Header attachment structure

Abstract

A crop harvesting header and power unit or tractor of a self-propelled windrower incorporate improved structure for attaching the header to the tractor. The improved structure includes a saddle bracket fixed to an outer end of each of a pair of laterally spaced apart lower lift arms pivotally mounted on the forward end of the tractor and a spacer sleeve mounted to each of a pair of correspondingly spaced apart lower portions of the header. Each header sleeve may readily be seated within a respective one of the saddle brackets on the lower lift arms by the tractor operator manipulating the position of the lower lift arms and maneuvering the tractor. The improved attaching structure further includes a front lip formed on each saddle bracket which will overlie a retaining pin insertably mounted in each respective lower header portion by the operator adjacent each header sleeve after the sleeve has been seated in its corresponding lift arm saddle bracket. When the lift arms are pivoted upwardly or downwardly to raise or lower the header with respect to the ground, each saddle bracket rotates about its respective spacer sleeve and moves relative to its adjacently positioned retaining pin such that the pin, in effect, follows the contour of the lower, outer surface of the saddle bracket and its lip to thereby maintain the sleeve in seated relationship with the saddle.