Apparatus for extracting plant specie and a method thereof

Abstract

An apparatus for extracting plant species of varying heights and varying diameters adapted to be mounted on a conventional land vehicle includes a frame and an extracting member rigidly attached to and extends outwardly from a bottom edge of the frame. The extracting member includes a first elongated extracting portion having a knife-like free end, a pair of second extracting portions each positioned adjacent a respective edge of the first elongated extracting portion and having a cutting edge formed generally perpendicular to the respective edge of the first elongated extracting portion, and a pair of third extracting portions each connecting an end of the cutting edge of the second extracting portion with a respective end of the bottom edge of the frame. A pair of elongated member are attached to the rear surface of the frame for attaching it to the land vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for extracting bushes, shrubs and trees of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, illustrating the attachment and deflection means of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus for extracting bushes, shrubs and trees along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, illustrating the root damaging means of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, particularly illustrating the use of such apparatus for extracting bushes, shrubs and trees of the present invention

Claims

1. An apparatus for extracting a preselected plant species of varying heights and varying diameters which is adapted to be mounted on a conventional land vehicle, said apparatus comprising: (a) a frame;(b) an extracting means rigidly attached to and extending outwardly from a bottom edge of said frame for engaging and extracting such preselected plant specie, said extracting means including a first extracting portion having a knife-like free end; and(c) an attachment means for attaching said frame to such land vehicle.

2. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said extracting means includes at least one second extracting portion which is positioned adjacent an edge of said first extracting portion and which has a cutting edge thereof formed generally perpendicular to said edge of said first extracting portion.

3. The apparatus, according to claim 2, wherein said cutting edge includes a plurality of pointed tooth-like projections disposed in side by side relation, said tooth-like projections having first and second tapered elongated side edges with the ends of said side edges of adjacent tooth-like projections converging so as to form V-shaped openings between said adjacent tooth-like projections.

4. The apparatus, according to claim 2, wherein said extracting means further includes at least one third extracting portion connecting an end of said cutting edge of said second extracting portion with a respective end of said bottom edge of said frame.

5. The apparatus, according to claim 4, wherein said second extracting portion has a curvilinear outer edge.

6. The apparatus, according to claim 4, wherein said extracting means further includes at least one tooth formed at an end of said third extracting portion which is disposed adjacent said respective end of said bottom edge of said frame.

7. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said extracting means includes a pair of second extracting portions each positioned adjacent a respective edge of said first extracting portion and having a cutting edge formed generally perpendicular to said respective edge of said first extracting portion.

8. The apparatus, according to claim 7, wherein said extracting means further includes a pair of third extracting portion each connecting an end of said cutting edge of said second extracting portion with a respective end of said bottom edge of said frame.

9. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said extracting means further includes means rigidly attached to an upper surface of said first extracting portion and adjacent said knife-like free end thereof for damaging a root portion of such plant specie.

10. The apparatus, according to claim 9, wherein said root damaging means includes an elongated member which is disposed at a predetermined angle relative to said upper surface and is oriented toward said frame.

11. The apparatus, according to claim 9, wherein said elongated member includes a bevel which is formed in a free end thereof and which is oriented toward said upper surface of said first extracting portion.

12. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus further includes a vertically positioned reinforcing rib which is attached to said upper surface of said first extracting portion and to a front surface of said frame.

13. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus further includes a deflector means attached to an upper edge of said frame for deflecting such preselected plant specie away from such land vehicle.

14. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said first extracting portion is an elongated member.

15. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said knife-like free end is formed by a pair of side edges which converge to an apex.

16. The apparatus, according to claim 15, wherein each side edge is beveled.

17. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein such land vehicle is a skid-steer loader and such attachment means includes a first elongated member which is attached at a predetermined angle to a rear surface of said frame and adjacent an upper edge thereof and a second elongated member which is attached to said rear surface of said frame and adjacent said bottom edge thereof for engaging an implement mounting portion of such skid-steer loader.

18. An apparatus for extracting a preselected plant species of varying heights and varying diameters which is adapted to be mounted on land vehicle, said apparatus comprising: (a) a frame;(b) an extracting means rigidly attached to and extending outwardly from a bottom edge of said frame, said extracting means including: (i) a first elongated extracting portion having a knife-like free end,(ii) a pair of second extracting portions each positioned adjacent a respective edge of said first elongated extracting portion and having a cutting edge formed generally perpendicular to said respective edge of said first elongated extracting portion, and(iii) a pair of third extracting portions each connecting an end of said cutting edge of said second extracting portion with a respective end of said bottom edge of said frame; and(c) an attachment means for attaching said frame to such land vehicle.

19. A method of extracting a preselected plant species of varying heights and varying diameters, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an apparatus which is attached to a land vehicle and which has an elongated extracting member extending outwardly relative to said land vehicle;(b) positioning, by way of said land vehicle, said elongated extracting member at a predetermined angle relative to a ground surface.(c) inserting a free end of said elongated extracting member into said ground surface and adjacent a root portion of said plant specie;(d) thrusting, by way of said land vehicle, said elongated extracting member into said root portion and under said plant specie; and(e) lifting, by way of said land vehicle, said elongated extracting member to extract said cut root portion from said ground surface.