Patent Application
20090107775
The invention relates to sod harvesting. More particularly, the invention relates to machines and methods for harvesting, transporting, and transferring sod.
In a number of areas, grass lawns are constructed from transplanted sod rather than being grown from seed. Sod is harvested from the ground in squares or rolls using specialized cutting machines. When harvested as squares, several layers of the individual sod squares are stacked on a pallet at a site adjacent to the harvest location. Conventional forklift trucks are then used to transport the palletized stacked sod from the field to the bed of a flatbed truck for transport to an end-user. Unfortunately, because conventional forklift trucks are ill-suited for transporting sod from the field to a truck, use in this manner causes undue wear and tear on the forklift trucks and increases the cost of running a sod harvesting operation.
The invention relates to the development of a machine specifically designed to efficiently transport palletized stacked sod from the field to the bed of a flatbed truck for transport to an end-user. In one arrangement, the sod harvesting machine of the invention includes a tractor having a first frame, a second frame, a front sod carriage having a first lift member, a rear sod carriage, an elevated platform, and a second lift member. The elevated platform can be supported by vertical support members connected to the first frame. The first and second frames, front and rear sod carriages, elevated platform, and vertical support members form a sod storage compartment into which pallets of stacked sod are mechanically conveyed for transport to an unloading location. The first lift member may be a low vertical lift for lifting the pallet off the ground and mechanically conveying the pallet via conveyor chains to the rear sod carriage which also includes conveyor chains. The second frame may be telescopically and slidably engaged by the first frame so that the length of the tractor and its sod storage compartment may be extended to accommodate additional pallets of stacked sod. The conveyor chains of the front and rear sod carriages are reversible in direction so that pallets may be loaded and unloaded. The second lift member can be a high vertical lift for lifting pallets unloaded from the sod storage compartment onto a truck for shipment.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods, materials, and equipment similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods, materials, and equipment are described below. All publications, patent applications, patents and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In the case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions will control.
Referring now to
The first frame 20 may include a hollow longitudinal first front frame member 24a and a hollow longitudinal second front frame member 24b. In other embodiments, the first frame 20 may include more than two front frame members. The first and second front frame members 24a and 24b may be interconnected at one or more locations by one or more crossbars 28. The front frame members 24a and 24b may each have an open end 56a and 56b. The open ends 56a and 56b each include an aperture 58a and 58b leading into a longitudinal recess 60a and 60b formed within their respective front frame members 24a and 24b. For example, the first front frame member 24a may include a first open end 56a having a first aperture 58a that opens into a first longitudinal recess 60a, and the second front frame member 24b may include a second open end 56b having a second aperture 58b that opens into a second longitudinal recess 60b.
The second frame 22 of the tractor 10 can include a longitudinal first rear frame member 26a and a longitudinal second rear frame member 26b. In other embodiments, the second frame 22 may include more than two rear frame members. The first and second rear frame members 26a and 26b may be solid or hollow and are sized and shaped for insertion into the apertures 58a and 58b and longitudinal recesses 60a and 60b of the first and second front frame members 24a and 24b. The rear frame members 26a and 26b of the second frame 22 can be interconnected at one end by a crossbar 30. In other embodiments, the first and second rear frame members 26a and 26b may be interconnected at a plurality of locations by multiple crossbars. Each rear frame member 26a and 26b includes a free end 62a and 62b. The second frame 22 may be telescopically engaged by the first frame 20. For example, the free end 62a of the first rear frame member 26a can be slidably received into and engaged by the first longitudinal recess 60a of the first front frame member 24a. The second frame's first rear frame member 26a can be received into the first longitudinal recess 60a through the first aperture 58a of the first frame 20. Similarly, the free end 62b of the second frame's second rear frame member 26b can be received into the second longitudinal recess 60b through the second aperture 58b of the first frame 20. Thus, the front frame members 24a and 24b slidably engage the rear frame members 26a and 26b to permit the length of the chassis 18 to be adjusted as needed. The sod harvester 10 may include mechanical or hydraulic means for retracting and extending the rear frame members 26a and 26b into and out of the longitudinal recesses 60a and 60b through apertures 58a and 58b of the front frame members 24a and 24b.
A front wheel assembly 64 may be connected to the front axle 32 of the tractor 10 and a rear wheel assembly 66 may be connected to the rear axle 34. In an exemplary embodiment, the front wheel assembly 64 may include two wheels attached to the front axle 32 while the rear wheel assembly 66 can include a single wheel attached to the rear axle 34. The rear wheel assembly 66 can be mechanically connected to a steering motor 68 that may be mounted on the second frame 22. In an alternate embodiment, the front wheel assembly 64 may include more than two wheels, for example, four wheels. In another alternate embodiment, the rear wheel assembly 66 may include more than one wheel, for example, two wheels.
The front sod carriage 36 can be disposed between the first and second front frame members 24a and 24b and can include the first lift member 38. The first lift member 38 can include at least two prong members 40a and 40b. The first lift member 38 can be an interior forklift capable of performing low vertical lifting of pallets of stacked sod 12 off the ground and mechanically conveying the pallets one at a time via conveyor chains 70 to the rear of the sod storage compartment 52. The conveyor chains 70 are movably mounted on the prong members 40a and 40b of the first lift member (interior forklift) 38. Each prong member 40a and 40b of the interior forklift 38 may include one or more conveyor chains 50 installed longitudinally down the length of the prong. In an exemplary embodiment, the interior forklift 38 includes a low vertical lift. In another embodiment, the interior forklift 38 can be fixed in position with no vertical lifting ability.
The rear sod carriage 42 may also be disposed between the first and second front frame members 24a and 24b. The rear sod carriage 42 further includes at least two horizontal support members 44a and 44b that may include conveyor chains 70. In one embodiment, each horizontal support member 44a and 44b includes one or more conveyor chains 70 installed longitudinally down the length of the horizontal support member. The horizontal support members 44a and 44b of the rear sod carriage 42 can be slidably connected to the prong members 40a and 40b of the front sod carriage 36 so as to receive the pallets of stacked sod 12 as they are moved by the conveyor chains 70 of the front sod carriage toward the rear of the sod storage compartment 52. The horizontal support members 44a and 44b and prong members 40a and 40b may be arranged and connected in parallel. The slidable engagement of the front sod carriage 36 and the rear sod carriage 42 permit the length of the sod storage compartment 52 to be extended and retracted as needed.
The conveyor chains 70 of one or both of the front sod carriage 36 and the rear sod carriage 42 can be reversible in direction to permit the pallets of stacked sod 12 to be moved both into and out of the sod storage compartment 52.
The horizontal elevated platform 46 of the tractor 10 may be supported by the support frame 54. The support frame 54 may include several vertical support members 54a-f. A seat 74, steering controls 76, forklift controls 78, and an engine 80 can be mounted to a top surface 48 of the elevated platform 46.
The second lift member 50, which can be a front forklift 50, can be attached to the first frame 20 of the adjustable-length chassis 18 for lifting individual pallets of stacked sod 12 onto the bed 16 of the flatbed truck 14. The second lift member 50 may include a first prong 51a and a second prong 51b as shown in
In operation, the tractor 10 can be driven into alignment with a pallet of stacked sod 12 as shown in
Once loaded with 4-5 pallets of stacked sod, the tractor 10 can be driven from the field to an unloading location which can be an area or field 13 adjacent to a flatbed truck 14. With the front forklift (second lift member) 50 raised or removed, each of the pallets of stacked sod 12 are mechanically disgorged from the tractor's sod storage compartment 52 by reversing the direction of movement of the conveyor chains 70. The interior forklift 38 may be used to lower each pallet of stacked sod 12 onto the ground. Referring now to
It is to be understood that while the invention has been described in conjunction with the detailed description thereof, the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims. For example, the machine described herein can be used or adapted for use in transported palletized goods aside from sod. Other aspects, advantages, and modifications are within the scope of the following claims.
