Abstract: A cutting system includes knives attached to a continuously moving belt-type carrier. The carrier motion moves the knives past stationary counterknife fingers which are attached to or uniform with a cutterbar, as the cutting system is driven through a field of crop stalks, which are cut by the interaction between the knives and counterknives. One or more sensing devices produce signals or images related to the condition of the knives when the knives are moving past the sensing devices. A processing unit processes the signals or images and derives therefrom one or more parameters representative of the condition of the knives, and compares the parameters to a reference, to thereby monitor the condition. An agricultural implement such as a combine harvester, can be equipped with the cutting system.

Abstract: A front attachment for harvesting stalk-type crop for a self-propelled harvesting machine has at least one cutting device for cutting the stalk-type crop, at least one transverse conveying device for conveying the cut crop to an intake device of the harvesting machine, wherein the at least one cutting device is at least one continuously circulating carrier element having a cylindrical cross section and including at least one cutting element having a coating containing hard-material elements, and at least one pair of guide elements which drive and guide the at least one cutting device.

Abstract: A weed trimmer or whacker which has an improved drive belt system. The cutting blades carried by a pulley driven belt have dual cutting edges, so the belt can be reversed after one side of the blades becomes dull. The reversal of the belt allows the other cutting edge to be used, thus effectively doubling the useful life of the belt. The drive system has either a V-shaped belt or a timing belt to reduce the probability of dislodging the belt from about the pulleys, when the cutting blades impinge upon an obstacle.

Abstract: A chain assembly for a cutting and mowing apparatus. There are a plurality of parallel chain members and knife members spaced from one another in pairs and connected by link members.

Abstract: A cutting and mowing apparatus comprising a continuous sickle chain assembly (8) utilizing cutting knives (10). The sickle chain assembly is confined within channel (29) formed by stationary guards (28) by means of alternating chain members (12), knives (10), and links (14). The sickle chain assembly is motivated by drive assemblies (31), which possess an integral protective slip clutch assembly (45). The sickle chain assemblies tightness is maintained using spring loaded tensioner assemblies (89). On the rearward return path, the sickle chain assembly slides in the return channel (144). The drive assemblies (31) are powered from the hydraulic system of the parent machine, such as a combine, tractor, or mower/conditioner. This unit, while being designed to retrofit existing cutting machines, can also be used for new production models.

Abstract: A lawn mower includes an elongated forwardly open housing having an endless belt entrained therein about a pair of pulleys mounted at opposite ends of the housing. A plurality of C-shaped, channel-like cutting elements are mounted transversely on the outer surface of the belt to cut the lawn as the housing is moved across the lawn on a plurality of rollers. The housing is divided into a plurality of sections which are pivotally interconnected so that the housing sections may pivot relative to each other due to uneven ground. Guide members are provided within the housing to maintain the opposed reaches of the belt parallel to each other during such pivoting of the sections. The cutting elements may also be a plurality of wires embedded in the belt and extending outward from one side of the belt in the plane of the belt.

Abstract: A lawn mower includes an elongated downwardly open housing having an endless belt entrained therein about a pair of pulleys mounted at opposite ends of the housing. A plurality of C-shaped, channel-like blades are mounted transversely on the outer surface of the belt to cut the lawn as the housing is moved across the lawn on a plurality of rollers. The housing is divided into a plurality of sections which are pivotally interconnected so that the housing sections may pivot relative to each other due to uneven ground. Guide brackets are provided within the housing to maintain the opposed reaches of the belt parallel to each other during such pivoting of the sections.

Abstract: A balancing skid for a tree harvesting machine, which balancing skid is designed to mount adjacent to the cutting assembly beneath the cutting frame of the tree harvesting machine and spaced from the existing blade skid to balance the cutting assembly horizontally and facilitate more accurate and cleaner horizontal cuts of the trees being harvested, with minimum blade warp and tooth damage. The balancing skid includes a steel skid plate characterized by a substantially horizontal plate base and a plate skid extending upwardly from one end of the base plate in angular relationship and terminating in a skid nose. The plate base and plate skid are welded to a base connector and a skid connector, respectively, and the base connector and skid connectors are, in turn, welded to the cutting frame or undercarriage of the tree harvesting machine to securely mount the skid plate on the tree harvesting machine.

Abstract: A cutter head for a lawn mower which has a plurality of fingers arranged in two sets, one above the other, that extend forward in the direction of travel to channel grass between them. Between the fingers is a conveyor belt carrying a set of short blades moving transverse to the direction of motion of the mower for shearing the grass that is channeled by the fingers. The blades are preferably arranged at different levels to mulch the grass. Each blade is preferably split and bent to form multiple cutting edges at different levels. In one embodiment, the lower set of fingers extends farther forward than the upper set to better lift the grass for cutting. In an alternate embodiment, the upper set of fingers extends forward of the lower set and curves downwardly to lift objects out of the path of the mower. The continuous conveyor belt is conveyed around three sheaves that carry the plurality of blades and a sweeper to sweep grass from the cutter head.

Abstract: A device that attaches to a rotary lawn mower to convert it into a weed, brush and small tree cutter. The rotating blade of the lawn mower is replaced with a drive sprocket that engages a continuous loop cutting element. The cutting element is retained in front of the mower by pulley guides. The pulley guides are retained by adjustable brackets attached to the mower. The cutting element is protected by guards that project in front of the mower.

Abstract: A cutter head, for a non-rotary power lawn mower, having a multiple-blade, multiple levels of blades assembly. The cutter head includes a stationary assembly in the form of a plurality of fingers arranged in several levels that cooperate with a continuous plurality of blades moved by a blade-carrying assembly. The fingers preferably extend parallel to the lawn mower's direction of motion in order to catch the grass and set it up for cutting. The blade-carrying assembly is preferably a chain conveyed around a pair of sprockets that carry the plurality of blades. These blades are arranged in several levels and interleave several levels of fingers. The grass entering the spacing between the fingers is sheared at each level of the stationary assembly by movement of the blades across the fingers. The cut grass is directed to the rear area of the cutter head, where it falls below the cutter head as mulch.

Abstract: A roller-type mower with a rotatable drum or roller is provided with cutting members on its surface which rotate at a speed required for free cutting. The mower is distinguished by the fact that a plurality of separate cutting members are provided on its surface. Each is obliquely pitched relative to the axis of rotation, or is helically designed, and the mutually spaced cutting members overlap each other in the direction of travel.

Abstract: A cutting and mowing apparatus (1) comprising a continuous chain (11) of cutting blades (12). The chain is confined within rail assembly (6) by means of alternating chain members (14) and links (13). The alternating chain links (14) and (15) are compatibly shaped so that both chain members and link (13) may be efficiently formed from a single flat metal plate. The chain sickle (1) is powered from the hydraulic system of the parent device, such as a tractor (3).

Abstract: The invention relates to a machine which is pulled or attached to a three-point attachment on a tractor and used for the harvesting of corn or similar stalk-like crops. The machine has a cutting device and a chopping blower arranged subsequent thereto with slide-in rollers to which the crop is supplied by a cross-conveyor running transversely to the direction of travel of the tractor. The cross-conveyor is designed as a cutting and supplying device, cutting the crop at any point in the working area, holding it above the cut area and supplying it in an approximately upright or inclined position, opposite to the conveying direction, to the slide-in rollers or a chopping machine with simultaneous release.

Abstract: A power lawn mower including a plastic endless chain type cutter assembly having a plurality of plastic whip sticks which produce aeration and suction within the mower casing for improving grass cutting and dispensing. Each whip stick includes an elongated generally flat portion which extends horizontally and merges with a main lift or curved wing portion with the wing portion including a leading impact edge and a trailing lift edge. In operation, the cutter assembly is moved continuously with the lift portions of the whip sticks acting to create an aerating effect for causing a vacuum or suction within the mower casing. This action causes a continuous flow of air to be drawn between the ground and casing for discharging cut grass outwardly through an opening in the casing. The whip sticks are permitted limited pivotal movement upon striking obstacles during rotation. The cutter assembly is supported during powered rotational movement on elongated horizontal portions of a chain guide and support member.

Abstract: Two embodiments of mowing machines wherein the cutters are resiliently deflectable to within a guard. In both embodiments, the frame of the mowing machine is connected to a tractor and extends laterally therefrom, the mowers being powered from the power take-off of the tractor by a train of gears, shafts and connecting universal joints. In one embodiment, the mowers rotate about vertical axes with the cutters being rotated on elongated resilient shafts which are also rotated about a common main axis from which they are spaced. The cutters are supported near the ground by holders which permit resilient deflection of the cutters' shafts into guards supported by the mowers when the cutters encounter obstacles or otherwise are subjected to forces which cause them to deflect. In the other embodiment, the cutters are mounted on an endless member such as a chain which runs around laterally spaced apart wheels such as sprockets which are mounted on carrier plates which are connected by a rod which is spring-biased.

Abstract: An apparatus for harvesting and windrowing of corn utilizes one or more conveyor units swingably mounted to a corn harvesting implement such as a combine or corn picker and has horizontally moving cutting means carried forwardly of the conveyor units. As the implement moves through a field of standing corn, the cutting means severs the cornstalks as harvesting heads on the implement engage the stalk and strip the corn ears from the stalk. The conveyors receive and transport the severed stalks to a cornstalk discharge location between the conveyor units to create a cornstalk windrow along the path of the traveling implement. Corn plant residue, such as leaves, kernels, ear husks and the like, resulting from husking, are discharged from the implement and guided by deflector plates onto the windrow to be retained there for curing and later pickup.

Abstract: A cutting device designed to shear vegetation such as grass comprising an endless cutting member laced about drive and idle pulleys. The endless cutting member comprises, in the first embodiment of this invention, an endless cable wrapped circumferentially by a helical coil with cutting elements and cogs mounted thereon. In a second embodiment, the endless cutting member comprises an endless steel band with cutting elements welded thereon. In both embodiments, the cutting elements move between two rows of teeth of a comb disposed along the frontal cutting portion of the cutting device, thereby shearing the grass as the cutting elements flow between the teeth.

Abstract: An adapter for use attached to a chain saw for trimming hedges and cutting brush which includes a mounting member adapted to be fixedly secured to a chain saw guide or blade by mounting in the normally available bolt holes at the forward and rearward sections of the guide, the adapter further including a plurality of dividers forming a plurality of dividing channels therebetween in which the individual sticks or hedge members are gathered and compressed for cutting, the dividing channels being formed by dividing surfaces on the adjacent sides of said dividers to facilitate grouping of the hedges, the dividers further including a gathering surface positioned adjacent a stopping surface which is formed by the mounting member such that the gathering surface and the stopping surface are at an acute angle with respect to one another of preferably less than 90.degree.

Abstract: A combine header has a transverse platform carrying a cutting apparatus. An elongated auger having reverse spiral flights move cut material along the platform to a feed housing. The cutting apparatus has a base carrying forwardly projected guards located on 2-inch longitudinal centers. An endless chain carrying knife blades is trained about sprockets located adjacent opposite ends of the base. The knife blades are located on three-inch longitudinal centers. The forward run of the chain moves through a passage in a housing secured to the base behind the guards. The knife blades move over the wear plates attached to the guards to cut material located between the guards. A removable inverted U-shaped insert is located in the passage providing a bearing surface for the front run of the chain and a hold-down lip bearing on the knife blades to hold the blades in close relationship with the wear plates.

Abstract: An integrally molded belt with at least one working element attached thereto by means of at least two spaced connectors transversely aligned in relation to the belt.