Corn header having an air flow generating cutting blade for an agricultural harvester
A header for a combine harvester. The header includes a row unit that includes a pair of stalk rolls, a knife mount and a cutting blade. The knife mount is mounted to the row unit. The cutting blade is mounted to the knife mount and includes a leading cutting edge, and a tail end having a baffle configured to generate a flow of air, wherein the leading cutting edge is forward the tail end upon rotation of the knife mount.
1. A header of a combine harvester comprising:
a row unit that includes a pair of stalk rolls;
a knife mount mounted to the row unit; and
a cutting blade mounted to the knife mount, the cutting blade having:
a leading cutting edge,
a tail end opposite the leading cutting edge, and
an upwardly directed portion extending from the tail end configured to generate a flow of air, wherein the leading cutting edge is forward the tail end upon rotation of the knife mount.
2. The header of claim 1 , wherein the knife mount is positioned directly below a row unit mounted to the frame.
3. The header of claim 1 , wherein the cutting blade includes a substantially planar main body having the leading cutting edge along a first side of the main body, the tail end along a second side of the main body opposite the first side, and wherein the upwardly directed portion extends substantially transverse from the main body.
4. The header of claim 3 , wherein the upwardly directed portion extends along an entire length of the second side of the main body.
5. The header of claim 1 , wherein the knife mount includes a vane for generating a flow of air.
6. The header of claim 5 , wherein the vane is attached to an outer surface of the knife mount for generating a flow of air in a generally upwardly direction.
7. The header of claim 1 , wherein the knife mount has a substantially frustoconical body.
8. The header of claim 7 , wherein the knife mount includes a vane mounted to the substantially frustoconical body.
9. The header of claim 5 , wherein a longitudinal edge of the vane is directly mounted to the knife mount.
10. The header of claim 5 , wherein the vane is a curved vane and/or a helical vane.
11. The header of claim 1 , wherein the upwardly directed portion is curved.
12. The header of claim 1 , wherein the cutting blade includes a plurality of upwardly directed portions.
13. The header of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of upwardly directed portions are spaced apart.
14. The header of claim 1 , wherein the upwardly directed portion extends along a top surface of the cutting blade along a substantially widthwise extent of the cutting blade that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the cutting blade.
15. The header of claim 1 , wherein the upwardly directed portion extends along a top surface of the cutting blade in a curved direction in a substantially widthwise extent of the cutting blade that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the cutting blade.
16. The header of claim 2 , wherein the knife mount is connected to a shaft assembly below and between the pair of stalk rolls.
17. The header of claim 16 , wherein the row unit further includes a gear box operatively connected to the shaft.