Abstract: A cutter bar drive system for a draper header has a cutter bar disposed at a leading edge of the header to cut crop. A cutter bar gear box in operative engagement with the cutter bar is mounted on a forward portion of the header with a drive train mounted on the header to drive the gear box and cutter bar. An external flywheel is mounted along the drive train remote from the gear box and is engaged with the drive train to reduce vibration in the cutter bar and gear box from a remote, external position.

Abstract: A cutter bar drive system for a draper header has a cutter bar disposed at a leading edge of the header to cut crop. A cutter bar gear box in operative engagement with the cutter bar is mounted on a forward portion of the header with a drive train mounted on the header to drive the gear box and cutter bar. An external flywheel is mounted along the drive train remote from the gear box and is engaged with the drive train to reduce vibration in the cutter bar and gear box from a remote, external position.

Abstract: A header for a combine or a harvester comprising a center portion of said header having a feeder house position disposed to direct cut crop from the center portion to a feeder house when the header is mounted on the feeder house. At least one lateral portion of the header is attached to the center portion by a frame hinge. A draper comprised of a frame and a belt disposed to rotate over the frame extends from the lateral portion to the center portion having a draper hinge. A cutter having a curving portion is disposed at a leading aspect of the header to cut crop. The frame hinge, draper hinge and curving portion along the same axis are parallel to a direction of travel of the combine or harvester. The lateral portion can raise and lower relative to the center portion by rotation around the axis.

Abstract: A header for a combine or harvester has a frame with a longitudinal dimension transverse to a direction of travel of the combine or harvester. Two moving belts are disposed on the frame to receive cut crop from a cutter and to move the crop from outer portions of the header towards an inner portion of the header. Each of the belts has a leading edge oriented towards the direction of travel of the combine or harvester and a trailing edge oriented away from the direction of travel and each of the belts has an inner aspect disclosed in spaced relation to an inner aspect of the other of the belts such as to define a gap therebetween, the gap receiving cut crop being transported longitudinally and inwardly from the belts. An auger with a cylinder and two end cones around an axis is disposed to urge crop from the gap and from the inner aspect of the belts towards a feeder house position behind the gap. The axis of the auger is forward of the trailing edge of the belt.

Abstract: A header for a combine or a harvester comprising a center portion of said header having a feeder house position disposed to direct cut crop from the center portion to a feeder house when the header is mounted on the feeder house. At least one lateral portion of the header is attached to the center portion by a frame hinge. A draper comprised of a frame and a belt disposed to rotate over the frame extends from the lateral portion to the center portion having a draper hinge. A cutter having a curving portion is disposed at a leading aspect of the header to cut crop. The frame hinge, draper hinge and curving portion along the same axis are parallel to a direction of travel of the combine or harvester. The lateral portion can raise and lower relative to the center portion by rotation around the axis.

Abstract: A belt tensioning apparatus for a combine or harvester header has a frame with two spaced apart longitudinal support members and at least one transverse member attached to each of the longitudinal support members. An end roller support bracket has two bracket extensions extending longitudinally and disposed to slidingly engage with bracket extension receivers attached to the longitudinal support members. A push rod is longitudinally oriented and slidingly mounted on the transverse member intermediate to the longitudinal support members. The push rod is attached to the end roller support bracket and mounted to have a retracted position and an extended position. An actuator is attached to the longitudinal support members and exerts a substantially uniform force to the push rod along a range of travel of the push rod between the retracted position and the extended position. The actuator may be a scissors assembly or a hydraulic cylinder.

Abstract: A header for a combine or harvester has a frame with a longitudinal dimension transverse to a direction of travel of the combine or harvester. Two moving belts are disposed on the frame to receive cut crop from a cutter and to move the crop from outer portions of the header towards an inner portion of the header. Each of the belts has a leading edge oriented towards the direction of travel of the combine or harvester and a trailing edge oriented away from the direction of travel and each of the belts has an inner aspect disclosed in spaced relation to an inner aspect of the other of the belts such as to define a gap therebetween, the gap receiving cut crop being transported longitudinally and inwardly from the belts. An auger with a cylinder and two end cones around an axis is disposed to urge crop from the gap and from the inner aspect of the belts towards a feeder house position behind the gap. The axis of the auger is forward of the trailing edge of the belt.

Abstract: A belt tensioning apparatus for a combine or harvester header has a frame with two spaced apart longitudinal support members and at least one transverse member attached to each of the longitudinal support members. An end roller support bracket has two bracket extensions extending longitudinally and disposed to slidingly engage with bracket extension receivers attached to the longitudinal support members. A push rod is longitudinally oriented and slidingly mounted on the transverse member intermediate to the longitudinal support members. The push rod is attached to the end roller support bracket and mounted to have a retracted position and an extended position. An actuator is attached to the longitudinal support members and exerts a substantially uniform force to the push rod along a range of travel of the push rod between the retracted position and the extended position. The actuator may be a scissors assembly or a hydraulic cylinder.

Abstract: A seed dispensing hopper having openings in which picker wheels are rotatably disposed. The picker wheels are disposed in a seed bin shaped to direct seed towards the picker wheels. Flexible elements rotate about an axis of the hopper and are aligned over the picker wheels. As the flexible elements rotate, they wipe the sides of the hopper. At the bottom of their rotation, the ends of the flexible elements and the teeth of the picker wheels are moving toward one another. The flexible elements engage the picker wheels as they traverse them, thereby creating an advantageous “spoon-feeding” action which ensures that even sticky or non-flowable seeds can be completely emptied from the hopper.

Abstract: A no-till drill with a novel walking beam assembly that allows the drill to be pulled over severe terrain conditions that include large rocks, fallen limbs and other large obstructions. The inventive walking beam assembly includes two independent pivot points that allow the cutting and opening disks to maintain substantially constant or continuous contact with the ground, such that the length of the furrow formed and seed deposited therein are maximized. A closing disk assembly is suspended from the rear of the drill independently from the walking beam assembly. This independent suspension allows the walking beam assembly to function without interference from the closing disks.

Abstract: A seed dispensing hopper having openings in which picker wheels are rotatably disposed. The picker wheels are disposed in a seed bin shaped to direct seed towards the picker wheels. Flexible elements rotate about an axis of the hopper and are aligned over the picker wheels. As the flexible elements rotate, they wipe the sides of the hopper. At the bottom of their rotation, the ends of the flexible elements and the teeth of the picker wheels are moving toward one another. The flexible elements engage the picker wheels as they traverse them, thereby creating an advantageous “spoon-feeding” action which ensures that even sticky or non-flowable seeds can be completely emptied from the hopper.

Abstract: A no-till drill with a novel walking beam assembly that allows the drill to be pulled over severe terrain conditions that include large rocks, fallen limbs and other large obstructions. The inventive walking beam assembly includes two independent pivot points that allow the cutting and opening disks to maintain substantially constant or continuous contact with the ground, such that the length of the furrow formed and seed deposited therein are maximized. A closing disk assembly is suspended from the rear of the drill independently from the walking beam assembly. This independent suspension allows the walking beam assembly to function without interference from the closing disks.