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.Iadd., said elongated passageway being defined by a channel member extending between said front inlet opening and said rear discharge opening; .Iaddend.   (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.]..Iadd., said means for mounting including a mounting bracket affixed to said frame, each said channel member having a rearward end adjacent to the corresponding rear discharge opening, said rearward end of each said channel member being pivotally attached to the corresponding mounting bracket.Iaddend.;   (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.;   (e) gathering means associated with each of said row crop units for conveying crop rearwardly toward said rear discharge opening, said gathering means including a pair of drive sprockets, a pair of driven sprockets and a pair of idler sprockets, said drive sprockets being rotatably mounted on said frame and being disposed on opposite sides of each of said elongated passageways proximate to said rear discharge opening, said drive sprockets being mounted in a fixed position relative to said frame, said driven sprockets being mounted on opposite sides of each of said elongated passageways adjacent said front inlet opening, each said gathering means further including a pair of flexible elements operable positioned on opposing sides of said elongated passageway, each said flexible element cooperating with the corresponding drive sprocket, driven sprocket and idler sprocket to engage crop material and convey it rearwardly along said passageway; and   (f) drive means for powering said drive sprockets. .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 the discharge openings, said driven sprockets being mounted on opposite sides of said elongated passageways adjacent said inlet openings, said gathering means further including a pair of gathering chains, each chain being entraned 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 1, 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 pivotably 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 unit 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 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; and   (c) means for separately fastening each of said row crop units in any one of a plurality of pivotally displaced positions whereby the elongated passageway of each row unit it adapted to receive one of a plurality of rows of crop planted in a row width different from said predetermined row width..]. .[.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 at a plurality of spaced apart positions along said front transverse frame member..]. .Iadd. 8. The multi-row crop header of claim 3 wherein the pivot attaching each respective said channel member to said mounting bracket is selectively laterally positionable. .Iaddend..Iadd. 9. The multi-row crop header of claim 8 wherein each said mounting bracket includes a slot-shaped hole therein for receiving said pivot for selective lateral movement therewithin, said pivot including means for locking said pivot into a selected position within said slot-shaped hole. .Iaddend..Iadd. 10. The multi-row header of claim 8 wherein said frame includes a front transverse member and a rear transverse member, said mounting brackets being affixed to said rear transverse member. .Iaddend..Iadd. 11. The multi-row header of claim 10 wherein said front transverse frame member includes a plurality of holes therein, each said row unit having at least one opening therein alignable with at least one of said holes in said front transverse frame member, said means for fastening including a locking member cooperable with said at least one opening and any hole aligned therewith to lock said row unit into a fixed position relative to said front transverse frame member. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 12. A multi-row header for a mobile harvesting machine comprising:   a frame including a first transversely extending member;   least two fore-and-aft extending row crop units, each row crop having a front inlet opening, a rear discharge opening and a generally longitudinally extending channel member defining a passageway between said front inlet opening and said rear discharge opening, each row crop unit being operable to harvest a row of crop material,   means for pivotally mounting each said row crop unit for independent lateral movement such that each said front inlet opening can be selectively positioned relative to an adjacent front inlet opening to accommodate row crops planted in various row widths without lateral displacement of said rear discharge opening, said means for mounting including a mounting bracket affixed to said first transverse frame member, each said channel member having a rearward end proximate to the corresponding said rear discharge opening, each respective said rearward end being pivotally attached to the corresponding mounting bracket;   means for separately fastening each said row crop unit in any one of a plurality of pivotally displaced positions corresponding to said various row crop spacings;   gathering means corresponding to each said row crop unit for conveying crop material along said passageway toward said rear discharge opening; and   drive means for powering each said gathering means, said drive means including a plurality of drive shafts connected to said gathering means, said drive shafts being rotatably mounted on said frame in a fixed relationship to said first transverse frame member. .Iaddend..Iadd. 13. The multi-row header of claim 12 wherein each said channel member has a U-shaped cross-sectional configuration. .Iaddend..Iadd. 14. The multi-row header of claim 12 wherein each said gathering means includes a pair of drive sprockets, a pair of driven sprockets, a pair of idler sprockets and a pair of flexible elements, each said flexible element being entrained around one of said driven sprockets, one of said idler sprockets and one of said drive sprockets in a driving relationship therewith, said flexible elements further being disposed on opposite sides of said elongated passageway and at least partially operable therewithin to convey crop material rearwardly toward said rear discharge opening, each of said drive sprockets being affixed to a corresponding drive shaft in a fixed relationship to said first transverse frame member. .Iaddend..Iadd. 15. The multi-row header of claim 14 wherein said idler sprockets are yieldably mounted so as to maintain a driving relationship between said drive sprockets and said driven sprockets. .Iaddend..Iadd. 16. The multi-row header of claim 15 wherein the pivot attaching each respective said channel member to the corresponding said mounting bracket is selectively laterally positionable. .Iaddend.