Technical Field

This document relates to an agricultural implement for distribution of granular material, such as seed, fertilizer and/or pesticides, to the ground on 5 which the agricultural implement is travelling. The agricultural implement has an opener device installed adjacent to a filling opening of a container for the granular material. The opener device is designed to cut up packaging containing the granular material, so that the granular material pours down into the container. 0

Background

Gradually, as agriculture and associated arable land becomes bigger, agricultural implements for distribution of granular material, such as seed, fertilizer and/or pesticides, to the ground on which the agricultural implement 5 is travelling, are developed to have a greater working width and to work at greater travel speeds. As a result, the consumption per time unit of the granular material increases, which makes demands on the agricultural implement to be able to receive ever greater amounts of granular material in its container in order to reduce the number of stops. As an example, modern0 agricultural implements consume as much as 5-8 tonnes of granular material per hour. There is also a requirement to fill the container as quickly as possible in order to reduce the time the agricultural implement is stationary.

Accordingly, there are greater demands on the logistics of the agricultural implement. 5 It is customary for granular material to be delivered in sacks of approximately 50 kg. In the circumstances described above, it will be appreciated that this is a great amount of such sacks to handle.

It is also customary that granular material is delivered, or repackaged, as a so-called “big bag”, which can contain 500-1000 kg of granular material. Irrespective of the type of sack, they are often made up of disposable packaging, the bottom of which the operator has to cut with a knife when the sack is lifted up into a position above a filling opening of the agricultural implement container.

However, this means that an operator often has to climb up to the filling opening of the container in order to open its stopper and cut open the sack. If the operator is working alone, the operator must first lift up the sack using a lifting device or a separate loader, and then climb up to the filling opening of the container in order to cut open the sack.

This is a long-winded and time-consuming work procedure, which often has to be repeated once every hour.

Another known way of filling a seed drill is to load the seed in a specially adapted sack or bag, the bottom of which is provided with an opener device, which can be operated by pulling a string. The sack, which can be considerably larger than 50 kg, is then lifted up above the filling opening of the seed drill, wherein the operator, from a position on the ground next to the seed drill, or simply from the cab of the lifting machine, pulls the string so that the sack is opened and the seed falls down into the container. However, this method requires the seed to be packed in such special sacks or bags.

There is a need for devices and methods that facilitate the work of the operator when filling the container of the agricultural implement.

Summary

One object is thus to provide a device which facilitates the work of the operator to fill up granular material in the container of the agricultural implement. One particular object is to provide a device which functions well, without impairing the work environment of the operator, and in particular without the risk of any injuries to the operator.

According to a first aspect, an agricultural implement for distribution of granular material to the ground on which the agricultural implement is travelling is provided, comprising a container for the granular material, and an upwardly open filling opening for filling the granular material into the container. The agricultural implement has an opener device arranged adjacent to the filling opening. The opener device comprises a knife sheath and a knife, which are moveable relative to each other and biased to a first position, in which the knife is retracted in the knife sheath. The opener device is designed, under the action of a force from a sack containing the granular material, to bring the knife to protrude from the knife sheath and cut open the sack, so that the granular material from the sack falls down into the container.

The opener device being arranged within the filling opening means that the opener device is located so that the granular material, when the opener device is operated as a result of the weight of the sack, falls through the opening into the container. It will be appreciated that the opener device can be, but does not have to be, positioned centrally in the filling opening. It will also be appreciated that the opener device can be, but does not have to be, positioned at the level of the filling opening. For example, the opener device can be positioned somewhat below the filling opening. However, this does not exclude the opener device being positioned somewhat above the filling opening.

The force from the sack can be provided exclusively by means of the material containing the weight of the sack when the sack is brought to the opener device. Alternatively, the force can also be provided by means of a lifting device, or an extra weight being pressed to the opener device. For example, the lifting device is handled so that it lowers or “thumps” the sack rapidly to the opener device in order to then immediately lift up the sack somewhat.

By means of providing a knife sheath which is moveable relative to the knife and biased to a position where the knife is retracted in the knife sheath, it is possible to provide a well-functioning opener device, which also reduces the risk of injuries to the operator.

The knife sheath can be biased sufficiently loosely in order to be operated by the type of sacks being used for filling the granular material, but sufficiently tightly to prevent a reasonably large operator from being able to disturb it, which could result in injury. For example, the knife sheath is biased so tightly that at least a force of 1000-2000 N is required for the knife to begin to protrude from the knife sheath. According to different embodiments, the knife can be fixedly arranged and the knife sheath moveable, for example by means of being biased to a position where the knife is retracted. Alternatively, both the knife and the knife sheath can be moveable as described below.

The opener device can further comprise an opener frame which is fixed relative to the container, wherein at least one of the knife sheath and the knife is moveable relative to the opener frame.

While it is easier for only the knife sheath to be moveable relative to the opener frame as well as biased to the knife's retracted position, the advantage of making both moveable is that the knife can be brought to protrude upward above an edge of the filling opening at the same time as the opener device, in its retracted position, is fully accommodated under a stopper for the filling opening.

The opener device can further comprise an arm which is attached relative to the opener frame about a geometrical arm coupling, wherein the knife sheath is rotatably connected to the arm on a first side of the arm coupling and wherein the knife is connected to the arm on a second side of the arm coupling.

The opener device can be designed and mounted such that, in the first position, the connection of the knife sheath to the arm is located higher up than the connection of the knife to the arm.

The opener device can comprise at least two arms, which are engageable with each other, by means of a toothed arrangement.

The opener device can comprise two pairs of arms, which are arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the opener device, wherein one of the arms in a first of said pairs of arms is connected to one of the arms in a second of said pairs of arms via a rigid connection.

This rigid connection counteracts the risk of a “drawer effect”.

The rigid connection can connect to the respective arm between the arm coupling and a knife sheath coupling.

The opener device can further comprise a biasing device, which acts between the opener frame and one of the knife, the knife sheath and the arm in order to provide said biasing. The biasing device can comprise a spring, which directly or indirectly can act between the opener frame and said one of the knife, the knife sheath and the arm.

The knife can comprise at least two cutting blade edges, which are non-parallel, and preferably perpendicular to each other, viewed in a plane which is perpendicular to a direction of movement between the knife and the knife sheath. Preferably, the cutting blade edges connect or cross each other to form a V shape or an X shape, viewed in a horizontal plane.

By means of providing a pair of knife portions which are non-parallel to each other, it is ensured that a two-dimensional hole is provided in the sack, rather than only one or more slits.

The knife can have an upward facing tip.

The knife sheath can be latticed so that the granular material can pour through the knife sheath.

The opener device is arranged so that the opener device, when the knife is retracted in the knife sheath, in its entirety is accommodated underneath an upper edge of the filling opening, and so that when the knife protrudes from the knife sheath, the knife at least partly extends above said upper edge portion.

According to a second aspect a method of filling granular material in the agricultural implement for distribution of the granular material to the ground on which the agricultural implement is travelling is provided. The method comprises providing an opener device adjacent to a filling opening of a container for the granular material located on the agricultural implement. The opener device comprises a knife sheath and a knife, which are moveable relative to each other and biased to a first position, in which the knife is retracted in the knife sheath. The method further comprises bringing a sack containing the granular material to the filling opening, and applying the sack to the opener device, so that a force from the sack brings the knife to protrude from the knife sheath and cut open the sack, so that the granular material from the sack falls down into the container.

According to a third aspect, an agricultural implement for distribution of granular material to the ground on which the agricultural implement is travelling is provided, comprising a container for the granular material, and an upwardly open filling opening for filling the granular material into the container. Inside the container, a pair of rails is arranged, extending substantially in parallel across the filling opening and substantially located in the same plane, which are arranged at a distance from each other, which is smaller than a greatest width of the filling opening, viewed in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the rails.

Such an agricultural implement is prepared for mounting of an opener device according to the description above.

The rails can be arranged closer to an upper edge of the filling opening than a bottom of the container, and preferably at a vertical distance from the upper edge portion which is less than 25% of the total height of the container, preferably less than 15% or less than 10%.

According to a fourth aspect, a method of mounting an opener device in an agricultural implement as described above is provided. The method comprises providing an opener device, comprising a knife sheath and a knife, which are moveable relative to each other and biased to a first position, in which the knife is retracted in the knife sheath, wherein the opener device is designed, under the action of a force from a sack containing the granular material, to bring the knife to protrude from the knife sheath and cut open the sack, so that the granular material from the sack falls down into the container, and mounting the opener device so that it is carried by the rails.

Brief description of the drawings

Figs 1 a-1 b show a schematic top view and a schematic side view of an agricultural implement 1 coupled to a tractor vehicle 2.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic cross section of a container, in which an opener device is installed.

Figs 3a-3b show views of the opener device in the idle mode and the operative mode.

Fig. 4 shows a cross section of the opener device.

Figs 5a-5b show side views of the opener device in the idle mode and the operative mode. Figs 6a-6c show an opener device according to a second embodiment, where a knife is in a retracted position.

Figs 7a-7c show the opener device according to the second embodiment, where the knife is in an extended position.

Detailed description

Figs 1 a-1 b schematically show, viewed from above, and from the side, an agricultural implement 1 , which is coupled to a tractor vehicle 2, such as a tractor and arranged in a direction of travel D. In the example shown, the agricultural implement is in the form of a seed drill with a central container.

It will be appreciated that a seed drill can have two or more such containers.

It will further be appreciated that the seed drill can be of an arbitrary type, such as a volumetrically feeding seed drill or a precision seed drill, which can have a central container which feeds seed to a plurality of row units.

The seed drill can feed seed directly from a container to the respective furrow-opener. Alternatively, the seed drill can feed seed to a plurality of furrow-openers or row units via a distributor, which can distribute an airflow mixed with material to a plurality of furrow-openers or row units.

In the example shown, the agricultural implement has a main frame 10, a towing device 11 , a cross frame 12, a container 13, which is carried by the main frame 10, wherein the container has a filling opening 131. The agricultural implement can comprise a plurality of row units 14a-14k, which are carried by the cross frame 12 and at least one wheel 15a, 15b and/or one or more rolling ground supports of another type, such as rollers or roller wheels.

The filling opening 131 can be provided with a stopper 132 (Fig. 2), such as a cap or a tarpaulin.

An opener device 5 is arranged at the filling opening 131 , which will be described in more detail below.

Furthermore, the filling opening 131 can be provided with a pair of rails 133, which extend across the filling opening and parallel to each other, and arranged at a distance, viewed in a direction which is horizontal and perpendicular to the rails, which is smaller than a greatest width of the filling opening in a perpendicular direction to the rails, and preferably less than 60%, less than 50% or less than 40% of said greatest width.

For example, the rails can be arranged at a distance of less than a metre from each other, preferably less than 75 cm, less than 60 cm or less than 50 cm.

The rails 133 can advantageously be formed of a pair of rods or bars of metal, which have an upper surface which is non-horizontal and/or non-plane, so that material which ends up on the upper surface more easily falls down into the container 13.The rails 133 can be arranged closer to the upper edge 134 of the container than its bottom, and especially at a distance which is less than 25% of a total inner height of the container.

Fig. 2 schematically shows a filling operation for filling granular material into the container 13, where a lifting device 3 having a hook 31 is used for lifting up a sack 4 of material above the filling opening 131 , from which a stopper 132, here in the form of a tarpaulin, is removed. As can be seen in Fig. 2, an opener device 5 is arranged within the filling opening 131 , so that when the sack 4 of material, when it is lowered down to or into the filling opening, it is brought into engagement with the opener device 5, wherein the sack 4 of material is cut open and the granular material can pour down into the container 13.

Figs 3a and 3b show an opener device 5, 5' in the retracted and the extended position. The opener device 5, 5' comprises an opener frame 50, a knife 51 , a knife sheath 52 and a biasing device 54, which is configured to bias the knife and the knife sheath to a retracted position, i.e. a position where the knife is substantially completely retracted into the knife sheath.

The knife 51 and the knife sheath 52 are moveable relative to each other so that, when the knife sheath 52 is loaded, for example by a sack 4 of material, the knife sheath will be displaced in relation to the knife 51 , so that the knife 51 protrudes from the knife sheath 52 and cuts open the sack 4 of material. The knife 51 can be designed with at least one upward facing tip 511 (Fig. 7a) and with one or preferably more upward facing cutting blade edges. Preferably the knife has at least two cutting blade edges 512a-512d (Fig. 7a), which are non-parallel, viewed in a plane perpendicular to a direction of movement between the knife 51 and the knife sheath 52. Advantageously, the cutting blade edges can meet or cross each other, for example to form a V shape or an X shape, with an angle which can be 10-90 degrees, preferably 30-90 degrees or 45-90 degrees. In the example shown, the knife 51 has four cutting blade edges 512a-512d, which are perpendicular to each other and which meet in a common upward facing tip 511 .The knife sheath 52 can be designed as a plate or, as in the example shown, as a plate 511 provided with edges 512a-512d extending downward. The plate 511 can have through- recesses 513a-513d, for example grooves, through which the knife 51 can be brought through the knife sheath 52.

The plate 511 can be latticed so that the granular material can pour through the plate and so that a minimal amount of granular material can remain situated on the plate 511 .

Alternatively, or as a complement, the plate 511 can be designed with an inclined plane, so that material which ends up on the plate 511 pours off the plate and down into the container 13.

In the example shown, the biasing device 54 comprises a spring 541 , a spring bar 542 and a lower abutment 543. The spring 541 can be a helical spring running around the spring bar 542. The lower abutment 543 can be moveable along the spring bar, for example between a plurality of fixed positions, as illustrated in Fig. 3b.

The spring 541 can act between the lower abutment and an upper abutment 544, which can be fixed relative to the opener frame 50. The upper part 5421 of the spring bar 542 can be connected to the knife 51 , the knife sheath 52 or to both, as will be described below.

Fig. 4 shows an outline diagram of a mechanism for simultaneous movement of the knife 51 and the knife sheath 52.

One or more arms 55a, 55b can be rotatably attached relative to the opener frame 50 about a respective arm coupling 551 . The knife can be rotatably attached relative to the arm 55a, 55b about a knife coupling 552. The knife sheath can be rotatably attached relative to the arm 551 about a knife sheath coupling 553. The knife sheath 52 will move in the opposite direction relative to the knife 51 as the knife coupling 552 and the knife sheath coupling 553 are situated at opposing sides of the arm coupling 551 .

The biasing device 54 can act on a knife link 56, which is fixedly tensioned relative to the knife 51 and the knife coupling 552 as well as connected to the upper portion 5421 of the spring bar 542.

The mechanism controlling the movements of the knife 51 and the knife sheath 52 can be surrounded by a border 53, which can be fixed relative to the opener frame 50, and can be sufficiently large to be able to surround the knife sheath 52 so that the knife sheath can be displaced down into the border 53.

In the example shown, a first pair of arms 55a, 55b can be arranged at a first side of the opener device 5, 5’ and a second pair of arms 55c, 55d, which can be, but do not have to be, identical to the first pair, are arranged on another, opposing, side of the opener device 5, 5'.

An arm 55a; 55b forming part of the first pair of arms can have a common axis of rotation with a corresponding arm 55c; 55d in the second pair of arms.

In the example shown, the spring 541 can work in a pressure mode, i.e. provide an expanding force between the abutments 543, 544. Thus, the spring bar 542 will provide a downward facing traction force on the spring link 56. The traction force will pull the knife 51 downward and the knife sheath upward.

When the knife sheath 52, shown in Fig. 4, is loaded with a sufficiently large force and thus is pressed downward, a first arm 55a, 55c in the pair of arms will therefore be rotated anti-clockwise about the arm coupling 551 , wherein the knife 51 is displaced upward. Correspondingly, a second arm 55b, 55d in the pair of arms will be rotated clockwise about its arm coupling.

The spring 541 can be selected and configured so that the risk of the knife being extended inadvertently is minimized. For example, the spring 541 can be selected and configured so that the knife sheath 52 can carry a sufficiently large weight without being displaced so far that the knife 51 is exposed.

Figs 5a-5b show a schematic side view of the opener device 5, 5' in the idle mode (Fig. 5a) and in the loaded mode (Fig. 5b), respectively.

As can be seen in Fig. 5b, consequently, the spring bar 542 is pulled upward and thus compresses the spring 541 because the knife sheath 52 is pressed downward by the force F. At the same time, the knife 51 is displaced upward so that it can cut open a sack 4 of material.

Figs 6a-6c and 7a-7c show an alternative embodiment of an opener device 5, 5', where the part of the arms 55a, 55b which is located nearest the knife coupling 552 is provided with a toothed segment 57, so that adjacent arms 55a, 55b can engage with each other to avoid skewing. Preferably, the toothed segment 57 can have a pivot centre at the arm coupling 551 .

Figs 6a-6c show different views of the opener device 5 with the border 53 removed and in an unloaded mode with the knife 51 retracted relative to the knife sheath 52.

As can be seen in the drawings, a first pair of interacting arms 55a, 55b can be arranged on a first side of the opener device 5, 5’ and a second pair of arms 55c, 55d on another, opposing, side of the opener device 5, 5'. Each of the arms 55a, 55b in the first pair is connected to the corresponding arm 55c, 55d in the second pair via a stay 58, which can be attached relative to the respective arm 55a, 55b; 55c, 55d between the respective arm coupling 551 and the respective knife sheath coupling 553, preferably closer to the knife sheath coupling 553 than the arm coupling 551.

Figs 7a-7c show different views of the opener device 5' with the border 53 removed and in a loaded mode with the knife 51 protruding through the knife sheath 52.

The opener device 5, 5' functions in such a way that in an unloaded mode the knife 51 is retracted in the knife sheath 52, so that the knife sheath 51 prevents inadvertent access to the knife 51 .

When the material is to be filled in the container 13 it is provided in sacks 4 or bags which individually or together have sufficient weight to overcome the biasing force from the spring 541 , so that the knife is brought to protrude from the knife sheath and penetrate through the material of the sack or bag, so that the material can pour out of the sack and down into the container 13.

Alternatively, the sack 4 or the bag can be pressed to the opener device 5, 5’ using the lifting device or using an extra weight which can also be carried by the lifting device and which is arranged above the sack 4.

The opener device 5, 5' is mountable on the rails 133, so that the opener device, when the knife is retracted into the knife sheath, in its entirety is accommodated underneath the stopper 132, as shown in Fig. 2. Preferably, the opener device 5, 5' is mounted at such a distance from the upper edge 134 of the filling opening that the knife 51 , when the knife is protruding from the knife sheath 52, at least partly extends above the upper edge 134.

The rails 133 should thus be arranged at a distance from the upper edge 134 of the filling opening 131 which enables such a mounting of the opener device 5, 5'.