Patent ID: 8181434

Claim:
In a combine head attached to a forward portion of a combine, apparatus for separating ears of corn from corn stalks and providing the separated ears of corn for processing in the combine, said apparatus comprising: first and second generally flat, spaced stripper members disposed generally in a forward portion of the combine and arranged so as to define a generally horizontal slot in the space between adjacent respective inner edges of said of said first and second stripper members, wherein each stripper member has a respective irregular upper surface adapted to receive severed corn stalks harvested from a field; first and second spaced rollers disposed respectively below said first and second stripper members and adapted to engage and intermittently pull corn stalks down through a space between said first and second stripper members, whereby ears of corn are separated from the stalks by said first and second stripper members, with the ears of corn remaining on the upper irregular surfaces of said first and second stripper members, and wherein the pulled down stalks exert an intermittent downward force upon said first and second stripper members; first and second compressive, resilient support members engaging a lower surface of and supporting said first and second stripper members in a vertically offset manner; and a coupling arrangement connecting said first compressive, resilient support member to said first stripper member and said second compressive, resilient member to said second stripper member for directing said first and second stripper members downwardly and forwardly when said support members are compressed and upwardly and rearwardly when said support members are no longer compressed; wherein when corn stalks are intermittently pulled downward by said first and second rollers, the first and second stripper members are intermittently pulled downward and in a first forward direction, and when the corn stalks are not being pulled downward, said support members expand and displace said first and second stripper members in a second opposed upward and rearward direction, with the irregular upper surfaces of said stripper members directing the ears of corn disposed thereon rearwardly in the combine for processing.