A FLOATING BASE-CUTTER ASSEMBLY FOR USE ON SUGAR-CANE HARVESTERS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a floating base-cutter assembly (16) for use on sugar-cane harvesters, the assembly being formed by two base-cutters, wherein each of the base-cutters (16) comprises a set of cutting knives (9), the base-cutter assembly (16) comprising primary adjustment of the distance of the set of cutting knives (9) with respect to the ground, the base-cutter assembly (16) being mounted on the harvester body by means of a set of articulated rods (2, 5), the base-cutter assembly (16) comprising reading means for reading variation of the ground surface, the reading means (7, 8) being capable of generating an electric signal for variation of the distance of the set of cutting knives (9) with respect to the ground With this invention, the base-cutters (16) can accommodate ground unevenness rapidly, enabling one to cut the sugar-cane at an adequate height.

Claims

1-4. (canceled)

5. A floating base-cutter assembly (16) for use on a sugar-cane harvester, the assembly comprising: two base-cutters, each of the base-cutters comprising an adjustable set of cutting knives (9), the adjustable set of cutting knives (9) being configured to be selectably positioned at an adjustable distance with respect to a ground surface; and reading means (7, 6) for reading variation of the ground surface, the reading means (7, 8) being configured for generating an electric signal for variation of the distance of the cutting knives (9) with respect to the ground surface, wherein: the base-cutter assembly (16) is mounted on a frame of the sugar-cane harvester by means of a set of articulated rods (2, 5), the reading means for reading variation of the ground surface comprise an inverted-shell-shaped component (8) that works close to the ground, the inverted-shell-shaped component (8) being in electric contact with an electric switch (7).

6. The base-cutter assembly according to claim 5, wherein the set of rods (2, 5) is articulable by action of a hydraulic/pneumatic cylinder (4).

7. The base-cutter assembly according to claim 6, wherein the hydraulic/pneumatic cylinder (4) moves the set of rods (2, 5), thus moving the set of cutting knives (9) up and down in response to the electric signal generated by the reading means (7, 8) for reading variation of the ground surface, such that the set of cutting knives (9) remains always at a predetermined distance from the ground surface.

8. The base-cutter assembly according to claim 5, wherein the adjustable distance of the cutting knives (9) with respect to the ground is provided by a traction spring (3).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to an example of embodiment of the invention. The figures show:

[0015] FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of a base-cutter according to the invention; and

[0016] FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of a base-cutter according to the invention, the base-cutter being off-set upward from the ground surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0017] The figures show a base-cutter assembly 16 of a sugar-cane harvester, wherein one can see schematically the front tire 1 of the harvester. The base-cutter assembly is formed by a pair of base-cutters 16. As the figures show in side view of the assembly, only one of the base-cutters is visible.

[0018] As shown in the figures, the base-cutter 16 comprises an axle or tube 13 coupled to a drive engine, illustrated schematically with reference number 15. Close to the engine 15, the drive shaft or tube passes through the bearing assembly 14.

[0019] On the axle 13 a turning component is mounted, which is provided with spaced-apart lugs 12 responsible for guiding the cut sugar-cane into the harvester, where it will be further processed. For cutting the cane, the driving axle 13 comprises a turning disc 10 with knives 9 mounted on its lower portion.

[0020] The lower part of the axle 13 also comprises a bearing assembly 11, which has, at its lower end portion, an inverted-shell-shaped vaulted component 8, which moves as a ski close to the ground surface by means of work movement of the harvester.

[0021] Between the upper and lower portions of the axle 13, o ion a region adjacent to the bearings 11, 14, a substantially C-shaped support 6 is provided, on which a pair of articulable rods 2, 5 linked to an arm 17 is mounted. An adjustable-action spring 3 is mounted between two alternating articulation points of the rods 2, 5. A hydraulic/pneumatic cylinder 4 is mounted between the arm 17 and a support C-shaped support region 6.

[0022] The adjustable-action spring 3 is sized to alleviate or annul the weight of the base-cutter assembly 16, until the latter remains touching the ground, exerting little pressure on the latter.

[0023] According to the invention, the base-cutter assembly 16 should float during the harvesting process. For this purpose, the inverted-shell-shaped component 8 acts as an articulated ski that rubs the ground in order to detect regularities on the ground. In this way, any alteration in the ground relief will be interpreted as being excess or lack of pressure on the shell or ski 8, which will actuate an electric switch that commands the hydraulic/pneumatic cylinder 4. The hydraulic/pneumatic cylinder 4 will cause the base-cutters 16 to go up or down (by movement/articulation of the rods 2, 5) only enough to prevent the knives of the base-cutters 16 from cutting the ground or cutting the cane much above the ideal cutting point. This continually performed process is nothing else than said floating of the base-cutters 16. FIG. 2 shows schematically the base-cutter assembly 16 in lifted from the ground by the distance A.

[0024] A presented example of embodiment having been described, one should understand that the scope of the present invention embraces other possible variations, being limited only by the contents of the accompanying claims, which include possible equivalents.