Patent ID: 9668407
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: A01D

Claim:
1. A sickle drive for a plant cutting machine having a first sickle knife assembly supported for side to side reciprocating movement along a forward end of a floor of the machine, a first knife arm connected in driving relation to the first sickle knife assembly, and a rotary power source for driving the knife arm, the sickle drive comprising: a disk-shaped first input element supported for rotation about a generally upstanding first rotational axis and configured for connection in rotationally driven relation to the rotary power source; a first eccentric element connected to the first input element for rotation eccentrically about the first rotational axis; a first pivot element disposed beside the first input element and supported for rotation about a generally upstanding first pivotal axis; and a first drive arm configured for being in generally horizontally coextensive relation with the first input element, the first drive arm having a first end connected to the first eccentric element for rotation therewith eccentrically about the first rotational axis, the first drive arm further having a second end providing a pivotal connection with the first pivot element within an outer circumference of the first input element, wherein the first pivot element comprises a first pivot arm extending eccentrically relative to the first pivotal axis to the pivotal connection with the first drive arm such that the eccentric rotation of the first eccentric element causes the first drive arm to reciprocatingly pivot the first pivot element about the first pivotal axis, and wherein the first pivot element is configured for connecting to the first knife arm such that the pivotal movement of the first pivot element is configured for reciprocatingly moving the first sickle knife assembly along its longitudinal axis.