Tree transplanting method and apparatus therefor

A wheel-like device enables a looped-strand drum lacing to be made thereon from two lengths of rope for use when forming a tree root ball of soil during transplanting of the tree. The device has a central hub with a plurality of outwardly projecting posts mounted thereon in a circular arrangement. A plurality of equally circumferentially spaced legs extend radially outwardly in a spoke-like fashion from the hub. Each of the legs have a peg mounted on the leg at a predetermined distance from the hub. A first piece of rope is looped about the hub posts and leg pegs to form a plurality of outwardly extending closed end loops. A second piece of rope is wrapped in an overlapping manner with the individual strands of the previously formed loops into a circular configuration about the hub posts to form a circular drum lacing base. The two pieces of rope are stapled together at alternating overlapped locations. The preformed drum lacing is placed in the interior of a wire basket formed by two detachably connected half-sections. A sheet of burlap is placed over the open top of the basket and drum lacing and the tree roots and soil ball are placed in the basket which forms the burlap sheet about the soil. The burlap sheet then is tied about the ball of soil and to the tree trunk by the drum lacing. The basket halves then are disconnected and the balled tree then is transported to the new tree site for replanting.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The invention relates to apparatus for use in transplanting trees, and to a 
new method for using the same. More particularly, the invention relates to 
a new apparatus for manufacturing preformed looped-strand drum lacings 
which are used in combination with a wire basket for wrapping the roots of 
trees and shrubs in a ball of soil for transplanting the same. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Various types of apparatus and devices have been developed for 
transplanting trees, as well as various transplanting methods in which 
such apparatus may or may not be used. Many of these prior art devices are 
used primarily for balling the tree roots during the transplanting of the 
trees. Examples of such prior art devices, apparatus and methods are shown 
in U.S. Pat. Nos. 357,197, 1,380,327, 1,827,447, 2,022,607, 2,219,690, 
3,134,196, 3,161,989, 3,316,675 and 4,062,148. 
In commercial nursery operations, trees are dug from the ground for 
subsequent transplanting at a remote location by a large mechanical digger 
in which a plurality of spades or blades dig into the earth around the 
tree. The spades are subsequently lifted out of the ground bringing with 
them a ball of earth which surrounds the tree roots. It is desirable to 
retain as much of this ball of earth or soil as possible about the tree 
roots when the tree is transplanted to increase the chances that the 
transplanted tree will survive and flourish. 
It is well known in the tree transplanting art that these balls of earth or 
soil are wrapped in burlap material or a similar sheet material for 
retaining the ball of soil about the tree roots. One common practice is to 
place the wrapped tree base in a wire basket, such as shown in U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,062,145, which is placed in the ground along with the tree roots. 
This procedure requires a basket that is used only one time since it 
remains in the ground. Also, a considerable length of time is required 
before the basket completely rusts away in the ground, which presents a 
dangerous situation if other digging is done subsequently in the area of 
the transplanted tree. Wrapping of the tree roots in a sheet of material 
is required for most transplanting applications, especially where the soil 
about the tree roots is exceptionally wet or dry, or contains a large 
percentage of sand or gravel. 
Most of the known tree transplanting apparatus, and in particular, the ball 
forming or containing baskets, have been too expensive and bulky to be 
used efficiently and conveniently, especially since the baskets are 
intended for a single transplanting operation. 
It is desirable that the burlap or sheet material used for wrapping the 
tree roots be secured about the tree by some type of fastening means to 
prevent the ball of soil surrounding the roots from losing its shape and 
falling away from the roots. One type of device for wrapping the tree 
roots is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,675. This device preferably is 
formed of flexible wire, with a burlap sheet being taped to the formed 
wire to form a supporting basket-like member. Although this device may be 
satisfactory for certain applications, the use of wire is more expensive 
than rope, especially to form a sufficiently rigid container for large 
trees. Also no means is shown for the rapid and inexpensive fabrication of 
such looped-strand members. 
Accordingly, the need has existed for improved apparatus and method for 
transplanting trees which eliminates many of the problems encountered with 
prior art methods and apparatus described above. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Objectives of the invention include providing improved apparatus for use in 
transplanting trees, and particularly for use in manufacturing the 
looped-strand drum lacing used for forming the tree root ball of soil for 
the tree being transplanted, which is used in cooperation with a wire 
basket formed of two half basket sections, which sections are removably 
connected together for holding and forming the tree root ball while 
wrapping the same with a sheet of material and during tying of the drum 
lacing thereabout; providing such improved tree transplanting apparatus in 
which the tree ball forming basket can be used repeatedly for forming 
numerous tree balls when transplanting trees and need not be transported 
with the balled trees to the new tree sites; providing such improved tree 
transplanting apparatus in which an extremely inexpensive and efficient 
drum lacing formed of rope is placed within the basket and temporarily 
secured thereto for receiving the sheet of wrapping material therein prior 
to placing the tree roots and attached soil in the basket; providing such 
improved tree transplanting apparatus in which the drum lacing is formed 
in a rapid, convenient and inexpensive manner not believed heretofore 
possible for producing such drum lacings on a unique wheel-like device; 
providing such improved tree transplanting apparatus in which the drum 
lacing forming device can be used for forming drum lacings of various loop 
sizes for different tree sizes by a simple adjustment provided on the 
device, in which a quantity of drum lacings can be produced by the device 
at a site remote from the tree digging or transplanting site and 
transported to the tree digging site conveniently for use at the site 
along with the single detachable wire basket; and providing such improved 
tree transplanting apparatus and a method of using the same which 
substantially reduces transplanting costs, which eliminates difficulties 
existing in the art, satisfies needs and obtains new results in the tree 
transplanting art. 
These objectives and advantages are obtained by the improved apparatus for 
producing a looped-strand drum lacing member for use in transplanting 
trees, said apparatus including a center hub; a plurality of posts mounted 
on the hub in a circular configuration and projecting outwardly from said 
hub; a plurality of circumferentially spaced legs extending radially 
outwardly from the hub; a peg mounted on each of the legs at a 
predetermined radial distance from the hub and projecting outwardly from 
the legs in the same direction as the posts, said posts and legs being 
adapted to have a rope looped thereabout in a predetermined manner to form 
the looped-strand drum lacing member; a first piece of rope being looped 
about each of the center hub posts and along each of the legs and about 
the pegs to form a plurality of closed end loops, one on each of the legs; 
and a second piece of rope being woven into a circular arrangement about 
the center hub posts and in an overlapping relationship with portions of 
the first piece of rope, with said first and second ropes being joined at 
certain overlapped areas by staples to form the drum lacing having a 
circular base with a plurality of outwardly radially extending closed end 
loops. 
These objectives and advantages are obtained further by the improved method 
of transplanting trees, the general nature of which may be stated as 
including the steps of forming a drum lacing having a circular strand base 
and a plurality of closed end loops connected to the base and extending 
radially outwardly from said base; providing an open top wire basket 
formed by two half basket sections detachably joined together; placing the 
drum lacing in the wire basket; placing a sheet of flexible material over 
the drum lacing and open top of the basket; placing the roots of a tree 
and attached ball of soil into the basket; wrapping the sheet of flexible 
material about the ball of soil and tree roots; tying the drum lacing 
loops about the sheet of flexible material and to the trunk of the tree to 
securely confine the tree roots and soil ball within the sheet of 
material; detaching the wire basket and removing the wrapped tree 
therefrom; transporting the tree to a transplanting site; and replanting 
the wrapped tree at said transplanting site.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The improved apparatus for use in the improved tree planting method 
consists of a detachable wire basket, indicated generally at 1 (FIGS. 
1-3), and a drum lacing forming device, indicated generally at 2 (FIGS. 
4-8). 
Basket 1 is formed by two half-basket sections 3 and 4 which preferably are 
identical to each other, thereby reducing the manufacturing costs thereof 
and inventory. Accordingly, only one half-basket section will be described 
in detail, and the designating numerals and description will apply equally 
to the other half-basket section. 
Each basket section has a generally inwardly tapered or half conical 
configuration and is formed by a plurality of vertically spaced 
semicircular ring-forming members. These members are formed of rigid wire 
and consist of a bottom member 5, a pair of intermediate members 6 and 7, 
and a top member 8. The centers of these ring-forming members 5-8 lie on a 
straight line, indicated by point 9 (FIG. 2), which is the central axis of 
basket 1 when sections 3 and 4 are joined together. The plane of each 
ring-forming member 5-8 is disposed perpendicular to axis 9 and is 
attached by welding or other fastening means to three intermediate, 
upwardly projecting rods 11, 12 and 13. 
An elongated, flat metal plate 14 (FIG. 3) is welded to one end of rings 
5-8 too form a tongue which is slidably received within a U-shaped groove 
16 formed on the outer end of another flat metal plate 17, which is 
attached to and extends between the other ends of rings 5-8 of the other 
basket half section. Plates 14 and 17 extend upwardly, outwardly at a 
predetermined angle of inclination, as do intermediate rods 11, 12 and 13, 
and together with rods 11-13, form a rigid half-basket section. Basket 1 
also can formed with only one intermediate ring instead of the pair of 
intermediate rings 6 and 7, shown in the drawings, as well as replacing 
the three tapered rods 11, 12 and 13 with only two such rods, if desired, 
for use with various size trees. 
A toggle latch 20 is mounted on plate 14 and has a hook-shaped lever 21 
pivotally mounted thereon which is engageable in an opening 22 formed in 
plate 17. Basket sections 3 and 4 are joined together easily by inserting 
the outer edges of plates 14 in grooves 16 of plates 17 with toggle levers 
21 being inserted in opposite plate openings 22. Toggle latches 20 then 
are moved from the open dot-dash line position of FIG. 3 to the closed 
full line position to rigidly clamp the two half-basket sections together 
for use in forming the tree root ball, as described below. When in 
connected position, ring members 5-8 form four vertically spaced circular 
rings, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 10. 
A plurality of tabs 24 (FIG. 1) are attached to the top basket ring members 
8 and are spaced equall circumferentially therealong for holding the 
closed ends of the individual loops of a drum lacing 25 when placed 
therein, as shown in FIG. 2. 
Drum lacing 25 (FIG. 2) is formed by a circular, preferably double 
stranded, base portion 26 and a plurality of radially, outwardly extending 
closed end loops 27. Eight loops 27 are provided in the particular 
embodiment of drum lacing 25, shown in the drawings. Drum lacing 25 is 
formed of lightweight rope or twine and can be of various thicknesses and 
strengths and is formed by the unique drum lacing forming device 2, shown 
in FIGS. 4-8. 
Device 2 preferably is formed of wood or lightweight metal and includes a 
central disc-shaped hub 30, which is mounted on the end of a horizontally 
extending shaft 31 (FIG. 5). Shaft 31 is telescopically mounted in a 
sleeve 32 which is attached to a bracket 33 that is mounted by bolts 34 to 
a wall or other upstanding member 35. Shaft 31 may be clamped within 
sleeve 32 by a thumbscrew 36 or can be freely rotatably mounted therein by 
loosening of thumb screw 36 without effecting the use of device 2. 
A plurality of posts 38 are mounted on hub 30 in an equally spaced circular 
configuration and project horizontally outwardly therefrom. Eight posts 
are shown in the preferred embodiment which is illustrated in the 
drawings. A plurality of circumferentially spaced legs 39 are attached to 
central hub 30 by bolts 40 or other attachment means and extend radially 
outwardly from hub 30 in a spoke-like arrangement. Legs 39 are equally 
circumferentially spaced with respect to each other and lie in a common 
vertical plane, as can be seen in FIG. 5. Eight legs 39 are shown in the 
particular embodiment of the drawings and are equal in number to the 
number of posts 38 mounted on hub 30. Legs 39 are elongated members 
preferably having a rectangular cross-sectional configuration, as shown in 
FIG. 6. A bracket 42 is adjustably mounted on each leg 39 by a thumbscrew 
43. A peg 44 is attached to each bracket 42 by a weld 45 and extends 
outwardly therefrom in the same direction as central hub posts 38. 
Drum lacing 25 is formed on device 2 in an extremely simple and efficient 
manner, as described below. Brackets 42 are adjusted to the same 
predetermined radial distance from hub 30 on legs 39 and clamped thereon 
by thumbscrew 43. A first piece of rope 47 is looped about one of the hub 
posts 38, the particular one of which is shown in FIG. 8 and designated as 
38a, and secured thereon by a knot 48. Rope 47 then is extended outwardly 
along the adjacent leg 39 and looped around the leg peg, indicated by 
numeral 44a (FIG. 7), and then downwardly along the leg and about the 
adjacent post 38b and then outwardly along the next adjacent leg 39 and 
looped around the leg peg 44b. This loop-forming procedure continues until 
rope 47 forms a loop 27 about each leg peg 44 and adjacent post 38. When 
rope 47 completes its loop-forming cycle and reaches posts 38a, it is tied 
off in another knot 49. This procedure forms eight looped strands 27, 
which are of equal length with closed ends. 
A second piece of rope 52 then is trained about hub posts 38 into a 
circular configuration to form drum lacing base 26. When placing rope 52 
about posts 38, it is woven in an overlapping arrangement with the 
individual strands of the previously formed loops 27. Rope 52 is tied off 
on itself by a knot 53 when the circular woven arrangement is finished, as 
shown in FIG. 8. The particular piece of rope 52 which is shown in the 
drawings, is formed by two pieces of rope which are twisted upon 
themselves to form a stronger section of rope for forming the drum lacing 
base 26. If desired, a single thickness piece of rope 52 may be used to 
form base 26. 
A nurseryman can form a plurality of preformed drum lacings 25 easily by 
manually performing the above-described steps. If desired, the nurseryman 
can initially form drum lacing base 26 and then form loops 27 by 
overlapping the loop strands with base 26 to provide the overlapping 
arrangement shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, instead of the reverse order described 
above. The nurseryman may wish to rotatably mount hub 30 and legs 39 on 
wall 35 by loosening thumbscrew 36 to facilitate his forming of the 
various loops and drum lacing base or he may maintain the same in a fixed 
nonrotatable condition depending upon his particular preference. 
After forming drum lacing base 26 and loops 27, one side of each drum loop 
27 is secured to base 26 by a clamp or staple 54. Clamp 54 may be a 
circular staple, which is applied and clamped tightly about the overlapped 
rope strands by a usual ring stapling gun. Clamps 54 properly position 
each loop 27 on base 26 to prevent their disengagement from the equally 
spaced positions thereon. Accordingly, an operator may form a number of 
these preformed drum lacings 25 at a site completely remote and separate 
from the tree digging or transplanting location at any time convenient to 
him in order to obtain a quantity of these drum lacings for the subsequent 
transplanting of trees. 
Improved wire basket 1 and drum lacing forming device 2 provide an 
important function in the improved tree transplanting method described 
below and shown particularly in FIGS. 2 and 9 through 12 of the drawings. 
A wire basket 1 is placed in a closed, assembled condition with toggles 20 
tightly clamping basket sections 3 and 4 together, as shown in FIG. 2. A 
preformed drum lacing 25, formed by the improved method and apparatus 
described above, is placed in basket 1. The outer ends of the individual 
loops 27 are wedgingly inserted beneath tabs 24 to removably hold the same 
in the desired tree root receiving position. In this position, drum lacing 
base 26 will lie within the center of basket 1 and will be resting on or 
supported by the ground or surface on which basket 1 is placed, so that no 
pressure is applied on the strand loops 27 when the tree roots are placed 
therein. Thus, lacing 25 will hang loosely within the interior of basket 1 
with the loops 27 extending along the interior of the basket against the 
wire rings with base 26 lying loosely on the supporting surface. Tabs 24 
provide a convenient means of properly positioning and temporarily holding 
loops 27 until the tree roots are placed in the basket and wrapped. 
Next, a sheet of material 55 is placed over the open top of basket 1. Sheet 
55 preferably is formed of burlap or other inexpensive biodegradable sheet 
material which is sufficiently strong to prevent tearing when the tree 
roots and soil ball are placed therein. The above steps are performed 
generally adjacent to the tree which is being dug up for subsequent 
transplanting at a different site. 
A tree 57 then is dug from the ground, usually by a mechanical digger, 
which removes with the tree a large ball of soil 58 surrounding the tree 
roots. The tree roots and soil ball are placed gently on the top of the 
basket and burlap sheet and lowered into the basket. The sheet of burlap 
is pulled into the basket with the soil ball until the tree and soil ball 
58 settle in the basket and assume the general position, as shown in FIG. 
9. The diameter of burlap sheet 55 is sufficiently large so that its outer 
periphery will assume the general position of that of FIG. 9 to provide 
enough material, which is wrapped about tree trunk 59, as shown in FIG. 
10, to provide a complete cover and enclosure for the top of the soil ball 
58. 
The outer area of burlap sheet 55 is folded over the top of tree ball 58 
and attached about tree trunk 59 by a short section of rope or wire 60 to 
completely enclose soil ball 58. The closed ends of drum lacing loops 27 
then are removed from beneath tabs 24 and pulled tightly against the sides 
and over the top edges of the wrapped tree root ball by another piece of 
rope 61, which is subsequently tied about trunk 59 (FIG. 12) to completely 
and securely enclose and tightly wrap tree root ball 58, which assumes the 
somewhat conical configuration of basket 1, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. 
Drum lacing base 26 provides a large supporting circular member for the 
bottom of soil ball 58 with loops 27 retaining the sides of ball 58 in the 
conical configuration. The above-discussed steps are performed at the tree 
digging site. 
The dug and wrapped tree then can be transported to the transplanting site, 
and if handled with sufficient care, the wrapped soil ball 58 will 
maintain the formed conical shape imparted by basket 1 until placed in a 
hole 62 (FIG. 12) dug in the ground for receiving the same. The balled 
tree is merely removed from the transporting truck and placed within hole 
62, with hole 62 being filled in and around the wrapped tree root ball 
completely covering the same with soil. 
Preferably, ropes 60 and 61, which secure burlap sheet 55 to tree trunk 59, 
are removed and that portion of sheet 55 which covers the top of soil ball 
58 is pulled back and dropped into hole 62 with the top of soil ball 58 
being level with the top of hole 62. After hole 62 is completely filled 
with soil, mulch is placed across the top of soil ball 58 generally level 
with the top of hole 62. Drum lacing 25 and burlap sheet 55 will decompose 
within a relatively short period of time, permitting the tree roots to 
expand and grow unrestrained. 
The improved methods and apparatus discussed above have a number of 
advantages. Wire basket 1 can be used repeatedly for forming the tree 
balls and is not transported with the tree ball and placed in the ground, 
as in some prior transplanting methods. Also, basket 1 is disconnected 
easily from about the tree ball after it is securely wrapped in the burlap 
sheet prior to transporting the wrapped tree to the transplanting site. 
This eliminates the removal of the basket from the tree ball after it has 
been placed in the hole, as in other prior transplanting methods. Basket 1 
also can be formed in several sizes which will accommodate nearly all 
sizes of trees which are transplanted. Therefore, only several baskets are 
required for nearly all tree transplanting applications and since the 
baskets are formed of relatively indestructible rigid metal bars and rods, 
they will last for a considerable length of time and repeated uses. 
Drum lacing forming device 2 enables a number of preformed drum lacings 25 
to be manufactured by a nurseryman at a convenient time and place 
completely unrelated to either the tree removal or transplanting sites. 
The drum lacings are formed of extremely inexpensive and readily available 
rope which can be chosen to have sufficient strength to securely bind the 
tree ball in its formed condition and yet will decompose within a 
relatively short period of time after being placed in the ground when the 
tree is transplanted. This eliminates any possible dangerous conditions 
from existing, as in those tree transplanting methods wherein the wire 
basket remains in the ground with the tree ball. Drum lacing forming 
device 2 can be formed relatively inexpensively of wood or sheet metal, is 
relatively maintenance free, and can be mounted on any readily available 
supporting structure and requires limited space. Device 2 enables the 
lengths of the drum lacing loops to be adjusted easily for any particular 
size tree by movement of brackets 42 and their pegs 44 along the loop 
forming legs. 
Accordingly, the improved tree transplanting method, apparatus and 
procedures therefor provide effective, safe, inexpensive, and efficient 
procedures and devices which achieve all the enumerated objectives, 
provide for eliminating difficulties encountered with prior procedures and 
devices, and solve problems and obtain new results in the art. 
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, 
clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be 
implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such 
terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly 
construed. 
Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of 
example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact 
details shown or described. 
Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the 
invention, the manner in which the drum lacings are made and trees are 
transplanted, and the characteristics of the new and improved 
constructions, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the 
new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts, 
combinations, procedures and methods are set forth in the appended claims.