Patent ID: 7621113

Claim:
A crop conveying auger for moving severed crop material transversely in a specialty crops header on an agricultural crop harvester, the specialty crops header not having a conditioner roll located rearward of the crop conveying auger with respect to the direction of travel, the header having generally opposing outboard sides defining a header width, a forward edge spanning the space between the outboard sides, a cutterbar arranged on the forward edge for severing crop from the ground, a transverse trough structure for guiding crop material movement laterally in the header, and a central opening for rearward discharge of the severed crop material from the header, the opening having a width substantially less than the header width, the conveying auger comprising: an elongate central core supported by the header for rotation about an axis, the axis being generally transversely arranged on the header and co-extensive with the trough structure, said central core having a first end and a second end; a first portion having left-handed flighting radially extending from said central core to define an outer diameter, said first portion axially extending along said core from a position adjacent to said first end and continuing inwardly along said central core; a second portion having right-handed flighting radially extending from said central core to define an outer diameter generally equal to the outer diameter of said first portion, said second portion axially extending along said core from a position adjacent to said second end and continuing inwardly along said central core; a central portion disposed along said central core between said first and second portions and generally co-extensive with the width of the discharge opening, said flighting from said first portion and said second portion extending axially and inwardly along said core to a central intersection, the radial extension of said flighting being tapered as the flighting approaches said central intersection.