CA1268952A

CA1268952A - Rotary sickle

Info

Publication number: CA1268952A
Application number: CA000472708A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Nelson Cherry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-01-23
Filing date: 1985-01-23
Publication date: 1990-05-15

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A rotary sickle for use with the cutter bar of a crop mowing farm implement includes a plurality of generally semi-circular blades extending forwardly from the cutter bar in the direction of travel of the implement, the blades defining V-shaped cutting edges, a rotary shaft extending parallel to the cutter bar beneath the blades, and annular, inclined lobes on the shaft equal in number to the V-shaped cutting edges, whereby, when the shaft is rotated, the lobes reciprocate across the cutting edge to cut stalks of grain or another crop scissors-fashion.

Description

This invention relates to a mowing apparatus, and in particular to a rotary cutter for grain, hay and grass.
The usual mower presently in use includes a fixed transversely extending cutter bar carrying a plurality o~
generally triangular teeth, and a reciprocating knife bar which carries similar teeth. By reciprocating the k~ife bar,stalks of grain are trapped between the teeth on the two bars and cut by a scissors action. The reciprocating motion of the knife bar is produced by a crank and pitman arm.
An alternative mower is proposed by Canadian Patent No. 948,~59 issued to A.J. Vogelenzang on June ll, 1974. The Vogelenzang mower includes a toothed counterblade or cutter bar with a sawtooth leading edge, and a plurality of independently movable cutter elements on a horizontal driving shaft. Each of the cutter elements is defined by an elongated body with cutting edges on each side thereof, and inner bearing elements qecured to ~the driving shaft and rotatable outer bearing elements carr~ing the cutter elements. During operation, the cutter elements are caused to rock around their longitudinal axis while swaying pendulum fashion over the counterblade Eor performing a cutting action with the teeth of -the counterblade. The Vo~elenzang apparatus is somewhat complicated and difficult to manufacture, involving a large number of separate parts. Moreover, there i5 no provision in the Vogelenzang specification for adapting the apparatus to existing equipment of various widths.

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The object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages by providing a relatively simple rotary sickle~ which can be adapted to existing equipment of varying widths.
Acco~dingly/ the present invention relates to a rotary sickle for use with a transversely extending fixed cutter bar on a crop mowing implement comprising blade means for mounting on said cutter bar, said blade means defining substantially V-shaped cutting edges opening in front of said cutter bar;
transversely extending shaft means in front of said cutter bar; drive means for rotating said shaft; a plurality of annular lobe means on said shaft means, each said lobe means lying in a plane inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of said shaft means, whereby, during rotation of said shaft means, the periphery of the lobe means is caused to reciprocate between the arms of one V-shaped cutting edge to cut a stalk between the lobe means and cutting edge~
The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, and wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view ~rom above and one end of a rotary sickle in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is an exploded, perspective view of a : second rotary sickle similar to the device of Fig. 1, with parts omitted; and ,., .,,.,: - : :
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Figure 3, which appears on the ~irst sheet of drawings, is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the sickles of Figs. l and 2 illustrating the operation of the rotary sickle.
STRUCTURE
With reference to the drawings, a rotary sickle in accordance with the in~ention is intended for use with the elongated, transversely extending cutter bar 1 of a farm implement (not shown), e.g. a hay or grain mower. A row of spaced apart holes

2 is provided in the bar l near the front or leading edge 3 thereof. A plurality of fingers 4 extend forwardly from the cutter bar l. The fingers 4 are part of knife and guard units 5, each of which includes a rectangular plate 6 for mounting on the bar l.
The units are connected to the bar 1 by bolts 7, nuts 3 and washers 9.
Each unit 5 includes two parallel fingers 4 tapering forwardly from the plate 6. An arcuate blade 10 extends laterally outwardly from each side of each finger 4. The blades lO are triangular at their front ends, so that adjacent blades lO define a V-shaped cutting edge ll.
A shaft generally indicated at 12 extends beneath the blades~ across the entire width of the sickle. The shaft 12 is defined by two sections 13 and 14, which are similar except for length. Thus, a variety of sections can be used to produce shaft 12 of the desired length to suit the--cu~ter~bar l. One end 15 of each shaft section 13 and 14 includes a threaded .

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reduced diameter portion for mating with an internally threaded socket (not shown) in the end 16 of an adjacent section. The end 16 of the shaft section 13 is connected to the threaded drive shaft 17 of a transmission 18. The drive for the trans-mission 18 supplied from a tractor or implement engine (notshown)~ The shaft 12 is suspended from the cutter bar 1 by brackets 19 and 20. One bracket 19 is loca-ted at the junction between the sections 13 and 14. The bracket 19 includes a plate 21 for connecting the bracket to the bar 1 and a sleeve 22 on the outer end of an arm 23 for carrying a bearing 24 and the shaft sections 13 and 14. The bracket 20 is connected to the cutter bar 1 by an arm 25. The bracke-t 20 is generally triangular, and includes a sleeve 26 for receiving a bearing 27 and the end 15 of the shaft section 14. The bearing 27 is held in the sleeve 26 and on the shaft 12 by a nut 28.
A plurality of spaced apart, annular lobes 29 are provided on the shaft 12. The lobes 29 are inclined with respect to the vertical, i.e. the lobes 29 lie in planes which are inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 12. Alternate lobes 29 are inclined in opposite directions. The lobes 29 and the blades 10 have the same curvature, the blades 10 defining semicircles around the longitudinal axis of the shaft 12, i.e.
the blades 10, shaft 12 and lobes 29 are co-axial.
It will be noted that the only differences between the apparatuses of Figs. 1 and 2 are the shape of the bracket 20 and ., .... ; .: -.:' ~ ' ' ... ... .

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the transmission or shaft drive 18. In Fig. 1, one of the lobes 29 (adjacent to the bracket sleeve 22) has been omitted for the sake of clarity.
OPERATION
Reference is made to Fig. 3, where, for the sake of clarity, a single lobe 29 is shown on a shaft 12. During operation, with the farm implement moving forward stalks 30 are directed by the fingers 4 to the V-shaped cutting edge 11 of the teeth 10. The shaft 12 is rotated to cause the inclined lobes 29 to wobble or reciprocates across the V shaped cutting edges 11 of the blades 10. By positioning the shaft 12 suffi-ciently close to the teeth 10, stalks 30 of grain or another standing crop are trapped between the cutting edge 11 and each lobe 29. The stalks 30 are cut by a scissor action between the lobe 29 and the cutting edges 11 of the blades 10. Thus, the rapidly rotating shaft 12 cuts stalks 30 on each side of each V-shaped cutting edge 11.
In theory, by reversing the blades 10, i.e. by curving the blades upwardly, the shaft 12 could be mounted above the blades. However, such an arrangement is less practical, since the cut stalks are likely to collect on -top of the apparatus and jam between the blades 10 and lobes 29.

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Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A rotary sickle for use with a transversely extending, fixed cutter bar on a crop mowing implement comprising blade means for mounting on said cutter bar, said blade means defining substantially V-shaped cutting edges opening in front of said cutter bar; said blade means include finger means extending forwardly for dividing stalks of a crop and directing the stalks towards said blade means; transversely extending shaft means in front of said cutter bar; drive means for rotating said shaft; a plurality of annular lobe means on said shaft means, each said lobe means lying in a plane inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of said shaft means, whereby, during rotation of said shaft means, the periphery of the lobe means is caused to reciprocate between the arms of one V-shaped cutting edge to cut a stalk between the lobe means and cutting edge.

2. A rotary sickle according to claim 1, wherein said blade means are arcuate, defining semicircles around said shaft means, the blade means being co-axial with said lobe means and shaft means.

3. A rotary sickle according to claim 2, wherein said shaft means is located in front of and beneath said blade means.

4. A rotary sickle according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said shaft means is sectional for adjusting the length thereof.