AGRICULTURAL HARVESTING MACHINE

• US 20140215985A1
• Filed: 02/06/2014
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Claas Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH (CLAAS KGaA mbH)
• Original Assignee: Claas Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH (CLAAS KGaA mbH)
• Inventors: Pollklas, Manfred
• Granted Patent: US 9,288,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 56/10.2R
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 43/08 with means for cutting up the mown crop , e.g. forage harvesters
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 43/085 Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 29/14 Drives
• CPC Class Codes: A01F 29/22 Arrangement of knife sharpening devices

Abstract

An agricultural harvesting machine embodying a forage harvester includes a comminution assembly with a drum equipped with a plurality of knives. The drum is set into rotation opposite a stationary shear bar in order to comminute crop fed in a region of a cutting gap formed by knives and the shear bar during the harvesting operation. A device controls a rotational speed (n) of the drum at least during a maintenance procedure of the comminution assembly, depending on a property of the drum.

Claims

1. An agricultural harvesting machine configured with a comminution assembly, the comminution assembly comprising:

a drum equipped with a plurality of knives;

a stationary shear bar;

a device for controlling the rotational speed (n) of the drum;

wherein the drum is set into rotation opposite the stationary shear bar to comminute crop fed in the region of a cutting gap formed by knives and shear bar during the harvesting operation; and

wherein the device controls the rotational speed (n) of the drum at least during a maintenance procedure of the comminution assembly depending on a property of the drum.

2. The agricultural harvesting machine according to claim 1, wherein the property of the drum is the state in which this drum is equipped with knives.

3. The agricultural harvesting machine according to claim 1, wherein the property of the drum is the drum design.

4. The agricultural harvesting machine according to claim 1, wherein, during the maintenance procedure, a drum having a relatively greater separation between successive knives is set into rotation at a relatively higher rotational speed (n) than is the case for a drum having a relatively smaller separation between successive knives.

5. The agricultural harvesting machine according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance procedure includes the actuation of a tool assigned to the drum.

6. The agricultural harvesting machine according to claim 1, wherein the tool is a sharpening device for the knives of the drum.

7. The agricultural harvesting machine according to claim 6, wherein the sharpening device includes a sharpening stone, wherein the rotational speed (n) of the drum is selected such that contact interruptions between the sharpening stone and the knives that result between successive knives due to knife gaps are so brief that the sharpening stone is prevented from abruptly dropping radially into any of the knife gaps.

8. The agricultural harvesting machine according to claim 6, wherein the rotational speed (n) of the drum is selected for the sharpening procedure in a manner dependent on the state of wear of the knives.

9. The agricultural harvesting machine according to claim 5, wherein the tool is a device for adjusting the separation between the shear bar and the drum.

10. The agricultural harvesting machine according to claim 9, wherein the rotational speed (n) of the drum is selected such that the knock frequency detectable at the shear bar is approximately identical for different knife-installation states and/or drum types.

11. The agricultural harvesting machine according to claim 1, wherein the device for controlling the rotational speed (n) of the drum is operated to determine a number of knives installed on the drum on a basis of a knock frequency caused by the knives at a known rotation speed (n) of the drum in order to make the knives available for a maintenance procedure.

12. The agricultural harvesting machine according to claim 1, embodying a forest harvester.