Patent ID: 9545051
Date: 2017-01-17
CPC Classifications: A01D

Claim:
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.