A harvesting header (11) for a grain harvesting machine (100), comprising:
- a central header section (13),
- a pair of lateral header sections (15, 17) hinged to opposite sides (13a, 13b) of the central header section (13) and arranged to rotate relative to the central header section (13) for assuming a working configuration, in which the central and pair of lateral header sections (13, 15, 17) are mutually horizontally aligned, and a rest or transport configuration, in which the pair of lateral header sections (15, 17) overlap the central header section (13),
- each of said central and pair of lateral header sections (13, 15, 17) being provided with:
- a support frame (19, 21, 23), wherein the support frame (19) of the central header section (13) is configured to be firmly associated with a grain harvesting machine (100), and wherein the support frame (21, 23) of each lateral header section (15, 17) is hinged to the support frame (19) of the central section (13),
- a substantially rectilinear motor-driven cutting bar (29, 31, 33) arranged at a front of the harvesting header (11) and associated with the support frame (19, 21, 23) by a hydraulic suspension (81), wherein the cutting bar (29, 31, 33) comprises a blade (89) having a plurality of substantially trapezoid-shaped knives (91) and capable of carrying out a to-and-fro movement by a motor-driven control member (93),
- a motor-driven pick-up reel (45, 47, 49) arranged substantially above the cutting bar (29, 31, 33) and supported on the support frame (19, 21, 23) by swivel arms (65) associated with hydraulic cylinders (69), and
- a transport belt conveyor (37, 39, 41) arranged downstream of the cutting bar (29, 31, 33) and equipped with a draper (53, 55, 57, 59, 61) rotatable on rollers (63), wherein the transport belt conveyor (39, 41) of the pair of lateral header sections (15, 17) is configured to feed the material cut by the cutting bar (29, 31, 33) towards the central header section (13), in a direction substantially perpendicular to an advance direction of the harvesting header (11) during grain cutting, wherein the transport belt conveyor (37) of the central header section (13) comprises a central belt portion (39a) and a pair of lateral belt portions (39b, 39c), the lateral belt portions (39b, 39c) being configured to feed the material coming from the transport belt conveyors (39, 41) of the pair of lateral header sections (15, 17) and from the cutting bar (29) of the central header section (13) towards the central belt portion (39a), and the central belt portion (39a) being configured to cooperate with a feeding roller (43) provided in the central header section (13) for feeding the material downstream of the harvesting header (11) towards a rear part of the harvesting header (11);
- wherein said pair of lateral header sections (15, 17) hinged to the opposite sides (13a, 13b) of the central section (13) each rotate about at least one hinge (25b, 27b) arranged in a rear position between the support frames (21, 23) of corresponding header sections;
- and
- wherein the pick-up reels (45, 47, 49) are provided with corresponding hinges (25a, 27a) permanently connecting the pick-up reels (45, 47, 49) and ensuring that adjacent ones of the pick-up reels (45, 47, 49) remain secured to each other during folding movement of the pair of lateral header sections (15, 17) relative to the central header section (13) to the rest or transport configuration of the harvesting header (11).