Center of header sickle drive

A sickle header having an elongate cutter bar along a forward edge of the sickle header that extends in a transverse direction along a width of sickle header operable for severing crop, the sickle header having a stationary bar on the forward portion of and extending along the width of the elongate cutter bar with an array of guards projecting forwardly at sidewardly spaced intervals, wherein the sickle header comprises:

• a right cutter bar assembly and a left cutter bar assembly, each cutter bar assembly having an elongate knife assembly formed of a plurality of knife sections configured to move in a reciprocating motion to effects a cutting action which severs plant stems captured between the plurality of knife sections and the guards;
• a first transfer plate connected to the knife assembly of the right cutter bar assembly and a second transfer plate connected to the knife assembly of the left cutter bar assembly;
• a center sickle drive assembly connected in driving relation to the first and second transfer plates, the center sickle drive assembly comprising:
• a drive motor gear;
• a first epicyclic drive and a second epicyclic drive connected to the right cutter bar assembly, wherein each of the first and second epicyclic drives is configured to translate rotational movement of the drive motor gear into linear oscillating motion of an output crank that is connected to the first transfer plate, such that the cranks of the first and second epicyclic drives simultaneously drive the knife assembly of the right cutter bar assembly in a reciprocating motion;
• a third epicyclic drive and a fourth epicyclic drive connected to the left cutter bar assembly wherein each of the third and fourth epicyclic drives is configured to translate rotational movement of the drive motor gear into linear oscillating motion of an output crank that is connected to the second transfer plate, such that the cranks of the third and fourth epicyclic drives simultaneously drive the knife assembly of the left cutter bar assembly in a reciprocating motion;
• a first pair of cranks that interact with the transfer plate connected to the right cutter bar assembly such that the pair of cranks are simultaneously operable for reciprocatingly driving a knife assembly of the right cutter bar assembly sidewardly, and
• a second pair of cranks that interact with the transfer plate connected to the left cutter bar assembly such that the pair of cranks are simultaneously operable for reciprocatingly driving a knife assembly of the left cutter bar assembly sidewardly, the left and right knife assemblies configured in timed relation so that the left and right knife assemblies move in opposite sideward directions.