US 10,368,501 B2 · Sod positioning machine with sod hold down member

Abstract

An apparatus for a vehicle used for positioning sod strips includes a structure for mounting on the vehicle frame and a pushing plate slidably mounted to the structure. The pushing plate is arranged to be abuttable to an edge of a sod strip. A plurality of guide arms extend outwardly of the pushing plate to overlie a sod strip being positioned to prevent upward buckling of the sod strip. A pair of cylinders are operatively mounted between the structure and the pushing plate to slide the pushing plate away from the structure to laterally shift a sod strip to tighten up seams between adjacent sod strips. The pushing plate slides in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the straight ahead driving direction of the vehicle.

Claims23

Dependent claims

An apparatus for positioning sod strips, comprising:

a mounting structure for mounting on a vehicle;
a pushing plate assembly slidably mounted to the mounting structure, the pushing plate assembly having a vertical sod plate arranged to be abuttable to a vertical edge of a newly placed sod strip that has already been placed flat on the ground, and an overlying structure mounted to move with the vertical sod plate and which overlies the newly placed sod strip to an extent sufficient to prevent buckling upward of the newly placed sod strip during movement of the pushing plate assembly while positioning the newly placed sod strip;
at least one actuator operatively mounted between the mounting structure and the pushing plate assembly to slide the pushing plate assembly away from the mounting structure to position the newly placed sod strip.

An apparatus for positioning sod strips, comprising:

a mounting structure for mounting on a vehicle;
a pushing plate assembly slidably mounted to the structure, the pushing plate assembly having a vertical sod plate arranged to be abuttable to a vertical edge of a newly placed sod strip that has already been placed flat on the ground, and an overlying structure mounted to move with the vertical sod plate and which overlies the newly placed sod strip to an extent sufficient to prevent buckling upward of the newly placed sod strip during movement of the pushing plate assembly while positioning the newly placed sod strip;
at least one actuator operatively mounted between the mounting structure and the pushing plate assembly to slide the pushing plate assembly away from the mounting structure to position the newly placed sod strip;
wherein the at least one actuator exerts a force on the pushing plate that has a force direction having a lateral component and a vertical downward component.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Sod positioning machine with sod hold down member

Life of this patent

Sod positioning machine with sod hold down member

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23