Adjustable crop divider apparatus

A crop harvesting attachment for use in combination with crop harvesting apparatus, said crop harvesting attachment comprising:

• (a) a plurality of crop divider pans, said divider pans having forward and rearward portions and said divider pans having longitudinal planes and forward and rearward widths;
• (b) means for supporting said divider pans wherein their rearward portions are proximate to the crop harvesting apparatus and to thereby position said longitudinal planes of said pans in a generally parallel alignment, each of said pans being displaced from its adjacent pans to thereby create slots between adjacent divider pans;
• (c) means for independently adjusting the forward and rearward widths of said divider pans to thereby adjust the slot forward and rearward widths and configurations;
• and
• (d) snouts paired with and carried by said divider pans proximate to said forward portions of said associated divider pans, each snout covering at least the forward portion of its associated divider pan and being adjustable to accommodate changes in the forward width of said associated divider pan.

An improved method of harvesting crops in which the crop is directed into at least one constrained guide zone where the crop can be harvested mechanically, the improvement which comprises:

• (a) providing a mechanical harvesting device having at least one guide zone and including means for adjusting the width and configuration of the guide zone;
• (b) selecting a width and configuration for the guide zone that is effective with the crop to be harvested;
• (c) adjusting the width and configuration of the guide zone to the selected width and configuration;
• (d) moving the harvesting device through the crop to thereby receive the crop into the guide zone;
• and
• (e) harvesting said crop.