Mowing mechanisms

Claim 2

A mowing machine including a frame and a mowing mechanism comprising at least two portions each of which carries at least one mowing element, said portions being positioned side-by-side to extend transverse to the direction of travel and supported on said frame, the adjacent ends of said portions being directly and pivotally interconnected to one another at their lower aspects, the upper aspects of said portions being associated with one another through displaceable support means, said support means including interconnected shaft means for each portion, the shaft means of each portion being interconnected to one another and each shaft means also being displaceably connected to its respective portion through a slotted plate unit attached to said portion, each shaft means being movable along a slot of its corresponding plate unit, the outer ends of said mowing elements being movable independently of one another in vertical directions to match ground undulations while the working width of said mowing platform remains substantially the same during operation.

Claim 3

A mowing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each shaft means is displaceable in at least one direction against resilient means associated with said support means.

Claim 4

A mowing machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein each shafts means is a shaft about which a corresponding mowing element is pivotable.

Claim 5

A mowing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mowing elements are mounted on a combine harvester and said mowing elements are supported on a mowing platform, a transverse conveyor being supported on said frame in back of said mowing elements with respect to the direction of travel, said mowing platform being connected to an elevator positioned to feed the combine harvester, a separate shaft for each of said mowing elements and two of said support shafts being located at relatively opposite sides of said elevator.

Claim 6

A mowing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mowing elements are cutter bars located in substantially horizontal end-to-end alignment with their relatively closest ends adjoining one another, the knife bars of said cutter bars being driven in synchronism with one another by a driving mechanism during operation of said mowing mechanism.

Claim 7

A mowing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer ends of each mowing element can move upwardly and downwardly about the pivot interconnection through an arc substanding an angle of approximately 5* relative to an axis bearing a fixed position with respect to said frame.

Claim 8

A mowing machine including a frame and a mowing mechanism comprising a plurality of mowing elements positioned side-by-side, transverse to the direction of travel and supported on said frame, the adjacent ends of said mowing elements being directly interconnected to one another by a pivot connection at their lower aspects, the upper aspects of said mowing elements being associated with one another through displaceable support means, each mowing element being connected to its respective displaceable and separate support shaft of said support means and said shaft being located at the rear of a frame portion of said frame which carries said mowing element with respect to the direction of travel, each support shaft being retained for movement within a slot of said support means and said slot being of arcuate formation the center of curvature of which substantially coincides with the axis of the pivot connection, the shafts of each mowing element being interconnected to one another, whereby the outer ends of said portions can move independently of one another to match ground undulations while the working width of the mechanism remains essentially the same.

Claim 9

A mowing machine including a frame and a mowing mechanism comprising a plurality of mowing elements positioned side-by-side, transverse to the direction of travel and supported on said frame, the adjacent ends of said mowing elements being directly interconnected to one another by a pivot connection at their lower aspects, the upper aspects of said mowing elements being associated with one another through displaceable support means, each mowing element being connected to its respective displaceable and separate support shaft of said support means and said shaft being located at the rear of a frame portion of said frame which carries said mowing element with respect to the direction of travel, each support shaft being retained for movement within a slot of said support means and said slot being of arcuate formation the center of curvature of which substantially coincides with the axis of the pivot connection, the shafts of each mowing element being interconnected to one another, whereby the outer ends of said portions can move independently of one another to match ground undulations while the working width of the mechanism remains essentially the same.

Claim 10

A mowing machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein said frame includes portions and said pivot connection has parts located behind the cutters of said mowing elements with respect to the direction of travel and between said frame portions, each of which carry one of said mowing eleMents.

Claim 11

A mowing machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein said pivot connection is a clamping jaw secured to one frame portion associated with one of said mowing elements and a cooperating pin is secured to another frame portion associated with said second mowing element, said pin extending longitudinally parallel to the direction of travel of said machine.

Claim 12

A mowing machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein said pivot connection includes a resilient clamp extending between said frame portions, said resilient clamp being fastened to one frame portion and being connected with a second frame portion by projecting means which is entered in a recess formed in said second frame portion.

Claim 13

A mowing machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein each support shaft is connected to a lifting device on said frame, said lifting device including a rod, one end of which is pivotally connected to a rocker and the opposite end of said rod is connected to an arm on said support shaft, a compression spring being mounted on said rod to resiliently oppose the movements of said arm in at least one direction.

Claim 14

A mowing machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein said lifting device includes at least one hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly connected to said mowing element, each rod having a pivot shaft which is connected to its respective hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly, a hydraulic circuit on said machine in communication with the piston and cylinder assemblies and an accumulator is associated with the circuit whereby displacement of a support shaft of one mowing element in either of two opposite directions from a central equilibrium position, is resiliently opposed by said accumulator.

Claim 15

A mowing machine as claimed in claim 12, wherein a single accumulator is positioned centrally in said circuit relative to said hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies.