A METHOD FOR CULTIVATING A PIECE OF FARMLAND AND A TRACTOR FOR EMPLOYING THE METHOD

Abstract

A method for cultivating a piece of farmland, includes providing an autonomous tractor having a lifting device for connecting an agricultural implement for performing an agricultural operation to the tractor and an engine for driving the implement, and crossing the farmland with the tractor while the agricultural implement is driven by the engine to cultivate the piece of farmland, wherein in a step preceding the cultivation of the farmland, the agricultural implement is put on top of the tractor with the lifting device, such that the centre of mass of the agricultural implement is within the footprint of the tractor, and in a second step the agricultural implement is operatively connected with the engine of the tractor, whereafter the farmland is crossed with the tractor while the agricultural implement is supported by the tractor and driven by the engine thereof to cultivate the piece of farmland.

Claims

1. A method for cultivating a piece of farmland, using a tractor and connected thereto an agricultural implement for performing an agricultural operation, the method comprising the steps of: providing the tractor as an autonomous tractor with a lifting device for connecting the agricultural implement to the tractor and with an engine for driving said implement, and crossing the farmland with the tractor while the agricultural implement is driven by the engine to cultivate the piece of farmland, in a first step preceding the cultivation of the farmland, placing the agricultural implement on top of the tractor with said lifting device, such that a center of mass of the agricultural implement is within the footprint of the tractor, and in a second step, operatively connecting the agricultural implement with the engine of the tractor, whereafter the farmland is crossed with the tractor while the agricultural implement is supported by the tractor and driven by the engine thereof to cultivate the piece of farmland.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second step is performed automatically while the first step is performed.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein after the agricultural implement is placed on top of the tractor with said lifting device, further comprising the step of de-coupling the lifting device from the implement.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein during the crossing of the piece of farmland, the lifting device is used for carrying a second agricultural implement.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the engine is additionally used for driving the autonomous tractor.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the agricultural implement is used for an agricultural operation that involves spreading material, other than soil of the farmland itself, over the piece of farmland.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the agricultural operation is chosen from the group that consists of 1) spraying of a liquid such as water or crop protection products, 2) sowing of seeds, 3) planting of propagating material, and 4) spreading of solids.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein after the piece of farmland is cultivated, the agricultural implement is taken off the tractor using the lifting device, whereafter the agricultural implement is de-coupled from the lifting device and stored until further use.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the agricultural implement has a longitudinal direction which direction in essence runs parallel to the surface of the piece of farmland when cultivating this farmland, and wherein the agricultural implement is stored with its longitudinal direction extending in essence vertically.

10. An autonomous tractor for autonomously cultivating a piece of farmland, the tractor comprising: a lifting device for lifting an agricultural implement and connecting the agricultural implement to the tractor, and an engine for driving said implement when connected to the tractor to perform an agricultural operation to cultivate the piece of farmland, wherein the lifting device is configured to connect the agricultural implement to the tractor by placing the implement on top of the tractor such that the center of mass of the agricultural implement is within the footprint of the tractor, while the implement is operable to perform the agricultural operation.

11. An autonomous tractor according to claim 10, wherein the lifting device is arranged to turn the agricultural implement over an angle of at least 90 while lifting the implement from a support to the top of the tractor.

12. An autonomous tractor according to claim 11, wherein the lifting device is arranged to turn the agricultural implement over an angle between 90 and 180 while lifting the implement from a support to the top of the tractor.

13. A method according to claim 7, wherein: the planting of propagating material includes the planting of at least one of bulbs, cuttings or young plants, and the spreading of solids includes the spreading of one of artificial fertilizer or manure.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an implement stored in an upright position and an autonomous tractor with a lifting device connected to the implement.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the lifting device putting the implement on top of the tractor.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the tractor with the implement in operative connection.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the tractor with the implement in operative connection in an alternative arrangement.

FIG. 1

[0031] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an implement 1 stored in an upright position on a concrete floor 100, and an autonomous tractor 10 with a lifting device 12 connected to the implement 1. The autonomous tractor as such can be any tractor as known from the art, such as for example described in WO2020/106142, WO2020/106143 and WO2020/152123, albeit that the lifting device 12 is adapted to be able and lift the implement 1 and turn it over an angle of 90 at the same time (see below with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3).

[0032] Implement 1 in this example is a fertiliser spreader that has a hopper section 3 for keeping a first portion of the fertiliser, as well as a main storage section 3 out of which fertiliser can be fed into hopper 3 when the implement is in operation. At the outlet of the hopper a spreader 4 is provided. This implement does not differ essentially from a regular fertiliser spreader albeit that she is provided with a connector 2 that, when the implement is put on top of tractor 10, supported by roof section 11, is able to operatively connect the implement with the engine of the tractor. The engine itself is not shown in FIG. 1, it is positioned below roof section 11.

[0033] As depicted, the implement is connected to the lifting device 12 of the tractor, such that the implement can be picked off the concrete floor 100 to be operatively connected to the tractor.

FIG. 2

[0034] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the lifting device 12 putting the implement on top of the tractor, i.e. on roof section 11. The same features have the same reference number as in FIG. 1. As can be seen, the lifting device 12 is able to lift the implement 1, tilt it, and move it towards a position where it is supported by the bulk of the tractor 10. In this process, the connector 2 is positioned automatically towards a mating part of the tractor (not shown) to provide for the operative connection between the implement and the engine of the tractor in order to be able and drive the implement to spread fertiliser.

FIG. 3

[0035] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the tractor 10 with the implement 1 in operative connection, while the combination is present on a piece of farmland 30. The connector 2, indicated in bold for better understanding of the schematic drawing, is in this configuration mated with the tractor such that the engine is connected to the implement to be able and drive it. In the shown configuration, the lifting device 12 is still connected to the implement, although the lifting device no longer supports this implement. The full weight of the implement is supported by a top surface of the tractor, such that the centre of mass of the implement is within the footprint of the tractor

FIG. 4

[0036] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the tractor 10 with the implement 1 in operative connection in an alternative arrangement. In this arrangement the lifting device 12 is de-coupled from the implement. This way, during the crossing of the piece of farmland 30, the lifting device, when desired, can be used for carrying a second agricultural implement.