Sickle

Claim 1

A SICKLE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SUPPORTED ARM; AN ELONGATED MOUNTING BAR BORNE BY THE SUPPORT ARM AND BEING LONGITUDINALLY RECIPROCABLE RELATIVE THERETO FROM A POWER SOURCE REMOTELY OF THE SICKLE; A PLURALITY OF SICKLE GUARDS RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO SAID MOUNTING BAR HAVING A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY EQUALLY SPACED FINGERS LATERALLY OUTWARDLY EXTENDED THEREFROM, SAID FINGERS INDIVIDUALLY PROVIDING OPPOSITE UPPER AND LOWER MATERIAL GUIDING SEGMENTS HAVING OPPOSITE UPPER LEADING EDGES AND SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL LOWER TRAILING EDGES DEFINING A SLOT THEREBETWEEN THROUGH THE FINGERS; AND A PLURALITY OF TEETH RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO THE SUPPORT ARM IN SLIDABLY RELATION WITHIN SAID SLOT OF THE FINGERS AND HAVING LATERALLY OUTWARDLY CONVERGENT SIDE PORTIONS, SAID SIDE PORTIONS BEING BEVELED TO PROVIDE OPPOSITE UPPER LEADING CUTTING EDGES AND LOWER TRAILING CUTTING EDGES IN SHEARING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LEADING AND TRAILING CUTTING EDGES OF THE FINGERS RESPECTIVELY SO THAT DURING RECIPROCATION OF THE GUARDS THE LEADING EDGES OF THE TEETH AND FINGERS CO-ACT IN SHEARING ENGAGEMENT TO SEVER ENCOUNTERED MATERIAL PRIOR TO ENGAGEMENT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE TRAILING EDGES WITH THE LATTER DISPLACED FROM EACH OTHER TO EXHAUST SUCH MATERIAL FROM THE SLOT TO MINIMIZE CLOGGING OF THE SICKLE.