are equipped with the shock absorbing device, capable of attenuating impulsive loads due to impact of the wheels themselves against irregularities of the ground.

8. The swather according to claim 4, wherein both the pivoting wheels with tyres located at or near the distal ends of said horizontal arms and the wheels located in correspondence of the vertical members are equipped with the shock absorbing device, capable of attenuating impulsive loads due to impact of the wheels themselves against irregularities of the ground.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The above and other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments made by way of a non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which elements denoted by a same or similar reference numeral correspond to elements having the same or similar function and construction, and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a swather according to the present invention, including a locking mechanism;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a shock absorbing device that can he applied to the swather shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3a is a perspective view of a locking mechanism including a locking small arm for the arms with wheel rakes;

(5) FIG. 3b is a plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 3a;

(6) FIG. 4a is a plan view similar to FIG. 3b, in which however the small arm has further moved towards the locked position;

(7) FIG. 4b is a plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 4a, with the small arm in the locked position;

(8) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a detail of the locking mechanism shown in FIG. 3a;

(9) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a further detail of the locking mechanism shown in FIG. 3a;

(10) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a flanged wheel rake for swathers, made in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(11) Referring to FIG. 1, a swather 100 according to the present invention is for instance a swather with Y-shaped configuration, that is, it has two arms with wheel rakes 5. Only one arm, denoted by reference numeral 10, is shown for the sake of convenience of description.

(12) In the embodiment shown by way of example the arms have different lengths. The first arm 10 is pivotally connected at one end on a vertical member 3, and the second arm is pivotally connected, at a distance from one end thereof, on a second vertical member 4 supported by a horizontal support bar 2.

(13) Thanks to such a structure, when the arms are opened to a working position by means of an actuating device 8, one end E1 of the first arm 10 covers the corresponding end (not shown) of the second arm, so that wheel rakes 5 of both arms entirely cover the space between the arms themselves, thereby collecting all fodder lying between the arms and arranging it into an ordered windrow.

(14) Horizontal bar 2 supporting vertical members 3, 4 is fastened to one end of a horizontal bar 1 having at another end R means for connection to a towing vehicle, preferably a tractor.

(15) Horizontal bar 1 is also connected to actuating devices 8 arranged to control the opening and closing of arms 10 with wheel rakes 5.

(16) In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the whole of the structure of swather 100 is supported by two pairs of pivoting wheels with tyres 6 and 7. Only one wheel of each pair is shown for the sake of convenience of description. Each wheel has a hub 16 (FIG. 1, FIG. 2).

(17) Preferably, the pair of wheels denoted by reference numeral 7 is located in correspondence of vertical members 3, 4, and the wheels denoted by reference numeral 6 are instead located near the distal ends of arms 10.

(18) In general, bar 1 and arms 10, which can be several metres long, are formed by joining, by means of flanges and bolts, box-type elements having a shorter length than the overall bar or arm length. Such joints are for instance of the kind shown in FIG. 1, where they are denoted G1 and G2 for arm 10, but similar joints arc generally present also on the non-visible arm.

(19) Due to such a constructional need, the provision of joints G1, G2 makes the arms sensitive to possible sudden jolts during use due to ground roughness, above all by taking into account that joints G1, G2 are preferably secured by means of bolts that, of course, can also loosen.

(20) Thus, the problem exists that arms 10 can undergo, in use, even severe damages due to the loosening of joints G1, G2, thereby compromising the continuity of the work and also the physical integrity of the operators themselves.

(21) In order to solve such a technical problem, the Applicant has provided shock absorbing devices 110 for at least one said pair 6 and/or 7 of wheels with tyres, in order to eliminate the drawbacks mentioned above.

(22) A possible embodiment, considered as preferable, is depicted in FIG. 2.

(23) In accordance with the exemplary embodiment shown therein, shock absorbing device 110 includes a support column 9, having for instance a substantially vertical axle 20 secured to arm 10.

(24) A bushing 11 is rotatably mounted near the lower end of axle 20 and has fastened thereto a short arm 12 inclined, for instance by an angle in the range 30 to 60, relative to the vertical direction, or in other words inclined downwards. Short arm 12 is for instance pivotally connected, by means of a rotating hinge 13, to a second short arm 14, preferably connected to hub 16 of wheel 6 by means of a further arm 15.

(25) In the preferred embodiment, a resiliently deformable member 18 is connected between short arm 14 or arm 15 and a hinge 17, located in correspondence of bushing 11.

(26) In the most preferred embodiment, resiliently deformable member 18 includes the assembly of a spring and a shock absorber; yet, any other element having similar shock absorbing characteristics can he used to make the shock absorbing device.

(27) Thanks to such a shock absorbing device 110 of a pivoting kind and having an inclined action, it is possible to avoid problems of even severe damages resulting from the loosening, in use, of joints G1, G2 provided in order to allow using, in the swathers, bars having a length exceeding the length attainable with a single-piece bar.

(28) In accordance with a second embodiment, swather 100 includes a locking/unlocking device or locking means 120. The device is applicable to swathers with both Y-shaped configuration, where arms 10 bearing wheel rakes 5 have different lengths, and V-shaped configuration, where the arms have the same lengths. For instance, one arm is pivotally connected at one end on vertical member 3, and the other arm is pivotally connected at a distance from one end thereof to vertical member 4.

(29) Thanks to such a configuration, when the arms are opened to their working position by means of actuating device 8, end E1 of arm 10 covers the corresponding end (not shown) of the other arm, so that wheel rakes 5 of both arms cover the entire space between the arms themselves, thereby collecting all fodder lying between the arms and arranging it, in a known manner, into an ordered windrow.

(30) Vertical members 3, 4 are connected to a second horizontal bar 2 fastened to one end of a first horizontal bar 1 equipped at the other end R with means for connection to a towing vehicle, preferably a tractor.

(31) Such a first horizontal bar 1 is also associated with actuating devices 8 for controlling the opening and closing of the arms hearing the wheel rakes (only one arm, denoted 10 in FIG. 1, being shown).

(32) The whole of such a structure is supported by two pairs of pivoting wheels with tyres 6 and 7 (only one wheel of each pair being shown in FIG. 1), wheels 7 being located in correspondence of vertical members 3, 4, and wheels 6 being instead located near the distal ends of arms 10.

(33) FIGS. 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b show the operation of device 120 according to the present invention. Arms 10 are associated with a first portion of said means for locking and retaining the arms against said first horizontal bar 1. More precisely, said arms are associated with a small arm 21 that: can be supported by a member 26 with generally C-shaped cross-section; and can rotate in a vertical plane about an axis 27 in said member 26.

(34) Of course, other solutions may be adopted for arranging said small arm 21 on arm 10.

(35) Small arm 21 is kept in a generally horizontal position by resilient means, anyway so that it is free to rotate about axis 27 when suitably biased.

(36) Small arm 21 bears, at its end opposite the end at which it is connected to member 26, a short small cylinder 22, ends 22c of which are bevelled.

(37) A second portion of said means for locking and retaining the arms against said first horizontal bar 1 is located on the bar itself and essentially consists of the cooperating combination of: a first stationary strip 23, having one end connected to the first horizontal bar and a free second end, directed towards said arm with wheel rakes and having a wide V-shaped cut with horizontal axis, the tip portion of which has a circular recess (FIG. 6), arranged to receive the short small cylinder located on said small arm; a second strip 24, it too vertical and having one end connected to the first horizontal bar and a free second end directed towards said arm with wheel rakes, the second strip being partly adjacent to the first strip 23, being rotatable about a vertical axis (not shown), being kept close to said first strip by a resilient member (not shown) and being shaped so that a portion 24a of its free end is bent so as to be directed away from the free end of said first strip; said second strip is provided, in correspondence of the circular recess at the tip of the V-shaped cut of the first strip, with a slot-shaped through hole 28, arranged to receive said short small cylinder located on said small arm.

(38) As shown in FIG. 3b, while arm 10 is approaching bar 1, small cylinder 22 located on small arm 21 contacts bent portion 24a of strip 24 with bevelled portion 22c of cylinder half 22b, and begins making the strip rotate against the thrust of said resilient member, as shown in FIG. 4a. While arm 10 continues approaching bar 1, bevelled end 22c of small cylinder 22 moves beyond bent portion 24a of strip 24, stops in the circular recess and is located in correspondence of slot-shaped hole 28 in strip 24. Said resilient member brings strip 24 back to its starting position, in contact with strip 23, thereby introducing small cylinder 22 into slot-shaped hole 28, as shown in FIG. 4b, and attaining a secure locking of arm 10 against bar 1.

(39) FIG. 5 shows a preferred embodiment of the resilient member mentioned above. Such a member includes a fastened adjustable spring arranged within a bowl 40 and adjusted by means of nut 42 so as to abut against abutment 41 secured to small arm 21, in order to keep same in a substantially horizontal position. In use, when small cylinder 22 arrives in correspondence of the V-shaped cut in strip 23, it can proceed straight on towards circular recess 23c (FIG. 6) or, if it is not perfectly aligned, it can engage one of the internal walls 23b of said V-shaped cut at any point thereof. In such case, the resilient member allows small arm 21 to be raised or lowered in order to be able to slide towards said recess 23c.

(40) That second embodiment is therefore capable of greatly improving the easiness and safety of use of a swather, by allowing an easy and safe opening and closing thereof.

(41) In accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIG. 7, the swather is also equipped with novel wheel rakes, which can be applied, inter alia, also to swathers with known V-shaped or Y-shaped configuration.

(42) In accordance with such an embodiment, wheel rake 50 according to the present invention includes a first metal member 52 consisting of a strip formed in circular shape. A metal flange 55 is arranged within the circle formed by said strip and is rigidly connected to the strip. The flange has a central hole 58 arranged to house a rotation pin (not shown) and a plurality of holes 59 with smaller diameter than said hole 58, concentrically arranged around said hole.

(43) A plurality of spokes 54 are rigidly connected to said first metal member 52, said spokes having the shape of elongated isosceles trapezia, the major bases of which are connected to said first member 52 and are disposed along the length of the strip forming said first member 52. Said spokes are formed of a metal sheet shaped as an isosceles trapezium and they have C-shaped cross-sections. A small plate 57, located between the ends of the C-shaped spoke body, is rigidly connected to each spoke 54 near said first metal member and is provided with a bore, preferably a threaded bore.

(44) A second metal member 53, consisting of a strip formed in circular shape and equipped with a plurality of projections 56 formed by shaped metal rods and mounted on a base of hard rubber or other suitable material, is rigidly connected to the minor bases of said spokes 54.

(45) As shown in FIG. 7, the first metal member, the second metal member, the central metal flange and the spokes form a body that has a substantially planar configuration and is therefore suitable for being mounted without any operating limitation on both the left side and the right side of a swather.

(46) Of course, obvious modifications and/or changes can be made to the above description in respect of the sizes, the shapes, the materials and the connections as well as in respect of the details of the illustrated construction and the operating manner, without departing from the invention as claimed in the following claims.