Machine for harvesting fodder

Abstract

A machine for the harvesting of plants, movable in a direction of advance, comprises an arm movable between work and transport configurations, a tool comprising lateral ends and being able to occupy a work position and another position, a connecting device via which the tool is connected to the arm and enabling a first movement of the tool relative to the arm, during which the lateral ends move vertically relative to the arm in the same vertical direction relative thereto, the connecting device comprising means making it possible to operate a second transverse and horizontal movement of the tool relative to the arm and making it possible to operate this second movement independently of the first movement. The connecting device comprises an arm oriented in the direction of advance when the support arm is in the work configuration, this arm is articulated on the support arm about a first transverse and horizontal axis when the support arm is in the work configuration, and this arm can, by pivoting about the first axis, move vertically relative to the support arm in the work configuration.

1 . An agricultural machine for the harvesting of plants, said machine being movable in a direction of advance and comprising:
 a chassis,   at least one support arm articulated on the chassis and movable with respect to the chassis between a work configuration in which the support arm extends laterally with respect to the chassis, and a transport configuration in which the support arm is folded such that its overall dimension perpendicularly to the direction of advance is reduced,   at least one work tool comprising an inner lateral end and an outer lateral end, and being able to occupy at least one work position in which the work tool acts on plants lying on the ground, and at least another position,   a connecting device, with which a frame of the work tool is connected to the support arm, said connecting device allowing, at least when the support arm is in the work configuration, a first movement of the work tool with respect to the support arm during which the inner lateral end and the outer lateral end of the work tool move vertically with respect to the support arm and in the same vertical direction with respect thereto, this connecting device allowing a second movement of the work tool to be operated with respect to the support arm, this second movement being transverse to the direction of advance and substantially horizontal considering the support arm in the work configuration, and this second movement being allowed to be operated independently of the first movement of the work tool with respect to the support arm,   wherein the connecting device comprises at least one arm oriented essentially in the direction of advance when the support arm is in the work configuration, this arm is articulated on the support arm about a first axis which is oriented transversely to the direction of advance and substantially horizontally when the support arm is in the work configuration, and this arm can, by pivoting about this first axis, move vertically with respect to the support arm in the work configuration, such that the work tool can move vertically with respect to the support arm.   
     
     
         2 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the arm is articulated on the support arm and on the frame of the work tool about respective first axes which are oriented transversely to the direction of advance and substantially horizontally when the support arm is in the work configuration, and this arm can, by pivoting about at least one of these first axes, move vertically with respect to the support arm in work configuration, such that the work tool can move vertically with respect to the said support arm. 
     
     
         3 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting device comprises means for operating the second movement of the work tool with respect to the support arm, said means for operating second movement independently of the first movement of the work tool with respect to the support arm, the means for operating comprise a second axis oriented substantially perpendicularly to the first axis and, in the work configuration of the support arm, substantially vertically, and the arm is articulated on the support arm about this second axis. 
     
     
         4 . The machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the means for operating comprise second axes oriented substantially perpendicularly to the first axis and, in the work configuration of the support arm, substantially vertically, and the arm is articulated on the support arm and on the frame of the work tool about these two respective second axes. 
     
     
         5 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting device comprises two arms distant from one another and not connected to one another. 
     
     
         6 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting device comprises a connecting element articulated on the support arm about a first connecting axis oriented transversely to the direction of advance and substantially horizontally when the support arm is in the work configuration, and the connecting element can, by pivoting about this first connecting axis, move vertically with respect to the support arm in the work configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The machine according to  claim 6 , wherein the connecting element is articulated on the support arm and on the frame of the work tool about first respective connecting axes oriented transversely to the direction of advance and substantially horizontally when the support arm is in the work configuration, and the connecting element can, by pivoting about at least one of these first connecting axes, move vertically with respect to the support arm in the work configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The machine according to  claim 6 , wherein the connecting device comprises means for operating the second movement of the work tool with respect to the support arm, said means for operating said second movement independently of the first movement of the work tool with respect to the support arm, the means for operating comprise a second connecting axis oriented substantially perpendicularly to the first connecting axis and, in the work configuration of the support arm, substantially vertically, and the connecting element is articulated on the support arm about this second connecting axis. 
     
     
         9 . The machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the means for operating comprise second connecting axes oriented substantially perpendicularly to the first connecting axis and, in the work configuration of the support arm, substantially vertically, and the connecting element is articulated on the support arm and on the frame of the work tool about these respective second connecting axes. 
     
     
         10 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting device comprises means for operating the second movement of the work tool with respect to the support arm, said means said second movement independently of the first movement of the work tool with respect to the support arm, the means for operating comprise a first actuator to move the work tool with respect to the support arm, transversely to the direction of advance, between a first transverse position with respect to the support arm, in which the inner lateral end of the work tool is brought closer to a first median vertical plane of the chassis, and a second transverse position with respect to the support arm, in which this said inner lateral end is distanced from this first median vertical plane. 
     
     
         11 . The machine according to  claim 10 , wherein the work tool can occupy a first work position obtained by the positioning of the support arm in the work configuration and by the positioning of the work tool in the first transverse position with respect to the support arm, and in said first work position, the inner lateral end of the work tool is situated substantially in the first median vertical plane of the chassis. 
     
     
         12 . The machine according to  claim 10 , wherein the work tool can occupy a second work position obtained by the positioning of the support arm in the work configuration and by the positioning of the work tool in the second transverse position with respect to the support arm. 
     
     
         13 . The machine according to  claim 10 , wherein the first actuator connects two elements from among the arm, the connecting device and the frame of the work tool. 
     
     
         14 . The machine according to  claim 5 , wherein the work tool comprises a second median vertical plane situated equidistant from the inner and outer lateral ends, an arm is situated between the inner lateral end and the second median vertical plane, and the other arm is situated between the second median vertical plane and the outer lateral end. 
     
     
         15 . The machine according to  claim 6 , wherein the connecting element comprises a rod. 
     
     
         16 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting element and at least one of the arms are situated in respective planes which are vertically distant one from the other when the support arm is in the work configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one second actuator connects two elements from among the support arm, the connecting device and the frame of the work tool, the second actuator being configured to operate a movement of the work tool with respect to the support arm towards at least one raised position of the work tool with respect to the support arm, in which the work tool is distant from the ground, and said movement comprises a vertical component. 
     
     
         18 . The machine according to  claim 17 , wherein in the work configuration of the support arm and in the raised position of the work tool with respect to the support arm, the inner and outer lateral ends of the work tool are situated substantially at the same height above the ground. 
     
     
         19 . The machine according to  claim 17 , wherein in the work configuration of the support arm and in the raised position of the work tool with respect to the support arm, the work tool extends substantially perpendicularly to the direction of advance. 
     
     
         20 . The machine according to  claim 17 , wherein the second actuator is configured to move the work tool, with respect to the support arm, from the work position of the work tool towards the raised position of the work tool with respect to the support arm. 
     
     
         21 . The machine according to  claim 10 , wherein the work tool can occupy a first raised position with respect to the support arm obtained by the transverse positioning of the work tool in the first transverse position with respect to the support arm. 
     
     
         22 . The machine according to  claim 10 , wherein the work tool can occupy a second raised position with respect to the support arm obtained by the transverse positioning of the work tool in the second transverse position with respect to the support arm. 
     
     
         23 . The machine according to  claim 21 , wherein the work tool can occupy the first and second raised positions with respect to the support arm when the latter is in the work configuration. 
     
     
         24 . The machine according to  claim 17 , wherein the second actuator allows for lightening of the work tool on the ground. 
     
     
         25 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the work tool extends, in its work position, essentially in a substantially horizontal plane, the work tool is movable between this work position and a transport position, in which the work tool extends essentially in a plane substantially parallel to the direction of advance, and a third actuator arranged between the support arm and the chassis being configured to operate a movement of the support arm, with respect to the chassis, towards an intermediate configuration with respect to the chassis, situated between the work configuration and the transport configuration. 
     
     
         26 . The machine according to  claim 25 , wherein in the intermediate configuration of the support arm, an outer end of the support arm is situated at a greater height above the ground than an inner end. 
     
     
         27 . The machine according to  claim 17 , wherein the work tool can occupy the at least one raised position with respect to the support arm when the latter is in the intermediate configuration. 
     
     
         28 . The machine according to  claim 27 , wherein in the at least one raised position of the work tool with respect to the support arm in the intermediate configuration, the outer lateral end of the work tool is situated at a greater height above the ground than the inner lateral end. 
     
     
         29 . The machine according to  claim 25 , wherein the inner lateral end of the work tool is situated at a greater height above the ground in the intermediate configuration of the support arm than in the work configuration of the support arm with respect to the chassis. 
     
     
         30 . The machine according to  claim 25 , wherein in the intermediate configuration of the support arm with respect to the chassis, the work tool extends in an oblique manner with respect to a vertical plane perpendicular to the direction of advance. 
     
     
         31 . The machine according to  claim 21 , wherein the work tool can occupy the first and second raised positions with respect to the support arm when this latter is in the intermediate configuration. 
     
     
         32 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the support arm is moved from its work configuration towards its transport configuration by pivoting upwards and towards the rear with respect to the chassis. 
     
     
         33 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein it comprises further comprising two work tools each articulated on the chassis by means of with a respective support arm situated on a respective side of the chassis. 
     
     
         34 . The machine according to  claim 10 , wherein when each support arm is in its respective work configuration and at least one of the work tools is in the second transverse position with respect to the corresponding support arm, the inner lateral ends of these work tools are distinctly spaced from one another perpendicularly to the direction of advance, and, when each support arm is in its respective work configuration and each work tool is in the first transverse position with respect to the corresponding support arm, the inner lateral ends of these work tools are juxtaposed. 
     
     
         35 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the frame of the work tool supports a pick-up device comprising on one hand a rotor being able to be driven about a rotation axis transverse to the direction of advance, and on another hand teeth with teeth points which describe a curved envelope when the teeth are driven, and the frame supports a displacement device situated at the rear of the pick-up device and which can be driven for moving the plants transversely to the direction of advance.