Abstract:
A row of transversely spaced guide fingers projects forwardly from the header of a harvesting machine to permit flow of the crop between the fingers into the sickle, wherein adjacent pairs of the fingers are staggered in length and present a space therebetween having a transverse width of at least approximately forty percent of the center-to-center width of adjacent pairs of fingers to thereby enhance free crop flow and minimize loss of severed, grain-bearing heads.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of a prior filed, co-pending application Ser. No. 60/962,576, filed Jul. 30, 2007, entitled CROP GUARD WITH STAGGERED GUIDE FINGERS. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to agricultural equipment for harvesting a standing crop such as corn, milo, sunflowers, oats, barley or soybeans and, more particularly, to apparatus for guiding the crop into the sickle of a harvesting machine. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Harvesting machinery such as combines are typically provided with a header at the front of the machine which employs a laterally extending, horizontal sickle to sever the grain-bearing stalks which then flow into the harvester where the grain is separated from the residue. In order to guide the crop into the header and thereby maximize grain flow and minimize losses, a row of forwardly extending, spaced guide plates may be attached to the forward portion of the frame of the harvesting machine so as to define passageways between the plates leading rearwardly to the sickle. Apparatus of this general type is set forth, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,610 wherein guide plates are spaced laterally from one another so as to define elongated, narrow passageways between them leading rearwardly to the sickle. However, the guide plates may interfere with crop flow, particularly in high population crops such as milo, resulting in loss of grain due to uncut stalks that are pushed over by the fingers and pass beneath the sickle. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the aforementioned problem is addressed by providing a row of transversely spaced guide fingers projecting forwardly from the header of a harvesting machine to permit flow of the crop between the fingers into the sickle, wherein adjacent pairs of the fingers are staggered in length and present a space therebetween having a transverse width of at least approximately forty percent of the center-to-center width of adjacent pairs of fingers to thereby enhance free crop flow and minimize loss of the severed, grain-bearing heads. 
         [0005]    In another aspect of the invention, the shorter fingers of the row of guide fingers are approximately seventy to eighty percent of the length of the longer fingers. 
         [0006]    Further aspects of the invention include providing a center-to-center width of adjacent pairs of fingers of approximately three to four inches, providing a spacing between adjacent fingers of approximately one and one-half to two inches, and orienting the forwardly projecting guide fingers to extend downwardly at an angle of approximately ten to fourteen degrees from the direction of movement of the harvesting machine to thereby lift the crop and maximize severing of the stalks. 
         [0007]    Another aspect of the present invention is the mounting of the guide fingers by providing a lower, elongated support component for each finger secured to a corresponding sickle guard and projecting forwardly and downwardly therefrom, and an upper finger component on the support component for lifting the crop as the harvesting machine advances. 
         [0008]    Other advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a partial, perspective view of the front of a combine showing the guide fingers of the present invention extending forwardly from the sickle. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of a first embodiment of a guide finger unit having a series of transversely spaced, forwardly extending guide fingers of staggered lengths mounted on a common support member. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a plan view similar to  FIG. 2  but showing a second embodiment of a guide finger unit having wider fingers. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the first embodiment showing the guide finger unit overlying the sickle in its operational position with the fingers projecting forwardly therefrom. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of the second embodiment showing the sickle guards received in respective support eyes on the guide finger unit, the sickle being removed for clarity. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is an exploded, side view of one of the fingers of the second embodiment showing the lower, angle iron arm component of the finger spaced beneath the upper, plastic finger component. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 6  but with the two components bolted together, illustrating the mounting of the unit on the sickle guards. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a detail, plan view of the plastic finger component. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , the header of a combine is partially shown and comprises, as standard components, a rotatable reel  10 , an auger  12  below the reel  10  extending parallel thereto and having the usual converging components for feeding the cut crop to the center of the combine header to discharge the severed, grain-bearing heads rearwardly to the elevator (not shown) of the combine, a sickle  14  in front of and beneath the auger  12 , and a row of forwardly extending, transversely spaced guide fingers  16  projecting forwardly from the sickle  14  as will be described in detail hereinbelow. As is apparent, the guide fingers  16  are spaced apart and have staggered lengths. 
         [0018]    The row of guide fingers  16  comprises a series of end-to-end guide finger units, one such unit  18  being shown in  FIG. 2 . Unit  18  comprises six long fingers  20  and six short fingers  22  arranged in alternating fashion as is clear in  FIG. 2 , and each tapered to a point at its forward end. The fingers in  20 ,  22  are spaced, for example, approximately three inches apart between the longitudinal centerlines  23  of adjacent fingers. The rear ends  24  of the fingers are secured to a common support member provided by a metal bar  25  having spaced, rearwardly projecting tabs  26  with apertures  27  therein thereby providing a mounting structure to secure the unit  18  to the combine by bolts (not shown) through the tabs  26  and a front frame member or platform (not shown) of the combine. It should be noted in the embodiment of  FIG. 2  that the spacing between adjacent fingers  20 ,  22  is essentially equal to the width of each finger. 
         [0019]    A similar arrangement is shown in  FIG. 3  wherein alternating long and short fingers  28  and  30  respectively are secured at their rear ends to a mounting bar  32  provided with rearwardly extending tabs  34  having apertures therein to permit the structure to be bolted to the platform of the combine. The wider, staggered fingers  28  and  30  shown in  FIG. 3  are, for example, spaced approximately four inches between adjacent centerlines  35 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 2  with the addition of sickle  14  which presents a row of side-by-side sickle sections  36 . As is conventional, the sickle reciprocates within associated sickle guards  38  ( FIG. 5 ) spaced along the sickle. The sickle guards are removed in  FIG. 4  for clarity. 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , it may be appreciated that each of the fingers  20 ,  22  and  28 ,  30  of the present invention comprises two components as best seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7  where one of the fingers  20 , for example, is illustrated. The lower component of the finger  20  comprises an elongated angle iron  40  having a bend  42  from horizontal of approximately 12 degrees. The upper finger component  44  is composed of a plastic material and is secured to the angle arm component  40  by a pair of bolts  46  and  47 . The upper, plastic component  44  diverges from the angle iron component  40  behind bolt  47  and is held in spaced relationship thereto by a support eye  48  welded on component  40  which receives and holds one of the pointed, forward ends of a respective sickle guard  38  ( FIGS. 5 and 7 ). The rear (right as viewed in  FIG. 7 ) end of the angle iron arm component  40  has a rearwardly extending tab  50  through which a bolt  52  extends and is secured by a nut, as seen in  FIG. 7 . Bolts  52  (not shown in  FIG. 5 ) extend through mounting holes  51  in the rear flange of each of the sickle guards  38 . Accordingly, the guide finger assemblies of the present invention are securely mounted on the sickle guards  38  of the combine and extend forwardly and downwardly to lift the crop and maximize severing of the stocks and, therefore, harvest of the grain-bearing heads. Although a 12-degree bend from horizontal is preferred, an angle of approximately 10 to 14 degrees may be selected. 
         [0022]    Furthermore, the spacing and orientation of the guide fingers enhance free crop flow and minimize loss of severed, grain-bearing heads. In the first embodiment of  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the preferred spacing between adjacent fingers is approximately one and one-half inches which, together with the approximately three inch spacing between the longitudinal centerlines  23 , provides the enhanced crop flow and, furthermore, minimizes any tendency of the fingers to push uncut stalks beneath the sickle sections  36  which would result in loss of grain due to uncut stalks. The staggered fingers  28  and  30  in the embodiment of  FIGS. 3 and 5  likewise minimize uncut stalks due to the wider, approximately four inch center-to-center spacing  35  which provides a distance between adjacent fingers  28  and  30  of approximately one and three-quarter inches. 
         [0023]    In summary, the staggered lengths of the guide fingers and wide spacing (approximately 1½-1¾ inch) permit heavier crop flow without knocking over the stalks before they are severed by the sickle. The downwardly extending angle of the fingers lifts the crop to maximize severing of the stalks and thus harvest of the grain-bearing heads. The staggered fingers of the present invention are readily attached to a combine and stabilized by interfitting with the sickle guards as shown in  FIG. 7  and described above. Free flow of the crop into the sickle is enhanced and loss of severed, grain-bearing heads is minimized. 
         [0024]    It should be understood that while certain forms of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims.