Soil-Cultivation Unit and Soil-Cultivation Method for Conservation-Type Soil Cultivation

Abstract

The invention relates to a soil-cultivation unit, comprised of a tractor (21) and a driven soil-cultivation machine or comprised of a tractor (21) and a passive, pulled soil-cultivation device (22) for conservation-type soil cultivation, having an equipment carrier with cultivator tools for accommodating one or more cultivator tines (6), characterized in that a regulation unit (23) is provided that accesses data that is recordable before and after travel over the work area in the work process and during the work process, control elements (10) are provided, via which the cutting geometry of the cultivator tines (6) can be adjusted, the regulation unit (23) is set up in such a way that control variables can be generated from the recorded data for setting the cutting geometry during the work process, and the cutting geometry of the cultivator tines (6) is can be permanently adjusted during the work process as a result of the control variables that are generated.

A corresponding soil-cultivation method is described.

Claims

1. A soil-cultivation, comprised of a tractor (21) and a driven soil-cultivation machine or comprised of a tractor (21) and a passive, pulled soil-cultivation device (22) for conservation-type soil cultivation, having an equipment carrier with cultivator tools for accommodating one or more cultivator tines (6), wherein a regulation unit (23) is provided that accesses data that is recordable before and after travel over the work area in the work process and during the work process, control elements (10) are provided, via which the cutting geometry of the cultivator tines (6) is adjusted, the regulation unit (23) generates control variables from the recorded data for setting the cutting geometry during the work process, and the cutting geometry of the cultivator tines (6) is is permanently adjusted during the work process as a result of the control variables that are generated.

2. The soil-cultivation unit according to claim 1, wherein the operating depth of the cultivator tines (6), the tilt angle or swivel angle and the angle of spread are adjusted, individually or in combination, to set the cutting geometry of the cultivator tines (6), wherein the adjustment is registered in dependence upon parameters that are recorded in front of, in and in back of the soil-cultivation unit.

3. The soil-cultivation unit according to claim 2, wherein the operating depth of the cultivator tine (6) is adjusted via a vertical movement with respect to the surface of the soil.

4. The soil-cultivation unit according to claim 2, wherein the tilt angle or swivel angle of the cultivator tine (6) is adjusted via swiveling with respect to the surface of the soil.

5. The soil-cultivation unit according to claim 2, wherein the angle of spread of the cultivator tine (6) is adjusted with respect to the surface of the soil.

6. The soil-cultivation unit according to claim 2, wherein the operating depth, the tilt angle or swivel angle and/or the angle of spread is preset at the beginning of the soil cultivation.

7. The soil-cultivation unit according to claim 2, wherein the operating depth, the tilt angle or swivel angle and/or the angle of spread is adjusted in dependence upon the wear on the tine.

8. The soil-cultivation unit according to claim 2, wherein the operating depth, the tilt angle or swivel angle and/or the angle of spread is adjusted in a centralized fashion for the entire work implement or tool group, or in a decentralized fashion for each tool individually.

9. The soil-cultivation unit according to claim 2, wherein the operating depth, the tilt angle or swivel angle and/or the angle of spread is adjusted electrically, hydraulically, mechanically or pneumatically.

10. The soil-cultivation unit according to claim 4, wherein pivot points are provided for swiveling the tine in the area of the fastening point of the tine on the leg or in the area of the leg fixture.

11. The soil-cultivation unit according to claim 3, wherein an adjustment device is attached for vertical movement of individual tines/tine groups between the leg and the cultivator frame/the tine crossbar and the cultivator frame.

12. A method for cultivating the soil with a soil-cultivation unit, comprised of a tractor (21) and a driven soil-cultivation machine or comprised of a tractor (21) and a passive, pulled soil-cultivation device (22) for conservation-type soil cultivation, having an equipment carrier with cultivator tools for accommodating one or more cultivator tines (6), wherein measurement data is recorded, sent to a regulation unit (23) and processed by it before and after travel over the work area in the work process and during the work process, a permanent adjustment of the cutting geometry is made during the work process via control elements (10) for influencing the cutting geometry of the cultivator tines (6), for which control signals are generated by the regulation unit (23) from measurement data recorded during the work process and transmitted to the control elements (10), wherein the cutting geometry is set in such a way that the measurement data is within pre-determined tolerances during travel over the work area and consistent soil cultivation therefore takes place.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The invention will be explained in more detail below with the aid of examples. The accompanying schematic diagrams show the following:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows the basic structure, the angle relationships and the processing floor at the double diamond-shaped tine

[0032] FIG. 2 shows the basic structure, the angle relationships and the processing floor at the double diamond-shaped tine with wings

[0033] FIG. 3 shows the basic structure, the angle relationships and the processing floor at the duckfoot tine (one piece)

[0034] FIG. 4 shows the soil-cultivation unit comprised of a tractive machine (e.g. tractor) and a passive, pulled soil-cultivation device (e.g. cultivator) with a regulation unit to control the operating process

[0035] FIG. 5 shows an agricultural soil-cultivation device with an example of an arrangement of cultivator tools in 4 rows with a diagram of the adjustable cultivator tools as per the invention in the form of an example

[0036] FIG. 6 shows a side view of FIG. 5 with cultivator tools one in back of the other in the direction of travel

[0037] FIG. 7 shows a section of a front view of FIG. 5 with cultivator tools arranged next to one another and a diagram of the processing floor that is being formed

[0038] FIG. 8 shows a diagram to illustrate the adjustability of the angle of spread of the attached tine wings and therefore the capability of realizing two or more tine geometries

[0039] FIG. 9 shows a diagram to illustrate the adjustability of the tilt angle

[0040] FIG. 10 shows a diagram of a change to the tilt angle via rotation around a crosswise axis close to the cultivator leg fixture and the vertical tine adjustment (of the individual leg in the cultivator leg fixture or the leg group via adjustment of the entire crossbar)

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0041] The diagrams in FIGS. 1 to 3 show the prior art; reference was made to this at the outset of the description. An essential criterion for the operation is the formation of a processing floor that is influenced, in particular, by the shape of the tine tip and the wing position.

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a tine tool in the form of a double diamond with a marking of the tilt angle as a characteristic feature of the cutting geometry.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a tine tool with additional wings with a marking of the angle of spread as a characteristic feature of the cutting geometry.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a flat cutting tine tool with a marking of the tilt angle and the angle of spread as characteristic features of the cutting geometry.

[0045] A cultivation unit as per the invention is shown in FIG. 4. It is comprised of a tractor 21 and a passive, pulled soil-cultivation device 22. Several cultivator tines 6 with adjustment rods 7 and a supporting body, which is designed in the form of a support wheel 4, are located on the passive, pulled soil-cultivation device 22. A control element 10, in this case an actuator, is attached to the soil-cultivation device 22 to provide an influence via the adjustment rods 7.

[0046] Sensors that detect the soil height or the degree of coverage, or the status of vegetation as the case may be, are located on the tractor 21 to record the measured data in front of the cultivation area. To record data regarding the operating process (e.g. tossing height and mixing intensity), sensors are in turn located on the soil-cultivation device 22 in the area of the working tools to detect the process parameters, and sensors are located at the end of the soil-cultivation device 22 to detect the results of the work (e.g. the degree of coverage of the ground, the soil relief and the crumb structure). This measurement data is made available, in addition to the travel speed, to a regulation unit 23. From the data that is available, the regulation unit 23 ascertains the control variable for the control element 10, which is the cylinder stroke in this case.

[0047] An agricultural device with a typical arrangement of cultivator tools as per the invention in a 4-beam design, suitable for non-inverting, i.e. conservation-type, soil cultivation, is shown in FIG. 5. The tools work in a loosening and mixing manner and are used at different operating depths for stubble processing (shallow) or base soil cultivation (deep), as well as seedbed preparation.

[0048] The device is comprised of several loosening tools arranged crosswise to the direction of travel with a line distance s. The overall machine frame 1 is guided in terms of depth by support wheels 4. This can, as an alternative, also take place via trailing or roll-off, cylinder-shaped tools such as roller tillers, for instance.

[0049] The loosening tools are adjustably arranged in terms of the parameters of operating depth of the tool and the tilt angle of the tine on the machine frame 1 as per the invention. Furthermore, the angle of spread of the tine additions, in particular so-called wings, can be designed to be adjustable.

[0050] FIG. 6 shows the tool arrangement of FIG. 5 as per the invention in a front view. The cultivator tines 6 attached to the cultivator legs 5 have a line distance s from one another. The cultivator legs 5 are connected at the top to the machine frame 1. The machine frame 1 can be lifted or lowered with respect to the surface of the soil 3, and the operating depth of the cultivator tines 6 can be adjusted in that way, via the height adjustment 9 on the support wheel 4.

[0051] In accordance with the diagrams in FIG. 7 and FIG. 10, groups of tools that are arranged in a row are adjusted via actuators that are fastened to the machine frame 1 and that influence the corresponding equipment on the loosening tool.

[0052] Furthermore, the adjustment can be made in a centralized fashion for all of the tools or in a decentralized fashion for each tool individually; the central leg adjustment of entire tool rows and with a coupling to all of the tool rows takes place as it is already known from harrow technology (parallelogram guides).

[0053] The equipment for bringing about the adjustment can have an electrical, hydraulic, mechanical or pneumatic design. The adjustment takes place in a mechanical fashion in accordance with the diagram in FIG. 6.

[0054] A side view corresponding to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 is shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 7 shows cultivator tools in back of one another in the direction of travel. The cultivator tools are arranged with the cultivator leg 5 fixed on the machine frame 1. A cultivator tine 6 is swivel-mounted in each case to the lower end of the cultivator leg 5 so that the tilt angle can be changed. The adjustment is made via an adjustment rod 7 that acts on the cultivator tine 6. The adjustment rod 7 is driven by a control element 10 that is designed in the form of an actuator.

[0055] FIG. 8 shows a diagram of the tools with wings in a view from front and top. It illustrates the adjustment of the angle of spread via a swiveling of the wings around a nearly vertical axis close to the leg axis. The effective operating width/cutting width of the individual tool b is adjusted with that.

[0056] FIG. 9 shows a diagram of the tools in a side view. It illustrates the adjustment of the tilt angle via movement with the aid of a coupling rod. The tine is thereby swiveled around a horizontal cross-axis close to the attachment point of the tine. The tilt angle is adjusted in that way.

[0057] FIG. 10 shows a diagram of an arrangement of tools with one-piece, rigid cultivator legs and traditional tines. The tilt angle of the individual tool or tool group can be adjusted here via a swiveling of the tool leg around a horizontal cross-axis close to the attachment point of the leg on the frame of the tool crossbar. The operating depth of the individual tool or tool group is adjusted by moving the tool leg 15 or the tool crossbar 16.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0058] 1Central machine frame [0059] 2Coupling frame for mounting on the rear lift of the tractor [0060] 3Surface of the soil with organic top layers or vegetation [0061] 4Support wheel, supporting body [0062] 5Cultivator leg [0063] 6Cultivator tine [0064] 7Adjustment rod [0065] 8Main frame strut [0066] 9Height adjustment on the support wheel [0067] 10Control element [0068] 11Connection to the adjustment device [0069] 12Wing [0070] 13Cultivator blades [0071] 14Coupling point [0072] 15Tool leg [0073] 16Tool crossbar [0074] 17Processing floor (side view) [0075] 18Approximate processing floor (front view) [0076] 20Sensors [0077] 21Tractor [0078] 22Passive, pulled soil-cultivation device [0079] 23Regulation unit [0080] Tilt angle [0081] Swivel angle [0082] Angle of spread [0083] bTool width [0084] b.sub.sTine width [0085] v.sub.FDirection of travel [0086] sLine distance [0087] tOperating depth [0088] hFrame height (open passage) [0089] rRadius of curvature [0090] D1 Input parameters (e.g. soil height beforehand) [0091] D2 Disturbance variable (e.g. travel speed) [0092] D3 Regulation unit [0093] D4 Process variable (e.g. soil height afterwards) [0094] D5 Regulation variable (e.g. cylinder stroke) [0095] D6 Control element (e.g. actuator) [0096] D7 Operating-result parameter (e.g. coverage of the ground)