Patent ID: 7131253

Claim:
A crop harvesting header comprising: a header frame structure arranged for movement in a direction of working movement across ground carrying a crop to be harvested; a cutter bar arranged across a forward edge of the header frame structure for cutting the crop, the cutter bar having ends at respective ends of the header; a cut crop transport arrangement mounted on the header frame structure for receiving and transporting the cut crop for further processing; and a reel for controlling movement of the crop in the area over the cutter bar, the reel having ends at respective ends of the header; the reel being mounted on the header frame structure for movement therewith in the direction of movement and for rotation about a reel axis generally parallel to the cutter bar; the reel having a plurality of reel bats at spaced positions around the reel axis with each reel bat having a row of axially spaced reel fingers projecting generally outwardly from the reel axis; each bat being mounted for pivotal movement about a bat axis parallel to the reel axis, the angular position of each of the bats about its axis being controlled by a linkage of the bat which co-operates with a cam of the reel so that, as the reel rotates, the linkage moves the bats to a required angular position in dependence upon the co-operation of the linkage with the cam; each of at least some of the bats having mounted on at least one end thereof axially spaced from an endmost one of the fingers a crop divider member which crop divider member is axially spaced from the linkage, rotates with the reel around the reel axis for engaging crop at the end of the reel and pivots with the bat about the bat axis; each divider member being shaped differently from the fingers and shaped for dividing the crop such that a part of the crop inboard of the reel end to be cut by the cutter bar is separated by the divider members from a part of the crop outboard of the reel end which passes outwardly of the respective end of the cutter bar and is not cut.