A corn header operates by precisely cutting corn stalks, allowing the cut stalks to fall to the ground while feeding the crop heads into an internal auger that transfers the corn into the combine's feeder house. This specialized piece of farm equipment is essential for efficient corn harvesting.
Understanding the Corn Header's Function
A corn header is the front attachment on a combine harvester specifically designed for harvesting row crops, primarily corn. Its main purpose is to gather the standing crop, separate the grain-bearing ears (crop heads) from the stalks, and feed these heads into the combine for further processing (threshing, separating, and cleaning).
The Operational Mechanism of a Corn Header
The process of a corn header is designed for efficiency, ensuring that only the valuable corn ears are collected while the unwanted stalk material is left in the field. The core mechanism involves a sequence of actions:
Key Stages of Operation
- Stalk Cutting and Disposal: As the combine moves through the field, the corn header is equipped with mechanisms to cut the stalks. Importantly, once cut, the cut stalks fall to the ground. This critical step ensures that the bulky, non-grain-bearing parts of the plant do not enter the combine, streamlining the harvesting process and returning organic matter to the soil.
- Crop Head Collection: Simultaneously, specialized components within the header work to gather the crop heads (the ears of corn). These heads are then efficiently fed into the auger at the back of the header. This collection process focuses solely on the part of the plant containing the desired grain.
- Grain Transfer to Combine: Once the crop heads are in the header's auger, this rotating screw mechanism plays a vital role. The auger swiftly transfers the corn into the combine's feeder house. The feeder house acts as the entry point into the main combine body, where the corn ears will undergo further processing, including shelling the kernels from the cobs and cleaning them.
Applications and Suitability
The design of corn headers makes them highly effective for specific agricultural applications. They are particularly adept at harvesting crops where the primary goal is to collect the grain, and the stalks are not needed for subsequent uses (like silage or fodder).
Common Crops Harvested
- Corn: As the name suggests, corn is the primary crop for which these headers are designed, optimizing the separation of ears from stalks.
- Soybeans: Corn headers are also suitable for row crops where stalks aren't needed, which includes soybeans. Their design efficiently gathers soybean pods while leaving the plant residue in the field.
