Cutterbar gear housing design for containing gear lubrication fluid

Abstract

A cutterbar for a rotary mower includes a gear housing containing a series-parallel spur gear train coupled for driving cutting units spaced along the cutterbar. The gear housing, as viewed from an end, defines a cavity which is wedge-shaped in cross section with the deep part of the wedge being located at the rear of the cutterbar. As considered when the cutterbar is leveled from end-to-end and disposed for cutting crop at a relatively high level, a top wall of the cavity extends substantially horizontally and the spur gears contained within the cavity are positioned close to and parallel to the top wall so that a substantial volume is left below the gears for containing lubricant. A plurality of fore-and-aft extending, transversely spaced ribs are formed along a bottom wall of the housing at a level below the gearing whereby the ribs serve to prevent the lubricant from moving quickly towards a lower end of the cutterbar when the latter is working on a slope. Provided in a lower rear location of each rib is an orifice which serves to permit lubricant to drain to the low end of the cutterbar when it is desired to remove the lubricant from the cutterbar by way of an appropriate drain hole. A sight gauge is provided at each end of the housing for viewing the lubricant level for aiding in leveling the cutterbar from end-to-end and then for determining if the lubricant level is that desired.