AGRICULTURAL MACHINE WITH ASSOCIATED WHEEL AND ROLLER

• US 20130037284A1
• Filed: 07/30/2012
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otico
• Original Assignee: Otico
• Inventors: PHELY, Olivier, Piou, Denis
• Granted Patent: US 8,695,721 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 172/537
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 29/043 Tire-packers

Abstract

An agricultural machine having a first frame and a roller with a tube mounted about a first axis. A second frame is connected to the first frame and a wheel, which includes a rim mounted about a second axis. The wheel has a tyre and the roller has a covering around the tube. The covering and the tyre tread have mouldings defining a pattern element repeated in a transverse direction parallel to the first axis and to the second axis, respectively. The pitch of transverse repeat of the pattern element of the roller and the pitch of transverse repeat of the pattern element of the wheel are equal to the nearest 10%. The pattern elements define ribs the height of which on the roller and the height of which on the wheel are equal to the nearest 90%.

Claims

1. Agricultural machine comprising

a first frame (2) and at least one roller (4), the roller (4) comprising at least one tube (40) mounted for rotation about a first axis (XX) on bearings (20) connected to the first frame (2),

a second frame (3), connected to the first frame (2), and at least one wheel (5), the wheel (5) comprising at least one rim (50), mounted for rotation about a second axis (YY) on bearings (20) connected to the second frame (3), the wheel (5) being provided with at least one tyre (51) threaded onto the rim (50),

the roller (4) having a covering (42) around the tube (40), the tyre (51) of the wheel (5) having a tread (52), the covering (42) and the tread (52) being provided with mouldings (43, 53) defining a pattern element (44, 54) repeated in a transverse direction parallel to the first axis (XX), and to the second axis (YY), respectively,

the pitch (L_P4) of transverse repeat of the pattern element (44) of the roller (4) and the pitch (L_P5) of transverse repeat of the pattern element (54) of the wheel (5) being equal to the nearest 10%,

the pattern elements (44, 54) defining ribs (45, 55), the height (L_H4) of which on the roller (4) and the height (L_H5) of which on the wheel (5) are equal to the nearest 90%,

so that the repetition and height of the ribs (45, 55) form, in the earth (10), a series of furrows (11) that are substantially parallel and substantially equidistant.

2. Agricultural machine according to claim 1, wherein the roller (4) is provided with a set of pneumatic tyres (41) threaded onto the tube (40), the tyres (41) including the covering (42), the tyres (41) of the roller (4) being of the semi-hollow type and wherein a portion of the covering (42) is connected to a sleeve (61) by two sidewalls (62, 63) so as to delimit a hollow annular space (64).

3. Agricultural machine according to claim 2, wherein the hollow annular space (64) of a tyre (41) takes up a volume which is less than the volume taken up by the material that constitutes the tyre (41).

4. Agricultural machine according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the ribs (45, 55) of at least one of the roller (4) or wheel (5) have profiles, viewed in cross section, in the shape of a rounded dome.

5. Agricultural machine according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the ribs (45, 55) of at least one of the roller (4) or wheel (5) have profiles, viewed in cross section, in which the end comprises a flattened area (65).

6. Agricultural machine according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first axis (XX) and the second axis (YY) are substantially parallel and spaced apart by a selected distance (L_D) in a working position.

7. Agricultural machine according to claim 6, wherein the distance (L_D) is greater than the height (L_H4, L_H5) of the ribs (45, 55) of the roller (4) or the wheel (5) and less than the greater of the radii (L_RL, L_RE) of the roller (4) and the wheel (5).

8. Agricultural machine according to claim 7, wherein the distance (L_D) is greater than the height (L_H4, L_H5) of the ribs (45, 55) of the roller (4) or the wheel (5) and less than the smaller of the radii (L_RL, L_RE) of the roller (4) and the wheel (5).

9. Agricultural machine according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising braking means (30) adapted to exert a resistant torque in controlled manner between the second frame (3) and the rim (50).

10. Agricultural machine according to one of the preceding claims, comprising two wheels (5) or two pairs of wheels (5), a central roller (4c), and two lateral rollers (4a, 4b), each wheel (5) or pair of wheels (5) being disposed between the central roller (4c) and each of the lateral rollers (4a, 4b), respectively, in a direction parallel to the first axis (XX), in a working position.

11. Agricultural machine according to claim 10, wherein each of the two lateral rollers (4a, 4b) is retractable into a transporting position.

12. Agricultural machine according to claim 11, having a maximum dimension in a direction parallel to the first axis (XX) of the central roller (4c) which is less than or equal to 3 metres in the transporting position.