Earth working – Sod cutter
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-30
2001-05-01
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)
Earth working
Sod cutter
C172S001000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223830
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method of harvesting sod using a sod harvester; that is, a machine for cutting strips of sod from the ground and automatically forming those strips into rolls.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A sod harvester usually has a horizontal blade which severs the sod from the ground at the desired thickness, in combination with two vertical side blades which cut the sod to the desired width. Thus, a continuous strip of sod is formed as the harvester travels along its cutting path. A vertical cutter blade periodically is driven into the sod adjacent the undercutting blade to sever the strip to length.
As the strip of sod is cut, it is conveyed away from the cutter blade, usually up an inclined conveyor, for forming into rolls. U.S. Pat. No. 3,509,944 (Brouwer et al.) discloses a prior art sod harvester which includes such an inclined conveyor, and in which the rolls of sod are formed adjacent the upper end of the conveyor. The sod harvester disclosed in the '944 patent is designed to be mounted at the side of a farm tractor, by which the harvester is propelled.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,130 (Brouwer et al.) discloses a self-propelled sod harvester. In this case, the harvester also includes an inclined conveyor but in this case, the strip of sod is delivered by the conveyor into a separate roll-forming enclosure which includes a pair of conveyors disposed generally at right angles to one another, for forming the roll. The formed rolls are discharged onto a cart at the end of the harvester which can convey the formed roll to either side of the cart and clear of the harvester on its next pass. The '130 patent also discloses a curved conveyor for discharging formed rolls clear of the harvester.
U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,827 (Dover, et al.) discloses a method of and apparatus for cutting sod in which a sheet of netting is inserted into the sod roll as it is formed.
The disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,509,944, 4,832,130 and Re. 34,827 are incorporated herein by reference.
Large rolls of sod produced by sod harvesters can be difficult to handle. For example, a large roll may be, say, four feet in diameter and, accordingly, will be relatively heavy. Mechanical equipment such as forklift trucks are required to handle and transport the rolls. At the site at which the sod is to be laid, the roll must be appropriately positioned and oriented so that it can be unrolled where the sod is required to be laid. Manipulating and moving the sod after it has been unrolled can be difficult.
Other methods of harvesting and handling sod include formation of small rolls or slabs of sod that are stacked and transported on pallets. While these methods are not as efficient in terms of manpower as methods in which the sod is harvested in large rolls, they do have the advantage that the individual rolls or slabs can easily be handled at the laying site and manoeuvred into place.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of harvesting sod that combines the advantages of various prior art methods.
The method of the invention involves the provision of a sod harvester which includes cutter means for forming a strip of sod as the harvester travels along a cutting path, and sod roll-forming means to which the strip of sod is delivered from the cutter means and which is adapted to form the strip of cut sod into a roll. A strip of sod is formed by causing the sod harvester to travel along the cutting path. The sod is perforated transversely with respect to the cutting path at intervals selected to form the strip into a series of defined end-to-end slabs of sod. The series of slabs of sod is delivered to the roll-forming means and formation of the roll is continued until the roll comprises a unitary structure of multiple layers of slabs of sod. This structure can be handled and transported to a laying site as a unit, and slabs can be removed individually from the structure for laying.
The invention combines the efficiency of mechanically forming sod into a large roll that can be handled and transported as a unit, with the ease of handling and manipulation of the sod at the laying site that is possible with small slabs of sod. A minimum of manual labour is required to form the rolls. The rolls can be transported and handled using forklift trucks or the like. At the laying site, the large roll can be tipped onto its side (so that the axis of the roll is generally upright) and the individual slabs of sod removed from the roll, transported and laid by hand.
The step of perforating the strip of sod transversely can be performed so as to completely sever the strip and form discrete slabs of sod. Alternatively, a series of separate perforations can be formed transversely of the strip so as to leave portions of the strip between the perforations that inter-connect successive slabs of sod. The perforations will be spaced and sized according to the strength of the sod so that the inter-connecting portions are adequate to maintain the integrity of the strip of sod during formation of the roll and subsequent transportation and handling of the roll.
In an embodiment in which the strip of sod is completely severed so as to form discrete slabs of sod, a wrapping material is continuously introduced in advance of the roll-forming means against the surface of the series of slabs of sod that will form the outer side of the roll in the roll-forming means. The formed roll then comprises a unitary structure of multiple layers of slabs of sod wrapped in the wrapping material. At the laying site, the wrapping material can easily be peeled away and the individual slabs of sod removed from the roll for laying.
Typically, the wrapping material will be a plastic netting that allows the sod to “breathe”.
The rolls of sod can be formed with the dirt side out in accordance with the teachings of the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/686,555 (the '555 application), or with the grass side out as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,130 (supra). The netting or other wrapping material is applied to whichever side of the series of slabs of sod will be at the exterior of the roll. In the case of the sod harvester of the '130 patent, therefore, the netting would be applied to the grass side of the slabs.
In this context, it is to be understood that the method of the invention is not restricted in its application to the sod harvester of either the '555 application or the '130 patent mentioned previously. Where the method is used with a harvester as disclosed in the '555 application, the roll-forming means need not comprise a pivotal roll-forming unit as disclosed in that application.
Preferably, the roll-forming means includes first and second linear conveyors arranged at a substantial angle with respect to one another so that the second conveyor in use causes the leading end portion of a leading slab in the series of slabs to tend to turn back on itself for forming a roll.
Preferably, the harvester also includes an intermediate conveyor that is inclined upwardly from the cutter means of the harvester to the roll-forming means, and the conveyors are driven at ground speed as disclosed in the '130 patent (supra) so that the slabs stay together with no spacing or only minimal spacing therebetween as they are formed into a roll.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 34827 (1995-01-01), Dover et al.
patent: 3590927 (1971-07-01), Brouwer et al.
patent: 4832130 (1989-05-01), Brouwer et al.
patent: 5775436 (1998-07-01), Noyes, II et al.
Kilpatrick & Stockton LLP
Pezzuto Robert E.
Russell Dean W.
Steiner Turf Equipment, Inc.
Sutcliffe Geoff L.
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