Harvester row unit impact absorbing and kernel retaining stalk gap rails and kernel gathering brushes

A harvester row unit comprising:

• a first deck plate having a first stripping edge;
• a second deck plate having a second stripping edge, wherein the first and second stripping edges are facing and spaced apart for defining a stalk gap therebetween;
• a first gathering chain extending over the first deck plate, the first gathering chain comprising a plurality of sweeping lugs adapted to traverse adjacent to and along the stalk gap;
• a second gathering chain extending over the second deck plate, the second gathering chain comprising a plurality of sweeping lugs adapted to traverse adjacent to and along the stalk gap;
• one or more kernel brushes secured to the sweeping lugs by fasteners comprising nuts and bolts, the kernel brushes comprising:
• brush bodies having brush fastener bores and fastener slots intersecting the brush fastener bores;
• sweeping portions secured to the brush bodies;
• wherein the sweeping lugs each comprise a lug wall having one or more lug mounting bores;
• and,
• wherein the brush bodies are mounted to the lug walls by receiving the nuts into the fastener slots, placing the brush bodies adjacent the lug walls, aligning the brush fastener bores with the lug mounting bores, and inserting the bolts through the lug mounting bores and into the brush fastener bores whereat the bolts threadingly engage the nuts.

A harvester row unit comprising:

• a first deck plate having a first stripping edge;
• a second deck plate having a second stripping edge, wherein the first and second stripping edges are facing and spaced apart for defining a stalk gap therebetween;
• a first gathering chain extending over the first deck plate, the first gathering chain comprising a plurality of sweeping lugs adapted to traverse adjacent to and along the stalk gap;
• a second gathering chain extending over the second deck plate, the second gathering chain comprising a plurality of sweeping lugs adapted to traverse adjacent to and along the stalk gap;
• one or more kernel brushes secured to the sweeping lugs with one or more fasteners, the kernel brushes comprising:
• brush bodies adapted to be secured to the sweeping lugs with the fasteners;
• and,
• sweeping portions secured to the brush bodies;
• one or more stalk gap rails mounted to the first and second deck plates adjacent to and extending along the first and second stripping edges, the stalk gap rails comprising upper rail surfaces;
• wherein a first deck trough is defined above the first deck plate and between the first gathering chain and the one or more stalk gap rails extending along the first stripping edge, and a second deck trough is defined above the second deck plate and between the second gathering chain and the one or more stalk gap rails extending along the second stripping edge;
• and,
• wherein as the sweeping lugs traverse adjacent to and along the stalk gap, the sweeping lugs engage and traverse across the upper rail surfaces and the sweeping portions extend past the upper rail surfaces and into the first and second deck troughs.