US 11,672,207 B2
Agricultural vehicle with guided rotor knives
Enrico Giuliani, Russi-RA (IT); and Chandrashekhar Singh, Lancaster, PA (US)
Assigned to CNH Industrial America LLC, New Holland, PA (US)
Filed by CNH Industrial America LLC, New Holland, PA (US)
Filed on Mar. 2, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/806,371.
Prior Publication US 2021/0267131 A1, Sep. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. A01F 29/08 (2006.01); A01F 15/10 (2006.01); A01F 29/09 (2010.01)
CPC A01F 29/08 (2013.01) [A01F 15/10 (2013.01); A01F 29/095 (2013.01); A01F 2015/107 (2013.01); A01F 2015/108 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cutting assembly for an agricultural vehicle, comprising:
a rotatable rotor comprising a plurality of extensions;
a rotor floor disposed adjacent to the rotor, the rotor floor having a plurality of knife slots formed therein, the rotor floor defining a cutting side on the side of the rotor floor facing the rotor and a shielded side on the opposite side of the rotor floor;
a plurality of movable knives disposed adjacent to the rotor floor, the knives each being movable from a cutting position to a retracted position, the knives each extending through a respective knife slot into the cutting side to cooperate with the extensions in the cutting position and being disposed on the shielded side such that the knives do not cooperate with the extensions in the retracted position, each of the knives comprising a pivot region configured to pivot about a pivot axis between the cutting position and the retracted position;
at least one knife guide comprising a pair of spaced apart guide surfaces coupled to the rotor floor on the shielded side and defining a gap therebetween such that a respectively associated knife is at least partially disposed in the gap when in the retracted position; and
a pivot guide comprising a plurality of pivot slots, each of the pivot slots being positioned adjacent to the pivot region of a respective knife and holding a portion of the respective knife.