Patent ID: 9622409
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: A01D

Claim:
1. A reciprocating knife assembly of an agricultural implement, the implement having a laterally extending mainframe carrying a draper platform including a center endless conveyor arranged for conveying harvested crop rearward, and right and left side endless conveyors respectively located at opposite sides of said center endless conveyor and respectively including first and second endless belts respectively formed into first and second loops having respective inner ends disposed adjacent said center endless conveyor, with the right and left side endless conveyors being respectively arranged for conveying harvested crop laterally onto said center endless conveyor, the reciprocating knife assembly comprising: a stationary knife support disposed along a leading edge of, and extending substantially a full width of, said implement just forwardly of said draper platform; a first elongate reciprocating knife disposed along said stationary knife support at said leading edge of the agricultural implement on the left hand side of the implement, a second elongate reciprocating knife disposed along said stationary knife support at said leading edge of the agricultural implement on the right side of the implement; said first and second reciprocating knives being disposed end to end and extending colinearly for simultaneous reciprocation in opposite directions, said first and second reciprocating knives being supported on said stationary knife support for sliding movement on the agricultural implement in a lateral direction generally perpendicular to the direction of travel of the agricultural implement as it travels through an agricultural field harvesting crop; and a reciprocating knife drive assembly, said reciprocating knife drive assembly comprising, at least one conveyor support arm extending beneath said one of the first and second loops and having a front end secured to said stationary knife support and having a rear end pivotally coupled to the mainframe such as to allow said at least one conveyor support arm to pivot up and down about a horizontal and laterally extending axis together with said stationary knife support; a knife drive frame being positioned within said one of the first and second loops and having a front end fixed to said stationary knife support and a rear end fixed to said at least one conveyor support arm; and said first and second bell cranks being respectively pivotally mounted to said knife drive frame for rotation about first and second upright axes.