Finger angle adjustment of a pickup reel of a crop harvesting header

A crop harvesting header comprising:

• a frame for mounting on a crop harvesting machine for movement across ground carrying a crop to be harvested, the frame defining a working width of the header;
• a table mounted on the frame across the width of the header for receiving the crop when cut for transportation along the header;
• a cutting knife along a front edge of the table for cutting the crop;
• and a pickup reel comprising:
• a main elongate beam extending along the header generally parallel to the cutting knife;
• at least two reel support arms spaced along the width of the frame, each having a rear end mounted on the frame for vertical pivotal movement providing adjustment for raising and lowering the reel relative to the cutting knife and a forward end for supporting the main elongate beam;
• means mounting the main beam for rotation about a main longitudinal axis thereof;
• a plurality of elongate bats;
• means mounting the bats at angularly spaced positions around the main elongate beam for rotation therewith;
• each bat having a plurality of fingers mounted at longitudinally spaced positions thereon for engaging the crop as the bats rotate with the main beam about the main longitudinal axis of the main beam while the crop enters the cutting knife and as the cut crop moves onto the table;
• means mounting each bat for pivotal movement about a respective bat axis passing through the bat and parallel to the main longitudinal axis for varying an angle of the fingers relative to an axial plane containing the respective bat axis and the main longitudinal axis;
• bat angle control means for controlling the angle of the fingers of each bat as said each bat rotates around the main longitudinal axis such that an angle of the fingers of each bat to a vertical plane containing the respective bat axis is maintained approximately equal to a predetermined angle as the bat is rotated from a first angular position of the bat adjacent the cutting knife to a second angular position of the bat rearward of the first position;
• beam support means mounting the main elongate beam on the support arms for sliding adjustment movement forwardly and rearwardly on the support arms so as to adjust the horizontal position of the beam relative to the cutting knife;
• wherein each support arm includes a slide member movable therealong with the main elongate beam mounted on respective ones of the slide members at respective ends thereof, the slide members each having a forward engagement point and a rearward engagement point engaging a support surface of the respective arm at spaced positions therealong, the support surface being shaped such that a forward portion thereof is inclined forwardly and downwardly at an increased angle relative to a rearward main portion thereof such that when the forward engagement point passes onto the forward portion it moves downwardly relative to the rearward engagement point.

A crop harvesting header comprising:

• a frame for mounting on a crop harvesting machine for movement across ground carrying a crop to be harvested, the frame defining a working width of the header;
• a table mounted on the frame across the width of the header for receiving the crop when cut for transportation along the header;
• a cutting knife along a front edge of the table for cutting the crop;
• and a pickup reel comprising:
• a main elongate beam extending along the header generally parallel to the cutting knife;
• at least two reel support arms spaced along the width of the frame, each having a rear end mounted on the frame for vertical pivotal movement providing adjustment for raising and lowering the reel relative to the cutting knife and a forward end for supporting the main elongate beam;
• means mounting the main beam for rotation about a main longitudinal axis thereof;
• a plurality of elongate bats;
• means mounting the bats at angularly spaced positions around the main elongate beam for rotation therewith;
• each bat having a plurality of fingers mounted at longitudinally spaced positions thereon for engaging the crop as the bats rotate with the main beam about the main longitudinal axis of the main beam while the crop enters the cutting knife and as the cut crop moves onto the table;
• means mounting each bat for pivotal movement about a respective bat axis passing through the bat and parallel to the main longitudinal axis for varying an angle of the fingers relative to an axial plane containing the respective bat axis and the main longitudinal axis;
• bat angle control means for controlling the angle of the fingers of each bat as said each bat rotates around the main longitudinal axis such that an angle of the fingers of each bat to a vertical plane containing the respective bat axis is maintained approximately equal to a predetermined angle as the bat is rotated from a first angular position of the bat adjacent the cutting knife to a second angular position of the bat rearward of the first position;
• beam support means mounting the main elongate beam on the support arms for sliding adjustment movement forwardly and rearwardly on the support arms so as to adjust the horizontal position of the beam relative to the cutting knife;
• each of the support arms being shaped and arranged such that said forward sliding movement changes an orientation of the bat angle control means about an axis parallel to said main longitudinal axis such that said forward sliding movement of the main elongate beam along the support arms increases said predetermined angle.