# US 2017/0280626 A1 · Modular platform for cutting sugar cane

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- Number: US 2017/0280626 A1
- Document ID: US20170280626A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/473,745
- Filed: 2017-03-30
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-04-01
- Assignees: IndúStrias Reunidas Colombo Ltda
- Applicants: IndúStrias Reunidas Colombo Ltda
- Inventors: Luiz Henrique BERTINO
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170280626A1

## CPC

- A01D 75/28: Control mechanisms for harvesters or mowers when moving on slopes; Devices preventing lateral pull
- A01D 34/416: Flexible line cutters
- A01D 45/10: of sugar cane {(for digging sugar cane A01D31/00)}
- A01D 63/02: Rotating dividers
- A01D 2101/00: Lawn-mowers
- A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING

## Abstract

An agricultural harvesting machine for harvesting sugar cane, with means for working coupled to a tractor or any self-propelling machine, by using mechanic power (TDP) converted into hydraulic power (pump) to activate different devices of a set, so that it may form a wire cutting front for lanes of plants which are cut and thrown behind over the soil and organized in rows for later collecting and processing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A modular platform for harvesting sugar cane plants, comprising:
(A) a triangle-shaped modular structure, constructed and arranged to be coupled to a tractor or a self-propelled automotive machine; having a lower horizontal assembly plane, a sloped rear assembly plane and a sloped front assembly plane; two external sides; and having wheels assembled on each external side adjacent to the sloped rear assembly plane;
(B) a mouth structure attached and hinged to the sloped rear assembly plane of the modular structure, the mouth structure having coupling means for the platform to be connected fixedly to corresponding parts of the tractor or the self-propelled automotive machine, and allowing the modular structure to create a pendulum movement;
(C) a continuous cutting wire device mounted under the lower horizontal assembly plane of the modular structure, the cutting wire device having a continuous steel cable cutting wire assembled forming a horizontal cutting line extending throughout the width of the modular structure, and at least two parallel traction pulleys, the pulleys constructed and arranged to move the cutting wire to cut the plants at a base portion;
(D) multiple lane dividers, mounted on the sloped front assembly plane, each comprising rotating helical rollers, constructed and arranged to separate interlaced sugar cane plants between adjoining lanes to be harvested, wherein the plants from each lane are guided towards inlet gaps, having two extremities and located between the multiple lane dividers, by guiding sets, allowing the plants to be sloped forwardly for harvesting;
(E) a vertical pulling set, comprising at least two rotating units for each plant lane, vertically positioned on each of two extremities of each inlet gap, with each rotating unit having toothed rules and formed by a lower disc positioned parallel to and above the cutting wire device; and a horizontal pulling set, having at least a pair of upper pulling rollers and a pair of lower pulling rollers axially aligned in pairs and with each pulling roller having toothed rulers; wherein the vertical and horizontal pulling sets, constructed and arranged to direct the harvested plants by pulling towards inside the platform, and moving the plants behind the structure in rows;
wherein all moving parts of the structure are activated by hydraulic pumps; and the modular structure is able to balance by raising and lowering the structure, and
wherein the structure constructed and arranged to form a harvesting front for sugar cane plants with the balance of the modular structure shifting in a manner that the cutting front remains parallel to the ground.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The modular platform according to claim 1, wherein the modular case further comprising an intermediate structural case, a right structural case and a left structural case; each structural case having a triangular prism shape, with bases formed of rectangular frames forming the lower horizontal assembly plane; and
wherein the rear assembly plane and the front assembly plane are joined at upper edges by a top crossbar, forming an apex of the modular structure, with two segmented crossbar-shaped links below the top crossbar configuring fixing points for a rear structural extension having two parallel beams linked by perpendicular supports behind the top crossbar, wherein the said parallel beams are interleaved in their middle between reinforcement plates crossed by a short central tube, configuring a hinged coupling point with the mouth structure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The modular platform according to claim 1, wherein the fixed mouth structure having a first and a second side; and is connected to the modular structure by a hinged joining pin between the modular structure and the mouth structure, and having a crossbeam, including a pair of vertical tubes on each of the first and second sides and a lower tube, forming a frame, with four additional tubes projecting horizontally and backwards, having free edges interlinked by other vertical tubes and an upper horizontal tube, forming two side panels with sustaining hooks on their top side, engaging points along each panel on their bottom side, and side U-shaped supports with tears forming fixing points and an angle movement limit between the modular structure and the mouth structure.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The modular platform according to claim 1, wherein the cutting wire device is located between the two traction pulleys, with one traction pulley located on each side of the cutting wire, a right traction pulley and a left traction pulley, and a third tensioning pulley located centrally on one side of the cutting wire, wherein each traction pulley is parallel and below the lower horizontal assembly plane, and wherein the right traction pulley is below the corresponding structural case on the corresponding side, the left traction pulley is below the left structural case, and the intermediate tensioning pulley is located below the intermediate structural case of the modular structure, and
wherein each pulley is attached to a rolling hub, the intermediate tensioning pulley rolling hub being assembled over a support fixed to the rectangular frame of the intermediate structural case, and the left and right traction pulleys being assembled over rolling hubs with each hub attached to hydraulic engines, and wherein the right traction pulley is also fixed to the right structural case, and
wherein the left traction pulley and corresponding rolling hub are fixed to an edge of an L-shaped swing arm, and wherein another edge of the L-shaped swing is radially fixed to a rolling bearing located over a support attached inside the frame of the left structural case of the modular structure, and wherein a hydraulic damper is hinged at its edges to both the L-shaped swing arm and to the modular structure

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The modular platform according to claim 1, wherein the lane dividers are each further comprising:
a pair of lane opener rotating cylinders each activated by a pair of hydraulic engines turning in opposite directions, the lane openers each having a pantographic support with a hydraulic cylinder, having an upper edge hinged to the top crossbar of the modular structure, and a lower edge hinged to a middle of a rectangular plate-shaped support having a rear edge hinged between sloped parts of the rectangular frames of the modular structure; and the lane openers having second rectangular plate-shaped support freely crossed by the hydraulic cylinder, with its rear edges hinged to an upper edge of the rectangular frame of the modular structure;
wherein the second rectangular plate-shaped supports have front edges interconnected by a hinged arm connecting two hinged points at the edges of the second plates-shaped supports, forming hinged couplings for a lying V-shaped plate body, having a sloped frontward-facing apex and a lower sliding side combined with an internal structure and external supports, wherein the external supports form assembling means for the pair of lane opener rotating cylinders.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The modular platform according to claim 1, wherein the guiding sets are each further comprising a horizontal tube fixed at each end to an adjustable radial support located in opposition over additional radial supports located on the segmented crossbar-shaped links of the modular structure, wherein the adjustable radial support forms a point adjusting for height and positioning of the horizontal tubes above and before the pulleys of the cutting wire device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The modular platform according to claim 1, wherein the vertical pulling sets are each further comprising four rotating units, two rotating units corresponding to each lane, wherein one rotating unit is vertically positioned on each side limits of each inlet spacing, each rotating unit formed by a lower disc positioned parallel and above the cutting wire device, and wherein the lower disc is centered and solidary to a lower edge of a vertical axis having radial jaws comprised of a toothed ruler extending throughout the height of the vertical axis, the vertical axis being coupled at its upper edge to a bearing interlinked to an upper hydraulic engine, the bearing also having two side plate supports for fixing the vertical pulling set to other plate supports welded and distributed between beams of the modular structure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The modular platform according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal pulling sets are each further comprising:
a first group of four pulling rollers axially aligned in pairs, comprising a pair of upper pulling rollers and a pair of lower pulling rollers, wherein the upper pulling rollers and lower pulling rollers each have, at their edges, bearings and hydraulic engines assembled to side walls of plates on the respective intermediate, right, and left structural cases, and wherein all four pulling rollers have lengthwise jaws comprised of toothed rules equally distributed, and wherein the pair of upper pulling rollers are floating and having their bearings slidably provided in oblong tears;
a second group of three pulling rollers, comprised of a horizontal pulling roller and two vertical pulling rollers, coupled to each other by transmission cases at 90°, each pulling roller having lengthwise jaws comprised of toothed rules equally distributed, wherein the horizontal pulling roller is aligned behind the pair of lower pulling rollers, and the two vertical pulling rollers are positioned at edges limits of the edges of the first group pairs of pulling rollers, the vertical pulling rollers having their edges and respective bearings and hydraulic engines fixed to the modular structure below the crossbeams, and
a third group of two parallel horizontal pulling rollers, having an upper floating pulling roller and a lower fixed pulling roller, wherein the upper and lower pulling roller are both and aligned to the pulling rollers (61A), (61B) and (66A) and wherein each pulling roller has lengthwise jaws comprised of toothed rules equally distributed, and having their edges with respective bearings integrated with hydraulic engines, wherein the bearings are fixed to the side panels of the mouth structure and are floating and slidably assembled in oblong tears.