Abstract: A mower can be adaptively controlled to optimize efficiency based on loads experienced by motors that drive the cutting blades. If the load is below a threshold, the ground speed of the mower can be increased. The mower's performance can also be monitored to identify characteristics of an area being cut and then such characteristics can be used to further enhance the efficiency of the mower.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 8, 2018
Date of Patent:
March 24, 2020
Assignee:
FireFly Automatix, Inc.
Inventors:
Steven R. Aposhian, Eric E. Aston, William M. Decker, Samuel H. Drake
Abstract: Sod harvester stacking head and stacking conveyor configurations can increase the rate at which sod can be harvested. The movement of the stacking head and/or the stacking conveyor can be controlled to maximize the rate at which the stacking head can remove sod from the stacking conveyor. A stacking head can employ multiple pick up positions. A stacking conveyor may also advance sod for pick up at varying rates. A stacking head may include a pivoting connection to allow the stacking head to rotate around a pivot during a pick up operation.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 8, 2016
Date of Patent:
December 18, 2018
Assignee:
FireFly Automatix, Inc.
Inventors:
Steven R. Aposhian, Eric E. Aston, William M. Decker, Samuel H. Drake
Abstract: A sod harvester can include an auxiliary stacking conveyor for stacking or folding slabs of sod on an inclined conveyor prior to the stacked/folded slabs being removed from a stacking conveyor by a stacking head. The auxiliary stacking conveyor can be configured to receive a leading slab of sod and then stack the leading slab on top of a trailing slab while the trailing slab is being advanced along an inclined conveyor. The auxiliary stacking conveyor can also be configured to partially receive a slab of sod and then reverse direction to cause the slab to be folded backwards on top of itself while being advanced along an inclined conveyor. Different configurations can be employed to cause slabs to be selectively positioned on an auxiliary stacking conveyor.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 31, 2015
Date of Patent:
October 30, 2018
Assignee:
FireFly Automatix, Inc.
Inventors:
Steven R. Aposhian, Eric E. Aston, William M. Decker, Samuel H. Drake, Daniel A. Aposhian, Matthew G. Aposhian
Abstract: A sod harvester can include a preliminary stacking head for stacking slabs of sod prior to the stacked slabs being removed from a stacking conveyor for stacking on a pallet. In this way, the stacking head can remove multiple layers of sod during a single stacking operation. The preliminary stacking head can be positioned overtop a conveyor and can be configured to pick up a slab of sod as the slab travels along the conveyor. The preliminary stacking head can then drop the slab on top of a trailing slab thereby forming a stack of slabs on the conveyor. The conveyor over which the preliminary stacking head is positioned can be an inclined conveyor that transports slabs of sod from the ground to a stacking conveyor.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 31, 2015
Date of Patent:
February 20, 2018
Assignee:
FireFly Automatix, Inc.
Inventors:
Steven R. Aposhian, Eric E. Aston, William M. Decker, Samuel H. Drake, Daniel A. Aposhian, Matthew G. Aposhian
Abstract: A sod harvester can include an inclined stacking conveyor from which slabs of sod are removed for stacking on a pallet. The direction of incline of the stacking conveyor can be opposite that of one or more inclined conveyors used to convey sod from a cutting head to the stacking conveyor. Therefore, slabs of sod can ascend along the one or more inclined conveyors and then descend along the inclined stacking conveyor from which they are removed by the stacking head. The stacking head can also be inclined to correspond with the incline of the stacking conveyor. By inclining the stacking conveyor and the stacking head, the stacking head does not need to move vertically when removing slabs of sod from the stacking conveyor.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 31, 2015
Date of Patent:
January 23, 2018
Assignee:
FireFly Automatix, Inc.
Inventors:
Steven R. Aposhian, Eric E. Aston, William M. Decker, Samuel H. Drake, Daniel A. Aposhian, Matthew G. Aposhian
Abstract: A chop mechanism for a sod harvester can include a motor for rotating a cam to lift a chop frame. The cam can include a ready position in which it remains until a chopping action is started. The cam can be rotated from the ready position to a drop position in which the cam no longer supports a follower mounted to the chop frame. After the cam reaches the drop position, the rotation of the cam can be stopped to position the cam in a safe position to prevent the follower from striking the cam as the chop frame descends. Then, rotation of the cam can be resumed to return the cam to the ready position to await the next chopping action. The rotation of the cam from the ready position to the safe position and from the safe position to the ready position can be performed at different rates.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 18, 2015
Date of Patent:
April 25, 2017
Assignee:
Firefly Automatix, Inc.
Inventors:
Steven R. Aposhian, Eric E. Aston, William M. Decker, Samuel H. Drake
Abstract: Sod harvester stacking head and stacking conveyor configurations can increase the rate at which sod can be harvested. The movement of the stacking head and/or the stacking conveyor can be controlled to maximize the rate at which the stacking head can remove sod from the stacking conveyor. A stacking head can employ multiple pick up positions. A stacking conveyor may also advance sod for pick up at varying rates. A stacking head may include a pivoting connection to allow the stacking head to rotate around a pivot during a pick up operation.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 12, 2014
Date of Patent:
June 14, 2016
Assignee:
FIREFLY AUTOMATIX, INC.
Inventors:
Steven R. Aposhian, Eric E. Aston, William M. Decker, Samuel Drake
Abstract: A stacking head of a sod harvester can be configured to move with a stacking conveyor during a pick up operation. A stacking head on a roll harvester can be configured to move with a stacking conveyor to allow the stacking conveyor to be moved while the stacking head is removing rolls of sod from the stacking conveyor.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 11, 2014
Date of Patent:
February 16, 2016
Assignee:
Firefly Automatix, Inc.
Inventors:
Steven R. Aposhian, Eric E. Aston, William M. Decker, Samuel Drake