Reversible quick connecting flail element for agricultural machinery

A rotor for use with a defoliating apparatus having a plurality of mounting rods, said rotor comprising:

• a plurality of flails, each said flail comprised of a plurality of flail elements rotatably coupled to a said mounting rod, each of said plurality of flail elements comprising:
• a proximal region comprising a base formed with a bore sized to receive a said mounting rod;
• and
• a pair of elongated, flexible fingers forming a distal region of flail element and extending from said base, said bore being formed with a gap in its circumference, one of said elongated fingers extending from said base on either side of said gap, said base being formed of flexible material to enable said gap to be spread to at least the diameter of a said mounting rod to fit over a said mounting rod;
• a drum having an outer surface;
• and
• brackets mounted on said outer surface of said drum to which said mounting rods are coupled, by which said plurality of flails are coupled to said drum.

A defoliating apparatus having a plurality of mounting rods, the defoliating apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of flails each comprised of a plurality of flail elements rotatably mounted to an outer surface of said drum, wherein each of said plurality of flail elements comprises:
• a proximal region comprising a base formed with a bore sized to receive a said mounting rod;
• and;
• a pair of elongated, flexible fingers forming a distal region of flail element and extending from said base, said bore being formed with a gap in its circumference, one of said elongated fingers extending from said base on either side of said gap, said base being formed of flexible material to enable said gap to be spread to at least the diameter of a said mountin rod to fit over a said mounting rod;
• a frame;
• and
• a rotor comprising a drum, said rotor being rotatably mounted to said frame, said rotor comprising;
• a drum having an outer surface;
• and
• brackets mounted on said outer surface of drum to which said mounting rods are coupled, by which said plurality of flails are coupled to said drum.