Hinged shield for crop cutting apparatus
AssigneeVermeer Manufacturing Company
InventorsJim D. Ryken, Louis J. Norton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hinged safety shield for a crop cutting apparatus having a frame for attachment to a tractor. A transversely extended cutter bar is supported on the frame for pivotal movement between a lower, operating position and a raised, transport position. The safety shield is pivotally mounted at one end portion thereof to the frame. A hydraulic cylinder for pivotally moving the cutter bar also acts to raise the shield from a lower, shielding position to an upper position. The safety shield is held in the upper position while the cutter bar is lowered whereupon unrestricted access is gained to the cutter bar for repair and maintenance procedures.
Claims12
A crop cutting apparatus having a frame for attachment to a tractor, said mower comprising:
- (a) a transversely extended cutter bar pivotal between a lower, operating position and a raised, transport position;
- (b) a safety shield operatively associated with the frame for pivotal movement relative thereto;
- (c) means for pivoting said cutter bar between said lower position and said upper position;
- and
- (d) means for releasably interconnecting said safety shield and said cutter bar to raise and selectively lower said safety shield with said cutter bar.
A mower having a frame for attachment to a tractor said mower comprising:
- (a) a transversely extended cutter bar mounted at one end thereof to said frame for pivotal movement between a lower, operating position and an upper, transport position;
- (b) a transversely extended safety shield operatively associated with said frame for pivotal movement between a lower position and an upper position;
- (c) a linear actuator for pivoting said cutter bar between said upper position and said lower position;
- (d) a shield support arm associated with said cutter bar for supporting said shield as said cutter bar raises said shield from said lower position to said upper position;
- and
- (e) a spring assembly interconnecting the frame and said safety shield for holding said safety shield in said upper position therefor as said cutter arm is lowered from said upper position to said lower position to provide unrestricted access to the full length of said cutter bar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.