Patent ID: 8857141
Filing Date: 2014-10-14
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
1. A harvesting header operable to harvest a crop, said harvesting header comprising: a header frame; a flexible cutterbar assembly shiftably mounted to the header frame to extend lengthwise in a lateral direction relative to the normal direction of travel of the header, said flexible cutterbar assembly flexing along the length thereof in response to changes in terrain as the header is advanced; and a draper assembly supported on the header frame behind the cutterbar assembly, with at least part of the draper assembly being rigidly fixed relative to the header frame, said draper assembly including a pair of side drapers and a fore-and-aft draper located between the side drapers, said side drapers configured to receive severed crop materials from the cutterbar assembly and convey the materials laterally to the fore-and-aft draper, said fore-and-aft draper presenting laterally outer margins and being configured to move the severed crop rearwardly, said fore-and-aft draper including a draper frame supported on the header frame to project forwardly therefrom, said fore-and-aft draper including a draper belt supported on the draper frame to present a rearwardly moving run for conveying the crop rearwardly, said cutterbar assembly including a center section defined between the laterally outer margins of the fore-and-aft draper and a pair of side sections on opposite sides of the center section, said cutterbar assembly including rigidifying structure that extends along the center section to restrict the center section from flexing while the side sections are permitted to flex and follow the changes in terrain.