Geotextile Cutting and Collecting Apparatus and Method
OwnerAndrew L. Bishopinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A geotextile cutting apparatus having a lifting arm and cutting disk capable of cutting uniform width strips of geotextile material in the field. The uniform width strips of the geotextile material are then collected on a bobbin held and rotated by powered spindles on a variable width yoke of a collection apparatus, thus collecting the previously cut uniform width of geotextile material into compact rolls. The method of collecting geotextile material in the field having the steps including, cutting the material into uniform strips with a lifting arm having a cutting disk and then collecting those uniform strips on a rotating bobbin held and turned by rotating spindles on a variable width yoke.
Claims34
A geotextile cutting apparatus comprising:
- a) a mounting plate having a front side, a back side;
- b) a lifting arm having an apex on an upper surface, a first end fixed to the front side of the mounting plate, a second end having a bevel and a cutting disk slot between the first end and second end on the apex;
- c) a service boom having a first end fixed to the front side of the mounting plate parallel to the lifting arm and a second end adjacent to the lifting arm cutting disk slot;
- d) a motor mounted on the service boom having a power output;
- and
- e) a cutting disk mounted on the service boom at least partly passing through the cutting disk slot, having a rotational axis rotationally coupled to the power output of the motor.
A geotextile collection apparatus comprising:
- a) a support bar having a first end and a second end;
- b) a first yoke arm having an upper end mounted to the first end of the support bar and a lower end rotatably supporting a conical spindle having a guide disk;
- c) a second yoke arm having an upper end mounted to the second end of the support bar and a lower end rotatably supporting a conical spindle having a guide disk, the second yoke arm being movably mounted to the support bar such that a distance between the first yoke arm and the second yoke arm can be varied;
- d) at least one linear actuator coupled to at least the second yoke arm for moving the second yoke arm relative to the first yoke arm, such that the distance between the first yoke arm and the second yoke arm is changed by actuating the linear actuator;
- and
- e) at least one motor mounted on at least one of the first yoke arm or the second yoke arm, coupled to the conical spindle for rotation thereof;
- such that a geotextile affixed to the at least one conical spindle having a guide disk is rotated by the at least one motor for collection of the geotextile in a roll, and the roll is removed by increasing the distance between the first yoke arm and the second yoke arm using the at least one linear actuator.
A method of recovering a geotextile, using a cutting apparatus having a lifting arm having an apex on an upper surface with a forward end having a bevel and a cutting disk slot, and a motorized cutting disk at least partly passing through the cutting disk slot, and a collection apparatus comprising a support bar having a first end and a second end, a first yoke arm having an upper end mounted to the first end of the support bar and a lower end rotatably supporting a conical spindle having a guide disk, a second yoke arm having an upper end mounted to the second end of the support bar and a lower end rotatably supporting a conical spindle having a guide disk, the second yoke arm being movably mounted to the support bar such that a distance between the first yoke arm and the second yoke arm can be varied, and at least one motor for rotating at least one of the first conical spindle and the second conical spindle;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- a) sliding the lifting arm of the cutting apparatus under a geotextile to lift the geotextile onto the lifting arm;
- b) moving the cutting apparatus in a forward direction, causing the geotextile to move along the lifting arm into the cutting disk, cutting the geotextile into uniform width strips;
- c) affixing an end of a uniform width strip to the collection apparatus;
- d) applying power to motor, causing the at least one conical spindle to rotate, thus rolling the uniform width strip;
- e) when the uniform width strip is rolled, moving at least the second yoke arm apart from the first yoke arm, releasing the rolled uniform width strip;
- and
- f) removing the rolled geotextile from the collection apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.