A harvesting reel assembly for a header of an agricultural harvester is disclosed. The harvesting reel assembly includes a central rotatable shaft, a plurality of support members, a cam assembly and an extendable reel arm. The plurality of support members extend widthwise across the reel assembly and connect to the central rotatable shaft for rotation therewith. The cam assembly guides rotation of the plurality of support members. The extendable reel arm includes a first end engaged with the central rotatable shaft for rotation therewith. The extendable reel arm also includes a distal end opposite the first end connected to one of the plurality of support members.

A dual-cam linkage system controls the orientation of tines on a reel of a crop harvesting header. The dual-cam linkage system includes a stationary, substantially circular first cam track that has a rotational center that is offset from the rotational axis of the reel. A second cam track is located in a support plate on which a tine-supporting member is mounted. The dual-cam linkage system also includes a pivoting linkage having a crank, an arm. The crank has a first end fixedly attached to the tine-supporting member. The arm has an outer end attached to a second end of the crank. The first cam follower is attached at an inner end of the arm and engages the first cam track. The second cam follower is attached to the arm at a position between the first cam follower and the crank and engages the second cam track.

A dual-cam linkage system controls the orientation of tines on a reel of a crop harvesting header. The dual-cam linkage system includes a stationary, substantially circular first cam track that has a rotational center that is offset from the rotational axis of the reel. A second cam track is located in a support plate on which a tine-supporting member is mounted. The dual-cam linkage system also includes a pivoting linkage having a crank, an arm. The crank has a first end fixedly attached to the tine-supporting member. The arm has an outer end attached to a second end of the crank. The first cam follower is attached at an inner end of the arm and engages the first cam track. The second cam follower is attached to the arm at a position between the first cam follower and the crank and engages the second cam track.

A header for an agricultural vehicle includes: a header frame; a flexible cutter supported by the header frame and including a plurality of cutting edges; a reel including a plurality of reel sections movably supported by the header frame, each of the reel sections including a plurality of tines and being independently movable from the other reel sections; and at least one rigid link connecting the flexible cutter to one of the reel sections, the at least one rigid link being configured to transmit flexing forces acting on the flexible cutter to the connected one reel section such that a substantially constant separation is maintained between the flexible cutter and the connected one reel section.

A crop harvesting header including a pickup reel mounted for rotation about a reel axis is disclosed and includes a plurality of reel bats peripherally disposed on the reel each having a plurality of outwardly extending fingers and being rotatable about a bat axis. A cam track adjacent to and surrounding the reel axis is immobilized w.r.t. the header and includes a cam surface and a guide surface. A linkage associated with each reel bat has first and second spaced apart cam followers that engage the cam surface at respective points of contact. The cam surface causes displacement of the linkage while traversing the cam track during rotation of the reel, the linkage being coupled to cause rotation of the reel bat about the bat axis for changing an angle of attack of the fingers. A guide follower disposed for engagement of the guide surface at a third point of contact between the first and second points of contact has an offset between the guide surface and the cam surface along the cam track selected to cause each of the first and second cam followers to maintain contact with the cam surface and the guide follower to maintain contact with the guide surface while traversing the cam track.

A crop harvesting header including a pickup reel mounted for rotation about a reel axis is disclosed and includes a plurality of reel bats peripherally disposed on the reel each having a plurality of outwardly extending fingers and being rotatable about a bat axis. A cam track adjacent to and surrounding the reel axis is immobilized w.r.t. the header and includes a cam surface and a guide surface. A linkage associated with each reel bat has first and second spaced apart cam followers that engage the cam surface at respective points of contact. The cam surface causes displacement of the linkage while traversing the cam track during rotation of the reel, the linkage being coupled to cause rotation of the reel bat about the bat axis for changing an angle of attack of the fingers. A guide follower disposed for engagement of the guide surface at a third point of contact between the first and second points of contact has an offset between the guide surface and the cam surface along the cam track selected to cause each of the first and second cam followers to maintain contact with the cam surface and the guide follower to maintain contact with the guide surface while traversing the cam track.

An agricultural harvester header with a reel having two or more reel arms that support the reel at either end of one or more reel segments. The positions of each reel arm can be independently controlled such that each reel segment can be raised lowered, tilted left, or tilted right to optimally engage oncoming crop canopy contour regardless of ground contour.

An agricultural harvester header with a reel having two or more reel arms that support the reel at either end of one or more reel segments. The positions of each reel arm can be independently controlled such that each reel segment can be raised lowered, tilted left, or tilted right to optimally engage oncoming crop canopy contour regardless of ground contour.

A work machine includes a chassis, a header, and a control system. The header is coupled to the chassis and positioned to remove crop material from the ground. The header includes a reel to draw crop material into the header so that the crop material may be conveyed rearwardly and a plurality of actuators to move the reel relative to a frame of the header in use of the work machine. The control system is coupled to the chassis and includes a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of actuators and a single user input communicatively coupled to the controller that is configured to provide an input signal to the controller.

A work machine includes a chassis, a header, and a control system. The header is coupled to the chassis and positioned to remove crop material from the ground. The header includes a reel to draw crop material into the header so that the crop material may be conveyed rearwardly and a plurality of actuators to move the reel relative to a frame of the header in use of the work machine. The control system is coupled to the chassis and includes a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of actuators and a single user input communicatively coupled to the controller that is configured to provide an input signal to the controller.