Sod handler

a sod handler and sod technology, applied in the field of sod harvester, can solve the problems of difficult handling, more difficult to transfer unrolled or flat sod slabs than compact sod rolls,

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-05-18
TREBRO HLDG
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] Briefly, the invention includes a sod handling method and a sod handling apparatus. In one embodiment the sod handling apparatus uses a pressure differential to hold a sod slab during sod transfer, other embodiments include a sod lift member for lifting sod, a sod transport mechanism for moving sod; a sod carriage for transporting sod, a sod bed positioning system for stacking sod, a system and method for checking sod quality as well as an apparatus and method of machine stacking sod to maintain the integrity of a sod stack with each of the sod handling apparatus useable in a sod harvester.

Problems solved by technology

One of the difficulties with handling sod slabs in an unrolled condition is that it is sometimes more difficult to transfer an unrolled or flat sod slab as opposed to a compact sod roll since the integrity of sod slab is affected by numerous factors including the type and amount of grass roots in the soil, the adherence of soil particles to each other and the adherence of the soil particles to the grass roots in the sod slab.
However, if the hooks are not properly applied to a roll of sod the sod roll can unwind or the sod can tear making it difficult to handle.

Method used

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Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0048]FIG. 1 is a side view of a sod harvester 10 including an agricultural tractor 11. In general, the sod harvester 10 cuts sod slabs, removes sod slabs from a conveyor, transfers and stacks the sod slabs on a pallet while simultaneously monitoring sod slab quality and the sod receiving position of the pallet.

[0049] The sod harvester 10 includes a power source such as an agricultural tractor 11 which is used to power a sod cutting mechanism 12 and an elevator 13 for elevating the cut sod slabs from the sod cutting mechanism 12 to a sod transfer mechanism 14. Sod cutting mechanism 12 and the sod elevator 13 for elevating slabs of sod in a sod harvester which is either self propelled or pulled by an agricultural tractor are known in the art and are not described herein.

[0050] After the sod harvester cuts the sod slabs from the sod field the sod slabs are delivered to a conveyor 20 in the sod transfer mechanism 14 where a sod quality monitoring system including a sensor 19 determin...

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PUM

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Abstract

A sod handling method and a sod handling apparatus, in one embodiment the sod handling apparatus uses a pressure differential to hold a sod slab during sod transfer, other embodiments include a sod lift member for lifting sod, a sod transport mechanism for moving sod; a sod carriage for transporting sod, a sod bed positioning system for stacking sod, a system and method for checking sod quality as well as an apparatus and method of machine stacking sod to maintain the integrity of a sod stack.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority from provisional patent application titled Sod Transfer Mechanism Ser. No. 60 / 628,053 filed Nov. 15, 2004.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates generally to sod harvesting, and more specifically, to a sod harvester, a sod transfer mechanism, a sod lift mechanism, a sod transfer mechanism, a sod bed positioning system, a sod quality monitor, with the method including a method of transferring sod using a pressure differential to support a sod slab and a method of machine stacking sod slabs. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0003] None REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX [0004] None BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0005] The use of a sod harvesting machine to cut slabs of sod from a sod field and then prepare the sod slabs for transport to a work site is known in the art. Once the sod slab is at the work site the sod slabs are laid down on top of the soil to enable t...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A01B45/04
CPCA01B45/045A01G20/15
Inventor TVETENE, MICHAELTVETENE, DONALDTVETENE, GREGG
Owner TREBRO HLDG
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