GB2176145A

GB2176145A - Lump peat cutting and extrusion machine

Info

Publication number: GB2176145A
Application number: GB08611139A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Reino Merilainen
Original assignee: Suokone Oy
Current assignee: Suokone Oy
Priority date: 1985-05-17
Filing date: 1986-05-07
Publication date: 1986-12-17
Also published as: SE8601987D0; GB8611139D0; FI851987A0; FI851987L; SE8601987L

Abstract

The machine comprises a lifting member (1), preferably an excavation drum (1a) provided with knife-like shares (1b), which transports the peat detached from the peat field, directed to a separate peat press (2) without the need of any separate conveyor screw or other equivalent conveyor means serving to transport the peat to the press. The peat press (2) consists of a plurality of press elements each comprising a rotating press drum (9) with a plurality of rows of cams (9b). The cams (9b) press the peat ahead of themselves into nozzle tubes (8), each against the resistance of a closing plate (17) which is intermittently displaced into a closing position by spring means (18c), and out of the closing position, to permit passage of a cam (9b), either by the cam (9b) or by independent means (18). The peat is discharged from the tubes (8) in the form of lump peat out onto the peat field. The lower part of the peat press (2) is provided with an adjustable bottom plate (16). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Lump peat machine The present invention concerns a lump peat machine comprising a lifting member cutting peat loose and lifting it, preferably an excavation drum provided with knife-like shares; and a peat press; and a frame.

In lump peat machines conforming to the state of art, peat is lifted from the peat field with a means cutting and lifting peat, and said lifted peat is usually transported by a separate screw to a press head, where it is shaped into peat briquettes.

The drawback of the designs of prior art is specifically the necessity to perform several different, time-consuming operations. The object of the invention now is a lump peat machine in.which the excavation member is a rotating unitary drum provided with knife-like shares and dimensioned to span nearly the entire width of the machine, this drum being mounted fixedly in relation to the frame. The raw peat that has been cut out from the space between the drum and the frame of the machine is flung by centrifugal action directly to the peat press section, this section further consisting of one or several unitary peat press elements disposed in parallel and mounted fixedly in relation to each other and to the rest of the machine frame.

The press drums of the press elements are interconnected.

Each press element has a closing plate. For accomplishing the reciprocating action of the closing plate, use is made of two sets of rocking levers located on both ends of the press element or row of elements and which further derive their drive directly from cams on the press drum. In order to ensure complete lowering of the closing plate, two compression springs are employed in addition to the rocking lever set, said springs urging the closing plate tightly against the press drum or to lie in the immediate vicinity of the press drum.

The excavation drum and the row of press drums are both driven over separate gear transmissions. Such transmissions may be provided on both ends of the machine or on one end only. The transmissions are rotated by the aid of hydraulic motors, but mechanical power transmission is equally conceivable. In those designs which employ hydraulic transmission, the speeds of rotation of the excavation drum and of the row of press drums can be changed in relation to each other because the hydraulic motors driving them are independent of each other.

The lump peat machine of the invention is attached to a traction machine by normal three-point attachment, whereby it is easy to regulate the excavation depth with the aid of the lifting attachment. The maximum excavation depth is about 250 mm. Part of the peat cut off by the excavation drum remains on the field to form an insulating layer. Furthermore, under the row of press elements has been installed a unitary bottom plate, adjustable in the height direction, this plate levelling and compacting the insulating layer. Hereby one obtains with the means of the invention a good base for the peat lumps, which drop from the nozzle tubes of the machine down on the field. The thickness of said insulating layer can be regulated by adjusting the bottom plate.

With the lump peat machine of the invention, the following advantages are gained, among others.

The excavation depth of the machine is comparatively shallow, at its maximum about 250 mm. This enables the machine to be used efficiently even if the ground frost should not have thawed completely. Peat may thus be lifted from above the frozen ground layer. However, the excavation depth of the machine is great enough so that later in the summer, when the fields dry out, no difficulties will be encountered in the lump forming process.

This is because the peat must be wet enough to give coherence to the lumps. In the machine of the invention, no conveyor member proper is needed between the excavation member and the press member. The knife-like shares of the lump peat machine of the invention efficiently tear up any stumps and other wood material. Low power requirement is achieved, in relation to the yield.

Furthermore, the base onto which the peat lumps fall will be extremely smooth and compact; this facilitates the further processing of the lump peat and enhances its efficiency. The base on which the lumps dry will now be a crushed insulating layer, which breaks the ascent of capillary water into the lump peat layer which is being dried.

With those machines which are generally employed at present, the peat lifting costs account for 50-60% of the total cost price, and therefore reducing the power requirements of lump peat machines in relation to the yield is decisive when the aim is to lower the costs of lump peat production. Exactly this low power consumption, related to the yield, is achieved with the lump peat machine of the invention.

The invention is mainly characterized in that the lifting member has been disposed to transfer the peat that has been cut from the bog, to a separate peat press disposed immediately beside the lifting member and arranged to compress the peat into peat lumps.

The invention is described in the following with reference to the figures which have been appended.

In Figure 7 is presented the lump peat machine of the invention, viewed from the front and as a partial projection.

In Figure 2 is presented the lump peat machine of the invention, in top view and viewed in the direction x indicated in Figure 1.

In Figure 3 is presented the lump peat machine of the invention, sectioned, the section being carried along the line I-I in Figure 1, and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

In Figure 1 is depicted a lump peat machine according to the invention, viewed from the front and in partial projection. The lump peat machine comprises a frame 3, to which has been attached an excavation member 1, preferably an excavation drum provided with knife-like shares ib, and a peat press 2. The frame 3 comprises the framework proper 3a, to which are connected supporting arms 3b. Furthermore, to the frame 3 belong attachment lugs 3c for three-point attachment of the lump peat machine. In Figure 1 can further be seen a hydraulic motor 4 driving the excavation member, preferably an excavation drum 1 provided with knife-like shares 1 b, and the gear transmission 5 inserted- between the hydraulic motor 4 and the excavation member.

In Figure 2 is depicted the lump peat machine of the invention, as seen from above and viewed in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1. The peat press 2, comprising a plurality of press elements 2a, 2b,2c, 2d, 2e and nozzle tubes 8 connecting with these elements, has been disposed immediately after the excavation member 1. Press elements 2a-2e can be connected with each other, in parallel, so that the shafts of said elements' 2a-2e press drums are interconnected by their ends. The number of press elements may be selected in accordance with the desired land width or the power rating of the traction machine, towing the lump peat machine, that is being used.The said press drum 9, the shaft or shafts of the press drum are driven by a hydraulic motor 6, and the gear transmission 7 has been connected between the hydraulic motor 6 and the drive shaft of the press drum yin the peat press 2. There are several nozzle tubes 8, according to the yield which is desired in each instance.

In Figure 3 is depicted the lump peat machine the invention, in sectional projection, the section being taken along the line I-I in Figure 1 and the viewing direction being the direction of the arrows in Figure 1. The excavation member 1, which most appropriately is an excavation drum, comprises the drum la and the knife-like shares 1b on its periphery, of which there are several. The excavation drum rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow P1. The machine comprises a peat press 2 located beside the excavation member 1, most appropriately an excavation drums.The machine comprises a frame 3 with a guard arc 3d comprising an arc-shaped plate component, whereby between the drum 1a and the guard arc 3d remains a passage in which move the knife-like shares 1b on the periphery of the drum 1 a and the peat that has been cut off from the peat field and lifted by said shares 1b. The centre of curvature of the guard arc 3d lies on the central axis of the drum 1a, and the guard arc 3d covers an angular interval of about 180 or slightly less. Beams parallelling the drum and the longitudinal axis form a sturdy framework 3a, to which the supporting arms 3b are affixed The frame structure has three fixing lugs 3c constituting the points of attachment for three-point attachment.

The peat press 2 consists of one or several press elements 2a-2e, each comprising a box-like container 11. The upper part of the container 11 constitutes the peat equalizing container 12. The equalizing container 12 has a peat filling observation aperture 13, which also serves as air venting aperture. The essential component of the press is the press drum 9, this drum comprising the cylindrical drum part proper, 9a and press cams 9b disposed on its periphery. The press cams 9b form cam rows, each such row comprising a plurality of press cams 9b. The number of rows provided may appropriately be three, for instance. The press drum 9 rotates in a direction opposite to that of the excavation drum 1, i.e., as indicated by the arrow P2.The press elements 2a-2e have been connected in parallel with each other in that the shafts of the press drums 9 have been connected with each other The lifting member rotates in the direction which has been indicated by the arrow P,. The peat, transported by the excavation drum, provided with preferably knife-like shares 1b, of the lifting member 1, enters the space between the arc component 3d and the drum component la, and from there it travels, peripherally and flung by centrifugal force, into the pre-filling space 14 of the peat press 2, this pre-filling space being located in the lower part of the container -11. The press drum 9, together with its press cams 9b, now proceeds to push the peat that has entered the prefilling space 14, into passages 15 having rectangular cross-section.The passages 15 with rectangular cross-section extend past the closing plate 17. The closing plate 17 is in this instance well-braced against the walls of the passage 15 while it is pushed down. Then also the peat cannot pass from the equalizing container 12 back into the passages 15. From the passages 15, the cams 9b press the peat into the nozzle tubes 8 when the passage 15 is closed by the closing plate 17. The number of nozzle tubes 8 is the same as the number of press cams 9b in the cam row. It is thus understood that the closing plate 17 extending across the passage section 15, when pushed down, prevents the peat from discharging by the upper end of the passage 15 into the container 11, into its equalizing container 12.The peat is thus directed, pushed by the press cams 9b, into the noz ole tubes 8 and it is compacted in them and shaped to take the form defined by the nozzle tubes 8.

When a press cam 9b arrives at the closing plate 17, it will push the closing plate up. However, control of the closing plate may also be effected by means of a separate control mechanism 18. The control cam 18a of this control mechanism 18 follows the shape of the press cam 9 and receives its guidance therefrom. The control cam 18a is pivotally attached to a rocking lever 18b, which is further pivotally carried in relation to the frame of the peat press 2 and the container 11. Said control mechanism 18 governs the closing plate 17 in such manner that the closing plate rises -when a press cam 9b arrives at the closing plate 17. On the other end of the rocking lever 18b of the control mechanism 18 has been disposed a spring 18c. The spring or springs 18c, preferably provided on both ends of the closing plates 17, urge the closing plate 17 against the press drum 9. Thus, these springs 17c make sure that the closing plate 17 descends fully and that the passage 15 with rectan gular cross section is completely closed. In the embodiment depicted, the control cam 18 is thus understood to derive its guidance directly from the press drum 9. When the press cam 9b on the press drum 9 is in register with the control cam 18a on the rocking lever 18b of the control mechanism 18, the closing plate 17 is in its pushed-down position and the passage 15 is closed. When the press cam 9b has passed the cam 18a and the control cam 18a rests against the peripheral surface of the drum component 9a of the press drum 9, the control cam 18a is in its lowermost position and the other end of the rocking lever 18b is in its highest position, and the closing plate 17 is in raised position and the passage 15 is open for the press cam 9b to pass.Hereby the press cam 9b can come out from the passage 15, and on conclusion of this phase the closing plate 17 once more descends into its lowermost position, controlled by the control mechanism 18; and being urged by the spring 18c it remains adjacent to the peripheral surface of the press drum 9 or pressed against it. Control of the closing plate 17 may be accomplished with the control mechanism 18 or by any other equivalent control arrangement provided in conjunction with one, or some, of the press elements 2a-2e in the row of press elements 2a-2e of the peat press 2, preferably in conjunction with those located at one or both ends.

In the lower part of the peat press 2 has been provided a bottom plate 16, turnably mounted with the pivot 10 and adjustable as to its angular position and, thus, to its position in height. It is possible by changing the angular position of the bottom plate 16 to control the thickness of the insulating layer Mz which is formed on the surface of the peat field as the lump peat machine is moving in the direction indicated by the arrow C, towed by a tractor or another traction vehicle. The knife-like shares 1b cut up any largish stumps and equivalent material present in the peat. Part of the peat detached by the excavation drum 1 is left lying on the field as an insulating layer. Moreover, the said unitary bottom plate 16 mounted under the row of press elements (2a-2e) levels and compacts the insulating layer Mz, being considerably lower of its height than the peat layer Mi to be cut.Hereby a good base is obtained with the lump peat machine of the invention for the peat lumps dropping from the nozzle tubes down on the peat field. The thickness of the insulating layer Mz that is being formed can be regulated riot only by adjusting the position in height of the bottom plate 16 but also by adjusting the longitudinal tilt of the lump peat machine. The lifting member 1, preferably an excavation drum, and the press drum 9 of the peat press 2, and thus of the press element 2a-2e, are rotated by means of separate hydraulic motors and gear transmissions. The hydraulic motor 4 rotates over the gear transmission 5 the drive shaft of the excavation member 1, and the hydraulic motor 6 rotates over the gear transynission 7 the drive shaft of the press drum 9 in the peat press 2. The gear transmissions and motors may be located either at both ends of the excavation member 1 or the press element row 2a-2e of the peat press, or at one end only. Instead of hydraulic motors, power sources of another kind may equally be used. The lifting member and the peat drum 9 in the peat press 2 may also obtain their drive from a joint power unit over a transmission, or transmissions.

Claims

1. A lump peat machine comprising a lifting member (1) cutting off and lifting peat, preferably an excavation drum provided with knife-like shares (1b), and a peat press (2) and a frame (3), characterized in that the lifting member (1) has been disposed to transport the peat which has been cut from the bog, directly to a separate peat press (2) disposed beside the lifting member (1) and arranged to press the peat to become peat lumps.

2. Lump peat machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the peat press (2) consists of a plurality of press elements (2a,2b,2c,2d,2e) connected in parallel, these elements being connected together by the drive shafts of press drum (9) and said elements being driven with the aid of drive means disposed on either or both ends of the row of elements.

3. Lump peat machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the press elements (2a-2e) of the peat press (2) each comprise a press drum (9) comprising a cylindrical drum component proper (9a), on the periphery of which have been disposed peat-compressing cams (9b), the cams (9b) forming rows of cams and each row of cams in its turn being arranged to press the peat ahead of itself into press passages (15) and further through nozzle tubes (8) in the form of peat lumps out onto the field.

4. Lump peat machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the peat press (2) comprises a closing plate (17) which is raisable and lowerable down against the press drum (9).

5. Lump peat machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the closing plate (17) is raisable and lowerable with the aid of a separate control mechanism (18) comprising a cam component (18a), a rocking lever (18b) and a spring (18c), and that the cam (18a) of the control mechanism (18) has been arranged to derive its control from the periphery of the press drum (9).

6. Lump peat machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a hydraulic motor (6) has been disposed over a gear transmission (7) to drive the press drum (9).

7. Lump peat machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper portion of the container (11) of the peat press (2) has been shaped to be a peat equalizing container (12).

8. Lump peat machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower part of the peat press (2) comprises a bottom plate (16) adjustable as to its position in height.

9. Lump peat machine according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that a hydraulic motor (4) drives the lifting member (1) over a gear transmission (5).

10. Lump peat machine according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that the lifting member (1) and the press drum (9) of the peat press (2) both obtain their rotary drive from a joint power means by mediation of a gear transmission or gear transmissions.

11. A lump peat machine substantially as de scribed herein with reference to the drawings.