Patent Application - Removable Corn Header Snout > Claims

1. A removable divider for a row unit of an agricultural header, said divider comprising outward and opposite extending portions configured to be detachably retained by mounting portions of a frame of said row unit, said divider retained by said mounting portions of said frame when said divider is in a first position relative said row unit for harvesting crop and said divider removable from said mounting portions when said divider is in a second position relative said row unit, said divider further comprising outward and parallel extending portions configured to abut said frame of said row unit when said divider is in said first position and to allow said divider to be removed from said row unit when said divider is in said second position.
- 2. The removable divider of claim 1 wherein said mounting portions of said frame of said row unit comprise receiving slots for receiving said outward and opposite extending portions.
  - 3. The removable divider of claim 2 wherein said slots are arched.
  - 4. The removable divider of claim 2 wherein said slots are open-ended.
    - 5. The removable divider of claim 4 wherein said slots at least partially define outward extending retaining tabs.
      - 6. The removable divider of claim 5 wherein said retaining tables extend forward from said frame of said row unit.
- 7. The removable divider of claim 1 wherein said outward and opposite extending portions are pins.
- 8. The removable divider of claim 1 wherein said outward and parallel extending portions abut a transverse cross member of said frame of said row unit to retain said divider to said frame of said row unit when said divider is in said first position.
  - 9. The removable divider of claim 8 wherein said outward and parallel extending portions avoid said cross member of said frame of said row unit to permit said divider to be removed from said row unit when said divider is in said second position.
  - 10. The removable divider of claim 8 wherein said cross member comprises a fold along its forward edge to define a transverse extending lip.
- 11. The removable divider of claim 1 wherein one end of a flexible member is coupled to said divider and an opposite end is detachably retained to said frame of said row unit to maintain said divider in said first position.
  - 12. The removable divider of claim 11 wherein said frame comprises a cross member and said cross member defines an opening for receiving and retaining said flexible member.
  - 13. The removable divider of claim 11 wherein said flexible member is a chain
14. A method for removably retaining a divider to a row unit of an agricultural header, said method comprising the steps of: a portion of said divider abutting a portion of said row unit while said divider is in a first position relative said row unit to retain said divider on said row unit for harvesting crops;pivoting said divider relative to said row unit into a second position so that said portion of said divider no longer abuts said portion of said row unit;as a result of said pivoting of said divider into said second position, removing said divider from said row unit while in said second position.
- 15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of receiving another portion of said divider in an open-end slot in said row unit wherein said other portion of said divider is retained in said slot while said divider is in said first position and wherein said other portion of said divider may be removed from said slot while said divider is in said second position.
- 16. The method of claim 14 wherein said pivoting step comprises pivoting a distal end of said divider downward relative said row unit.
- 17. The method of claim 14 wherein said abutting step comprises a frame portion of said divider abutting a frame portion of said row unit and wherein said pivoting step comprises pivoting said divider so that said frame portion of said divider no longer abuts said frame portion of said row unit.
- 18. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of providing a frame of said divider having at least one transverse pin and at least one stop portion, and providing a frame of said row unit with slots for receiving said pin, and wherein said abutting step comprises said stop portion abutting said row unit while said divider is in said first position relative said row unit to retain said divider on said row unit, and wherein said pivoting step comprises pivoting said divider between said first and second positions along a pivot axis corresponding with said pin in said slots and wherein said stop portion no longer abuts said row unit when said divider is in said second position, and wherein said removing step comprises removing said pin from said slots to remove said divider from said row unit.
  - 19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of sliding said pin up and down in said slots to pivot said divider between first and second positions.