Patent ID: 7222474

Claim:
Ground sensing apparatus for a header of an agricultural harvesting machine, comprising: a shaft having a first segment coupled to a second segment by a coupler, wherein the coupler is configurable to allow the first segment to be connected and disconnected from the second segment; at least one sensor having an input connected to the first segment such that rotation of the shaft will rotate the input for changing a state of the sensor; a skid shoe supported on the header for upward and downward movement between at least a first ground sensing position wherein at least a portion of the skid shoe extends a first distance below a cutter bar of the header and a second ground sensing position wherein at least a portion of the skid shoe extends a second distance below the cutter bar greater than the first distance, the skid shoe when in at least the second ground sensing position being movable upwardly as a result of contact with the ground; and a linkage arrangement coupled between the first segment and the skid shoe and configured such that when the skid shoe is moved upwardly from the second ground sensing position the linkage arrangement will correspondingly rotate the shaft to effect a change in the state of the sensor.