A harvest header apparatus for harvesting a first crop in a field while preventing damage to a second later crop planted in the same field. A header table with a knife mounted along a lower front edge thereof has a plurality of crop shields attacked to and spaced along the header table at a selected shield spacing, each crop shield extending forward from a rear portion thereof located under the knife to a forward end thereof located forward of the knife. A forward portion of each crop shield slopes upward such that crop plants contacted by the forward portion of each crop shield are pushed downward and pass under the knife without contacting the knife. The shield spacing is selected so the crop shields move along rows of second crop and push the second crop plants down and under the table such that same are not contacted by the knife.

A cover assembly for a knife drive of an agricultural header includes a cover having a channel configured to receive a drive arm of the knife drive. The channel faces upwardly with respect to a vertical axis of the agricultural header, and a lateral extent of the channel is configured to enable the drive arm to oscillate to drive a blade support of a cutter bar assembly to oscillate. Furthermore, the cover has a front section and a rear section, the front section extends upwardly and rearwardly from a front end of the cover to the rear section, the rear section extends continuously downwardly and rearwardly from the front section to a rear end of the cover, and the rear section is configured to be angled less than 45 degrees relative to a longitudinal belt of the agricultural header.

A cover assembly for a knife drive of an agricultural header includes a cover having a channel configured to receive a drive arm of the knife drive. The channel faces upwardly with respect to a vertical axis of the agricultural header, and a lateral extent of the channel is configured to enable the drive arm to oscillate to drive a blade support of a cutter bar assembly to oscillate. Furthermore, the cover has a front section and a rear section, the front section extends upwardly and rearwardly from a front end of the cover to the rear section, the rear section extends continuously downwardly and rearwardly from the front section to a rear end of the cover, and the rear section is configured to be angled less than 45 degrees relative to a longitudinal belt of the agricultural header.

An agricultural implement comprises: a main frame, an operational unit interconnected to the main frame, and a height adjustment apparatus interconnected to the main frame and the operational unit. The height adjustment apparatus comprises a terrain contact element that can be positioned to contact a terrain surface such that the contact element supports the operational unit at a vertical separation distance of the operational unit above the terrain surface. The height adjustment apparatus can adjust the vertical separation distance of the operational unit above the terrain surface. A shock absorbing assembly is operationally positioned between the main frame and the terrain contact element and provides for resilient deformation in response to forces transmitted during operation to the terrain contact element, from contact with the terrain surface. The shock absorbing assembly may absorb and/or cushion forces imparted to a component of the height adjustment apparatus.

An agricultural implement comprises: a main frame, an operational unit interconnected to the main frame, and a height adjustment apparatus interconnected to the main frame and the operational unit. The height adjustment apparatus comprises a terrain contact element that can be positioned to contact a terrain surface such that the contact element supports the operational unit at a vertical separation distance of the operational unit above the terrain surface. The height adjustment apparatus can adjust the vertical separation distance of the operational unit above the terrain surface. A shock absorbing assembly is operationally positioned between the main frame and the terrain contact element and provides for resilient deformation in response to forces transmitted during operation to the terrain contact element, from contact with the terrain surface. The shock absorbing assembly may absorb and/or cushion forces imparted to a component of the height adjustment apparatus.

A crop harvesting header having a frame mounted on a propulsion vehicle has a cutter bar carrying a sickle knife and a draper transport. The draper is guided at its front edge by a longitudinally extending rail mounted on the frame for movement therewith. The cutter bar is mounted on the frame at spaced positions by spring blades attached to a fixed beam at the rear which allow up and down flexing movement of the cutter bar relative to the draper engagement member. At the center discharge the cutter bar is carried on shorter blades which are carried on a beam in front of the front draper roller. The small amount of flexing of the cutter bar combines with a balanced three piece header frame to provide effective ground following.

Sickle safety guard apparatus comprising an elongated rib laterally bifurcating into a pair of spaced apart longitudinally and laterally extending side wall portions respectively transitioning into a pair of distal, longitudinally and laterally extending, sides wall portions forming a longitudinally and laterally inwardly extending receiving gap between the side wall portions that decreases in separation laterally inwardly for forming respective guiding surfaces laterally inwardly followed by respective pressure surfaces of the side wall portions defining a longitudinally and laterally extending slot therebetween and the respective pressure surfaces radially inwardly increasing in separation to interior terminating ends wherein sickle teeth are received and guided by the guiding surfaces into said longitudinally and laterally extending slot and into abutment with the pressure surfaces while biasing apart the pair of biasing/pressure surfaces for providing a pressure fit between the biasing/pressure surfaces and the sickle teeth.

A header for a combine harvester has a first cutter bar for cutting crops at a first height so that the cut portions are gathered towards the central area of the header by an auger or draper mechanism, and a second cutter bar configured to cut the remaining stalks of the crops at a second height lower than the first height. The second cutter bar is displaceable with respect to the header body without separating it from the header body, the header body including a header back wall, side walls and floor portion. The second cutter bar is movable to an inactive position. The header is operable with the first cutter bar as a single cutter bar, when the second cutter bar is in the stored position.

A header for a combine harvester has a first cutter bar for cutting crops at a first height so that the cut portions are gathered towards the central area of the header by an auger or draper mechanism, and a second cutter bar configured to cut the remaining stalks of the crops at a second height lower than the first height. The second cutter bar is displaceable with respect to the header body without separating it from the header body, the header body including a header back wall, side walls and floor portion. The second cutter bar is movable to an inactive position. The header is operable with the first cutter bar as a single cutter bar, when the second cutter bar is in the stored position.

A crop harvesting header having a frame mounted on a propulsion vehicle has a cutter bar carrying a sickle knife and a draper transport. The draper is guided at its front edge by a longitudinally extending rail mounted on the frame for movement therewith. The cutter bar is mounted on the frame at spaced positions by spring blades attached to a fixed beam at the rear which allow up and down flexing movement of the cutter bar relative to the draper engagement member. At the center discharge the cutter bar is carried on shorter blades which are carried on a beam in front of the front draper roller. The small amount of flexing of the cutter bar combines with a balanced three piece header frame to provide effective ground following.