DRAPER HEADER WITH LEAN BAR ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A draper header for harvesting agricultural crops includes at least one lean bar assembly for engaging the crops to be harvested prior to a first and a second crop pick-up reel. The first crop pick-up reel is rotatably coupled between an outboard and a center reel support arm of the draper header, and the second crop pick-up reel is rotatably coupled between the center and an outboard reel support arm of the draper header. The first and second crop pick-up reels are selectively moveable in a fore and an aft direction along the inboard, outboard, and center reel support arms for engaging the crops to be harvested. The lean bar assemblies are secured to each of the first and second crop pick-up reels at a predetermined position relative thereto and maintain the predetermined position during selective movement of the first and second crop pick-up reels in the fore and aft directions.

Description

Claims

1. A draper header for harvesting agricultural crops, the draper header comprising: a header frame having a front and a rear portion extending laterally between opposite first and second ends;a first and a second reel support arm adjacent the first and second ends of the header frame, each of the first and second reel support arms extending between a proximal end coupled to the rear portion of the header frame and an opposite distal end spaced above the front portion of the header frame;a crop pick-up reel rotatably coupled between the first and second reel support arms for engaging the crops to be harvested, the crop pick-up reel selectively moveable in a fore and an aft direction along the reel support arms between the proximal and distal ends thereof; anda lean bar assembly coupled to the crop pick-up reel for engaging the crops to be harvested prior to the crop pick-up reel, wherein the lean bar assembly is secured at a predetermined position relative to the crop pick-up reel to maintain the predetermined position during selective movement of the crop pick-up reel in the fore and aft directions.

2. The draper header of claim 1 wherein the lean bar assembly includes a pair of spaced apart lean bar supports extending longitudinally between a first end and an opposite second end, and a crop engagement element extending laterally between the first ends of the lean bar supports.

3. The draper header of claim 2 further comprising a cradle coupled adjacent the distal ends on each of the first and second reel support arms for slidably receiving and supporting the lean bar supports therethrough during selective movement of the crop pick-up reel in the fore and aft directions.

4. The draper header of claim 3 further comprising a reel bracket slidably attached to each of the first and second reel support arms for rotatably supporting the crop pick-up reel therebetween and slidably supporting the crop pick-up reel for movement in the fore and aft directions between the proximal and distal ends of the first and second reel support arms.

5. The draper header of claim 4 wherein the second ends of the lean bar supports are coupled to the reel brackets for movement of the lean bar assembly in the fore and aft directions as the reel brackets slide between the proximal and distal ends of the first and second reel support arms.

6. The draper header of claim 5 wherein the second ends of the lean bar supports include a post extending longitudinally therefrom.

7. The draper header of claim 6 further comprising a mounting bracket fixedly secured to each of the reel brackets, the mounting brackets each including an opening for receiving the posts therethrough to couple the lean bar supports to the crop pick-up reel.

8. The draper header of claim 7 further comprising a latch pin operatively engaged with each of the posts to secure the lean bar supports to the crop pick-up reel.

9. The draper header of claim 8 further comprising an elongated slot adjacent the first ends of each of the lean bar supports for adjustably supporting the crop engagement element therebetween.

10. The draper header of claim 9 wherein the crop engagement element is adjustable in the fore and aft directions along the elongated slots for selecting the predetermined position relative to the crop pick-up reel.

11. The draper header of claim 10 further comprising a cutter bar assembly operatively extending across the front portion of the header frame for cutting the crops to be harvested.

12. The draper header of claim 11 further comprising a rear wall extending vertically from the rear portion of the header frame between the first and second ends thereof, the rear wall including an opening therethrough for transferring cut crops from the draper header.

13. The draper header of claim 12 further comprising at least one draper belt assembly operatively coupled between the first and second ends of the header frame, the draper belt assembly adapted and arranged for transporting cut crops to the opening in the rear wall.

14. The draper header of claim 13 further comprising a reel positioning mechanism operatively coupled between the crop pick-up reel and at least one of the first and the second reel support arms for movement of the crop pick-up reel in the fore and aft directions along the reel support arms between the proximal and distal ends thereof.

15. The draper header of claim 14 wherein the reel positioning mechanism is a hydraulic cylinder operatively coupled between at least one of the reel brackets and at least one of the first and the second reel support arms adjacent the proximal end thereof, the hydraulic cylinder extendable and retractable to move the crop pick-up reel in the fore and aft directions along the reel support arms between the proximal and distal ends thereof.

16. A draper header for harvesting agricultural crops, the draper header comprising: a header frame having a front and a rear portion extending laterally between opposite first and second ends;an inboard and an outboard reel support arm adjacent the first and second ends of the header frame and a center reel support arm spaced therebetween, each of the inboard, outboard, and center reel support arms extending between a proximal end coupled to the rear portion of the header frame and an opposite distal end spaced above the front portion of the header frame;a first crop pick-up reel rotatably coupled between the outboard and center reel support arms and a second crop pick-up reel rotatably coupled between the inboard and center reel support arms for engaging the crops to be harvested, the first and second crop pick-up reels selectively moveable in a fore and an aft direction along the inboard, outboard, and center reel support arms between the proximal and distal ends thereof; anda lean bar assembly coupled to each of the first and second crop pick-up reels for engaging the crops to be harvested prior to the first and second crop pick-up reels, wherein at least one of the lean bar assemblies is secured at a predetermined position relative to the first and second crop pick-up reels to maintain the predetermined position during selective movement of the first and second crop pick-up reels in the fore and aft directions.

17. The draper header of claim 16 wherein the lean bar assemblies each include a pair of spaced apart lateral and medial lean bar supports extending longitudinally between a first end and an opposite second end, and a crop engagement element extending laterally between the first ends of each pair of lateral and medial lean bar supports.

18. The draper header of claim 17 wherein the medial lean bar support of one of the lean bar assemblies is slidably and matingly coupled to the medial lean bar support of the other of the lean bar assemblies.

19. The draper header of claim 18 further comprising a cradle coupled adjacent the distal ends on each of the inboard, outboard, and center reel support arms for slidably receiving and supporting the lateral and medial lean bar supports therethrough during selective movement of the first and second crop pick-up reels in the fore and aft directions.

20. The draper header of claim 19 further comprising a reel bracket slidably attached to each of the inboard, outboard, and center reel support arms for rotatably supporting the first and second crop pick-up reels therebetween and slidably supporting the first and second crop pick-up reels for movement in the fore and aft directions between the proximal and distal ends of the inboard, outboard, and center reel support arms.

21. The draper header of claim 20 wherein the reel bracket slidably attached to the center reel support arm is adapted for operatively coupling to both the first and second crop pick-up reels for corresponding movement thereof in the fore and aft directions between the proximal and distal ends of the center reel support arm.

22. The draper header of claim 21 wherein the second ends of the lateral and medial lean bar supports are coupled to the reel brackets for movement of the lean bar assemblies in the fore and aft directions as the reel brackets slide between the proximal and distal ends of the inboard, outboard, and center reel support arms.

23. The draper header of claim 22 wherein the second end of one of the lateral lean bar supports is coupled to the reel bracket slidably attached to the outboard reel support arm, the second end of the other of the lateral lean bar supports is coupled to the reel bracket slidably attached to the inboard reel support arm, and the medial lean bar supports are coupled to the reel bracket slidably attached to the center reel support arm.

24. The draper header of claim 23 wherein the second ends of the lateral lean bar supports each include a lateral support post extending longitudinally therefrom.

25. The draper header of claim 24 wherein one of the medial lean bar supports includes a medial support post extending longitudinally therefrom, and the other of the medial lean bar supports includes an opening for receiving the medial support post to couple the medial lean bar supports.

26. The draper header of claim 25 further comprising a mounting bracket fixedly secured to each of the reel brackets, the mounting brackets each including an opening for receiving the lateral and medial support posts therethrough to couple the lateral and medial lean bar supports to the first and second crop pick-up reels.

27. The draper header of claim 26 further comprising a latch pin operatively engaged with each of the lateral and medial support posts to secure the lateral and medial lean bar supports to the first and second crop pick-up reels.

28. The draper header of claim 27 further comprising an elongated slot adjacent the first ends of the lateral and medial lean bar supports for adjustably supporting the crop engagement elements therebetween.

29. The draper header of claim 28 wherein the crop engagement elements of each lean bar assembly are adjustable in the fore and aft directions along the elongated slots for selecting the predetermined position relative to the first and second crop pick-up reels.

30. The draper header of claim 29 wherein the crop engagement elements each have a pair of lateral side walls and a substantially arcuate forward wall 50 extending therebetween.

31. The draper header of claim 30 wherein each medial lean bar support has a substantially J-shaped cross-section at the first ends thereof and a substantially U-shaped cross-section at the second ends thereof.

32. The draper header of claim 31 wherein the cross-section of one of the medial lean bar supports is mirrored relative to the other of the medial lean bar supports.

33. The draper header of claim 32 further comprising a reel drive mechanism operatively coupled to the first and second crop pick-up reels for rotatably driving the first and second crop pick-up reels to engage and harvest the crops.

34. The draper header of claim 33 further comprising a cutter bar assembly operatively extending across the front portion of the header frame for cutting the crops to be harvested.

35. The draper header of claim 34 further comprising a rear wall extending vertically from the rear portion of the header frame between the first and second ends thereof, the rear wall including an opening therethrough for transferring cut crops from the draper header.

36. The draper header of claim 35 further comprising at least one draper belt assembly operatively coupled between the first and second ends of the header frame, the draper belt assembly adapted and arranged for transporting cut crops to the opening in the rear wall.

37. The draper header of claim 36 further comprising a reel positioning mechanism operatively coupled between at least one of the first and second crop pick-up reels and at least one of the inboard, outboard, and center reel support arms for movement of the first and second crop pick-up reels in the fore and aft directions along the inboard, outboard, and center reel support arms between the proximal and distal ends thereof.

38. The draper header of claim 37 wherein the reel positioning mechanism is a hydraulic cylinder operatively coupled between at least one of the reel brackets and at least one of the inboard, outboard, and center reel support arms adjacent the proximal end thereof, the hydraulic cylinder extendable and retractable to move the first and second crop pick-up reels in the fore and aft directions along the inboard, outboard, and center reel support arms between the proximal and distal ends thereof.