# US 2014/0190139 A1 · Slot Driven Low Profile Sickle Drive

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- Number: US 2014/0190139 A1
- Document ID: US20140190139A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/128,048
- Filed: 2012-05-25
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2011-05-27
- Assignees: CNH Industrial America LLC
- Inventors: Joel T. Cook; Gary L. Bich; David M. DeChristopher; Peter J. Ungs
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190139A1

## CPC

- A01D 34/04: with cutters at the front
- A01D 34/145: {Devices for connecting the knife-bars to the driving mechanism}
- A01D 34/30: Driving mechanisms for the cutters
- A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING

## Abstract

A slot driven low profile sickle drive has an input rotatable about an upstanding rotational axis and carries an eccentric captured in a slot in one end of a pivot arm pivotable about an upstanding pivotal axis. A power source is connected in rotatably driving relation to the input. The opposite end of the pivot arm connects to a knife assembly of a sickle. The input, eccentric and pivot arm are generally flat, and the power source is vertically coextensive therewith for incorporation in or below the floor of a header of a plant cutting machine. Rotation of the input causes epicyclical orbiting of the eccentric, resulting in sideward pivoting of the opposite end of the pivot arm and sickle knife. A second drive can oppositely drive a second sickle knife, such that opposite forces generated by operation of the drives will be largely canceled.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sickle drive for a plant cutting machine comprising:
a first sickle knife assembly supported for side to side reciprocating movement along a forward end of the machine, and
a rotary power source that drives the sickle knife assembly, wherein the drive includes a generally flat cover bounding and defining an upper portion of a generally flat cavity containing a substantially flat first input element supported for rotation about a generally upstanding first rotational axis,
a substantially flat first eccentric element supported in the cavity in connection with the first input element for rotation thereby in eccentric relation to the rotational axis about a generally upstanding first eccentric axis laterally offset relative to the first rotational axis,
a first pivot arm having a substantially flat first end and an opposite upwardly extending second end projecting from the cavity and configured for connection to a knife assembly of a sickle located forwardly thereof, and a first pivot arm supported for pivotal movement about an upstanding first pivotal axis, a first end of the first pivot arm including a slot cooperatively receiving the eccentric element, such that eccentric rotation of the first eccentric element about the first rotational axis will reciprocatingly pivot the first pivot arm, and the first input element being connectable in rotatably driven relation to the power source.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sickle drive of claim 1, further characterized by a rotatable, substantially flat second input element supported in the cavity adjacent to beside the first input element for rotation about a generally upstanding second rotational axis, a substantially flat second eccentric element supported in the cavity in connection with the second input element for rotation thereby in eccentric relation to the second rotational axis about a generally upstanding second eccentric axis laterally offset relative to the second rotational axis, a second pivot arm having a substantially flat first end and an opposite upwardly extending second end projecting from the cavity and configured for connection to a second knife assembly of the sickle located forwardly thereof, and the second pivot arm being supported for pivotal movement about an upstanding second pivotal axis, the first end of the second pivot arm including a slot cooperatively receiving the second eccentric element, such that eccentric rotation of the second eccentric element about the second rotational axis will reciprocatingly pivot the second pivot arm, and the second input element being connectable in rotatably driven relation to the power source.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The sickle drive of claim 2, wherein the first and second input elements are connected so as to be rotated in opposite directions by the power source.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The sickle drive of claim 1, wherein the second end of the first pivot arm comprises the pivot shaft.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The sickle drive of claim 4, wherein the first input element is disk shaped and the first end of the pivot arm is disposed above a forward portion thereof and extends forwardly to the pivot shaft.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The sickle drive of claim 5, wherein the cover is part of an enclosure having an overall vertical extent, and the power source is disposed adjacent to a rear end thereof and has a vertical extent less than the overall vertical extent, so as to follow unobtrusively in the path of the enclosure when the drive is moved forwardly.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The sickle drive of claim 6, wherein the power source comprises a motor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The sickle drive of claim 7, wherein the motor is a fluid motor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The sickle drive of claim 7, wherein the motor is an electric motor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The sickle drive of claim 1, wherein the drive is disposed beneath a floor of a header of a plant cutting machine.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The sickle drive of claim 10, wherein the drive is disposed between opposite side ends of the header.

### Claim 12

A sickle drive comprising:
a generally flat enclosure having an upper cover with a forward end disposed just rearwardly of a sidewardly extending sickle of a header of an agricultural plant cutting machine, and a lower cover having a forward end which tapers or curves upwardly toward the forward end of the upper cover, the upper and lower covers defining a cavity therebetween;
an epicyclic slot drive mechanism including a rotatable first input element supported in the cavity for rotation about a generally upstanding first rotational axis,
a first eccentric element supported in the cavity in connection with the first input element for rotation thereby along a first epicyclic orbit about the first rotational axis, the first eccentric element having a generally upstanding first eccentric axis laterally offset relative to the first rotational axis,
a first pivot arm disposed in the cavity and having a first end including a slot cooperatively receiving the eccentric element, the first pivot arm extending forwardly to a second end comprising a pivot shaft which projects upwardly from the upper cover of the enclosure and is supported for rotation about a generally upstanding first pivotal axis therethrough, such that the first pivot arm is restrained to pivot sidewardly about the first pivotal axis by the eccentric rotation of the first concentric element, and
a first knife arm mounted on the pivot shaft above the upper cover of the enclosure and connecting to a first knife assembly of the sickle, such that the first knife assembly will be reciprocated sidewardly relative to the enclosure by the pivoting of the shaft.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The sickle drive of claim 12, comprising
a second epicyclic slot drive mechanism including a rotatable second input element supported in the cavity beside the first input element for rotation about a generally upstanding second rotational axis,
a second eccentric element supported in the cavity in connection with the second input element for rotation thereby along a second epicyclic orbit about the second rotational axis, the second eccentric element having a generally upstanding second eccentric axis laterally offset relative to the second rotational axis,
a second pivot arm disposed in the cavity and having a first end including a slot cooperatively receiving the second eccentric element, the second pivot arm extending forwardly to a second end thereof comprising a second pivot shaft which projects upwardly from the upper cover of the enclosure and is supported for rotation about a generally upstanding second pivotal axis therethrough, such that the second pivot arm is restrained to pivot sidewardly about the second pivotal axis by the eccentric rotation of the second concentric element, and
a second knife arm mounted on the second pivot shaft above the upper cover of the enclosure and connecting to a second knife assembly of the sickle, such that the second knife assembly will be reciprocated sidewardly relative to the enclosure by the pivoting of the second pivot shaft.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The sickle drive of claim 13, wherein the first input element and the second input element are connected together for joint rotation in opposite rotational directions, for reciprocatingly moving the first and second sickle knife assemblies sidewardly simultaneously in opposite directions, such that sideward forces generated by the movements of the knife assemblies will substantially cancel each other.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The sickle drive of claim 14, further comprising a rotatable power source connected in rotatably driving relation to one of the first input element and the second input element, and substantially vertically coextensive with the enclosure.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The sickle drive of claim 15, wherein the power source comprises a motor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The sickle drive of claim 16, wherein the motor is a fluid motor.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The sickle drive of claim 16, wherein the motor is an electric motor.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The sickle drive of claim 16, wherein the motor is oriented at an acute angle to a forward direction.

### Claim 20 (depends on 12)

The sickle drive of claim 12, wherein the drive is disposed completely below a floor of the header.

### Claim 21 (depends on 12)

The sickle drive of claim 12, wherein the drive is disposed between opposite side ends of the header.