Patent ID: 8572942

Claim:
A seed pan apparatus comprising: an elongated seed pan plate with substantially parallel right and left edges, a top surface of the plate having a curved configuration such that the top surface of the plate curves downward from the right edge thereof to a bottom center portion thereof and curves upward from the bottom center portion to the left edge thereof, and having a pointed front end formed by right and left front tapering sides; an engagement mechanism located on a bottom of the seed pan plate and adapted for attachment to a cutting header of an agricultural harvester such that the seed pan plate is above a guard finger, the pointed front end is forward of the guard finger, a rear end of the plate is rearward of a knife assembly of the header, and the plate is inclined downward from front to rear; wherein the seed pan plates and engagement mechanisms are configured such that a plurality of plates can be attached to the cutting header at spaced intervals such that an open slot is defined between the right edge of one plate and the left edge of an adjacent plate.