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EP-4735267-A1 - METHOD AND DEVICE FOR BALLASTING AN AGRICULTURAL VEHICLE WHEEL WITH INTEGRATED SECURITY SYSTEM

EP4735267A1EP 4735267 A1EP4735267 A1EP 4735267A1EP-4735267-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device (1) for ballasting an agricultural vehicle wheel, the device including a base (10) as well as at least one first weighting mass (11), the base and the mass respectively being substantially disc-shaped, the base further having a first face (101) intended to be attached to the agricultural vehicle wheel and a second face (102) opposite the first face, while the mass further has a first face (111) intended to be attached to the base and a second face (112) opposite the first face, characterised in that the second face of the base (102) and the first face of the mass (111) are further configured to be assembled together by screwing or else by bayonet mounting, the assembly comprising the coupling of the base and the mass and then the rotation of one with respect to the other to a locking position along the axis of the wheel.

Inventors

  • VERCAUTEREN, Hans

Assignees

  • EASYMASS

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240624

Claims (13)

  1. [Claim 1] Device (1) for ballasting a wheel of an agricultural machine, the device comprising a base (10) and at least a first weighting mass (11), said base and said mass respectively having a substantially disc shape, said base further having a first face (101) intended to be fixed against the wheel of the agricultural machine and a second face (102) opposite the first, while said mass has a first face (111) intended to be fixed against said base and a second face (112) opposite the first, characterized in that the second face (102) of said base and the first face (111) of said mass are further configured to be assembled together by screwing or according to a bayonet assembly, said assembly comprising the coupling of said base and said mass against each other, then the rotation of one relative to the other to a locking position along the axis of the wheel.
  2. [Claim 2] Device (1) for ballasting a wheel of an agricultural machine, according to claim 1, the device comprising a second weighting mass (11') similar to the first mass, characterized in that the second face (112) of said first mass (11) is configured to be assembled by screwing or according to a bayonet assembly with the first face (111') of the second weighting mass (11'), said assembly comprising the coupling of the first mass with the second mass against each other, then the rotation of one relative to the other to a locking position along the axis of the wheel.
  3. [Claim 3] Device (1) for ballasting a wheel of an agricultural machine, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that one of the second faces (102) of said base or first faces (111) of said mass comprises a substantially tubular recess (105, 115) with an axis (y) substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel, and provided with at least one rib (103, 113) projecting radially inwards, while the other of the first faces of said mass (111) or second faces of said base (102) comprises a substantially cylindrical portion (116), with an axis (y) substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel, which can be fitted into said recess and provided with at least one rib (117) projecting radially outwards, so that after insertion of said substantially cylindrical portion into said recess and rotation of said base (10) and said mass (11) relative to each other until said ribs are juxtaposed along the axis (y) substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel, said base (10) and said mass (11) are locked against each other.
  4. [Claim 4] A device for ballasting a wheel of an agricultural machine, according to claim 3, characterized in that the recess (115) and the substantially cylindrical portion (116) of the base (10) or of the first mass (11) are each provided with two diametrically opposed ribs.
  5. [Claim 5] A ballasting device for a wheel of an agricultural machine, according to any one of claims 2 to 4 taken in combination with claim 2, characterized in that one of the second or first faces of the first and second masses (11, 11') comprises a substantially tubular recess (115) with an axis (y) substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel, and provided with at least one rib (113) projecting radially inwards, while the other of the first or second faces of the first and second masses comprises a substantially cylindrical portion (116), with an axis (y) substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel, which can be fitted into said recess (115) and provided with at least one rib (117) projecting radially outwards, so that after insertion of said substantially cylindrical portion into said recess and rotation of the two masses relative to each other, the other until said ribs are juxtaposed along the axis (y) substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel, said masses (11, 11') are blocked against each other.
  6. [Claim 6] A device for ballasting a wheel of an agricultural machine, according to claim 5, characterized in that the recess (115) and the substantially cylindrical portion (116) of the first and second masses (11, 11') are each provided with two diametrically opposed ribs.
  7. [Claim 7] Device (1) for ballasting a wheel of an agricultural machine, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base (10) and the mass(es) (11) comprise a stop surface making it possible to define the locking position along the axis of the wheel during bayonet mounting.
  8. [Claim 8] Device (1) for ballasting a wheel of an agricultural machine, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means (3), such as bolts for example, for fixing the first mass (11) on the base and for fixing the masses together.
  9. [Claim 9] Device (1) for ballasting a wheel of an agricultural machine, according to one any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base is a weighting mass similar to F at least a first mass (11), intended to be fixed directly on the wheel of the agricultural machine.
  10. [Claim 10] Method for ballasting a wheel of an agricultural machine, by means of a device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least the following steps: - The provision of a base (10) and at least a first weighting mass (11), and optionally a second mass (I L) similar to the first mass, - Fixing a first face (101) of the base on the wheel of the agricultural machine, - Coupling a second face (102) of the base with a first face (111) of said mass, - Rotating the base and the first mass relative to each other to a locking position along the wheel axis, using a bayonet assembly or a screwing operation, - Fixing (F) the first mass on the base in said locking position along the wheel axis.
  11. [Claim 11] Method for ballasting a wheel of an agricultural machine, according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it further comprises the following steps: - Coupling a second face (112) of the first mass with a first face (111’) of the second mass (I L) similar to the first weighting mass (11), - Rotating the first and second masses relative to each other to a locking position along the wheel axis, using a bayonet mount or a screwing operation, - Fixing (F) the second mass on the first mass in the locking position according to the wheel axis.
  12. [Claim 12] Method of ballasting a wheel of an agricultural machine, according to one of claims 10 to 11, characterized in that, for a wheel on the right side of agricultural machinery, the rotation of the first mass relative to the base, or of the second mass relative to the first mass, is carried out in the opposite direction to the trigonometric direction.
  13. [Claim 13] Method of ballasting a wheel of an agricultural machine, according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that, for a wheel on the left side of the agricultural machine, the rotation of the first mass relative to the base, or of the second mass relative to the first mass, is carried out in the trigonometric direction.

Description

Description Title of the invention: BALLASTING METHOD AND DEVICE OF AN AGRICULTURAL MACHINE WHEEL WITH SYSTEM OF INTEGRATED SECURITY [0001] The invention relates to the field of devices for ballasting the wheels of agricultural machinery, as well as to the associated ballasting methods. [0002] Generally speaking, agricultural machinery, such as tractors, are designed to be versatile and are used to drive a wide variety of implements at varying speeds and on various surfaces such as roads, paths and fields. [0003] In order to be able to transmit a tractive force allowing the use of the available power, they must be sufficiently heavy when working at low speed, or for example on uneven terrain. [0004] However, significant weight results in increased rolling resistance, particularly on soft ground, which results in unnecessary power consumption, for example when traveling uphill. [0005] Furthermore, the greater the load supported by the tires, the higher the inflation pressure must be, which results in a more pronounced compaction effect which generates difficulties in plant growth and higher energy consumption when it comes to loosening these compacted areas. [0006] Finally, the total authorized rolling weight being limited in terms of regulations, if the ballast remains present on the tractor this results in a reduction in the transportable payload. [0007] In order to comply with the technical rules of ballast and inflation, which depend in particular on speed, the practice consists of adding ballast only when necessary, so that the tractor can move forward with a given tool. [0008] However, users tend to leave the ballast on the tractor, which causes the drawbacks described above, when it is not easy to remove said ballast. [0009] For these same reasons, ballast optimization is not necessarily implemented and this results in losses of efficiency. [0010] It is also known to add cast iron masses to the rim of the rear wheels. [0011] When these masses are of the monobloc type, they are then difficult to handle and do not allow a modulation of the ballast. They can be made up of an assembly of elementary masses, but the assembly and disassembly one by one is tedious. It is indeed necessary each time to align the holes to facilitate the centering and use multiple fixing elements. [0012] With a view to overcoming all or part of these drawbacks, document EP 3266622 B1 proposes a device and a method for very simply and very quickly assembling and disassembling one or more ballast masses on an axle of an agricultural machine. [0013] The principle consists of fixing a base on the axle of the wheel of the agricultural machine, then, when the ballast is made necessary to mount by complementarity of shape, the number of masses necessary on the base. The securing of the assembly thus mounted is carried out using a key adaptable on a retaining element of the base. [0014] However, this device uses an additional element, the adaptable key, and does not solve the problem of breakage of the fastening elements. Indeed, in the event of breakage of the bolts, these masses can fall from the moving tractor, which can cause damage and risks, particularly on the road, for all the actors who circulate there. [0015] Therefore, the invention aims to integrate an additional safety, called a second level safety, in case the fixing bolts, which constitute the first level safety, break or in case these bolts unscrew for any reason. This additional safety ensures that the wheel masses cannot fall off the tractor, even when the tractor is moving. [0016] The principle of the invention is to secure the elements together by fitting them together and rotating them relative to each other, without using fixing elements, before fixing them permanently with fixing elements (such as bolts for example). [0017] The invention thus makes it possible to eliminate all or part of the drawbacks mentioned above by means of a ballasting method and device using weighting masses, adaptable to the number of masses used and simple to use. [0018] The invention relates in particular to a device for ballasting a wheel of an agricultural machine, the device comprising a base and at least a first weighting mass, said base and said mass respectively having a substantially disc shape, said base further having a first face intended to be fixed against the wheel of the agricultural machine and a second face opposite the first, while said mass has a first face intended to be fixed against said base and a second face opposite the first, the second face of said base and the first face of said mass being further configured to be assembled together by screwing or according to a bayonet assembly, said assembly comprising the coupling of said base and said mass against each other, then the rotation of one relative to the other to a locking position along the axis of the wheel. [0019] Optional features of the invention, complementary or substitutable are set out below. [0020] Ac