A device for spreading material

Abstract: A device for spreading seed material or the like, comprising a first hopper (42) for the material to be spread, means for conveying the material to coulters (10), and a frame having connecting means for coupling the device to a tractor or like vehicle. The device comprises a further hopper (43) separated from the first hopper (42). A transport element is present between the two hoppers and transport means are provided near the further hopper to convey material from the further hopper to the first hopper via the transport element. Near the first hopper a transport means is provided to transport the material from the first hopper via dosing means to the coulters.

Description: The invention relates to a combination of a tractor and a device for spreading material or the like, comprising a first hopper for the material, a frame having connecting means by which the device can be coupled to the tractor, a further hopper separated from the first hopper and a transport element which is present between the further hopper and the first hopper for feeding, during operation of the device, material from said further hopper to said first hopper, transport means being provided near the further hopper to transport the material from the further hopper via the transport element to the first hopper, whereas the transport means near said further hopper encloses a fan means to produce an air stream capable of conveying material from the further hopper to said first hopper, the further hopper being coupled in front of the tractor by which the device for spreading the material is pulled. A machine provided with two hoppers interconnected with a transport element is known from DE-A-35 40 198. It is the aim of the invention to provide a combination which is able to cultivate and seed a large area of ground without the need to fill the device for spreading the seed material and whereby the different parts of the combination are in a good relation to one another to be moved in a favourable way over the area of ground. According to the invention, this can be achieved when the device for spreading the material is a seed drill which is provided with the first hopper, and between said tractor and said device a power-driven rotary harrow is arranged coupled to the threepoint linkage of the tractor and the device for spreading seed material or the like is coupled with said rotary harrow, and whereby said first hopper is connected to and arranged substantially behind said cultivating machine and is, during use, supported on its own groundsupporting means. For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, some embodiments of a seed drill will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a seed drill coupled to a tractor; Figure 2 is a side view of the seed drill in the non-operative position; Figure 3 is a rear view of the seed drill in the non-operative position; Figure 4 is a side view of part of the seed drill of Figures 1, 2 and 3; Figure 5 is a plan view of the part of the seed drill shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a plan view in accordance with that of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a side view of a seed drill combination coupled to a tractor; Figure 8 is a side view of a tractor with seed drill, and Figure 9 is a view of a detail taken in the direction of the arrow IX in Figure 8. In the drawings, which are only a schematical illustration of the embodiments, corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Figure 1 shows a tractor 1 of which only the rear side is shown, which tractor includes a three-point lifting hitch comprising an upper coupling member 2 and two lower coupling members 3, to which members the seed drill is connected. The seed drill includes a hopper 4 in which the seed material may be contained. Air is blown to the doser 7 via the air duct 6 by means of a fan 5, whereafter the seed-air mixture is conveyed via channel 8 and the seed tubes 9 to the drill coulters 10. The fan 5 is driven by the power take-off shaft of the tractor 1 via the intermediate shafts 11 and 12 and the belt transmission 13. The hopper 4 is supported in a frame, the beams 14, 15 and 16 of which extend transversely. As is apparent from Figure 3, the drill coulters 10 are mounted on beam 14, which beam 14 is connected to beam 15 by means of supports 17. The drill coulters 10 are provided over the entire length of beam 14, although Figure 3 shows only a few thereof. The drill coulters 10 are provided with seed material via seed tubes 9, which are only shown in part, which drill coulters are furthermore fitted with spring-loaded tines 18 for smoothing the soil. The drive of doser 7 includes a running wheel 19 comprising soil-engaging spikes 20, by means of which the running wheel 19 rotates in dependence on the forward motion of the seed drill. The running wheel 19 is connected to beam 15 of the frame via the supports 21. The rotary motion of running wheel 19 is transferred to the doser 7 by means of a chain transmission 22 and drive rods 23 and 24. By means of this drive the doser 7 conveys seed material to the air stream generated by the fan 5, the quantity of seed material depending on the rate of travel of the seed drill. In addition, the seed drill is provided at both sides with a marker 25, which can be hinged downwardly or upwardly depending on the needs, as is shown in Figure 3. Furthermore, the seed drill is provided at both sides with a supporting wheel 26, by means of which the seed drill can bear on the soil during operation. As is apparent from Figure 3, the supporting wheels 26 constitute the outer-most parts of the seed drill. Consequently, it is possible, during transportation, to restrict the total width of the seed drill by folding up said supporting wheels 26. During transportation, the supporting wheels 26 do not serve any purpose, as the seed drill is then supported by the three-point lifting hitch of the tractor only. In order to allow the supporting wheels 26 to hinge upwardly, the support 27 of each supporting wheel 26 is pivotable about a pivot axis 28 indicated in Figure 4 by a dash-and-dot line. The hinged-up position of supporting wheel 26 is denoted in Figure 4 by means of a broken line. The supporting wheel 26 can be locked in the operative position or in the hinged-up position by means of a locking pin 29. Since the pivot axis 28 extends obliquely forwardly, is provided spaced above the centre line of the non-hinged up supporting wheel 26 and is located at the inner side thereof, said supporting wheel can be hinged upwardly to an advantageous position within the seed drill width. The tines 30 arranged behind the supporting wheel 26 for deleting the tyre track are fitted to the support 27, so that said tines 30 can be hinged upwardly along with the supporting wheel. Figure 1 shows a seed drill which is connected to the three-point lifting hitch 2, 3 of the tractor 1 via an intermediate trestle 31. The intermediate trestle 31 has an intermediate bearing 32, on both sides of which an intermediate shaft 11, 12 can be coupled. The position of the seed drill can be set by means of a threaded spindle 33 of said intermediate trestle. When the seed drill forms part of a seed drill combination as shown in Figure 7, a soil cultivating machine, e.g. a power-driven rotary harrow, may be substituted for said intermediate trestle 31. The rotary harrow shown in Figure 7 comprises a plurality of adjacent tines 35 which rotate about vertical axes and whose carriers 36 are bearing-supported in a housing 37 accommodating the tine drive. As is apparent from the drawing, the gear transmission box 38 of the rotary harrow is driven by intermediate shaft 11, whilst the intermediate shaft 12 is coupled to an outgoing shaft of the gear transmission box 38. In addition, Figure 7 shows a packer roller 39 which conditions the soil cultivated by the harrow tines 35. Figure 2 shows the seed drill in its resting position, that is to say the position the seed drill may be in when it is not coupled to the tractor. In said resting position the seed drill is kept in the appropriate position because it bears on the supporting wheels 26 and on supporting pillars 40, one end of which can be inserted into the beam 16 and the other end can bear on the soil. The supporting pillars 40 can be locked in the beam 16 by means of the locking pins 41. In the embodiment shown in the Figures 8 and 9, a tractor is provided at its rear side with a seed drill as shown in Figure 1, the hopper being replaced, however, by a smaller storage bin 42. The large hopper 43 is disposed at the front side of the tractor, which results in an improved weight distribution. The hopper 43 has a, for example, hydraulically driven fan 44. Fan 44 can produce an air stream capable of conveying the seed material from the hopper 43 to the storage bin 42 via seed pipe 45. Figure 9 is a plan view of the storage bin 42, in which figure reference numeral 46 denotes a filter through which the air supplied via the pipe 45 can flow away. The seed material then stays behind in the storage bin 42, to be fed from there to the drill coulters via channel 8 and seed tubes 9. The supply of seed material from hopper 43 to storage bin 42 may be a continuous process. Alternatively, it is possible to switch on the supply of seed material each time when the amount thereof in the storage bin 42 has decreased to below a specific level. To that end the storage bin 42 may be provided with a level detector.

Claims: A combination of a tractor and a device for spreading material or the like, comprising a first hopper (42) for the material, a frame having connecting means by which the device can be coupled to the tractor, a further hopper (43) separated from the first hopper (42) and a transport element (45) which is present between the further hopper (43) and the first hopper (42) for feeding, during operation of the device, material from said further hopper to said first hopper, transport means being provided near the further hopper to transport the material from the further hopper via the transport element to the first hopper, whereas the transport means near said further hopper encloses a fan means (44) to produce an air stream capable of conveying material from the further hopper (43) to said first hopper (42), the further hopper (43) being coupled in front of the tractor (1) by which the device for spreading the material is pulled, characterized in that the device for spreading the material is a seed drill which is provided with the first hopper, and in that between said tractor and said device a power-driven rotary harrow is arranged coupled to the threepoint linkage of the tractor and in that the device for spreading seed material or the like is coupled with said rotary harrow, and wherein said first hopper (42) is connected to and arranged substantially behind said cultivating machine and is, during use, supported on its own groundsupporting means (26). A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first hopper (42) comprises a filter (46) through which the air supplied via the transport element (45) to the first hopper (42) can flow away. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first hopper provides dosing means (7) via which material is transported from the first hopper (42) to the coulters (10). A device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the material is conveyed from the first hopper (42) to the coulters via tubes (9) by air produced by a fan means (5) near the first hopper (42).

Inventors: BOM CORNELIS JOHANNES GERARDUS, VAN DER LELY ARY, BOM, CORNELIS JOHANNES GERARDUS, VAN DER LELY, ARY
Applicants: LELY NV C VAN DER, C. VAN DER LELY N.V.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A01C15
IPC codes: A01C15