US3672452A — Apparatus for harvesting sod

Claim 1

Independent Claim 252 words

An ambulatory sod harvesting apparatus comprising a frame a wheel supported axle mounted transversely to said frame near the fore and aft portions thereof, a cutter head assembly including at least one knife, said assembly supported from said frame and operable to place said knife in contact with the sod for separating a strip of sod from the ground, a first means supported from said frame rearwardly of said knife for assisting in the movement a strip of sod cut by said knife rearwardly the direction of travel of said cutter head, an intermediate conveying means supported from said frame above said first means for conveying said strip in a substantially upwards direction without breaking up said strip into pieces, said intermediate conveying means having at least one endless belt means moving to accept said sod strip from said first means to convey same in said generally upwards direction, a severing means supported from said frame for severing said sod strip into sod pads of uniform preselected lengths, a third conveying means supported from said frame for conveying said sod strip from said intermediate conveying means into operative proximity with said severing means, said third conveying means angularly oriented from said intermediate conveying means to direct said sod strip substantially rearwardly towards said severing means, and an inclined discharge chute supported from said frame and in communicating relationship with said third conveying means enabling said severed pad to slide downwardly thereon to a work station for the loading of said severed pads.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 252 words

An ambulatory sod harvesting apparatus comprising a frame a wheel supported axle mounted transversely to said frame near the fore and aft portions thereof, a cutter head assembly including at least one knife, said assembly supported from said frame and operable to place said knife in contact with the sod for separating a strip of sod from the ground, a first means supported from said frame rearwardly of said knife for assisting in the movement a strip of sod cut by said knife rearwardly the direction of travel of said cutter head, an intermediate conveying means supported from said frame above said first means for conveying said strip in a substantially upwards direction without breaking up said strip into pieces, said intermediate conveying means having at least one endless belt means moving to accept said sod strip from said first means to convey same in said generally upwards direction, a severing means supported from said frame for severing said sod strip into sod pads of uniform preselected lengths, a third conveying means supported from said frame for conveying said sod strip from said intermediate conveying means into operative proximity with said severing means, said third conveying means angularly oriented from said intermediate conveying means to direct said sod strip substantially rearwardly towards said severing means, and an inclined discharge chute supported from said frame and in communicating relationship with said third conveying means enabling said severed pad to slide downwardly thereon to a work station for the loading of said severed pads.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 22 words

The invention as in claim 1 wherein said cutter head assembly includes a means for reciprocating said knife for sod cutting purposes.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 73 words

The invention as in claim 1 wherein said assembly includes a horizontally oriented elongate knife and a vertically oriented knife affixed at each end thereof, said horizontally oriented knife operable to cut the sod strip from the ground at an angle parallel to the plane of the surface of the ground with said vertically oriented knives making a cut at each end thereby facilitating the cutting of the sod into a continuous strip.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 62 words

The invention as in claim 3 wherein said cutter assembly includes a spring biased gauge wheel mounted forwardly of said knife, said gauge wheel having its lower surface contacting the ground under the force of said spring immediately forwardly of said knife and operable to assist in maintaining a uniform cutting depth as said apparatus cuts said sod into a continuous strip.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 105 words

The invention as in claim 1 wherein said first assisting means includes a plurality of inclined rods extending from said frame to a position immediately adjacent the rear of said knife, a tine cylinder rotatably supported from said frame and positioned for tined conveying relative to the top surface of said plurality of rods, a packing spring member supported by said frame adjacent the lower rear surface of said tine cylinder and extending upwardly therefrom, said tine cylinder, said plurality of inclined rods, and said packing spring member cooperating to convey the sod strip from the cutter head assembly into operative relationship with said flail.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 48 words

The invention as in claim 5 wherein said flail is comprised of a plurality of rubber fingers rotatively supported from said frame, said fingers having a selected radial length to facilitate the striking and knocking off of excess soil thicknesses on the under side of said soil strip.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 55 words

The invention as in claim 1 wherein said third conveying means includes a plurality of notched disks mounted for rotation on a plurality of shafts supported from said frame, the longitudinal center line of each shaft lying in the same horizontal plane and transversely oriented relative to the direction of movement of said sod strip.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 47 words

The invention as in clAim 7 wherein said notched disks comprise at least three sections of said third conveying means, all of said sections having their upper surfaces in the same plane, and means for successively increasing the rotative speeds of said sections from fore to aft.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 82 words

The invention as in claim 7 wherein said strip is conveyed on the upper surfaces of said notched disks and wherein said severing means includes a combination rotary knife and rolling mandrel in vertical alignment, the end extremity of said knife rotatively positionable in close proximity to the upper surface of said mandrel, said notched disks operable to convey said sod strip between said knife and said mandrel, said rotary knife severing said strip into sod pads with every complete rotation thereof.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 116 words

The invention as in claim 7 including a sod pad folding mechanism located on the aft side of said severing means, said folding mechanism including a rotative shaft supported from said frame and positioned in substantially the same plane as the upper surfaces of said disks, a plurality of rods connected to said shaft and extending to the aft portion of said second conveyor, and means for rotating said shaft to result in an upward flipping motion of said rods in timed relationship with the position of said rotary knife, said rods thereby folding said severed pads in half, said disks operative to continue to convey said folded pads toward the aft portion of said apparatus.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 88 words

The invention as in claim 1 wherein said pad supporting means includes a roller bed capable of carrying a pallet with sod pads stacked thereon, said roller bed supported for vertical movement relative to said frame, means for vertically adjusting the height of said roller bed with respect to said frame and means for tilting the roller bed downwardly from fore to aft when said roller bed is so positioned, said tilting of said roller bed thereby providing a gravity discharge chute for said sod pad carrying pallet.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 88 words

The invention as in claim 11 wherein said roller bed includes a pivotal catch mechanism for locking said pallet on said roller bed, said mechanism having its aft portion extending upwardly through said roller bed and engaging said pallet when said roller bed is raised above said lowest position, the forward portion of said mechanism operable to contact a fixed stop supported from said frame, thereby pivoting said aft portion of said catch mechanism out of contact with said pallet when said roller bed assumes said lowest position.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 43 words

The combination as in claim 1 including a flail, means for rotating said flail, said flail supported from said frame and operable to knock off excess soil thicknesses from the underside of said strip prior to said strip being severed into sod pads.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 33 words

The combination as in claim 13 including means for applying pressure on the sides of said strip to provide uniform tension thereupon as said sod strip comes into operative contact with said flail.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 51 words

The combination as in claim 1 wherein said third conveying means includes a plurality of notched discs mounted for rotation on a plurality of shafts supported from said frame, and means for rotating said notched discs in a direction to facilitate the conveying of said sod strips toward said severing means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 28 words

The combination as in claim 15 wherein said device includes a means supported from said frame and in proximity with said notched discs for folding said sod pads.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-06-27	1975-12-27	1976-06-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-06-27	1979-12-27	1980-06-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-06-27	1983-12-27	1984-06-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus for harvesting sod

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