Apparatus for excavating plants

Claim 1

An apparatus for excavating plants, such as trees and shrubs and comprising in combination: a main frame, an elongated hollow member open at both ends and verticallY reciprocable on said main frame, said hollow member being composed of sections separable laterally to permit said hollow member to be disposed around a plant, means for forcing said hollow member vertically into the ground when disposed around a plant, cutoff means carried by said hollow member near the bottom and adapted for cutting transversely across the bottom of the plug of ground encompassed by said hollow member when it is forced into the ground, said hollow member being a cylinder composed of sections, said main frame being a wheeled mobile frame, a first motor operatively connected between the frame and the cylinder for raising and lowering the cylinder collectively on the frame, a second motor operatively connected to cylinder sections individually for moving said cylinder sections toward and away from each other, said cylinder composed of sections respectively comprising sharp teeth on the bottom edge thereof to facilitate penetration of the cylinder into the ground, a support member being provided for each cylinder section and being connected thereto, a subframe including means movable interconnecting said support members, said subframe being guided on said main frame for vertical reciprocation thereon, said first motor being operatively connected between said main frame and said subframe, said second motor being connected between said support members, vibrator means mounted on said subframe and operable to impose vibrations in the vertical direction on said cylinder to cause it to advance downwardly into the ground, said cylinder having an upwardly facing internal shoulder therein near the bottom for supporting the lower end of wrap material for the plant being excavated, a sleeve including a downwardly facing shoulder above the top for engaging the upper end of wrap material, said cutoff means being disposed in said cylinder in the region of said upwardly facing shoulder so as to cut off said ground plug near the bottom end of said cylinder of wrap material, said cylinder having a segmented sleeve rotatable therein and extending from said upwardly facing shoulder upwardly and beyond the upper end of the cylinder, said downwardly facing shoulder being formed in said sleeve, means for rotating said sleeve in said cylinder, said sleeve being vertically reciprocable a limited amount in said cylinder and said cutoff means being disposed in said cylinder just above said upwardly facing shoulder and being covered by said sleeve when the sleeve is in its lowermost position in said cylinder, said sleeve upon upward movement exposing said cutoff means for operation.

Claim 2

An apparatus for excavating plants, such as trees and shrubs and comprising in combination: a main frame, an elongated hollow member open at both ends and verticallY reciprocable on said main frame, said hollow member being composed of sections separable laterally to permit said hollow member to be disposed around a plant, means for forcing said hollow member vertically into the ground when disposed around a plant, cutoff means carried by said hollow member near the bottom and adapted for cutting transversely across the bottom of the plug of ground encompassed by said hollow member when it is forced into the ground, said hollow member being a cylinder composed of sections, said main frame being a wheeled mobile frame, a first motor operatively connected between the frame and the cylinder for raising and lowering the cylinder collectively on the frame, a second motor operatively connected to cylinder sections individually for moving said cylinder sections toward and away from each other, said cylinder composed of sections respectively comprising sharp teeth on the bottom edge thereof to facilitate penetration of the cylinder into the ground, a support member being provided for each cylinder section and being connected thereto, a subframe including means movable interconnecting said support members, said subframe being guided on said main frame for vertical reciprocation thereon, said first motor being operatively connected between said main frame and said subframe, said second motor being connected between said support members, vibrator means mounted on said subframe and operable to impose vibrations in the vertical direction on said cylinder to cause it to advance downwardly into the ground, said cylinder having an upwardly facing internal shoulder therein near the bottom for supporting the lower end of wrap material for the plant being excavated, a sleeve including a downwardly facing shoulder above the top for engaging the upper end of wrap material, said cutoff means being disposed in said cylinder in the region of said upwardly facing shoulder so as to cut off said ground plug near the bottom end of said cylinder of wrap material, said cylinder having a segmented sleeve rotatable therein and extending from said upwardly facing shoulder upwardly and beyond the upper end of the cylinder, said downwardly facing shoulder being formed in said sleeve, means for rotating said sleeve in said cylinder, said sleeve being vertically reciprocable a limited amount in said cylinder and said cutoff means being disposed in said cylinder just above said upwardly facing shoulder and being covered by said sleeve when the sleeve is in its lowermost position in said cylinder, said sleeve upon upward movement exposing said cutoff means for operation.

Claim 7

An apparatus for excavating plants, such as trees and shrubs and comprising in combination: a main frame, an elongated hollow member open at both ends and vertically reciprocable on said main frame, said hollow member being composed of sections separable laterally to permit said hollow member to be disposed around a plant, means for forcing said hollow member vertically into the ground when disposed around a plant, cutoff means carried by said hollow member near the bottom and adapted for cutting transversely across the bottom of the plug of ground encompassed by said hollow member when it is forced into the ground, said hollow member being a cylinder composed of sections, said main frame being a wheeled mobile frame, a first motor operatively connected between the frame and the cylinder for raising and lowering the cylinder collectively on the frame, a second motor operatively connected to cylinder sections individually for moving said cylinder sections toward and away from each other, said cylinder composed of sections respectively comprising sharp teeth on the bottom edge thereof to facilitate penetration of the cylinder into the ground, a support member being provided for each cylinder section and being connected thereto, a subframe including means movable interconnecting said support members, said subframe being guided on said main frame for vertical reciprocation thereon, said first motor being operatively connected between said main frame and said subframe, said second motor being connected between said support members, vibrator means mounted on said subframe and operable to impose vibrations in the vertical direction on said cylinder to cause it to advance downwardly into the ground, said cylinder having an upwardly facing internal shoulder therein near the bottom for supporting the lower end of wrap material for the plant being excavated, a sleeve including a downwardly facing shoulder above the top for engaging the upper end of wrap material, said cutoff means being disposed in said cylinder in the region of said upwardly facing shoulder so as to cut off said ground plug near the bottom end of said cylinder of wrap material, said cylinder having a segmented sleeve rotatable therein and extending from said upwardly facing shoulder upwardly and beyond the upper end of the cylinder, said downwardly facing shoulder being formed in said sleeve, means for rotating said sleeve in said cylinder, said cutoff means being a curved knife pivotally connected to the lower end of said sleeve, means holding said knife in radially outer retracted position during advancing movement of said cylinder into the ground and for swinging said knife inwardly of the cylinder only when the cylinder is fully advanced into the ground whereby rotation of said sleeve in said cylinder will cause said knife to cut off the plug of ground taken by the cylinder.

Claim 8

An apparatus for excavating plants, such as trees and shrubs and comprising in combination: a main frame, an elongated hollow member open at both ends and vertically reciprocable on said main frame, said hollow member being composed of sections separable laterally to permit said hollow member to be disposed around a plant, means for forcing said hollow member vertically into the ground when disposed around a plant, cutoff means carried by said hollow member near the bottom and adapted for cutting transversely across the bottom of the plug of ground encompassed by said hollow member when it is forced into the ground, said hollow member being a cylinder composed of sections, said main frame being a wheeled mobile frame, a first motor operatively connected between the frame and the cylinder for raising and lowering the cylinder collectively on the frame, a second motor operatively connected to cylinder sections individually for moving said cylinder sections toward and away from each other, said cylinder composed of sections respectively comprising sharp teeth on the bottom edge thereof to facilitate penetration of the cylinder into the ground, a support member being provided for each cylinder section and being connected thereto, a subframe including means movable interconnecting said support members, said subframe being guided on said main frame for vertical reciprocation thereon, said first motor being operatively connected between said main frame and said subframe, said second motor being connected between said support members, vibrator means mounted on said subframe and operable to impose vibrations in the vertical direction on said cylinder to cause it to advance downwardly into the ground, said cylinder having an upwardly facing internal shoulder therein near the bottom for supporting the lower end of wrap material for the plant being excavated, a sleeve including a downwardly facing shoulder above the top for engaging the upper end of wrap material, said cutoff means being disposed in said cylinder in the region of said upwardly facing shoulder so as to cut off said ground plug near the bottom end of said cylinder of wrap material, said cylinder having a segmented sleeve rotatable therein and extending from said upwardly facing shoulder upwardly and beyond the upper end of the cylinder, said downwardly facing shoulder being formed in said sleeve, means for rotating said sleeve in said cylinder, said cutoff means being a curved knife pivotally connected to the lower end of said sleeve, means holding said knife in radially outer retracted position during advancing movement of said cylinder into the ground and for swinging said knife inwardly of the cylinder only when the cylinder is fully advanced into the ground whereby rotation of said sleeve in said cylinder will cause said knife to cut off the plug of ground taken by the cylinder.

Claim 9

An apparatus for excavating plants, such as trees and shrubs and comprising in combination: a main frame, an elongated hollow member open at both ends and vertically reciprocable on said main frame, said hollow member being composed of sections separable laterally to permit said hollow member to be disposed around a plant, means for forcing said hollow member vertically into the ground when disposed around a plant, cutoff means carried by said hollow member near the bottom and adapted for cutting transversely across the bottom of the plug of ground encompassed by said hollow member when it is forced into the ground, first motor means operatively connected to said cylinder collectively for vertical movement thereof, second motor means for moving said cylinder sections laterally, said main frame including a first arm pivotal on a vertical axis at one end and having its other end above said cylinder, a second arm pivoted at one end to said other end of said first arm and extending along beneath said one arm and supportingly connected at its other end to said cylinder, third motor means connected to said first arm for swinging it about said vertical axis to move said cylinder laterally, and fourth motor means connected to said second arm to swing it about its pivotal connection with said first arm for rocking said cylinder when the cylinder engages the ground.

Claim 10

An apparatus for excavating plants, such as trees and shrubs and comprising in combination: a main frame, an elongated hollow member open at both ends and vertically reciprocable on said main frame, said hollow member being composed of sections separable laterally to permit said hollow member to be disposed around a plant, means for forcing said hollow member vertically into the ground when disposed around a plant, cutoff means carried by said hollow member near the bottom and adapted for cutting transversely across the bottom of the plug of ground encompassed by said hollow member when it is forced into the ground, first motor means operatively connected to said cylinder collectively for vertical movement thereof, second motor means for moving said cylinder sections laterally, said main frame including a first arm pivotal on a vertical axis at one end and having its other end above said cylinder, a second arm pivoted at one end to said other end of said first arm and extending along beneath said one arm and supportingly connected at its other end to said cylinder, third motor means connected to said first arm for swinging it about said vertical axis to move said cylinder laterally, and fourth motor means connected to said second arm to swing it about its pivotal connection with said first arm for rocking said cylinder when the cylinder engages the ground.

Claim 13

An apparatus for excavating plants, such as trees and shrubs and comprising in combination: a main frame, an elongated hollow member open at both ends and vertically reciprocable on said main frame, said hollow member being composed of sections separable laterally to permit said hollow member to be disposed around a plant, means for forcing said hollow member vertically into the ground when disposed around a plant, cutoff means carried by said hollow member near the bottom and adapted for cutting transversely across the bottom of the plug of ground encompassed by said hollow member when it is forced into the ground, said hollow member being a cylinder collectively in the form of superimposed axially short sections, each section comprising halves pivotally interconnected, and means for selectively closing said sections one at a time as said cylinder is driven into the ground.

Claim 14

An apparatus for excavating plants, such as trees and shrubs and comprising in combination: a main frame, an elongated hollow member open at both ends and vertically reciprocable on said main frame, said hollow member being composed of sections separable laterally to permit said hollow member to be disposed around a plant, means for forcing said hollow member vertically into the ground when disposed around a plant, cutoff means carried by said hollow member near the bottom and adapted for cutting transversely across the bottom of the plug of ground encompassed by said hollow member when it is forced into the ground, said hollow member being a cylinder collectively in the form of superimposed axially short sections, each section comprising halves pivotally interconnected, and means for selectively closing said sections one at a time as said cylinder is driven into the ground.

Claim 16

An apparatus for excavating plants, such as trees and shrubs and comprising in combination: a main frame, an elongated hollow member open at both ends and vertically reciprocable on said main frame, said hollow member being composed of sections separable laterally to permit said hollow member to be disposed around a plant, means for forcing said hollow member vertically into the ground when disposed around a plant, cutoff means carried by said hollow member near the bottom and adapted for cutting transversely across the bottom of the plug of ground encompassed by said hollow member when it is forced into the ground, said hollow member being a cylinder composed of sections, said main frame being a wheeled mobile frame, a first motor operatively connected between the frame and the cylinder for raising and lowering the cylinder collectively on the frame, a second motor operatively connected to cylinder sections individually for moving said cylinder sections toward and away from each other, said cylinder composed of sections respectively comprising sharp teeth on the bottom edge thereof to facilitate penetration of the cylinder into the ground, a support member being provided for each cylinder section and being connected thereto, a subframe including means movable interconnecting said support members, said subframe being guided on said main frame for vertical reciprocation thereon, said first motor being operatively connected between said main frame and said subframe, said second motor being connected between said support members, vibrator means mounted on said subframe and operable to impose vibrations in the vertical direction on said cylinder to cause it to advance downwardly into the ground, said cylinder having an upwardly facing internal shoulder therein near the bottom for supporting the lower end of wrap material for the plant being excavated, a sleeve including a downwardly facing shoulder above the top for engaging the upper end of wrap material, said cutoff means being disposed in said cylinder in the region of said upwardly facing shoulder so as to cut off said ground plug near the bottom end of said cylinder of wrap material, said cylinder having a segmented sleeve rotatable therein and extending from said upwardly facing shoulder upwardly and beyond the upper end of the cylinder, said downwardly facing shoulder being formed in said sleeve, means for rotating said sleeve in said cylinder, said cutoff means being a curved blade disposed horizontally near the lower end of said sleeve and having about the same radius of curvature as said sleeve and in its retracted position being disposed substantially coaxially with said sleeve, a vertical shaft in said sleeve and connected to one end of said blade so rotation of said shaft in the sleeve will swing said blade between its said retracted position and an extended position wherein the blade is turned so its other end is near the axis of said cylinder, means for rotating said sleeve in said cylinder, first means operable upon rotation of said sleeve in said cylinder from a predetermined starting position to a second position less than 360* away from said starting position for turning said shaft in one direction to swing said blade from its retracted position into its extended position so it will perform a cutoff operation as the said sleeve rotates, and second means operable during continued rotation of said sleeve in the same direction from said second position on to said starting position for turning said shaft in the opposite direction to swing said blade back to its retracted position.

Claim 17

An apparatus for excavating plants, such as trees and shrubs and comprising in combination: a main frame, an elongated hollow member open at both ends and vertically reciprocable on said main frame, said hollow member being composed of sections separable laterally to permit said hollow member to be disposed around a plant, means for forcing said hollow member vertically into the ground when disposed around a plant, cutoff means carried by said hollow member near the bottom and adapted for cutting transversely across the bottom of the plug of ground encompassed by said hollow member when it is forced into the ground, said hollow member being a cylinder composed of sections, said main frame being a wheeled mobile frame, a first motor operatively connected between the frame and the cylinder for raising and lowering the cylinder collectively on the frame, a second motor operatively connected to cylinder sections individually for moving said cylinder sections toward and away from each other, said cylinder composed of sections respectively comprising sharp teeth on the bottom edge thereof to facilitate penetration of the cylinder into the ground, a support member being provided for each cylinder section and being connected thereto, a subframe including means movable interconnecting said support members, said subframe being guided on said main frame for vertical reciprocation thereon, said first motor being operatively connected between said main frame and said subframe, said second motor being connected between said support members, vibrator means mounted on said subframe and operable to impose vibrations in the vertical direction on said cylinder to cause it to advance downwardly into the ground, said cylinder having an upwardly facing internal shoulder therein near the bottom for supporting the lower end of wrap material for the plant being excavated, a sleeve including a downwardly facing shoulder above the top for engaging the upper end of wrap material, said cutoff means being disposed in said cylinder in the region of said upwardly facing shoulder so as to cut off said ground plug near the bottom end of said cylinder of wrap material, said cylinder having a segmented sleeve rotatable therein and extending from said upwardly facing shoulder upwardly and beyond the upper end of the cylinder, said downwardly facing shoulder being formed in said sleeve, means for rotating said sleeve in said cylinder, said cutoff means being a curved blade disposed horizontally near the lower end of said sleeve and having about the same radius of curvature as said sleeve and in its retracted position being disposed substantially coaxially with said sleeve, a vertical shaft in said sleeve and connected to one end of said blade so rotation of said shaft in the sleeve will swing said blade between its said retracted position and an extended position wherein the blade is turned so its other end is near the axis of said cylinder, means for rotating said sleeve in said cylinder, first means operable upon rotation of said sleeve in said cylinder from a predetermined starting position to a second position less than 360* away from said starting position for turning said shaft in one direction to swing said blade from its retracted position into its extended position so it will perform a cutoff operation as the said sleeve rotates, and second means operable during continued rotation of said sleeve in the same direction from said second position on to said starting position for turning said shaft in the opposite direction to swing said blade back to its retracted position.