Abstract:
A self-propelled mowing vehicle includes a chassis supported on front and rear pairs of transversely spaced wheels. At least a front-mounted mowing unit is attached to a front end of the chassis and operates to deliver cut crop to a longitudinally extending first section of a flat belt conveyor assembly which includes at least a second section that receives crop from the first section and delivers it transversely. In accordance with a first embodiment, the first conveyor section terminates at the rear sides of the front pair of wheels and the second conveyor section extends perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle and is mounted for sliding movement so as to selectively deliver crop to either side of the vehicle. In accordance with another embodiment the first conveyor section extends to the rear end of the vehicle and the second conveyor section is mounted for pivoting about an upright axis so as to selectively deliver crop to opposite sides of the vehicle or to strew the crop across its full range of movement. In accordance with still another embodiment, the conveyor arrangement includes second and third fixed conveyor sections located transversely to and on opposite sides of the vehicle centerline, with the first conveyor section being divided so as to divide the transported crop into two streams which are respectively deposited onto the second and third conveyor sections. Opposite side mowing units may be used with the front-mounted unit and when so used the second conveyor section operates to lay crop closely beside windrows formed by the first conveyor section so that the double windrows may be gathered by a wide pickup of a machine for further processing the crop.

Description:
The invention concerns a self-propelled mowing vehicle with at least one mowing unit arranged at the front in the direction of operation, that delivers mowed crop to an outlet where it falls to the ground to form a swath or windrow. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     DE-U-297 19 765 discloses a self-propelled mowing vehicle having a forward mowing unit and a mowing unit on each side. The front mowing unit delivers mowed crop to a conditioning arrangement which deposits the crop in one swath between the wheels of the mowing vehicle. The mowing units at the sides of the vehicle similarly deliver mowed crop so as to form respective swaths at the opposite sides of the vehicle. 
     The problem underlying the invention is seen in the fact that the size of the swath of the central, front mowing unit is limited in width by the spacing between the wheels and is limited in height by the ground clearance between the lowest axle, and this size remains fixed. A grouping of several swaths must always be directed by the central swath, which can also result in the need for one or more swaths to be moved on the ground by means of a rake. This raking operation may result in stones and/or dirt to be mixed in with the swath or windrow, which of course, is undesirable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention there is provided a self-propelled mowing machine, of the type including a front-mounted mowing unit, which is designed to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art devices. 
     An object of the invention is to provide a self-propelled mower equipped with a front mowing unit and opposite side units, the front unit delivering mowed crop to a conveying arrangement that deposits the mowed crop to one side so as to be alongside or joined with a second swath that is deposited by one of the opposite side units. 
     A more specific object of the invention is to provide a self-propelled mower, as defined in the immediately preceding object, wherein the conveyor arrangement includes a first conveyor that extends longitudinally beneath the vehicle and a second conveyor that receives mowed crop from the first conveyor and delivers it either to one or the other sides of the vehicle, or optionally to either side of the vehicle. 
     Still a more specific object of the invention is to provide a self-propelled mower, as defined in one of the previous objects, wherein the first conveyor terminates at a rearward location between front and rear sets of wheels of the vehicle and wherein the second conveyor extends to one side of the vehicle to a location outside the wheels located on that one side. 
     Yet another specific object of the invention is to provide a self-propelled mower as set forth in one or more of the previous objects, wherein the first conveyor terminates at a rearward location between front and rear sets of wheels of the vehicle and the second conveyor extending to both sides of the vehicle and being selectively reversible so as to optionally deliver crop to the opposite sides of the vehicle. 
     Still another specific object of the invention is to provide a self-propelled mower, as set forth in the second object stated above, wherein the first conveyor extends longitudinally beneath, and to the rear end of, the vehicle and wherein said second conveyor is pivotally mounted at the rear end of the first conveyor for being selectively pivoted to either side of the vehicle so as to deliver crop there. 
     These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the ensuing description together with the appended drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a self-propelled mowing vehicle with a front-mounted mowing unit and a first and a second conveyor arranged according to a first embodiment. 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a self-propelled mowing vehicle equipped with a front and opposite side mowing units together with first and second conveyors arranged according to a second embodiment. 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a self-propelled mowing vehicle equipped with front and opposite side mowing units, arranged slightly different than those of FIG. 2, together with first and second conveyors arranged according to a third embodiment. 
     FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through the first conveyor along line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a mowing vehicle  10 , a front-mounted mowing unit  12 , a first conveyor  14  and a second conveyor  16 . Specifically, the mowing vehicle  10  is basically a self-propelled chopper vehicle without the otherwise usual front attachment for taking up corn or grass and without the usual discharge spout for conveying chopped crop to a trailing container for transport. The mowing vehicle  10  includes a chassis  18  supported on the ground by driven front wheels  22  mounted for rotation on an axles (not shown) positioned along the axis  20 , and by steerable rear wheels  26  mounted for rotation on an axle (not shown) located along an axis  24 . An operator&#39;s cab  28  is mounted on a forward end section of the chassis  18 . Provided on the front end of the chassis  18  is an implement three-point hitch  30  that can be repositioned in height by means of a lifting device, not shown. 
     The mowing unit  12  is essentially a conventional disk mower with several mowing disks, not shown, arranged alongside each other on a mowing beam or cutterbar, that can cover a total mower width up to 5 m. The mowing unit  12  is configured as a so-called front mower and is equipped on its side facing the mowing vehicle  10  with an implement coupling  32  which is connected with the implement three-point hitch  30 . On the rear side facing the mowing vehicle  10 , a crop processing arrangement  34 , including right-and left-hand swath vanes  36  and  37 , is provided. The mowing unit  12  conducts the mowed crop, usually grass, to the rear in a stream that would fit in the region between the wheels  22  or  26  and in height between the underside of the mowing vehicle  10  and the ground. 
     The crop processing arrangement  34 , which is a crop conditioner, is not necessary for the application of the mowing unit, but is advantageous for certain crops and crop conditions. The processing arrangement  34  is of a type which includes a rotor, not shown, operating as an overshot conveyor and equipped with tines, which takes the mowed crop from the mowing beam, processes it and conducts it further to the rear to the mowing vehicle  10 . The operating width of the mowing unit  12  is greater than the mowing vehicle  10  itself. The swath vanes  36  and  37  are used to guide the stream of the crop from the sides to a narrower stream behind the crop processing arrangement  34 . In case there is no crop processing arrangement  34 , the swath vanes  36  and  37  are arranged or configured in such a way that they catch the mowed crop directly from the mowing beam and guide it to a narrower stream. The crop cut by the mowing unit  12  is deposited on the ground after being cut and dries there until it is taken up and further processed by a self-loading forage box, a baler or a forage harvester. 
     The first conveyor  14  is configured as a plane or flat conveyor of the class of belt conveyors and can be seen in FIG. 4 in detail and in section. According to the schematic illustration of FIG. 1, the first conveyor  14  extends from the output region of the crop processing arrangement  34  between the front wheels  22  and underneath the axle axis  20  up to the beginning of the region between the front and rear wheels  22  and  26 , respectively. The width of the conveyor occupies nearly the entire space between the front wheels  22 . 
     As can be seen in FIG. 4, the first conveyor  14  contains a frame  38 , a connecting device  40 , several rolls  42 , a motor  44  and a conveyor belt  46 . 
     The frame  38  contains sheet metal cheeks  48 , that are connected to each other by struts, not shown, and thereby form a rigid unit. The sheet metal cheeks  48  extend over the entire length of the conveyor  14  and rise above the conveyor belt  46  so that they guide the mowed crop at its sides and prevent it from falling off. Retainers  50  are attached preferably to four locations of the sheet metal cheeks  48  in particular or to the frame  38  in general, which in this embodiment are configured as angles pointing outward. 
     The connecting device  40  includes a positioning device  52  and a bracket  54 , in particular in the region of each retainer  50 . Preferably a positioning device  52  and a bracket  54  are provided in each corner region of the frame  38  so that the frame  38  and therewith the entire first conveyor  14  can be repositioned in height with respect to the ground. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the positioning device  52  is configured as a hydraulic double-acting servo motor, whose length can be changed from the operator&#39;s cab  28 . In a simplified form, each positioning device  52  could be a chain, a rope or the like, coupled between each retainer  50  and bracket  54 . 
     Each bracket  54  is shown in simplified form as an angle that is attached to the chassis  18  and is provided on its underside with a clevis  56 , to which the positioning device  52  is secured by a pin  58 . The brackets  54  correspond in their number and location to those of the positioning devices  52 . From all that, it can be seen that the frame  38  can be repositioned as a complete unit between the underside of the chassis  18  and the ground. 
     The rolls  42  are made of steel or plastic and supported in bearings at the sides, free to rotate, in the frame  38 . The rolls  42  extend essentially over the entire region between the sheet metal cheeks  48  and thereby carry the conveyor belt  46  over its entire width. At least one of the end rolls  42  is supported in bearings in such a way that the distance to the opposite end roll  42  can be changed and thereby the tension of the conveyor belt  46  can be maintained at all times at the required value. 
     The motor  44  is connected through a stub shaft  60  with one of the rolls  42 , on which the conveyor belt  46  is in contact under tension. the drive shown here as a hydraulic motor  44  is shown as representative of any other possible type of drive, that is a mechanical drive with shaft or tensioning means or even an electric drive. The motor  44  is attached in a flange at the retainer  50  located toward it. The control of the direction of rotation, the power and the speed of the motor  44  is performed from a position, not shown, in the operator&#39;s cab  28 . 
     The conveyor belt  46  is formed from rubber or the like with inserts and is either continuous or connected at its ends with a joint. The conveyor belt  46  shown includes a preferred further development in the form of conveying elements  62 . These conveying elements  62  are configured as rails, cams, ribs or cleats extending transverse to the direction of conveying and engage in a positive lock of sorts with the crop conveyed. 
     In addition, FIG. 4 shows that the conveyor belt  46  carries dividing elements  64  that extend in the direction of conveying and are located approximately in the center of the conveyor belt  46 . These dividing elements  64  are either ribs or fingers separated from each other and standing on edge or they are configured as an undulating, continuous wall, which permits the conveyor belt  46  to bend around the rolls  42 . By means of the dividing elements  64 , the crop lying on the surface of the conveyor belt is divided into two steams of crop. The use of such dividing elements  64  is intended for the embodiment in FIG.  3 . 
     Mounted on the underside of the chassis  18  above the first conveyor  14  and extending over the entire length of the conveyor  14  is a smooth plate  66  that prevents the mowed crop from adhering to the underside of the chassis  18  and causing jams. This smooth plate  66  is constructed from sheet metal or plastic plate in the form of an inverted “U”, where the side legs extend within the channel bordered by the sheet metal cheeks  48 , so that the conveyor  14  can be lifted past the legs of the plate  66 . It can be seen that the sheet metal cheeks  48 , the upper side of the conveyor belt  46  and the plate  66  define a channel within which the mowed crop can be conveyed without appreciable friction. Although not shown, the plate  66  and the conveyor  14  may be arranged at a greater distance from each other in the intake region immediately downstream of the crop processing arrangement  34 , than in the transition region to the second conveyor  16 , with the result that the crop is accepted without any problem and is compressed in a wedge-shaped region. 
     The second conveyor  16  is generally configured as is the first conveyor  14 . The arrangement of the two conveyors  14  and  16  to each other is selected in such a way that the conveying surface of the second conveyor  16 , which is located downstream, in any case is as high as that of the first conveyor  14 . However, the second conveyor  16  is preferably located slightly below the first conveyor  14 , as can also be seen in FIG.  1 . In contrast to the conveyor belt  46  of the first conveyor  14 , the conveyor belt  46  of the second conveyor  16  is not provided with any dividing elements  64 , since there is no need for dividing the streams of crop at that location. 
     According to an alternative embodiment, not shown, a sliding device, not shown in any further detail, is located between the frame  38  of the second conveyor  16  and the associated connecting device  40 , with which it is possible to shift the frame  38  with the conveyor belt  46  transverse to the direction of operation. The shifting movement can be performed by means of a hydraulic servo motor, not shown, which engages on the one hand the frame  38  and on the other hand the sliding device. With such an embodiment, it is possible to shift the second conveyor  16  from its position shown in FIG. 1, in which the mowed crop is delivered on the right side of the mowing vehicle  10 , into a location that is a mirror image, in which the mowed crop is delivered on the left side of the mowing vehicle  10 . As can be seen in particular in FIG. 1, the second conveyor  16  essentially occupies the entire region between the front and the rear wheels  22  and  26 . In a way, also not shown, a curved guide vane can be provided in the transition region from the first conveyor  14  to the second conveyor  16 , which assures a guidance deflection of the mowed crop through 90° without any problems. 
     The operation of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 is now stated. Standing crop is separated from the ground by the mowing unit  12 , processed in the crop processing arrangement  34  and guided by the swath vanes  36  and  37  to the first conveyor  14 . The conveyor belt  46  of the first conveyor  14  accepts the harvested crop directly and guides it above the ground, through the region between the front wheels  22 , and beneath the vehicle chassis  18  and the plate  66 , if available, to the second conveyor  16 . The second conveyor  16  accepts the mowed crop and delivers it through the free space between the front and rear wheels  22  and  26  to the side of the mowing vehicle  10 . 
     In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, a first conveyor  14 ′ extends over the entire length of the mowing vehicle  10  and thereby ends in the region of its rear end. The configuration of the first conveyor  14 , in particular with its frame  38 , connecting device  40 , rolls  42  and conveyor belt  46  is similar to, but merely longer than that, described in connection with the embodiment according to FIG. 1. A second conveyor  16 ′ is also configured like the second conveyor  16  illustrated in FIG.  1 . However, it is not attached rigidly or so as to be shifted sideways, but rather so that it can be pivoted horizontally. The pivoting movement is performed about a vertical or approximately vertical pivot axis  68  and is controlled by means of a hydraulic or electric motor, not shown. The movement of the second conveyor  16 ′ can occur in various ways. According to one way, the second conveyor  16 ′ is pivoted only to the left or only to the right, in order to deposit a swath of crop to the side of the mowing vehicle  10 . According to another way, the second conveyor  16 ′ can be moved constantly and relatively rapidly from left to right and thereby deposit the stream of crop on the ground in a thin layer behind the mowing vehicle  10 , particularly in a width that exceeds the width of the mowing vehicle  10 . 
     A further difference between the embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 2 lies in the application of two further mowing units  12 ′ and  12 ″ that are connected to the chassis  18  by means of vertically pivoted arms  70  in the region between the front and rear wheels  22  and  26 . Each mowing units  12 ′ and  12 ″ are respectively equipped with crop processing arrangements  34 ′ and  34 ″ the deposit the mowed crop in a swath on the ground. The second conveyor  16 ′ is arranged in such a way that it deposits the mowed crop accepted by the central, forward mowing unit  12  and conducted further by the first conveyor  14 ′ immediately alongside the swath of the left mowing unit  12 ′ and thereby forms a double swath while the swath of the right mowing unit  12 ″ remains alone. 
     If during the following mowing operation, the mowing vehicle  10  mows in the opposite direction along the edge of the cut of the right mowing unit  12 ″, then the single swath formed by the right mowing unit  12 ″ is deposited alongside the single swath previously deposited and thereby also forms a double swath. 
     If during the following mowing operation, the mowing is performed in the same direction, that is, the operation continuously circulates about the section to be mowed, then the swath of the mowing unit  12 ′ is deposited alongside the previously deposited swath of the mowing unit  12 ″ from the previous mowing operation. the second conveyor  16 ′ is pivoted to the right and now deposits the swath of the central mowing unit  12  alongside the swath of the right mowing unit  12 ″. In this way, double swaths are constantly formed which can be taken up by a correspondingly wide pick-up. 
     Alternatively, the swaths of the mowing units  12 ′ and  12 ″ could also be deposited towards the longitudinal centerline of the mowing vehicle  10  and the central swath could be deposited or spread behind the central mowing unit  12 . 
     For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that the embodiment according to FIG. 2 does not require the additional mowing units  12 ′ and  12 ″. 
     FIG. 3 shows a mowing vehicle  10  with a central, forward mowing unit  12 , as is already the case for the embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 2. Furthermore, a left and a right mowing unit  12 ′ and  12 ″ is again provided, however, in this embodiment they are located in partial fore-and-aft overlapping relationship to the processing arrangement  34  of the central mowing unit  12 . In this case, all mowing units  12 ,  12 ′ and  12 ″ are attached to a common frame  72  which is carried by the three-point implement hitch  30 . The side mowing units  12 ′ and  12 ″ are attached to the frame  72  by means of the arms  70 . Each of the mowing units  12 ,  12 ′ and  12 ″ is provided with a crop processing arrangement  34 ,  34 ′ and  34 ″. It applies here again that the side mowing units  12 ′ and  12 ″ are not required for this embodiment, but are only advantageous. In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, one first conveyor  14 ″ and two second conveyors  16 ″ are provided. 
     The first conveyor  14 ″ again extends underneath the mowing vehicle  10  from the central mowing unit  12  to the rear edge of the front wheels  22 , as was already the case with the embodiment according to FIG.  1 . The configuration and the drive of the first conveyor  14 ″ corresponds to the previously described first conveyor  14 , but here the conveyor is provided with dividing elements  64 , as shown in FIG. 4, that have the effect of dividing the crop stream in half in the direction of conveying. 
     The two second conveyors  16 ″ also correspond generally in configuration, and in the way they are driven, to the previously described conveyors  14  or  14 ′ and  16  or  16 ′. However, they are shorter and extend only from the longitudinal centerline of the mowing vehicle  10  to the region outboard of the front and rear sets of wheels  22  and  26 . In this way, the same amount of mowed crop is deposited on both sides of the mowing vehicle  10  alongside an already existing swath or a swath still to be formed. This process of delivering mowed crop to the side has an advantage even when no side mowing units  12 ′ and  12 ″ are present, since it then is possible to deposit the swath thinner and wider so that it dries more rapidly. The short configuration of the second conveyors  16 ″ also makes it possible to modify their mounting so that they may respectively pivot into a non-operating positions about an axis oriented in the direction of operation.