Abstract:
For operating a self propelling harvester provided with a cutterbar and a chopping and distributing device located in a discharge region and supplying a crop stream to at least one ejecting blower, a discharge direction of the crop stream from the ejecting blower is adjusted by a breaking edge which is longitudinally displaceable by a drive, wherein the drive for adjusting the at least one breaking edge is regulated depending on the working width of the cutterbar and/or depending on the distribution of the crop stream on the ground, to adapt the scattering width automatically to the working width of the cutterbar and to distribute in a uniform layer density on the ground.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application is a division of patent application Ser. No. 10/939,613 filed on Sep. 13, 2004, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,086,942. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for operating a harvester provided with a cutterbar. 
   European patent document EP 0 212 337 discloses an arrangement for a combine harvester for distribution of straw and chaff. With this device, two oppositely running rotors are provided with a plurality of adjustable, vane-shaped plates in a rear output region of the harvester near one another, which are supported rotatably about parallel axes. Both rotors on the outer side have a mechanically adjustable partial casing, that limits the scattering region of the arrangement. Both rotors are driven jointly through a transmission with the same rotary speed. 
   This arrangement has the disadvantage that the scattering width behind the harvester is changeable only by a manually adjustable orientation of the rotors and the partial casings or the adjustment of the rotary speed of the rotor plates, while the straw and the chaff are not uniformly distributed on the field. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of operating a harvester thresher, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. 
   More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of operating a combine harvester, in which the scattering width is adapted automatically to the working width of the cutterbar and the distributor distributes the crop flow with each scattering width in a uniform layer density on the field. 
   In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in a method of operating a self-propelling harvester provided with a cutterbar and a chopping and distributing device arranged in a discharge region and supplying a crop stream to at least one ejecting blower, the method comprising the steps of adjusting a discharge direction of the crop stream from the ejecting blower by at least one breaking edge which is longitudinally displaceable by a drive; and regulating the drive for adjusting the at least one breaking edge in dependence on a working width of the cutterbar. 
   Another feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in a method of operating a self-propelling harvester provided with a cutterbar and a chopping and distributing device in a discharge region from which a crop stream is supplied to at least one ejecting blower, the method comprising the steps of adjusting a discharge direction of the crop stream from the ejecting blower by at least one breaking edge that is longitudinally displaceable by a drive; and regulating the drive for adjusting the at least one breaking edge in dependence on a distribution of the crop stream on the ground. 
   Since the drive for adjustment of the at least one breaking edge is regulated in dependence on the working width of the cutterbar, the scattering width can be adapted to the working width automatically in a simple manner. 
   Advantageously, the adjustment of the breaking edge is performed in accordance with the present invention by an electro-hydraulic adjusting member which is connected with a control unit, so that on one hand the adjustment region and also the adjustment speed of the breaking edge can be regulated. 
   When adjustment of the adjusting member is detected in accordance with the present invention preferably via a rotary angle sensor which is connected with the control unit, the control obtains continuously information about the position of the breaking edge. 
   For relieving the driver which is occupied with multiple tasks, the cutterbar in accordance with the present invention can be detected preferably by a sensor connected with the control and provides a cutterbar width signal and sends to the control unit the cutterbar width signal corresponding to the working width of the cutterbar. 
   A characteristic field stored in accordance with the present invention in the control unit contains preferably a plurality of function curves for different cutterbars. With the cutterbar width signal that corresponds to the cutterbar width of the cutterbar, the associated function curve is selected automatically from the characteristic field. 
   The optimal operational parameters in accordance with the present invention are determined without participation of the driver, which means a further relief of the driver. 
   The adjusting member in accordance with the present invention is regulated advantageously via the associated function curve, so that an optimal adjustment of the crop stream so that an optimal distribution of the crop stream through the automatically adjusted scattering width is provided. 
   In order to take into consideration further outer influences in the function curves, that have the influence of the scattering width, such as for example the wind direction and the intensity, the function curves which are pulled with the function curves and the disruption variables are computed in the control unit. 
   For providing a uniform distribution of the crop stream on the ground, the drive for adjusting the at least one breaking edge is regulated in accordance with the present invention in dependence on the distribution of the crop stream on the ground. 
   Preferably, the adjustment of the breaking edge is performed in this method via an electro-hydraulic adjustment member which is connected with a control unit, so that on the one hand the adjusting region and on the other the adjusting speed of the breaking edge can be regulated. 
   Since the adjustment of the control member is detected preferably via a rotary angle sensor which is connected with a control unit, the control continuously obtains information about the actual position of the breaking edge. 
   For determination of the distribution of the crops stream, advantageously a layer density profile of the distributed crop stream on a supporting surface is determined, which can be considered as a value for the distribution. For measuring the distribution directly on line, the distribution of the crop on the ground is determined wirelessly by means of a sensor unit. 
   In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, for determination of the distribution of the chopped product, an infrared image of the discharge surface is produced by an infrared camera and from it a temperature profile is provided, with which the distribution is regulated. The infrared image has the advantage that the surface profile of the ground is taken into consideration. 
   For adapting by the adjusting member the movement of the breaking edge immediately after the measurements, in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention the temperature profile is transmitted to the control unit which generates the profile into a surface profile, that is drawn for regulation of the adjusting member. 
   In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the sensor unit is a laser sensor which scans the discharge surface and produces a surface profile. The laser sensor is a price-favorable apparatus when compared with the infrared camera, and has a sufficient accuracy. 
   In accordance with another alternative embodiment of the present invention, for adapting the movement of the breaking edge directly after the measurement of the distribution, the surface profile is transmitted to the control unit that evaluates the profile and regulates the adjusting member independently from the surface profile. 
   The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic plan view of a combine harvester during a harvesting travel, in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of a linear part of the harvester thresher, in accordance with the present invention; and 
       FIG. 3  is a rear view of the harvester thresher, in accordance with the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   In  FIG. 1  a schematic side view of a combine harvester  1  during a harvester travel is shown. The crop is mowed on the field with a cutterbar  2  arranged at a front side on the combine harvester  1  and having a working width  3 . Subsequently it is supplied to the known not shown working elements in the combine harvester  1 . The working elements in the combine harvester  1  separate the crop into grains, chaff and straw. 
   A chopping and distributing device  4  is arranged at the rear side of the combine harvester. It is composed of a chopping element  5  and a distributing device  6  connected to it. The distributing device  6  is composed of two ejecting blowers  7  which radially separate the crop stream  8  supplied by the chopping element  5 . The ejecting blowers  7  are provided with reciprocating breaking edges  10  that are driven separately each by an adjusting member  12 . 
   The crop steam  8  exiting the ejecting blowers  7  is deviated and distributed by the driving breaking edges  10  during discharge from the distributing device  6 . The adjusting region of the breaking edges  10  determines on the one hand a scattering width  13  of the crop steam  8  and the speed of the breaking edge  10  on the other hand determines a distribution V of the crop steam  8  onto the ground  19  as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
   Several flow paths  14  which represent the distributed crop quantity  8  are shown behind the ejecting blowers  7 . The ends of the outer flow paths  14  limit the scattering width  13  from outside. A discharge surface  15  is located in the traveling direction FR behind the scattering width  13 , on which the crop stream  8  is distributed in same layers. An infrared camera  17  installed on the rear side of the combine harvester  1  is oriented toward the discharge surface  15 . 
   The ejecting blowers  7  are supported on a frame  33 , that is supported outside a chopper housing  25  on a chopper shaft  29 . A rearwardly protruding cover plate  35  shown in  FIG. 2  is connected with the frame  33 . Rotary axles  36  are drivingly supported in it. The rotary axles  36  are provided with flexible ejecting blades  38 , that at the lower side are limited by a co-rotating disc  41 . A V-shaped product separating plate  42  is arranged between the ejecting blowers  7  and composed of the upper cover plate  35 , the rotating axles  36 , the ejecting blades  38 , and the disc  41 . The product separating plate  42  has a tip  43  which is oriented opposite to the crop stream  8  coming from the chopping and distributing device  6 . 
   Both legs  44  on the product separating plate  42  enclose a chamber and form rigid partial casings  46  for the ejecting blower  7 . On these rigid partial casings  46 , movable partial casings  48  are connected and composed of a further wall part  50 . The wall part  50  is mounted on an angle lever  52  which is rotatably set on a pin  53 . The latter is fixedly connected with a transverse traverse  55 , which is mounted on the frame  33  through a conventional longitudinal support  56 . An adjusting member  12  is articulately connected on the other end of the angle lever  52  and in turn is articulately connected with the transverse traverse  55  and drives the partial casings  48 . Both partial casings  48  form a breaking edge  10  of an outlet opening of the ejection blower  7 , running in a rotary direction. 
     FIG. 2  shows a side view of the rear portion of the combine harvester  1 . The straw  20  which is separated from the crop by not shown and known working elements in the combine harvester  1 , is supplied via a hurdle shaker  21  to the rear region of the combine harvester. Swath flaps  27  are mounted on the housing rear wall  23  of a chopper housing  25  turnably in two positions. In the swath position SW shown in a broken line, the straw  20  which falls from the hurdle shakers  21  onto the swath flap  27  slides over the chopping and distributing device  24  and is deposited on the field in a swath, not shown. In a chopper position HA of the swath flap  27 , the straw  20  falls on the chopping element  5 . The chopping element  5  has a rotatable chopper shaft  29  supported in the chopper housing  25 . The chopper shaft  29  is provided with movable knives  30  which engage with counter knives  31  fixedly arranged in the chopper housing  25 . The straw  20  is comminuted to a chopped product  1  by the knives  30 ,  31  and supplied radially into the ejecting blowers  7 . 
   Various sensors are provided at various locations of the combine harvester shown in  FIG. 1 . They include a sensor  57  which detects the working width  3  of the cutterbar  2 . They further include rotary angle sensors  58  arranged in the region of the ejecting blowers  7  and detecting the position of the breaking edges  10 . They finally include a sensor unit  16  installed at the rear side of the combine harvester  1 . 
   In a first embodiment the working width  3  of the cutterbar  2  is automatically determined by the sensor  57  on the combine harvester  1 . The sensor  57  produces a cutterbar width signal Y that depends on the working width  3  of the cutterbar  2 , when a cutterbar  2  is mounted. The cutterbar width signal Y is transmitted to a control unit  59  which is connected with a sensor  57 . 
   The position of the breaking edge  10  is measured by the rotary angle sensor  58 , that is connected with a control unit  59 . The rotary angle sensor  58  produces a signal X, that changes proportionally to a rotary angle A of the angle lever  52  around the rotary axis  36 . 
   A characteristic field  6  with several function curves  61  for different cutterbars  2  is stored in the control unit  59 . It regulates the position-dependent speed and the adjustment region of the control member  12 . With the cutterbar width signal Y, an associated function curve  61  is selected from the characteristic field  60  and, depending on the signal X, a control command Z is determined from the function curve  61  and transmitted to the control member  12 . 
   For taking into consideration further disturbance variables  62 , function curves  63  connected with the determined function curve  61  and the further disturbance variable  62  can be computed by the control unit  59 . The disturbance variables  62  include crop parameters, such as the straw quantity, the traveling speed, the wind intensity and/or direction, the inclination. 
     FIG. 3  shows a rear view of a combine harvester  1 , with an infrared camera  17  oriented toward the discharge surface  15 . The distributed crop is located on the ground  19  on the discharge surface  15 . The ground  19  is shown with the distributed crop stream in a cross-section so that a layer thickness profile SD of the crop stream or the scattering width  13  can be seen. A distribution V of the crop steam can be seen on the layer thickness profile SD. 
   The infrared camera which is mounted on the rear side of the combine harvester  1  and oriented toward the discharge surface  15 , produce an image signal B of the discharge surface  15 . The image signals B are supplied to the control unit  59  connected with the infrared camera  17 . 
   The control unit  59  produces, with the image signals B and them signals X, a temperature profile T. The temperature profile T is proportional to the layer density profile SD, on which the distribution V of the straw/chaff mixture on the discharge surface  15  can be seen. 
   The comparison of the temperature profile T with the layer thickness profile SD is based on the concept that different crop quantities on the field lead to different surface temperatures on the field. 
   The control unit  59  evaluates the temperature profile T, from which a surface profile O is generated. The control unit  59  transmits a control command Z to the control member  12 , that regulates the control member  12  depending on the surface profile O, so that the distribution V is changed with the objective that the temperature on the discharge surface  15  be equal at all locations. 
   Both methods can be combined with one another, wherein the cutterbar  2  regulates for example the turning region of the breaking edge  10  and thereby the scattering width  13 , while the distribution V is used for regulation of the speed of the moving breaking edge  10 . 
   The surface of the discharge surface  15  in accordance with a further embodiment can be scanned with a laser sensor  18 , for detecting the distribution. From the determined measuring data, a surface profile O is produced. 
   The control unit  59  evaluates the surface profile O and transmits the control command Z to the control member  12 , that controls the control member  12  independence on the surfaces so that the distribution V is changed with the objective that the surface of the discharge surface  15  is plane as much as possible. 
   The comparison of the surface profile O with the layer thickness profile SD is possible under the assumption that the ground  19  on which the crop stream is placed is approximately plane and both are proportional depending on one another. 
   The surface profile O is transmitted to the control unit  59 , which evaluates the profile and regulates the control member  12  in dependence on the surface profile O. 
   It is believed that the present invention is not limited to the combine harvester and can be used on other agricultural machines with the same results. 
   It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the types described above. 
   While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a method of operating a harvester, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
   Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention. 
   What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.