JPS6027483B2 - automatic straight combine harvester - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a combine harvester equipped with an automatic straight-travel control function.

When operating a combine harvester, it is necessary to operate a large number of mechanisms and simultaneously monitor the progress and operating status of the combine, which requires a great deal of effort and attention.

In particular, it is important to move the combine straight along the rows of crops to be harvested (hereinafter referred to as crop rows), which are usually arranged in a straight line, in order to safely harvest the crops without damaging them due to treading pressure. Therefore, whenever the direction of travel of the combine is biased to the left or right due to irregularities in the ground surface of the crop growing area. The worker had to correct the direction of travel, which placed a significant burden on the worker. For the purpose of removing such burden on workers, combine harvesters equipped with a function of automatically moving straight along crop rows, that is, an automatic straight-travel control function (hereinafter referred to as automatic straight-travel combine) are being developed.

As shown in FIG. 7, the conventionally developed automatic straight-travel combine harvester has a length on the inside of each of the leftmost weeding plate 101 and the rightmost weeding plate 10r among the weeding plates 10 located at the tip of the combine C. Sensors 231, 23r, such as limit switches, each having about 10 detection villages 211, 21r and normally open contacts 221, 22r, are fixed so that the detection pestles 211, 21r are always facing in the right (left) direction as shown in the figure. death,
The normally open contact 22 is open when the detection punches 211 and 21r are facing right (left) without receiving an external force as shown in the figure, and is closed when the detection pestle 211, 21r is facing the right (left) direction due to an external force and is closed when the detection pestle 211, 21r is facing the right (left) direction without receiving an external force.
1 and 22r are provided in the middle of the pressure oil pipes 71 and 7r, respectively, which are suitable for the left and right hydraulic cylinders 31 and 3r provided for turning on and off the left and right side clutches 21 and 2r. Electromagnetic directional control valves 81 and 8 are connected so as to conduct the pressure oil pipes 71 and 7r back and forth, and to reduce the oil pressure on the hydraulic cylinders 31 and 3r side of the pressure oil pipes 71 and 7r in the energized state.
The 8th
As shown in the figure, the configuration is such that the opening and closing of the normally open contacts 221 and 22r causes the opening and closing of the boxes to the solenoids 91 and 9r. In such a conventional automatic straight-travel combine, the left and right side clutch levers 51, 5r are operated, and the hydraulic pump 4 operates the second layer switching valves 61, 6r that are interlocked with these levers.
By making sure that the hydraulic pressure generated by (omitted) drive wheel 1 1,l
r, the drive mechanism 11,lr rotates at a uniform speed, and when the ground surface is a flat field, it moves straight along the crop row.

On the other hand, if the ground surface is irregular, the traveling direction of the combine will be biased to the left or right due to the irregularity. When the direction of movement of the combine deviates to the left (right), as the combine moves forward, the rightmost (left) grass dividing plate 10r, 1
The detection pestle 21r, 211, which faces the left (right) direction of the sensor 23r, 231 fixed to the sensor 231, is attached to the crop in the rightmost (left) side crop row 31r, 311 among the crop rows to be harvested. The normally open contacts 22r, 2 are in contact with each other, and then rotated in the direction of the arrow by being pressed by the crop as the combine advances.
21 is closed. As a result, the solenoids 9r, 91 are energized and excited, so the electromagnetic directional control valves 8r, 81 are switched in the direction of the arrow, and the hydraulic cylinders 3 in the pressure oil pipes 7r, 71 are
As the oil pressure on the r and 31 sides decreases, the pressure on the right (left) piston is released and the right (left) side clutches 2r and 21
comes off, and as a result, the right (left) drive wheels lr, 11 stop rotating, the right (left) rubber crawler stops, and the combine corrects course in the right (left) direction. The course correction continues until the detection pestles 21r, 211 come into contact with the crop, so the combine harvester
It is possible to automatically go straight along r, etc.
By the way, if you change the traveling angle of the combine by driving only one rubber crawler and then drive both rubber crawlers, the combine will move forward in the same direction as after changing the traveling angle, so you can move it forward in the traveling direction before the change. In this case, the separation distance from the position where the combine harvester should move increases as time passes after the change, and as a result, it is often necessary to change the movement angle again in the same way.

Therefore, the course of the combine harvester is manually adjusted by inching the left and right side clutch levers 51 and 5r (short-term repeated on/off operations), and only one rubber clutch is used for a very short period of time. After slightly changing the traveling angle of the combine by driving the roller, both rubber crawlers are driven to advance the combine in the direction of the changed traveling angle, and as time elapses after the traveling angle is changed. It is advisable to do this so that the increased separation distance does not become excessive. However, the conventional automatic straight-travel combine harvester as described above rotates only one rubber crawler for a relatively long period of time when the detection gear 211 or 21r supports the crop, and operates to significantly change the traveling angle. Therefore, the advancing angle will be changed excessively, and the detection punch 211 or 21r
After the contact with the operation of the rubber crawler is finished and the movement by both rubber crawlers is resumed, it does not move straight along the crop rows 311, 31r, etc., but rather moves in the direction of movement before changing the movement angle with respect to the crop rows 311, 31r, etc. Then, the detection village 21r or 211, which is opposite to the detection village 211 or 21r that came into contact with the crop in the crop row 311 or 31r, will move in a direction that is approximately symmetrical to the crop row 31r or 31r. in contact with the crop,
The combine changes its travel angle in the opposite direction to the previous case.

In other words, such an automatic straight-moving combine harvester has crop rows 311,3
It had the disadvantage that it did not automatically move straight along roads such as 1r and meandered repeatedly, and was never put into practical use.
In order to eliminate such drawbacks, the inventor of the present application filed a U.S. Patent Application No. 49-28.
In No. 567, the plant row detector and the pulse generator are connected to an AND circuit, and the side clutch is controlled by the output signal from this AND circuit. This made it possible to correct the aircraft's direction of travel in 4· increments using output signals.

The present invention is a further improvement on this, and includes a pulse generator that generates a pulse signal whose pulse width and pulse interval are inversely proportional to the traveling speed of the combine, thereby preventing meandering even when the traveling speed changes. To provide a combine harvester capable of automatically moving straight along crop rows without any problems.

The present invention will be described below based on drawings showing embodiments thereof.

That is, the automatic straight combine harvester according to the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the product of the present invention) uses an electric control circuit 20 as described later as shown in FIG. Fixed sensor 231 as described above
and 23r to control the energization of the solenoids 91 and 9r of the electromagnetic directional control valves 81 and 8r connected as described above to the midpoints of the pressure oil pipes 71 and 7r, respectively. This electric control circuit 20 is coaxially fixed to the bearing 11a of the mission 11 as shown in FIG. 2, and is connected to a lead wire 27a.
A cylindrical member 27 made of an electrically insulating material on which a copper piece 27b of an appropriate width is attached on the outer peripheral surface, and a cylindrical member 27 of a mission 11.
b, a slip ring 28a and a bearing 11a fixed to the cylindrical member 27 so as to slide on it and provided on the ball punch 11b;
The external lead wire 2 is connected via the brush 28b etc. fixed to the
The copper piece 27b and the slider 28 of the pulse generator P configured using the combination with the slider 28 connected to the copper piece 27b and the slider 28 connected to the
Switching elements S configured as shown in FIG. 3 are connected as shown in FIG. That is, the excitation coils 261a and 26ra of the magnet relays 261 and 26r provided at appropriate parts of the combine are connected to the sensors 231 and 23r, respectively.
The normally open contacts 221 and 22r are connected in series, and the normally open contacts 22
1 and the excitation coil 261a, and two series circuits consisting of the normally open contact 22r and the excitation coil 26ra are connected in parallel, and one end of this parallel circuit is connected to a lead wire through the switching element S constituted by the copper piece 27b and the slider 28. 25b, and the other end is connected to the battery 25 and the lead wire 25a through an automatic manual switch 25S, and the normally open contacts 261 of the magnetic relays 261 and 26r
One end of each of the normally open contacts 261s and 26 is connected to the lead wire 25b, and the other ends of the normally open contacts 261s and 26 are connected to the lead wire 25a via the solenoids 91 and 9r. When using the present invention constructed as described above, the left and right side clutch levers 51, 5r are operated in advance so that the hydraulic pressure generated by the hydraulic pump 4 is transmitted to the left and right hydraulic cylinders 31, 3r as shown in the figure. and turn on the automatic/manual changeover switch 25S.

The product of the present invention travels straight along the crop rows 311, 31r, etc., but when the traveling direction is biased to the left (right) due to irregularities in the ground surface, it will eventually move to the far right (left) like a conventional automatic straight combine harvester.
Sensors 23r, 2 fixed to side grass boards 10r, 101
Detection villages 21r, 211 facing the left (right) direction of 31
is the rightmost (left) crop row 3 of the crop rows to be harvested.
It contacts the crops in 1r and 311 and rotates in the direction of the arrow, and the always open seeding points 22r and 221 close. On the other hand, the copper piece 27b and the slider 28 that constitute the switching element S repeatedly come into contact intermittently with the rotation of the mallet 11b of the mission 11, but in this case, the opening and closing operations performed by the switching element S are clear from its structure. As shown in FIG.
It changes depending on the traveling speed of the product of the present invention when r is included, as shown in Figures 4A and B for the traveling speeds of lw/sec (high-speed traveling) and 0.5 m/sec (low-speed traveling), respectively. , the closing time and the interval between closing times are inversely proportional to the speed of travel. In other words, magnet relay 26r, 2
The pulse width and pulse interval of the pulse signal for intermittently energizing and exciting 61 are inversely proportional to the traveling speed.

Also, the excitation coil 26r of the magnet relay 26r, 261
a, 261a is the switching element S and the normally open contact 22r
, 221 are connected in series between the lead wires 25a, 25b, the excitation coils 26ra, 261a are energized and excited only when both the switching element S and the normally open contacts 22r, 221 are in the closed state.

In other words, the switching element S opens and closes at intervals of about 0.4 seconds and closes for about 0.1 seconds in accordance with the speed of movement, as shown in FIG. 5A during high-speed movement. Therefore, when the normally open contacts 22r, 221 are connected to the closed state for a relatively long time compared to the closing time of the switching element S, as shown in FIG. Also, the excitation coils 26ra, 26
As shown in FIG. 5C, 1a is only intermittently and repeatedly energized and excited for a period of approximately 0.1 seconds during which both are closed. Therefore, since the normally open contacts 26rs and 261s of the magnetic relays 26r and 261 are closed for this time, the solenoids 9r and 91 connected in series with them are also energized and excited for the same time. When the solenoids 9r and 91 are energized, the electromagnetic directional control valves 8r and 81 are switched in the direction of the arrow.
Since the hydraulic pressure of the right (left) hydraulic cylinders 3r, 31 decreases, the right (left) side clutch 2r. 21 is removed, and as a result, in the product of the present invention, solenoids 9r and 91 are energized.
．． Change the traveling angle slightly to the right (left) for about 1 second.

After that, since the switching element S remains open for about 0.4 seconds, the product of the present invention continues to move forward in the direction of the changed advancing angle. As a result, when the product of the present invention advances along the crop rows 311, 31r, etc., the detection pestles 21r, 211 no longer come into contact with the crops in the crop rows 31r, 311, so that the switching element S Even in the closed state, the right (left) side clutches 2r, 21 do not disengage and the product of the present invention continues to move forward. On the other hand, if the detection pestle 21r, 211 is still in contact with the crop even after the opening time of the switching element S has elapsed after changing the advancing angle, the normally open contacts 22r, 221 and the switching element S are closed again. Since this results in a state in which both sides are closed, the product of the present invention changes the advancing angle slightly to the right (left) in the same manner as before, until the detection pestles 21r and 211 are released from applying to the crop. Since this process is repeated, the product of the present invention then moves straight along the crop rows 311, 31r, etc. That is, the product of the present invention intermittently disengages the left and right side clutches 21 or 2r to intermittently stop the drive of the left or right rubber crawler when the detection village 211 or 21r of the sensor 231 or 23r assists the crop. , and because this stopping time is short, the product of the present invention does not have the drawback of meandering due to excessive changes in the advancing angle, and stably automatically moves straight along the crop row.

In addition, when the invention is traveling at high speed, the above-mentioned course changes are made many times with the closing time being inversely proportional to the traveling speed, and only for a short time corresponding to the closing time, which is also inversely proportional to the traveling speed. On the other hand, when traveling at a low speed, the product changes course a small number of times over a long period of time, so the product of the present invention moves forward while changing course so as to draw the same trajectory regardless of its traveling speed. Automatic straight-ahead control is more desirable.

Note that, as is clear from the above description, the electric control circuit 20 is not limited to the above embodiment, and when the normally open contacts 221 and 22r are closed, the solenoid 91,
9r is configured to be energized and excited, and generally the sixth
As shown in the block diagram in FIG. cylindrical member 27,
The switching element S whose opening/closing is controlled by the slider 28) and the normally open contacts 221 and 22r of the sensors 231 and 23r are connected to the logical product circuits L1 and Lr (in the above embodiment, the switching element S and the normally open contacts 221 and 22r of the sensors 231 and 23r are It may be represented by a circuit diagram configuring a series circuit of the open contact 221 and a series circuit of the switching element S and the normally open contact 22r.
The logic neck circuits L1 and Lr are used by being connected directly to the solenoids 91 and 9r or to an appropriate auxiliary relay such as the magnetic relays 261 and 26r connected to the solenoids 91 and 9r as in the above embodiment.

In addition, the AND circuits L1 and Lr are used not only to control the engagement and disengagement of the left and right side clutches 21 and 2r as described above, but also to control the engagement and disengagement of the left and right brakes 121 and 12r.
The left (right) moves when the side clutches 21, 2r are engaged/disengaged.
It is also possible to configure the brakes 121, 12r to engage/disengage in the opposite manner, and in this case, when the left (right) side clutches 21, 2r are disengaged, the left (right) drive theory 11, 1r' is immediately controlled, which has the advantage that the course can be corrected quickly.

In short, the product of the present invention is the detection punch 21 of the sensors 231, 23r.
If the 1,21r hits a crop and needs to change its course, when traveling at high speed, the course will be changed many times in a relatively short period of time, and when traveling at low speed, it will take a relatively long time. Since the machine changes its course over a small number of times over a long period of time, it does not repeatedly meander due to excessive course changes, and can automatically move straight along the crop row to draw a constant trajectory even when the speed changes. The present invention has excellent effects such as:

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the invention product together with a grass divider plate, etc., FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a pulse generator, and FIG. 3 is an electrical A circuit diagram of the control circuit, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the open/close states of the switching elements controlled by the pulse generator, and FIGS. 5A, B, and C.
are explanatory diagrams showing the open/close states of the normally open contacts of the pulse generator and sensor, and the excitation state of the magnet relay, respectively; Figure 6 is a block diagram of the electrical control system; The hydraulic circuit diagram of the straight-travel combine, and FIG. 8 is the electrical circuit diagram of the control box. 11, lr... Drive theory, 21, 2r... Side clutch, 31, 3r... Hydraulic cylinder, 4.
...Hydraulic pump, 51,5r...Side clutch lever, 61,6r...2nd hawk switching valve,
71,7r...pressure oil pipe, 81,8r...
・Solenoid directional control valve, 91, 9r... Solenoid, 10... Grass dividing plate, 11... Mission, 12
1,12r...brake, 20...electric control circuit, 21 1,21r...detection village, 221,2
2r... Normally open contact, 231, 23r.・・・．・
・Sensor, P... Pulse generator, S...
・Switching element, U, Lr...AND circuit. Hair diagram 2 Figure 3 Figure 3 Hair S diagram Figure 6 Figure 8 Hair Wa diagram

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Switching control of an electromagnetic directional control valve installed in the middle of a pressure oil pipe that communicates with a hydraulic cylinder that is to open and close a side clutch using a sensor that is installed in the branch and has a contact that is activated by the rotation of a detection rod. In a combine harvester capable of automatically moving straight along a crop row, a pulse generator and a pulse generator are installed at appropriate parts of the combine, and the pulse generator generates a pulse signal whose pulse width and pulse interval are inversely proportional to the traveling speed of the combine. A switching element controlled by the sensor is provided, and the contact of the sensor and the switching element constitute an AND circuit, and the AND circuit is connected to control energization to the solenoid of the electromagnetic directional control valve. An automatic straight-travel combine harvester characterized by: