A drive arrangement for the reciprocating drive of a cutter bar comprises a hydraulic gear motor with a housing and a gearwheel, which is set in motion around a first axis by a hydraulic medium, and an eccentric drive, which comprises an eccentric element that can be rotatably driven by a gearwheel around a second axis parallel to the first axis, and a drive element connected to the eccentric element, which is, or can be, connected to the cutter bar.

In a sickle cutting system, it has been found that a significant reduction in average stubble length, which is calculated based on the distance crop is pushed forwardly without cutting occurring, can be obtained by a combination of features where the length of the cutting edge of each knife blade is increased to a length greater than 2.2 inches; the width at the rear of the ledger surface of each guard is increased to greater than 1.2 inches; and the front edge of the blade is formed with an apex to shed crop material to one or other side of the apex. Each blade has at least one cut out opening through the blade extending from a rear edge of the opening adjacent to but spaced from a rear edge of the blade toward the tip.

In a sickle cutting system, it has been found that a significant reduction in average stubble length, which is calculated based on the distance crop is pushed forwardly without cutting occurring, can be obtained by a combination of features where the length of the cutting edge of each knife blade is increased to a length greater than 2.2 inches; the width at the rear of the ledger surface of each guard is increased to greater than 1.2 inches; and the front edge of the blade is formed with an apex to shed crop material to one or other side of the apex. Each blade has at least one cut out opening through the blade extending from a rear edge of the opening adjacent to but spaced from a rear edge of the blade toward the tip.

The invention relates to a mower knife device (100) with (i) a double-knife cutting system (111), wherein the double-knife cutting system (111) comprises an upper cutting knife (140) and a lower cutting knife (180), which are configured to be movable in translation relatively to one another, wherein the upper cutting knife (140) and the lower cutting knife (180) each comprise a plurality of blade elements (145) and a knife back (144, 184), wherein the blade elements (145) are connected to each other via the knife back (144, 183) and are arranged substantially in a knife plane (150), and (ii) a knife bar (110) which comprises a first extension (112) in the direction of an axis (170) orthogonal to the knife plane (150) and which is configured to hold the double-knife cutting system (111), wherein a gap (160) is arranged between the knife bar (110) and the double-knife cutting system (111), wherein a section of the knife back (144, 184) adjoins the gap (160), wherein the section of the knife back (144, 184) adjoining the gap (160) is bent in the direction of the orthogonal axis (170).

The invention relates to a mower knife device (100) with (i) a double-knife cutting system (111), wherein the double-knife cutting system (111) comprises an upper cutting knife (140) and a lower cutting knife (180), which are configured to be movable in translation relatively to one another, wherein the upper cutting knife (140) and the lower cutting knife (180) each comprise a plurality of blade elements (145) and a knife back (144, 184), wherein the blade elements (145) are connected to each other via the knife back (144, 183) and are arranged substantially in a knife plane (150), and (ii) a knife bar (110) which comprises a first extension (112) in the direction of an axis (170) orthogonal to the knife plane (150) and which is configured to hold the double-knife cutting system (111), wherein a gap (160) is arranged between the knife bar (110) and the double-knife cutting system (111), wherein a section of the knife back (144, 184) adjoins the gap (160), wherein the section of the knife back (144, 184) adjoining the gap (160) is bent in the direction of the orthogonal axis (170).

In a sickle cutting system including a plurality of guard fingers at spaced positions across a cutter bar across which a reciprocating sickle knife passes, each guard finger has a forwardly projecting tip portion in front of a ledger surface and a rearwardly projecting tang portion connected to a rear end of the tip portion and extending therefrom over the ledger surface to a rear edge of the tang portion located over the blade. The lower surface of the tang portion includes a first portion adjacent the tip portion which is generally parallel to the ledger surface and a second portion adjacent the rear edge which is inclined at an angle away from the ledger surface. The width of the tang portion across the rear of the tang portion is equal to or greater than 1.5 inches.

In a sickle cutting system including a plurality of guard fingers at spaced positions across a cutter bar across which a reciprocating sickle knife passes, each guard finger has a forwardly projecting tip portion in front of a ledger surface and a rearwardly projecting tang portion connected to a rear end of the tip portion and extending therefrom over the ledger surface to a rear edge of the tang portion located over the blade. The lower surface of the tang portion includes a first portion adjacent the tip portion which is generally parallel to the ledger surface and a second portion adjacent the rear edge which is inclined at an angle away from the ledger surface. The width of the tang portion across the rear of the tang portion is equal to or greater than 1.5 inches.

A drive arrangement for the reciprocating drive of a cutter bar comprises an input element which can be set into a continuous pivoting movement by a drive device, and an output element which is coupled to the cutter bar and is coupled to the input element by a coupling rod. The output element is pivotably connected to a first end of a first lever and of a second lever, which levers, for their part, are pivotably mounted. The levers and the output element are dimensioned in such a manner that the output element essentially only carries out a lateral movement.

A drive arrangement for the reciprocating drive of a cutter bar comprises an input element which can be set into a continuous pivoting movement by a drive device, and an output element which is coupled to the cutter bar and is coupled to the input element by a coupling rod. The output element is pivotably connected to a first end of a first lever and of a second lever, which levers, for their part, are pivotably mounted. The levers and the output element are dimensioned in such a manner that the output element essentially only carries out a lateral movement.

A cutter guard assembly for a knife drive of an agricultural farm implement is provided. The cutter guard assembly includes a cutter bar assembly, a window frame, and a floor sheet. The cutter bar assembly has a cutter bar and a reciprocating knife assembly operatively connected to a knife drive. The window frame is rigidly attached to the cutter bar. The window frame includes an opening through which a knife arm of the reciprocating knife assembly extends through. The floor sheet extends rearwardly from the cutter bar and pivots relative to the window frame.