Patent ID: 6595123
Filing Date: 2003-07-22
Classification: A01F

Abstract:
In a harvesting machine having a crop flow passage, an improved knife bed assembly for use in cutting crop materials as they move through the passage, said knife bed assembly comprising:a frame; a series of knife blades each swingable on the frame between extended and retracted positions; a corresponding series of blade actuators each swingable on the frame between actuated and unactuated positions, each actuator being operable in its actuated position to retain the corresponding blade in its extended position and being operable in its unactuated position to allow the blade to reside in its retracted position, each actuator being operable to swing the corresponding blade to its extended position as the actuator is swung to its actuated position; a corresponding series of springs each operably coupled between the frame and a corresponding actuator for yieldably biasing the actuator toward its actuated position, each actuator including non-yielding structure engaging the blade such that the blade yieldably shifts the actuator toward its unactuated position for relief when excessive loads are applied against the blade; a plurality of holes in the frame, each corresponding to a condition in which a different combination of the blades, or no combination of the blades, is in the retracted position, said actuators being provided with apertures so disposed that different combinations of the actuators have their apertures in registration with corresponding, different holes in the frame when the actuators are in the unactuated position; and a locking rod insertable into any selected one of said holes in the frame and the corresponding apertures of the actuators when the actuators are in the unactuated position to lock a corresponding combination of the blades in the retracted position.