Cutter Guard Assembly Cover of a Header for an Agricultural Farm Implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016135366-A1
Application number	US-201414890360-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 8, 2014
Priority date	May 10, 2013
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cutter guard assembly for a knife drive of an agricultural farm implement is provided. The cutter guard assembly includes a cutter bar assembly, a floor assembly and a knife assembly. The cutter bar assembly has a cutter bar. The floor assembly includes a floor extending from the cutter bar and a cover extending from the floor. The knife assembly is covered by and situated below the floor assembly. In operation the cover drapes over a rigid frame of a header shielding the knife assembly from debris.

First claim

1 . A cutter guard assembly of a header for an agricultural farm implement comprising:
a cutter bar assembly; a knife assembly operatively connected to the cutter bar assembly; and a floor assembly including a floor extending rearwardly from the cutter bar assembly, a cover extending rearwardly from the floor.

2 . The cutter guard assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cover is a flexible cover.

3 . The cutter guard assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cover is a polymeric sheet, textile, elastomeric sheet, or metal sheet.

4 . The cutter guard assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cover extends further rearwardly than the floor.

5 . The cutter guard assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cover covers a floor sheet of the floor.

6 . The cutter guard assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the knife assembly includes a knife drive and the cover is wider than the knife drive.

7 . The cutter guard assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the cover covers the knife drive.

8 . The cutter guard assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the floor biases against a rigid frame of the header and wherein the cover covers the floor and the rigid frame.

9 . The cutter guard assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the floor assembly further includes a fastener for fastening the cover to the floor.

10 . The cutter guard assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the fastener is a mounting bracket.

11 . The cutter guard assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a protective encapsulation covering a knife arm extending forwardly of the floor.

12 . The cutter guard assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the protective encapsulation is a substantially hollow cover that bounds a top portion, a front portion, and side portions of the knife arm.

13 . The cutter guard assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the protective encapsulation is a mobile protective encapsulation having a front portion attached to a segment of the cutter bar assembly.

14 . The cutter guard assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the protective encapsulation has a curved top backside.

15 . The cutter guard assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the curved top backside has a cross-sectional curved surface geometry that matches a curve defined by a front end of the floor as it flexes or pivots about an axis.

16 . A header for an agricultural farm implement comprising:
a rigid frame; a cutter bar assembly mounted to the header adjacent the rigid frame; a knife assembly operatively connected to the cutter bar assembly, the knife assembly including a knife arm; and a floor assembly including a floor extending rearwardly from the cutter bar assembly, a protective encapsulation covering the knife arm extending forwardly of the floor.

17 . The header according to claim 16 , wherein the protective encapsulation is a substantially hollow cover that bounds a top portion, a front portion, and side portions of the knife arm.

18 . The header according to claim 16 , wherein the protective encapsulation is a mobile protective encapsulation having a front portion attached to a segment of the cutter bar assembly.

19 . The header according to claim 16 , wherein the protective encapsulation has a curved top backside.

20 . The header according to claim 19 , wherein the curved top backside has a cross-sectional curved surface geometry that matches a curve defined by a front end of the floor as it flexes or pivots about an axis.

21 . The header according to claim 16 , further comprising a cover extending from the floor and covering the rigid frame.

22 . The header according to claim 21 , wherein the cover is a flexible cover.

23 . The header according to wherein 21 , wherein the cover is a polymeric sheet, textile, elastomeric sheet, or metal sheet.

24 . The header according to claim 21 , wherein the cover drapes over the rigid frame.

25 . The header according to claim 21 , wherein the knife assembly includes a knife drive and the cover is wider than the knife drive.

26 . The header according to claim 25 , wherein the cover covers the knife drive.

27 . The header according to claim 21 , wherein the cover covers a floor sheet of the floor.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Cook Joel T
• Lauwers Andrew V
• Roberts Craig D

Classifications

• A01D2101/00

  Lawn-mowers · CPC title

• A01D75/185

  Avoiding collisions with obstacles · CPC title

• A01D34/04 Primary

  with cutters at the front · CPC title

• A01D34/30 Primary

  Driving mechanisms for the cutters · CPC title

• A01D41/14

  Mowing tables · CPC title