Patent ID: 6296063
Filing Date: 2001-10-02
Classification: A01G

Abstract:
A sod harvester for on-the-go cutting, rolling and storing of sod comprising:a sod cutter for freeing a section of sod from a sod field;a sod roller for rolling the section of sod into a sod roll;a sod roll accumulator, said sod roll accumulator having a sod trough therein for receiving and holding the sod roll therein;a frame, said frame extending in a lateral direction;a sod roll pickup mechanism mounted on said frame, said sod roll pickup mechanism for lifting the sod roll on the sod roll accumulator and transferring the sod roll to a sod carrier said sod roll mechanism including a first set of straight retable spikes, said first set of straight retractable spikes linearly retractable to a non-sod engaging position and extendible below the frame in a first horizontal and vertical direction into a sod-roll engaging condition said sod roll mechanism including a second set of straight retractable spikes, said second set of straight linearly retractable spikes retractable to a non-sod engaging position and extendible below the frame in a second horizontal and vertical direction different from the first horizontal and vertical direction to a sod-roll engaging condition whereby the first set of straight retractable spikes and said second set of straight retractable spikes coact to pierce the sod roll at different angles over an extended lateral area to enable the sod roll pickup mechanism to vertically lift the sod roll from said sod roll accumulator, the sod roll pickup mechanism releasing said sod roll by the retraction of the first set of retractable spikes and the second set of retractable spikes to the non-sod engaging position.