Integrated draper belt support and skid shoe in an agricultural harvesting machine

Abstract

A cutting platform for use with an agricultural harvesting machine includes at least one platform section. Each platform section has a cutterbar assembly movable in a localized manner in upwards and downwards directions, an endless belt with a leading edge, and a plurality of skid shoes. Each skid shoe extends rearwardly from the cutterbar assembly and has an upper surface defining a belt support for the leading edge of the endless belt.

1 . A cutting platform for use with an agricultural harvesting machine, comprising:
 at least one platform section, each said platform section including:
 a cutterbar assembly movable in a localized manner in upwards and downwards directions along the length of said at least one platform section; 
 an endless belt having a leading edge; and 
 a plurality of skid shoes, each said skid shoe extending rearwardly from said cutterbar assembly and having an upper surface with a continuous uninterrupted contour defining a belt support for said leading edge of said endless belt. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cutting platform of  claim 1 , wherein each said platform section includes a plurality of skid plates, each said skid plate being detachably connected to a lower surface of a respective said skid shoe. 
     
     
         3 . The cutting platform of  claim 2 , wherein each said skid shoe is a bent metal skid shoe. 
     
     
         4 . The cutting platform of  claim 3 , wherein each said skid shoe has a hollow cavity in an area adjacent said belt support. 
     
     
         5 . The cutting platform of  claim 4 , wherein each said belt support is generally L-shaped in cross section. 
     
     
         6 . The cutting platform of  claim 4 , wherein each said skid plate has at least one reinforcing rib extending into said hollow cavity and terminating adjacent said lower surface of said belt support. 
     
     
         7 . The cutting platform of  claim 6 , wherein each said skid plate has a plurality of interconnected reinforcing ribs extending into said hollow cavity and terminating adjacent a lower side of said belt support. 
     
     
         8 . The cutting platform of  claim 1 , wherein said skid shoes are movable relative to each other. 
     
     
         9 . The cutting platform of  claim 8 , wherein each said skid shoe includes a laterally extending shield with a lower end which is positioned below a respective said belt support. 
     
     
         10 . The cutting platform of  claim 9 , wherein each said shield has a lateral end with an overlap, each said overlap overlapping an adjacent said skid shoe. 
     
     
         11 . The cutting platform of  claim 10 , wherein each said overlap includes a bent lip. 
     
     
         12 . The cutting platform of  claim 2 , wherein each said skid shoe is made from metal, and each said skid plate is made from plastic. 
     
     
         13 . The cutting platform of  claim 12 , wherein each said skid shoe is a stamped metal part, and each said skid plate is a cast plastic part. 
     
     
         14 . A skid shoe for use with a cutting platform in an agricultural harvesting machine, said skid shoe comprising:
 a forward end for attachment with a cutterbar assembly, a lower surface positionable in association with a ground surface over which the harvesting machine traverses, and an upper surface with a continuous uninterrupted contour defining a belt support for a leading edge of an endless belt.   
     
     
         15 . The skid shoe of  claim 14 , including a skid plate detachably connected to said lower surface of said skid shoe. 
     
     
         16 . The skid shoe of  claim 15 , wherein said skid shoe is a bent metal skid shoe. 
     
     
         17 . The skid shoe of  claim 16 , wherein said skid shoe has a hollow cavity in an area adjacent said belt support. 
     
     
         18 . The skid shoe of  claim 17 , wherein said belt support is generally L-shaped in cross section. 
     
     
         19 . The skid shoe of  claim 17 , wherein said skid plate has at least one reinforcing rib extending into said hollow cavity and terminating adjacent said lower surface of said belt support. 
     
     
         20 . The skid shoe of  claim 19 , wherein said skid plate has a plurality of interconnected reinforcing ribs extending into said hollow cavity and terminating adjacent a lower side of said belt support. 
     
     
         21 . The skid shoe of  claim 14 , wherein said skid shoe includes a laterally extending shield with a lower end which is positioned below said belt support. 
     
     
         22 . The skid shoe of  claim 21 , wherein said shield has a lateral end with an overlap. 
     
     
         23 . The skid shoe of  claim 22 , wherein said overlap includes a bent lip. 
     
     
         24 . The skid shoe of  claim 14 , wherein said skid shoe is made from metal, and said skid plate is made from plastic. 
     
     
         25 . The skid shoe of  claim 24 , wherein said skid shoe is a stamped metal part, and said skid plate is a cast plastic part. 
     
     
         26 . An agricultural harvesting machine, comprising:
 a base unit including a feeder housing; and   a cutting platform attached to said feeder housing, said cutting platform including at least one platform section, each said platform section having:
 a cutterbar assembly movable in a localized manner in upwards and downwards directions along the length of said at least one platform section; 
 an endless belt having a leading edge; and 
 a plurality of skid shoes, each said skid shoe extending rearwardly from said cutterbar assembly and having an upper surface with a continuous uninterrupted contour defining a belt support for said leading edge of said endless belt. 
   
     
     
         27 . The agricultural harvesting machine of  claim 26 , wherein each said platform section includes a plurality of skid plates, each said skid plate being detachably connected to a lower surface of a respective said skid shoe. 
     
     
         28 . The agricultural harvesting machine of  claim 26 , wherein each said skid shoe is a bent metal skid shoe with a hollow cavity in an area adjacent said belt support, and each said skid plate has at least one reinforcing rib extending into said hollow cavity and terminating adjacent a lower side of said belt support. 
     
     
         29 . The agricultural harvesting machine of  claim 28 , wherein each said skid plate has a plurality of interconnected reinforcing ribs extending into said hollow cavity and terminating adjacent a lower surface of said belt support. 
     
     
         30 . The agricultural harvesting machine of  claim 26 , wherein said skid shoes are movable relative to each other, and include a laterally extending shield with a lower end which is positioned below a respective said belt support. 
     
     
         31 . The agricultural harvesting machine of  claim 30 , wherein each said shield has a lateral end with an overlap, each said overlap overlapping an adjacent said skid shoe.