Patent ID: 9699959
Date: 2017-07-11
CPC Classifications: A01D

Claim:
1. A center knife drive for a sickle of a plant cutting machine, comprising: an upper cover bounded by a peripheral edge including a forward edge portion, a rear edge portion opposite the forward edge portion, and opposite first and second side edge portions extending between the forward edge portion and the rear edge portion; at least two output elements, each reciprocatingly movable sidewardly above the upper cover for moving a respective knife of the sickle in a reciprocating cutting action, the at least two output elements located adjacent to the first and second side edge portions of the upper cover respectively; and at least two cleaning flaps, each connected to a respective one of the at least two output elements for movement with the respective one of the at least two output elements generally forwardly and rearwardly, each of the at least two cleaning flaps disposed above a portion of the upper cover and configured to clean the upper cover during the movement by carrying and pushing loose material rearwardly over the rear edge portion of the upper cover, the at least two cleaning flaps being positioned and shaped so as to extend in overlapping relation over a region of the upper cover during at least a portion of the movements with the at least two output elements.