Patent ID: 7886512

Claim:
A draper header operable to harvest a crop, said draper header comprising: a header frame; a crop-cutting assembly mounted to the header frame to extend lengthwise in a lateral direction relative to the normal direction of travel of the header; an endless flexible draper belt rotatably supported on the header frame rearwardly of the crop-cutting assembly to receive severed crop materials from the crop-cutting assembly and convey the materials laterally, said draper belt presenting laterally extending, spaced apart leading and trailing edges relative to the normal direction of header travel, said draper belt presenting an outwardly facing crop-engaging surface defined between the edges, said draper belt including a substantially continuous crop-retaining rib projecting outwardly from the crop-engaging surface adjacent the leading edge so as to retain severed crop materials on the draper belt and restrict movement of the materials back to the crop-cutting assembly, said crop-cutting assembly comprising a flexible cutterbar assembly mounted to the header frame, said flexible cutterbar assembly being operable to flex along the length thereof in response to changes in terrain as the header is advanced; and a plurality of shiftably interlocked belt guards attached to and disposed along the cutterbar assembly to accommodate and move with the cutterbar assembly during flexing thereof, with each of the guards extending from the cutterbar assembly to a location adjacent the leading edge of the draper belt, said leading edge of the draper belt being spaced rearwardly and upwardly from the cutterbar assembly, said belt guards each extending from the cutterbar assembly to the leading edge of the draper belt, said belt guards each presenting an overhanging portion that extends rearwardly beyond the leading edge of the draper belt and overlies the crop-retaining rib of the draper belt, said belt guards being arranged into multiple adjacent pairs, with each pair including interengaging ends that cooperatively form an interlocking joint that permits relative swinging movement between the guards of the pair and restricts relative up-and-down movement between the ends.