Patent ID: 8347594

Claim:
A draper platform for mounting on a feederhouse of an agricultural combine, the draper platform having a forward direction of operational travel over the ground and an overall width in a direction transverse to the forward direction, the draper platform comprising: a frame ( 102 , 104 , 106 ), wherein said frame ( 102 , 104 , 106 ) is elongate and extends generally perpendicularly to the forward direction and extends generally parallel to the ground; a plurality of reciprocating knife support arms ( 246 ) that extend in the forward direction and are pivotally coupled at the rear of the plurality of support arms to the frame ( 102 , 104 , 106 ), to pivot generally up and down at their forward ends about their pivotal connections to the frame ( 102 , 104 , 106 ) and with respect to the frame ( 102 , 104 , 106 ); a reciprocating knife assembly ( 140 ) that is elongate and extends laterally across substantially the entire overall width of the draper platform ( 100 ), wherein said reciprocating knife assembly ( 140 ) is disposed at a forward edge of the draper platform, wherein said reciprocating knife assembly ( 140 ) is connected to and supported on forward ends of the plurality of support arms ( 246 ), wherein the reciprocating knife assembly ( 140 ) is configured to flex and to thereby permit each support arm ( 246 ) of the plurality of support arms ( 246 ) to independently pivot up and down with respect to adjacent ones of the plurality of support arms ( 246 ); and a reciprocating knife drive ( 250 ) comprising a sub-frame ( 258 ) that is disposed between and supported on two adjacent support arms ( 246 ) of said plurality of support arms ( 246 ), a first pivoting drive member ( 254 ) having a front end pivotally connected to the reciprocating knife assembly ( 140 ) and a rear end pivotally connected to said reciprocating knife drive ( 250 ), the first pivoting drive member ( 254 ) being supported on the sub-frame ( 258 ) at a first pivot ( 264 ) to pivot with respect to the sub-frame ( 258 ) about a first generally vertical axis.