Curved profile seed pans
OwnerDave Dietrichinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A seed pan apparatus has an elongated seed pan plate with parallel right and left edges, a curved configuration and a pointed front end. An engagement mechanism attaches the plate to a harvester cutting header such that the plate is above two adjacent guard fingers, such that an open slot is defined between the right edge of one plate and the left edge of an adjacent plate and the edges of the slot are in proximity to the outer edges of the guard fingers under the adjacent plates. The point is offset to make one front tapering edge forming the point longer than the other. The inclination, height, and fore and aft position of the seed pan plate can be adjusted.
Claims16
A seed pan apparatus comprising:
- an elongated seed pan plate with substantially parallel right and left edges, a top surface of the plate having a curved configuration such that the top surface of the plate curves downward from the right edge thereof to a bottom center portion thereof and curves upward from the bottom center portion to the left edge thereof, and having a pointed front end formed by right and left front tapering sides;
- an engagement mechanism located on a bottom of the seed pan plate and adapted for attachment to a cutting header of an agricultural harvester such that the seed pan plate is above a guard finger, the pointed front end is forward of the guard finger, a rear end of the plate is rearward of a knife assembly of the header, and the plate is inclined downward from front to rear;
- wherein the seed pan plates and engagement mechanisms are configured such that a plurality of plates can be attached to the cutting header at spaced intervals such that an open slot is defined between the right edge of one plate and the left edge of an adjacent plate.
A cutting header apparatus for an agricultural harvester, the apparatus comprising:
- a knife assembly comprising a knife bar extending along a front lower edge of a cutting header, with triangular knife sections attached along the bar such that the apex of the triangle extends forward from the bar, and a plurality of guards attached at regular intervals to the front lower edge of the header, the guards comprising pointed guard fingers extending forward;
- a plurality of seed pans, each seed pan comprising:
- an elongated seed pan plate with substantially parallel right and left edges, a top surface of the plate having a curved configuration such that the top surface of the plate curves downward from the right edge thereof to a bottom center portion thereof and curves upward from the bottom center portion to the left edge thereof, and having a pointed front end formed by right and left front tapering sides;
- an engagement mechanism located on a bottom of the seed pan plate and attached to the cutting header such that the plate is above only two adjacent guard fingers, the pointed front end is forward of the guard fingers, a rear end of the plate is rearward of the knife assembly, and the plate is inclined downward from front to rear;
- wherein the seed pans are attached to the cutting header at spaced intervals such that an open slot is defined between the right edge of one plate and the left edge of an adjacent plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.