A material-guiding device in a mower-conditioner surrounds an upper front region of a crop processing rotor and is composed of an upstream-situated portion and a downstream-situated portion. The downstream-situated portion is adjustable relative to the upstream situated portion and is connected thereto such that the adjustment of the upstream-situated portion simultaneously leads to an adjustment of the downstream-situated portion, such that an adjustable angle α present between the two portions is maintained and thus a uniform material flow is enabled.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a material-guiding device in an agricultural apparatus and to a mower-conditioner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

EP 1008 290 discloses a conditioner-tedder having a conditioning plate, which regionally surrounds a conditioning rotor, and a swath plate, with which the discharged material flow can be diverted onto the ground and thus be more narrowly or more widely deposited. When the conditioning plate is adjusted, the direction of discharge onto the swath plate also changes, which latter must then be readjusted accordingly.

From WO A1 2004/105462, a comparable mowing and processing apparatus is known, in which the conditioning plate is followed by a plate which is either pressed under spring force against the conditioning plate and remains against the latter even when it is adjusted, at the same time adjusting in inclination, or which serves as a swath plate and remains in a single position irrespective of the adjustment of the conditioning plate.

The problem on which the invention is founded can be seen in the fact that an adjustment of the conditioning plate has an effect upon the swath plate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided a mower-conditioner including a material guiding device including upstream- and downstream-situated portions which are each adjustable, with the downstream situated portion being adjusted jointly with the upstream portion such that a relative position between the two portions remains substantially constant.

In this way, the position of the downstream-situated portion, for example a swath plate, can be constantly adapted to the change in the upstream-situated portion, for example a conditioning plate, such that the transition, for example an angle, a distance and the like, can be altered as little as possible and the material flow is uniformly conveyed. The joint adjustment can be realized, for example, by a mechanical or hydraulic linkage or by a rigid, albeit adjustable, connection. The portions can be configured as a plate, a rake, rollers or the like.

If the one portion is directly connected to the other portion and moves with this, or if both portions are attached to a joint carrier, the position of which changes with the adjustment of the one portion, a joint adjustment of the two portions is likewise realized.

The effect upon the material flow can be altered if the portions are themselves adjustable, in which case they can also adopt a different spatial relationship relative to each other. The swath width and/or conditioning effect can thus be altered.

A manual actuating device for the adjustment of the portions can include levers, cranks, linkages and the like; a motor-operated actuating device can use electric or hydraulic motors, which are activated by an operator or by means of a control device in dependence on harvesting parameters, presets etc. If the actuating device(s) is/are located on the carrier, nothing changes in terms of their spatial relationship to the portions when adjustment takes place; alternatively, the actuating devices can be fitted separately from the housing and be connected to the portions via Bowden cables, lines or the like.

If an axis about which the carrier is pivotable, and an axis about which the downstream-situated portion is pivotably mounted on the carrier, are directly adjacent, the least possible change in the transition between the two portions occurs.

Since the material flow guidance in a mower-conditioner is critical to the material being nicely deposited, it is of great advantage to provide an appropriate material-guiding device close to the circumferential sub-region of a processing rotor. The material-guiding device according to the invention can also, however, be provided on other agricultural apparatuses, for instance on straw-choppers or on flail forage harvesters, i.e., anywhere where a rotor guides material and discharges it, guide plates being able to be provided, the portions of which act upon the material in the receiving and delivery region.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An agricultural apparatus10, shown inFIG. 1, is configured as a so-called mower-conditioner or tedder, which is known per se, and is provided with a housing12, a chassis14, a drawbar16, a cutter bar18, a rotor20acting as a processing rotor, and a material-guiding device22.

With reference toFIG. 2, it can be seen that the material guiding device22is located opposite the left upper quadrant of the rotor20and, in this illustrative embodiment, includes a carrier24, an upstream-situated portion26, a downstream-situated portion28and an adjustment arrangement for the guiding device22including a first actuating device30for the upstream-situated portion26and a second actuating device32for the downstream-situated portion28.

The function of the material-guiding device22consists in firstly holding mown material in engagement with the rotor20and squeezing it into a gap between the rotor20and the first or upstream-situated portion26, so that the non-homogeneous material rubs together and is prepared for the drying process. After this, the material, once it is able to detach itself from the rotor20, is intended either to fly straight rearwardly, until it falls onto the ground, or until it engages, and is directed from, the second or downstream-situated portion28onto the ground. Both functions can be exercised more or less strongly.

The carrier24actually consists of a frame, having respectively an end web34and similar intermediate webs (not shown), which are rigidly connected to one another by means of cross struts. On their side facing the rotor20, the end webs34are curved in accordance with a cylindrical path traced by outer ends of crop material engaging elements of the rotor20, and extend over about ninety angular degrees. In the upper, rear end region of the end webs34can be found front and rear bearings36and38, respectively. The front bearing36is at the same time located on the housing12and serves for the pivotable mounting of the carrier24on the housing. The rear bearing38serves for the vertical pivotable mounting of the downstream-situated portion28on the carrier24. The axes of the bearings36,38run parallel to each other and to the rotational axis of the rotor20. The two bearings36,38lie directly next to each other, in any event insofar as the actual circumstances permit, in order to accommodate the parts. The bearings36,38can be configured as rods, hinges, screws, journals or the like.

The front, i.e., upstream-situated portion26is formed as a bent metal plate, along which the material flow can slide and which is fitted—screwed or welded—to the bottom side of the carrier24. The downstream-situated edge of the upstream-situated portion26extends as far as the downstream-situated portion28, yet continues to maintain a distance thereto so that the latter can still be pivoted. The portion26can also extend beyond the upstream-situated end of the carrier24and is there provided, as usual, with a skirt.

The rear, i.e., downstream-situated portion28is of substantially flat configuration and in this illustrative embodiment occupies only about one-fifth of the length of the upstream-situated portion26which directly adjoins the portion28. Whilst the front portion26is pivotable only through a few degrees, the rear portion28can be pivoted through almost 90 degrees towards or away from the rotor20. Between the two portions26and28, an angle α is always obtained.

The first actuating device30is configured as a crank-linkage assembly, which is attached, preferably movably, on the one hand to the housing12, and, on the other hand, to the carrier24and thus also to the front portion26. As soon as the actuating device30is extended or retracted, for example, the position of the front portion26changes relative to the rotor20. On the actuating device30or on the carrier24, an indicator can be provided, so that an operator can tell how far the portion26is away from the cylindrical path traced by the radially outer ends of the crop material engaging elements of the rotor20.

The second actuating device32is configured as a lever-linkage assembly and is disposed on the carrier24, i.e., it moves with the latter. The actuating device32is equipped with a lever-latch mechanism40, with which the second, downstream-situated portion28can be pivoted about the second bearing38. The second portion28is held in a predetermined position, which can be recognized by the position of the lever-latch mechanism40.

In principle, the first and/or the second actuating device30and/or32could also be located on the chassis14or its frame and act upon the carrier24, or the portions26,28, via Bowden cables or the like.

After all this, the following working is obtained.

The upstream-situated portion26is located on the bottom side of the carrier24, and the downstream-situated portion28is located with the second actuating device32on the rear end region of the carrier24. Depending on the position of the lever-latch mechanism40, a certain angle α is obtained between the two portions26,28. When the first actuating device30is actuated, the carrier24, together with the two portions26,28, pivots about the front bearing36, the angle α, and thus the material flow characteristics, remaining unaltered.