Importance

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Abstract

A harvesting machine, such as a combine, has a number of laterally equispaced, side by side, rotatable augers (14) extending in a forward direction, each auger having a rotatable auger shaft (16) which is included upwardly towards the rear and an auger flight on the shaft. Inclined troughs (32) are located beneath each auger (14) with the auger flight (18) being rotatable in the trough. Inclined slots (28) are also provided which extend rearwardly from respective slot entrances at the forward end of the header, the slots being sufficiently wide to allow passage of stalks of material to be harvested but too narrow to allow passage of crop ears or other material to be collected so that the crop ears or other material to be collected can be stripped from the stalks by the action of the slots during forward movement of the header. The augers are rotated by a drive. Specific features of the harvesting machine are that the slots are defined between the adjacent troughs and located substantially midway between adjacent auger shafts and the lower portion of an auger flight is rotatable in the lower portion of the trough and an upper part of an auger flight is exposed above the trough. Also disclosed is a method of harvesting using a header of the type described.

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First Claim