A crop lifter for harvesting machine reaping systems with reaping fingers (2). The crop lifter (2) has a support bar (6). An attachment element (10) is mounted on, and connected to the support bar (6). The attachment element (10) retains the crop lifter on the reaping finger (2) in different alignment positions. The attachment element (10) comprises a holding element (11) with two distanced legs (12). The tip of the reaping finger (2) can be inserted between the legs (12). A retaining lever (16) is supported between the two legs (12) on a pivot pin (15). The retaining lever (16) has a first lever arm (17) with an adjusting screw (20). The adjustment screw (20) can be brought into contact with the upper side of the reaping finger (2). A second lever arm (18) of the retaining lever (16) has two retaining faces (24, 24a). A retaining element, in the form of a leaf spring (25) has a front face (26). The front face (26), depending on the pivoting position of the retaining lever (16) contacts one of the retaining faces (24, 24a). This retains the retaining lever (16), so that the support bar (6) can be brought in reference to the reaping finger (2) into different rough approximate positions. The positions can then be finely adjusted by turning the adjustment screw (20).
A flexing crop lifter apparatus includes a finger recess portion configured to receive a forward end of a guard finger, and a securing portion is adapted for attachment to the cutting header. A ski mounting plate extends rearward and downward from the finger recess portion under an attached guard finger. A ski member is attached at a rear end thereof to a rear end of the ski mounting plate and extends forward under the ski mounting plate and curves upward at a front end thereof. A lifting arm extends rearward from the front end of the ski member back and over a knife of the cutting header when the apparatus is attached to the guard finger. The ski member and the ski mounting plate are configured to flex.
