CA1193449A - Adjustable multiple row crop unit - Google Patents

Abstract

ADJUSTABLE MULTIPLE ROW CROP UNIT
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
An adjustable multiple row crop harvesting and gathering unit is provided with crop passageway structures which are selectively laterally swingable relative to the main frame about pivot points rearwardly of the crop en-trance, preferably about the axis of one of the gathering means drive sprockets, to provide for a range of different lateral spacings between the crop entrances. Preferably, the outer crop dividers move with the passageway structures and the center divider is provided with laterally teles-coping sheet metal to accommodate changes of row spacing.

Description

ADJUSTABLE ~lULTIPLE ROW CROP UNIT
~ BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ~ND THE PRIOR ART
P This invention relates to mul-tiple row row crop : gathering units, primarily of the type used on forage harves-ters to harvest crops in standing rows, and more particularly, to a gathering uni.t which is adjustable to accommodate various spacings ~etween the crop rows.
Crops, such as corn and sorghums, are generally grown in either wide row spacings (about 40 in.) or narrow row 10 spacings (about 30 in.). Conventional multiple row crop units : are generally built to handl~ one spacing or the other.
Thus, separate row units are necessary to accommodate crops with either spacing. For the farm equipment dealer, as well : as the manufacturer, this results in carrying inventories of both units in order to have the correct unit available at the point of sale. For the custom harvesting operator who may harvest the narrow row fie].d one day and a wide row -- 2 -- .
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field the nex-t day, it means buying -two units instead of one. Moreover, these conventional units are inef~icient for handling rows of odd spacing, such as 36 inch rows~
Others have produced a type of gathering unit known as a wide-naxrow raw crop unit. In this machine, a fixed passageway configuration is employed and a variety of row spacings are accommodated by using a wider crop passase entrance and a wider cutting mechanism than normal to harvest the crop on one side or the other of the passage. An example of this may be found in Dion U.S. Patent No. 3,375~64~. Special cutting mechanisms have been taught for this type of unit which have interchangeable parts to locate the cu-tting ~one on one side or the other of the crop entrance, for example, .in Bo~nzin U.S. Patent No. 3,496,70~, in an attempt to reduce the undesirable efects of haviny too wide a passaye entrance.
The disadvantaye o~ this type o~ unit is that, even with the special cutting mechanism, the wide passageway entrance creates problems with the gatheriny chains or belts removing the cut crop from khe cu-tting mechanism when the cu-tting zone is not in close proximity to the gatherers and can .result in the crop falling down after cutting. Moreover, if one of -the gathering throats on the unit were no-t exac~ly on a row, the crops could be knocked down before they reached the cutting mechanism.
Still others have provided adjustable row spacing in multiple row corn heads, such as shown in Jones et al U.S.
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Patent No. 3,609,94~, wherein a transverse auger is loca-ted behilld a series of laterally movable row units having parallel fore-and aft crop passages including gathering means and snapping or stripping rolls. Although adding -to the expense, the transverse auger is necessary because the crop passageways need to be parallelly aligned along the crop rows to accommodate the snappiny rolls and some means is necessary -to move the crops to the center of the corn head ~or further processing.
Accordingly, the invention described and claimed here-in seeks to provide a multiple row crop unit, especially for ~orage harvesters, which is truly adjustable to provide various row spacingsO
More particularly, the invention seeks to provide a multiple row unit wherein at least one of th~ crop passages swings laterally to provide various row spacings between the entrances to the crop passages and with a cutting mech-anism which swings laterally with the passageway to accommod-ate changes in the row spacing.
More specifically, the invention seeks to provide a two row unit wherein the crop passageway and its outer divider swing laterally about an axis at the rear of the divider to change the row spacing between rows. Preferably, both rows o a two row unit would swing in this manner.
The invention further seeks to provide a two row unit with an adjustable width center divider to accommodate changes in row spacing.
The invention in one broader aspect pertains to a row crop harvesting and gathe~ing unit having a frame, a pair of fore-and-a~t extending outer divider members and center structure between the divider members defining a pair of crop gathering passages having forward laterally spaced openings for receiving crops and converging toward an outlet at the rear of the unit. Cuttiny means are adjacent the passage openings and gathering means are adjacent each passage for moving crops therein towarcl the rear of the row crop unit.

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The improvement pertains to at least one of -the passages being selectively swingable laterally about an axis rear~
ward of its opening such that at least two differen~ lateral spacings between the passage openinys are provided, the axis being located adjacent the rear end of the one passage.
A portion of the ga~hering means associated with the one passage is entrained about a sprocket adjacent the rear end thereof, the axis about which the passage swings being the rotational axis of the sprocket.

DETAILED.. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon a consideration of the detailed de-scription of the invention and the drawings, in which:
FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a forage harvester row crop unit incorporating the present invention;
FIGURE 2 is a top view, partially in section of the lower portion of the row crop unit of Figure 1 with the sheet metal removed on one side and illustrating a wide row spacing in phantom;
FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of the row crop unit of Figure l; and FIGURE 4 is a partial sectional view taken in a plane parallel to that of Figure 2 but below the level of the rear sprockets shown therein, appearing with Fig. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, there is shown a two row, row crop harvesting and gathering unit generally de~

signated 10 of the type adapted for attachment to a forage ~ - 5 -harvester basic processing unit such as shown in copending Canadian Serial No. 269,387, filed Januar~ 10, 1977, for feeding crops thereto. The row crop unit 10, comprises a main frame assembly 11 at the rear of the unit including a main transverse beam.l2. At-tached -to the top side of the transverse beam 12 and supported by rearwardly extending yussets 13 attached there~o is a transverse gathering throat base plate of trapezoidal shape 14, which, in operation, lies in a downwardly forward plane. At the ends of the transverse beam 12 are attached a pair of upstanding frame members 15 which extend upwardly to a transverse pipe 16 welded therebetween, a lower attaching bracket 17 being mounted on each of the upstanding frame members 15. The transverse pipe 16 and attaching brackets 17 -thus provide the means for attaching the row unit 10 to a forage harvester basic unit. Below the transverse beam 12, jack stands 19 telescopingly engage the upstanding frame members 15 to provide a rear support when the row unit 10 is not attached to a forage harvester basic unit.
Rotatably mounted on the bottom side of the base plate 14 are chain sprockets 20, 21, 22, and 2~ which are laterally spaced adjacent the rear of the base plate. As shown by the arrows thereon, the sprocl~ets 20, 21, 22, and 24 are driven in counterrotating pairs 20, 21, and 22, 24 by a chain 25 driven by a sprocket 26 mounted on a right angle ~earbox 27 attached to the left frame member 15 outboard thereof. The gearbox 27 is provided with a power input sprocket 29 which is adapted to be chain driven from the basic processing unit. A chain tightening id]er 30 is rotatably mounted at the right side of the base p]ate 1~.

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Each of the sprockets 20, 21, 22, 24, drives a shaft 31 which extends through the base plate 14 whereat the shafts 31 are bearing mounted in a support sleeve 32 (Figure 4) attached to -~he upper side of the base plate. Moun-ted on the shafts 31 above the support sleeves 32 are gathering belt drive sprockets 34, 35, 36 and 37.
Slnce the row unit 10 is symmetrical about the fore-and-aft center line, the frame members of the right passageway structure and the sheet metal of the left pas-sageway structure are illustrated in Figure 2. However, it will be understood that both passageway structures are structurally the same other than their reverse orientation.
The passageway structures 40 comprise a frame assembly 41 including an outer frame member 42 and an inner frame member 44 disposed in parallel relationship to define a crop pas-- sage 45 diverging forwardly from the fore-and-aft center line of the row unit lOo A butt channel 43 encloses the lower side of the passage 45. ~he inner and outer frame members 44, 42 and the butt channel 43 are connected, as by welding, to a bottom plate 46 to form a unitary passageway frame structure 41. The passageway structure 40 is`mounted : to the base plate 14 with the frame members 42-and 44 and butt channel 43 extending t~ereabove for selective lateral swinging of the forward end thereof about the axis of the belt drive sprockets 34 or 37 at the rear of the outer frame me~ber 42. As can be seen in Figure 4, the rear end of the outer frame member 42 is provided with a concave surface which abuts ac3ainst the support sleeve 32 of the outer sprocket 34 or 37. The outer support sleeves 32 thus form the pivots abou-t which the entire passageway structures 40 3 ~

rotate when shifting the row unit from wide to narrow rows.It is noted that the rear ends of the inner frame members 4 terminate short of their drive sprockets to permit rotation thereof with the outer member 42. Of course, the axes of the inner drive sprockets could be the pivotal axes of the passageway structures by reversing the mounting of the frame members 42 and 44.
To permit the lateral swinging of the passageway structures 40 while enabling them to be loc]ced in a selec-tive row spacing, the outer frame members 44 are provided with a bolt 47 near the rear ends thereof which extends through a slot 49 (Figure 3) in the base plate 14 and the supporting gusset 13 on the lower side of the base plate.
The bottom plate 46 underlaps the base plate 14 and thç
transverse beam 12 and is provided with a pair of locking bolts 50 which engage one of a plurality of holes 51 in bxackets 52 welded to the forward side of the transverse beam 12. Thus, the crop passageway structures 40 may be swung laterally relative to the main frame assembly and are fi~ed in a selected position by the bolts 47 and 50.
Returning to Figure 2, it will be seen that the outer frame member 42 is provided with- an upper frame exten-sion member 54 which is supported and spaced therefrom by a pair of upright stanchions 55, the whole assembly being welded. The upper frame member 54 extends forwardly whereat it telescopingly receives a knife mounting beam 56. A
divider frame member 57 welded to the outer side of the forward portion of the upper frame member 54 extends for-wardly and downwardly therefrom to an outer auxiliary ground shoe 58. A shaft 59 is mounted in the knife mounting beam 3'~

56 and depends therebeneath and rotatably carries an outer belt sprocket 60, a rotary knife disc 61 being mounted as by bolts to the lower side of the sprocketO A lugged rubber gathering belt 62 of the type illustrated in ~.S. Patent No. 3,854,272 is entrained around the sprocket 60 and the driving sprocket 37 at the rear of the passageway structure 40, suitable positioning idlers 64 being mounted on the outer frame member 42 to align the belt along the outer side of the crop passage 45~ The position of the rotary knife 61 and the tension on the helt 62 are adjusted by adjusting screw 65 mounted on the divider frame member 57 which acts against an ear 66 on the knife mounting beam 56. The beam is locked in position by clamping bolts 67 extending through the upper frame member 54 thereto. The belt 62 drives -the rotary knife disc as well as draws crops rearwardly in the passage 45.
The inner frame member 44 extends forwardly whereat a belt sprocket 60 having an inner rotary knife disc 69 mounted therebeneath is rotatably mounted on a fixed sha-Et 70 depending below the frame member 44, the inner rotary knife disc 69 underlapping the outer rotary knife disc 61 in a cooperative cutting relationship. The axis of the inner knife disc thus is Eixed relative to the frame member 44. A gathering belt 62 is entrained on the sprockets 60 and 36 and positioning idlers 64 on the inner side of the crop passage 45, a tightening idler assembly 71 being mounted to the inner frame member 44 for regulating the belt tension.
Mounted on the inner frame member 44 and extending laterally in~ardly therefrom is a slo-tted plate 72. A nut and bolt assembly 74 in a transverse bracket 75 engages -the slot in the plate 72, -the bracket 75 extending transversely to a similar slotted plate 72 on the other passageway structure 40. An inner auxiliary ground shoe 76 is provided on a bracket 77 mounted beneath the slotted plate 72, allowing clearance for the nut and bolt assembly 74, and extending forwardly and downwardly therefrom. A center divider shoe pipe 79 is rotatably mounted but axially restrained in the bracket 77 and extends transversely thereo~ to an outer bent over portion 80 pro~iding a connection for sheet metal. ~n inner transverse rod 81 of relatively small diameter com-pared to the pipe 79 is telescopingly received therein and extends transversely to a similar pipe 79 on the other passageway structure 40, the rod 81 being provided with multiple holes 82 for establishing a pinned connection with the pipe 79 by a pin 83 extending therethrough.
As thus constructe,d, the cutting discs 61 and 69 produce a cutting nip 84 adjacen-t the forward ends of the crop passage 45. To prevent cut crops from becoming en-tangled beneath the passageway structure, a stripper plate 85 is attached to the forward end of the butt channel 43 and encloses the bottom of the crop passage 45 forwardly thereof -terminating in an arcuate surface 86 underlapping the outer cutting disc 61 and running from behind the nip 84 adjacent the periphery of the inner disc 69 to a point approximately normal of the frame member 44.
It can be seen from the above that the entire passageway structure 40 includiny the crop passage 45 and the cutting nip 84, may be swung laterally about a point rearward of the forward end of the crop passage, that is t the axis of the drive spr~cket 34 or 37 adjacent the rear ~ 10 ~L~93~

end of the passage 45, to shift the cutting nip to cor-respond to the desired row width. In Figure 2, a narrow width row o~ crops 86 is illustrated with a wide width row of crops 87 in phantom. By releasing the tension on the bolt assembly 74 and removing the pin 83, as well as re-lieving the tension on the bolts 47 and removing the bolts 50, the passageway structure 40 and thus the nip 84 may be moved laterally to align with either the narrow row of crops 86 or the wide row 87, as well as positions therebetween.
Tightening the various bolts 47 and 74 and replacing bolts 50 and the pins 83 locks the passageway structure in posi-tion. Because the passayeway structures 40 rotate about the axes o~ the outer belt drive sprockets 34, 37, no change in the distance between the drive sprocket and the driven belt sprockets 60 on the outer divider will occur, thereby elimi-nating any adjustment of the outer belts 62. However, it will be seen that the distance between the inner belt drive sprockets 35, 36 and the driven bel-t sprockets 60 will change and thus, the inner belts tightening idlers 71 must be readjusted to account fox this. At the same time, cer-tain adjustments must be made in the sheet metall as will be seen hereinafter.
~iewing primarily Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the outer frame members 42 are covered with sheet metal outer divider assemblies 90. The outer divider assemblies comprise a rearward divider 91 generally parallel with the crop passage 45, the divider 91 being bolted to the outer ~rame member 42 and extending adjacent the crop passage 45 over the top of the frame member and the down the outer side thereo~. At the rear end, the rear divider 91 extends ~ 11. --upwardly to enclose the forward poxtion and sides o~ the upri.ght frame member 15. The rearward outer divider 91 thus moves with the crop passageway structure 40 and any braces or connections with parts of the rear main frame assembly 11, such as the sheet metal gearbo~ cover.92 attached to the le~t rearward divider 91, must be accomplished with slidable connections, such as the bolt in slot connections shown, to permi~ the sheet metal to move relative thereto. Attached to the divider frame member 57 for limited movement in a vertical plane is a forward ground engaging divider shoe 94 - which partially overlaps the rearward divider 91, the di-vider shoe being pivotally mounted to a transverse pipe 95 (Figure 3) which is welded to the forward end of the divider frame member 57 immediately above the auxili.ary shoe 58.
Returning to Figures 1 and 2, the center divider assembly 96 also comprises a rearward center divider 97 and a forward ground engaging divider shoe 99 which may pivot in a vertical plane relative to the rearward divider 97 to enable the forward end of the shoe 99 to follow the ground 2q contour, the pivoting action being permitted by the rotat-able mounting of the transverse pipe 79 in the auxiliary inner s.hoe bracket 77 as mentioned above. However, in order : to accommoda-te the necessary change in width of the center ~ ~ - divider whe.n the row spacing is chanyed, both the rearward : center divide~ 97 and the farward divide~ shoe 99 further comprise laterally telescoping sheet metal portions~ The rearward center divider 97 has a pair of outer wing 100 which are bolted to the inner frame ~embers 44 adjacent the crop passages ~5 and move therewith. The wings 100 are provided with slots 101 which are enyaged by bolts 102 extending through a center section 104 which slidably overlaps the inner edges of the wings 100 and extends rear~
wardly -to cover the drlve sprockets 35, 36. Since the bolts 102 are tightened when the unit is i.n operation, the posi-tion of the center section 104 is suf~iciently fixed toalleviate any need -to attach it to the base plate 14 al-though such may be done if desired. The forward center divider shoe 99 is similarly provided with wings 105 which are attached to the bent over ends 80 of the transverse pipes 79. The wings 105 are provided with slots 106 which engage bolts e~tending through the center section 107 which slidably overlaps the wings. The tip of the center section 107 is provided with a ground engaging pad 109 and a rubber strip 110 (Figure 3) interconnects the front and rear center sections 107 and 104 to limit the upward movement of the center divider shoe 99 relative to the rear center divider 97.
In operation, with the row crop unit set to harvest narrow row crops 86, the machine moves forwardly along crop ~0 rows and the disc cutters 61, 69, which are driven by the gatherin~ belts 62 from the sprockets 34, 35, 36, 37, cut of~ the crop. The butts of crop are then grabbed by the gathering belts 62 in the crop passages 45 immediately behind the cutters and the harvested crops are moved rear-wardly .in the crop passages 45 and converge rearwardly to the throat at the xear of the row unit 10 whereat the crops are transferred to the forage harvester (no-t shown). When it is desired to shi~t the row unit 10 from narrow row operation to harvest the wide row of crops 87 which is done infre~llently, the frame bolts 50 and pins 83 are removed and 33,~

the bolts 47 and 74 and the sheet me-tal bol-ts 102 are loosened, as well as any bolts binding the outer divider sheet metal to the rear main frame assembly 11. The inner belt tighteners 71 are loosenecl. In ~his position, one or both of the passageway structures ~0 may be caused to swing the crop passages 45 and nip 84 of the cutting discs 61, 69 laterally outwardly to the new row spacing, the axes of rotation being the axes of the outer belt sprockets 3`4 and 37. As this is done, the inner frame members 44 pull the sheet metal wings 100 of the rear center divider 97 out-wardly from under the center section 104 and the transverse pipe 79 which is attached, through intermediate membersl to the frame member 4~ pulls the center divider shoe wings 105 of the center divider shoe 99 ou-twardly ~rom under the center section 107, the slots in the wings 100, 105 permit-ting such movement. The bolts 50 and pins 83 are replaced and the bolts 47, 74, and sheet metal bolts 102 are tight-ened. The inner belts 62 are adjusted to proper tension with the tightening idlers 7]. The row uni-t is now in position to harvest wide rows in the manner described above.
It is to be understood that while slots have been provided in the embodiment described, especially in the sheet metal parts, to achieve a wide range of possible row positions, in practice, this might be done using two holes instead of a slot if only two row spacings are desired.
Thus, there has been provided, in accordance with the invention, an adjustable multiple row crop unit that fully satisfies the objects, aims and advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunc-tion with a specific embodiment thereof, it is evident that ~3~9 many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the fore-going description. For example, a three row, row crop unit could be provided by having a third fixed row crop passage running along the longitudinal center line of the center divider, the front end of the center divider being bifur-.cated into two divider shoes on either side of that passage.
Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alterna-tives, modifications, and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

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Claims (29)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A multiple row, row crop gathering unit comprising a frame, left and right outer dividers mounted on said frame and extending in a generally forward direction, left and right crop receiving passageway structures having forward crop entry ends respectively inwardly adjacent a portion of said outer dividers, a center structure located between said passageway structures, the forward end of at least one of the crop passageway structures being selectively swingable laterally about a point rearwardly of said forward end of said one crop passageway structure such that at least two operating positions of different lateral spacings between the crop entry ends of the passageway structures are provided, a gathering means associated with said at least one passageway structure entrained about a sprocket adjacent the rearward end of said at least one passageway structure, said at least one passageway structure being mounted to said frame for pivotal movement about the axis of said sprocket, and said row crop gathering unit having a crop cutting mechanism adjacent the crop entry end of each of said passageway structures.

2. The invention in accordance with Claim 1 and said crop cutting mechanism being laterally movable with said crop entry end of said passageway structures.

3. The invention in accordance with Claim 1 and said passageway structures including crop passages converging rear-wardly from said crop cutting mechanisms toward the rear center portion of said row crop unit and means associated with said passages for moving crops entering therein rearwardly toward said rear center portion.

4. In a row crop harvesting and gathering unit having a frame, a pair of fore-and-aft extending outer divider members and center structure between said divider members defining a pair of crop gathering passages having forward laterally spaced openings for receiving crops and converging toward an outlet at the rear of said unit, cutting means adjacent said passage openings, and gathering means adjacent each said passage for moving crops therein toward the rear of said row crop unit, the improvement wherein at least one of said passages is select-ively swingable laterally about an axis rearward of its opening such that at least two different lateral spacings between said passage openings are provided, said axis being located adjacent the rear end of said one passage, and a portion of said gathering means associated with said one passage being entrained about a sprocket adjacent the rear end thereof, said axis being the rotational axis of said sprocket.

5. The invention in accordance with Claim 4, and said outer divider adjacent said passage swinging laterally there-with about said axis.

6. The invention in accordance with Claim 4, and said center structure comprising laterally telescoping portions, one of said portions moving with said passage.

7. The invention in accordance with Claim 4, and said cutting means being mounted relative to said passage opening for lateral movement therewith.

8. In a mobile crop harvester:
a frame;
a pair of normally inclined row crop harvesting units, each of said units having mechanism which includes:
means defining an elongated, fore-and-aft extending passage and having a normally elevated rear discharge end and a normally lowered front inlet end, cutting means at said inlet end for severing standing crops approaching the passage as the harvester advances, and a pair of opposed cooperating conveyors along said passage-defining means for elevating the crops severed by said cutting means through said passage and out said discharge end;
drive means on said frame for said mechanisms; and means mounting said units on said frame for lateral swinging movement relative to one another to permit selective changing of the spacing of the passages at said inlet ends without changing the spacing at said discharge ends;
said conveyors being swingable with their respective units and each including a pair of rotatable members at said opposite ends and an endless, flexible element looped about said members, at least one of said units having its axis of swinging movement coinciding with the axis of rotation of one of the members at said discharge end.

9. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 8 wherein both of said units are swingable.

10. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 8 and a hood connected between said units, expandable and contractable during said swinging of the units.

11. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 10 wherein said hood includes a stationary central panel and a pair of outer panels on opposite sides of the central panel swingable with their respective units.

12. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 8, wherein each of said units includes a pair of elongated, fore-and-aft extending and laterally spaced apart mounts for its conveyors, said conveyors being supported by said mounts and the latter being rigidly interconnected for swinging in unison.

13. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 12, wherein said mounts cooperate to define said passage there-between.

14. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 12 wherein the axis of swinging movement of each unit is located at the rear end of one of its mounts, the other mount being orbital about said axis of swinging movement.

15. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 12 and means releasably holding said mounts in a selected angular position of swinging movement.

16. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 12, wherein a pair of guide members at opposite ends of said passage are rotatably carried at opposite ends of the corresponding mount.

17. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 11 wherein both of said units are swingable.

18. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 11, wherein each of said units includes a pair of elongated, fore-and-aft extending and laterally spaced apart mounts for its conveyors/ said conveyors being supported by said mounts and the latter being rigidly interconnected for swinging in unison.

19. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 18, wherein said mounts cooperate to define said passage therebetween.

20. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 18, wherein the axis of swinging movement of each unit is located at the rear end of one of its mounts, the other mount being orbital about said axis of swinging movement.

21. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 18, and means releasably holding said mounts in a selected angular position of swinging movement.

22. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 18, wherein said pair of guide members at opposite ends of said passage are rotatably carried at opposite ends of the corresponding mount.

23. In a mobile crop harvester: a frame, a pair of normally inclined row crop harvesting units, each of said units having mechanism which includes: means defining an elongated, fore-and-aft extending passage and having a normal-ly elevated rear discharge end and a normally lowered front inlet end, cutting means at said inlet end for severing standing crops approaching the passage as the harvester advances, and a pair of opposed cooperating conveyors along said passage-defining means for elevating the crops severed by said cutting means through said passage and out said discharge end; drive means on said frame for said mechanisms;
means mounting said units on said frame for lateral swinging movement relative to one another to permit selective changing of the spacing of the passages at said inlet ends without changing the spacing at said discharge ends, said conveyors being swingable with their respective units and each including a pair of rotatable members at said opposite ends and an end-less, flexible element looped about said members, at least one of said units having its axis of swinging movement coinciding with the axis of rotation of one of the members at said discharge end; and a hood connected between said units, expandable and contractable during said swinging of the units, said hood including a stationary central panel and a pair of outer panels on opposite sides of the central panel swingable with their respective units.

24. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 23, wherein both of said units are swingable.

25. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 23, wherein each of said units includes a pair of elongated, fore-and-aft extending and laterally spaced apart mounts for its conveyors, said conveyors being supported by said mounts and the latter being rigidly interconnected for swinging in unison.

26. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 25, wherein said mounts cooperate to define said passage therebetween.

27. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 26, wherein the axis of swinging movement of each unit is located at the rear end of one of its mounts, the other mount being orbital about said axis of swinging movement.

28. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 25, and means releasably holding said mounts in a selected angular position of swinging movement.

29. In a crop harvester as claimed in Claim 25, wherein said pair of guide members at opposite ends of said passage are rotatably carried at opposite ends of the corresponding mount.