Silver Medals
BERTHOUD Secure pesticide-products intake
B-safe
The B-safe system from Berthoud offers a secure solution for introducing pesticide products into crop spraying machines. The introduction of the various liquid products, and complete rinsing, is done without contact with the operator or the surrounding environment. This solution can equip all crop spraying machines, whether new or already in service, and is distinguished by its easeof use and adaptability to most of the product drums available on the market. The system, which requires manual implementation, is composed of four separate parts: an adaptation handle, a rinsing jet tube, a Venturi and two quick connectors. This system was developed to connect to all appliances having an intake hopper, while leaving the option for the operator to continue to use this intake hopper for solid products. B-safe thus eliminates the following known risks of contamination and pollution: drum lid dirty, risk of overturning the drum after opening, product inhalation, splashes projected onto the operator and around the hopper, splashes projected when rinsing the drum.
JOHN DEERE Fully automated connection system
Product trade name: Autoconnect
The AutoConnect system is composed, on the tractor side,of a telescopic lifting hook equipped with a sphere, and,around the shaft of the power take-off, a plate carryingvarious female plugs, and at the rear of the cab, twocameras. On the tool side, a block is easily and quickly fittedon the original boom, including the female half-sphere, aplate carrying the male plugs and centralisers, and a supportfor the universal joint for the power take-off. The electrical,hydraulic and pneumatic servo-mechanisms for the tool areconnected to this plate. An inclined panel with black andwhite squares is used as a target for the cameras. Thewhole acts as a hydraulic jack for the tool. Assembly doesnot require any modification to the tool.To connect, the driver reverses the tractor roughly in linewith the axis. Within less than 10 m from the tool, he/shetriggers the manoeuver from his/her console. The cameras,acting on the tractor’s transmission and steering, guide ittowards the tool. Once the boom has been connected andraised, the telescopic arm retracts, connecting and then locking the power take-off and the various plugs.
KVERNELAND GROUP Non-stop combined press-baler
Vicon Fastbale
The Fastbale is composed of a round bale press fittedwith 2 fixed-volume chambers, alongside a double rotaryelementbaler with no transfer system.The core of the bale is shaped in the pre-chamber. Then,the flow of material coming from the supply rotor andthe pre-shaped bale are both sent to the larger mainchamber. The bale continues its formation until it reachesthe maximum diameter of 1.25 m. The flow of materialis then redirected to the pre-chamber while, at the rear, binding takes place in the main chamber. When this stageis finished, the door of the press opens and the bale istransferred to the film wrapping machine by pure gravity,with no mechanical elements. Once the door is closed,the press is in its initial configuration and the cycle can continue… Then, the film wrapping begins at the rear: thedouble rotary elements apply the film at high speed. Whenthe cycle is finished, the rear part of the film wrapping machine lifts up to release the bale at ground level.The capacity of conventional presses and combinedpress-balers is limited by the sequence where the baleis bound and ejected, when the progress of the tractor isstopped and the work is interrupted. Fastbale over comes these stages. Yield and usage comfort are increased. Consumption and wear are limited. Versatility is optimal because the Fastbale can be used inall types of green or dry products, in combined press-balermode or in pressing mode alone. In the latter case, the bale is directly placed on the ground, as with a standardpress.
