Patent ID: 8220233
Filing Date: 2012-07-17
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
1. An agricultural machine including a carrying vehicle and plural work units configured to cut a standing product, the work units being connected to the carrying vehicle, the agricultural machine comprising: at least two pivotable front work units, each front work unit including a housing that includes a cutting device including a plurality of cutting members, which cutting members are each driven in rotation about a respective one of a plurality of upwardly directed axes, the front work units being arranged, during work and viewed in a direction of forward travel of the carrying vehicle, at a front of the carrying vehicle such that the two front work units are located in front of an axis of rotation of a front wheel of the carrying vehicle, the housings of the two front work units being separate and distinct from each other; at least two lateral work units, each lateral work unit including a housing that includes a cutting device including a plurality of cutting members, which cutting members are each driven in rotation about a respective one of a plurality of upwardly directed axes, the lateral work units being arranged, during work, on either side of the carrying vehicle and mostly outside of a total work area of the cutting devices of the front work units such that a work area of the cutting device of each lateral work unit partially overlaps the total work area of the cutting devices of the front work units, the housings of the two lateral work units being separate and distinct from each other; and four steering and driving wheels that support the carrying vehicle, wherein said four wheels are configured to pivot in a horizontal plane, wherein a steering device is configured to pivot said four wheels in said horizontal plane, wherein a transmission makes said four wheels driving wheels, wherein the front work units and the lateral work units are configured to be moved with respect to the carrying vehicle so as to occupy a transport position or a work position, wherein said front work units are arranged in front of a foremost end of said carrying vehicle, and wherein in the work position, a work area of one of the cutting members of the cutting device of a first of the at least two front work units partially overlaps a work area of one of the cutting members of the cutting device of a second of the at least two front work units and a first front work unit and a second front work unit pivot in mutually opposite directions, with respect to each other, from the transport position to the work position.