Patent ID: 8266881

Claim:
A crop gathering device for use with a harvesting header comprising: a frame carrying a structure movable about an endless path by a motor to deliver a crop to the header, the frame having opposed ends and connected to the header; the frame comprising: a first support member and a second support member, each support member extending adjacent the opposed ends of the frame; a driven roller assembly having a roller extending between the opposed ends of the frame, a region of the roller of the driven roller assembly being rotatably secured between the opposed ends of the frame; an idler roller assembly having a roller extending between the opposed ends of the frame, a region of the roller of the idler roller assembly being rotatably secured between the opposed ends of the frame; and the opposed ends of the frame configured to permit a vertical movement with respect to each other in response to at least one of the first support member or the second support member encountering a ground undulation, thereby changing an angular orientation between each of the opposed ends of the frame; and wherein the driven roller assembly and the idler roller assembly are configured and positioned to move the structure for delivering a crop to the header; and wherein the motor is rotatably secured to and maintained in a substantially axial alignment with the roller of the driven roller assembly, the motor being secured to the frame by a cantilevered flexible member, the flexible member has one end coupled to the motor and another end pivotally fixed to the frame, wherein a change of angular orientation between each of the opposed ends of the frame causes a change of angular orientation of the roller of the driven roller assembly in a first direction, resulting in a change of angular orientation of the motor in the first direction, further wherein the flexible member flexibly urges the angular orientation of the motor in a second direction, wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction.