US3877584A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for loading sod on pallets
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-10-09
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Granted: 1975-04-15
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Expires: 1993-10-09
Abstract
Abstract A trailer for automatically stacking sod on pallets, is pulled behind a tractor having means for harvesting the sod from the ground. A stack of pallets, carried by the trailer, are individually fed to the top of a chain-operated elevator for receiving individual slabs of sod. As sod is being stacked on a pallet in the elevator, the pallet is progressively lowered until fully stacked. It is then dropped to the ground as an empty pallet is being fed into the elevator.
Inventors
- 👤 James E Holcombe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 05:11
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G59/00; B65G59/06; B65G59/061; B65G59/062; A; A01; A01G; A01G20/00; A01G20/10; A01G20/12; A01G20/15; B65G57/00; B65G57/02; B65G57/03; B65G57/06; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S414/00; Y10S414/10; Y10S414/102; Y10S414/103; Y10S414/106
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
228 words
Apparatus for loading on pallets sod being harvested from the ground, comprising: a wheeled frame and means connected thereto for advancing the frame across the ground; conveyor means having an upper end and a lower end carried by the frame for raising a slab of sod of a predetermined length from the lower end to the upper end of the conveyor means; a pair of plates slidably supported on said frame in a substantially horizontal, co-planar relationship adjacent the upper end of the conveyor means so as to be movable between a closed position, substantially in abutment one with the other, for receiving the slab of sod in a first position; rake means mounted above the plates for engaging the slab of sod being discharged from the upper end of the conveyor means and slidably moving the slab on the plates toward said first position; a pallet disposed on said frame beneath the closed position of the plates for receiving the slab of sod in a stacked position on the pallet, and; means connected to the plates for moving them toward an open position in which one plates is so spaced with respect to the other as to permit the slab of sod mounted thereon in said first position to drop down between the plates onto said pallet as the plates are being moved toward said open position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
228 words
Apparatus for loading on pallets sod being harvested from the ground, comprising: a wheeled frame and means connected thereto for advancing the frame across the ground; conveyor means having an upper end and a lower end carried by the frame for raising a slab of sod of a predetermined length from the lower end to the upper end of the conveyor means; a pair of plates slidably supported on said frame in a substantially horizontal, co-planar relationship adjacent the upper end of the conveyor means so as to be movable between a closed position, substantially in abutment one with the other, for receiving the slab of sod in a first position; rake means mounted above the plates for engaging the slab of sod being discharged from the upper end of the conveyor means and slidably moving the slab on the plates toward said first position; a pallet disposed on said frame beneath the closed position of the plates for receiving the slab of sod in a stacked position on the pallet, and; means connected to the plates for moving them toward an open position in which one plates is so spaced with respect to the other as to permit the slab of sod mounted thereon in said first position to drop down between the plates onto said pallet as the plates are being moved toward said open position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including elevator means mounted on the frame and supporting the pallet, the elevator means being operative to lower the pallet toward the ground as similarly shaped slabs of sod are stacked on the first mentioned slab of sod.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the slab of sod is mounted on the plates such that the mid-section of the slab drops through the open position between the plates before the side edges of the slab pass between the plates.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including a second pallet and means for raising the pair of plates to form an opening for receiving the second pallet along a path of motion between the conveyor means and the plates toward a position beneath the plates.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including conveyor means mounted on the frame, a plurality of pallets stacked one above the other, and means for individually feeding the lower-most pallet of the stack to a position beneath the plates for receiving sod being delivered from the plates.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the rake means comprises a chain member disposed to move parallel to said plates, and including a plurality of teeth carried along said chain for engaging the sod.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
92 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the elevator means are mounted on the frame and disposed to engage the pallet beneath said plates, said elevator means including a pair of chains supported in spaced parallel relationship on opposite sides of the pallet, power means for moving the chains, and means carried by the chains for engaging the pallet whereby it is moved from an upper position in which it is disposed to receive sod toward a lower position in which the pallet of sod is released from the elevator means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-14 | 1978-10-14 | 1979-04-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-14 | 1982-10-14 | 1983-04-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-14 | 1986-10-14 | 1987-04-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |