Mower conditioner: types, description, purpose

Agricultural silage harvesting is carried out in several stages, the most important of which are produced directly in the field. The harvesting machine performs trimming of the stems and subsequent laying of the grass in a special collection. This is how a traditional mower works, essentially fulfilling the task of delivering material for the future silo to the barn. However, more modern technologies assume the performance of several operations by the harvesting machine right on the job site. Combined tasks, in particular, is performed by a mower-conditioner, thanks to which the farmer can prolong the preservation of the leaves - the most nutritious part of the plant.

Purpose of the units

The main advantage of mowers with the function of flattening is their multitasking. They are equipped with several functional components of the hinged type, which allow you to perform mowing, flattening, laying grass, etc. In particular, the mower for the tractor is able to form accurate rolls, which can later be laid in silos without unnecessary preparatory operations. The specific laying technique will already depend on access to the storage facility.

The variety of mown grass does not matter. The structures are oriented to seeded leguminous and grain plants, but under the condition of the optimal condition of the knives, the mowing of practically all stalk plants is allowed. As for possible limitations, the standard mower conditioner is demanding to the surface. That is, it is not recommended to use it on an uneven terrain. However, in the latest modifications, manufacturers install discs made of high-strength materials, additionally protected by barriers against stones.

Structural features

The device of the machine assumes inclusion in a design of several working bodies. So, the self-propelled mower provides the presence of a chassis, a cab with an operator's seat, a power plant and a control unit. By the way, diesel is used most often as fuel. The drive mechanism is connected to the header-reaper, which performs basic operations with grass. Typically, the hinged system is universal in terms of connecting the working units. With the help of replaceable adapters, the user can completely change the functional orientation of the machine.

In this case, the main working components are cutting disks, crimping device and swath-forming apparatus. The task of the above-mentioned parts can be supplemented with swaths and grass harvesters. Depending on the tasks to be performed by the mower conditioner, the configuration of the attachment of the hinged mechanism is selected. The set of operations, in turn, will depend on the requirements for storing grass and its pre-preparation.

General principle of work

The entire process is performed in several interrelated stages. First of all, the stems of plants are cut with the help of rotor elements or segment carvers. The scaffold is supported by a reel, which performs two functions - adjusts the direction of the bevel and transfers the cropped grass further along the auger. If a mower is used for a tractor with a header, the primary raw material first enters it, and then it is sent to the neck of the crimping device. At the final stage, rolls are formed from the flattened stems - in effect, this is the operation of narrowing the grass to certain volumes.

Types of equipment

There are three classifications of mowers with the possibility of flattening - by the type of the driving unit, the way of aggregation with it and the design of the cutting organs. As already noted, there are self-propelled machines, completely autonomous and independent of other equipment. A mower-conditioner is also used, which must be connected to the tractor. Previously, hand hanging gear was also in demand, but the integration of crimping devices for it is problematic.

With regard to the classification of the type of aggregation, that is, the method of connecting the undercarriage and the suspension mechanism, then the frame linking frame and the coupling rod are selected. As an add-on, auxiliary elements for providing lifting, amplification, etc. can be used. Segmented, two-knife and rotary systems are distinguished by the type of cutting elements. The most effective is a rotary mower for a tractor with discs that provide a wide coverage of the mowing area.

Equipment Characteristics

Attachments are evaluated according to the height of the cut, the width of the coverage band and the number of functional segments. Optimal is a set of 4 rotors or segments. They allow to capture bands of an average width of 2 to 3 m. As the number of functional segments decreases, the width decreases to 0.5-0.8 m. Modified by additional rotors, the mechanisms are able to perform mowing with one-time coverage of 7-9-meter strips. Typically, such tasks are performed by the rotary mower for the tractor, and not the models on the chassis. The height of the cut will then vary from 50 to 200 mm - this value is adjusted depending on the working conditions. In addition, the working tempo is taken into account, which is determined, among other things, by the power of the tractor. The speed of mowing varies on average from 3 to 15 km / h. The most powerful 150-strong machines can work at a speed of 20 km / h.

Conclusion

With the obvious benefit of this multifunctional technique, the expediency of using it is not always obvious. First, such equipment requires special technical support and maintenance. Secondly, regardless of the type of drive mechanism and running gear, the mower conditioner effectively works only at high power potential. For example, not every mini-tractor can cope with a one-time application of a mower, conditioner and swath-forming device. Therefore hinged aggregates of this type justify themselves mainly with the maintenance of large farms and, in rare cases, private agricultural lands that realize the full cycle of harvesting silage.