12
OPERATION
Draper Headers
As combine capacity has increased in recent years, a challenge
facing designers and operators was how to satisfy the appetite
of these machines with a grain platform. Sure, heads could
be made wider, but then they really need to “bend” to follow
variations in ground contour. The answer has been the return
of the draper
(see figure 12.1).
• In addition, drapers offer exceptionally gentle, smooth crop
flow to the feeder, and efficient “heads-first” feeding into the
rotor. This all adds up to 20% more capacity and productivity
(see figure 12.2).
• Case IH offers rigid drapers for applications (such as rice)
where the head will not be run on the ground, and flex-drapers
(for small grains and soybeans) where the head frequently is
operated at to near ground level.
• Flex-drapers are made up of three independently floating
header sections that allow 13" of vertical float at the ends of
the header, and 4.8 degrees of lateral float (12" at the end
of a 30' header)
• Split two-section reel follows header flex to maintain
consistent reel-to-knife adjustment for best crop feeding
• The header suspension allows complete adjustment. Refer
to specific adjustments found in the Operator’s Manual
Tests can be performed to confirm flotation settings prior to
entering the field.
• Cutter Bar Straightness
• Float (vertical) setting
• Wing Balance (smile/frown, right/left wing)
• Float Optimizer
During operation, the operator can make control adjustments:
• Float optimizer (controls ground pressure using automatic
height control)
• Hydraulic Guard Angle (controls stubble height and clearance
over rocks and ground trash)
• Combine Auto Header Height Setting (Float Optimizer)
• Decrease ground pressure if skid shoes are riding heavy,
pushing trash
• Increase ground pressure if header is riding up on stubble
• Optimizer gauge indicates the amount of ground pressure
For optimum performance, reel and draper adjustments
are critical:
• Reel position and speed should be set so the reel lightly
flicks the crop onto the drapers, while not impeding crop
flow across the header. This typically works out to a reel
speed about 10% faster than ground speed.
• Draper speed is not dependent on ground speed. Draper
speed should be set for a consistent windrow formation
entering the combine. Increased draper speed does not
equal increased capacity
(see figure 12.3).
Figure 12.1
Figure 12.2
Figure 12.3
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