Disc cutterbar quick-change knife with retaining pin assembly

摘要

A quick connect apparatus for connecting a knife to a rotary disc cutterhead comprising a spring-loaded connector and a locking device which, when installed, prevents unintentional release of the knife from the cutterhead. The quick connector with locking device replaces a conventional bolted connection and reduces the time necessary to remove and reinstall a knife on a rotary cutterhead compared to a bolted knife connector while improving knife retention compared to known quick-change knife connection mechanisms.

主权项

1. A mechanism for removably attaching a knife to a rotary disc used on a cutterbar on an agricultural machine comprising:
the disc configured for rotation about an operating axis and having a mounting boss disposed adjacent to an outer periphery, said mounting boss having a receptacle; a spring plate connected to said disc, said spring plate having an elongate pivot bushing configured to connect said knife to said rotary disc connected at a first end to said spring plate, said pivot bushing extending generally toward said mounting boss and terminating in a second end, said spring plate further being moveable between flexed and unflexed positions, said unflexed position positioning engaging said second end in said receptacle in a manner to axially restrain the knife engaged on said pivot bushing between said mounting boss and said spring plate, said flexed position causing said second end to be disengaged from said receptacle whereby said knife may be disengaged from said pivot bushing; an elongate retainer pin configured to selectively engage said mounting boss and said pivot bushing and positionable between restrained and released positions, said retainer pin when in said restrained position restraining said spring plate in said unflexed position, said retainer pin when in said release position allowing movement of said spring plate toward said flexed position thereby enabling disengagement of said knife from said pivot bushing.