US 11,304,386 B2 · Sod roll stacking head

Abstract

A stacking head for stacking rolls of sod can include a number of screw assemblies that are employed to secure and remove sod rolls from a stacking conveyor. Each screw assembly can include a center stake and a corkscrew that pierce a roll as the stacking head is forced into the roll. The rate at which the stacking head is moved vertically relative to the roll can be synchronized with the rate at which each screw assembly is rotated. This synchronization ensures that the corkscrew will pass into the roll while the stacking head is simultaneously forced into the roll without damaging the delicate sod.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for operating a stacking head of a sod harvester, the stacking head including a plurality of screw assemblies where each screw assembly comprises a corkscrew, the method comprising:

detecting that a plurality of rolls of sod have been accumulated for stacking;
driving the stacking head towards the rolls of sod at a first rate to cause each corkscrew to pierce one of the rolls of sod;
while driving the stacking head towards the rolls of sod at the first rate, rotating the corkscrews at a second rate that is synchronized with the first rate such that the corkscrews are advanced into the rolls of sod by both driving the stacking head towards the rolls and rotating the corkscrews, wherein rotating the corkscrews at the second rate that is synchronized with the first rate comprises causing each corkscrew's relative vertical displacement due to rotation to match the stacking head's vertical displacement.

A stacker assembly for use on a sod harvester to stack rolls of sod, the stacker assembly comprising:

a stacking head that is configured to move vertically relative to a stacking conveyor on which rolls of sod are accumulated, the stacking head including a plurality of screw assemblies, each screw assembly comprising a corkscrew that extends downwardly from the stacking head;
circuitry for controlling the stacking head, the circuitry being configured to cause the stacking head to be driven towards the rolls of sod at a first rate and to cause each corkscrew to be rotated at a second rate that is synchronized with the first rate such that the corkscrews are advanced into the rolls of sod by both driving the stacking head towards the rolls and rotating the corkscrews, the circuitry rotating the corkscrews at the second rate that is synchronized with the first rate comprises to cause each corkscrew's relative vertical displacement due to rotation to match the stacking head's vertical displacement.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Sod roll stacking head

Life of this patent

Sod roll stacking head

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18