Cutting device of an agricultural harvesting machine

Abstract

A baler for making large cylindrical bales is equipped with a cutting device for cutting picked up crop into pieces before it enters the baling chamber. The cutting device includes a plurality of cutting knives that are pivotable about a horizontal transverse axis between an working position for cutting crop, wherein the knives each project upwardly through respective slits provided in a guide sheet, and a non-working position wherein the knives are withdrawn to a non-working position substantially below the guide sheet. A plurality of knife positioning elements are respectively associated with the knives and mounted for pivoting about a second horizontal transverse axis such that when the positioning elements are in a first position corresponding to the working position of the knives rollers respectively carried by the positioning elements are in engagement with a recess in a surface provided on the rear of the associated knife. The positioning elements are biased such that the roller carried by a given positioning element will remain in the recess of the associated knife so long as the force tending to rock the knife to its non-working position is below a predetermined amount. Once this force is exceeded, the knife will pivot to its non-working position until the force once again falls below the predetermined amount. A sensing device is associated with a warning or indicator circuit for letting the operator know when one of the knives has moved to a position not occupied by the remaining knives.