Mowing apparatus

Claim 2

In a mowing apparatus, a cutter bar assembly comprising a horizontal drive shaft extending transversely of the direction of propulsion of the mower, a series of independently movable cutter elements spaced along and positioned at one side of said drive shaft; each of said cutter elements having an elongated body portion presenting a pair of cutting edges extending, respectively, lengthwise and at opposite sides thereof, power transmitting means operatively interposed between said drive shaft and each of said cutter elements, said power transmitting means being constructed and arranged so that upon rotation of said drive shaft in one direction each of said cutter elements will be swung arcuately back and forth in a horizontal plane and simultaneously be rocked about its longitudinal axis so that the leading cutting edge of each cutter element will be depressed during its horizontal swinging movement in either direction; and a counterblade assembly underlying said cutter elements in cooperative relation thereto.

Claim 3

A cutter bar assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said power transmitting means comprise a series of radially inner bearing elements non-rotatably secured to longitudinally spaced portions, respectively, of said drive shaft in oblique positions so that the axes of said inner bearing elements will intersect the axis of said drive shaft at an angle; radially outer bearing elements operatively associated, respectively, with said inner bearing elements in rotatable, axially non-tiltable relation thereto, and means rigidly connecting said cutter elements to said outer bearing elements, respectively, in radially spaced relation thereto.

Claim 4

A cutter assembly as set forth in claim 2, and further comprising spring means operatively interposed between each of said cutter elements and said counterblAde so as to bias said cutter elements toward said counterblade in the direction of rotation of said drive shaft.

Claim 5

In a mowing apparatus, a cutter bar assembly comprising a rotary drive shaft extending transversely of the direction of propulsion of the apparatus, a series of antifriction bearings each having an inner race, an outer race and antifriction bodies therebetween retaining said inner and outer races in rotary, axially non-tiltable relation to each other, means non-rotatably securing said inner races at predetermined spacings from each other to said drive shaft and in laterally inclined relation thereto so as to present the axes of said bearings at predetermined angles, respectively, to the axis of said drive shaft, a series of cutters rigidly secured, respectively, to the outer races of said anti-friction bearings, and a counterblade assembly swingably mounted on said drive shaft in underlying relation to said cutters.

Claim 6

In a mowing apparatus, a cutter bar assembly comprising a rotary drive shaft extending transversely of the direction of propulsion of the apparatus, a series of antifriction bearings each having an inner race, an outer race and antifriction bodies therebetween retaining said inner and outer races in rotary, axially non-tiltable relation to each other, means non-rotatably securing said inner races at predetermined spacings from each other to said drive shaft and in laterally inclined relation thereto so as to present the axes of said bearings at predetermined angles, respectively, to the axis of said drive shaft, a series of cutters rigidly secured, respectively, to the outer races of said anti-friction bearings, and a counterblade assembly swingably mounted on said drive shaft in underlying relation to said cutters.

Claim 7

A cutter bar assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein the inner races of successive antifriction bearings are secured to said drive shaft in positions of progressive rotational displacement relative to each other.

Claim 8

In a mowing apparatus, a cutter bar assembly comprising a series of cutter elements each having an elongated body portion presenting a pair of cutting edges extending, respectively, lengthwise and at opposite sides thereof; means operatively mounting said cutter elements for arcuate back and forth swinging movement in a horizontal plane, and a counterblade assembly underlying said cutter elements in cooperative relation thereto, said cutter elements comprising a bar member of trapezoidal cross section presenting a wide horizontal bottom face and a narrow horizontal top face.

Claim 9

In a mowing apparatus, a cutter bar assembly comprising a series of cutter elements each having an elongated body portion presenting a pair of cutting edges extending, respectively, lengthwise and at opposite sides thereof; means operatively mounting said cutter elements for arcuate back and forth swinging movement in a horizontal plane, and a counterblade assembly underlying said cutter elements in cooperative relation thereto, said cutter elements comprising a bar member of trapezoidal cross section presenting a wide horizontal bottom face and a narrow horizontal top face.

Claim 10

In a mowing apparatus, a cutter bar assembly comprising a series of cutter elements each having an elongated anticlinal body portion presenting a concave upper side and a convex lower side and a pair of cutting edges on the laterally opposite, lengthwise extending portions of said body portion; means operatively mounting said cutter elements for horizontal arcuate back and forth swinging movement and for lateral rocking movement about their longitudinal axes, respectively; a counterblade assembly underlying said cutter elements in cooperative relation thereto; and actuating means for said cutter elements operative to effect said horizontal arcuate back and forth swinging movement thereof and to simultaneously rock said cutter elements about their longitudinal axes so that the leading cutting edge of each cutting element will be depressed during its horizontal swinging movement in either direction.

Claim 11

In a mowing apparatus, a cutter bar assembly comprising a series of cutter elements each having an elongated anticlinal body portion presenting a concave upper side and a convex lower side and a pair of cutting edges on the laterally opposite, lengthwise extending portions of said body portion; means operatively mounting said cutter elements for horizontal arcuate back and forth swinging movement and for lateral rocking movement about their longitudinal axes, respectively; a counterblade assembly underlying said cutter elements in cooperative relation thereto; and actuating means for said cutter elements operative to effect said horizontal arcuate back and forth swinging movement thereof and to simultaneously rock said cutter elements about their longitudinal axes so that the leading cutting edge of each cutting element will be depressed during its horizontal swinging movement in either direction.

Claim 12

A cutter bar assembly as set forth in claim 7, wherein said anticlinal body portions of said cutter elements are tapered toward their free ends, in the direction of movement of the mowing apparatus.

Claim 13

A cutter bar assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said counterblade assembly comprises teeth presenting horizontally convex cutting edges.

Claim 14

In a mowing apparatus, a cutter bar assembly comprising a horizontal drive shaft extending transversely of the direction of propulsion, a plurality of endwise contiguous counterblade sections hingedly mounted on said drive shaft for up and down swinging movement relative thereto independently of each other, a series of independently movable cutter elements spaced along said shaft in overlying relation to said counterblade sections, and means connecting said cutter elements in supported and reciprocably driven relation with said drive shaft.

Claim 15

In a mowing apparatus, a cutter bar assembly comprising a horizontal drive shaft extending transversely of the direction of propulsion, a plurality of endwise contiguous counterblade sections hingedly mounted on said drive shaft for up and down swinging movement relative thereto independently of each other, a series of independently movable cutter elements spaced along said shaft in overlying relation to said counterblade sections, and means connecting said cutter elements in supported and reciprocably driven relation with said drive shaft.

Claim 16

A cutter bar assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein one of said counterblade sections is spaced forwardly from said drive shaft a greater distance than a pair of said counterblade sections contiguous to the opposite ends of said one counterblade section.

Claim 17

A cutter bar assembly as set forth in claim 10, wherein said connecting means between said cutter elements and said drive shaft include bearing means on the latter in up and down swingable Relation thereto.

Claim 18

In a mowing apparatus, a cutter bar assembly comprising a series of cutter elements each having an elongated body portion presenting a pair of cutting edges extending, respectively, lengthwise and at opposite sides thereof; means operatively mounting said cutter elements for arcuate back and forth swinging movement in a horizontal plane, and a counterblade assembly underlying said cutter elements in cooperative relation thereto, said mounting means including a support, pivot means connecting said cutter elements with said support in horizontally back and forth swingable relation thereto; and yieldable locking means operatively interposed between said support and each of said cutter elements for releasably retaining the latter in operative positions on said support.

Claim 19

In a mowing apparatus, a cutter bar assembly comprising a series of cutter elements each having an elongated body portion presenting a pair of cutting edges extending, respectively, lengthwise and at opposite sides thereof; means operatively mounting said cutter elements for arcuate back and forth swinging movement in a horizontal plane, and a counterblade assembly underlying said cutter elements in cooperative relation thereto, said mounting means including a support, pivot means connecting said cutter elements with said support in horizontally back and forth swingable relation thereto; and yieldable locking means operatively interposed between said support and each of said cutter elements for releasably retaining the latter in operative positions on said support.

Claim 20

A cutter bar assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said locking means comprise a rearward extension of the respective cutter element presenting a cam face, a complementary cam face portion on said support, and spring means yieldingly urging said cam face of said cutter element extension into cooperative engagement with said complementary cam face portion of said support.

Claim 21

A cutter bar assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said spring means include a pivot element extending through said cutter element extension and into said support so as to afford a pivot center on which said cutter element may swing laterally out of and into operative position relative to said support.

Claim 22

In a mowing apparatus, a cutter bar assembly comprising a horizontal drive shaft extending transversely of the direction of propulsion of the apparatus, a series of independently movable cutter elements spaced along and positioned at the forward side of said drive shaft, each of said cutter elements presenting, as viewed in plan, an isosceles triangular configuration and having opposite cutting edges at the outer edges of two surfaces which are convex in themselves symmetrically about the central longitudinal axis of the cutter; power transmitting means actuated by said drive shaft and operative to swing each of said cutter elements arcuately back and forth in a horizontal plane and simultaneously rock each of said cutter elements about its longitudinal axis so that the leading cutting edge thereof will be depressed during its horizontal swinging movement in either direction; and a counter-blade assembly underlying said cutter elements in cooperative relation thereto; said convex-cutter surfaces forming with one another in the cross section of the cutter an obtuse angle which increases, as the forward end of the cutter is approached, by the angle of tilt brought about on sweeping of the cutter over the cutting stretch along the complementary cutting edge of said counter-blade assembly.

Claim 23

In a mowing apparatus, a cutter bar assembly comprising a horizontal drive shaft extending transversely of the direction of propulsion of the apparatus, a series of independently movable cutter elements spaced along and positioned at the forward side of said drive shaft, each of said cutter elements presenting, as viewed in plan, an isosceles triangular configuration and having opposite cutting edges at the outer edges of two surfaces which are convex in themselves symmetrically about the central longitudinal axis of the cutter; power transmitting means actuated by said drive shaft and operative to swing each of said cutter elements arcuately back and forth in a horizontal plane and simultaneously rock each of said cutter elements about its longitudinal axis so that the leading cutting edge thereof will be depressed during its horizontal swinging movement in either direction; and a counter-blade assembly underlying said cutter elements in cooperative relation thereto; said convex-cutter surfaces forming with one another in the cross section of the cutter an obtuse angle which increases, as the forward end of the cutter is approached, by the angle of tilt brought about on sweeping of the cutter over the cutting stretch along the complementary cutting edge of said counter-blade assembly.

Claim 24

A cutter bar assembly as set forth in claim 16, wherein said cutter elements are axially symmetrically concave on both sides of their respective longitudinal axes and the radius of curvature of the cutter surface increases as the forward end of the cutter element is more closely approached.

Claim 25

A cutter bar assembly as set forth in claim 17, wherein the surface of each cutter element is in the form of a cut-away portion of a truncated cone the larger radius of which is associated with the surface portion adjoining the forward end of the respective cutter element.

Claim 26

A mowing apparatus comprising a cutter bar having at least one cutter element and an associated counter blade; a shaft extending along the cutter bar; bearing means including radially inner and outer bearing members mounted on said shaft at an inclination thereto; said inner bearing member being rotatable with the shaft and said outer bearing member being attached to said cutter element, and the arrangement being such that relative rotation between said shaft and cutter element in a direction causing said cutter element to be pressed on the counter blade due to drag in the bearing also causes the cutter element to move in an oscillaTory path with a scissor like crop cutting action between it and the counter blade.

Claim 27

A mowing apparatus comprising a cutter bar having at least one cutter element and an associated counter blade; a shaft extending along the cutter bar; bearing means including radially inner and outer bearing members mounted on said shaft at an inclination thereto; said inner bearing member being rotatable with the shaft and said outer bearing member being attached to said cutter element, and the arrangement being such that relative rotation between said shaft and cutter element in a direction causing said cutter element to be pressed on the counter blade due to drag in the bearing also causes the cutter element to move in an oscillaTory path with a scissor like crop cutting action between it and the counter blade.