VEGETATION MANAGEMENT MACHINE TO CLEAR THE GROUND ALONG A FENCE OR ROW

A vegetation management machine for clearing the ground along a fence or a row has a connecting device, which is configured to connect a vehicle to move the machine forward along a given path and which has a coupling to mechanically connect the connecting device to the vehicle; a support structure selectively connectable to a mulcher; and an articulated arm extending from the support structure to support a mechanical weeding device independently of the mulcher and to allow the mechanical weeding device to be moved between a position wherein it falls within the mulcher bulk and a position wherein it protrudes from the mulcher in relation to the forward direction.

FIELD OF THE ART

The present invention relates to a vegetation management machine for clearing the ground along a fence or a row.

BACKGROUND ART

Fences have the function of protecting properties from any damage caused by humans and animals. Fences not only keep animals inside the property and away from danger, but can also keep them away from areas that could harm them. Furthermore, fences reduce the likelihood of livestock being stolen or exposed to potentially dangerous wild animals.

Fences can even extend for several kilometres on generally fertile ground, so they are often invaded by vegetation and it is necessary to clear the ground adjacent to and underlying the fence of vegetation. Considering that the ground is not necessarily levelled but may have undulations and it may be difficult to reach areas under the fence, conventional vegetation management machines are not always fit for purpose.

Crops organised in rows show problems similar to those set forth for fences.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

An aim of the present invention is to realize a vegetation management machine for clearing the ground along a fence or a row that is effective and easy to use.

In accordance with the present invention, it is realised a vegetation management machine for clearing the ground along a fence in a row, the machine comprising:a connecting device, which is configured to connect a vehicle to move the machine forward along a given path and which comprises a coupling to mechanically connect the connecting device to the vehicle; an articulated quadrilateral extending from the coupling and a jointed arm mounted on the articulated quadrilateral at the end opposite the coupling;a mulcher fixed to the support structure and comprising a motorised rotor rotatable about a rotation axis perpendicular to the machine forward direction and comprising a plurality of mechanical weeding tools; a support frame of the rotor; a roller, which is supported by said frame in a rotatable manner parallel to said axis and which is configured to be arranged in contact with the ground; support wheels, each of which is supported by said frame and is arranged on the opposite side of said roller relative to said rotor; anda mechanical weeding device supported by the jointed arm to enable the mechanical weeding device to be moved between a position wherein it falls within said frame bulk and a position wherein it protrudes from the frame in relation to the forward direction.

Thereby, the mulcher works resting on the ground and is free to follow the shape of the ground, while the mechanical weeding device is free to move relative to the mulcher in order to dodge the fence posts when the mechanical weeding device is arranged under the fence and the mulcher is driven close to the fence posts.

According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the machine comprising:a connecting device, which is configured to connect a vehicle to move the machine forward along a given path and comprises a coupling to mechanically and hydraulically connect the connecting device to the vehicle; an articulated quadrilateral extending from the coupling and a jointed arm mounted on the articulated quadrilateral at the end opposite the coupling;a mechanical disc weeding device supported by the jointed arm and comprising a first hydraulic motor; anda mulcher supported by the articulated quadrilateral and including a second hydraulic motor.

The first and second hydraulic motors allow power to be transmitted to the mechanical weeding device and to the mulcher, respectively, without imposing constraints on the relative movements between the mechanical weeding device and the mulcher.

In particular, the machine comprises a hydraulic circuit on board the machine to actuate the first and second hydraulic motors, the hydraulic circuit comprising a first delivery branch to actuate the first hydraulic motor and a second delivery branch connected to the first delivery branch by means of a flow diverter.

It is thereby possible to supply the first and second hydraulic motors by a single delivery point or connector.

In particular, the hydraulic circuit comprises a first discharge branch and a first pressure limiter arranged between the first delivery branch and the first discharge branch to discharge an exceeding flow rate from the first delivery branch; and a second discharge branch and second pressure limiter arranged between the second delivery branch and the second discharge branch to discharge an exceeding flow rate from the second delivery branch.

Thanks to this solution, the machine may operate with vehicles that provide different fixed pressurised oil flow rates. For this reason, the machine may be suitable for vehicles with fixed flow rate hydraulic pumps.

In particular, the connecting device and the hydraulic circuit allow independent movements between the mechanical weeding device and the mulcher and make the machine particularly suitable for managing vegetation close to a fence.

A particular aspect of the present invention lies in the versatile structure of the vegetation management machine.

In accordance with such aspect, a vegetation management machine is realised for clearing the ground along a fence or a row, the machine comprising a connecting device, which is configured to connect a vehicle to move the machine forward along a given path and comprises a coupling to mechanically and hydraulically connect the connecting device to the vehicle; a support structure selectively connectable to a mulcher; an articulated arm extending from the support structure to support a mechanical weeding device independently of the mulcher and to allow the mechanical weeding device to be moved between a position wherein it falls within the mulcher bulk and a position wherein it protrudes from the mulcher in relation to the forward direction.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

InFIG.1, reference number1denotes a vegetation management machine which comprises a connecting device2for connecting the machine to a vehicle, which is not shown in the accompanying Figures and configured to move the machine1forward along a given path in a forward direction D; a mulcher3supported by the connecting device2; and a mechanical weeding device4, in this specific case a mower, supported by the connecting device2. In this specific case, the mechanical weeding device4is supported in an orientable way about an oscillation axis A1to allow the mechanical weeding device4to be moved between a position wherein it falls within the mulcher3bulk and a position wherein it protrudes laterally relative to the mulcher3in relation to the forward direction D.

The connecting device2comprises a coupling5, in this specific case shown, a skid loader, compatible with Bobcat®, Kubota® and similar tractors to implement a mechanical connection with said tractors; an articulated quadrilateral6to connect the coupling5to the mulcher3; and an articulated arm7to connect the articulated quadrilateral6, in this specific case the part of articulated quadrilateral6integral with the mulcher2, to the mechanical weeding device4.

The articulated quadrilateral6comprises a plate8mounted on the coupling5; a support structure9configured to be integral with the mower3; and two arms10and11parallel and facing each other and articulated at their opposite ends to the plate8and to the support structure9about axes that are parallel to each other. The position of the plate8is fixed to the coupling5by means of a slots-and-bolts system so as to make it possible to adjust the plate8in relation to the coupling5along the plane of the plate8.

According to what is better shown inFIG.2, the articulation axes of the arms10and11are arranged so that the plate8, the support structure9and the arms10and11form the articulated quadrilateral6that is freely movable between a lowered position shown in dotted lines inFIG.2and a plurality of raised positions one of which is shown in continuous line inFIG.2.

In order to limit the extreme positions between the two arms10,11, the arm10comprises a stop12, which is arranged between the arms10and11and whose extension is selectively adjustable.

Referring toFIG.3, the mulcher3is omitted and the articulated arm7comprises a rod13that is slidably mounted and that may be selectively adjusted and fixed in a seat of the support structure9with which it forms a prismatic coupling; an articulated quadrilateral14which is articulated at the end of the rod13around the axis A1; a rod15which connects the articulated quadrilateral14to the mechanical weeding device4by means of a fork16which allows free oscillations in certain intervals about mutually perpendicular axes.

The function of the articulated quadrilateral14is to allow a change in the height between the mechanical weeding device4and the support structure9, while the function of the fork16is to allow the orientation of the mechanical weeding device4to be adapted to the inclination of the underlying ground. When the mechanical weeding device4is operating on a ground at a different height with respect to the mulcher3, the mechanical weeding device4is lowered, under the thrust of its own weight, into the underlying depressions or is raised under the thrust of an underlying hump. In order to ease the raising of the mechanical weeding device4, a spring17is arranged in the articulated quadrilateral14absorbing part of the weight of the mechanical weeding device4in order to make it easier to raise it as a result of the thrust of the ground.

Referring toFIG.4, the articulated arm7comprises a spring18and a hydraulic cylinder19to control the configuration of the articulated arm7about the axis A1. The spring18extends between an anchor point20and a crank21rotatable about the axis A1and integral with the articulated quadrilateral14. The spring18works in tension and tends to arrange the mechanical weeding device4in the working position (not shown in the enclosed Figure), i.e. in the position according to which it exits the mulcher2bulk as shown in dotted lines inFIG.5.

Referring toFIG.5, when the mechanical weeding device4is arranged in the working position (shown in dotted line inFIG.5) it encounters an obstacle along the forward path, it is diverted towards or into the rest position (shown in continuous line inFIG.5) by the thrust of the obstacle and, once the obstacle has been overcome, the spring18(FIG.4) returns the mechanical weeding device4to its initial position.

With reference toFIG.4, the hydraulic cylinder19is configured to vary the position of the anchor point20and, therefore, the pre-tensioning of the spring18and the resistance opposed by the spring18to the obstacle.

Referring toFIG.5, the mulcher3comprises a motorised rotor22rotatable about a rotation axis A2perpendicular to the forward direction D; a support frame23of the rotor22; a roller24(FIG.2), which is supported by said frame23in a rotatable manner parallel to said rotation axis A2and is configured to be arranged in contact with the ground; support wheels25, each of which is supported by the frame23in an orientable manner and is arranged on the opposite side of the roller24with respect to the rotor22.

In this specific case, the rotor22comprises a drum26and a plurality of tools27hinged to the drum26.

The rotor22is actuated by a hydraulic motor28and a mechanical transmission29arranged at one end of the frame23of the mulcher3. In this specific case, the mechanical transmission29is a belt transmission interposed between the hydraulic motor28and the rotor22.

Referring toFIG.3, the mechanical weeding device4is a disc mower and comprises a rotor30rotatable about the axis A3; a frame31; and a hydraulic motor32supported by the frame31.

The rotor30comprises cutting tools33, in this specific case four radial blades. The frame31is supported by the articulated arm7, so it can be configured in a plurality of positions and orientations and comprises a bonnet34, which is arranged above and around the cutting tools33and is configured to be arranged in contact with obstacles along the forward path.

Referring toFIG.6, the machine1is generally hydraulically controlled via two hydraulic circuits35and36on board the machine and one hydraulic circuit37on board the vehicle, which can be connected to each other.

The hydraulic circuits35and36on the machine are configured to selectively control hydraulic motors32and28respectively. The hydraulic circuit35also controls the hydraulic cylinder19.

The hydraulic circuit37on board the vehicle comprises a hydraulic pump38and a tank39.

The hydraulic circuits35and36can be substantially compacted into two respective hydraulic blocks35B and36B, which can operate either separately or jointly to be put in communication with each other.

The following description initially refers to the joint operation mode. The hydraulic circuit35comprises a delivery branch40to supply the hydraulic motor32; a diverter41to selectively supply a delivery branch42of the circuit36to supply the hydraulic motor28.

The hydraulic circuits35and36comprise two respective discharge branches43and44that connect the respective hydraulic motors32and28to the discharge; and two respective non-return valves45and46, which allow oil to flow from the discharge branch43to the delivery branch40and from the discharge branch44to the delivery branch42directly downstream of the respective hydraulic motors32and28to prevent cavitation phenomena.

The delivery branch40is connected to the discharge branch43by a pressure limiter47to discharge an exceeding flow rate due to a possible pressure spike caused by a sudden shock hindering the rotation of the hydraulic motor28.

Similarly, the delivery branch42is connected to the discharge branch44by a pressure limiter48to discharge an exceeding flow rate.

The hydraulic circuit35further comprises a piloted valve49along the discharge branch43to throttle the discharge branch when the hydraulic cylinder19is actuated, while the hydraulic circuit36comprises a flow rate limiter50connecting the delivery branch42to a section of the discharge branch44downstream of a non-return valve51.

The hydraulic circuit35comprises a delivery branch52and a discharge branch53for respectively supplying and discharging the hydraulic cylinder19, which is a double-acting hydraulic cylinder comprising two chambers and is controlled by a two-way, three-position solenoid valve54to actuate the hydraulic cylinder19in one direction, in the opposite direction and to discharge both chambers of the hydraulic cylinder19.

The delivery branch52originates from the outlet branch43between the pressure limiter47and the pressure limiter49, which is controlled by a control branch55to control the pressure limiter49.

The hydraulic circuit35comprises a pressure limiter56along the control branch55to drive the piloted valve49.

The hydraulic circuits on-board the machine35and36allow three utilities to be supplied at the respective operating pressures and flow rates even with a constant flow rate pump.

Referring toFIG.1, the machine1may be arranged and provided in three configurations. The first configuration provides the presence of the connecting device2, mulcher3, and mechanical weeding device4; the second configuration provides the presence of the connecting device2and mulcher3and the absence of the mechanical weeding device4; and the third configuration provides the presence of the connecting device2and of the mechanical weeding device4and the absence of the mulcher3as shown inFIG.3.

Referring to the first configuration, the machine1comprises both circuits35and36on board the machine.

In the second configuration, the hydraulic circuit36is directly connected to the hydraulic circuit37on board the vehicle and the hydraulic circuit35is omitted.

In the third configuration, the hydraulic circuit36is omitted and the ports57and58connecting the block35B with the block36B are closed or the connection is diverted.

It is clear that the present invention comprises variants of the described embodiment that are included in the scope of protection of the appended Claims.