Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to an insertion plate disposed on an external surface of a cannabis bucking machine configured to receive cannabis plants containing stems and buds. The insertion plate includes a top surface, a first angled surface, a second angled surface, and a bottom surface. One or more additional angled surfaces may also be included. The first angled surface includes a plurality of insertion recesses and the second angled surface includes a plurality of insertion channels. The insertion recesses and channels are substantially conically shaped to function as a funnel for receiving larger cannabis bunches. The unique correspondence between the angle of the surfaces and the shape of the recesses allows feeders to efficiently insert larger cannabis bunches and continue to feed as the bunches are levered down from the insertion recesses to the insertion channels.

Abstract: A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a draper assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly and operable to receive severed crop material from the cutterbar assembly. The draper assembly includes a center draper that delivers crop material to a feeder house of the harvesting machine and oppositely spaced side drapers that deliver crop material to the center draper. The harvesting header is operable to flex and thereby follow an uneven terrain.

Abstract: The otherwise open end of the outboardmost belt guard over the interface between the flexible cutterbar assembly and flexible draper assembly of a harvesting header is closed by a deflector to prevent the ingress of crop residue into the void region defined beneath the overhanging belt guards. In this manner residue is prevented from migrating into the interior of the draper belt of the draper assembly.

Abstract: A harvesting header having a flexible cutterbar assembly utilizes draper belts behind the cutterbar assembly to gently consolidate the severed crop materials and deliver them to a point of discharge and delivery, such as to the feederhouse of a combine harvester. One embodiment has draper assemblies and a central conveyor fixed relative to the flexible cutterbar assembly, while another has the draper assemblies and central conveyer flexible with the cutterbar assembly.

Abstract: A plant harvesting machine is organized as a wheeled tricycle having a plant elevator, plant inverter assembly, and plant sticking assembly and designed to move along a row of tobacco plants and successively harvest the plants. The plant elevator includes a powered circular saw blade at its base that severs the stem of each successive plant as the plant is gripped between opposed spike chains of the plant elevator. The severed plant is carried by the plant elevator and transferred to a plant inverter assembly that inverts the plant. The plant inverter assembly includes a spike-plate and cooperating pressure plate assembly that inverted the plant. The pressure plate assembly includes a spring-loaded pressure plate that accommodates plant stems of different diameters and shapes as the plant is inverted. Another set of spike chains engage the inverted plant and impale the plant onto a spear-shoe that is carried on a wooden stick.

Abstract: A header frame for a combine includes a mounting frame which is attached to the front end of the feeder housing of the combine and a header frame. The header frame is mounted on the mounting frame by suitable linkage so that it can lift in a vertical direction and also can twist about an axis parallel to the forward direction of the combine to allow the header frame to follow ground contours. A flexible pan is connected between the header frame and the mounting frame to define a lower surface of the header immediately in front of the mouth of the feeder housing with the pan having a forward edge attached to the header frame and a rearward edge attached to the mounting frame with the movement therebetween being accommodated by flexing or sliding of one mounting of the pan. In one arrangement of the header, the conventional auger is replaced by two side drapers and a feed draper with the feed draper being mounted in a manner which allows limited vertical movement away from the pan.

Abstract: An adjustable mechanism for picking up, lifting, and laterally displacing a windrow in a field by the use of a toothed conveyor platform traveling at a canted angle with respect to the center line of the windrow being displayed for drying purposes.