JPH088805B2 - Onion harvesting machine - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a self-propelled onion harvester that harvests each onion in a plurality of rows of onions in one stroke.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as a self-propelled onion harvester of this type, for example, front wheels are provided on the front left and right portions of the main body, and crawlers are provided on the rear left and right portions of the main body so that the rear of the left and right front wheels is provided. A digging body for digging each onion of a plurality of onion rows is provided between the parts, and a conveyor device and a foliar treatment device for cutting the foliage of the onion are sequentially connected to the rear part of the digging body, and the foliage is 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a structure in which a transverse conveyor is connected to the rear part of a processing device.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the onion harvesting machine having the above-mentioned configuration, the onion is digging each onion of a plurality of onion rows while the vehicle is traveling along the plurality of onion rows. In addition to the necessity of increasing the length in the front-rear direction, due to the weakness of the running belt in the field, the running direction of the left and right front wheels tends to shift to the left and right, and the aircraft can run stably along multiple onion rows. However, there is a problem that it takes a lot of time to steer the left and right front wheels.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of such problems, and enables the machine to automatically follow a plurality of rows of onion rows, which can greatly reduce the operator's burden. Is capable of stably traveling along a row of onions, and can reliably dig and harvest each row of onions without damaging the onion on the side or crushing it by trampling pressure. It is intended.

(Means for Solving the Problem) The onion harvesting machine of the present invention is a digging body for rotatably mounting front wheels to the left and right and digging a plurality of onions located between the rear parts of the left and right front wheels. In a self-propelled onion harvesting machine provided with, the left and right to detect the position of each onion in one row of the row of onions that is arranged in the front part of the front, rear, left and right front wheels A pair of onion detection sensors,
A front wheel steering cylinder that simultaneously steers the left and right front wheels in the same left and right direction, and a shift in the traveling direction of the left and right front wheels is detected by the pair of left and right onion detection sensors, and the left and right front wheels are corrected by this detection data. A traveling direction control device for controlling the operation of the front wheel steering cylinder so as to determine the steering angle and correctively steer the left and right front wheels in the left and right directions, and the pair of left and right onion detection sensors are provided vertically. And an elastic contact plate for advancing the left and right sides of the onion slidably attached to the lower end portions of the left and right detection rods via vertically movable arms. The left and right elastic contact plates are arranged in a substantially V-shape in plan view with the front side portion being expanded and inclined.

(Operation) In the onion harvesting machine of the present invention, the pair of left and right onion detection sensors progresses so as to sequentially sandwich each onion in the reference detection row, and when the pair of left and right onion detection sensors is operated by this onion, the detection is performed. Deviations in the traveling direction of the left and right front wheels with respect to the multiple rows of onion rows, that is, positional deviations of the machine body are detected from the angle difference.

Further, the traveling direction control device is actuated by the detection data from the pair of left and right onion detection sensors, and the traveling steering direction control device determines the corrected steering angles of the left and right front wheels and outputs the corrected steering angles to the front wheel steering cylinder. The left and right front wheels are corrected and steered in the left and right direction by the operation of the front wheel steering cylinder.

Therefore, the displacement of the machine body with respect to a plurality of onion rows is automatically corrected, and the digging body of the machine body is installed at the optimum digging position. Then, each onion of a plurality of onion rows is sequentially dug by the mining body.

In this case, the pair of left and right onion detection sensors has a plan view substantially V
The onion of the reference detection row is sequentially introduced between the left and right elastic contact plates, and the left and right elastic contact plates slide on the left and right sides of the onion and are pushed in the left and right direction by the onion. Each detection rod is rotated around the axis via
This rotation angle is output to the traveling direction control device as detection data.

At this time, since the left and right elastic sliding contact plates are attached to the vertically movable arm, it is possible to reliably slide on the left and right sides of the onion without damaging the onion, and the position and height difference of the onion. Can be fully accommodated.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a harvester body, and a crawler 2 is provided on the lower side of the harvester body 1,
The crawler 2 is driven by an engine 3 mounted on the front upper part of the harvester main body 1.
Further, a conveyor device 6 is movably connected to a front side portion of the harvester main body 1 via upper, lower, left and right supporting arms 4 by an elevating mechanism (not shown).

In addition, a foliage processing device 8 and a lateral feed conveyor 9 are connected in series in the front and rear at the rear part of the support frame 7 standing upright on the left and right of the middle upper part of the harvester main body 1. Further, a chute body 10 for guiding a large number of onions a carried out from the carry-out part of the conveyor device 6 to the carry-in part of the foliage processing device 8 is provided between the upper portions of the left and right support frames 7 while being inclined rearward and downward. Has been.

Next, the conveyor device 6 has a conveyor frame 11 supported by the upper, lower, left and right support arms 4 and 5, and a front side portion of the conveyor frame 11 is used for digging a plurality of onion rows of onion a. A rear transport conveyor 13 for transporting the body 12 and a plurality of rows of onions a rearward is continuously provided so as to incline backward and upward in the front and rear direction, and the carry-in portion of the conveyor frame 11 is provided at the rear side of the rear transport conveyor 13. A lifting conveyor (14) facing the carry-out section is continuously provided while being inclined rearward and upward, and an upper carrying-out section of the lifting conveyor (14) is arranged so as to face the chute body (10). The rear conveyor 13 and the lifting conveyor 14 are rotated clockwise in FIG. 1 by an output from the engine 3 via an interlocking medium (not shown).

Further, on the upper front side of the conveyor frame 11, there are provided a large number of scraping pieces 15a for scraping the onion a dug by the digging body 12 onto the rear transport conveyor 13, and the onion a on the rear transport conveyor 13 is provided. The scraping conveyor 15 that rotates while supporting the scraping pieces 15a by
The scraping conveyor 15 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 1 by the output from the engine 3 through an interlocking medium (not shown) and is at the same speed as the rear transfer conveyor 13. It is supposed to go around in.

Further, support arms 16 are provided so as to project in parallel from the front left and right parts of the conveyor frame 11 to the front part, and a connecting frame 17 is fixed between the front end parts of the left and right supporting arms 16, and both end front parts of the connecting frame 17 are fixed. A vertical column-shaped column holder 18 is projectingly provided on the. Further, the upper part of the columnar pillar 19 is rotatably inserted into the left and right pillar holders 18, and the front wheel 22 is attached to the wheel holder 20 fixed to the lower ends of the left and right pillars 19 via the axle 21. It is rotatably mounted. Further, the left and right column holders 18 have the columns 19
A steering angle detection sensor 46 for detecting the steering angle of the front wheels 22 by the rotation of is attached.

Further, an interlocking piece 23 is projectingly provided at the upper rear portion of the left and right struts 19, and an interlocking plate is provided between the left and right interlocking pieces 23 via a support shaft 24.
25 is rotatably supported. Further, an operating piece 27 is rotatably supported by a middle portion of the interlocking plate 25 via a support shaft 26, and one end portion of the operating piece 27 is provided with a support projecting from an intermediate front portion of the connecting frame 17. A piece 28 is rotatably supported by a base shaft 29, and the front wheel steering cylinder is attached to the other end of the operating piece 27.
The tip portion of the piston rod 31 of 30 is rotatably supported by the support shaft 32, and the cylinder body of the front wheel steering cylinder 30.
A base end portion of 33 is pivotally mounted on the connecting frame 17 by a mounting shaft 34.

Further, a bracket 36 of a mounting arm 35 protruding forward is attached to one side portion of the connecting frame 17 so as to be positionally adjustable in the left-right and up-down directions, and a mounting plate 37 is fixed to a tip portion of the mounting arm 35. There is. Further, a pair of left and right onion detection sensors for detecting the position of the onion a on the left and right parts of the mounting plate 37.
38 is attached.

The left and right onion detection sensors 38 each have a vertically adjustable rotation-adjustable detection rod 39, and the lower end portion of the detection rod 39 has an upper end portion of an arm 40 formed in a substantially L shape. Support shaft
An elastic contact plate 42, such as a rubber plate long in the front-rear direction, which is rotatably supported in the vertical direction at 41, and which contacts the left and right side parts of the cultivated onion a on the lower side parts of the left and right arms 40. The top of is stuck. Further, the extension part 43 protruding forward from the upper end of the left and right arms 40 and the mounting plate.
Coil springs 45 are stretched between the left and right portions of 37 and the projecting pieces 44 projecting forward.

The left and right coil springs 45 support the spindle.
The left and right arms 40 are elastically held up and down at a predetermined setting position around the center 41, and the distance between the elastic contact plates 42 of the left and right arms 40 is widened and inclined toward the front side in the traveling direction, The rear side is set to have a substantially V-shape in a plan view with the diameter reduced and inclined. Further, the left and right elastic contact plates 42 are provided on the left and right detection rods 39 depending on the cultivation condition of the onion a and the digging work condition.
Thus, both or one of them can be variably adjusted and set.

Next, a driver's cab 47 having a driver's seat at the rear is integrally provided on one front side of the harvester main body 1, that is, on the right front side in the traveling direction, and an operation panel is provided on the upper front side of the cab 47.
48 is provided, and the left and right front wheels 22 are provided on the operation panel 48.
A front wheel operating lever 49 for manually steering the traveling direction of the vehicle and a traveling direction control device 50 are provided. In this traveling direction control device 50, an input isolator 52 and an output isolator 53 are connected to the control device 51, a switch mechanism 54 and an A / D converter 55 are connected, and the input isolator 52 has an automatic changeover switch. A manual selector switch and a manual lever switch are connected. Further, the front wheel steering cylinder 30 is connected to the output isolator 53 through a solenoid valve 56, and the switch mechanism 54 further includes left and right onion detection sensors 38 for detecting left and right side portions of the onions a, A steering angle detection sensor 46 for detecting the steering angle of the left and right front wheels 22 and a ridge matching dial are connected, and the switch mechanism 54 is provided with the A / D converter 5
Connected to 5.

Next, the foliage processing device 8 is designed to remove the foliage while transporting the onion a backward, and is constituted by a plurality of foliage treatment roller groups 60 each of which has a pair.
The pair of foliage treatment rollers 61 of each set are laid side by side so as to be rotatable inward in mutually opposite directions. And
The onion is carried in from the carry-out end of the foliage processing roller group 60 to the carry-in part of the lateral feed conveyor 9.

 Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

In the harvesting work for simultaneously harvesting 4 or 5 rows of onion a, for example, 4 rows in one stroke, for example, when the second row of onions on the left side in the traveling direction is used as the reference detection row, the position of this reference detection row The position of the mounting arm 35 with respect to the connecting frame 17 is set in accordance with the above, and the elastic contact plate 42 whose front side portion in the onion detection sensors 38 on the left and right of the mounting arm 35 is expanded and slanted is used as the second reference detection. The first onion in the row is set to the position where it advances while sandwiching it from the left and right. Further, the front wheels 22 on the left and right are oriented so as to go straight in the traveling direction.

Next, when the power is turned on, the left and right onion detection sensors 38 in the set state and the left and right front wheels 22 in the set state.
The steering angle detection sensor 46 is initialized and the set value is stored in the control device 51. Also, the left and right front wheels
When the steering angle of 22 is set and the ridge adjusting dial is initialized, this set value is stored in the control device 51. In addition, when the digging body 12 of the machine is arranged at the optimum digging position, if a deviation occurs between the reference detection row of the second onion a and the positions of the left and right onion detection sensors 38, The dosing dial is rotated to correct its relative position.

Further, either the automatic changeover switch or the manual changeover switch is selected, and the output signal of either the automatic running or the manual running is inputted to the input isolator 52 by the operation of the selected changeover switch, and this input signal is inputted to the input isolator. The data is output from 52 to the control device 51 and stored in the control device 51.

Next, when the engine 3 is started, the crawler 2 is driven to advance the machine, and the output from the engine 3 causes the rear conveyor 13 and the lifting conveyor 14 to rotate clockwise in FIG. The conveyor 15 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 1, and the foliage treatment rollers 61 of each pair of the foliage treatment device 8 are rotated inward in the opposite directions. 9 is turned outward on one side in the traveling direction.

And as the machine progresses, left and right onion detection sensors
The left and right elastic contact plates 42 facing each other at substantially the same inclination angle of 38 are 2
Although the left and right parts of each onion a of the reference detection row of the strips are slidably contacted while proceeding, the respective onions a of the reference detection row of the second strip are directed in the traveling direction without shifting in the left-right direction. Cultivated linearly, the elastic contact plates 42 of the left and right onion detection sensors 38 advance along this reference detection row, and when the machine goes straight, the left and right elastic contact plates
Left and right elastic contact plates 42 without changing the inclination angle difference of 42
Travels while sequentially sliding on both sides of each onion a, and the left and right front wheels 22 continue straight ahead without turning left and right.

Further, when there is a missing portion in each onion a of the second reference detection row, the angle difference between the left and right elastic contact plates 42 does not change, so the left and right onion detection sensors 38 are It is determined that there is no displacement of position a, and the vehicle advances. Therefore, the left and right front wheels 22 continue straight ahead. In this case, the left and right elastic contact plates 42 move up and down around the support shaft 41 against the coil spring 55 depending on each onion a of the reference detection row and the ground to respond to changes in the detection position of each onion a and the like. Follow. Further, since the left and right contact plates 42 have elasticity, it is possible to cope with the height difference of the detection position and the position change.

When the front wheels 22 on the left and right run straight and guide the machine straight, the excavation body 12 sequentially digs each onion a for four rows, and each onion a in each row is moved by the scraping conveyor 15. Sequentially loaded onto the rear transport conveyor 13, the soil is shaken down by the rear transport conveyor 13 and transported to the rear, and sequentially loaded into the loading section of the lifting conveyor 14 from the unloading end portion of the rear portion. Further, each onion a carried into the lifting conveyor 14 is carried to the upper rear and carried to the carrying-in section of the foliage processing device 8 via the chute body 10 from the carrying-out end of the rear upper part thereof. Further, the onions a carried into the foliage processing device 8 are dispersed by each pair of foliage processing rollers 61 which are rotated inward with respect to each other, and while being conveyed rearward, the pair of foliage processing rollers 61. The foliage is gradually interposed between them to perform a cutting process, and the onions a after the foliage removal are sequentially carried into the lateral feed conveyor 9 and laterally conveyed and carried out by the lateral feed conveyor 9.
In addition, the foliage of each onion a may be aligned downward by the foliage treatment device 8 and cut by a cutter at this carry-out end, and any method may be used for cutting the foliage. Good.

In this way, the left and right onion detection sensors 38 detect the respective onions a in the reference detection row of the second row, and the left and right front wheels 22 travel straight, so that the four onions for each row are surely excavated without damage. Harvested.

Next, when the machine advances with respect to the second reference detection row in the left-right direction of the traveling direction, the onion detection sensors 38 on the left and right are activated by the onion a of the reference detection row to cause the positional deviation. Upon detection, the left and right front wheels 22 are steered to automatically correct the travel angle, and the four onions a are harvested without damage.

That is, the left and right onion detection sensors 38 advance along the second reference detection row, and when the machine advances, it is selected whether or not the steering angle of the left and right front wheels 22 is manually operated. Then, when automatic operation is selected without selecting manual operation, when the machine shifts to either the left or right side in the traveling direction, the elastic contact plate 42 that slides on the onion a of the reference detection row is used. Left and right onion detection sensor 38
The detection rods 39 are automatically rotated, the rotation angles of the left and right detection rods 39 are converted into detection signals, and the detection signals are input to the A / D converter 55 via the switch mechanism 54. A / D conversion is performed, and this detection data is input to the control device 51. When the machine shifts to either the left or right side in the traveling direction, the turning angle of the pillar 19 of the left and right front wheels 22 is detected by the steering angle detection sensor 46 of the front wheel 22, and this detection signal is sent to the switch mechanism. The detected data is input to the A / D converter 55 via A and is A / D converted, and the detection data is input to the control device 51. Further, the control device 51 stores the detection data detected by the left and right onion detection sensors 38 and the detection data detected by the steering angle detection sensor 46, respectively,
The control device 51 calculates the average value of each of the left and right detection data and compares the left and right average values. Then, this average value is the onion detection sensor 38 on the right side in the traveling direction.
If the value of the onion detection sensor 38 on the left side of the traveling direction is equal to or larger than the value of the machine, move the machine from the right side to the left side, and if the value of the onion detection sensor 38 on the right side of the traveling direction is larger than the value of the onion detection sensor 38 on the left side of the traveling direction. Determines the steering angle so as to correct the machine from the left side to the right side, and further corrects the ridge adjustment dial values to finally determine the steering angles of the left and right front wheels 22. When the steering angle is determined, the correction value of the steering angle is input to the output isolator 53, and the output signal from the output isolator 53 activates the solenoid valve 56 and the front wheel steering cylinder 30. The piston rod 31 is expanded and contracted by a considerable amount of the correction value. Further, when the piston rod 31 is expanded and contracted, the operating piece 27 is horizontally rotated about the base shaft 29, and the operating piece 27 is also rotated.
The interlocking plate 25 axially attached via the support shaft 26 is interlocked with one side of the correction direction in the left-right direction, and the supporting columns 19 are rotated by the interlocking pieces 23 at both ends of the interlocking plate 25. The left and right front wheels 22 are rotated in the correction direction through the wheel holders 20 to automatically correct the steering angle, and the left and right front wheels 22 are returned to the origin set state and traveled. Therefore, when the machine is displaced to the left in the traveling direction, the steering angles of the left and right front wheels 22 are automatically corrected to the right side, and when the machine is displaced to the right in the traveling direction, the left and right wheels are adjusted. The steering angle of the front wheels 22 is automatically corrected to the left.

Further, during automatic traveling in which the traveling angles of the left and right front wheels 22 are automatically corrected, when the manual lever switch is turned on, the input isolator 52 is operated and the output signal from the input isolator 52 is controlled by the control device.
It is stored in 51, and manual operation traveling by the front wheel operation lever 49 can be prioritized over automatic traveling.

Further, when the manual operation is selected for correcting the steering angles of the left and right front wheels 22, it is selected whether or not the front wheel operation lever 49 is operated to the right, and when the operation to the right is selected, the left and right front wheels 22 are selected.
Will be steered to the right and will be operated to the left again.
When the operation to the left is selected, the left and right front wheels 22 are steered to the left, so that the steering angle of the left and right front wheels 22 is manually corrected to the right or left.

Thus, when the onions a in each row are not cultivated linearly at equal intervals over the entire length and partially have curved portions, the steering angle of the left and right front wheels 22 is partially corrected by manually operating. Onion a is mined and harvested without damage.

Next, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the elastic contact plates 42 of the left and right onion detection sensors 38 are set to have a substantially V shape in a plan view and the row of four rows of onion is dug and harvested every four rows has been described.
Not limited to this, for example, 4 rows of onion rows may be mined and harvested every 5 rows. In this case, when the distance between the first and second rows changes for each stroke, the digging body 12 of this machine is placed at the optimum digging position, and the reference detection row of the onion a of the second row and the left and right sides are set. If there is a deviation from the position of the onion detection sensor 38, the ridge adjusting dial is rotated to correct the related position, or the mounting arm for the connecting frame 17 is attached.
The mounting position of 35 is adjusted and set, or one or both of the left and right onion detection sensors 38 elastic contact plates 42
The onion angle of the second row is set by adjusting the tilt angle of
To be able to detect the position of.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, the left and right front wheels can be automatically corrected and steered by reliably detecting the deviation of the left and right front wheels in the traveling direction so that the machine advances along a plurality of rows of onion rows, and The machine can automatically follow the multiple rows of onions, so that the machine can run stably along the multiple rows of onions and damage the side onions along the front wheels. It is possible to surely dig and harvest each of a plurality of onions without being crushed by pedaling, and the left and right front wheels are not visually steered, so that the operator's injury can be greatly reduced.

At this time, since the left and right elastic contact plates of the pair of left and right onion detection sensors for detecting the position of each onion are arranged in a substantially V shape in a plan view, each onion is reliably attracted between the left and right elastic contact plates. The onset can be reliably detected by sandwiching the onion from the outside, and each onion is not damaged by the elastic action of the left and right elastic contact plates during this detection. Since the elastic contact plates of are not operated and there is no displacement, they continue to run, and since the left and right elastic contact plates are attached to the vertically movable arm,
It is possible to detect and travel sufficiently corresponding to a change in height difference of the detection position of each onion.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a side view of an onion harvester, FIG. 2 is a plan view in the direction of the arrow of the same, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG. 2, FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the traveling direction control device, and FIG. 7 is a flow chart. FIG. 8 is a front wheel steering angle determination flow chart, FIG. 9 is a front wheel manual operation flow chart, FIG. 10 (A) is an explanatory view of a straight traveling state of the machine, and FIG. 10 (B) is a case where the machine is displaced to the left side. FIG. 10C is an explanatory diagram for correcting the steering angles of the left and right front wheels to the right side, and FIG. 10C is an explanatory diagram for correcting the steering angles of the left and right front wheels to the left side when the machine shifts to the right side. 12 …… excavated body, 22 …… front wheel, 30 …… front wheel steering cylinder, 38 …… onion detection sensor, 39 …… detection rod, 40 …… arm, 42 …… elastic contact plate, 50 …… traveling direction control Device, a
……onion.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A self-propelled onion harvester having front wheels rotatably mounted on the left and right and having a digging body located between the rear parts of the left and right front wheels to dig a plurality of onions. A pair of left and right onion detection sensors for detecting the position of each onion in the reference detection row and one row of the plurality of rows of onion rows arranged at the front of the left and right front wheels, and the left and right front wheels At the same time, the front wheel steering cylinder that steers in the left and right directions in the same direction, and the pair of left and right onion detection sensors detect a deviation in the traveling direction of the left and right front wheels, and the corrected steering angle of the left and right front wheels is determined by this detection data. A traveling direction control device for controlling the operation of the front wheel steering cylinder so as to correctively steer the left and right front wheels in the left and right directions, and the pair of left and right onion detection sensors are vertically arranged rotations. It has adjustable detection rods, and the lower ends of the left and right detection rods are fitted with elastic contact plates that slide on the left and right sides of the onion via vertically movable arms, and the left and right elasticity The onion harvester is characterized in that the contact plate is arranged in a substantially V-shape in plan view with the front side expanded and inclined.