Patent ID: 7926248

Claim:
In a harvesting header, the improvement comprising: a flexible cutterbar assembly extending transversely of the normal direction of travel of the header and including an elongated, flexible cutterbar and a plurality of ground-engaging skids attached to said cutterbar along the length thereof for permitting the cutterbar assembly to flex along its length in response to changes in terrain as the header is advanced; draper mechanism behind the cutterbar assembly for receiving severed crop materials from the cutterbar assembly and conveying the materials in a lateral direction with respect to the normal direction of travel of the header, at least part of said draper mechanism being supported for flexing movement with the cutterbar assembly, said draper mechanism including a left draper assembly and a right draper assembly that are laterally spaced apart to present a centrally disposed opening, said left and right draper assemblies being driven in mutually opposite directions to deliver crop materials centrally to said central opening, further comprising a central conveyor disposed in said central opening for receiving crop materials from the left and right draper assemblies, said central conveyor including a fore-and-aft draper and being operable to deliver crop materials in a rearward direction toward an outlet; and a plurality of support arms spaced laterally along the cutterbar assembly, said arms being connected adjacent front ends thereof with said cutterbar assembly for up and down movement therewith as the cutterbar assembly flexes along its length in response to changes in harvesting operations, said arms being individually pivotally supported adjacent rear ends thereof for swinging movement about a laterally extending axis.