Abstract:
This invention relates generally to an apparatus and a method for excavating and transplanting a live tree. The invention relates more specifically to equipment which utilizes curved ground piercing blades moveably supported on a ring assembly positioned around a tree to be transplanted, the blades being forced and guided down into the ground to completely encompass a tree root ball which can thereafter be lifted out of the ground and transported for subsequent transplantation. Both the apparatus and the method facilitate the excavation and transplantation of trees with low limbs and crooked trunks to and/or from uneven or sloping terrain, and may be utilized with any of the prime movers of adequate towing capacity available at an excavation site.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention generally relates to apparatus and methods for excavating and transplanting trees. The invention relates more specifically to equipment which utilizes curved ground piercing blades moveably supported on a ring assembly positioned around a tree to be transplanted, the blades being forced and guided down into the ground to completely encompass a tree root ball which can thereafter be lifted out of the ground and transported for subsequent transplantation. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Land developers are becoming more interested in trying to save trees on the land they are developing. In fact, some communities, such as Austin Texas, have an ordinance protecting trees 19 inches in diameter or larger. Since such trees are usually in the way of the planned construction, they must be moved to another location on the site or elsewhere. For the trees to have a reasonable chance of surviving, a substantial root ball must be moved with the tree. 
     Mechanical devices for excavating trees have existed for decades. However, these devices are limited in application, as they may conventionally only excavate small trees and shrubs. Larger trees, having trunks greater than 15 inches in diameter, commonly require a more manual method for excavation called “round-ball” or boxing.” In this method, a large trench several feet in width and depth is be excavated around the tree. Long pipes or wooden members are then horizontally driven at the bottom of the trench from one side of the tree to another, forming a support framework underneath the tree. Cranes may then lift this framework and the tree out of the ground for subsequent transplantation. The method is very tedious and labor intensive, requiring the aid of multiple workers and tools, and is particularly disfavored during mild flooding, on sloping terrain, or with medium rocky or clay-type soils. Thus, strides were taken to automate the process of large tree excavation. 
     Previous tree moving equipment such as the DeHaan device, U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,033, the Lemond device, U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,398, the Newman device, U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,605, the Stocker device, U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,025, the Dahiquist device, U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,427, the Weeks device, U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,941, and the Stevens device, U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,691, employed a plurality of blades that severed the root ball from the ground and formed a supporting structure for the root ball and tree as it was lifted out of the ground and moved to its new location. The blades were guided into the ground by various types of guide members that engaged the blade over a substantial portion of their length. This resulted in significant structure high above the ground. This structure is a disadvantage to utilizing the prior art, such that trees with low limbs frequently require the limbs to be removed in order be transplanted. 
     The Korenek tree transplanter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,518, attempted to alleviate this problem, but it also has its disadvantages. Use of the Korenek equipment can be limited when utilized on terrain that is not level because the mast requires the ring assembly, tree and root ball to be raised vertically. The problem may become evident when the apparatus is utilized on terrain having more than minimal slope, such as that exceeding 10 degrees. Many applications require the transplantation of a tree either from or to a terrain that has a significant slope, such that the blades of the previous equipment might not be properly aligned with the axis of the tree, thereby resulting in excavating a root ball insufficient to protect the tree and ensure successful transplantation. Since the ring structure and blades of the prior art are set in a given plane in relation to the terrain, the Korenek equipment may not allow the excavation of a tree and adequate root ball from severely sloped terrain, such as the side of a mountain. Further problems may arise with the Korenek equipment when the tree to be excavated and has a crooked trunk or significant branches which the mast would interfere with, such that in positioning the transplanting apparatus around the tree, the trunk may force the misalignment of the ring structure and blades in relation to the root ball, resulting in the excavation of an inadequate or asymmetrical root ball, and thereby sacrificing the health of the tree and decreasing the likelihood of successful transplantation. 
     Since the Korenek apparatus includes a mast on which a ring structure vertically raises and lowers in relation to the ground. The mast stands in a strictly vertical plane and may interfere with the limbs of large trees, possibly injuring the tree limbs or requiring the removal of several tree limbs in order to accurately position the apparatus around the tree. Further, this problem makes such devices particularly disadvantageous for use in nurseries where it is desirable to plant and cultivate trees as closely as possible to utilize the available land most efficiently. Because of the space required for maneuvering and positioning conventional devices to remove such trees, the trees must be planted a greater distance apart than would generally be desirable from the standpoint of utilizing available space in the most efficient manner possible. 
     Additionally, those skilled in the art have learned that the mast arrangement is often not strong or rigid enough to use the apparatus with large trees, such that additional braces have been attached between the mast and various points on the ring structure. These additional supports may also interfere with the limbs of the tree to be excavated, resulting in the need to again remove several limbs prior to excavation. To desirably position the ring assembly of the Korenek device for a tree excavating operation, the lower end of the mast is closely adjacent the ground surface. This close spacing e.g., approximately 8 inches, presents ground clearance problems when using the equipment, particularly in muddy environments. 
     Moreover, once a tree is excavated with the Korenek equipment, the weight of the excavated tree bears substantially upon the mast. To counteract the moment about the mast created by the excessive weight of the tree, a particular prime mover must be selected to prevent the mast from breaking and to prevent the excavated tree from falling backwards to the ground. This limitation in selecting a prime mover of appropriate weight to prevent such malfunction is particularly disfavored to those skilled in the art, since many applications have limitations in the availability of prime movers of various weights. 
     The Korenek apparatus is also susceptible to malfunctions attributed to wear and fracture of the blade guides which guide the blades into the ground. The guides in the Korenek apparatus receive excessive loading from the blades, a problem intensified by the minimal contact area between the blades and the guides. This loading creates excessive wear on the guides, resulting in the failure of the guides or blades, and thereby driving up maintenance requirements of the apparatus, decreasing the reliability of the device, and ultimately increasing operating costs of the device. The guides also provide no effective means for removing debris that becomes lodged between the guides and the blades during use, a factor that leads to further malfunction or fracture of the apparatus. Also, as the Korenek transplanting apparatus is repeatedly used and the force of the blades on the guides and debris accumulates between the guides and the blades, significant wear is effected on the guides, such that the engagement of the guides and the blades is lessened, thereby preventing the blades from being accurately driven into the ground. This also results in the inadequate excavation of the root ball and diminishes the likelihood of tree survival. 
     Finally, utilization of the Korenek tree transplanter can be a tedious process, requiring multiple bolting and unbolting of the ring sections to and from one another. While tree excavating apparatus are often utilized in the construction and nursery industries where time is of the essence, a tedious procedure is not cost effective. Utilizing this equipment requires the additional utilization of multiple tools and several people, thereby increasing both the complexity, execution time and cost of excavating a single tree. 
     It is highly desirable to provide a tree excavating and transplanting apparatus that is easily operated and highly reliable, that may be utilized on terrain of even the most severe slope with trees having severely crooked trunks, that requires little time and minimal trimming to execute the excavation of trees of any size, and that overcomes the wear and maintenance problems inherent in the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A preferred machine for excavating and transplanting large trees involves a plurality of blades moveably supported around an annular ring assembly which is positioned around a tree by a prime mover. The blades sever a root ball from the ground and form a supporting structure for the root ball and tree as it is lifted out of the ground and moved to a new location. Typically, the annular ring assembly includes a front rigid section and two rear gate sections pivotally attached to the rigid section, such that the gate sections can be rotated open to allow the machine to be positioned around the tree. 
     The present invention provides a machine and method for excavating and transplanting large trees, and affords solutions to some of the challenges of excavating and transplanting trees experienced in the prior art. This invention offers advantages over the prior art in that it may facilitate the excavation and transplantation of trees having low limbs or crooked trunks to and/or from substantially sloped terrain. The invention may also more accurately guide the plurality of blades into the ground, thereby increasing the reliability of the machine and the accuracy with which a root ball is excavated, thus increasing the likelihood of tree survival. The invention may also substantially automate the excavating process, thereby eliminating the need for numerous tools and workers during tree transplantation. 
     A primary object of this invention is to provide an excavating machine that offers the ability to excavate and transplant large trees to and from uneven or sloping terrain. The preferred embodiment disclosed affords this characteristic through the arrangement of four hydraulic elevating cylinders, two elevating cylinders each attached at one end to a front rigid section of a ring assembly which moveably supports a plurality of ground piercing blades, the other two elevating cylinders attached at one end to a rear rigid section of the ring assembly. The two front elevating cylinders may be pivotally attached at an opposing end to an over-center neck mechanism which is attached at one end to the ring assembly and at an opposing end to a moveable base. The two rear hydraulic elevating cylinders are each attached at an opposing end to a respective moveable base. By extending the elevating cylinder pistons to different lengths as necessary to best position the ring assembly around the tree, the ring assembly may maintain a substantially horizontal position regardless of the profile of the terrain. Additionally, the elevating cylinders may in the same manner position the ring assembly in a plane at an angle relative to level terrain in order to excavate a root ball of appropriate grade for transplanting the tree to a location of different grade. This feature is of particular advantage over the prior art, in that it may facilitate the excavation of a tree located on a significant slope or where the terrain elevation varies from one side of the tree to another. Additionally, the feature is particularly useful when a tree has been excavated from a substantially level terrain and needs to be transplanted to a location that is severely sloped or uneven. In both cases, this advantage has aesthetic benefits, in that the grade of the transplanted tree may substantially match that of the surrounding transplant location, such that the tree may appear to have actually grown in that location. Additionally, in both of the above scenarios, the likelihood of tree survival may be increased since an adequate root ball will have been more accurately excavated than previously possible with the prior art. 
     Another objective of this invention is to provide a tree excavating and transplanting machine that can excavate trees with low limbs or crooked trunks. The present invention has no structure above the top of the plurality of blades when the ring assembly is in a lowered position. This lack of structure may facilitate use of the present invention to transplant trees that have low limbs, whereas the prior art required the removal of such low limbs to avoid interference between the limbs and the tall vertical structure of the prior art. Additionally, the combination of the low structure height and the pivoting ring assembly discussed above may allow the plurality of blades and ring assembly to be more accurately positioned around a tree, thereby further encouraging the excavation of a root ball sufficient to ensure the likelihood of tree survival. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tree excavator and transplanter capable of use with any one of several prime movers available at an excavation site and having an adequate towing capacity. This characteristic is characterized in the preferred embodiment of the present invention through the provision of an integral hydraulic power unit, consisting of a motor, a hydraulic fluid pump and a hydraulic fluid reservoir. This feature is particularly advantageous over the prior art, in that the present invention is not dependent upon a prime mover or other source for hydraulic or electric power. This may enable the tree excavating and transplanting machine to be used with almost any prime mover available at the excavation site. Additionally, the plurality of blades and ring assembly of the present invention may completely support the weight of the excavated tree. This feature is favorable over the prior art, in that the selection of a prime mover may be independent of the weight of the excavated tree, but may instead be selected solely on the basis of the towing capacity of the prime mover. This feature is advantageous in that it may eliminate the limitations in the prior art in selecting a prime mover, and may facilitate the use of a tree excavator and transplanter with any one of several prime movers available at the excavation site. 
     It is a further objective of this invention to provide blade guides with increased reliability and maintainability. The preferred embodiment disclosed affords this characteristic through the provision of a plurality of blade guides that contact a respective one of the plurality of blades over the width of the blade. This is an advantage over the prior art in that the previous equipment provided only point contact between the blades and guides, such that the blades applied significant loading on the guides during excavation. The present invention may increase the reliability of the blade guides by providing a larger contact area between the blades and the guides, such that the forces resulting from moving the blades during excavation are applied over a larger area than that in the previous equipment. 
     It is a further objective of this invention to provide adjustability in the engagement of the guides and the blades. The preferred embodiment disclosed affords this characteristic through the provision of a plurality of guide adjustment members. The plurality of guide adjustment members may allow the guides to be adjusted radially inward and outward, thereby increasing or decreasing the engagement of the guides with the blades. This feature is advantageous over the prior art, in that the wear on the guides from prolonged used of the machine may be compensated for by adjusting the guides closer to the blades and increasing the engagement of the guides with the blades. Additionally, the feature is advantageous over the prior art in that the guides may be temporarily adjusted away from the blades in order to remove the accumulation of debris resulting from prolonged use of the machine. 
     It is a further objective of this invention to substantially automate the excavation process. The preferred embodiment disclosed affords this characteristic through the provision of a system of hydraulic cylinders. A pair of hydraulic gate cylinders each attached at one end to the annular ring assembly and at an opposing end to a respective gate section pivotally attached to the ring assembly rigid section may provide the automation of the movement of the gate sections between an open position and a closed position. A pair of hydraulic securing cylinders each moving a securing pin between a secured position and an unsecured position may provide the automation of securing the gate sections to the ring assembly rigid section. Further, a hydraulic locking cylinder moving a locking pin between a locked position and an unlocked position may provide the automation of locking the gate sections to one another. Finally, a plurality of hydraulic blade cylinders each attached at one end to a respective one of the plurality of blades and attached at an opposing end to the ring assembly may provide the automation of digging the plurality of blades into the ground underneath the tree. These features are favorable over the prior art in that a single worker may operate the cylinder systems while remaining at a single position relative to the apparatus. This may eliminate the need to manually configure the present invention into an excavating configuration, leaving only the removal and reattachment of one end of each of the plurality of blade cylinders to a respective one of the plurality of blades in a step by step manner to force the blades into the ground. In addition, these features may increase the speed at which the excavating machine may be operated to excavate a tree, in that many of the steps in excavating the tree have been automated and may be performed by a single worker in a central location, and that the hydraulic cylinders may be actuated in a matter of seconds, whereas the prior art utilized threaded fastener configurations for securing the gate sections to the ring assembly rigid section and for locking the two gate sections to one another. These features are also an advantage over the prior art because they may decrease the number of workers required to excavate a tree. They are also advantageous over the prior art in that they may decrease the number of additional tools necessary to complete the excavation, whereas using the prior art excavate a tree required additional tools to configure the gate sections, secure the gate sections to the ring assembly rigid section, and lock the gate sections to one another. Finally, these automated features may allow the forces required to actuate these mechanisms which are attributed to slight misalignment or accumulation of debris to be overcome more easily, since the forces may be overcome by hydraulic power as opposed to human power. 
     The forgoing disclosure and description of the machine for excavating and transplanting large trees and components is illustrative and explanatory thereof This invention is not intended to be limited to the illustrated and discussed embodiments, as one skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the construction and combinations of features of the tree excavating and transplanting machine, may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a simplified top view of the tree excavator and transplanter with the plurality of blades removed for clarity. 
     FIG. 2 is a simplified detail of FIG. 1, showing only the rear gate sections and their relation to the annular ring assembly rigid section, one of the rear gate sections being shown in the closed position, the other rear gate section being shown in the open position. 
     FIG. 3 is a simplified elevation view of the details illustrated in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a simplified elevation view of the apparatus with the annular ring assembly in a lowered position and the plurality of blades in a raised position, the view having several of the plurality of blades removed for clarity. 
     FIG. 5 is a simplified elevation view of the apparatus with the annular ring assembly in a raised position and the plurality of blades in a lowered position. 
     FIG. 6 is a simplified top view showing the locations one of the plurality of blades, the plurality of guides, and one of the plurality of hydraulic blade movers in relation to the annular ring assembly rigid section. 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the details illustrated in FIG.  6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference is made to the attached drawings only for the purpose of demonstrating preferred embodiments and not for the purpose of limiting the same. FIG. 1 illustrates generally a tree excavating and transplanting machine  10  consisting of an annular ring assembly  18  supported by a front moveable base  12 , a right rear moveable base  38 , and a left rear moveable base  40 . FIG. 2 illustrates in further detail a left rear gate section  22  and a right rear gate section  24 , each pivotally attached to an annular ring assembly rigid section  20 , as well as a pair of hydraulic gate cylinders  56  each attached to the annular ring assembly rigid section  20  and a respective rear gate section  22  and  24  for moving the rear gate sections  22  and  24  between an open position and a closed position. FIG. 3 illustrates generally the annular ring assembly rigid section  20  and right rear gate section  24  depicted in FIG. 2, as well as a securing pin  58  for securing the right rear gate section  24  to the annular ring assembly rigid section  20 , a hydraulic securing cylinder  62  for moving the securing pin  58  between a secured position and an unsecured position, a locking pin  48  for locking the right rear gate section  24  to the left rear gate section  22 , and a hydraulic locking cylinder  60  for moving the locking pin  48  between a locked position and an unlocked position. FIG. 4 illustrates generally the relative locations of the front moveable base  12 , the rear moveable bases  38  and  40 , the annular ring assembly  18 , and a plurality of ground piercing blades  26 , as well as the attachment points of an over-center neck mechanism  34  attached to the annular ring assembly rigid section  20  and the front moveable base  12 , and a front elevating cylinder  36  attached to the annular ring assembly rigid section  20  and the over-center neck mechanism  34 , while the annular ring assembly  18  is in a lowered position. FIG. 5 illustrates generally the relative locations of the front moveable base  12 , the rear moveable bases  38  and  40 , the annular ring assembly  18 , the plurality of blades  26 , the over-center neck mechanism  34 , and the hydraulic elevating cylinder  36  while the annular ring assembly  18  is in a raised position. FIG.  6  and FIG. 7 illustrate generally the engagement of a plurality of guides  30  with the plurality of blades  26  in relation to the annular ring assembly rigid section  20 , as well as the adjustment members  64  for radially adjusting the plurality of guides  30 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, an annular ring assembly  18  is comprised of two rear gate sections  22  and  24  pivotally attached to a rigid section  20 . The rigid section  20  is comprised of a plurality of flanged sections  21 , with each flanged section  21  preferably being secured to the adjacent flanged section  21  by a plurality of peripheral flange bolts (not shown). An over-center neck mechanism  34  is pivotally attached at one end to the annular ring assembly rigid section  20  and at an opposing end to a front moveable base  12  having a centerline generally aligned with a prime mover  70  for moving the apparatus  10 . A pair of hydraulic elevating cylinders  36  are positioned on opposite sides of the front base centerline  35 , each of the pair of elevating cylinders  36  having one end attached to the over-center neck mechanism  34  and an opposing end attached to the annular ring assembly rigid section  20 . In a preferred embodiment, the annular ring assembly  18  is further supported by a right rear moveable base  38  and a left rear moveable base  40  on respective sides of the annular ring assembly  18 , the moveable bases  38  and  40  each being connected to the annular ring assembly  18  by a hydraulic elevating cylinder  44  and  42  each having one end attached to the respective base  38  and  40  and an opposing end attached to a ring assembly standoff  82  (see FIG.  4 ). In a preferred embodiment, the front moveable base  12  includes a left side roller  16  and a right side roller  14  each spaced laterally from the base  12  centerline outward of the over-center neck mechanism  34 . In a preferred embodiment, a tow-bar  72  is attached to the front moveable base  12  for interconnecting the front moveable base  12  with the prime mover  70 . The moveable bases  38  and  40  each have a left-side and right-side roller spaced laterally outward from its respective elevating cylinder. 
     In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of ground piercing blades  26  are arranged about the annular ring assembly  18 , each blade  26  having a radius of curvature along its longitudinal axis and tapered laterally toward a lower blade apex  28  (see FIG. 4) such that the plurality of blades  26  may move into substantially circumferential engagement under a tree to sever a root ball of the tree from the ground and thereafter support the tree and root ball as the annular ring assembly  18  and the plurality of blades  26  are raised with respect to the front base  12  to lift the tree and root ball from the ground. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the apex  28  may be spaced slightly from the lower end of a blade which is slightly rounded. In a preferred embodiment, each of the plurality of blades  26  includes an inner keel  52  and an outer keel  50  from which the blade  26  extends circumferentially outward, each outer keel  50  including a plurality of apertures  54  spaced along a length of the outer keel  50 . The plurality of blades  26  are each supported on the annular ring assembly  18  by a respective one of a plurality of guides  30  circumferentially spaced around and attached to the annular ring assembly  18 . In a preferred embodiment, each of the plurality of guides  30  are moveably attached to a respective one of a plurality of adjustment members  64 , such that the location of each of the plurality of guides  30  may be adjusted radially inward and outward to increase or decrease the engagement of each of the guides  30  to a respective one of the plurality of blades  26 , the engagement between each of the guides  30  and a respective one of the plurality of blades  26  serving to accurately guide the movement of the blade  26  with respect to the annular ring assembly  18  along a path defined by the radius of curvature of a respective blade  26 , and to limit the radial and lateral movement of the blades  26  during excavation. In a preferred embodiment, each of the plurality of blades  26  is moved through the guides  30  and into the ground by a respective one of a plurality of hydraulic blade cylinders  32 , each blade cylinder  32  having one end attached to a respective one of the plurality of blades  26  and an opposing end attached to the annular ring assembly  18 . The inner keel  52  and the outer keel  50  may be a single component, with each blade  26  comprised of two halves each welded to a side of the keel. 
     In a preferred embodiment, each of the two rear gate sections  22  and  24  include a plurality of vertically spaced securing sleeves  46  for securing each of the rear gate sections  22  and  24  to the annular ring assembly rigid structure  20 . Each end of the annular ring assembly rigid section  20  also includes a plurality of vertically spaced securing sleeves  74  secured radially inward to an end of the rigid section  20 . Each of the plurality of annular ring assembly rigid section securing sleeves  74  is axially aligned with a respective plurality of rear gate section securing sleeves  46  secured radially inward on each of the rear gate sections  22  and  24  when the rear gate sections  22  and  24  are in a closed position, such that a vertically moveable securing pin  58  may be inserted through both a plurality of annular ring assembly rigid section securing sleeves  74  and a respective plurality of rear gate section securing sleeves  46  to secured the respective rear gate section  22  or  24  in the closed position. In a preferred embodiment, a hydraulic securing cylinder  62  is attached at one end to a respective one of the securing pins  58  and at an opposing end to the annular ring assembly  18 , such that the securing cylinder  62  may move the securing pin  58  between a secured position and an unsecured position. 
     In a preferred embodiment, each of the two rear gate sections  22  and  24  include a plurality of vertically spaced locking sleeves  76  secured radially outward to the free end of the rear gate sections  22  and  24 , each plurality of locking sleeves  76  aligning axially with the plurality of locking sleeves  76  secured to the other rear gate section  22  or  24 , such that a vertically moveable locking pin  48  may be inserted simultaneously through the plurality of locking sleeves  76  on both rear gate sections  22  and  24  to lock the rear gate sections  22  and  24  to one another. In a preferred embodiment, a hydraulic locking cylinder  60  is attached at one end to the locking pin  48  and at an opposing end to the annular ring assembly  18 , such that the locking cylinder  60  may move the locking pin  48  between a locking position and an unlocking position. 
     In a preferred embodiment, each of the hydraulic cylinders  32 ,  36 ,  42 ,  44 ,  56 ,  60 ,  62  are actuated by hydraulic power supplied by a hydraulic power unit  80  consisting of a motor  84 , a fluid pump  86  and a fluid reservoir  88 . The hydraulic power unit  80  is preferably rigidly secured to one side of the annular ring assembly rigid section  20 . Suitable controls (not shown) are provided for operator control of the cylinders from the unit  80 . Accordingly, hydraulic power from the prime mover  70  is not required to operate the machine  10 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, each of the plurality of guides  30  is composed of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, although another selected plastic material may be used in other embodiments. Other embodiments may also use alternative means for moving each of the plurality of blades  26  into the ground, such as a toothed rack on the outer keel  50  on each of the plurality of blades  26  and mounting a plurality of hydraulic torque motors to the annular ring assembly  18 . Each of the plurality of torque motors may be secured to a respective pinion gear engaging a toothed rack on the outer keel  50  of a respective one of the plurality of blades  26 , such that by causing the torque motor to drive the respective pinion gear, the blade  26  is forced into the ground. 
     The invention includes a preferred process for excavating and transplanting a tree. By providing a moveable front base  12  having a centerline generally aligned with a prime mover  70  for moving the tree, supporting an annular ring assembly  18  on the moveable base  12 , the annular ring assembly  18  including a pair of rear gate sections  22  and  24  and a rigid section  20  comprised of a plurality of flanged sections  21  secured to one another, pivotally attaching one end of an over-center neck mechanism  34  to the annular ring assembly rigid section  20  and an opposing end to the moveable base  12 , positioning a pair of hydraulic elevating cylinders  36  on opposite sides of the over-center neck mechanism  34  and attaching one end of each of the pair of hydraulic elevating cylinders  36  to the over-center neck mechanism  34  and an opposing end to the annular ring assembly rigid section  20 , a plurality of ground piercing blades  26  may be moveably supported circumferentially around the annular ring assembly  18 . This apparatus  10  may then be positioned around a tree to be excavated by opening the rear gate sections  22  and  24 , thereafter using the prime mover  70  to position the apparatus  10  around the tree, thereafter closing the rear gate sections  22  and  24 , thereafter securing the rear gate sections  22  and  24  to the annular ring assembly rigid section  20  by actuating a pair of hydraulic securing cylinders  62  to each move a respective one of a pair of securing pins  58  into a secured position engaging both a plurality of rear gate section securing sleeves  46  which are secured to a radially inward surface on each of the rear gate sections  22  and  24  and a plurality of annular ring assembly rigid section securing sleeves  74  which are secured to a radially inward surface of both ends of the annular ring assembly rigid section  20 , and thereafter locking the rear gate sections  22  and  24  to one another by actuating a locking cylinder  60  to move a locking pin  48  to a locked position engaging a plurality of rear gate section locking sleeves  76  secured to a radially outward surface of both rear gate sections  22  and  24 . By further mounting a plurality of hydraulic blade cylinders  32  each on one end to the annular ring assembly  18  and an opposing end to a respective one of the plurality of blades  26 , and mounting a plurality of guides  30  to the annular ring assembly  18 , each of the plurality of blades  26  may be driven into the ground and underneath the tree to be excavated. The annular ring assembly  18  and the plurality of blades  26  may then be raised relative to the front base  12 , thereby excavating the tree and a root ball for subsequent transplantation. 
     While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in detail, it is apparent that modifications and adaptations of the preferred embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims.