Patent ID: 6516599
Filing Date: 2003-02-11
Classification: A01D

Abstract:
A mechanism for harvesting agricultural crops comprising a frame, said frame being adapted to be carried linearly through a field in an vertically-elevated condition above a ground surface in which said crop is growing, a plurality of guide fingers mounted in spaced apart parallel relationship on said frame, each guide finger having a lower pointed end and an upper delivery end, said guide fingers being pointed in the direction said frame is carried through said field, said spread apart relationship of said guide fingers creating a series of spaces between each adjacent pair of guide fingers, a pair of flexible members running from adjacent said lower end of said guide fingers toward said upper end, said pairs of flexible members being located in parallel planes that are vertically-spaced from each other with respect to the ground surface, said flexible members being used to move the ears of said crop upward toward said upper end of said guide fingers;wherein each of said flexible members comprises an elongated loop having one elongated side disposed in said space between said guide fingers and another elongated side disposed in said guide fingers; wherein each of said elongated sides of said elongated loops are substantially straight; wherein said elongated sides of said elongated loops disposed in said space between said guide fingers are substantially uniformly spaced from each other along substantially an entirety of a length of each of said elongated sides.