Patent ID: 6305154
Filing Date: 2001-10-23
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
A high speed sickle cutting system for a sickle bar mower comprising:a plurality of knife sections having cutting tips with less than three inches of distance there between, said plurality of knife sections further comprising individual knife sections with bases secured to a knifeback bar and having cutting tips;a plurality of sickle guard fingers having finger tips with less than three inches of distance there between;holes within said plurality of sickle guard fingers for securing said plurality of sickle guard fingers to a support bar;individual sickle guard fingers comprising said plurality of sickle guard fingers, said individual sickle guard fingers resting adjacent and parallel to said individual knife sections, said support bar being adjacent to and separate from said knifeback bar;a sickle drive mechanism having a connecting rod with a sickle head attached to said knifeback bar, said sickle drive mechanism capable of reciprocating said knifeback bar with a stroke of less than three inches and compatible with said plurality of knife sections and said plurality of sickle guard fingers;a hold down clip attached to said support bar opposite an individual sickle guard finger and adjacent to an individual knife section;a triad of individual sickle guard fingers comprising said plurality of sickle guard fingers, said triad of individual sickle guard fingers further comprising a center individual sickle guard finger, a left individual sickle guard finger, and a right individual sickle guard finger;a center rearward facing slot of said center individual sickle guard finger working in conjunction with said hold down clip to enable enclosure of a majority of said individual knife section therein;a center lip extending inward to form said center rearward facing slot of said center individual sickle guard finger;a left lip extending inward to form a left rearward facing slot of said left individual sickle guard finger, anda right lip extending inward to form a right rearward facing slot of said right individual sickle guard finger, said center lip being smaller than said right lip and said left lip, said center rearward facing slot being smaller than said right rearward facing slot and said left rearward facing slot, said center lip and said center rearward facing slot accommodating said hold down clip.