GB2305101A

GB2305101A - Device and process for cutting grass sods with a constant thickness

Info

Publication number: GB2305101A
Application number: GB9619303A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Vuuren Johannes Van
Original assignee: Harmelerwaard Patents BV
Current assignee: Harmelerwaard Patents BV
Priority date: 1995-09-15
Filing date: 1996-09-16
Publication date: 1997-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 2016-09-16
Also published as: GB2305101B; GB9619303D0; NL1001212C2; CA2185514C; CA2185514A1

Abstract

Device for cutting one or more grass sods from grass land, comprises ```a chassis; ```a cutter 12 for cutting the sods, which cutter is mounted on the chassis; and ```adjustment cylinders 16, 17 for laterally setting the cutter over the breadth of the grass sods. The device may be provided with an instrument for measuring the thickness of the grass sods e.g. running wheels 30, 31, 32, whereby the setting of the cutter may occur automatically so that the thickness of the grass sods can be kept constant.

Description

DEtSCE AND PROCESS FOR CUTTING GRASS 80D8 WITE A CONSTA tWICKKESS PROM GRASS LAND In order to quickly lay large grass surfaces, such as for sports fields, golf courses and other lawns, it is currently the trend to cut out grass sods with a large breadth, for example a breadth of 24 - 48 inches (60 - 120 cm). These large grass sods can be collected as rolls (big rolls) or big slabs. In WO 95/02317 (PCT/NL94/00159) from the applicant, a device and a method have been described for cutting out similar large grass sods.

By such broad grass sods there occurs the ~ problem, when encountering a sloping terrain where over the breadth of the grass sod is slightly hollow or rounded, of keeping the thickness of the grass sods over the whole breadth constant. Grass sods of varying thicknesses yield problems by the laying of sport fields and so forth, which must be as flat as possible. Furthermore the cut grass sods are dependent on the application thereof.

For example on the one hand for a golfing green or a high quality sport field and on the other hand a garden or planting grass field, to cut grass sods as thinly as possible or just a little thicker. If the ground is uneven, a (temporarily) "dead" spot can arise in the grass field to be lain during the cutting cut, as thinly as possible of the grass sods, which is undesirable in the above mentioned high quality applications. In the other mentioned applications, it is more important to reduce transport costs and accordingly to cut the grass sods as thinly as possible.Furthermore it is important by rolling up or stacking of the broad grass sods, but also by grass sods which after cutting out have been cut into smaller strips or by strips which have been cut narrowly from the beginning, that the grass sod thickness on the outer side of the roll or stack is not thinner than on the inner side in order to prevent that the stack or roll outwardly sags or in the case of narrower grass sods, falls over.

The present invention provides a device for cutting one or more grass sods from grass land, comprising: - a chassis, - cutting means for cutting the sods, which cutting means are mounted on the chassis; and - setting means for setting the cutting means.

Although an experienced driver of the device according to the present invention will be capable of adjusting the cutting means during driving, it is preferable, when the device is also provided with measuring means1 that setting of the cutting means occurs for as much as is possible automatically, whereby the thickness of the grass sods can be kept constant or varied to a greater extend.

The measuring means1 rolling and/or dragging means are preferably mounted on the cutting means so that the slopes in the terrain, from where the grass sods are to be cut, are constantly felt whereafter immediate adjustment of the depth setting of the cutting means can occur.

In another embodiment, which can also make use of the mentioned rolling and/or dragging means, sensing means are arranged behind the cutting means wherein the setting means are adjusted as quickly as possible when an undesirable depth is measured.

The cutting means preferably comprise a flexible blade since apart from the depth setting of the cutting means with respect to the underground, a partially hollow or rounded cutting blade can also be set up in order to follow the sloping terrain.

The present invention furthermore provides a process for cutting one or more grass sods from grass land, wherein the thickness of the grass sods which have been cut out or which are to be cut out, is determined and wherein the cutting means are set up to depend on the measured thickness.

Further advantages, characteristics and details of the present invention will be clarified with respect to the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, which refers to the appended drawings which show: fig. 1 a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, with which the process according to the present invention can also be carried out; fig. 2 a perspective view of detail II from fig. 1; and fig. 3 a perspective view of detail ZIT from fig. 2 in a second working position. - A device 1 according to the present invention comprises a chassis 2 whereon wheels 23, 24 are mounted and which is connected with a tractor (not shown) via a coupling 3 and a rod 4.The device 1 can also make use of a driven axle 5 of the tractor, in the schematically shown manner, and also of other provisions thereof.

A cutting unit 6, a carrying up transporter 7 and further transport units 8, 9 and 10 are mounted on the chassis 2 for stacking up the grass sods, for example with large breadth, in large rolls or in a zig-zag manner on the holder P. Further details of the device illustrated in figure 1 are described in the above mentioned international patent application W095/02317.

The cutting device 6 (fig. 2) preferably comprises a somewhat flexible roller 11 where behind a cutting blade 12 extends which cuts under the sod and which, for this object, is somewhat movable to and fro with the aid of the driven axle 13 according to the double arrow A. The blade 12 is also adjustable with respect to the roller 11 either by adjustment of the frame part 14 or the suspending of the roller 11. The cutting blade 12 is at least somewhat flexible and is for example secured near the middle thereof, to a frame part 14 whilst the side ends thereof are flexible with respect to the frame part 14 and adjustable by the schematically referred to adjustable cylinders 16 and 17 (adjustable according to the double arrows C and D).

A position is shown in fig. 3, wherein the cylinders 16 and 17 and the cutting blade 12 on both side edges 20, 21 respectively have been somewhat upwardly adjusted whereby the cutting blade occuples the position as shown in fig. 3. This position wakes it possible also by somewhat hollow sloping terrains, that a sod with a constant thickness over its whole breadth can be cut out.

The hollows and bumps of the terrain are preferably measured, for example with the aid of running wheels 30, 31 and 32 which are secured to the frame part 33 and which.ara-workably coupled in a manner not shown with the adjustment of the cylinders 16 and 17.

Another preferred embodiment for keeping the thickness of the sods over the complete breadth constant, concerns the mounting of sensors 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46 on the frame (or the carrying-up transporter 7), which for example with the aid of capacitive signals detsrmines the thickness of the sods wherein immediate back coupling occurs to the adjusting cylinders 16 and 17 for immediate adjustment of the positioning of the blade 12 to take into consideration irregularities of the sod thicknesses.

In the preferred embodiment according to fig.

2, use is made of both the sensors 40 - 46 and the running wheels. It will be clear that, in accordance with expectations, each of the measurements, either before the cutting out of the sods, or after the cutting out thereof, will guarantee a sufficiently accurate adjustment of the cutting grade in order to keep as constant as possible the thickness of the sods, or indeed to vary the thickness thereof. Such measurement can of course take place elsewhere in the device, for example during the stacking whilst it is finally also possible that an experienced driver can also visually determine the thicknesses and adjust manually the cutting blade accordin gly.

The above described embodiment is not to be interpreted as limiting the rights requested, these requested rights are rather determined by the following claims, within the scope of which many modifications are conceivable.

Claims

1. Device for cutting one or more grass sods from grass land, comprising: - a chassis, - cutting means for cutting the sods, which cutting means are mounted on the chassis; and - setting means for setting the cutting means.

2. Device according to claim 1 provided with measuring means for measuring the sod thickness, which measuring means are workably coupled with the setting means.

3. Device according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the measuring means comprise rolling and/or dragging means for feeling thickness variations in the sods to be cut.

4. Device according to claim 3, wherein the rolling means comprise two or more running wheels mounted in front of the cutting means, as seen in the side elevation of the device.

5. Device according to any of the claims 1 - 4, provided with sensing means mounted behind the cutting means as seen in the driving direction of the device.

6. Device according to any of the claims 1 - 5, wherein the cutting means comprise a flexible blade wherein the extent of flexibility thereof is set up by the setting means.

7. Process foi: cutting one or more grass sods from grass land, Wherfxn the thickness of the grass sods which have been cut out or which are to be cut out, is determined and wherein the cutting means are set up to depend on the measured thickness.

8. A device for cutting one or more grass sods from grass land, the device being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A process for cutting one or more grass sods from grass land, the process being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.