Crop lifter and crop accessory attachment

Abstract

A crop lifter for attachment to a cutting header includes a lifter member adapted for attachment to the header and a lifting finger attached to the lifter member by a quick-attach mechanism such that a leading end of the lifting finger is ahead of and below the knife. The lifting finger is structurally weak compared to the lifting member such that the lifting finger will readily move when striking an obstruction, thereby preventing damage to the lifter member or header. The crop lifter or similar crop accessory can have a latch member at a rear end thereof, and a cooperating latch member attached to the header. The accessory latches to the header and a releasable latch lock prevents forward movement of the accessory that would disengage the latch.

1 . A crop lifter adapted for attachment to a cutting header having a knife and cooperating guards mounted along a lower front edge thereof, the crop lifter comprising:
 a lifter member adapted for attachment to the header;   a lifting finger attached to the lifter member by a quick-attach mechanism such that a leading end of the lifting finger is ahead of and below the knife;   a carrying portion extending rearward from the leading end of the lifting finger to guide lifted crop to the knife for cutting;   wherein the lifting finger is structurally weak compared to the lifting member such that the lifting finger will readily move when striking an obstruction, thereby preventing damage to the lifter member.   
   
   
       2 . The crop lifter of  claim 1  wherein the quick attach mechanism comprises a twist and lock mechanism between the lifting finger and the lifting member. 
   
   
       3 . The crop lifter of  claim 2  wherein the twist and lock mechanism comprises a bore defined by the lifter member and oriented substantially aligned with an operating travel direction and sloping upward from a front end thereof to a rear end thereof, and a cooperating locking portion of the lifting finger, and wherein the bore and locking portion are configured such that the locking portion of the lifting finger can slide longitudinally in the bore when oriented in a first orientation to be inserted into the bore, and wherein the bore and locking portion are configured such that the locking portion locks in the bore when twisted about a finger axis to a second orientation. 
   
   
       4 . The crop lifter of  claim 3  wherein the locking portion of the lifting finger comprises front and rear lobes extending radially from a surface of the lifting finger and configured such that the lifting finger can be inserted into the bore in the first orientation and the rear lobe will pass through a rear end of the bore, and such that when fully inserted the front lobe bears against a front end of the bore and the lifting finger can be twisted to the second orientation with the rear lobe bearing against the rear end of the bore. 
   
   
       5 . The crop lifter of  claim 1  wherein the quick attach mechanism comprises a friction fit mechanism between the lifting finger and the lifting member. 
   
   
       6 . The crop lifter of  claim 5  wherein the friction fit mechanism comprises a bore defined by the lifter member and oriented substantially aligned with an operating travel direction and sloping upward from a front end thereof to a rear end thereof, and a cooperating locking portion of the lifting finger, and wherein the bore and locking portion are configured such that the locking portion of the lifting finger can slide longitudinally into the bore and such that movement of the locking portion out of the bore is resisted by friction forces between walls of the bore and the locking portion of the lifting finger. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein an outer surface of the locking portion of the lifting finger comprises protrusions extending outward therefrom. 
   
   
       8 . The crop lifter of  claim 1  wherein the lifter member comprises a mounting bracket adapted for attachment to the header by attachment to a guard finger extending forward from the knife. 
   
   
       9 . The crop lifter of  claim 8  wherein the guard finger defines a finger hole extending laterally therethrough, and wherein the mounting bracket defines a bracket hole, and wherein the mounting bracket is adapted for attachment to the guard finger by a bolt extending laterally through the bracket hole and finger hole. 
   
   
       10 . The crop lifter of  claim 9  further comprising a stop attached to the mounting bracket and oriented with respect to the guard finger to prevent downward movement of the leading end of the lifting finger. 
   
   
       11 . The crop lifter of  claim 8  wherein the mounting bracket is attached to the guard finger by a spring biased clamp. 
   
   
       12 . The crop lifter of  claim 1  wherein the lifter member comprises an arm and wherein the arm is adapted for attachment at a rear portion thereof to the header, and the arm has an upwardly curved forward end, and wherein the quick-attach mechanism is attached to an upper portion of the forward end of the arm. 
   
   
       13 . The crop lifter of  claim 12  wherein the quick-attach mechanism is pivotally attached to the upper portion of the forward end such that the lifting finger can be pivoted up and down to vary a distance between the leading end of the lifting finger and ground level. 
   
   
       14 . The crop lifter of  claim 12  wherein the arm is adapted for attachment at a rear end thereof to the header and adapted to engage a guard finger extending forward from the knife. 
   
   
       15 . The crop lifter of  claim 1  wherein the carrying portion is provided by a rear portion of the lifting finger. 
   
   
       16 . The crop lifter of  claim 1  wherein the lifting finger is made from at least one of plastic, nylon, metal, and fiberglass. 
   
   
       17 . The crop lifter of  claim 1  wherein the leading end of the lifting finger is below ground level when the header is resting on the ground. 
   
   
       18 . The crop lifter of  claim 1  wherein the lifter member comprises an arm having a front end and a rear end, and further comprising a latch mechanism operative to attach the rear end of the arm to the header, the latch mechanism comprising:
 a header latch member adapted for attachment to a guard bolt on the header;   an arm latch member at the rear end of the arm adapted to move rearward into engagement with the header latch member such that the rear end of the arm is maintained in substantially fixed vertical and lateral relationship to the header;   a guard finger aperture defined on the arm and oriented such that a forward extending guard finger of a guard enters the guard finger aperture when the arm latch member is moved rearward into engagement with the header latch member and such that the arm is maintained in substantially fixed vertical and lateral relationship to the guard finger when the arm latch member is engaged with the header latch member; and   a releasable latch lock operative to prevent forward movement of the arm latch member with respect to the header latch member.   
   
   
       19 - 30 . (canceled)