Abstract: Low profile object detection can be performed on mowers or other vehicles that may be autonomous. An autonomy controller can be employed on a mower to receive and process sensor data for a detection area to determine whether an object may be present in a region of interest within the detection area. When the autonomy controller determines that an object may be present, it can cause the ground speed of the mower to be slowed and can commence buffering region of interest sensor data over a period of time. The autonomy controller can process the buffered region of interest sensor data to determine whether an object is present in the region of interest, and if so, can alter the path of the mower appropriately.

Abstract: A roll forming mechanism can include a passive roll-up mechanism that initiates the roll and an active roll-up mechanism that completes the roll. The active roll-up mechanism can include an upper conveyor that is rotated in different directions. The upper conveyor can initially be rotated in a direction opposite that of an inclined conveyor to cause a forming roll to advance along the inclined conveyor. The rotation of the upper conveyor can then be reversed to cause the roll to be completed. Then, the upper conveyor can again be rotated in the direction opposite that of the inclined conveyor to cause the completed roll to be transferred towards the stacking conveyor. The amount by which the upper conveyor is rotated in the reverse direction can be based on a detected length of a tail of the forming roll.

Abstract: Sod harvesters can be configured to stack rolls of sod in unique layers on a pallet. A sod harvester can include control circuitry that is configured to operate a stacking head and a stacking conveyor in a manner that enables the layers to be formed. The structure of the layers can facilitate harvesting wider rolls even when narrower pallets are used to transport the rolls.

Abstract: Synchronizing variables can be tuned based on a sod harvester's speed. A sod harvester's control system can include a tuning component that receives as input a current speed of the sod harvester. The tuning component can apply logic to the current speed to calculate values for synchronizing variables that are tuned for the current speed. In this way, the sod harvester can be operated with precision across a range of speeds, including at high speeds.

Abstract: A sod harvester's stacking position can be dynamically adjusted to form vertically aligned stacks. More particularly, a sod harvester's control system can be configured to automatically adjust the stacking position as a stack is being formed based on a sensed orientation of the pallet. In this way, the control system can ensure that a slab of sod that is dropped from the stacking head will fall into the intended location on the stack regardless of the orientation of the pallet relative to the stacking head.

Abstract: A mower can dynamically adjust the cutting height of a mower deck based on a mower's location. As a mower travels over an area of grass to be cut, a control system can track the current location of each mower deck on the mower. The control system can compare the current location of a mower deck to a boundary of one or more sections defined within the area to thereby determine which section the mower deck is within. When the control system detects that a mower deck has crossed or will cross into a section, it can identify a particular cutting height assigned to the section and dynamically adjust the cutting height of the mower deck to the particular cutting height. When a mower includes more than one mower deck, the control system can be configured to independently adjust the cutting height of each mower deck based on its location.

Abstract: Sod harvesters can have hydraulic systems that are configured to actuate components with precise timing. The hydraulic system of a sod harvester can be configured to maintain the temperature of hydraulic fluid both during harvesting and while harvesting is paused to thereby eliminate or minimize the occurrence of periods of variation in the timing of actuation of the components that the hydraulic fluid drives. As a result, these components can be consistently actuated with precise timing even after harvesting has been paused. Additionally, such configurations can minimize the amount of time required to warm the hydraulic fluid to a steady operational temperature.

Abstract: A mower can be adaptively controlled to optimize efficiency based on loads experienced by motors that drive the cutting blades and/or based on vertical movement that a mower deck is experiencing. If the load is below a threshold, the ground speed of the mower can be increased. If the vertical movement or load exceeds a threshold, the ground speed can be reduced. 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. A density map can be created based on monitored load, vertical movement and possibly other characteristics as a mower is cutting a particular area. The density map can be employed by any mower that is subsequently used to cut the same area.

Abstract: A stacking head's path can be dynamically calculated during a stacking operation. A control system of a sod harvester can include a dynamic path calculator for performing these dynamic calculations to prevent the stacking head from colliding with the sod harvester's frame or to cause the stacking head to traverse the most efficient path between the pickup position and the stacking position. These dynamic calculations could be performed in scenarios where the pickup position may be dynamically adjusted for a particular stacking operation.

Abstract: A stacking head for stacking rolls of sod can include a number of screw assemblies that are employed to secure and remove sod rolls from a stacking conveyor. Each screw assembly can include a center stake and a corkscrew that pierce a roll as the stacking head is forced into the roll. The rate at which the stacking head is moved vertically relative to the roll can be synchronized with the rate at which each screw assembly is rotated. This synchronization ensures that the corkscrew will pass into the roll while the stacking head is simultaneously forced into the roll without damaging the delicate sod.

Abstract: A mower deck can include a linkage that enables adjusting the height of the mower deck with a single action. The mower deck can include a rolling mechanism support arm at each corner and a coupling mechanism that extends between the front and rear rolling mechanism support arms on each side of the mower deck. A shaft can extend between the two front rolling mechanism support arms and can be rotated via an actuator. When the shaft is rotated, the front rolling mechanism support arms will rotate in unison, and the coupling mechanisms will cause the rear rolling mechanism support arms to also rotate in unison. In this way, a single action can cause the height of the mower deck to be adjusted. Alternatively, a mower deck can include a height adjustment mechanism at each corner of the mower deck which can be controlled synchronously to adjust the height.

Abstract: A cutting head for a sod harvester is configured to counterbalance forces that are generated during operation. When the cutting head is operated, the cutting blade oscillates to sever sod from the ground. This oscillation of the cutting blade generates significant horizontal vibration forces that are transferred to the cutting head and other components of the sod harvester. The cutting head can include a crankshaft assembly with counterweights that are designed to balance these horizontal vibration forces. The cutting head can also include a countershaft assembly with counterweights that are also designed to balance these horizontal vibration forces while also balancing vertical vibration forces that the counterweights of the crankshaft assembly create.

Abstract: Sod harvesters are configured to stack rolls of sod in layers on a rectangular pallet. A sod harvester can include control circuitry that is configured to operate a stacking head and a stacking conveyor in a manner that produces a first type of layer that includes spaced groups of accumulated rolls and a number of offset rolls positioned between the groups. The stacking head can pick up and stack each offset roll in isolation and may pick up the offset rolls in a center position of the stacking head.

Abstract: A mower deck can include roller assemblies that prolong the life of bearings by more evenly distributing the roller's load to the bearings. The roller assembly can include a roller that is secured between opposing bearings via a tapered shaft of the roller and a correspondingly tapered collar that is housed within the corresponding bearing. The interface between the tapered shaft and the tapered collar causes the collar to be secured snugly within the bearing while also providing even distribution of the roller's load to the bearing.

Abstract: A mower can include a control system that is configured to detect when the mower is turning or will be turned and can adaptively support one or more mower decks during the turn to transfer weight from the mower decks to the mower's tires. This transfer of weight will increase the traction of the mower's tires while also minimizing the yawing force caused by the mower decks thereby preventing the mower from slipping during the turn.

Abstract: A mower deck can include a linkage that enables adjusting the height of the mower deck with a single action. The mower deck can include a rolling mechanism support arm at each corner and a coupling mechanism that extends between the front and rear rolling mechanism support arms on each side of the mower deck. A shaft can extend between the two front rolling mechanism support arms and can be rotated via an actuator. When the shaft is rotated, the front rolling mechanism support arms will rotate in unison, and the coupling mechanisms will cause the rear rolling mechanism support arms to also rotate in unison. In this way, a single action can cause the height of the mower deck to be adjusted.

Abstract: A sod harvester stacking head can include a base that couples to a stacking head supporting mechanism of a sod harvester and a frame that couples to the base via crankshaft assemblies that are configured to allow the frame to rotate through 360 degrees during each stacking operation. Accordingly, a motor that controls the rotation of the crankshaft assemblies can be driven a single time during each stacking operation thereby enhancing the efficiency of the sod harvester. The crankshaft assemblies can also be configured so that the crankshafts are in a vertical orientation while the stacking head travels in a lateral direction such that the load is centered on the rotational axis of the stacking head. A stacking conveyor could similarly be configured with a base and a frame that are coupled via crankshaft assemblies to thereby allow the stacking conveyor to be lifted using 360 degrees of rotation.

Abstract: A sod harvester can include an auxiliary stacking conveyor for stacking or folding slabs of sod on a 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 a 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 a conveyor. Different configurations can be employed to cause slabs to be selectively positioned on an auxiliary stacking conveyor.

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.

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.