Harvesting header knife drive assembly
AssigneeHoney Bee Manufacturing Ltd.
InventorsGregory Honey, Glenn Honey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A knife drive assembly for use in a harvesting header may be mounted near the center line of the cutter bar of the header. Mechanical power from the power unit behind the header (typically the combine power output shaft) may be translated for application to two knife assembly sections in the cutter bar at the front of the cutter table. Movement of the two knife assembly sections with this apparatus can be fully synchronized and 180 degrees out of phase, to maximize cutting effectiveness and minimize vibration of the header. The unitary drive assembly may allow for rapid repair and manufacture, and the size and weight of the knife drive assembly may represent a significant weight and balance advantage over the prior art.
Claims39
A knife drive assembly for a harvesting header operable to move a first knife and a second knife in reciprocating transverse motion, the assembly comprising:
- (a) an interface mechanism operable to couple with a power source to cause rotational movement of a rotating member;
- (b) a first movement conversion mechanism operable to convert the rotational movement of said rotating member to reciprocating generally longitudinal movement of a first generally longitudinally extending movement member and said first movement conversion mechanism operable to convert the rotational movement of said rotating member to reciprocating generally longitudinal movement of a second generally longitudinally extending movement member;
- (c) a second movement conversion mechanism operable to convert the reciprocating generally longitudinal movement of the first generally longitudinally extending movement member to transverse reciprocating movement of the first knife;
- and wherein said second movement conversion mechanism operable to convert the reciprocating generally longitudinal movement of the second generally longitudinally extending movement member to transverse reciprocating movement of the second knife.
A header comprising:
- a header frame;
- a cutter bar assembly mounted to said frame, said cutter bar assembly having at least one knife;
- a knife drive assembly mounted to said header frame and extending generally longitudinally between an inward region of said header frame and said cutter bar assembly;
- wherein said knife drive assembly is configured and operable to move said at least one knife in transverse motion, the knife drive assembly comprising:
- (a) a first movement conversion mechanism operable to convert rotation of a rotational input power source to reciprocating generally longitudinal movement of at least one generally longitudinally extending movement member;
- (b) a second movement conversion mechanism operable to convert the reciprocating longitudinal movement of the at least one generally longitudinally extending movement member to transverse reciprocating movement of at least one knife;
- wherein said at least one generally longitudinally extending movement member is a first generally longitudinally extending movement member and wherein said assembly further comprises a second generally longitudinally extending movement member;
- and wherein said at least one knife comprises a first knife and a second knife;
- and wherein said first movement conversion mechanism is operable to convert the rotation of said rotational input power source to reciprocating generally longitudinal movement of the first and second generally longitudinally extending movement members;
- and wherein the second movement conversion mechanism operable to convert the reciprocating generally longitudinal movement of the first generally longitudinally extending movement member to transverse reciprocating movement of the first knife and operable to convert the reciprocating generally longitudinal movement of the second generally longitudinally extending movement member to transverse reciprocating movement of the second knife.
A knife drive assembly for a harvesting header operable to move a first knife and a second knife in reciprocating transverse motion, the assembly comprising:
- (a) an interface mechanism operable to couple with a power source to cause movement of a member;
- (b) a first movement conversion mechanism operable to convert the movement of said member to reciprocating generally longitudinal movement of a first generally longitudinally extending movement member and said first movement conversion mechanism operable to convert the movement of said member to reciprocating generally longitudinal movement of a second generally longitudinally extending movement member;
- (c) a second movement conversion mechanism operable to convert the reciprocating generally longitudinal movement of the first generally longitudinally extending movement member to transverse reciprocating movement of the first knife;
- and wherein said second movement conversion mechanism operable to convert the reciprocating generally longitudinal movement of the second generally longitudinally extending movement member to transverse reciprocating movement of the second knife.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.