Modular electric disc cutterbar and controller

A disc cutterbar for an agricultural header for severing a standing crop as the header is forwardly propelled comprising:

• an elongate, generally rigid support frame connected to the header;
• a plurality of disc cutter modules attached to and spaced apart along the support frame, each module having a drive motor with an upwardly oriented7 rotatable output shaft, and a top cover connected to the output shaft for rotation therewith;
• and
• a plurality of knives connected to each top cover, rotation of the plurality of knives defining a cutting periphery, the rotation of the plurality of knives and each top cover causing cut crop material to be directed upwardly over the top cover after the crop has been severed from the ground;
• wherein the plurality of cutter modules is positioned on the frame so that the knives on the plurality of modules is generally coplanar, the cutting periphery of adjacent modules does not overlap, and the rotating knives produce a continuous swath of cut crop as the cutterbar is forwardly propelled through a standing crop
• wherein the rotational speed and rotational direction of each electric motor is individually selectively adjustable;
• a controller and at least one feedback input for managing the rotational speed and direction on of each electric motor;
• wherein the at least one feedback input include a selective manual input;
• and
• wherein the at least one feedback input includes a sensor for generating a signal indicative of cutterbar crop severing performance, the controller receiving the signal and adjusting cutter module speed in response the signal input in accordance with a pre-determined control algorithm.

A disc cutterbar for an agricultural header having generally spaced-apart and opposing ends defining a header width, the cutterbar configured to sever a standing crop as the header is forwardly propelled, the disc cutterbar comprising:

• an elongate, generally rigid support frame connected to the header;
• a plurality of disc cutter modules attached to and spaced apart along the support frame, the plurality of disc cutter modules is arranged in generally parallel and transversely oriented forward and rearward rows, the rows being parallel and spaced apart on the support frame and individual modules in alternating forward and rearward positions along the transverse width of the cutterbar, each module having an electric drive motor with an upwardly oriented, rotatable output shaft, and a top cover connected to the output shaft for rotation therewith, the rotational speed and rotational direction of each electric motor being individually selectively adjustable;
• a controller and at least one feedback input for managing the rotational speed and direction of each electric drive motor to manage crop movement in the header;
• and a plurality of knives connected to each top cover, rotation of the plurality of knives defining a cutting periphery, the rotation of the plurality of knives and each top cover causing cut crop material to be directed upwardly over the top cover after the crop has been severed from the ground,
• wherein the plurality of cutter modules is positioned on the frame so that the knives are generally coplanar, the cutting periphery of adjacent modules does not overlap, the rotating knives produce a continuous swath of cut crop as the cutterbar is forwardly propelled through a standing crop, and the modules on the forward row rotate at a speed different than the speed of the modules on the rearward row to direct cut crop material upwardly over the rearward row.