LOW PROFILE SICKLE DRIVE

摘要

A sickle drive (62A, 62B) incorporated into a generally flat package or enclosure (64) or floor (28). The drive (62A, 62B) includes an epicyclic mechanism, including a rotatable input element (82) in an upper region of a cavity (78) of the enclosure (64), and an eccentric element (86) below the input element (82) rotatable eccentrically thereby. A drive arm (92) is connected to the eccentric element (86) for rotation about, and eccentric rotation with, the eccentric element (86), and extends to a pivot element (102) which can be the only component extending upwardly from the enclosure (64) or floor (28), such that the shaft (100) will be pivoted by the eccentric movement of the drive arm (92). A knife arm (76) connects to the pivot element (102) and a sickle knife assembly (58) which will be reciprocated by the pivoting action. A second epicyclic arrangement can be employed such that opposite forces generated by operation of the drive (62A, 62B) will be largely canceled.