US 12,426,539 B2
Cutting mechanism with leaf spring assembly as a cutting element support
Steffen Sudhues, Ahlen (DE); Alexander Heitkamp, Dülmen (DE); Andre Hemmesmann, Sassenberg (DE); and Michael Pokriefke, Hude (DE)
Assigned to Carl Geringhoff GmbH & Co. KG, Ahlen (DE)
Appl. No. 17/761,682
Filed by Carl Geringhoff GmbH & Co. KG, Ahlen (DE)
PCT Filed Sep. 15, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/075718
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 18, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/052936, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 25, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 125 277.6 (DE), filed on Sep. 19, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0338415 A1, Oct. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. A01D 41/14 (2006.01); A01D 34/30 (2006.01); A01D 57/20 (2006.01)
CPC A01D 41/14 (2013.01) [A01D 34/30 (2013.01); A01D 41/141 (2013.01); A01D 57/20 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cutting mechanism for attachment to a harvesting machine, the cutting mechanism comprising:
a frame extending at least substantially across a working width of the cutting mechanism and comprising an attachment frame configured to connect the frame to an intake channel of the harvesting machine;
wherein the frame comprises rocker arms, wherein the rocker arms point in a working direction of the cutting mechanism and comprise leading ends in the working direction of the cutting mechanism;
cutting elements connected to the leading ends of the rocker arms and configured to cut a crop;
a plurality of or all of the rocker arms comprised of a leaf spring assembly, respectively, wherein each leaf spring assembly is assembled of spring leaves, wherein a plurality of or all of the spring leaves of the leaf spring assembly that are resting flat on each other are held together between clamping elements at an end of the spring leaves facing the frame and are connected to the frame;
one or a plurality of the spring leaves of each leaf spring assembly arranged in an upper region of each leaf spring assembly are connected to the cutting elements in a connection zone;
one or a plurality of the spring leaves of each leaf spring assembly held together between the clamping elements and arranged in a lower region of each leaf spring assembly, viewed in the working direction, end in front of the connection zone.