WO2011119093A1

WO2011119093A1 - Planter with central beam having free front and rear side

Info

Publication number: WO2011119093A1
Application number: PCT/SE2011/050314
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johan ALSÄTER
Original assignee: Väderstad-Verken Ab
Priority date: 2010-03-23
Filing date: 2011-03-22
Publication date: 2011-09-29
Also published as: SE1050266A1; SE535122C2

Abstract

An agricultural machine (1 ) arranged to be towed across a ground surface by a traction vehicle, which agricultural machine comprises a connection device (12) engaging the traction vehicle and a ground contacting device (2, 15), which two devices (2, 15, 12) are connected to a support beam (3) having an extension essentially transverse to the towing direction and essentially orientated parallel to the ground surface, the support beam (3) being formed with a first beam portion to which the connection device (12) engaging the traction vehicle is attached, and a primary second beam portion, and a secondary second beam portion to which the ground contacting device (2, 15) is attached, at least one of the second beam portions being formed so that the ground contacting device (2, 15) can be detachably connected to said second beam portion in any one of a plurality of lateral positions along the support beam (3).

Description

PLANTER WITH CENTRAL BEAM HAVING FREE FRONT AND REAR SIDE

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an agricultural machine, and particularly to a sower, possibly of the so-called planter type, which is used for the sowing of row cultivated crops, such as maize, sunflowers and cotton.

Background of the Invention

The background of the invention is seen in SE 529 190, which is equivalent to WO 2007043965 and DE 1947036.

The machine type that traditionally have assemblies for the sowing of row cultivated crops, such as maize, sunflowers, cotton and other crops to be sown seed by seed at a preset distance of, e.g., 15 cm between each seed or grain, is called planters. These machines often have a row distance of approx. 75 cm. This type of machines are often built on a central beam to which so-called row units have been connected, each row unit usually contains members for the depth holding of the row unit and members for the feeding down of grains into the ground, they also usually contain one or more devices for singulation, i.e., a device for dispensing the grains grain by grain at a preset distance. Furthermore, said row unit often has a container for seeds and possibly a container for plant protectants. The row unit has furthermore a device for being connected to the central beam, this connection is most often made with a parallelogram to give the row unit a possibility of freely following the irregularities of the ground. These row units are mounted side by side and may in a planter consist of 6-20 pes. placed side by side. Machines having both fewer and more row units are found. The central beam may conventionally be formed as one part or be divided into a plurality of parts for the machine to be collapsible for transportation and storage. Usually, the front side of the beam is used for the attachment of a hitch or fasteners to be connected to the three-point lift of a tractor. These attachments may be welded or in one way or another be detachably connected to the front side of the beam. Furthermore, both the front and rear side of the beam are most often used for the attachment of joints, fasteners for hydraulic cylinders and other fasteners and fittings.

By the fact that the front and rear side of the beam is provided with fasteners and equipment, it means that the row units and other equipment for cultivation that are required for a specific use cannot be freely mounted along the beam in any place or at an optional row distance.

Such a design of an agricultural machine means that the machine has to be manufactured with different frame types for different desires, which results in an increased number of article numbers, more complicated manufacture, logistics, increased stock-keeping, and thereby increased costs.

The Object of the Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a universal agricultural machine that can be used in and modified for different agricultural areas.

The object is furthermore to provide such a machine that can be adapted to different desires for, e.g., row distance and other equipment.

The object is furthermore to provide such a machine that is provided with a support beam the front and rear side of which is available as a mounting surface for the desired equipment placed in the desired lateral position.

In addition, the object is to provide an agricultural machine that can be equipped for a cultivation that is carried out in the moment before sowing and is adaptable to different types of row cultivated crops. Summary of the Invention

By the present invention, as the same is set forth in the independent claim, the above-mentioned objects are met, wherein the mentioned disadvantages have been eliminated. Suitable embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

In connection with the continued development of the agriculture and the desire to drive fewer and fewer times across a field, there may be a need for being able to provide a machine of the above-mentioned kind with different forms of equipment, so-called pre-implements, for cultivation. Some examples of such equipment, in addition to row units, may be supporting wheels, holders for harrow tines, cultivator tines, discs or different forms of assemblies or integrated units, etc.

In order to achieve the above mentioned objects, the agricultural machine is equipped with a support beam on the front side and/or rear side of which different types of equipment can be connected as well as that the upper and/or under side of the support beam is connected to the hitch, three-point lift, etc., of the tractor. The upper and/or under side of the support beam may also be connected to ground support members, such as support wheels.

The front and rear side of the beam can be made available in its entirety if the connections of the beam to the hitch, three-point lift, lowering device, etc., of the tractor, are connected on the upper or under side of the beam or possibly both. In order to get sufficient strength in the joint between connecting pieces and the beam, connecting pieces can be connected by recessing holes in the upper and under side of the beam and the pieces being welded to or screwed into both the upper side and the under side.

The invention concerns an agricultural machine arranged to be towed across a ground surface by a traction vehicle. The agricultural machine comprises a connection device engaging the traction vehicle, e.g. in the form of a connection to the three-point lift of a tractor. The agricultural machine also comprises a ground contacting device, e.g. in the form of row units, supporting wheels, holders for harrow tines, cultivator tines, discs or different forms of assemblies or integrated units. Said two devices are connected to a support beam having an extension essentially transverse to the towing direction and essentially orientated parallel to the ground surface. The support beam is formed with a first beam portion to which the connection device engaging the traction vehicle is attached, and a primary second beam portion, and a secondary second beam portion to which the ground contacting device is attached, at least one of the second beam portions being formed so that the ground contacting device can be detachably connected to said second beam portion in any one of a plurality of lateral positions along the support beam. This means that ground contacting devices can be placed in one of a plurality of lateral positions along the support beam without being obstructed by the connection device. The upper side of the first beam portion is preferably used for the mounting of the connection device to provide better space for the ground contacting device below the support beam.

Embodiments within the scope of the invention involve that the ground contacting device can be detachably connected in a continuously variable way to said second beam portions in an optional lateral position along the support beam. Forming the beam portions without fixed positions implies additional options for adjustment and placement of the ground contacting devices. Further embodiments within the scope of the invention involve that the second beam portions of the support beam are provided with fastening members that consist of portions or edges projecting from the support beam, around which fastening members, the ground contacting device can be connected by means of a fastening device adapted to the fastening member. By this design of the support beam, its own cross-sectional shape providing its torsional stiffness is utilized to also enable connection parts for the ground contacting devices.

Further embodiments within the scope of the invention involve that said first beam portion allows connection to the traction vehicle only from the upper side of the support beam and/or from the under side of the beam, while said second beam portions allow connection of the ground contacting device only from the front side of the support beam and/or from the rear side of the support beam. This design of the support beam further contributes to providing free space for the mounting of the ground contacting devices.

Further embodiments within the scope of the invention involve that the second beam portions are formed to connect the ground contacting device rearward or forward by the same fastening device. These embodiments allow different types of ground contacting devices to be placed either in the forward or rearward direction. For instance, if a lower ground pressure is wanted, several support wheels may be mounted.

Further embodiments within the scope of the invention involve that the cross-section of the support beam essentially corresponds to an equilateral triangle. By means of such a support beam, one of or both the sloping sides can be used for the mounting of ground contacting devices.

Further embodiments within the scope of the invention involve that said support beam is orientated in such a way that one of its edges, corresponding to one of the corners of the triangle, is orientated either vertically upward or vertically downward. These embodiments imply that the side that is opposite said edge is orientated horizontally either on the upper side of the support beam or on the under side of the support beam, which in turn means a flat outermost limiting surface to be used for the fastening of the connection device engaging the traction vehicle.

Further embodiments within the scope of the invention involve that said first beam portion comprises a primary first beam portion and a secondary first beam portion that is symmetrically orientated in relation to said primary first beam portion around an imaginary horizontal symmetry line transverse through the support beam in the centre of gravity of its cross-section. These embodiments imply that the support beam is formed with a symmetrical cross-section having advantageous properties in respect of torsional stiffness and connection to both the connection device engaging the traction vehicle and the ground contacting device.

Further embodiments within the scope of the invention involve that at least one of said second beam portions comprises, beyond the smallest vertical cross- section of the support beam, vertically projecting rear and/or front fastening members to which the ground contacting device can be connected. These embodiments imply that the ground contacting device can be formed with a fastening device of a clasping type that does not require support beams of a complicated cross-section and neither requires that the support beams are provided with slots or holes for the fastening of the ground contacting device.

Further embodiments within the scope of the invention involve that said projecting fastening members have an extension in the vertical direction that only contributes to an increased vertical range of the cross-section geometry of the support beam. Accordingly, the beam geometry of these embodiments neither increases the range of the cross-section of the support beams forward nor rearward.

Further embodiments within the scope of the invention involve that the support beam is formed with a cross-section having the shape of an hourglass. This cross-sectional shape has a support beam having good properties as regards both torsional stiffness and connection options.

The invention also embraces a planter frame in one or more sections that have connecting pieces that are necessary for the beam and in all essentials are connected to the upper or under side of the beam. Particularly, the invention concerns such a planter frame that has a cross-section having the shape of a lying hourglass in order to easily allow connection of row units, pre-implements, supporting wheels, etc.

Brief Description of the Drawings Now, the invention will be described in more detail, reference being made in connection with the accompanying drawing figures. The drawing figures show only explanatory sketches intended to facilitate the understanding of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an agricultural machine according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a view from the front of an agricultural machine

according to the invention.

Figure 3a shows a perspective view of a support beam in an agricultural machine according to the invention.

Figure 3b shows an embodiment in perspective of a fastening device for a support beam according to Figure 3a.

Figure 3c shows an embodiment in side view of a support beam on which a fastening device has been mounted.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view from the side of an embodiment of a connection device including the support frame thereof.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view from behind of the embodiment according to Figure 4.

Figure 6 shows a cross-section through a first design of a support beam. Figure 7 shows a cross-section through a second design of a support beam.

Figure 8 shows a cross-section through a third design of a support beam. Figure 9 shows a cross-section through a fourth design of a support beam. Description of the Invention

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an agricultural machine in the form of a planter 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. The planter embraces a number of, in this example eight, drilling units 2, each one attached on a transverse support beam 3 having a fastening device 11. Such a drilling unit is an example of a ground contacting device according to the present invention. By means of a connection device 12, in the figure comprising fastening members 4, 5, 6 to be coupled to a three-point lift of a tractor, the agricultural machine is arranged to be coupled behind a traction vehicle and moved forward across a ground surface in a direction indicated by the arrow F in Figure 1. In the movement of the machine 1 across the soil to be sown, each one of the drilling units 2 is arranged to form a drill furrow in the direction of travel of the machine, place one seed at a time along the drill furrow to form a row of seeds in the direction of travel F of the machine, as well as to close the drill furrow. Each drilling unit is attached to the support beam 3 at a predetermined distance to the adjacent drilling unit, the two formed drill furrows forming a constant distance between themselves when the machine is moved in the direction F. Accordingly, this distance is depending on where the drilling unit 2 is mounted on the support beam 3. The figure also shows a further example of ground contacting devices, which consist of a first marker arm 13 and a second marker arm 14, each one of which two marker arms is provided with a cultivation tine 15 mounted furthest out on the outwardly foldable marker arms. When the marker arms are fully folded out, the cultivation tines 15 scrape a groove in the ground at half a machine width out from the planter in such a way that a running right over this groove in the opposite direction provides the same distance between all drill furrows. Also these marker arms are mounted to the support beam 3 by a corresponding fastening device 16. Accordingly, different types of assemblies can be connected to the support beam from both directions by the same fastening device.

Figure 2 shows the agricultural machine 1 from the front with the fastening members 4, 5, 6, of the connection device 12 mounted to the support beam 3, which extends essentially transverse to the towing direction and is orientated essentially parallel to the ground surface 20 in a working position. As is seen in the figure and Figure 1 , the traction vehicle is connected to the connection device 12, which in turn is mounted to the upper and/or lower beam portion of the support beam 3, which beam portion henceforth is designated as a primary and secondary first beam portion having the shape of beam cross-section shown in Figure 1. Furthermore, the support beam in the embodiment illustrated is provided with a primary and a secondary second beam portion, the rearwardly facing primary second beam portion being a fastening part for the drilling units 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 in the figure as well as also for the second and the third supporting wheel S2, S3 in the figure by corresponding fastening devices according to what has been shown in connection with Figure 1. The first supporting wheel S1 is connected to the secondary second beam portion, which is facing forward and comprises corresponding fastening members on the support beam in order to, by corresponding fastening devices as shown in Figure 1 , be able to attach the supporting wheel S1 on the support beam 3. Also other assemblies and other pieces can be attached on the front side as well as rear side of the support beam, e.g. row units, pre-implements, supporting wheels, etc. An elucidation of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 of a support beam according to the invention will be made in connection with Figure 3. Also in Figure 2, a marker arm 14 including its cultivation tine 15 is shown and mounted by a corresponding fastening device as shown in Figure 1. Figure 2 also shows that the connection device 12 is provided with dismountable support legs 29 by which the agricultural machine 1 can be disconnected from the traction vehicle. These support legs are also shown in Figure 1. The embodiment shown in the figure comprises a support beam 3 consisting of a first support beam part 301 and a second support beam part 302. Said two support beam parts are rotatably suspended in bearing journals 303, 304 in order to, upon transportation, be able to raise the support beam parts into a vertical position including all mounted ground contacting devices so as to minimize the transportation width of the agricultural machine 1. The raising is carried out by means of a first hydraulic cylinder 305 for the first support beam part 301 and by a second hydraulic cylinder 306 for the second support beam part 302.

Figure 3a shows a support beam 3 comprising the first support beam part 301 and the second support beam part 302 according to one embodiment of the invention. The support beam 3 comprises a primary first beam portion 31 facing upward and a secondary first beam portion 32 facing downward. The traction vehicle is connected to the connection device 12 by the fastening members 4, 5, 6 thereof. The connection device is further connected to the primary first beam portion 31 of the support beam by welded-on joint attachments 311 , 312 in which the bearing journals 303, 304 are placed. To said primary first beam portion 31 , lifting attachments 313, 314 are also connected and to which the hydraulic cylinders are connected in order to lift each support beam part 301 , 302 by a turning around the bearing journals 303, 304 into a transport position. The support beam comprises further a primary second beam portion 33 and a secondary second beam portion 34, against which second beam portions 33, 34 ground contacting devices in the form of row units, pre-implements, supporting wheels, furrow openers, etc., can be mounted. The first and the second beam portions are related to each other in such a way that the connection device, which is mounted to one of or to both the first beam portions 31 , 32, does not prevent a mounting of ground contacting devices to one of or to both the second beam portions 33, 34 independently of in which position along the support beam they are mounted. Accordingly, the entire support beam is available for the mounting of ground contacting devices. This is made possible by the connection device 12 including the frame members thereof on one hand being mounted to the primary first beam portion 31 and on the other hand being formed so that the frame members thereof create a mounting space between the frame members and the support beam.

Figure 3b shows a fastening device 35 that in the figure is a part of a four- joint mechanism 361 , 362, 363, 364 to which a ground contacting device, e.g. a row unit, is connected. The fastening device 35 forms the link between the first joint 361 and the second joint 362. The fastening device 35 is provided with hook members 371 , 372, which are formed to be hooked on over fastening members that divide the second beam portions of the support beam. The fastening device 35 is further provided with contact surfaces 373, 374 formed to abut against the second beam portions of the support beam. Furthermore, the fastening device 35 is provided with mounting stoppers 375, 376 as well as with a locking member 38, which is provided with screw members 381 , 382, which are arranged to pull the locking member to the support beam upon application, wherein a locking of a ground contacting device against the support beam can be provided. The figure also shows a spring member 39 to provide a pressing force against the ground of the ground contacting device during operation.

Figure 3c shows a support beam 3 including the primary second beam portion 33 thereof. Over the fastening member of this beam portion, the hook members 371 of the fastening device 35 are hooked, the fastening member and the primary second beam portion abutting against the contact surfaces of the fastening device. For a locking in this position, the locking member 38, which is internally threaded, is pulled by the screw member 381 against the fastening device 35, the fastening member of the support beam being pressed into the fastening device. Thereby, different types of ground contacting devices can be connected to the support beam by the same or a similar fastening device.

Figure 4 shows the connection device 12 including the fastening members 4, 5, 6 thereof and the front frame members 41 , 42 thereof, the front lower frame member 43 thereof, the front upper spacer frame members 44 thereof, the front lower spacer frame member 45 thereof, the vertical member 46 thereof, as well as the rear lower spacer frame member 47 thereof, and the upper rear spacer frame member 48 thereof. Accordingly, said frame members form a support frame 120 for the connection device 12. The support beam 3 is formed and connected to the support frame 120 in such a way that the frame members 41 , 42, 43, 44, 45 thereof form a front mounting space 49 around the secondary second beam portion 34 of the support beam by the frame members of the support frame carrying the support beam at a distance from the frame members. The support beam 3 is mounted to the support frame via the joint attachment 312 thereof including a bearing housing 3040 for the bearing journal 304, the joint attachment 312 being mounted to the primary first beam portion 31.

Figure 5 shows the connection device 12 in Figure 4 from the rear side including the vertical member 46 of the support frame 120, as well as the rear lower spacer frame member 47 thereof and the upper rear spacer frame member 48 thereof. In an analogous way as shown in Figure 4, said frame members are connected to each other and to the vertical member in such a way that a rear mounting space 50 is formed around the primary second beam portion 33 of the support beam 3.

Figure 6 shows a cross-section through a first design of a support beam 60, which cross-section has a shape of a lying hourglass. The support beam 60 in the figure corresponds to the basic shape of the support beam 3 that has been shown in Figures 1 , 2, 3a, 4, 5 and comprises a primary first beam portion 61 facing upward and a secondary first beam portion 62 facing downward. The support beam 60 comprises further a primary second beam portion 63 and a secondary second beam portion 64. The primary second beam portion 63 is provided with an upper vertically projecting rear fastening member 631 and a lower vertically projecting rear fastening member 632. The secondary second beam portion 64 is provided with an upper vertically projecting front fastening member 641 and a lower vertically projecting front fastening member 642. Said second beam portions 63, 64 including the fastening members 631 , 632, 641 , 642 thereof have an outer surface the shape of which corresponds to the shape of the fastening device, i.e., the support beam and the fastening device are formed to cooperate with each other for the fastening of units and assemblies to the machine. The shape of the support beam in the figure is symmetrically shaped around a horizontal symmetry line 65 through the centre of gravity, TP, of the beam cross- section. The support beam 60 has furthermore a symmetrically shaped cross- section around a vertical symmetry axis 66, which implies that the beam portions including the fastening members become equal on both the front side and the rear side of the support beam. Furthermore, the fastening members 631 , 632, 641 , 642 of the beam are formed with an extension only in the vertical direction beyond the smallest vertical cross-section of the support beam, which in the figure

corresponds to the perpendicular distance between the central parts of the primary first beam portion 61 and the secondary first beam portion 62. In the central parts thereof, these beam portions are in addition parallel to each other.

Figure 7 shows a cross-section through a second design of a support beam 70 having a basic shape of the cross-section that corresponds to an H shape having double webs. This embodiment comprises a primary first beam portion 71 facing upward and a secondary first beam portion 72 facing downward. The support beam 70 comprises further a primary second beam portion 73 and a secondary second beam portion 74. The primary second beam portion 73 is provided with an upper vertically projecting rear fastening member 731 and a lower vertically projecting rear fastening member 732. The secondary second beam portion 74 is provided with an upper vertically projecting rear fastening member 741 and a lower vertically projecting rear fastening member 742. Said second beam portions 73, 74 including the fastening members 731 , 732, 741 , 742 thereof have an outer surface the shape of which corresponds to the shape of the fastening device, i.e., the support beam and the fastening device are formed to cooperate with each other for the fastening of units and assemblies to the machine. The shape of the support beam in the figure is symmetrically shaped around a horizontal symmetry line 75 through the centre of gravity, TP, of the beam cross- section. The support beam 70 has furthermore a symmetrically shaped cross- section around a vertical symmetry axis 76, which implies that the beam portions including the fastening members become equal on both the front side and the rear side of the support beam. Furthermore, the fastening members 731 , 732, 741 , 742 of the beam are formed with an extension only in the vertical direction beyond the smallest vertical cross-section of the support beam, which in the figure

corresponds to the perpendicular distance between the primary first beam portion 71 and the secondary first beam portion 72. These beam portions are in addition parallel to each other over their entire extension. Unlike the shown embodiment in Figure 6, the support beam 70 according to this embodiment is formed with exclusively flat beam sides.

Figure 8 shows a cross-section through a third design of a support beam 80, which cross-section has the shape of an equilateral triangle having a corner directed upward and a side opposite to the corner that is horizontal and directed downward. The support beam according to this embodiment is formed with only one first beam portion 81 for the mounting against a connection device but comprises a primary second beam portion 83 and a secondary second beam portion 84, which second beam portions are sloping unlike the second beam portions of the previously shown cross-sections. The primary second beam portion 83 is provided with an upper fastening member 831 , which corresponds to the upper edge of the support beam, and a lower rear fastening member 832, which corresponds to the lower rear edge of the support beam. The secondary second beam portion 84 is provided with an upper fastening member 841 , which coincides with the upper fastening member 831 of the primary second beam portion 83, and a lower fastening member 842, which corresponds to the lower front edge of the support beam. Said second beam portions 83, 84 including the fastening members 831 , 832, 841 , 842 thereof have an outer surface the shape of which corresponds to the shape of the fastening device, i.e., the support beam and the fastening device are formed to co-operate with each other for the fastening of units and assemblies to the machine. The support beam 80 has in addition, in an analogous way as in the embodiments shown in Figures 6 and 7, a symmetrically shaped cross-section around a vertical symmetry axis 86, which also implies for this embodiment that the beam portions including the fastening members become equal on both the front side and the rear side of the support beam. For this type of support beam cross-sections, the corresponding fastening devices are formed to "grip" around the respective edges of the support beam.

Figure 9 shows a cross-section through a fourth design of a support beam 90, which cross-section has the shape of an equilateral triangle having a corner directed downward and a side opposite to the corner that is horizontal and directed upward. The support beam according to this embodiment is formed with only one first beam portion 91 for the mounting against a connection device but comprises a primary second beam portion 93 and a secondary second beam portion 94, which second beam portions are sloping unlike the second beam portions of the cross- sections shown in Figures 6 and 7. The primary second beam portion 93 is provided with an upper fastening member 931 , which corresponds to the upper rear edge of the support beam and a lower fastening member 932, which corresponds to the lower edge of the support beam. The secondary second beam portion 94 is provided with an upper fastening member 941 , which corresponds to the upper front edge of the support beam, and a lower fastening member 942, which coincides with the lower fastening member 932 of the primary second beam portion 93. Said second beam portions 93, 94 including the fastening members 931 , 932, 941 , 942 thereof have an outer surface the shape of which corresponds to the shape of the fastening device, i.e., the support beam and the fastening device are formed to co-operate with each other for the fastening of units and assemblies to the machine. Also this support beam 90 has, in an analogous way as shown in Figure 8, a symmetrically shaped cross-section around a vertical symmetry axis 96, which implies that the beam portions including the fastening members become equal on both the front side and the rear side of the support beam. For this type of support beam cross-sections, the corresponding fastening devices are formed to "grip" around the respective edges of the support beam.

The shown embodiments of the support beams in Figures 6-9 have all a symmetrically shaped cross-section around a vertical symmetry axis, which implies that the second beam portion of each embodiment including the respective fastening member thereof becomes equal on both the front side and the rear side of the support beam, which implies that fastening devices for the ground contacting devices are equally formed to be mounted either rearward or forward.

Accordingly, for all shown support beam cross-sections, ground contacting devices can be mounted either forward or rearward by the same fastening device. In addition, ground contacting devices can be mounted continuously variably along the support beam by a fastening device having a mechanical joint against the support beam according to the embodiment shown in Figure 3b.

Within the scope of the invention, also other forms of the support beam cross-section may be conceivable and that allow mounting in several positions, stepwise or continuously variably, along the support beam with the possibility of carrying out a mounting either rearward or forward by the same fastening device.

Claims

1 . Agricultural machine (1 ) arranged to be towed across a ground surface (20) by a traction vehicle, which agricultural machine comprises a connection device (12) engaging the traction vehicle and a ground contacting device (2, 15, S1 , S2, S3), which two devices (2, 15, S1 , S2, S3, 12) are connected to a support beam (3, 60, 70, 80, 90) having an extension essentially transverse to the towing direction and essentially orientated parallel to the ground surface (20), the support beam (3, 60, 70, 80, 90) being formed with a first beam portion (31 , 32, 61 , 62, 71 , 72, 81 , 91 ) to which the connection device (12) engaging the traction vehicle is attached, and with a primary second beam portion (33, 63, 73, 83, 93), and with a secondary second beam portion (34, 64, 74, 84, 94) to which the ground contacting device (2, 15, S1 , S2, S3) is attached,

at least one of the second beam portions (33, 63, 73, 83, 93, 34, 64, 74, 84, 94) being formed so that the ground contacting device (2, 15, S1 , S2, S3) can be detachably connected to said second beam portion (33, 63, 73, 83, 93, 34, 64, 74, 84, 94) in any one of a plurality of lateral positions along the support beam (3, 60, 70, 80, 90), characterized in that the second beam portions (33, 63, 73, 83, 93, 34, 64, 74, 84, 94) are formed to connect the ground contacting device (2, 15, S1 , S2, S3) rearward or forward by the same or a similar fastening device (35).

2. Agricultural machine according to claim 1 , characterized in that the ground contacting device (2, 15, S1 , S2, S3) can be detachably connected in a continuously variable way to said second beam portions (33, 63, 73, 83, 93, 34, 64, 74, 84, 94) in an optional lateral position along the support beam (3, 60, 70, 80, 90).

3. Agricultural machine according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that the second beam portions (33, 63, 73, 83, 93, 34, 64, 74, 84, 94) of the support beam (3, 60, 70, 80, 90) are provided with fastening members (631 , 632, 641 , 642, 731 , 732, 741 , 742, 831 , 832, 841 , 842, 931 , 932, 941 , 942) that consist of portions (631 , 632, 641 , 642, 731 , 732, 741 , 742) or edges (831 , 832, 841 , 842, 931 , 932, 941 , 942) projecting from the support beam, around which fastening members, the ground contacting device (2, 15, S1 , S2, S3) can be connected by a fastening device (35) adapted to the fastening member.

4. Agricultural machine according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that said first beam portion (31 , 32, 61 , 62, 71 , 72, 81 , 91 ) allows connection to the traction vehicle only from the upper side of the support beam and/or from the under side of the support beam, while said second beam portions (33, 63, 73, 83, 93, 34, 64, 74, 84, 94) allow connection of the ground contacting device (2, 15, S1 , S2, S3) only from the front side of the support beam (3, 60, 70, 80, 90) and/or from the rear side of the support beam (3, 60, 70, 80, 90).

5. Agricultural machine according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that the cross-section of the support beam (80, 90) essentially corresponds to an equilateral triangle.

6. Agricultural machine according to claim 5, characterized in that said support beam (80, 90) is orientated in such a way that one of its edges,

corresponding to one of the corners of the triangle, is orientated either vertically upward or vertically downward.

7. Agricultural machine according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that said first beam portion (31 , 32, 61 , 62, 71 , 72) comprises a primary first beam portion (31 , 61 , 71 ) and a secondary first beam portion (32, 62, 72) that is symmetrically orientated in relation to said primary first beam portion (31 , 61 , 71 ) around an imaginary horizontal symmetry line (65, 75) transverse through the support beam (3, 60, 70) in the centre of gravity (TP) of its cross-section.

8. Agricultural machine according to claim 7, characterized in that at least one of said second beam portions (33, 34, 63, 64, 73, 74) comprises, beyond the smallest vertical cross-section of the support beam, vertically projecting rear fastening members (631 , 632, 731 , 732) and/or front fastening members (641 , 642, 741 , 742) to which the ground contacting device (2, 15, S1 , S2, S3) can be connected.

9. Agricultural machine according to claim 8, characterized in that said projecting fastening members (631 , 632, 641 , 642, 731 , 732, 741 , 742) have an extension in the vertical direction that only contributes to an increased vertical range of the cross-section geometry of the support beam (3, 60, 70).

10. Agricultural machine according to any one of claims 7-9, characterized in that the support beam (3, 60) is formed with a cross-section having the shape of an hourglass.

1 1. Agricultural machine according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that support beams (3, 60, 70, 80, 90) having corresponding beam portions are included in a planter frame constructed in one or more sections, the support beams (3, 60, 70, 80, 90) being provided with necessary connecting pieces to be connected to the connection device (12) and to the adjacent section from the upper or under side thereof.