Patent ID: 7275358

Claim:
In a cutting apparatus of the reciprocating sickle type adapted for cutting standing crops and having an elongate frame member generally transverse to the direction of travel of the cutting apparatus, a plurality of sickle guards having finger portions extending forwardly from said frame member and cutting edges; said guards rigidly affixed to said frame member, and an elongated reciprocating sickle bar assembly including a plurality of knife sections with angled forward converging cutting edges and upper and lower surfaces, each said cutting edge intersecting with a cutting edge on the adjacent section at a rearward vertex and registering with said cutting edges of said guards as the sickle bar assembly reciprocates, a plurality of hold-downs, each said hold-down comprised of an elongate body having a forward finger portion extending outwardly over said upper surfaces of said knife sections and an opposing rectangular rear portion, said rear portion having a first vertical hole therethrough adjacent the rear end thereof and a second vertical hole therethrough between said first hold and said forward finger portion, said rear portion further having a reduced cross-sectional area between said first and second holes, a plurality of stud plates each comprising an elongate generally rectangular plate having two holes therethrough and two elongate threaded studs welded thereto and projecting away therefrom, said studs and holes spaced and aligned such that they align with said first and second holes through said hold-downs, with the studs projecting through said second holes, said hold-downs affixed to said plurality of stud plates and rigidly affixed to said frame member by bolts extending through said first holes and said studs each having a nut thereon to tighten on said hold-downs to adjust the spatial relationship between the individual hold-downs and said upper surfaces of said knife sections, the improvement comprising: a generally stiff, compressible non-metallic trash guard located between each said said plate and respective said hold-down generally around respective said stud, generally filling any gap between said stud plate and said hold down.