Merger attachment for a draper header

Abstract

An accessory for use with a crop harvesting header having a cutterbar. The attachment includes a merger frame configured to be removably coupled to the harvesting header, a plurality of guide bands, and a pickup rotor. The merger frame has an upper side and a lower side. Each of the plurality of guide bands are arranged adjacent to one another with a gap defined therebetween. Each of the guide bands has a first end portion coupled to the upper side of the merger frame and a second end portion coupled to the lower side of the merger frame and an interior is defined between the first end portions and the second end portions of the plurality of guide bands. The pickup rotor is rotatably supported on the merger frame and arranged in the interior of the plurality of guide bands.

Description

MERGER ATTACHMENT FOR A DRAPER HEADER BACKGROUND

[0001] A draper header is a valuable attachment for harvesting machines, designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of harvesting crops. Unlike traditional auger headers, draper headers use a series of conveyor belts to gently and evenly transport the cut crop from the cutterbar to the middle of the header. This method reduces crop loss and damage, ensuring a higher quality yield. The belts move the crop smoothly, minimizing the shattering of delicate grains and allowing for a more uniform feed into the harvesting machine, which may be a combine, swather, or windrower, which can significantly enhance the overall harvesting process.

[0002] The design of draper headers also allows for better handling of a variety of crops, including cereals, oil seeds, grass seeds, or beans. They are particularly effective in tough harvesting conditions, such as wet or lodged crops, where traditional headers might struggle. The even distribution of the crop helps maintain a consistent flow, reducing the risk of blockages and downtime. Additionally, draper headers are known for their ability to handle larger swaths of crop, increasing the harvesting capacity and efficiency of modem harvesting machines.

[0003] A pickup or merger header is a specialized attachment for combine harvesters, designed to efficiently gather windrowed or swathed crops. This type of header is particularly useful in regions where crops are cut and laid in rows to dry before being harvested. The pickup header features a series of rotating tines that lift the windrowed crop from the ground and feed it into the combine's feeder house. This mechanism ensures that the crop is collected cleanly and efficiently, minimizing losses, and maintaining the quality of the harvested material. Similarly, the merger header includes a series of rotating tines that lift multiple rows of windrowed crop from the ground and feed it toward the center of the merger header to form the crop into a single windrow. Pickup and merger headers are highly versatile and are beneficial in conditions where the crop has been swathed to avoid weather damage or to allow for more uniform drying. The design of the pickup header allows it to handle large volumes of crop quickly, improving the overall efficiency of the harvesting process. Additionally, the gentle handling of the crop by the pickup mechanism helps to reduce shattering and other forms of damage, ensuring that the harvested product remains in optimal condition.

[0004] Typically, the functions of a draper header and a pickup header requires a farm to have separate headers, each of which much be purchased, stored, and maintained, which is expensive. Because a draper header and a pickup header perform similar functions and may have similar components, a system capable of performing the function of both a draper header and a pickup header is desired.SUMMARY

[0005] In one aspect, an accessory is provided for use with a crop harvesting header operable by a harvesting machine and having a cutterbar. The attachment includes a merger frame configured to be removably coupled to the harvesting header, a plurality of guide bands, and a pickup rotor. The merger frame extends laterally between a first lateral side and a second lateral side and has an upper side and a lower side. Each of the plurality of guide bands are arranged adjacent to one another with a gap defined therebetween. Each of the guide bands has a first end portion coupled to the upper side of the merger frame and a second end portion coupled to the lower side of the merger frame and an interior is defined between the first end portions and the second end portions of the plurality of guide bands. The pickup rotor is rotatably supported on the merger frame and arranged in the interior of the plurality of guide bands.

[0006] Any of the above aspects can be combined in full or in part. Any features of the above aspects can be combined in full or in part. Any of the above implementations for any aspect can be combined with any other aspect. Any of the above implementations can be combined with any other implementation whether for the same aspect or a different aspect.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Advantages of the present disclosure will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a crop harvesting header and an accessory for use with the crop harvesting header, the accessory is shown detached from the crop harvesting header.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the crop harvesting header attached to the accessory of FIG. 1 with the crop harvesting header shown partially disassembled.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a close-up perspective view of the harvesting header and accessory of FIG. 1 showing an end bracket of the accessory coupled to a frame of the harvesting header.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the accessory of FIG. 1.

[0012] FIG. 5 is a close-up front perspective view of the accessory of FIG. 4 showing the end bracket and a side reel assembly.

[0013] FIG. 6 is a close-up top rear perspective view of the accessory of FIG. 4 showing the end bracket and the side reel assembly.

[0014] FIG. 7 is a close-up bottom rear perspective view of the accessory of FIG. 4 showing the end bracket and the side reel assembly.

[0015] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional bottom rear perspective view of the accessory of FIG. 7 showing the end bracket and a motor.

[0016] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional rear perspective view of the accessory of FIG. 7 showing a pickup rotor assembly.

[0017] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional rear perspective view of the accessory and pickup rotor assembly of FIG. 9 showing a rotor shaft and a plurality of fingers coupled to the rotor shaft.

[0018] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional rear perspective view of the accessory and pickup rotor assembly of FIG. 9 showing the rotor shaft and the plurality of fingers coupled to the rotor shaft.

[0019] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional top view of the accessory and pickup rotor assembly of FIG. 9 showing two rotor shafts and a rotary joint coupled to each rotor shaft.

[0020] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional top view of the accessory and pickup rotor assembly of FIG. 9 showing the rotor shaft coupled to a motor.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a crop harvesting header 50 for a harvesting machine (not shown) and an accessory 100 for use with the crop harvesting header 50. The header 50 includes a header frame 52 and a cutterbar assembly 54 operatively extending across a front portion of the header 50 to cut crop material from the field. A draper assembly typically is positioned behind the cutterbar assembly 54 to transport the crop material into a feeder house of the harvesting machine. The leading edge of the cutterbar assembly 54 includes a cutterbar 56 to perform cutting of the crop, wherein the cut portion of the crop moves through the header 50 to the feeder house, while the remaining portion defines stubble that remains in the field after harvesting. One or more crop pickup reels 58 are positioned generally above the front portion of the header 50 and the cutterbar assembly 54 for engaging the crops to be harvested. The cutterbar assembly 54 operatively extends across the front portion of the header frame 52 between the ends thereof for cutting the crops to be harvested as referenced above. During harvesting, the crop pickup reels 58 are typically positionedclose to the cutterbar assembly 54 without contacting the cutterbar assembly 54 to facilitate optimal harvesting efficiency of the header 50. The header 50 includes a plurality of reel support arms 60 disposed adjacent to each end of the crop pickup reels 58 for supporting these crop pickup reels 58 on the header frame 52. Each pickup reel 58 is rotatably supported by the reel support arms 60. The reel support arms 60 are pivotable on the header frame 52 upwardly and downwardly via a hydraulic system to vertically position the crop pickup reels 58 relative to the cutterbar assembly 54 for optimally engaging the crops. It is to be appreciated that the header 50 may ultimately include any number or arrangement of the reel support arms 60 and the crop pickup reels 58 to correspond to the number of sections on the header 50 without varying the scope of the disclosure.

[0022] The header frame 52 further includes legs 62, which are arranged on opposing ends of the header 50. The legs 62 extend forward and may support the cutterbar assembly 54. As shown in FIG. 2, the legs 62 may include a pickup bracket 64 arranged at a front end of each leg 62. The pickup brackets 64 are configured to engage the accessory 100 for attaching the accessory 100 to the header 50. Each of the pickup brackets 64 may include part of a latching mechanism that selectively couples the accessory 100 to the pickup brackets 64 to facilitate removal and attachment of the accessory 100 to the header 50. Said differently, the accessory 100 is configured to be coupled to the header 50 for operation of the header 50 with the accessory 100, such as shown in FIG. 2. Alternatively, the accessory 100 is configured to be removed from the header 50 for operation of the header 50 without the accessory 100, such as shown in FIG. 1.

[0023] Additionally, the header 50 may further include one or more draper belts 66 operatively supported on the header frame 52. Here, the header 50 includes two draper belts 66 that are operable to move cut crops from the ends of the header frame 52 toward the middle for further processing. Alternative implementations of the header (not shown) may utilize a single draper belt that is configured to move cut crops from one end of the header frame 52 to the opposing end.

[0024] Turning now to FIGS. 3-13, details of the accessory 100 for use with the header 50 described above are illustrated. Here, the accessory 100 is a merger pickup accessory that is usable with the header 50, which is a draper header, to pick up crops that have been formed into windrows in a field. More specifically, the accessory 100 is configured to pick up more than one row of windrowed crops and either feed the crops into the feeder house of a combine harvester, or to combine the multiple windrows into a single windrow. The accessory 100 includes a merger frame102 configured to be removably coupled to the header 50. The merger frame 102 extends laterally between a first lateral side 104 and a second lateral side 106 and has an upper side 108 and a lower side 110.

[0025] The accessory 100 further includes a plurality of guide bands 112 arranged adjacent to one another with a gap 114 defined between each pair of adjacent guide bands 112. The plurality of guide bands 112 are spaced along a width of the merger frame 102. Each of the guide bands 112 has a first end portion 116 and a second end portion 118 arranged at opposite sides of the guide band 112. The first end portion 116 of each guide band 112 is coupled to the upper side 108 of the merger frame 102 and the second end portion 118 of each guide band 112 is coupled to the lower side 110 of the merger frame 102. When viewed from one of the lateral sides of the accessory 100 (see FIGS. 9-11), each guide band 112 is formed into a sideways U shape with the first end portion 116 forming an upper leg of the sideways U shape and the second end portion 118 forming a lower leg of the sideways U shape. An interior 120 is defined between the first end portion 116 and the second end portion 118 on the inside of the sideways U shape. The interior 120 has a rear opening 122 oriented toward the rear of the accessory 100 and facing the header 50. The rear opening 122 is configured to receive the cutterbar 56 such that the cutterbar 56 is disposed in the interior 120 when the accessory 100 is removably attached to the header 50.

[0026] The merger frame 102 includes a frame strut 124 and a plurality of frame ribs 126 coupled to the frame strut 124. Each of the frame ribs 126 are arranged adjacent to one another along the length of the frame strut 124 in the interior 120 defined by the guide bands 112. Here, the frame strut 124 is formed from an angled metal bar and the frame ribs 126 are bent from metal plate and welded to the frame strut 124. Each frame ribs 126 includes an upper flange 128, which forms the upper side 108 of the merger frame 102, and a lower flange 130, which forms the lower side 110 of the merger frame 102. As described above, the first end portion 116 of each of the guide bands 112 is coupled to the upper flange 128 of one of the frame ribs 126 and the second end portion 118 of each of the guide bands 112 is coupled to the lower flange 130 of one of the frame ribs 126. The frame ribs 126 may include additional flanges for strengthening or to facilitate manufacturing of the merger frame 102. The upper flange 128 and the lower flange 130 are formed at an angle to one another (i.e., non-parallel), to form an upward sloping angle to the sideways U shape of the guide bands 112.

[0027] Some implementations of the accessory 100 may be adapted for use with a draper header 50 that is flexible. The header frame 52 may be divided into three portions that are movable relative to one another. The header frame 52 may include a center portion 68 and two movable wing portions 70, 72 pivotably coupled to opposing ends of the center portion 68. As the harvester moves through the field, the movable wing portions 70, 72 are able to move independently from each other to accommodate changes in the height of the ground between one end of the header 50 and the opposing end. As such, the merger frame 102 may be formed in three sections, a center merger section 102A, and two wing sections 102B, 102C. The center merger section 102A is coupled to the center portion 68 of the header frame 52, and the wing sections 102B, 102C are each coupled to one of the movable wing portions 70, 72. To this end, each of the center merger section 102A and the wing sections 102B, 102C may include a corresponding center frame strut 124 A and wing frame struts 124B, 124C.

[0028] Best shown in the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 11 and 12, the accessory 100 further includes one or more medial brackets 132 coupled to the merger frame 102. The medial brackets 132 are arranged along the length of the merger frame 102 between the first lateral side 104 and the second lateral side 106. More specifically, the medial brackets 132 are coupled to the frame strut 124 and arranged between the frame ribs 126 at several positions along the length of the merger frame 102. The medial bracket 132 is configured to be removably coupled to the cutterbar 56 of the header 50 to facilitate removably coupling the accessory 100 to the header 50. Here, the medial bracket 132 includes fasteners 134, such as a bolt, which secure the medial bracket 132 to the cutterbar 56. Alternative fasteners 134 may be utilized to facilitate coupling the merger frame 102 to the cutterbar 56.

[0029] Turning to FIGS. 5-7, the accessory 100 further includes an end bracket 136 coupled to the merger frame 102 for removably coupling the accessory 100 to the header 50. Here, the accessory 100 includes two end brackets 136, one end bracket 136 arranged at each of the first lateral side 104 and the second lateral side 106 of the merger frame 102. The end brackets 136 include a motor bracket 138 and a coupling plate 140. The motor bracket 138 is coupled to the frame strut 124 and supports a pickup mechanism 142, as will be discussed in further detail below. The coupling plate 140 is coupled to the motor bracket 138 opposite the frame strut 124. The coupling plate 140 is engageable with the pickup bracket 64 and selectively securable thereto to facilitate removably coupling the accessory 100 to the header 50. Said differently, to attach theaccessory 100 to the header 50, each of the coupling plates 140 is engaged with one of the pickup brackets 64 and secured thereto. To detach the accessory 100 from the header 50, each of the coupling plates 140 is unsecured from the respective pickup bracket 64, which allows the coupling plates 140 to be disengaged from the pickup brackets 64, thereby removing the accessory 100 from the header 50.

[0030] When operating in a field, the accessory 100 engages the cut crop, lifting the crop onto the draper belts 66, which transfer the crop for further processing. To effect lifting the crop onto the draper belts 66, the accessory 100 further includes a pickup mechanism 142. The pickup mechanism 142 includes one or more pickup rotor assemblies 144, a motor 146, and one or more rotary joints 148. The pickup rotor assemblies 144 are arranged in the interior 120 defined by the guide bands 112. The illustrated implementation of the accessory 100 includes three pickup rotor assemblies 144, each of which is supported for rotational movement by the merger frame 102. The pickup rotor assemblies 144 are arranged end to end and rotationally coupled to one another such that rotation of one of the pickup rotor assemblies 144 is transferred to the other pickup rotor assemblies 144. As mentioned above in connection with the frame strut 124, in order to facilitate operation with a draper header 50 having movable wing portions 70, 72, the pickup rotor assemblies 144 are similarly able to move relative to one another. The pickup rotor assemblies 144 are coupled to each other via the rotary joint 148, which transfers rotation of one pickup rotor assembly 144 to another pickup rotor assembly 144 positioned at a different angle. Here, the rotary joint 148 is a universal joint. Other implementations of the rotary joint 148 are contemplated, such as a constant velocity joint, or a flexible coupler formed from rubber, for example.

[0031] As mentioned above, each of the pickup rotor assemblies 144 is supported for rotational movement by the merger frame 102 and is operable to lift the cut crop onto the draper belts 66. A top of each of the pickup rotor assemblies 144 rotates toward the header 50 such that crop in front of the accessory 100 is lifted over the accessory 100 and moved rearward toward the draper belts 66. The pickup rotor assemblies 144 rotate clockwise when viewed from the angle of FIGS. 9-11. Best shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the pickup rotor assemblies 144 each include a rotor shaft 150, and the rotor shaft 150 may be constructed from a rotor beam 152 and several bars 154, which are coupled to the rotor beam 152. The rotor beam 152 illustrated herein is shown as an extruded beam having a four sided cross-sectional profile. One of the bars 154 is coupled to each of the four sides of the rotor beam 152. The pickup rotor assemblies 144 further include a series of fingers 156coupled to each of the bars 154 and arranged along the length of the rotor shaft 150. The fingers 156 are spaced from one another and in alignment with the gaps 114 between the guide bands 112. Because the fingers 156 are aligned with the gaps 114 between the guide bands 112, a portion of the fingers 156 is able to extend from the interior 120 and out of the gap 114 for engaging the crop. As the pickup rotor assemblies 144 rotate, the fingers 156 protrude through the gap 114 proximate to the second end portion 118 of the guide bands 112, move along the U shape of the guide bands 112 toward the first end portion 116, and recede into the interior 120.

[0032] With continued reference to FIGS. 9-11, each of the fingers 156 includes a resilient portion 158 and a crop engaging portion 160. The resilient portion 158 of each finger 156 is coupled to one of the bars 154 with the crop engaging portion 160 coupled to the resilient portion 158 at a proximal end and extending away from the rotor shaft 150 to a distal end. Each of the fingers 156 are formed from a metal wire that has been bent to form the resilient portion 158 and the crop engaging portion 160. Here, the crop engaging portion 160 may include a bend 162 formed between the proximal and distal ends of the crop engaging portion 160. Said differently, the crop engaging portion 160 may have a proximal segment adjacent to the resilient portion 158 and a distal segment spaced from the resilient portion 158. The proximal segment of the crop engaging portion 160 may be formed at a different angle than the distal segment of the crop engaging portion 160. More specifically, the bend 162 is oriented such that the distal segment of the crop engaging portion 160 is angled forwards in the direction of rotation of the rotor shaft 150. For example, the rotor shaft 150 shown in FIG. 11 rotates clockwise during operation, and the distal segment of the crop engaging portion 160 of the fingers 156 at the bottom of the accessory 100 is oriented away from the header 50, while the distal segment of the fingers 156 at the top of the accessory 100 are angled toward the header 50. Additionally, the bend 162 is configured such that the path of the distal segment as the crop engaging portion 160 recedes into the interior 120 is largely along axis of the distal segment. In other words, the crop engaging portion 160 is removed from the cut crop along the length of the distal segment rather than pinching cut crop between the crop engaging portion 160 and the guide bands 112.

[0033] The resilient portion 158 of the fingers 156 may include multiple coils of the metal wire that have been wound into a spring shape. The coils that form the resilient portion 158 are wound in a direction that is opposite to the direction of rotation of the rotor shaft 150. For example, the rotor shaft 150 shown in FIG. 11 rotates clockwise and the coils forming the resilient portion 158are wound counterclockwise. In this way, as the rotor shaft 150 rotates clockwise, if one of the fingers 156 strikes the ground or an obstacle it will tend to tighten the coils forming the resilient portion 158 without permanent deformation. Similarly, when a finger 156 strikes the ground or an obstacle, the coils of the resilient portion 158 are tightened in such a way that the distance from the respective crop engaging portion 160 to the axis of rotation of the rotor shaft 150 is reduced, which avoids a situation in which a deformed finger is more likely to strike the ground and become further deformed and damaged.

[0034] With renewed reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the motor 146 of the pickup mechanism 142 is supported by the motor bracket 138 and operatively coupled to the pickup rotor assembly 144 for providing rotational torque to the rotor shaft 150. Here, the motor 146 is a hydraulic motor capable of converting the energy from liquid (e.g., hydraulic fluid) pressure and flow into rotational torque. The motor 146 may include a coupler 164, as shown in FIG. 9. The coupler 164 is rotationally fixed to an output shaft of the motor 146 and configured to engage the rotor shaft 150 for transferring rotational torque thereto.

[0035] In the embodiment illustrated herein, the motor 146 may be fluidly coupled to a hydraulic circuit of the header 50, which is capable of supplying fluid pressure and flow sufficient to power the motor 146. For example, the motor 146 may be powered by a hydraulic circuit used to drive a vertical knife assembly (not shown) of the header 50, which is otherwise unused when the header 50 isn’t cutting crop. It is contemplated that the motor 146 can be configured to operate within a same variable pressure range as the vertical knife assembly so as to operate at different speeds in coordination with other functions of the header 50. For example, the pickup reels 58 may be powered by a separate hydraulic motor (not shown), and the speed of the pickup reels 58 may be controlled according to the speed the harvesting machine is driving through the field. When the accessory 100 is attached to the header 50, the rotational speed of the pickup rotor assembly 144 may be controlled as a function of the rotational speed of the pickup reels 58. For example, when the harvesting machine is driven at a higher speed through the field, the pickup reels 58 rotate more quickly, and because the pickup reels 58 are rotating more quickly the pickup rotor assembly 144 also rotates more quickly.

[0036] Best shown in FIG. 5, the accessory 100 may further include one or more side reel assemblies 166 for engaging cut crop beyond the lateral sides 104, 106 of the merger frame 102. Each side reel assembly 166 is coupled to the merger frame 102. More specifically, the side reelassembly 166 may be coupled to the coupling plate 140 of one of the end brackets 136. The side reel assemblies 166 each include a pickup spindle 168 and a pickup disc 170 rotationally supported on the pickup spindle 168 and positioned adjacent to one of the end brackets 136. The side reel assemblies 166 may further include a proximal arm 172 coupled to one of the coupling plates 140 and a distal arm 174 coupled to a distal end of the proximal arm 172. Each of the side reel assemblies 166 is adjustable to change the position and angle of the pickup disc 170. The distal arm 174 is pivotably coupled to the proximal arm 172 and configured to adjust a lateral position of the pickup disc 170. The lateral position of the pickup disc 170 may be moved toward or away from the pickup mechanism 142 and decreases or increases the width of the accessory 100 accordingly. Increasing the width of the accessory 100 may be advantageous when windrows are wider and / or spaced further apart to increase the amount of crop that can be processed by a single pass through the field. The pickup spindle 168 is pivotably coupled to the distal arm 174 and configured to adjust a vertical angle of the pickup disc 170. The vertical angle of the pickup disc 170 may be changed to position the pickup disc 170 more upright or more horizontal. The angle of the pickup disc 170 may increase or decrease crop engagement when the accessory 100 is used with various varieties of crop and in different conditions.

[0037] As mentioned above, the accessory 100 is configured to be attached to a header 50, which is otherwise configured to cut crops, and operated to pick up cut and windrowed crops, instead of cutting. In this way the accessory 100 allows a single header 50 to be reconfigured to perform a harvesting task that would otherwise require two separate headers. An operator attaches the accessory 100 to the header 50 by securing the coupling plates 140 to the pickup brackets 64 and coupling the medial brackets 132 to the cutterbar assembly 54 with the fasteners 134. Finally, hydraulic couplings (not shown) are engaged with the header 50 or the harvesting machine to operate the pickup mechanism 142 by providing fluid flow to the motor 146 for rotating the pickup rotor assembly 144 relative to the merger frame 102. In use, as the operator maneuvers the harvesting machine through a field of windrowed crops the header 50 and the accessory 100 are operated to pick up the crops. More specifically, operation of the header 50 includes rotating the pickup reels 58 and the draper belts 66 to move crops toward the middle of the header 50 for further processing. Operation of the accessory 100 includes rotating the pickup rotor assembly 144 with the motor 146. Rotation of the pickup rotor assembly 144 includes each of the rotor shafts 150 rotating about a longitudinal axis, which moves the fingers 156 to move through the gaps 114between each of the guide bands 112 for engagement with crop in front of and below the accessory 100. As the accessory 100 is moved toward the crop, motion of the fingers 156 lifts the crop off the ground and moves the crop toward the second end portion 118 of the guide bands 112. Once the crop has reached the second end portion 118 of the guide bands 112 the fingers 156 recede into the interior 120 of the accessory 100 such that the crop engaging portion 160 of the respective finger 156 is no longer engaged with the crop. The pickup reels 58 are positioned to engage crop on the upper side 108 of the merger frame 102, and rotation of the pickup reels 58 moves the crop from the upper side 108 of the merger frame 102 to the draper belts 66.

[0038] Several instances have been discussed in the foregoing description. However, the aspects discussed herein are not intended to be exhaustive or limit the disclosure to any particular form. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects without departing from the scope of the disclosure. The terminology that has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings and the disclosure may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A crop harvesting header comprising:a header frame configured to be coupled to a harvester;a cutterbar assembly operatively coupled to the header frame and extending across a front portion thereof;a draper belt operatively supported on the header frame and arranged behind the cutterbar assembly, wherein the draper belt is operable to move cut crops laterally across the header frame; anda merger assembly coupled to the header frame and arranged in front of the cutterbar assembly, wherein the merger assembly includes a pickup rotor supported for rotational operation, wherein the pickup rotor is operable to move cut crops from the ground onto the draper belt.

2. The crop harvesting header of claim 1, further comprising a reel support arm coupled to the header frame and a crop pickup reel rotatably supported on the reel support arm and arranged above the cutterbar assembly.

3. The crop harvesting header of claim 1 , wherein the merger assembly includes a merger frame having a first end bracket arranged on a first lateral side of the merger frame and a second end bracket arranged on a second lateral side of the merger frame.

4. The crop harvesting header of claim 3, wherein the header frame includes legs arranged on opposing lateral sides of the header and extending forward, wherein the legs include a pickup bracket configured to engage one of the first end bracket and the second end bracket to couple the merger frame to the header frame.

5. The crop harvesting header of claim 3, wherein the header frame includes a center portion and two movable wing portions pivotably coupled to opposing ends of the center portion, wherein the movable wing portions are configured to move independently from each other to accommodate changes in the height of the ground between one end of the header and the opposing end.

6. The crop harvesting header of claim 5, wherein the merger frame includes a center section and two movable wing sections each coupled to the center section, wherein the pickup rotor is further defined as three pickup rotors with one of the pickup rotors coupled to each of the center section and the two movable wing sections.

7. The crop harvesting header of claim 6, wherein the center section of the merger frame is coupled to the center portion of the header frame and the movable wing sections of the merger frame are each coupled to one of the movable wing portions of the header frame.

8. The crop harvesting header of claim 3, wherein the merger assembly further includes a plurality of guide bands arranged adjacent to one another with a gap defined therebetween, each of the guide bands having a first end portion coupled to an upper side of the merger frame and a second end portion coupled to a lower side of the merger frame, and wherein an interior is defined between the first end portions and the second end portions of the plurality of guide bands.

9. The crop harvesting header of claim 8, wherein the interior defined by the guide bands has a rear opening configured to receive the cutterbar assembly such that the cutterbar assembly is disposed in the interior when the merger assembly is coupled to the header frame.

10. The crop harvesting header of claim 8, wherein the merger assembly further includes a plurality of fingers coupled to the pickup rotor, wherein each of the plurality of fingers is arranged in spaced alignment with the gaps defined between adjacent guide bands such that a portion of each of the fingers moves through a respective one of the gaps when the pickup rotor is rotated.

11. An accessory for use with a crop harvesting header having a cutterbar, the accessory comprising:a merger frame configured to be removably coupled to the crop harvesting header, wherein the merger frame extends laterally between a first lateral side and a second lateral side and has an upper side and a lower side;a plurality of guide bands arranged adjacent to one another with a gap defined therebetween, each of the guide bands having a first end portion coupled to the upper side of the merger frame and a second end portion coupled to the lower side of the merger frame, whereinan interior is defined between the first end portions and the second end portions of the plurality of guide bands; anda pickup rotor rotatably supported on the merger frame and arranged in the interior of the plurality of guide bands.

12. The accessory of claim 11, wherein the accessory is a merger pickup configured to move previously cut crops from the ground onto the crop harvesting header for further processing.

13. The accessory of claim 11, further comprising two end brackets each coupled to the merger frame with one of the end brackets arranged at each of the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the merger frame, wherein the end brackets are configured to attach the accessory to the crop harvesting header.

14. The accessory of claim 13, further comprising a motor coupled to one of the end brackets and rotatably coupled to the pickup rotor, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the pickup rotor relative to the merger frame.

15. The accessory of claim 11, wherein the merger frame further includes a frame strut and a plurality of frame ribs coupled to the frame strut, wherein each of the guide bands is coupled to one on the frame ribs.

16. The accessory of claim 11, further comprising a medial bracket coupled to the merger frame and arranged between the first lateral side and the second lateral side, wherein the medial bracket is configured to be removably coupled to the cutterbar for removably coupling the accessory to the crop harvesting header.

17. The accessory of claim 11, wherein the interior defined by the guide bands has a rear opening oriented toward the crop harvesting header and configured to receive the cutterbar such that the cutterbar is disposed in the interior when the accessory is attached to the crop harvesting header.

18. The accessory of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of fingers coupled to the pickup rotor and axially spaced between the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the pickup rotor, wherein each of the plurality of fingers is arranged in spaced alignment with the gapsdefined between adjacent guide bands such that a portion of each of the fingers moves through a respective one of the gaps when the pickup rotor is rotated.

19. The accessory of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of fingers includes a resiliently flexible portion and a crop engaging portion, and wherein the resiliently flexible portion is coupled to the pickup rotor and the crop engaging portion protrudes therefrom.

20. The accessory of claim 19, wherein the crop engaging portion extends from a proximal portion adjacent to the resiliently flexible portion to a distal portion, and wherein the crop engaging portion includes a bend formed between the proximal portion and the distal portion.

21. The accessory of claim 11, further comprising a side reel assembly coupled to the merger frame, wherein the side reel assembly includes a pickup disc positioned adjacent to one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side.

22. The accessory of claim 21, wherein the side reel assembly further includes a proximal arm, a distal arm coupled to the proximal arm, and a pickup spindle coupled to the distal arm for rotatably supporting the pickup disc.

23. The accessory of claim 22, wherein the distal arm is pivotably coupled to the proximal arm and configured to adjust a lateral position of the pickup disc, and wherein the pickup spindle is pivotably coupled to the distal arm and configured to adjust a vertical angle of the pickup disc.

24. The accessory of claim 11, wherein the merger frame includes a center section and two movable wing sections each coupled to the center section, wherein the pickup rotor is further defined as three pickup rotors with one of the pickup rotors coupled to each of the center section and the two movable wing sections.

25. The accessory of claim 24, further comprising a rotary joint coupled between adjacent pickup rotors and configured to transfer rotation therebetween as the pickup rotors move relative to each other.

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