Minimization of transport dimensions of wide-cut implements

In modern agricultural production, wide-cut implements with various folding patterns, which in transport position are limited by their dimensions – 4 m in height and 4.4 m in width, have become widely used. The purpose of the presented research is to develop a scheme for folding frame structures of wide-cut implements, allowing to minimize their transverse transport dimensions, as well as to find rational values for the working width of tillage implements for various purposes with the proposed folding scheme. It has been established by calculation that the classic transverse three-section folding scheme allows, subject to the conditions of GOST R 53489, to ensure a maximum working width of implements of about 6.5 m when mounted with tractors of classes 1.4–4 and about 7.2 m for implements for tractors of classes 5 and higher. To increase the working width of the implements while maintaining their specified overall transport dimensions, it is proposed to use a transverse-angular folding scheme, the feature of which is the inclined location of the rotation axes of the wings relative to the central frame. This folding scheme is more complicated than the traditional three-section transverse one, but significantly simpler than both the five-section transverse and transverse-longitudinal schemes. In this case, the wings of the implement can be made equal in width to the central section of the frame; accordingly, the working width of the implement will be equal to triple the width of the central section. Taking into account the requirements of GOST R 53489, it is possible to increase the working width of implements mounted with tractors of classes 1.4–4 to 7.5 m, and with tractors of classes 5–8 – up to 9.3 m. It was also found that it is rational to use the proposed cross-angle folding scheme in the design of steam cultivators for tractors of the third class, heavy cultivators, rotors and combined implements for tractors of the sixth class, as well as disk implements mounted on tractors of the eighth class.