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US 8,353,118 B2Granted
Peat moss harvesting apparatus and method
AssigneeNCL Holding Inc.
InventorPhilippe Noël
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A peat moss harvesting apparatus includes a conveyor mechanism and a cutting mechanism. The cutting mechanism is guided through a peat moss bed to cut a section of peat moss. The section of peat moss is progressively loaded onto the conveyor mechanism as the section of peat moss is being cut.
Claims19
A peat moss harvesting apparatus, comprising:
- a supporting structure attachable to a carrier vehicle, the supporting structure including a forward edge and a rearward edge;
- a conveyor mechanism mounted to the supporting structure, and configured to convey material from the forward edge to the rearward edge;
- a cutting mechanism mounted generally across the forward edge of the supporting structure and offset forwardly from the conveyor mechanism, the cutting mechanism guidable through a peat moss bed to cut a section of peat moss from the peat moss bed;
- a cut guide element arranged generally between the cutting mechanism and the conveyor mechanism, and configured to direct the section of peat moss from the cutting mechanism to be progressively loaded onto the conveyor mechanism as the section of peat moss is cut;
- and
- a pass guide element arranged generally underneath and rearwardly of the cutting mechanism at the forward edge, and configured to engage the peat moss bed as the cutting mechanism is guided through the peat moss bed,
- wherein the cut guide element and the pass guide element are spaced apart for facilitating a physical separation between the section of peat moss and the peat moss bed, so as to accommodate the conveyor mechanism as the apparatus is guided along a generally arcuate path through the peat moss bed.
4 more elements
A peat moss harvesting apparatus, comprising:
- a supporting structure attachable to a carrier vehicle, the supporting structure including a forward edge and a rearward edge;
- a conveyor mechanism mounted to the supporting structure, the conveyor mechanism including at least one belt configured to convey material from the forward edge to the rearward edge;
- a transverse cutting mechanism mounted generally across the forward edge, the cutting mechanism including at least one guide bar and at least one cutting chain configured to be driven around the guide bar;
- and
- at least one upright cutting mechanism arranged at the forward edge and adjacent to an end of the transverse cutting mechanism, the at least one upright cutting mechanism including a side guide bar and a side cutting chain configured to be driven around the side guide bar.
2 more elements
A method of harvesting peat moss, comprising:
- guiding a cutting mechanism along a generally arcuate path through a peat moss bed to cut a section of peat moss therefrom;
- driving a conveyor mechanism to progressively load the section of peat moss onto a supporting structure;
- progressively loading the section of peat moss onto the supporting structure as the section of peat moss is being cut;
- and
- selecting a belt speed of the conveyor mechanism to generally match a speed in which the cutting mechanism is guided through the peat moss bed.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.