Patent ID: 8176716

Claim:
A flexible reel ( 100 ) for an agricultural harvesting head ( 115 ) comprising: left, right and center reel sections ( 102 , 106 , 104 ), each section comprising a longitudinally extending axle ( 212 , 200 ), each axle having a first plurality of bats ( 206 ) supported on the axle and spaced radially away from the axle, and each bat of the first plurality of bats ( 206 ) having a plurality of tines spaced apart along the length of each bat and extending therefrom; first and second reel support arms ( 110 , 112 ) disposed to support the center reel section axle ( 212 ) on its left and right sides for rotation about a generally horizontal axis coaxial with the center reel section axle ( 212 ) such that left and right axle end portions ( 216 ) of the center reel section axle ( 212 ) extend through the first and second reel support arms ( 110 , 112 ) and are disposed outside of the first and second reel support arms ( 110 , 112 ); third and fourth reel support arms ( 108 , 114 ) disposed at the left end of the left reel section ( 102 ) and at the right end of the right reel section ( 106 ), respectively, to support the left reel section axle ( 200 ) and the right reel section axle, respectively, for rotation about generally horizontal axes; a first flexible coupling ( 210 ) that couples the right end of the left reel section axle ( 200 ) to the left end of the center reel section axle ( 212 ) to permit the left reel section and the center reel section to pivot with respect to each other; a second flexible coupling that couples the left end of the right reel section axle to the right end of the center reel section axle to permit the right reel section and the center reel section to pivot with respect to each other; wherein a second plurality of bats ( 218 ) are mounted on the left axle end portion ( 216 ) and the second plurality of bats ( 218 ) overlap and are interleaved with the first plurality of bats ( 206 ) on the left reel section ( 102 ) when an outer end of the left reel section ( 102 ) is pivoted above the center reel section ( 104 ) and when it is pivoted below the center reel section ( 104 ); and wherein a third plurality of bats are mounted on the right axle end portion of the center reel section axle and wherein the third plurality of bats overlap and are interleaved with the first plurality of bats ( 206 ) on the right reel section ( 106 ) when an outer end of the right reel section is pivoted both above and below the center reel section.