IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0056250
(2002-01-23)
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등록번호 |
US-7673697
(2010-04-21)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Peterson, Jonathan Michael
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Patterson, Thuente, Skaar & Christensen P.A.
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
4 인용 특허 :
23 |
초록
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A sod-laying machine having a low center of gravity and a seated operator position adjacent the roll of sod being placed. The superior visibility available to the operator makes it possible to place the sod more accurately and with less need for subsequent adjustment than has been possible previousl
A sod-laying machine having a low center of gravity and a seated operator position adjacent the roll of sod being placed. The superior visibility available to the operator makes it possible to place the sod more accurately and with less need for subsequent adjustment than has been possible previously. The machine has sod roll lifting arms that can be spaced apart to lift and place rolls having any of the common large sod roll widths. The machine can be configured to lay sod that is rolled with either the grass side or the dirt side outermost. Propulsion, roll lifting and roll width adjustment is hydraulic with continuously variable speed drive. Turf scuffing is minimized by trailing caster wheels and independently controllable drive wheels mounted close to the location of the sod roll.
대표청구항
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What is claimed is: 1. A self-propelled operator-carrying vehicular sod laying machine for supporting, transporting, placing and unrolling sod rolls upon a surface comprising: a frame having a forward end, a rearward end, a left side, and a right side; a plurality of wheels mounted to the frame for
What is claimed is: 1. A self-propelled operator-carrying vehicular sod laying machine for supporting, transporting, placing and unrolling sod rolls upon a surface comprising: a frame having a forward end, a rearward end, a left side, and a right side; a plurality of wheels mounted to the frame for rolling transport of the frame along a surface, wherein the wheels include at least one rear idler caster wheel assembly affixed proximate the rearward end of the frame, a first front wheel located proximate the forward end at the right side, a second front wheel located proximate the forward end at the left side, the first front wheel and the second front wheel being adapted to define an axis of the front wheels; a left wheel box frame affixed to the first front wheel and a right wheel box frame affixed to the second front wheel; a pair of generally parallel, laterally displaceable elongated arms including a first arm actuated by a vehicle-powered means and a second arm actuated by a vehicle-powered means, the first arm and the second arm disposed between the front wheels and extending forwardly from the forward end of the frame, the first arm and second arm each having a roll end and a pivot end, the pivot end being pivotably attached to the frame to pivot on an axis parallel to the axis of the front wheels to cause vertical displacement of the roll end of the arms; wherein the lateral displacement between the arms is adjustable to operator-selectable distances by operator actuation of the vehicle-powered means for lateral simultaneous movement of the first arm together with the left wheel box frame, and for lateral simultaneous movement of the second arm with the right wheel box frame; a sod roll supporting shaft attachable to the roll ends of the arms; and a drive system for rotating the front wheels and pivoting the arms to vary the lateral displacement of the arms. 2. The sod laying machine defined in claim 1, further comprising an operator control station proximate the forward end of the frame, the control station including controls for pivoting the arms for vertical movement of the roll ends, controls for lateral movement of the arms to vary the distance between the arms and controls for the speed and direction of the wheel rotating drive system. 3. The sod laying machine defined in claim 2, wherein the operator control station is further comprised of an operator-carrying seat. 4. The sod laying machine defined in claim 3, further comprising a hydraulic drive means for laterally displacing the first arm relative to the second arm to accommodate a plurality of sod roll widths. 5. The sod laying machine defined in claim 4, wherein the drive means for pivoting the arms is comprised of a hydraulic cylinder. 6. The sod laying machine defined in claim 4, wherein the drive means for rotating the wheels is comprised of independently controllable hydraulic motors rotatably attached to the front wheels. 7. A self-propelled operator-carrying vehicular sod laying machine for supporting, transporting, placing and unrolling sod rolls upon a surface comprising: a frame having a forward end, a rearward end, a left side and a right side; a plurality of wheels mounted to the frame for rolling transport of the frame along a surface, a front wheel being located proximate the forward end at the right side, a front wheel being located proximate the forward end at the left side, and at least one rear idler caster wheel affixed proximate the frame rearward end; a pair of generally parallel, laterally displaceable elongated arms disposed between the front wheels and extending forwardly from the frame forward end, each of the arms having a roll end and a pivot end, the pivot end being pivotably attached to the frame to pivot on an axis parallel to the axis of the front wheels to cause vertical displacement of the roll end of the arms; a sod roll supporting shaft attachable to the roll ends of the arms; a hydraulic drive system for laterally displacing the arms; a hydraulic actuator for pivoting the arms; a left drive wheel hydraulic drive motor rotatably linked exclusively to the left front wheel; a right drive wheel hydraulic drive motor rotatably linked exclusively to the right front wheel; and an operator control station proximate the forward end of the frame, the control station including controls for pivoting the arms for vertical movement of the forward ends, controls for lateral movement of the arms to vary the distance between the arms, controls for independently controlling the speed and direction of rotation of each drive wheel and an operator-carrying seat. 8. The sod laying machine defined in claim 7, wherein the drive means for rotating the wheels is continuously variable speed hydraulic motors. 9. The sod laying machine defined in claim 8, wherein each rear wheel is further comprised of an idler caster wheel assembly. 10. The sod laying machine defined in claim 9, wherein the drive means for rotating the wheels has a multiplicity of drive speeds including higher speeds for sod roll transport and lower speeds for sod roll placement. 11. The sod laying machine of claim 8, wherein the drive means for rotating the wheels has a multiplicity of drive speeds including higher speeds for sod roll transport and lower speeds for sod roll placement. 12. The sod laying machine defined in claim 7, further comprising at least two rear wheels that are idler caster wheels. 13. The sod laying machine of claim 12, wherein the drive means for rotating the wheels has a multiplicity of drive speeds including higher speeds for sod roll transport and lower speeds for sod roll placement. 14. The sod laying machine of claim 13, wherein the left drive wheel is rotatably affixed to a left box frame member and the right drive wheel is rotatably affixed to a right box frame member, the box frame members extending forward from the frame, and each box frame member being linked to an arm so that the distance between the drive wheels and the distance between the arms may be varied simultaneously by actuating of a single hydraulic cylinder. 15. The sod laying machine of claim 14, wherein a fluid tank is formed within a box frame member. 16. A method for making a self-propelled, operator-carrying vehicular sod laying machine for supporting, transporting, placing and unrolling sod rolls upon a surface comprising the scope of: forming a frame having a forward end, a rearward end, a left side and a right side; rotatably mounting a plurality of wheels to the frame for rolling transport of the frame along a surface, a front wheel being located proximate the forward end at the right side, a front wheel being located proximate the forward end at the left side and at least one rear wheel being located proximate the rearward end; forming a pair of elongated arms, each with a roll end and a pivot end, pivotably mounting to the frame, the pair of generally parallel, laterally displaceable, spaced-apart, elongated arms between the front wheels and extending each of the arms forwardly from the frame forward end, the pivot being pivotable on an axis parallel to the axis of the front wheels to cause vertical displacement of the roll end of the arms; removeably attaching a sod roll supporting shaft to the roll ends of the arms; operably attaching a hydraulic actuator for laterally displacing the arms; operably attaching a hydraulic actuator for pivoting the arms; installing a left drive wheel hydraulic drive motor rotatably linked exclusively to the left front wheel; installing a right drive wheel hydraulic drive motor rotatably linked exclusively to the left front wheel; installing an operator control station proximate the forward end of the frame, the control station including controls for pivoting the arms from vertical movement of the forward ends, controls for lateral movement of the arms to vary the distance between the arms, controls for independently controlling the speed and direction of rotation of each drive wheel, and an operator-carrying seat; and linking the box beam members to which the drive wheel assemblies are attached so as to adjust the separation between the front drive wheels simultaneously with adjustment of the arm spacing. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of installing continuously variable speed hydraulic front wheel drive motors. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of installing an idler caster wheel at the rearward portion of the frame. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of installing a rear wheel rocking beam fitted with a ground-contacting idler caster wheel assembly proximate each end, the rocking beam being pivotable on an axis generally perpendicular to the axis of the front wheels to facilitate vertical displacement of the rear wheels. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of installing wide floatation tires at the front driving wheels.
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