Patent ID: 8166738

Claim:
A header ( 20 ) for an agricultural combine ( 10 ) arranged to be moved in a forward direction over a field, the header ( 20 ) comprising: a laterally extending frame ( 28 ) supporting a laterally extending cutter bar ( 54 ); laterally extending and generally vertical back sheets ( 30 ) disposed along the back of the header ( 20 ) on left and right sides of the header ( 20 ), the back sheets ( 30 ) having a central aperture ( 48 ) therebetween; left and right lateral belt conveyors ( 32 , 34 ) supported on the frame ( 28 ), each of said belt conveyors ( 32 , 34 ) having a feeding direction from an outer side end towards a center of the header ( 20 ); a central conveyor ( 36 ) disposed between the inner ends of the left and right lateral belt conveyors ( 32 , 34 ) to receive cut crop material therefrom and convey it rearward through the aperture ( 48 ); and rotationally drivable left and right crop compression rollers ( 74 ) supported on the frame ( 28 ) forward of the back sheets ( 30 ) and above the left and right lateral belt conveyors ( 32 , 34 ), the crop compression rollers ( 74 ) extending substantially over the length of the left and right lateral belt conveyors ( 32 , 34 ) and having a laterally extending rotational axis and a smooth cylindrical surface with a circular cross section.