Abstract: A cutting system for a header of an agricultural machine includes a knife guard having a plurality of guards that are spaced apart by a guard pitch, and a knife section that is configured to move with respect to the knife guard for cutting crop material. The knife section includes a plurality of knives that are spaced apart by a knife pitch. The guard pitch is neither equal to nor is a whole number multiple of the knife pitch.

Abstract: The non-driving end of the cutterbar is provided with a specialized integral end guard section having a single guard and a body portion defining a slot for enclosing the reciprocating end knife section. The body portion is also provided with a rearwardly extending mounting portion.

Abstract: A continuous cut knife and offset guard system for use with a combine assembly comprised of a support bar, a reciprocating continuous cut knife bar wherein there is secured thereto a plurality of cutting teeth, a series of offset top guards secured to the support bar, each containing a plurality of top guard fingers, and a series of offset bottom guards, each containing a plurality of bottom guard fingers also secured to the support bar, such that the bottom guard fingers align with the top guard fingers and wherein the distance between adjoining cutting teeth is approximately twice the distance between adjoining fingers of the top and bottom guards.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for preventing build-up of sheared material on a sickle-bar cutter assembly for use in removing unwanted tops from root or bulb crops, and an agricultural harvester embodying such an assembly. Stationary components of the assembly, including the knife guard mount bar and optionally an improved knife guard bar, are provided with a plurality of open passageways therethrough to permit process air to flow through the assembly to purge regions above the assembly in which sheared material would otherwise accumulate.

Abstract: A mowing finger for finger bar mowers of harvesting machines having first and second opposing finger parts each formed of flat material. The first and second finger parts are fixedly secured to each other to define a gap therebetween for mowing action between them. The mowing finger has a tapered front portion located forward of the blade gap and a rear portion secured to a finger bar. One of the first or second finger parts includes a twisted portion twisted around the longitudinal axis of the mowing finger and fixedly secured to the other end of the finger parts to provide increased rigidity to the mowing finger. At least one vegetation-excluding deformation is formed in the first or the second finger parts in the area of the blade gap and extends into the blade gap to narrow and obstruct the blade gap against the accumulation of plant matter therein.

Abstract: An implement for attachment onto a harvesting vehicle, particularly adapted for harvesting stalk-type crops independent of the direction of and distance between the rows of crops to be harvested, includes a frame, a plurality of directing fingers fixedly attached to the frame and extending generally forwardly therefrom and a generally transverse cutter bar mounted horizontally along a front portion of the frame. A pair of triangular shaped members are mounted on the frame behind the cutting bar and have guide chains slidingly mounted thereon. The guide chains surround each member and are adapted to revolve therearound. A plurality of gathering lugs are fixedly attached to each guide chain and extend outwardly from each member. Crops are directed to the cutter bar and gathering lugs by the directing fingers and are transferred onto the harvesting vehicle by the gathering lugs as the guide chains revolve about each triangular member.

Abstract: A power operated sickle is provided having a plurality of stationary guards projecting forwardly from a sickle bar with relatively narrow guide channels between them wherein the channels between the guards have a length-to-width ratio on the order of about 2/1 or greater, the center distances between the guards are about twice the width of the channel between the guards and the cutting teeth cooperating with the guards are pitched to extend laterally a distance of about 1/3 the distance between the centers of the guards whereby an angle of less than about 20.degree. is established between the cutting edges of the teeth and the cooperating side edges of the guards.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cutting finger for finger-bar cutters of harvesting machines with a top finger and a bottom finger stamped out from flat material and connected to one another in front of the blade gap, in which cutting finger the top finger and/or the bottom finger are deformed in the region located in front of the blade gap and are connected to one another by welding.

Abstract: In a crop cutting apparatus having a cutterbar and attached sickle sections, an integrated hold-down sickle guard protects the sickle sections from damage and maintains them in proper spaced relation relative to complementary cutting edges for optimum cutting action. The hold-down sickle guard eliminates the need for separate sickle section hold-down plates positioned along the length of the cutterbar and provides a sickle section retaining arrangement of increased strength for every sickle section permitting the linearly arranged, coupled reciprocating sickle sections to be held in close cutting cooperation with associated complementary cutting edges along the entire width of the cutterbar. The hold-down sickle guard includes integral upper and lower sections with a generally horizontal slot located therebetween within which a sickle section is movably positioned.