Abstract:
The following disclosure relates to an improved system and method for harvester harvesting sod using a guide. Specifically, the sod harvester can comprise a front guide, a middle guide, and a back guide. The front guide can be capable of receiving a harvested portion of a grass strip. The middle guide can be connected to the front guide, and can be curved inward such that at least a portion of the guide is positionable under a conveyor frame. The back guide can be connected to the middle guide, and the back guide can be configured to horizontally displace the grass strip by moving the grass strip through the guides.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates to an improved system and method for sod harvesting using a guide. 
         [0002]    Sodding is the process of laying a continuous cover of grass sod on bare grounds. Sod or turf is grown and transplanted on soil areas to serve as a cover on the ground and to create an image of a lush lawn. Moreover, sodding is practiced as a permanent erosion control, which protects the soil from being damaged by wind and rain. Additionally, turf grass can help reduce high temperature and help to cool the atmosphere. The aesthetical and environmental benefits brought by sodding have increased market for sod. As such, sod is cultivated, produced, and harvested to supply the demand in the market. 
         [0003]    During recent years, sod has been harvested using a mechanical harvester. A mechanical sod harvester harvests a wide strip of sod quickly, leaving a strip of the field bare. Though mechanical sod harvester serves its purpose, sod can take several months or years to grow back and mature. It takes significant amount of time for the sod, such as St. Augustine grass, to spread into gaps created by the sod harvester, as the gap can be as much as two feet wide. While smaller gaps can be cut, the sod strips can not be too narrow as they become tedious to replant in other locations. 
         [0004]    As such, it would be useful to have an improved system and method for harvesting sod using a guide. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The following disclosure relates to an improved system and method for harvesting sod using a guide. Specifically, the sod harvester can comprise a front guide, a middle guide, and a back guide. The front guide can be capable of receiving a harvested portion of a grass strip. The middle guide can be connected to the front guide, and can be curved inward such that at least a portion of the guide is positionable under a conveyor frame. The back guide can be connected to the middle guide, and the back guide can be configured to horizontally displace the grass strip by moving the grass strip through the guides. 
         [0006]    The disclosure also relates to an improved method for harvesting sod. Specifically, the method can comprise horizontally displacing a grass strip by moving the grass strip through a guide. The guide can comprise a front guide, a middle guide and a back guide. The middle guide can be curved inward such that at least a portion of the guide is positioned under a conveyor frame. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates a field growing one or more patches of sod. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates a sod harvester. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  illustrates a harvester comprising a plurality of cutter blades, a cutter frame, a conveyor frame, a guide and a cutting head. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4A  illustrates a middle buster comprising a shank and a foot piece. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4B  illustrates middle buster and a wheel attached on a guide. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  illustrates an aerial view of a field before a sod strip can be moved in the center of a harvested plot. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  illustrates an aerial view showing a sod strip directed in the middle portion of a harvested plot. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  illustrates an embodiment of a guide comprising a plurality of rollers. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  illustrates an inclined embodiment of a guide. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Described herein is an improved system and method for harvesting sod using a guide. The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention as claimed and is provided in the context of the particular examples discussed below, variations of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation (as in any development project), design decisions must be made to achieve the designers&#39; specific goals (e.g., compliance with system- and business-related constraints), and that these goals will vary from one implementation to another. It will also be appreciated that such development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the field of the appropriate art having the benefit of this disclosure. Accordingly, the claims appended hereto are not intended to be limited by the disclosed embodiments, but are to be accorded their widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates a field  100  growing one or more patches of sod  101 . Field  100  can be an area cultivated and suitable for growing of sod  101 . Sod  101  can be any type of grass that includes but is not limited to St. Augustine grass. St. Augustine is exemplary for the process described because this process is particularly useful with grass that produces runners. With St. Augustine grass, if there is a bare area in the field  100 , runners from the sod will grow into the bare area, eventually filling it in. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  illustrates a sod harvester  200  comprising a harvester  201  and a tractor  202 . Harvester  201  can be any type of machine equipped for cutting sod  101  growing on field  100 . Harvester  201  can use any type of cutting mechanism, which can include but are not limited to rotary mower, reel type mower, and/or flail mower. Tractor  202  can be any vehicle that can be used to carry or attach harvester  201 . Tractor  202  can haul heavy equipment or machine such as harvester  201 . In one embodiment, tractor  202  can specifically mount harvester  201 . In such embodiment, harvester  201  can be attached and/or detached from tractor  202 . In another embodiment, tractor  202  can be a standard farm vehicle that provides power and traction to mechanize variety of tasks. Further, in another embodiment tractor  202  and harvester  201  can be attached together and be considered as single equipment. 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  illustrates a harvester  201  comprising a plurality of cutter blades  301 , a cutter frame  302 , a conveyor frame  303 , a guide  304 , and a cutter head  305 . Cutter blades  301  can be used to mark, slice, and/or frame strips of sod  101  to be harvested. As such, cutter blades  301  can be made of any durable material such as a rust resistant metal and can be substantially circular. Furthermore, cutter blades  301  can rotate on surface the surface of field  100 , which can slice transverse edges creating a contour on field  100 . 
         [0020]    Cutter frame  302  can be used to cut strips of sod  101  from field  100 . Cutter frame  302  can be wide enough to cover the width of conveyor frame  303  and guide  304 . Furthermore, cutter frame  302  can have adjustable depth control to ensure sod  101  can be cut with uniform thickness. Cutter frame  302  can be positioned behind and in direct line with cutter blades  301  to ensure straight and consistency in width of sod  101 . Further, cutter frame  302  can be pushed to the ground towards cutting blades  301  to harvest sod  101 . 
         [0021]    Conveyor frame  303  can be placed at the rear of cutter frame  302  to catch or hold wide strips of harvested sod  101 . Conveyor frame  303  can be used to collect elongated strips of sod  101  to be stacked in either roll or slab configuration. Guide  304  can be a smaller frame placed in the outer side of conveyor frame  303 . In one embodiment, guide  304  can be removable from conveyor frame  303 . In such embodiment, guide  304  can attach to conveyor frame  303  through any fastening device that includes but are not limited to clamps, screws, nuts, and bolts. In another embodiment, guide  304  can be permanently attached to conveyor frame  303  through a weld. Guide  304  can be a tool used to move narrow strip of sod  101 . Furthermore, guide  304  can lead the narrow strip of sod  101  back to the harvested portion of field  100 . Guide  304  can comprise a front guide  304   a,  a middle guide  304   b,  and a back guide  304   c.  Front guide  304   a  can be a portion of guide  304  that is vertically parallel with conveyor frame  303 . Middle guide  304   b  can be the middle portion of guide  304  that slants inwardly towards and underneath conveyor frame  303 . Middle portion of guide  304  can slightly bent downward and towards the surface of field  100 . Back guide  304   c  can be the vertical rear end portion of guide  304 . Cutter head  305  can be made from a metal or other durable material that can be used to cut harvested patch of sod  101  vertically. Cutter head  305  can float or be suspended on a harvester  201 , thus can be operated and moveable in a vertical direction. Cutter head  305  can be configured to cut off a desired length of sod  101 . 
         [0022]    Further, for purposes of these disclosure cutter blades  301  can comprise an inner blade  301   a,  a middle blade  301   b,  and an outer blade  301   c.  Moreover, cutter blades  301  can be horizontally distributed and parallel with cutter frame  302 , wherein cutter blades  301  can be placed in front of cutter frame  302  Inner blade  301   a  can vertically align with the inner edge of conveyor frame  303  while outer blade  301   c  can vertically align with the outer edge of guide  304 . Furthermore, middle blade  301   b  positioned in between inner blade  301   a  and outer blade  301   c  can be aligned vertically with the outer edge of conveyor frame  303  and the inner edge of guide  304 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 4A  illustrates a middle buster  401  comprising a shank  402  and a foot piece  403 . Middle buster  401  can be a tool forming a cone shape, which can be used to dig and/or plow the ground. Middle buster  401  can open a furrow and throws dirt or soil in both directions. The tip of middle buster  401  can be pointed towards the forward direction of sod harvester  200 . Thus, the pointed tip of middle buster  401  can be used to break up the top layer of a harvested field  100 . Shank  402  can be a flat shaft, which can perpendicularly attach at the rear end of guide  304 . Shank  402  can be a rigid tool used to connect middle buster  401  with guide  304 . 
         [0024]    Foot piece  403  can be a flat metal in a shape of a wrench that can be attached at the bottom end of shank  402 . Foot piece  403  can have a u-shape opening that can be compatible with middle buster  401 . Foot piece  403  can be horizontally attached at the bottom end of shank  402  thus making foot piece  403  parallel with field  100 . In one embodiment, foot piece  403  can be attached to shank  402  through any type of fastener such as bolts and screws that can enable foot piece  403  to be sturdily attached with shank  402 . In such embodiments, foot piece  403  can be mateable with shank  402  wherein middle buster  401  can be held in between the u-shaped opening of foot piece  403  through any fastening device, such as screws, nuts, and/or bolts. As such, shank  402  can provide enough force for middle buster  401  to hold a fixed position. In another embodiment, foot piece  403  and shank  402  can be permanently attached together, and be considered as a single device. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4B  illustrates middle buster  401  and a planter  404  attached on guide  304 . In one embodiment, planter  404  can be a rolling component positioned directly behind middle buster  401 . As such, as middle buster  401  can create a trench inn harvested field  100 , and planter  404  can flatten and/or tighten narrow grass strip  101  into the trench. In one embodiment, middle buster  401  and planter  404  can be mounted on a tool bar  405  that can be attached at the rear end of guide  304 . Tool bar  405  can be a metallic rod vertically attached at the rear end portion of guide  304  through a weld, a clamp and/or other fastening material such as screw, nuts, and bolts. In such embodiment, shank  402  can be mounted perpendicularly to tool bar  405  and enables middle buster  401  be leveled into the surface of field  100 . As such, middle buster  304  can be lowered or raised and be adjusted according to the desired depth of trench to be created on field  100 . Further, in another embodiment, middle buster  401  can be a sweeper that can brush up debris from sod  101 , as harvester  201  moves. As such, middle buster  401  can be used for removal of debris such as leaves, twigs, and/or litters on from sod  101 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  illustrates an aerial view of field  100  before a narrow grass strip  502  can be moved in the center of a harvested plot  504 . As sod harvester  200  moves through field  100 , the cutter frame  302  cuts deeply into the ground. Cutter frame  302  horizontally cuts sod  101  that can harvested patch  501  and grass strip  502  from field  100 . In  FIG. 5 , cutter blades  301  slices sod  101  in two parallel strips of sod on the field, wide strip and narrow grass trip  502 . Harvested patch  501  can be the empty space created after harvester  201  lifts wide strip formed by the cuts made by inner blade  301   a  and middle blade  301   b.  Narrow grass strip  502  can be the narrow strip of sod  101  sliced vertically by middle blade  301   b  and outer blade  301   c.  As an example, wide sod strip can be  20  inches, while narrow grass strip  502  can be three inches. As each strip is cut, harvester  201  can pick up wide strip for harvesting, leaving patch  501  in its place. Harvested patch  501  can be defined as the space between lines cut by blade  301   a  and  301   c.  As patch  501  is cut from field  100 , patch  501  can move up through conveyor frame  303  and be kept or stacked for sod production. Concurrently, narrow grass strip  502  can move into guide  304 . As shown in the figure, patch  501  and grass strip  502  can be directed at the same time onto conveyor frame  303  and guide  304 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  illustrates an aerial view showing narrow grass strip  502  directed in the middle portion of harvested plot  504 . Guide  304  can maneuver grass strip  502  away from the side of harvested plot  504 . Additionally, while sod harvester  200  moves through field  100 , middle buster  401  can create a trench in harvested plot  500 . Simultaneously, narrow grass strip  502  can be aligned over the trench and laid in it. As sod harvester  200  moves along, planter  404  can push narrow grass strip  502  into the trenches, planting narrow grass strip  502 . In a preferred method, grass patch  502  can be transplanted in the middle of harvested plot  504 , minimizing each gap between grass in field  100 . Grass patch  502  can therefore fill up the harvested plot faster, cutting the amount of time needed to propagate a harvested field  100 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  illustrates an embodiment of guide  304  comprising a plurality of rollers  701 . Roller  701  can be a cylindrical tool mounted on the top surface of guide  304 . As such, guide  304  can be used as frame where roller  701  can be attached. In such embodiment, guide  304  can further comprise a plurality of axles  702 , distributed equally in the surface of guide  304 . Axles  702  can be a supporting shaft that roller  701  can mount to. Moreover, axles  702  can be permanently fixed onto guide  304 , allowing roller  701  to revolve within axle  702 . Rollers  701  can be arranged closely together to ensure that narrow grass strip  502  will not roll or slip in between rollers  701 . For purposes of this disclosure, rollers  701  can be manifested as a conveyer belt system. 
         [0029]      FIG. 8  illustrates an inclined embodiment of guide  304 . In such embodiment, middle guide  304   b  can be bent and form a sliding position onto harvested plot  500 . As such, back guide  304   c  can be near the surface of field  100  forming a vertical end portion of guide  304 . In this embodiment, as sod harvester  200  moves forward, narrow grass strip  502  cut through cutter frame  302  can be forced and/or pushed towards guide  304 . In such scenario, guide  304  can serve as a device that directs grass strip  502  towards back guide  304   c.  The sliding design of guide  304  can help grass strip  502  to be maneuvered downward and towards a trench created by middle buster  401 . 
         [0030]    Various changes in the details of the illustrated operational methods are possible without departing from the scope of the following claims. Some embodiments may combine the activities described herein as being separate steps. Similarly, one or more of the described steps may be omitted, depending upon the specific operational environment the method is being implemented in. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.”