A mowing sickle drive system comprises a knife bar supported by a frame and drive apparatus operable to drive the knife bar in a reciprocating linear motion at a variable drive frequency. A spring is coupled to the knife bar for applying a restoring force to the knife bar toward a neutral position when in motion. The spring has a variable modulus of elasticity that is controlled dependent upon the drive frequency.

A reciprocating mower unit (14) comprises a reduction gear (54) and a crank mechanism (56) arranged within a housing (24). The reduction gear (54) receives input rotary motion from a transmission shaft at a first, relatively higher, rotation speed, and deliver an output rotary motion to a gear output shaft (58) at a second, relatively lower, rotation speed, whereas the crank mechanism (56) converts the output rotary motion of the gear output shaft (58) to an oscillating, anti-phase motion of a pair of mowing blades (32a, 32b) about a common oscillation axis (A1). The reciprocating mower unit (14) comprises an input shaft (48) provided with a coupling interface (49) for releasably coupling the input shaft (48) to the transmission shaft.

A crop ramp and belt support component for an agricultural harvesting head is provided. The crop ramp and belt support component includes a forward portion, a rear portion, and a belt support portion that are generally planar. The forward portion is inclined relative to the rear portion, and the rear portion extends from the forward portion. The belt support portion is substantially parallel to the rear portion and is configured to extend at least partially below an interior surface of a belt conveyor. The forward portion, the rear portion, and the belt support portion are fabricated as a unitary component.

A crop ramp and belt support component for an agricultural harvesting head is provided. The crop ramp and belt support component includes a forward portion, a rear portion, and a belt support portion that are generally planar. The forward portion is inclined relative to the rear portion, and the rear portion extends from the forward portion. The belt support portion is substantially parallel to the rear portion and is configured to extend at least partially below an interior surface of a belt conveyor. The forward portion, the rear portion, and the belt support portion are fabricated as a unitary component.

An agricultural vehicle including a chassis, a feeder housing carried by the chassis, a header coupled to the feeder housing. The header includes a flexible cutter bar and at least one endless belt positioned rearwardly of the flexible cutter bar and configured to travel in a direction of travel for transporting a crop material to the feeder housing. The at least one endless belt includes a first belt having a first width transverse to the direction of travel and a second belt moveably attached to the first belt and having a second width transverse to the direction of travel and a front edge. The second belt includes a plurality of elongated protrusions transverse to the direction of travel and configured for contacting the crop material, and an engaging feature adjacent to the front edge and configured for moving the second belt in accordance with the flexible cutter bar.

An agricultural vehicle including a chassis, a feeder housing carried by the chassis, a header coupled to the feeder housing. The header includes a flexible cutter bar and at least one endless belt positioned rearwardly of the flexible cutter bar and configured to travel in a direction of travel for transporting a crop material to the feeder housing. The at least one endless belt includes a first belt having a first width transverse to the direction of travel and a second belt moveably attached to the first belt and having a second width transverse to the direction of travel and a front edge. The second belt includes a plurality of elongated protrusions transverse to the direction of travel and configured for contacting the crop material, and an engaging feature adjacent to the front edge and configured for moving the second belt in accordance with the flexible cutter bar.

A draper seal for a crop harvesting header is provided. The header includes a forwardly disposed cutter bar assembly and a rearwardly disposed draper deck assembly. The draper seal includes a flexible strip that runs parallel to the cutter bar assembly and perpendicular to the direction of travel. A bracket secures the forward edge of the flexible strip to an upper surface of the cutter bar assembly, which bracket also biases a rearward edge of the flexible strip into engagement with an upper surface of the draper deck assembly, thereby creating a seal between the cutter bar assembly and the draper deck assembly.

A draper seal for a crop harvesting header is provided. The header includes a forwardly disposed cutter bar assembly and a rearwardly disposed draper deck assembly. The draper seal includes a flexible strip that runs parallel to the cutter bar assembly and perpendicular to the direction of travel. A bracket secures the forward edge of the flexible strip to an upper surface of the cutter bar assembly, which bracket also biases a rearward edge of the flexible strip into engagement with an upper surface of the draper deck assembly, thereby creating a seal between the cutter bar assembly and the draper deck assembly.

An agricultural vehicle includes a chassis and a header carried by the chassis. The header includes: a frame coupled to the chassis; a cutter bar assembly connected to the frame; a plurality of linkage arms connected to the cutter bar assembly; and a plurality of sacrificial connectors each connected to a respective one of the linkage arms and the frame, each of the plurality of sacrificial connectors including at least one sacrificial region configured to deform or shatter upon an overload force acting on the respectively connected linkage arm.

A draper seal for a crop harvesting header is provided. The header includes a forwardly disposed cutter bar assembly and a rearwardly disposed draper deck assembly. The draper seal includes a flexible strip that runs parallel to the cutter bar assembly and perpendicular to the direction of travel. A bracket secures the forward edge of the flexible strip to an upper surface of the cutter bar assembly, which bracket also biases a rearward edge of the flexible strip into engagement with an upper surface of the draper deck assembly, thereby creating a seal between the cutter bar assembly and the draper deck assembly.