Blade assembly removal from a header of a plant cutting machine

A cutting assembly suitable for mounting proximate to the center of a header of a plant-cutting machine, the cutting assembly comprising:

• a head assembly comprising:
• an elongate head attach bar having a major axis, the elongate head attach bar comprising:
• a first surface being configured to form a flush contact with a blade assembly;
• a series of first fastener-receiving through-openings, each first fastener-receiving through-opening of the series passing through the first surface and a second surface, the series of first fastener-receiving through-openings being substantially perpendicular to the major axis and being configured to receive a series of removable fasteners therethrough;
• and
• a projection extending from the second surface and disposed on a distal end thereof, the projection having second fastener-receiving through opening passing through the first and second surfaces;
• and
• a connecting block disposed about the projection such that the connecting block is elevated above the second surface, the connecting block being configured to receive a driver element, the connector block includes a connecting block through-opening, the connecting block being configured to retain a bearing unit in the connecting block through-opening, the bearing through-opening, wherein the respective center axes of the second fastener-receiving through-opening, the connector block through-opening and the bearing unit through-opening are substantially coaxial along a minor axis, wherein the minor axis is substantially perpendicular to the major axis.

A header for a plant-cutting machine comprising:

• a first cutting assembly drivingly connected proximate the center of the header;
• a second cutting assembly drivingly connected proximate the center of the header, the second cutting assembly being in an end-to-end relation with the first cutting assembly and being substantially coaxial to the first cutting assembly, the second cutting assembly comprising:
• a head assembly comprising:
• an elongate head attach bar having a major axis, the elongate head attach bar comprising:
• a first surface being configured to form a flush contact with a blade assembly;
• a series of first fastener-receiving through-openings, each first fastener-receiving through-opening of the series passing through the first surface and a second surface, the series of first fastener-receiving through-openings being substantially perpendicular to the major axis and being configured to receive a series of removable fasteners therethrough;
• and
• a projection extending from the second surface and disposed on a distal end thereof, the projection having a second fastener-receiving through-opening passing through the first and second surfaces;
• and
• a connecting block disposed about the projection such that the connecting block is elevated above the second surface, the connecting block being configured to receive a driver element, the connector block includes a connecting block through-opening, the connecting block being configured to retain a bearing unit in the connecting block through-opening, the bearing unit haying a h-opening, wherein the respective center axes of the second fastener-receiving through-opening, the connector block through-opening and the bearing unit through-opening are substantially coaxial along a minor axis, wherein the minor axis is substantially perpendicular to the major axis.