Patent ID: 8341929

Claim:
A harvesting header comprising: a flexible cutterbar assembly extending transversely across a front portion of the header with respect to the normal direction of travel of the header, said cutterbar assembly being operable to flex up and down along the length thereof in response to changes in terrain as the header is advanced; a flexible draper assembly supported behind the cutterbar assembly in a manner to permit the draper assembly to flex with the cutterbar assembly, said draper assembly including an endless, flexible, laterally movable belt presenting top and bottom belt runs, said top belt run presenting a front edge; and a plurality of belt guards attached to and disposed along the cutterbar assembly to accommodate and move with the cutterbar assembly during flexing thereof, each of said guards including a rearwardly projecting section disposed at a level above the level of said front edge of the top belt run, such that a vertical gap is defined between the levels of the top belt run and each belt guard, said draper assembly including a front dam wall disposed forwardly of said front edge of the top belt run and extending upwardly into interference contact with an underside of said rearwardly projecting section of the guard, with the front dam wall spanning the gap to restrict crop materials from falling through the gap.