Breakaway rigid header height control system

A header of an agricultural harvester, comprising:

• a frame;
• a cutter bar coupled to the frame;
• and
• a rigid height control system configured to determine a height between the header and a ground surface when the header operates in a rigid condition, wherein the rigid height control system comprises:
• a skid shoe coupling the rigid height control system to the cutter bar;
• a rigid arm pivotally coupled to a shaft, wherein the rigid arm comprises an upper end and a lower end, and wherein the lower end is configured to engage the ground surface;
• a metal channel guide coupled to the shaft;
• and
• a magnet embedded within the rigid arm adjacent the upper end, wherein the magnet is configured to keep a back surface of the upper end of the rigid arm attached to the metal channel guide via a magnetic force so that the lower end engages the ground surface when the agricultural harvester travels in a forward direction, and the magnet is configured, when the agricultural harvester travels in a reverse direction causing a force exerted by the ground surface on the rigid arm to exceed the magnetic force, to allow a release of the back surface of the rigid arm from the metal channel guide to enable the rigid arm to swing forward and upward.

An agricultural harvester, comprising:

• a header;
• and
• a rigid height control system coupled to the header, wherein the rigid height control system is configured to determine a height between the header and a ground surface when the header operates in a rigid condition, and wherein the rigid height control system comprises:
• a rigid arm pivotally coupled to a shaft, wherein the rigid arm comprises an upper end and a lower end, and wherein the lower end is configured to engage the ground surface;
• a metal channel guide coupled to the shaft;
• and
• a magnet embedded within the rigid arm adjacent the upper end, wherein when the agricultural harvester travels in a forward direction the rigid arm is configured to be in a working position where the lower end engages the ground surface due to magnetic force between the magnet and the metal channel guide, and when the agricultural harvester travels in a reverse direction causing a force exerted by the ground surface on the rigid arm to exceed the magnetic force the rigid arm is configured to be in a breakaway position where the rigid arm is swung forward and upward.