Patent ID: 7870713
Filing Date: 2011-01-18
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
1. A guard for a sickle of an agricultural plant cutting machine, comprising: a base configured for mounting to a header of a plant cutting machine adjacent to a forward edge of an upwardly facing floor of the header; an elongate finger attached to the base and oriented relative thereto so as to extend forwardly therefrom when mounted to the header, the finger including a forward tip portion opposite the base, the finger including a slot extending sidewardly therethrough intermediate the base and the tip portion and configured for cooperatively receiving a sickle knife for reciprocating sideward movement relative to the finger, the finger including opposite side surfaces adjacent to opposite ends of the slot and against which the sickle knife will cut plants when reciprocated sidewardly relative to the finger, the finger including a longitudinally extending, upwardly facing surface extending generally from the base to the forward tip portion; and the upwardly facing surface including a rearwardly facing air discharge nozzle incorporated therein, and the finger including an air flow passage extending internally therethrough from an air inlet adjacent the base to the nozzle for delivering a flow of pressurized air thereto, the nozzle being at least mostly flush with or recessed into the upwardly facing surface for discharging the flow of air rearwardly over the finger without obstructing plant material flow thereover, wherein the nozzle is disposed above the slot, wherein the upwardly facing surface includes a shallow concave channel rearwardly of the nozzle, and the nozzle is oriented to discharge the flow of air through the channel.