Abstract: A disc mower-conditioner having a disc cutterbar with transversely spaced rotatable disc cutters to sever standing crop material by an impact action and a rotatable conditioning mechanism mounted rearwardly of the cutterbar to receive and condition severed crop material is disclosed wherein each disc cutter member is provided with a crop lifting ramp portion adjacent the peripheral edge of the disc cutter adjacent each knife in both leading and trailing relationships thereto. The inclined ramp portions are operable to lift previously severed crop material away from the corresponding knife before the knife severs standing crop material and to feed the severed crop material into the conditioning mechanism. The inclined ramp portions are provided on both sides of the knives to permit the disc cutter member to be rotatable in either clockwise or counterclockwise directions and still provide a leading crop lifting action.

Abstract: A mechanism for spring loading a transport lock on a crop harvesting machine having a pivotally movable tongue mounted to the frame of the harvesting machine, commonly referred to as a pivot-tongue windrower, is disclosed wherein first and second springs are compressible to exert a biasing force on a locking pin to urge the pin through suitable aligned apertures in the base of the tongue and in the frame of the machine to automatically extend the locking pin through the apertures when they become aligned due to manipulation of the pivotal movement of the tongue by the operator at a location remote from the locking pin. An actuating lever includes a camming surface that is selectively cooperable with either the bight portion of the housing or the base plate on the tongue to effect a compression of the first and second springs, respectively, to bias the locking pin toward either a locked or unlocked position.

Abstract: An actuating mechanism for the transport lock on a crop harvesting machine having a pivotally movable tongue mounted to the frame of the harvesting machine, commonly referred to as a pivot-tongue windrower, is disclosed wherein a first spring is compressible to exert a biasing force on a locking pin to urge the pin through suitable aligned apertures in the base of the tongue and in the frame of the machine to automatically extend the locking pin through the apertures when they become aligned due to manipulation of the pivotal movement of the tongue by the operator at a location remote from the locking pin. A second spring is compressible to exert a biasing force on the locking pin to urge the locking pin into an unlocked position, withdrawn from the hole in the frame, so that the tongue is free to pivotally move relative to the frame. The second spring is operable to automatically compress the first spring when the locking pin is moved to the unlocked position.

Abstract: A crop harvesting machine having a disc cutterbar is disclosed wherein the shields covering each individual disc cutter unit are connected to a transverse rotatable shaft so that the shields can be pivotally moved between a lowered operative position immediately above the disc cutter unit and a raised inoperative position, wherein convenient access can be had to the disc cutterbar for service and maintenance thereof. The shields are connected to the shaft by mounting tabs having a downwardly depending leg that engages a stop on the header frame to prevent the shields from lowering into a position that would interfere with the rotative operation of the disc cutters. A spring-loaded pin and bracket control mechanism is also provided to selectively lock the shields in either the lowered or raised position by controlling the rotative position of the shaft.

Abstract: A twin sickle drive system for a crop harvesting machine is disclosed wherein universal rotary input shafts are connected to each end of the upper conditioning roll to transfer rotational forces therefrom to individual wobble drive units situated along the outside of the machine to either side of the crop conditioning unit. Each wobble drive unit is connected to a drive shaft which transmits reciprocating motion to the sickle bar located adjacent that respective side of the machine.

Abstract: A crop harvesting machine has a crop harvesting header, a mobile frame and improved header suspension and lift means. The frame includes an upper transverse elongated member and a pair of spaced apart side members fixed to the upper member proximate its opposite ends and extending downwardly therefrom. A pair of wheel arms extend rearwardly from the respective side frame members and are mounted to respective lower portions thereof for vertical swinging movement about a generally horizontal transversely-extending axis. Each wheel arm has a ground-engaging wheel rotatably mounted thereto. The improved header suspension and lift means includes an upper link pivotally interconnecting an upper portion of the header to the upper frame member and a pair of elongated lower members respectively extending forwardly of the wheel arms.