Patent ID: 8769920

Claim:
A crop harvesting machine comprising: a crop header for cutting a standing crop comprising: a cutter extending longitudinally along a front of the header for cutting the crop when the header is moved in a working direction generally at a right angle to its longitudinal direction; a crop transport system operable for transporting the crop longitudinally of the header to a center discharge opening at or adjacent a center of the header so as to form a swath for deposit on the ground; a swather tractor for moving the header in a working position and in a transport position, the tractor comprising: a first end and a second end; tractor ground wheels for supporting the tractor in movement across the ground including a pair of transversely spaced first wheels at the first end; a mounting system at the first end of the tractor between the header and the tractor for supporting the header in the working position in front of the first end for movement in the working direction; the mounting system and the first wheels being arranged to allow the passage of the swath from the central discharge opening between the first wheels; the mounting system including a lift construction providing up and down lifting and floating movement of the header relative to the tractor; wherein the tractor is drivable in both the working direction with the first end forward and in an opposite direction with the second end forward; a disconnect arrangement for disconnecting the header from the working position from the mounting system of the tractor; the header including header ground wheels for supporting at least part of the header at least in the transport position; and an additional towing linkage connected between the tractor and the header such that in the transport position, with the header disconnected from the tractor at the mounting system, the towing linkage extends from the tractor to the header and tows the header behind the tractor; said towing linkage being connected between the tractor and the header while the header is in the working position connected to the tractor by the mounting system; wherein the towing linkage extends from the header to the first end of the tractor such that the header in the transport position is towed behind the first end of the tractor as the tractor moves in the opposite direction with the first end at the rear.