The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 05, 1996
Filed:
Jun. 06, 1995
Vernon J Worrel, Mahtomedi, MN (US);
Brian L Bouchard, West Kingston, RI (US);
Scott Kaercher, Blaine, MN (US);
Jerry Anderson, Somerset, WI (US);
James Stewart, Shoreview, MN (US);
Turfco Manufacturing, Incorporated, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
A sod harvesting apparatus (10) is disclosed including a cut-off device (14), a cutting unit (16) and a roll-up and core carrying device (18) mounted to a tractor (12). The cut-off device (14) includes an H-shaped slide (20) including a blade (26) pivotably attached thereto, slideably movable in tubes (30) from a cutting position to a raised position against the bias of springs (32) in the tubes (30) by a hydraulic cylinder (36), and latched in the raised position by a mechanism (38). The cutting unit (16) includes a blade assembly (66) pivotably mounted to a frame (52) and vibrated at a high frequency and low amplitude by vibrating devices (84) mounted on the frame (70) of the blade assembly (66). A roller drum (90) extends between first and second lever arms (92) pivotably mounted to the frame (52) and pivoted by electric actuators (96). The roll-up device (18) includes first and second arms (110,112) carrying cone-shaped spindles (120) pivotably mounted to the opposite ends of a bar (114). The first arm (110) is pivoted by a hydraulic cylinder (126) and the second arm (112) is simultaneously pivoted by a rod (122) having a first end pivotably mounted to the first arm (110) on the side of the pivot axis (116) opposite the spindle (120) and a second end pivotably mounted to the second arm (112) on the same side of the pivot axis (116) as the spindle (120).