Harvesting machine feed mechanism

Abstract

A self-propelled combine has a mobile body with a forward inlet, a forward transversely elongated harvesting header, and a feeder housing extending between the header and the inlet for feeding crop material from the header to a crop treating mechanism in the combine body. The feeder housing has an upwardly and rearwardly inclined floor with a chain and slat type conveyor mounted in the housing and having a lower run moving upwardly and rearwardly above the floor. A flat pan-like crop deflecting member is mounted on top of the floor underneath the conveyor and includes a plurality of generally fore and aft vanes that extend a substantial portion of the length of the floor. The crop deflecting member is swingably mounted on a pivot extending through the floor, and a hydraulic cylinder is connected to the pivot on the underside of the floor to swing the deflector member between alternate positions wherein the vanes direct crop material moving along the floor toward one side of the body inlet or the other, whereby, when the combine is operating on a hillside, the crop material can be directed to the uphill side of the crop treating mechanism to reduce the buildup of material on the downhill side while the crop is being treated.