Adjustable width row crop header

Abstract

A multi-row crop header for a harvesting machine has a plurality of fore-and-aft extending row crop units, each having an elongated passageway with a front inlet opening and a rear discharge opening. The row crop units are pivotally mounted such that they can be swung toward and away from one another so as to vary the lateral distance between the inlet openings of adjacent units to thereby accommodate crops planted in various width row spacings.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: 
     
       1. A multi-row crop header for a harvesting machine comprising: (a) a frame;   (b) a plurality of fore-and-aft row crop units adaptable to receive respective rows of crop as the machine advances forwardly over a field of crop planted in spaced apart rows, each row crop unit having an elongated passageway with a front inlet opening for receiving a row of crop and a rear discharge opening;   (c) means for pivotally mounting each row crop unit individually on said frame for .[.laterally.]. .Iadd.lateral .Iaddend.movement relative to the forward direction of travel whereby the lateral spacing between said front inlet openings of said respective row crop units may be varied to receive rows of crop planted in a plurality of different row widths;.[.and.].   (d) means for fastening said respective row crop units in a plurality of laterally spaced positions corresponding to said plurality of different row .[.widths..]. .Iadd.width; and .Iaddend.   .Iadd.(e) an adjustable divider mounted on said frame and pivotally interconnecting two adjacent row crop units to guide crop into said adjacent row crop units, the width of each said divider being telescopically adjustable in a scissors-like manner to accommodate the variable spacing between the front inlet openings of said adjacent row crop units. .Iaddend.   
     
     
       2. A multi-row crop header as described in claim 1, further comprising gathering means associated with each of said row crop units, said gathering means including a pair of drive sprockets, a pair of driven sprockets and a pair of idler sprockets, said drive sprockets being mounted on said frame and being disposed on opposite sides of each of said elongated passageways adjacent said discharge openings, said driven sprockets being mounted on opposite sides of each of said elongated passageways adjacent said inlet openings, said gathering means further including a pair of gathering chains, each chain being entrained around one of said drive sprockets and one of said driven sprockets and further around one of said idler sprockets. 
     
     
       3. A multi-row crop header as described in claim 2, wherein said idler sprockets are yieldably mounted so as to maintain a driving relationship between said drive sprockets and said driven sprockets as each of said row crop units is pivotally moved on said frame. 
     
     
       4. A multi-row crop header as described in claim 1, wherein said frame includes a front transverse frame member and a rear transverse frame member, said row crop units being pivotally mounted on said rear transverse frame member and said fastening being operable for fastening said row crop units to said front transverse frame member at a plurality of spaced apart positions. 
     
     
       5. A multi-row crop header for a harvesting machine adapted to harvest rows of crop, said header comprising: (a) a plurality of generally fore-and-aft extending row crop units each having an elongated passageway .Iadd.terminating in a front inlet opening and .Iaddend.adapted to receive one of a plurality of rows of crop planted in a predetermined row width;   (b) each of said row crop units being individually mounted about a vertical axis for separately pivoting said unit in a generally horizontal plane 171 and 173  .Iadd.to vary the spacing between the front inlet openings of adjacent row crop units.Iaddend.;   (c) means for separately fastening each of said row crop units in any one of a plurality of pivotally displaced positions whereby .Iadd.the front inlet opening of .Iaddend.the elongated passageway of each row unit is adapted to receive one of a plurality of rows of crop planted in a row width different from said predetermined row 171 width..]. .Iadd.width; and .Iaddend.   .Iadd.(d) an adjustable divider mounted on said frame and pivotally interconnecting two adjacent row crop units to guide crop into said adjacent row crop units, the width of each said divider being telescopically adjustable in a scissors-like manner to accommodate the plurality of pivotally displaced positions of said adjacent row crop units. .Iaddend.   
     
     
       6. The multi-row crop header as described in claim 5 wherein said header includes a frame having a front transverse member and a rear transverse member, said row crop units being pivotally mounted at one end to said rear transverse frame member. 
     
     
       7. The multi-row crop as described in claim 6 further comprising means for separately fastening said row crop units in a plurality of spaced apart positions along said front transverse frame member. .Iadd. 
     
     
       8.  The multi-row crop header of claims 1 or 5 wherein each said divider includes four members arranged as two side-by-side pairs of forward and rearward members, each pair of forward and rearward members being pivotally connected to one of said adjacent row crop units in an overlapping relationship with each other and with the other said pair of forward and rearward members, such that when the spacing between the inlet openings of said adjacent row crop units is varied the four pivoted members slide in a scissors-like fashion to telescopically adjust the amount of overlap between the members and thereby accommodate the pivotal movement of the row crop units to vary the spacing of the front inlet openings. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9. The multi-row crop header of claim 8 wherein the corresponding forward and rearward members of each said divider have slot-shaped holes therein positioned within the overlapping portion therebetween, the corresponding forward and rearward members being interconnected by fastening members slidably received within said slot-shaped holes, said fastening members preventing said corresponding forward and rearward members from coming apart while providing a mechanism for locking said divider members into a selected overlapping position corresponding to the desired spacing between the inlet openings of said ajacent row crop units. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. The multi-row crop harvester of claim 9 wherein each said divider projects forwardly of the inlet openings of said adjacent row crop units, said forward members pivoting about a point adjacent the respective said inlet opening. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. The multi-row crop header of claim 9 wherein each said divider includes a forwardly projecting pointed snout connected to said pair of forward members to form the forwardmost point of the respective said divider, each said pointed snout being adjustable in size to correspond to the variable width of the respective said divider. .Iaddend.