Center link knife drive for a header of an agricultural harvester

A knife head drive assembly for a header of an agricultural harvester comprising:

• a knife head assembly for attachment to a forward end of the header;
• a rotating crank operatively connected to and extending substantially transverse to the knife head assembly for engagement with a drive;
• a reciprocating shaft having a first end and a second end opposite the first end connected to the rotating crank;
• and
• a first pivot arm carried by the knife head assembly, wherein the first pivot arm is pivotably connected to the knife head assembly, is pivotably connected to the reciprocating shaft, and comprises a pivot about which the first pivot arm pivots.

An agricultural harvester comprising:

• a powered vehicle;
• a header for attachment to the powered vehicle, the header comprising:
• a chassis,
• a conveyor supported by the chassis,
• a drive supported by the chassis;
• and
• a knife head drive assembly comprising:
• a knife head assembly attached to a forward end of the header,
• a rotating crank operatively connected to and extending substantially transverse to the knife head assembly for engagement with the drive,
• a reciprocating shaft connected to the rotating crank, and
• a first pivot arm pivotably connected to the reciprocating shaft and the knife head assembly, wherein the first pivot arm comprises a pivot about which the first pivot arm pivots.