WO2003067958A1 - Self-propelled sowing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a self-propelled sowing machine. The machine is characterised in comprising a rigid bar (11) arranged transversally to the direction of travel (A) of the machine, between a hopper (2) and a compacting roller (7) and which can be displaced relative to the chassis (1) of the machine into a position beneath the surface of the soil from where the bar lifts the soil with the seed and turns the above over said seed to plough said seed in for the distribution thereof at different levels in the soil. The invention finds application in agriculture.

Description

 "Self-propelled turf machine".

The present invention relates to a machine making it possible, in a single pass, to distribute seed seeds on the ground and to bury them in the ground at a determined depth.

The invention applies in a nonlimiting manner to a self-propelled turf making machine. A typical current sodding machine comprises a front hopper for the controlled distribution of seedlings on the ground, a rear soil compacting roller and one or two drive wheels for driving the machine, the drive wheel being possibly a transverse roller. made of openwork metal placed between the hopper and the compaction roller.

Such a machine further comprises a transverse cylindrical shaft disposed behind the hopper which can be driven in rotation at the same speed as the driving wheel or wheels or at a different speed and provided with a multiplicity of radial fingers making it possible to bury in the soil the seeds spread by the hopper as the machine advances.

This known machine has the major drawback that the seed seeds spread on the ground by the hopper are not sufficiently well buried in the soil by the fingers of the transverse tree and some of the seed seeds are also not at all buried by these fingers. The fingers of the cross tree can also damage some of the seedlings. Under these conditions, such a machine results in an unsatisfactory seed germination rate, of the order of 45% at most.

The present invention aims to eliminate the above drawbacks of known machines by providing a machine allowing in a single pass to distribute seedlings on the ground and to bury them in the soil at a determined depth, machine comprising a rolling frame comprising a front hopper for controlled distribution of seeds on the soil and a rear roller for compacting the soil and which is characterized in that it comprises a rigid bar arranged transversely to the direction of advancement of the machine between the hopper and the compaction roller and capable of being moved relative to the frame between a high inactive position and a low position of burial in the ground at a determined depth at which the bar, during the advancement of the machine , lifts the soil carrying the seeds and turns them over to bury them and distribute them at different depths in the soil.

Preferably, the landfill bar is in the form of a fin, the point-shaped part of which is directed in the direction of advance of the machine.

According to an alternative embodiment, the bar can be cylindrical.

The bar preferably extends over practically the entire width of the machine frame and can be made of stainless steel.

The bar is substantially parallel to the ground and is fixed at its ends to a support means which can be vertically displaced in a guided manner relative to the frame successively by gravity from a high position to a rapid low position for approaching the ground at which the bar is approximately at ground level and by a manually operable control member to bury the bar at a desired depth in the ground from the low position of approach to the support means.

According to one embodiment, the support means comprises two vertical lateral legs at the lower ends of which the landfill bar is fixed, a horizontal plate rigidly connecting the two lateral legs at their upper ends, a tubular upright integral with the horizontal plate in opposite direction to the side legs, mounted sliding in a vertical guide sleeve integral with the frame, and a tubular column which can be moved vertically by gravity relative to the frame according to a limited stroke between the high and low positions for approaching the ground, the upright being mounted in movement guided in translation in the column under 1 actuation of the control member to precisely adjust the burial depth of the bar from the low approach position. Advantageously, the control member consists of a crank mounted in the upper part of the column and driving an endless screw rotatably mounted in the column and passing through the upright, a nut-forming element fixed in the upright being mounted axially movable on the worm.

The column includes an abutment axis which can move in a vertical oblong hole in the frame to delimit the vertical movement stroke of the column between its two high and low positions for approaching the ground of the bar.

The column can be locked in its high position or in its low position for approaching the ground by preferably manual locking means which, when unlocked in the high position of the column, allow it to slide by gravity to its position low.

The locking means comprise a slide plate integral with the column and able to move through a vertical window of the frame, and a pin which can be inserted in a hole made through a block secured to the frame and engage transversely in one of two vertically spaced holes in the slider plate for selectively locking the column in its high position or its low position. The pin has a maneuvering ring at its end opposite the slide plate to allow its manual removal from the frame block. Each support foot for the burial bar is constituted by a plate generally in the form of a square situated in a vertical plane parallel to the direction of advance of the machine and one of the branches of which extends vertically in front of the compaction roller carries at its lower end the corresponding end of the landfill bar and the other horizontal branch, integral with the corresponding side of the horizontal plate carrying the tubular upright, is located above the compaction roller and connected to the vertical branch by a curvilinear part of a radius substantially equal to that of the roller to allow the descent of the landfill bar to its position of approach to the ground at which the curvilinear part is adjacent to the roller.

In the case where the machine is of the self-propelled type, it comprises an openwork metal motor roller arranged transversely between the seed distribution hopper and the compaction roller and the landfill bar can move vertically in the space between the two rolls.

The support means for the burial bar is preferably made of a light metal, such as aluminum, to facilitate manual lifting of this means in its inactive high position of the bar.

The crank for moving the support means for the landfill bar can be locked by a locking pin.

The invention will be better understood and other objects, characteristics, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the explanatory description which follows, given with reference to the appended drawings given solely by way of example illustrating an embodiment of the invention and in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sodding machine according to the invention; - Figure 2 is a side view of the lawnmower machine along arrow II of Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a perspective view from below along arrow III of Figure 1; - Figure 4 is a side view of the machine with parts cut away from its frame showing the means for supporting and moving the landfill bar of the invention occupying its high inactive position; - Figure 5 is a side view similar to that of Figure 4 and showing the landfill bar in its working position buried in the ground;

- Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a part of the frame of the machine showing in detail the support and displacement means of the landfill bar occupying its high inactive position;

- Figure 7 is a perspective view similar to that of Figure 6 and showing the landfill bar in its low working position; - Figure 8 is a sectional view showing the means for moving the burial bar;

- Figure 9 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the landfill bar; and

- Figure 10 shows how the landfill bar works to bury the seed seeds in the ground.

The self-propelled turf fertilizer machine as shown in particular in Figures 1 to 5 comprises a frame 1 on which is mounted a front hopper 2 for distributing seedlings in a controlled manner on the ground, a heat engine 3, a casing 4 in which is housed in particular the gearbox ensuring forward and reverse gear of the machine, and a lateral casing 5 in which the transmission is housed.

The machine also includes a front motor roller 6 in perforated metal mounted in the frame 1 and driven rotated by the transmission and a rear roller 7 for compacting the soil, which can be made of smooth stainless steel, leaving no marking of the soil after passing the machine. The front roller 6 is disposed behind the lower outlet for discharging the seeds from the hopper 2 and is arranged, with the rear roller 7, transversely to the direction of advance A of the machine.

The hopper 2 comprises a lever 8 which can be maneuvered in the transverse direction in the direction of advance A to adjust the rate of distribution of the seed seeds on the ground. As is known per se, the lever 8 modifies the dimensions of the openings for the passage of the sowing seeds at the bottom of the hopper. A mixing roller (not shown) is housed in the hopper 2 and driven by the transmission in the casing 5 to effect mixing of the seeds in the hopper.

The machine comprises two parallel arms 9 integral with the frame 1 and a transverse connecting bar 10 comprising the control members (not shown) making it possible to maneuver the machine and to move it in the front and rear direction.

According to the invention, the machine further comprises a rigid bar 11 arranged transversely to the direction of advance A of the machine while being substantially parallel to the ground and capable of being moved vertically in the space available between the two front rollers 6 and rear 7 between a high inactive position in the frame 1 and a low position of the bar 11 buried in the ground at a determined adjustable depth, at which the bar 11, during the advancement of the machine in direction A, lifts the ground carrying the seeds and turns it over to bury the seeds and distribute them at different depths in the soil. Preferably, the burial bar 11 extends practically over the entire width of the frame 1 of the machine and is made of stainless steel. The bar 11 is carried in the vicinity of its two ends by a support means 12 which can be vertically displaced in a guided manner relative to the frame 1 first of all by gravity from a high position shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 to a low position d fast approach to the ground represented in FIG. 5, at which the bar 11 is located approximately at ground level and then by a manually operable control member 13 to bury the bar 11 at a determined depth P in the ground from the position bass fast approach to the support means 12.

The support means 12 comprises two vertical lateral plates 14 parallel to the direction of advance A of the machine symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the latter and each generally in the form of a square, a horizontal rigid plate 15 fixed by its lateral sides respectively to the horizontal branches 14a of the plates 14, a tubular upright 16 integral with the horizontal plate 15 above the latter in the opposite direction to the bar 11 which is fixed in the vicinity of its ends respectively to the two lower ends of the vertical branches 14b plates 14 and extending in the space between the two rollers 6 and 7.

The support means 12 also comprises a tubular column 17 which can be moved vertically by gravity relative to the frame 1 in a limited course between the high and low positions for approaching the ground defined above and in which column the upright 16 is mounted in guided movement in translation under the actuation of the control member 13 to precisely adjust the burial depth P of the bar 11 from the low approach position.

Each horizontal branch 14a of a plate forming the support base of the bar 11 is located above the compacting roller 7 and connected on the rear side of the plate 14 to the vertical branch 14b by means of a curvilinear part 14c for allow the descent of the landfill bar 11 to its position for approaching the ground at which the curvilinear parts 14c are located above the roller 7 adjacent to it. The upright 16 can slide in a guided manner in a vertical sleeve 18 secured above a rigid horizontal plate 19 of the frame 1 and located below the column 17.

As shown, the upright 16, the column 17 and the sleeve 18 have a square cross section but they can have a circular cross section.

The member 13 for translational movement of the upright 16 in the column 17 is constituted by a crank mounted for rotation in the upper part of the column 17 and coupled to a worm 20 coaxially passing through the column 17 and the upright 16 in the part upper of which is fixed a nut 21 movably mounted on the endless screw 20. Thus, by turning the crank 13 in one direction or the other, the upright 16 is moved precisely in translation in the column 17 upwards or towards the bottom to allow precise adjustment of the burial of the bar 11. The axis of rotation 13a of the crank 13 can be locked by a vertical pin 22 passing through a hole in a plate 23 secured to the external part of the axis 13a and a hole in an upper horizontal plate 17a for closing the column 17, the pin 22 comprising at one of its ends a ring 22a allowing its withdrawal to release the crank 13. The unlocking of the man ivelle 13 intervenes during the burial phase of the bar 11 in the ground and the locking thereof can be carried out at each complete turn of the crank.

The column 17 can move vertically relatively ^• a guided manner to the frame in the housing 4 secured to the plate 19 of the frame above thereof as best seen in FIGS 6 and 7. Of course, the column 17 is located at a free location in the casing 4 and passes through a conjugate opening 24a produced through the upper horizontal wall 24 of the casing 4.

The vertical stroke of the column 17 relative to the casing 4 is delimited by a stop pin 25 integral with the column 17 and passing through a vertical oblong hole 26 produced through a vertical side wall 27 of the casing 4. In the high position of the column 17 in which the bar 11 occupies its inactive position, the axis 25 is in abutment at the upper end of the oblong hole 26 (FIG. 6) while in the lower position of column 17 to which the bar 11 is approximately at ground level, the axis 25 is supported on the lower end of the oblong hole 26 (Figure 7).

The column 17 can be locked in its high position or in its low position relative to the casing 4 by a pin 28 passing on the one hand a block 29 integral with a wall 30 of the casing 4 perpendicular to the wall 27 and on the other hand one of two vertically aligned holes 31 of a slide plate 32 integral with the column 17 and passing through a vertical slot 33 produced between the two walls 27 and 30 by projecting from this slot by two parallel legs 32a comprising the two respectively holes 31. In the upper position of the column 17, the pin 28 crosses the lower tab 32a of the slide plate 32 to lock the column 17 in this position (FIG. 6) while it is locked in its lower position by the pin 28 passing through the upper tab 32a of the plate 32 as shown in FIG. 7. Preferably, the stop pin 25 is integral with the slide plate 32 perpendicular thereto. i.

The pin 28 comprises a maneuvering ring 28a allowing its manual withdrawal from the corresponding tab 32a of the slider plate 32 and of the block 29.

The support leg plates 14, the horizontal rigid plate 15, the upright 16 and the column 17 are made of a light metal, such as aluminum, in order to facilitate manual lifting of the support means 12 once the sowing is completed.

The bar 11 may be cylindrical as shown in particular in FIGS. 6 and 7, but preferably it has the configuration of a fin as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the point-shaped part 11a of this aileron being directed in the direction of travel A of the machine. Of course, the bar 11 can have other shapes, such as for example with a square, rectangular, triangular cross section or any other shape.

The operation of the machine is already apparent from the foregoing description and will now be explained.

To bury the bar 11 at a determined depth in the ground, the pin 28 is first of all removed from the lower tab 32a of the slide plate 32 and the support means 12 constituted by the column 17, the upright 16, the plate 15 and the parts forming the foot 14 as well as the bar 11 fall rapidly by gravity from the high position shown in the figures

4 and 6 at the low position shown in Figures 5 and 7 at which the bar 11 is located approximately at ground level. The pin 28 is then introduced through the block 29 and the upper tab 32a of the slider plate 32 to lock the column 17 relative to the casing 4 and the pin 22 is removed to unlock the crank 13. The latter is operated in one direction allowing the threaded rod to descend the nut 21 and therefore the upright 16 in a guided manner in the column 17 to thereby adjust the depth of burial in the ground of the bar 11. For example, the depth of burial P of this bar can be between approximately 10 mm to approximately 45 mm.

Once the burial depth P of the bar 11 has been set, the machine is moved in the direction of travel A and the hopper 2 pours the seed seeds on the ground G. The buried bar 11 due to the direction advancement A of the machine, raise the layer of soil carrying the seeds and located above the bar 11 which turns the soil and seeds mixture and then bury the seeds at several depths in the soil as shown in Figure 10 which shows that after compaction by the roller 7, the seeds are effectively buried at different depths allowing better germination of the buried seeds. Although a cylindrical landfill bar gave satisfaction after having carried out tests, those carried out with a wing-shaped bar gave better satisfaction. Thus, the germination rate observed is around 80% instead of the germination rate of 45% observed until now by the use of prior machines. The fin bar 11 can be inclined downward relative to the ground as shown in FIG. 10. The use of the bar 11 buried in the ground does not cause any damage to the seeds but only causes them to be mixed with the earth during the inversion while the finger rollers of the prior art caused risks of damage to the seeds, which, consequently, contributes to the improvement of the germination rate.

Claims

1.Machine allowing in a single pass to distribute seedlings on the ground and to bury them in the ground to a determined depth, comprising a rolling stand (1) comprising a front hopper (2) for controlled distribution of seeds on the soil and a rear roller (7) for compacting the soil, characterized in that it comprises a rigid bar (11) arranged transversely to the direction of advance of the machine between the hopper (2) and the compacting roller (7) and being able to be moved relative to the frame (1) between a high inactive position and a low position of burial in the ground at a determined depth to which the bar (11), during the advancement of the machine, raises the soil bearing the seeds and turns it over to bury them and distribute them at different depths in the soil. 2. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the bar (11) is in the form of a fin of which the point-shaped part (11a) is directed in the direction of advance of the machine. 3. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the bar (11) is cylindrical. 4. Machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bar (11) extends over practically the entire width of the frame (1) of the machine. 5. Machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bar (11) is made of stainless steel. 6. Machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bar (11) is substantially parallel to the ground and secured at its ends to a support means (12) which can be vertically displaced in a guided manner relative to the frame ( 1) successively by gravity from a high position to a low position for rapid approach to the ground at which the bar (11) is approximately at ground level and by a manually operable control member (13) to bury the bar (11) to a desired depth in the ground from of the low-approach position of the support means. 7. Machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the support means (12) comprises two vertical lateral feet (14) at the lower ends of which the bar (11) is fixed, a horizontal plate (19) rigidly connecting the two feet lateral (14) at their upper ends, a tubular upright (16) integral with the horizontal plate (19) opposite to the lateral feet (14), slidably mounted in a vertical guide sleeve (18) integral with the frame (1) , and a tubular column (17) which can be moved vertically by gravity relative to the frame (1) along a limited stroke between the high and low positions for approaching the ground, the upright (16) being mounted in movement guided in translation in the column (17) under the actuation of the control member (13) to precisely adjust the burial depth of the bar (11) from the low approach position. 8. Machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the control member (13) is constituted by a crank mounted in the upper part of the column (17) and driving a worm (20) rotatably mounted in the column (17) and passing through the upright (16), a nut element (21), fixed in the upright (16), being mounted axially movable on the worm (20). 9. Machine according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the column (17) comprises a stop axis (25) which can move in a vertical oblong hole (26) of the frame (1) to delimit the vertical movement stroke of the column (17) between its two high and low positions for approaching the ground of the bar (11). 10. Machine according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the column (17) can be locked in its high position or its low position for approaching the ground of the bar (11) by manual locking means (28,32) and which, when unlocked in the high position of the column (17), allow it to slide by gravity to its low position. 11. Machine according to claim 10, characterized in that the locking means comprise a slide plate (32) integral with the column (17) and which can move through a vertical window (33) of the frame (1), and a pin (28) which can be inserted into a bore made through a block (30) integral with the frame (1) and engage transversely in one of two vertically spaced holes (32a) of the slide plate (32) to selectively block the column (17) in its high position or its low position . 12.Machine according to claim 11, characterized in that the pin (28) comprises an operating ring (28a) at its end opposite to the slide plate (32) to allow manual removal of the block (30) from the frame (1). 13. Machine according to one of claims 7 to 12, characterized in that each support leg (14) of the bar (11) is constituted by a plate generally in the form of a square located in a vertical plane parallel to the direction d advancement of the machine and one of the branches (14b) extending vertically in front of the compaction roller (7) carries at its lower end the corresponding end of the landfill bar (11) and the another horizontal branch (14a), integral with the corresponding side of the horizontal plate (19) supporting the tubular upright (16), is located above the compacting roller (7) and connected to the vertical branch (14b) by a part curvilinear (14c) with a radius substantially equal to that of roller (7) to allow the descent of the landfill bar (11) to its ground approach position at which the curvilinear part (14c) is adjacent to the roller (7). 14. Machine of the self-propelled type according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a perforated metal motor roller (6) disposed transversely between the seed hopper (2) and the compacting roller (7) and in that the landfill bar (11) can move vertically in the space between the two rollers (6,7). 15. Machine according to one of claims 6 to 14, characterized in that the support means (12) of the burial bar (11) is made of a light metal, such as aluminum, to facilitate the manual lifting of this means to its inactive high position of the bar (11). 16. Machine according to one of claims 8 to 15, characterized in that the crank (13) for moving the support means of the burial bar (11) can be blocked by a locking pin (22). 17. Machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it constitutes a lawnmower. 18.Machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bar (11) can be buried to a depth ranging from about 10 mm to about 45 mm.