Patent ID: 8117810

Claim:
A cutting system for a forage harvester comprising: a header including a source of rotational movement connected to spaced-apart first and second rotor assemblies extending therefrom, the header comprising: at least first and second substantially planar and circular counterrotating blades, first blade and second blade each configured to rotate about a substantially parallel axis, a portion of the first and second blades at least partially overlapping each other continuously, the first and second blades spaced from each other such that the first blade is positioned to rotate on a first rotational axis and the second blade is positioned to rotate on a second rotational axis, such that the direction of rotation of the first and second blades is perpendicular to the first and second rotational axes; a first pair of semi-circular plates, each of the pair of first semi-circular plates having at least one substantially planar gripping member extending outwardly beyond an edge thereof, the first pair of semi-circular plates together cooperating to form a counterrotating first circular plate which is positioned above the first blade, and a second pair of semi-circular plates, each of the pair of second semi-circular plates having at least one gripping member extending outwardly beyond an edge thereof, the second pair of semi-circular plates together cooperating to form a counterrotating second circular plate which is positioned above the second blade, wherein the gripping members of the first and second circular plates are aligned with each other in a direction perpendicular to the first and second vertical rotational axes; first and second shafts, each shaft positioned about first and second rotational axes, respectively, and operatively connected to first and second rotary assemblies and to first and second blades, respectively, the first and second shafts causing the first and second blades to counterrotate at a first speed; and first and second tubes positioned over first and second shafts, respectively, each first and second tube operatively coupled to the source of rotational movement at an upper end and to first and second circular plates, respectively, at an opposite lower end, the first and second tubes causing the first and second circular plates and the griping members thereon to counterrotate above the first and second blades, the first and second plates and their respective gripping members extending therefrom and configured to rotate at a second speed, which is different than the first speed of the first and second blades, wherein at least a portion of each gripping member extends parallel to and beyond an outer edge of each of the first and second plates.