NZ762058B2 - Load transfer device for laterally offset collection and transfer of harvested material to a transport vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a load transfer device (2) for the laterally offset collection and transfer of harvested material (4), in particular of stalk-like biomass, to a transport vehicle, comprising a pivotable unit (3) for picking up the harvested material (4) from the ground in a laterally offset manner and for conveying the harvested material (4) to a shredding unit (5) designed to shred the harvested material, wherein the pivotable unit (3) is pivotable between a use position folded out downward in the direction of the ground and laterally and a stowing position folded in upward and laterally; an intermediate store (6) for receiving the shredded harvested material (4); a conveying device (7) arranged in the intermediate store (6) for conveying the shredded harvested material (4) out of the intermediate store (6) to a load transfer unit (8) of the load transfer device (2), by means of which the shredded harvested material (4) can be conveyed into a load compartment of the transport vehicle arranged laterally beside the load transfer device (2), in particular over a load compartment wall of the load compartment. The arrangement aims to improve the efficiency of collection by allowing the device to continue harvesting even when the load vehicle is used to transport the harvested material away. manner and for conveying the harvested material (4) to a shredding unit (5) designed to shred the harvested material, wherein the pivotable unit (3) is pivotable between a use position folded out downward in the direction of the ground and laterally and a stowing position folded in upward and laterally; an intermediate store (6) for receiving the shredded harvested material (4); a conveying device (7) arranged in the intermediate store (6) for conveying the shredded harvested material (4) out of the intermediate store (6) to a load transfer unit (8) of the load transfer device (2), by means of which the shredded harvested material (4) can be conveyed into a load compartment of the transport vehicle arranged laterally beside the load transfer device (2), in particular over a load compartment wall of the load compartment. The arrangement aims to improve the efficiency of collection by allowing the device to continue harvesting even when the load vehicle is used to transport the harvested material away.

Description

Load transfer device for laterally offset collection and transfer of harvested material to a transport vehicle DESCRIPTION The invention relates to a load transfer device for the laterally offset collection and transfer of harvested material to a transport vehicle.

In agriculture, a wide variety of harvested material must be collected and transported away. Inter alia, frequently stalk-type biomass, in particular in the form of straw or other grass types, need to be collected from the fields and transported away.

Stalk-type biomass of this type can be wet, wilted and dry grass, that is hay, but also grain straw.

It is widely practised to collect grain straw or other stalk-type by means of so- called round balers and to compress them to bales. Round balers of this sort are usually drawn by a tractor and driven via a PTO shaft of the tractor. Such round balers are for example shown in DE 10 2011 109 890 A1 or in DE 33 13 883 A1.

In addition, it is also quite common to collect stalks directly, by means of drawn loading vehicles suitable therefor, usually by means of drawing machines in the form of tractors or similar, from the ground and then to transport them away with the same loading vehicle. In order to facilitate this, such loading vehicles usually have collecting units for collecting the harvested material from the ground and frequently also cutting units for comminuting the connected harvested material. A disadvantage of this procedure is that while the loading vehicle is used to transport the retained harvested material away, it can no longer be used to collect further harvested material.

It is the task of the present invention to provide a solution by means of which harvested material, in particular stalk-type biomass, can be collected and transported away in an especially efficient manner.

This task is solved by a load transfer device, having the characteristics of claim 1, for collecting and transferring harvested material, in particular stalk-type biomass, to a transport vehicle. Advantageous embodiments with suitable and non-trivial further developments of the invention are given in the dependent claims.

The load transfer device for the laterally offset collection and transfer of harvested material, in particular of stalk-like biomass, to a transport vehicle comprises a pivotable unit for picking up the harvested material from the ground in a laterally offset manner and for conveying the harvested material to a shredding unit designed to shred the harvested material, wherein the pivotable unit is pivotable between a use position folded-out downward in the direction of the ground and laterally and a stowing position folded-in upward and laterally. In addition, the load transfer device has a intermediate store for receiving the shredded harvested material and a conveying device for conveying the shredded harvested material out of the intermediate store to a load transfer unit of the load transfer device, by means of which the shredded harvested material can be conveyed into a load compartment, arranged laterally adjacent to the load transfer device, of the transport vehicle, in particular over a load compartment wall of the load compartment.

According to an alternative independent aspect of the invention, it can also be provided that the load transfer device does not include the shredding unit. In this case, the picked-up harvested material can be supplied by means of the pivotable unit unshredded, in particular uncut, directly to the intermediate store. In this case, the unshredded or uncut harvested material is then conveyed by means of the load transfer device by means of the conveying device out of the intermediate store to the load transfer unit and by means of this into the load compartment of the transport vehicle.

In the solution according to the invention it is thus provided that the load transfer device assumes the collecting and transfer of the harvested material, wherein a transport vehicle, which during the load transfer procedure drives next to the load transfer device, can assume the actual transporting away of the harvested material. The load transfer device according to the invention can thus be used quasi continuously for collecting harvested material, in particular in the form of stalk-like biomass, for example from a field, shredding it and storing it temporarily. Inasmuch as a transport vehicle should happen to be in the vicinity, this can drive parallel to the load transfer device and be filled by means of the load transfer unit of the load transfer device. If the transport vehicle concerned, in particular its load compartment, is completely filled, then the next transport vehicle can be driven up to the load transfer device in order then to fill this transport vehicle.

During the exchange of the transport vehicles, by means of the load transfer device, harvested material can continue to be collected from the ground, shredded and conveyed into the intermediate store of the load transfer device. Only the conveying device disposed in the intermediate store and the load transfer unit are stopped during the exchange of the transport vehicles, wherein the harvested material can still be picked-up and temporarily stored. Thus, there are no stand times or downtimes when the transport vehicles are exchanged. In other words, by means of the solution according to the invention it is thus possible for the load transfer device to be operated continuously, for example drawn or carried by a tractor or another drawing vehicle, in order to collect harvested material from the ground, to shred it and to store it temporarily in its intermediate store. By avoiding unnecessary stand times or downtimes of the load transfer device, very high surface performances are possible.

In addition, the solution according to the invention offers a further advantage.

When driving narrow cornerings, for example, a transport vehicle to be loaded by means of the load transfer device does not need to drive close to the load transfer device, since the load transfer is preferably halted prior to narrow cornerings, especially preferably thus already during the driving on the straight, wherein the harvested material is further picked up by means of the load transfer device and temporarily stored. As soon as the load transfer device is again located on a straight path, the temporarily stored and shredded harvested material can be passed to the transport vehicle. Thus, it can be ensured that virtually no harvested material is lost, even when the most tight cornerings need to be travelled by means of the load transfer device.

By means of the pivotable unit provided according to the invention, a drawing vehicle drawing for example the load transfer device does not need to drive over the harvested material to be picked up, e.g. disposed in the form of a so-called swath.

Instead, the drawing vehicle can drive in a manner which is laterally offset to the harvested material to be picked up, while the pivotable unit, in its use position folded- out downward in the direction of the ground and laterally, can pick up the harvested material. In addition, the pivotable unit can also be designed to be relatively broad, since it can be moved into its stowing position folded-in upward and laterally, in particular for journeys on public roads. On public roads, the load transfer device is thus not constructed to be broader than is legally permitted, wherein for example on a field during the collection of the harvested material, an especially large working breath can be realised by means of the lateral pivoting down of the pivotable unit. Furthermore, there results by reason of the pivotable unit also a better visibility, for example in the case of a driver of the tractor by means of which the load transfer device is drawn, while the pivotable unit is disposed in its folded-out use position.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the pivotable unit has a conveying device for conveying the harvested material to the shredding unit. The conveying device of the pivotable unit can be for example a conveyor belt, by means of which the harvested material can be conveyed in the direction of the shredding unit.

The conveying device can for example extend substantially across the entire breadth of the pivotable unit, such that the harvested material can be picked up and conveyed over a particularly generous area.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that in the use position of the pivotable unit the conveying device of the pivotable unit and the conveying device disposed in the intermediate store are flush with one another. For example, the conveying device disposed in the intermediate store can have a scraper floor. By means of the arrangement, preferably flush with one another, of the two conveying devices, the picked up harvested material can be conveyed, in an especially continuous manner and therewith also quickly, as required first to the shredding unit, from this into the intermediate store and from there to the load transfer unit and finally into the load compartment of the transport vehicle concerned. In this regard, the two conveying devices convey preferably perpendicularly to the transport direction of the load transfer device.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the conveying device disposed in the intermediate store has a scraper floor disposed in the region of a loading surface of the intermediate store, by means of which the shredded harvested material received in the intermediate store can be conveyed in the direction of the load transfer unit. Other types of conveying devices are of course also possible.

Particularly by means of the scraper floor, the harvested material can be particularly easily and reliably conveyed from the intermediate store in the direction of the load transfer unit.

Additionally, it can be provided that the conveying device disposed in the intermediate store has at least one metering roller disposed on a side, facing the load transfer unit, of the intermediate store, by means of which metering roller the harvested material present in the intermediate store can be conveyed in the direction of the load transfer unit. Preferably, several of these metering rollers are disposed above one another in vertical direction of the load transfer device. By means of the metering rollers disposed above one another it is reliably possible to convey the shredded harvested material in the direction of the load transfer unit in particular when the fill level of the intermediate store increases.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the conveying device disposed in the intermediate store has a wall delimiting the intermediate store, which can be extended and retracted in the direction of the load transfer unit. Preferably, the wall is supported pivotable about an axis which extends in transverse direction of the load transfer device. For example, the wall can be pivoted by means of hydraulic cylinders such that it is pivoted either away from the load transfer unit or towards it. Thus, the receiving space of the intermediate store can be varied in an especially simple manner. If the pivotable wall is pivoted in the direction of the load transfer unit, the picked up and shredded harvested material in the intermediate store is pushed into the engagement region of the load transfer unit. Alternatively, it is also possible for the delimiting wall to be translationally movable as a whole in the form of a type of push-wall, in order to bring the shredded harvested material received in the intermediate store into the engagement region of the load transfer unit. Preferably, it is provided that either a scraper floor or the delimiting wall is used, which can be extended and retracted in the direction of the load transfer unit. The metering rollers are used preferably in both cases. Basically, it is however also possible for scraper floors, metering rollers and extendable and retractable walls to be used in combination.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that a press is arranged upstream of the shredding unit for compacting the harvested material. If for example grass is shredded by means of the shredding unit, in particular cut, thus by means of the compression an especially high cut quality can be achieved. All in all, there results by means of the press arranged upstream of the shredding unit an especially simple and reliable shredding procedure with regards to the picked up harvested material.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the press for compacting the harvested material is movable in the direction of the conveying device of the pivotable unit. If the conveying device of the pivotable unit is for example a conveyor belt, the press can be lowered from top to bottom in the direction of the conveyor belt in order to compact or press harvested material lying on the conveyor belt before said material is then conveyed, after running through the press, further in the direction of the shredding unit, by means of which the compacted harvested material is then for example chaffed or shredded or comminuted in another manner. A spacing between the press and the conveying device can in this regard for example variably adjustable, such that depending on the harvested material to be compacted and subsequently to be shredded a suitable spacing between the press and the conveying device can be set, as a result of which then also the degree of the compacting can be precisely set. It is also possible for an area to be provided for pressing the harvested material after the conveying device of the pivotable unit, that is with regard to the conveying direction of the conveying device. In this case, the press can for example be lowered in the direction of this area in order to press the harvested material before it reaches the shredding unit.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the pivotable unit has a roller equipped with receiving tines for picking up the harvested material from the ground. In other words, the pivotable unit can have a so-called pick-up unit by means of which for example grass or similar can be especially easily picked up. If for example the load transfer device is moved along and over a swath, harvested material can be especially easily picked up by means of the roller equipped with the receiving tines and preferably conveyed onto the said conveying device of the pivotable unit, by means of which the picked up harvested material is then in turn conveyed in the direction of the shredding unit.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the pivotable unit has a mowing unit for mowing and subsequently picking up the harvested material from the ground. By means of the load transfer device, in this case thus also the harvested material to be picked up can be previously mown and then picked up simultaneously in one single working step. For example, it is also conceivable that the roller equipped with the receiving tines and the mowing unit are designed to be exchangeable, such that the pivotable unit depending on requirement can be equipped with the pick-up system or with the mowing unit.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the shredding unit has a rotatable roller equipped with conveying tines, which interacts with fixed cutting blades, which are preferably disposed in channels. A rotational axis of the roller extends in this regard preferably perpendicularly to the conveying direction of the conveying device disposed in the intermediate store. As soon as the roller equipped with the conveying tines is set into rotation, the conveying tines convey the harvested material in the direction of the fixed cutting blades, as a result of which the picked up harvested material is shredded and thereafter supplied to the intermediate store.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the shredding unit has a chaff cutter. Also, by means of the chaff cutter it is possible to comminute the picked up harvested material as desired. It can also be provided that the load transfer device is designed such that the cutting rotor can be exchanged for the chaff cutter and vice versa, such that depending on the harvested material to be shredded the most suitable cutting unit can be put to use.

In a further advantageous design of the invention, it is provided that the load transfer unit can be positioned in a folded-in non-use position and in a folded-out load transfer position. For example, the load transfer unit can be formed from several foldable segments which can for example by means of suitable hydraulic cylinders be extended and retracted or folded-in and folded-out. Thus, for example, it is conceivable for the load transfer unit in its folded-in non-use position to be folded onto the intermediate store or even at least partially into it, such that in the non-use position the load transfer unit can be stored in a compact manner with regard to the transverse direction of the load transfer device and preferably also with regard to the vertical direction of the load transfer device. If, then, the load transfer unit is required during the operation of the load transfer device for filling the transport vehicle, the load transfer device can for example in turn be folded-out hydraulically outwards and upwards.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the load transfer unit has a conveyor belt, a worm conveyor and/or a blower with a conveying pipe attached thereto for conveying the shredded harvested material into the load compartment of the transport vehicle. Thus, it is possible by means of the load transfer unit to supply the shredded harvested material in a simple manner to the load compartment of the transport vehicle concerned.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the load transfer device is a trailer, a superstructure for a vehicle, or a motor vehicle. In the case of a trailer, the load transfer device can for example have an axle with wheels disposed thereon and a tow bar, such that the load transfer device can be quite simply hung onto a drawing vehicle, for example onto a tractor. Alternatively, it is also possible for the load transfer device to be formed as a type of superstructure for a vehicle, such that the load transfer device can be set for example onto a chassis or also onto a loading surface of the vehicle concerned. Furthermore, it is also possible for the load transfer device to be self-driving, that is to be designed as a motor vehicle.

Finally, a further embodiment of the invention provides that the load transfer device has a connector for an auxiliary drive, in particular for a PTO shaft of a tractor.

This is in particular advantageous when the load transfer devices in the form of a trailer.

Via the connector for the said auxiliary drive, all assemblies of the load transfer device can be driven in a simple manner.

Further advantages, characteristics and details of the invention result from the following description of preferred embodiment examples as well as with reference to the drawing. The characteristics and characteristic combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the characteristics and combinations shown alone hereinafter in the description of the figures and/or in the figures can be used not only in the respective given combination but also individually or in other combinations, without straying beyond the remit of the invention.

The drawing shows in: figure 1 a perspective view of a first embodiment of a load transfer device, drawn by means of a tractor, for picking up and transferring harvested material to a transport vehicle, which load transfer device has a pivotable unit for picking up the harvested material from the ground as well as an intermediate store for receiving the harvested material, wherein the pivotable unit includes a roller, equipped with receiving tines, for picking up the harvested material from the ground; figure 2 a further perspective view of the first embodiment of the load transfer device, wherein the pivotable unit is disposed in its stowing position folded-in upward and laterally; figure 3 a side view of the first embodiment form, drawn by means of the tractor, of the load transfer device; figure 4 a lateral detailed view of the area A labelled in figure 3, wherein a conveyor belt of the pivotable unit is shown, by means of which picked up harvested material is conveyed in the direction of a press behind which is disposed a cutting rotor for shredding the harvested material; figure 5 a side view of the load transfer device according to the cut plane B-B labelled in figure 3; figure 6 a detailed view of the area C labelled in figure 5, wherein the press and the cutting rotor are shown enlarged; figure 7 a perspective view of a second embodiment of the load transfer device, which is in turn drawn by means of a tractor, wherein this embodiment differs from the first embodiment of the load transfer device in that the pivotable unit has a mowing unit; and in figure 8 a further perspective view of the second embodiment of the load transfer device, wherein the pivotable unit is shown with the mowing unit in its stowing position folded-in upward and laterally.

In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are labelled with the same reference signs.

A first embodiment, drawn by means of a tractor 1, of a load transfer device 2 is shown in a perspective view in figure 1. The load transfer device 2 includes a pivotable unit 3 for the laterally offset picking-up of harvested material 4 from the ground and for conveying the harvested material 4 to a shredding unit 5 designed for shredding the harvested material 4. The pivotable unit 3 can be pivoted between a use position folded- out downward in the direction of the ground and laterally, shown here, and a stowing position folded-in upward and laterally.

The load transfer device 2 includes furthermore an intermediate store 6 for receiving the shredded harvested material 4. In the intermediate store 6 is additionally provided another conveying device 7 which can be seen first in figure 5, by means of which the shredded harvested material 4 received in the intermediate store 6 can be conveyed in the direction of a load transfer unit 8 of the load transfer device 2. The load transfer unit 8 serves to convey the shredded harvested material into a load compartment of a transport vehicle disposed laterally beside the load transfer device 2, in particular over a load compartment wall of the load compartment.

In the presently shown example, the harvested material has already been mown, wherein the harvested material 4 is disposed in the form of a so-called swath on the ground. In that the pivotable unit 3 can be pivoted into the use position folded-out downward in the direction of the ground and laterally, shown here, the tractor 1 can drive laterally beside the swath 4, while the harvested material 4 is picked up by means of the pivotable unit 3. For the actual picking-up of the harvested material from the ground, the pivotable unit 3 includes a roller 10 equipped with receiving tines 9. For picking up the harvested material 4, the roller 10 is set into rotation, wherein the receiving tines 9 pick up the harvested material 4 and by means of the rotational movement of the roller 10 convey the harvested material 4 onto a conveyor belt 11 of the pivotable unit 3.

Preferably, the roller 10 and the conveyor belt 11 are driven coupled to one another such that the conveyor belt 11 is driven as soon as the roller 10 is driven and therewith set into rotation. The harvested material 4 conveyed onto the conveyor belt 11 is then conveyed in the direction of the intermediate store 6 and thereby in the direction of the shredding unit 5.

Since the shredding unit 5 is disposed somewhat above the unit 3 which has been pivoted downwards, the conveyor belt 11 has preferably on its end, facing the shredding unit 5, a shape formed obliquely upwards. Thus, the harvested material can be especially simply supplied to the shredding unit 5.

Within a tow bar 12 of the load transfer device 2 in the form of a trailer, a Cardan shaft, not shown in more detail here, can be disposed, which can be connected to a PTO shaft, also not visible here, of the tractor 1. This Cardan shaft can then in turn be used to drive the shredding unit 5. In this regard, for example a further drive can be interposed in order to drive the shredding unit 5. The Cardan shaft of the tractor 1 can additionally for example also be used to drive the conveyor belt 11, the roller 10 and all other parts of the load transfer device 2 which are to be driven.

In figure 2, the first embodiment form, driven by means of the tractor 1, of the load transfer device 2 is shown in a further perspective view. The pivotable unit 3 is here disposed in its stowing position folded-in upward and laterally. Furthermore, the load transfer unit 8 has been moved also into a folded-in non-use position. The load transfer unit 8 can for example have several segments which can be folded-in relatively to one another, such that the load transfer unit 8 can be moved from the folded-out transfer position shown in figure 1 into the folded-in non-use position shown here in figure 2. For this, for example several unspecified hydraulic cylinders can be disposed on the load transfer unit 8, such that the load transfer unit can be positioned depending on requirement between the folded-in non-use position shown here and the folded-out load transfer position shown in figure 1.

As can be seen, the load transfer unit is in its folded-in non-use position located within the intermediate store 6 of the load transfer device 2, such that the load transfer device 8 can be especially compactly accommodated. By means of the lateral folding-on and pivoting-up of the pivotable unit 3 and by means of the described stowage of the load transfer unit 8 within the intermediate store 6, the load transfer device 2 can be moved also on public roads in a particularly problem-free manner, since the load transfer device 2 is constructed especially compactly both in transverse direction and in vertical direction by folding-in or folding-on the pivotable unit 3 and the load transfer unit 8.

In figure 3, the first embodiment, drawn by means of the tractor 1, of the load transfer device 2 is shown in a side view, specifically while the pivotable unit 3 has been disposed in its use position folded-out downward in the direction of the ground and laterally, in order to pick up the harvested material 4. The roller 10 equipped with the receiving tines 9 drives over the harvested material 4 to be picked up and thus conveys the harvested material 4 onto the conveyor belt 11 by means of which the harvested material 4 is conveyed further to the shredding unit 5.

In figure 4, the area A labelled in figure 3 is shown in a detailed view. In this representation, the harvested material 4 received onto the conveyor belt 11 of the pivotable unit 3 can be seen easily while this is being conveyed in the direction of the shredding unit 5. In the presently shown case, the shredding unit 5 has a rotatable roller equipped with conveying tines which interacts with fixed cutting blades. The roller 5 has on its outer periphery a plurality of conveying tines not specified here in more detail, by means of which the harvested material 4 is conveyed in the direction of the fixed cutting blades not shown here in more detail which are preferably disposed in respective channels. The cutting blades then shred the harvested material 4. In regard of the conveying direction of the conveyor belt 11, a hydraulic press 13 is arranged upstream of the shredding unit 5. Before the harvested material 4 reaches the shredding unit 5, the harvested material 4 is compacted by means of a hydraulic press 13. Thus, the cut quality of the harvested material 4 can be increased.

In figure 5 is shown the first embodiment of the load transfer device 1 along the cut plane B-B labelled in figure 3. In this cut representation, the previously mentioned conveying device 7 can be seen which is disposed within the intermediate store 6. The conveying device 7 can for example have a scraper floor. According to the present representation, the harvested material 4 is thus conveyed by means of the conveyor belt 11 initially to the left in the direction of the hydraulic press 13, not designated here in more detail, and from there further in the direction of the shredding unit 5 in the form of a cutting rotor.

From the shredding unit 5, the shredded or cut harvested material 4 reaches the intermediate store 6 and can be moved by means of the conveying device 7 further to the left to the extended load transfer unit 8. The load transfer unit 8 can for example have an integrated conveyor belt, not designated here in more detail, by means of which the shredded harvested material 4 can be transported to a transport vehicle which is not shown here. Thus, the shredded harvested material 4 can be conveyed out of the intermediate store 6 for example over a load compartment wall of a load compartment of the transport vehicle into said transport vehicle.

The team formed from the load transfer device 2 and the tractor 1 can thus drive next to a transport vehicle while the harvested material 4 is picked up from the ground, compacted, shredded and then conveyed into the transport vehicle. If the load compartment of the transport vehicle has for example been completely filled, the load transfer device 2 can continue to pick up and temporarily store harvested material 4 by reason of its intermediate store 6, without needing to pass the harvested material 4 to a transport vehicle.

The team formed from the load transfer device 2 and the tractor 1 can thus drive on while for example a further still empty transport vehicle approaches and positions itself during the approach next to the load transfer device 2. As soon as the transport vehicle has been positioned with its load compartment laterally besides the load transfer device 2 at a suitable position below the load transfer unit 8, for example the said conveyor belt which is integrated in the load transfer unit 8 can be activated together with the conveying device 7 in the intermediate store 6, in order to supply the shredded harvested material 4 which has been temporarily intermediately stored in the intermediate store 6 to the load compartment of the still empty transport vehicle.

In figure 6, the area C marked in figure 5 is shown in an enlarged detailed view. In the present detailed view, the hydraulic press 13 and the shredding unit 5 in the form of a cutting rotor are again easy to see. According to the present representation, the received harvested material 4 is conveyed by means of the conveyor belt 11 of the pivotable unit 3 to the left in the direction of the hydraulic press 13, by means of which the harvested material 4 is initially compacted and subsequently only then shredded or cut by means of the shredding unit 5.

In figure 7 is shown a second embodiment of the load transfer device 2 in a perspective view while it is drawn by means of the tractor 1. The second embodiment of the load transfer device 2 differs from the first embodiment of the load transfer device 2 only in that the pivotable unit 3 has a mowing unit 14 instead of the roller 10 equipped with the receiving tines 9, whereby it is only possible to see a cover 15 of the mowing unit 14, since the pivotable unit 3 is shown in its use position folded-out downward in the direction of the ground and laterally.

The second embodiment of the load transfer device 2 is thus by reason of the mowing unit 14 additionally in the position itself to mow the harvested material 4 to be picked up. The mowing unit 14 then conveys the mown harvested material 4 in turn onto the conveyor belt 11 of the pivotable unit 3, from where it reaches the intermediate store 6 in the already described manner.

In figure 8, the second embodiment, drawn by means of the tractor 1, of the load transfer device 2 is shown in a further perspective view, wherein the pivotable unit 3 is disposed in its stowing position folded-in upwards and laterally. The load transfer unit 8 is, as already described in connection with figure 2, also disposed in turn in its folded-in non-use position. In the present representation, the view onto the bottom side of the mowing unit 14 is enabled.

In regard of the intended direction of travel, the load transfer unit 8 has been shown disposed always to the right of the intermediate store 6 and the pivotable unit 3 disposed always to the left of the intermediate store 6. Of course, also a mirror image arrangement can occur, in which the load transfer unit 8 is disposed on the left and the pivotable unit 3 on the right of the intermediate store 6. It is important for the load transfer unit 8 and the pivotable unit 3 to be disposed on opposite sides of the intermediate store 6.

List of reference signs 1 tractor 2 load transfer device 3 pivotable unit 4 harvested material shredding unit 6 intermediate store 7 conveying device 8 load transfer unit 9 receiving tines roller 11 conveyor belt 12 tow bar 13 press 14 mowing unit cover

Claims (16)

1. Load transfer device (2) for the laterally offset collection and transfer of harvested material (4), in particular of stalk-like biomass, to a transport vehicle comprising 5 - a pivotable unit (3) for picking up the harvested material (4) from the ground in a laterally offset manner and for conveying the harvested material (4) to a shredding unit (5) designed to shred the harvested material, wherein the pivotable unit (3) is pivotable between a use position folded-out downwards in the direction of the ground and laterally and a stowing position folded-in upwards and laterally; 10 - an intermediate store (6) for receiving the shredded harvested material (4); - a conveying device (7) arranged in the intermediate store (6) for conveying the shredded harvested material (4) out of the intermediate store (6) to a load transfer unit (8) of the load transfer device (2), by means of which the shredded harvested material (4) can be conveyed into a load compartment of the transport vehicle arranged 15 laterally beside the load transfer device (2), in particular over a load compartment wall of the load compartment.

2. Load transfer device (2) according to claim 1, characterised in that 20 the pivotable unit (3) has a conveying device (11) for conveying the harvested material (4) to the shredding unit (5).

3. Load transfer device (2) according to claim 2, characterised in that 25 in the use position of the pivotable unit (3) the conveying device (11) of the pivotable unit (3) and the conveying device disposed in the intermediate store (6) are flush with one another.

4. Load transfer device (2) according to any of the preceding claims, 30 characterised in that the conveying device (7) disposed in the intermediate store (6) has a scraper floor disposed in the region of a loading surface of the intermediate store (6), by means of which the shredded harvested material (4) received in the intermediate store (6) can be conveyed in the direction of the load transfer unit (8).

5. Load transfer device (2) according to any of the preceding claims, 5 characterised in that the conveying device disposed in the intermediate store (6) has at least one metering roller disposed on one side, facing the load transfer unit (8), of the intermediate store (6), by means of which the shredded harvested material (4) received in the intermediate store (6) can be conveyed in the direction of the load transfer unit 10 (8).

6. Load transfer device (2) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the conveying device disposed in the intermediate store (6) has a wall delimiting 15 the intermediate store (6), which wall can be extended and retracted in the direction of the load transfer unit (8).

7. Load transfer device (2) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that 20 a press (13) for compacting the harvested material (4) is arranged upstream of the shredding unit (5).

8. Load transfer device (2) according to claim 7, characterised in that 25 the press (13) for compacting the harvested material (4) can be moved in the direction of the conveying device (11) of the pivotable unit (3).

9. Load transfer device (2) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that 30 the pivotable unit (3) has a roller (10) equipped with receiving tines (9) for collecting the harvested material (4) from the ground.

10. Load transfer device (2) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pivotable unit (3) has a mowing unit (14) for mowing and subsequently picking up the harvested material (4) from the ground. 5

11. Load transfer device (2) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the shredding unit (5) has a rotatable roller equipped with conveying tines, which roller interacts with fixed cutting blades, which are preferably disposed in channels. 10

12. Load transfer device (2) according to any of the preceding claims characterised in that the shredding unit (5) has a chaff cutter.

13. Load transfer device (2) according to any of the preceding claims, 15 characterised in that the load transfer unit (8) can be positioned in a folded-in non-use position and in a folded-out load transfer position.

14. Load transfer device (2) according to any of the preceding claims, 20 characterised in that the load transfer unit (8) has a conveyor belt, a worm conveyor and/a blower, having a conveying pipe connected thereto, for conveying the shredded harvested material (4) into the load compartment of the transport vehicle. 25

15. Load transfer device (2) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the load transfer device (2) is a trailer, a superstructure for a vehicle, or a motor vehicle. 30

16. Load transfer device (2) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the load transfer device (2) has a connection for an auxiliary drive, in particular for a PTO shaft of a tractor (1).