Crop harvesting apparatus and methods

Apparatus for harvesting crop comprising:

• a mobile frame for movement over the ground;
• moveable support means mounted for driven movement relative to the frame;
• a plurality of outwardly projecting crop engaging elements mounted on the moveable support means;
• guide means co-operating with the crop engaging elements to form a crop flow passage;
• and
• drive means for driving the moveable support means so as to detach from standing crop predetermined required parts of the crop, and to move the detached crop parts along the crop flow passage, the moveable support means being arranged to carry the elements upwardly and rearwardly at a front region of the apparatus,
• at least some of the crop engaging elements comprising crop stripping elements each of which has a distal tip for entering into and dividing crop, and has side edges diverging from each other in a direction away from the distal tip of the element, the crop stripping elements being arranged to engage standing crop while projecting forwardly relative to the direction of forward travel of the apparatus,
• the crop stripping elements having relief spaces at the junctions of adjacent elements defined by re-entrant edges extending sideways into the elements for stripping crop parts from regions of the standing crop which face forwardly relative to the intended direction of movement of the apparatus.