Slot driven low profile sickle drive

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9545051-B2
Application number	US-201214128048-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2012
Priority date	May 27, 2011
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

A slot driven low profile sickle drive has an input rotatable about an upstanding rotational axis and carries an eccentric captured in a slot in one end of a pivot arm pivotable about an upstanding pivotal axis. A power source is connected in rotatably driving relation to the input. The opposite end of the pivot arm connects to a knife assembly of a sickle. The input, eccentric and pivot arm are generally flat, and the power source is vertically coextensive therewith for incorporation in or below the floor of a header of a plant cutting machine. Rotation of the input causes epicyclical orbiting of the eccentric, resulting in sideward pivoting of the opposite end of the pivot arm and sickle knife. A second drive can oppositely drive a second sickle knife, such that opposite forces generated by operation of the drives will be largely canceled.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sickle drive for a plant cutting machine comprising:
a first sickle knife assembly supported for side to side reciprocating movement along a forward end of the machine,
a rotary power source that drives the sickle knife assembly,
a generally flat cover bounding and defining an upper portion of a generally flat cavity containing a substantially flat first input element supported for rotation about a generally upstanding first rotational axis, and a rotatable, substantially flat second input element supported in the cavity adjacent to the first input element for rotation about a generally upstanding second rotational axis, wherein the first and second input elements are connected so as to be rotated in opposite directions by the rotary power source, and wherein the rotary power source engages an under surface of one of the first and second input elements,
a substantially flat first eccentric element supported in the cavity in connection with the first input element for rotation thereby in eccentric relation to the rotational axis about a generally upstanding first eccentric axis laterally offset relative to the first rotational axis,
a substantially flat second eccentric element supported in the cavity in connection with the second input element for rotation thereby in eccentric relation to the second rotational axis about a generally upstanding second eccentric axis laterally offset relative to the second rotational axis,
a first pivot arm having a substantially flat first end and an opposite upwardly extending second end projecting upwardly from the cavity and configured for connection to the first knife assembly of a sickle located forwardly thereof, and the first pivot arm supported for pivotal movement about an upstanding first pivotal axis, the first end of the first pivot arm including a slot cooperatively receiving the first eccentric element, such that eccentric rotation of the first eccentric element about the first rotational axis will reciprocatingly pivot the first pivot arm, and
a second pivot arm having a substantially flat first end and an opposite upwardly extending second end projecting upwardly from the cavity and configured for connection to a second knife assembly of the sickle located forwardly thereof, and the second pivot arm being supported for pivotal movement about an upstanding second pivotal axis, the first end of the second pivot arm including a slot cooperatively receiving the second eccentric element, such that eccentric rotation of the second eccentric element about the second rotational axis will reciprocatingly pivot the second pivot arm.

2. The sickle drive of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the first pivot arm comprises a pivot shaft.

3. The sickle drive of claim 2 , wherein the first input element is disk shaped and the first end of the first pivot arm is disposed above a forward portion thereof and extends forwardly to the pivot shaft.

4. The sickle drive of claim 3 , wherein the cover is part of an enclosure having an overall vertical extent, and the rotary power source is disposed adjacent to a rear end thereof and has a vertical extent less than the overall vertical extent, so as to follow unobtrusively in a path of the enclosure when the drive is moved forwardly.

5. The sickle drive of claim 4 , wherein the power source comprises a motor.

6. The sickle drive of claim 5 , wherein the motor is a fluid motor or an electric motor.

7. A sickle drive comprising:
a generally flat enclosure having an upper cover with a forward end disposed just rearwardly of a sidewardly extending sickle of a header of an agricultural plant cutting machine, and a lower cover having a forward end which tapers or curves upwardly toward the forward end of the upper cover, the upper and lower covers defining a cavity therebetween,
an epicyclic slot drive mechanism including a rotatable first input element supported in the cavity for rotation about a generally upstanding first rotational axis,
a first eccentric element supported in the cavity in connection with an upper extent of the first input element for rotation thereby along a first epicyclic orbit about the first rotational axis, the first eccentric element having a generally upstanding first eccentric axis laterally offset relative to the first rotational axis,
a first pivot arm disposed in the cavity and above the first input element, the first pivot arm having a first end including a slot cooperatively receiving the first eccentric element, the first pivot arm extending forwardly to a second end comprising a pivot shaft which projects upwardly from the upper cover of the generally flat enclosure and is supported for rotation about a generally upstanding first pivotal axis therethrough, such that the first pivot arm is restrained to pivot sidewardly about the first pivotal axis by the eccentric rotation of the first concentric element, and
a first knife arm mounted on the pivot shaft above the upper cover of the generally flat enclosure and connecting to a first knife assembly of the sickle, such that the first knife assembly will be reciprocated sidewardly relative to the enclosure by the pivoting of the shaft.

8. The sickle drive of claim 7 , further comprising:
a second epicyclic slot drive mechanism including a rotatable second input element supported in the cavity beside the first input element for rotation about a generally upstanding second rotational axis,
a second eccentric element supported in the cavity in connection with the second input element for rotation thereby along a second epicyclic orbit about the second rotational axis, the second eccentric element having a generally upstanding second eccentric axis laterally offset relative to the second rotational axis,
a second pivot arm disposed in the cavity and having a first end including a slot cooperatively receiving the second eccentric element, the second pivot arm extending forwardly to a second end thereof comprising a second pivot shaft which projects upwardly from the upper cover of the generally flat enclosure and is supported for rotation about a generally upstanding second pivotal axis therethrough, such that the second pivot arm is restrained to pivot sidewardly about the second pivotal axis by the eccentric rotation of the second concentric element, and
a second knife arm mounted on the second pivot shaft above the upper cover of the generally flat enclosure and connecting to a second knife assembly of the sickle, such that the second knife assembly will be reciprocated sidewardly relative to the generally flat enclosure by the pivoting of the second pivot shaft.

9. The sickle drive of claim 8 , wherein the first input element and the second input element are connected together for joint rotation in opposite rotational directions, for reciprocatingly moving the first and second sickle knife assemblies sidewardly simultaneously in opposite directions, such that sideward forces generated by the movements of the knife assemblies will substantially cancel each other.

10. The sickle drive of claim 9 , further comprising a rotatable power source connected in rotatably driving relation to one of the first input element and the second input element, and substantially vertically coextensive with the generally flat enclosure.

11. The sickle drive of claim 10 , wherein the power source comprises a motor.

12. The sickle drive of claim 11 , wherein the motor is a fluid motor or an electric motor.

13. The sickle drive of claim 11 , wherein the motor is oriented at an acute angle to a forward direction.

14. A header having a sickle drive for a plant cutting machine comprising:

Assignees

• Cook Joel T
• Bich Gary L
• Dechristopher David M
• Ungs Peter J
• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Cook Joel T
• Bich Gary L
• Dechristopher David M
• Ungs Peter J

Classifications

• A01D34/04 Primary

  with cutters at the front · CPC title

• A01D34/145 Primary

  Devices for connecting the knife-bars to the driving mechanism · CPC title

• A01D34/30

  Driving mechanisms for the cutters · CPC title