Search

US-20260123583-A1 - FEEDING DEVICE WITH COVER ELEMENTS, MOVABLE RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, FOR COVERING A ROLLER RECESS

US20260123583A1US 20260123583 A1US20260123583 A1US 20260123583A1US-20260123583-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a feed device ( 2 ) for a forage harvester. The feed device is formed to convey agricultural crops in a feed direction (ER) through a feed channel ( 4 ). The feed device comprises a frame device ( 40 ) which comprises at least one side wall ( 42 ) for laterally delimiting the feed channel ( 4 ). The feed device comprises at least two pairs of feed rollers ( 10 , 20 , 30 ), each comprising a rotatably mounted upper roller element ( 12 , 22 , 32 ) extending laterally through at least one roller recess ( 13 , 23 , 33 ) in the side walls ( 42 ) to delimit the feed channel, and a rotatably mounted lower roller element ( 14 , 24 , 34 ) and which are arranged offset from one another in the feed direction (ER). The feed device comprises a bearing arrangement ( 50 ) which is formed for such mounting of the upper roller elements ( 12 , 22 , 32 ) in such a way that they are movable in a vertical direction (HR). The feed device comprises a covering apparatus ( 60 ) which has at least one covering element ( 62 , 64 ) which is movable relative to the frame device ( 40 ) by means of the bearing arrangement ( 50 ) for covering the at least one roller recess ( 13 , 23 , 33 ). According to the invention, the covering apparatus ( 60 ) comprises at least one intermediate covering element ( 66 ) for covering the at least one roller recess ( 13 , 23 , 33 ), which is movably mounted relative to the frame device ( 40 ) and relative to the covering element ( 62 , 64 ) by means of the bearing arrangement ( 50 ).

Inventors

  • Hendrik Evers
  • Holger Ensink

Assignees

  • Maschinenfabrik Bernard Krone GmbH & Co. KG

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251028
Priority Date
20241107

Claims (16)

  1. 1 . A feed device ( 2 ) for a forage harvester, which is formed to convey agricultural crops in a feed direction (ER) through a feed channel ( 4 ) and comprises a frame device ( 40 ) which comprises at least one side wall ( 42 ) for laterally delimiting the feed channel ( 4 ), at least two pairs of feed rollers ( 10 , 20 , 30 ), each comprising a rotatably mounted upper roller element ( 12 , 22 , 32 ) extending laterally through at least one roller recess ( 13 , 23 , 33 ) in the side walls ( 42 ) to delimit the feed channel, and each comprising a rotatably mounted lower roller element ( 14 , 24 , 34 ), and which feed roller pairs ( 10 , 20 , 30 ) are arranged offset from one another in the feed direction (ER), a bearing arrangement ( 50 ) which is formed for such mounting of the upper roller elements ( 12 , 22 , 32 ) in such a way that they are movable at least partially in a vertical direction (HR) angled to the feed direction (ER) to vary a height of the feed channel ( 4 ) relative to the frame device ( 40 ), and a covering apparatus ( 60 ) which has at least one covering element ( 62 , 64 ) which is movable relative to the frame device ( 40 ) by means of the bearing arrangement ( 50 ) for covering at least a part of the at least one roller recess ( 13 , 23 , 33 ), characterized in that the covering apparatus ( 60 ) comprises at least one intermediate covering element ( 66 ) for covering the at least one roller recess ( 13 , 23 , 33 ), which intermediate covering element ( 66 ) is movably mounted relative to the frame device ( 40 ) and relative to the covering element ( 62 , 64 ) by means of the bearing arrangement ( 50 ).
  2. 2 . The feed device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the bearing arrangement ( 50 ) is formed to move the intermediate covering element ( 66 ) at least partially in the vertical direction (HR) depending on a movement of at least one of the upper roller elements ( 12 , 22 , 32 ) at least partially in the vertical direction (HR).
  3. 3 . The feed device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the bearing arrangement ( 50 ) is formed to reduce the movement of the at least one upper roller element ( 12 , 22 , 32 ) in such a way that, during operation, a movement of the at least one upper roller element ( 12 , 22 , 32 ) by a first distance (S 22 ) causes a movement of the intermediate covering element ( 66 ) by a second distance (S 66 ) which is smaller than the first distance (S 22 ).
  4. 4 . The feed device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the bearing arrangement ( 50 ) is formed for reduction in such a way that, during operation, the second distance (S 66 ) by which the intermediate covering element ( 66 ) is moved is greater than half as large as the first distance (S 22 ) by which the at least one upper roller element ( 22 ) moves.
  5. 5 . The feed device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the bearing arrangement ( 50 ) for mounting the intermediate covering element ( 66 ) comprises a control arm arrangement ( 56 ) having a first control arm ( 57 ), a second control arm ( 58 ), and a third control arm ( 59 ), wherein the first control arm ( 57 ) is arranged at one end on the frame device ( 40 ) and at the other end on the second control arm ( 58 ), the third control arm ( 59 ) is arranged at one end on the second control arm ( 58 ) and at the other end on a rocker element ( 52 ) on which at least one of the upper roller elements ( 12 , 22 , 32 ) is rotatably mounted, and the intermediate covering element ( 66 ) is arranged on the second control arm ( 58 ) between the first control arm ( 57 ) and the third control arm ( 59 ).
  6. 6 . The feed device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the covering apparatus ( 60 ) has a sensor for monitoring the position of at least part of the bearing arrangement ( 50 ), at least one of the upper roller elements ( 12 , 22 , 32 ) and/or the covering element ( 62 , 64 ), and has an actuator for adjusting the position of the intermediate covering element ( 66 ) depending on the monitored position.
  7. 7 . The feed device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the intermediate covering element ( 66 ) is designed to cover a first roller recess ( 13 ), a second roller recess ( 23 ) and in particular a third roller recess ( 33 ).
  8. 8 . The feed device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the intermediate covering element ( 66 ) has at least one additional roller recess ( 65 ) formed such that at least one of the upper roller elements ( 12 , 22 , 32 ) is movable within the additional roller recess ( 65 ) relative to the intermediate covering element ( 66 ) in the vertical direction (HR).
  9. 9 . The feed device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the intermediate covering element ( 66 ) and/or the at least one covering element ( 62 , 64 ) are/is arranged in a transverse direction (QR) at a right angle to the feed direction (ER) between the feed channel ( 4 ) and the side wall ( 42 ).
  10. 10 . The feed device according to claim 1 , claims, characterized in that the intermediate covering element ( 66 ) is arranged in a transverse direction (QR) at a right angle to the feed direction (ER) between the at least one covering element ( 62 , 64 ) and the feed channel ( 4 ).
  11. 11 . The feed device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the bearing arrangement ( 50 ) has a guide arrangement for guiding the intermediate covering element ( 66 ) in the vertical direction (HR), wherein the guide arrangement comprises at least one, in particular two, guide element(s) ( 67 ) arranged on the intermediate covering element ( 66 ) which guide element(s) 67 ) extend(s) into or through an intermediate covering element recess ( 63 ) in the side wall ( 42 ).
  12. 12 . The feed device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the bearing arrangement ( 50 ) for mounting the upper roller elements ( 12 , 22 , 32 ) has at least one first rocker element ( 52 ) on which the upper roller elements ( 12 , 22 , 32 ) are rotatably mounted and a second rocker element ( 54 ) which is arranged pivotably movably on the frame device ( 40 ) and pivotably movably about a rocker pivot axis (SA) on the first rocker element ( 52 ).
  13. 13 . The feed device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the covering apparatus ( 60 ) has a first covering element ( 62 ) for covering a first roller recess ( 13 ) and a second covering element ( 64 ) for covering a second roller recess ( 23 ) and in particular a third roller recess ( 33 ).
  14. 14 . The feed device according to claim 1 , characterized in that a conducting element ( 68 ) is arranged between the feed channel ( 4 ) and the at least one covering element ( 62 , 64 ) and/or the intermediate covering element ( 66 ) and is arranged in a fixed position relative to the frame device ( 40 ), which conducting element extends between the upper roller elements ( 12 , 22 , 32 ) and the lower roller elements ( 14 , 24 , 34 ) in the feed direction (ER).
  15. 15 . The feed device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the conducting element ( 68 ) has a transverse conducting portion ( 69 ) at a feed channel inlet, which transverse conducting portion ( 69 ), facing away from the feed channel ( 4 ), projects at least partially in the transverse direction (QR) beyond the intermediate covering element ( 66 ), the at least one covering element ( 62 , 64 ) and/or the side wall ( 42 ).
  16. 16 . The feed device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the intermediate covering element ( 66 ) and/or the conducting element ( 68 ) has at least one, in particular one per lower roller element ( 14 , 24 , 34 ), concave recess ( 70 ), within which at least a part of one of the lower roller elements ( 14 , 24 , 34 ) is arranged, at least in one position of the bearing arrangement ( 50 ).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a feed device for a forage harvester. The feed device is formed to convey agricultural crops in a feed direction through a feed channel. The feed device has a frame device comprising at least one side wall for laterally delimiting the feed channel. The feed device furthermore has at least two pairs of feed rollers, each comprising a rotatably mounted upper roller element to delimit the feed channel, and a rotatably mounted lower roller element and which are arranged offset from one another in the feed direction. The upper roller elements extend laterally through at least one roller recess in the side wall. The feed device furthermore has a bearing arrangement which is formed for such mounting of the upper roller elements in such a way that they are movable at least partially in a vertical direction angled to the feed direction to vary a height of the feed channel relative to the frame device. The feed device furthermore has a covering apparatus which has at least one covering element which is movable relative to the frame device by means of the bearing arrangement for covering the at least one roller recess. BACKGROUND Such a feed device is known from the prior art. In use, the feed device is used to draw the crop from a harvesting attachment coupled to the forage harvester into the forage harvester and feed it to a chopper drum. The variable height of the feed channel allows for the reliable conveyance of different quantities of crop, and in particular, to reliably feed the crop at different conveying speeds to achieve different cutting lengths, resulting in different thicknesses of the crop stream in the feed channel of the chopper drum. The mobility of the upper roller elements requires roller recesses that have a larger cross-section than the part of the respective upper roller element located therein. This necessarily leaves through-openings between the feed channel and the area surrounding the side wall, through which part of the crop to be conveyed inadvertently escapes from the feed channel. To reduce this escape of crop, several covering elements of the covering apparatus are used, for example, according to DE 2 149 974 A1, one of which is assigned to each upper roller element in such a way that the covering elements move at least partially in the vertical direction with the respective upper roller element. A disadvantage of the known feed device is that the roller recesses can only be inadequately covered by the covering apparatus. Despite the covering apparatus, a significant portion of the crop regularly escapes from the feed channel during operation. This leads, on the one hand, to considerable contamination of functional parts, and in particular bearings, and increases their risk of failure. On the other hand, the escape of the crop leads to a significant reduction in harvest yields. The described disadvantage is particularly pronounced when the upper roller elements have a large range of movement in the vertical direction, especially since the extension of the covering element opposite to the vertical direction is limited by the associated lower roller element. However, a large range of movement is becoming increasingly important, since, depending on the crop and its intended use, the feasibility of particularly short cutting lengths and, on the other hand, the feasibility of particularly long cutting lengths is required. SUMMARY The object of the present invention is to provide a feed device by which contamination of functional parts and/or crop losses can be reliably prevented, particularly in the case of extensive mobility of the upper roller elements. The object is achieved according to the invention in that the covering apparatus comprises at least one intermediate covering element for covering the at least one roller recess. The intermediate covering element is movably mounted relative to the frame device and relative to the covering element by means of the bearing arrangement. Depending on the position of the bearing arrangement, the intermediate covering element enables the covering of a portion of the roller recess that is not covered or to be covered by the covering element. In particular, the bearing arrangement can react to where such a portion is created and, depending on the position of the bearing arrangement, the intermediate covering element can be positioned where necessary to prevent crop loss. In use, the feed device forms the so-called feed of a forage harvester. When mounted, the feed device is preferably located between the front wheels in a front view of the forage harvester. The feed device is formed in particular for conveying maize, grass, and/or grain. The frame device of the feed device is preferably formed to be rigid and immovable. The frame device of the feed device is preferably mounted in a fixed position on a frame of the forage harvester. The side wall is preferably formed by a side wall plate that extends flat, at l