Apparatus for producing and planting sprigs from bulk sod

An apparatus for producing and planting grass sprigs from bulk sod comprising:

• a) a transportable rigid frame member;
• b) a shredder assembly affixed to said transportable rigid frame member for shredding said bulk sod into said grass sprigs;
• c) a driven conveyor assembly affixed to said transportable rigid frame member proximate said shredder assembly for feeding said bulk sod to said shredder assembly;
• d) means for planting said grass sprigs;
• e) a first conveyor support member rotatably mounted to said frame member proximate said shredder assembly;
• f) at least one additional conveyor support member rotatably mounted to said frame member;
• g) a continuous conveyor belt in frictional engagement with said first conveyor support member and said at least one additional conveyor support member for transporting said bulk sod to said shredder assembly;
• h) a feeder roller rotationally and pivotally mounted to said frame member spaced from said first conveyor support member for simultaneously engaging said bulk sod in opposition to said conveyor belt and said first conveyor belt support member;
• and
• i) means in rotational engagement with said at least one additional conveyor support member for imparting rotational motion thereto in direct proportion to a ground speed of said apparatus for producing and planting sprigs from bulk sod.

An apparatus for producing and planting grass sprigs from bulk sod comprising:

• a) a transportable rigid frame member;
• b) a shredder assembly affixed to said transportable rigid frame member for shredding said bulk sod into said grass sprigs;
• c) a driven conveyor assembly affixed to said transportable rigid frame member proximate said shredder assembly for feeding said bulk sod to said shredder assembly;
• d) means for planting said grass sprigs;
• e) a chute means affixed to said frame member immediately below said shredder assembly for gravitationally dispersing said shredded sod grass sprigs on to the ground to be planted by said apparatus;
• f) a plurality of coulters rotationally mounted to said frame member behind said chute means, said plurality coulters engaging said ground to be planted such that said dispersed grass sprigs are pressed into said ground to be planted to a predetermined depth by said plurality of coulters;
• and
• g) a plurality of gauge wheels rotationally mounted to said frame member behind said plurality of coulters for firming said ground to be planted subsequent to said ground to be planted being engaged by said plurality of coulters.

An apparatus for producing and planting grass sprigs from bulk sod comprising:

• a) a transportable rigid frame member;
• b) a shredder assembly affixed to said transportable rigid frame member for shredding said bulk sod into said grass sprigs;
• c) a driven conveyor assembly affixed to said transportable rigid frame member proximate said shredder assembly for feeding said bulk sod to said shredder assembly;
• d) means for planting said grass sprigs;
• and
• e) a de-netter adjustably mounted to said rigid frame member for removing a securing net from a bulk roll of sod.

An apparatus for producing grass sprigs from bulk sod, and thereafter planting said grass sprigs comprising:

• a) a rigid frame member having selectively retractable transport wheels affixed thereto;
• b) a driven conveyor assembly affixed to said rigid frame member having a first conveyor support roller rotatably mounted to said frame member, and at least one additional conveyor support roller rotatably mounted to said frame member, said first conveyor support roller and said at least one additional conveyor support roller having a continuous conveyor belt cooperatively in frictional engagement therewith for transporting said bulk sod, and a sod feeder roller rotationally and pivotally displaced proximate said first conveyor support roller for cooperatively engaging said transported bulk sod with said conveyor belt and said first conveyor support roller;
• c) a driven shredder assembly affixed to said rigid frame member proximate said first conveyor support roller for shredding said bulk sod into said plantable grass sprigs, thereafter depositing said plantable grass sprigs on the surface of the ground to be planted;
• d) a plurality of coulters rotatably affixed to said rigid frame member, said plurality of coulters being in engagement with said ground to be planted, thereby sprigging said plantable grass sprigs into said ground to be planted;
• and
• e) means for firming said ground to be planted subsequent to said plurality coulters sprigging said ground to be planted.

A portable apparatus for shredding bulk sod into plantable grass sprigs comprising:

• a) a driven bulk sod conveyor assembly having a continuous conveyor belt rotatably supported by a sod receiving end roller member and a sod delivering end roller member;
• b) a sod shredding assembly positioned proximate said sod delivering end roller member, said shredding assembly having a rotatably mounted driven shaft having a plurality of elongated shredding members extending therefrom and an elongated cutter bar positioned proximate said driven shaft and having a plurality of substantially vertically aligned sod cutting members extending therefrom for shredding said bulk sod into said plantable grass sprigs and depositing said plantable grass sprigs on the ground to be planted;
• c) a plurality of rotatably mounted coulters for sprigging said plantable grass sprigs into said ground to be planted;
• and
• d) means for firming said ground to be planted subsequent to said coulters sprigging said ground to be planted.