Abstract: A sickle guard counter-knife insert includes a pair of counter-knives. Each counter-knife defines a channel for an operable sickle bar between mutually-coupled upper and lower portions. The counter-knives and a connecting crossbar are formed together as an integral unit.

Abstract: A mowing finger arrangement has a lower element and an upper element connected to each other and forms two mowing fingers. A space is formed to accommodate a cutting device between the lower element and the upper element. The two mowing fingers are connected to each other via, respectively, a connection web on the upper element and on the lower element on a rear end of the mowing finger, when viewed in working direction. At least one of the connection webs has, at least portion wise, an off-set to provide an enlarged distance between the connection webs.

Abstract: A mowing finger arrangement has a lower element and an upper element connected to each other and forms two mowing fingers. A space is formed to accommodate a cutting device between the lower element and the upper element. The two mowing fingers are connected to each other via, respectively, a connection web on the upper element and on the lower element on a rear end of the mowing finger, when viewed in working direction. At least one of the connection webs has, at least portion wise, an off-set to provide an enlarged distance between the connection webs.

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 power-operated sickle for cutting agricultural plants and for preventing the cut stalk of the plant from coming in contact with reciprocating components of the sickle. The sickle includes a plurality of cutting teeth attached to a drive bar that is slidably retained on a stationary horizontally disposed sickle bar. A plurality of underside teeth are attached to the sickle bar and extend forwardly therefrom. A cover member is attached to the sickle bar and extends over covering the drive bar and other reciprocating components thereat. The cover member includes a plurality of upper teeth that extend over the underside teeth and sandwich the reciprocating cutting teeth therebetween. The cover member includes a semi-circular section extending between its attachment to the sickle bar and the upper teeth.

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: The adjustment between the stub guards of a sickle knife arrangement of a crop cutting apparatus is improved by the provision of an adjustment plate which is positioned between the upper stub guard and the support bar. The upper and lower stub guards are clamped onto the support bar by carriage bolts with the lower stub guard engaging against the under surface of the support bar and the upper stub guard engaging against the upper surface of the adjustment plate. The spacing and orientation of the adjustment plate relative to the support bar is adjusted by the three set screws which are threaded into the adjustment plate and engaged against the upper surface of the support bar. The adjustment technique is simple, requires few parts and avoids the necessity for shims.

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: Disclosed is a crop finger extension for knife-finger guards of harvesting machines. The crop finger extension is detachably mountable on a crop finger body having an underside and an outer end. The crop finger extension includes a body portion having an upper surface with a forward end and a rearward end. A recess is provided in the body portion adjacent the rearward end of the upper surface to snugly receive the outer end of the crop body. A rearward extension extends rearwardly of the recess on the underside thereof and is adapted to locate against the underside of the finger body. The rearward extension is provided with first means engagable with corresponding second means on the finger body to lock the finger extension in position on the finger body. A crop finger is also disclosed.

Abstract: A mowing device with two sickle bars provides an effective cutting action of the sickle bars at the center where they cooperate in their reciprocation. The knife guards of one sickle bar are mounted at a higher level than those of the other so that one overlaps the other by a height difference slightly greater than the thickness thereof. The central knife guard is of a modified construction so that the end most knife element of the upper sickle bar cooperates with the upper surface of the knife retaining plate member provided for the end knife element of the lower sickle bar. An additional trash bar is provided between the upper plate members for cooperation with the trash bars of the upper sickle bar.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cutter for cutter-bar mowers of harvesting machines, with a top cutter (1) and bottom cutter (2) stamped out of flat material and connected to one another in front of the blade gap (3) by projection welding, a layer of material (14) being applied by additional welding to the point of connection (12), directed towards the cutter tip, between the top cutter (1) and bottom cutter (2). The invention also relates to a process for producing such a cutter.

Abstract: A mower assembly in which a standard sickle guard having two long fingers is replaced with a guard having two long fingers and two alternate fingers that are relatively short. The sickle blade cooperates with cutting surfaces on both the long and the short fingers. In the case of the long fingers, there are slots through which the sickle bar moves. In the case of the short fingers, the blade merely moves over a cutting surface of the short finger. There are trash bars extending between the fingers to strengthen the fingers and guard against rocks or uncut plants jamming the space between the fingers.The guard unit is fastened at two points to the guard support bar so as to minimize any tendency of the guard unit to turn.

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: Flexible and resilient knock-on extension fingers of polymeric material, the extension fingers being provided with surfaces which partly envelop the metal fingers of a comb, and also with latch surfaces which engage latching abutment surfaces which are fixed with respect to those comb fingers.

Abstract: A knife guard filler finger assembly is provided with a mounting plate, rearwardly opening slots in the mounting plate which are positionable over bolts and beneath the lugs of original equipment fingers, the bolts securing the mounting plate to the cutting platform of a harvester, and fingers which project forwardly of the mounting plate and are located between the original equipment fingers of a harvester cutter platform. When fitted to a cutting platform, the filler fingers are generally positioned between, and at the same level as, the existing knife guard fingers.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved cutter guard having means for positioning the guard in either a first position or a second position upon a respective cutter bar assembly. The positioning means includes a pair of partially overlapping openings aligned along an axis. The overlapping areas of the pair of openings define a reduced passageway which prohibits a bolt inserted into one of the openings from moving across the overlapping areas into the other opening.

Abstract: A sickle guard having at least one longitudinally extending guard finger for use in a mower having sickle means including mounting means for supporting flat cutter sections for movement transversely of the guard finger, wherein the guard finger has a bottom body portion having an upper ledger surface lying in a horizontal plane and have cutting edges at each of the sides thereof, trash bar means extending transversely at the rear of the cutting edges of the ledger surface and in which the trash bar means has upper horizontal surface means lying in the horizontal plane of the ledger surfce of the guard finger and having cutting edge means at the forward end thereof, and in which the ledger surface and the upper surface of the trash bar means provide for supporting the cutter sections of the sickle means for movement with respect to the guard finger and in cutting relation to the cutting edges of the ledger surface and the cutting edge means of the trash bar means.