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US 7,021,584 B2Granted
Automatic control of sod roll flaps
AssigneeSteiner Turf Equipment, Inc.
InventorsEmanuel A. Hendriks, Mathias M. Hendriks, Johannes G. Hendriks, Wilhelmus J. Hendriks, Thomas E. Noyes, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sod roller for automatically controlling the angular position of the end or flap of a roll of sod about the roll. A device senses the end, or trailing edge, of a strip of sod as a roll is formed on a roll-up conveyor. The sod roller holds the roll in the roll-up conveyor as it continues to roll and ejects the roll from the roll-up conveyor in a manner responsive to the position of the trailing edge of the strip of sod.
Claims10
An apparatus for rolling a sod strip into a sod roll comprising:
- a transport conveyor for displacing the sod strip;
- a first sensor configured to sense movement of the transport conveyor;
- a starter for initiating the rolling of the sod strip in proximity to a leading portion of the sod strip being displaced by the transport conveyor;
- a tray for at least partially retarding displacement of an upper portion of the sod roll as it passes to assist rolling the sod strip;
- an edge detector for detecting a trailing edge of the sod strip as the sod strip is displaced on the transport conveyor;
- a roll-up conveyor for further rolling up the sod strip, the roll-up conveyor operating in a direction opposite the transport conveyor;
- and
- a holding conveyor, the holding conveyor maintaining the sod roll on the transport conveyor;
- a second sensor operating in cooperation with the edge detector, wherein the second sensor is activated when the edge detector has detected the trailing edge portion of the sod strip;
- a controller, the controller receiving inputs from the first and second sensors, the controller deactivating operation of the holding conveyor after a predetermined amount of movement of the transport conveyor sensed by the first sensor and after activation of the second sensor to position the sod roll in a predetermined orientation.
7 more elements
An apparatus for rolling a sod strip being displaced by a transport conveyor into a sod roll comprising:
- a trailing edge sensor for detecting a trailing edge portion of the sod strip;
- a retaining device for retaining the sod roll in the conveyor as the sod strip is rolled into a sod roll;
- and
- an ejector device for ejecting the roll in accordance with a position of the trailing edge portion of the sod strip;
- a holding conveyor, the holding conveyor located in proximity to an end of the transport conveyor, wherein activation of the holding conveyor retains the sod roll on the transport conveyor and deactivation of the holding conveyor enables the sod roll to move off of the transport conveyor;
- wherein the ejector device further comprises a controller, the controller configured to control the transport and holding conveyors, said controller further configured to receive an input signal from the trailing edge sensor and enabling a user definable time delay before deactivating the holding conveyor to position the sod roll in a predetermined orientation;
- a transport conveyor sensor, the transport conveyor sensor measuring displacement of the transport conveyor, wherein the controller deactivates the holding conveyor in response to a predetermined length of displacement of the transport conveyor following detection of the trailing edge portion of the sod strip.
4 more elements
A method for rolling sod strips into a sod roll comprising the steps of:
- providing a transport conveyor;
- locating a trailing edge portion of the sod strip;
- determining a user adjustable time delay which is a function of the displacement of the transport conveyor and the location of the trailing edge portion of the strip;
- retaining the sod roll in the transport conveyor as the sod strip is rolled into a sod roll;
- rotationally adjusting the roll to a predetermined orientation;
- measuring displacement of the transport conveyor;
- ejecting the roll;
- wherein the step of retaining further comprises providing a holding conveyor, the holding conveyor located in proximity to an end of the transport conveyor, wherein activation of the holding conveyor retains the sod roll on the transport conveyor and deactivation of the holding conveyor enables the sod roll to move off of the transport conveyor;
- and
- wherein deactivating the holding conveyor in response to a predetermined length of displacement of the transport conveyor following detection of the trailing edge portion of the sod strip.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.