Abstract: A sod harvester and a method for maintaining the integrity of a sod roll during sod roll transfer with the sod harvester having a first power assist rotatable sod roll cradle containing a set of spokes with opposed faces that laterally engage and dynamically cradle a sod roll as the sod roll falls from an upper conveyor to a lower conveyor so that a further set of opposed faces on the rotatable spokes laterally engage a further sod roll on an upper conveyor through a torque applied to the sod cradle by a low power hydraulic motor as the sod roll falls from the upper conveyor to the lower conveyor with the cycle repeated with each sod roll that is discharged from the upper conveyor to thereby maintain the integrity of the sod rolls within the sod harvester.

Abstract: A sod harvester for cutting a sod slab from a sod field and directing an unspoiled sod slab into a first carrier and a spoiled sod slab into a scrap sod carrier where the spoiled sod slab may be either discharged away from a path of the sod harvester or carried on the scrap sod carrier for later discharge from the scrap sod carrier.

Abstract: A wide area turf mower has a wheel supported main frame and cutting units movably connected to the main frame and positioned in rows in a staggered order to form a mower cutting configuration for cutting a continuous swath of turf between any two outer cutting units located respectively on opposite sides of the main frame. One row of the cutting units includes a first pair of pivotally interconnected outer and inner cutting units at a first side of the main frame, and a second pair of pivotally interconnected inner and outer cutting units at the second side of the main frame. First hydraulic cylinders cause the outer cutting units to fold in a direction towards the rear end of the main frame. Second hydraulic cylinders cause the inner cutting units to lift in an upward direction. A controller operates all of the hydraulic cylinders.

Abstract: A sod harvester having a sod roll accumulator squeeze device configured to compact a sod roll while it is on a horizontal conveyor before it is picked up and moved by a sod carrier from a first location on the horizontal conveyor to a second location. The sod roll accumulator squeeze device is pivotally attached to a frame and controlled by a hydraulic cylinder that moves the accumulator squeeze device between an up position and a down position. The present invention is also a method of compacting a sod roll while it is at a first location on a horizontal conveyor of a sod harvester before it is moved by a sod carrier to a second location. The method includes providing an accumulator squeeze device that is pivotally attached to a frame and configured to compact the sod roll from the rear end of the sod harvester.

Abstract: A sod harvester for cutting a sod slab from a sod field and directing an unspoiled sod slab into a first carrier and a spoiled sod slab into a scrap sod carrier where the spoiled sod slab may be either discharged away from a path of the sod harvester or carried on the scrap sod carrier for later discharge from the scrap sod carrier.

Abstract: A wide area turf mower (10) has a wheel supported main frame (12) and cutting units (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34) movably connected to the main frame (12) and positioned in rows (36, 38, 40) in a staggered order to form a mower cutting configuration for cutting a continuous swath of turf between any two outer cutting units (26, 32) located respectively on opposite sides of the main frame (12). One row (38) of the cutting units comprises a first pair of interconnected outer and inner cutting units (26, 28) at a first side (18) of the main frame (12) and a second pair of interconnected inner and outer cutting units (30, 32) at the second side (20) of the main frame (12). The inner cutting units (28, 30) are pivotally connected to the main frame and the outer cutting units (26, 32) are pivotally connected to a respective inner cutting unit (28, 30). Hydraulic cylinders (42, 44) cause the outer cutting units (26, 32) to fold in a direction towards the rear end of the main frame (12).

Abstract: A method of arranging sod rolls on a pallet including the steps of using a sod harvester to create a plurality of sod rolls and deposit them onto a platform; rotating all but one of the sod rolls so that an end flap on each of the sod rolls is at the same position; rotating the first sod roll for a duration that is longer than the duration by which the remaining sod rolls are rotated so that an end flap on the first sod roll is in a different position on the first sod roll than the end flaps on the remaining sod rolls; using a sod carrier to pick up the plurality of sod rolls from the platform simultaneously; and depositing the plurality of sod rolls simultaneously onto a pallet such that the end flap on the first sod roll faces outward and is viewable by consumers.

Abstract: A sod harvester comprising a sod cutter assembly that shaves slabs of sod material from a field and cm them into lengths; a sod rolling assembly that rolls the sod slabs as they are conveyed to a sod roll array forming station; a pick-and-place apparatus comprising a pick head that picks up arrays of sod rolls and places them in layers onto a first location: a layer compactor that is in a retracted position while the pick head deposits the arrays of sod rolls and that pushes against a layer of sod rolls while the pick head moves to pick up an array of sod rolls; and a side compactor that pushes against the sod rolls In a direction orthogonal to that of the layer compactor.

Abstract: A sod harvester comprising a start gate, a first switch that is configured to interact with a first sensor, a second switch that is configured to internet with a second sensor, an inclined conveyor, and a rollup conveyor positioned above the second end of the inclined conveyor. The first switch is positioned between the start gate and the second switch, and the second is positioned between the first switch and the rollup conveyor. When the second sensor is activated, the rollup conveyor begins rotating. When the first sensor is activated, an encoder begins measuring distance traveled rotationally by the rollup conveyor. The rollup conveyor stops rotating when the rollup conveyor has traveled a certain distance rotationally.

Abstract: A method of arranging sod rolls on a pallet including the steps of using a sod harvester to create a plurality of sod rolls and deposit them onto a platform; rotating all but one of the sod rolls so that an end flap on each of the sod rolls is at the same position; rotating the first sod roll for a duration that is longer than the duration by which the remaining sod rolls are rotated so that an end flap on the first sod roll is in a different position on the first sod roll than the end flaps on the remaining sod rolls; using a sod carrier to pick up the plurality of sod rolls from the platform simultaneously; and depositing the plurality of sod rolls simultaneously onto a pallet such that the end flap on the first sod roll faces outward and is viewable by consumers.

Abstract: A sod harvester comprising a sod cutter assembly that shaves slabs of sod material from a field and cm them into lengths; a sod rolling assembly that rolls the sod slabs as they are conveyed to a sod roll array forming station; a pick-and-place apparatus comprising a pick head that picks up arrays of sod rolls and places them in layers onto a first location: a layer compactor that is in a retracted position while the pick head deposits the arrays of sod rolls and that pushes against a layer of sod rolls while the pick head moves to pick up an array of sod rolls; and a side compactor that pushes against the sod rolls In a direction orthogonal to that of the layer compactor.

Abstract: A sod harvester comprising a sod roll accumulator squeeze device configured to compact a sod roll while it is on a horizontal conveyor before it is picked up and moved by a sod carrier from a first location on the horizontal conveyor to a second location. The sod roll accumulator squeeze device is pivotally attached to a frame and controlled by a hydraulic cylinder that moves the accumulator squeeze device between an up position and a down position. The present invention is also a method of compacting a sod roll while it is at a first location on a horizontal conveyor of a sod harvester before it is moved by a sod carrier to a second location, the method comprising providing an accumulator squeeze device that is pivotally attached to a frame and configured to compact the sod roll from the rear end of the sod harvester.

Abstract: A sod harvester comprising a start gate, a first switch that is configured to interact with a first sensor, a second switch that is configured to internet with a second sensor, an inclined conveyor, and a rollup conveyor positioned above the second end of the inclined conveyor. The first switch is positioned between the start gate and the second switch, and the second is positioned between the first switch and the rollup conveyor. When the second sensor is activated, the rollup conveyor begins rotating. When the first sensor is activated, an encoder begins measuring distance traveled rotationally by the rollup conveyor. The rollup conveyor stops rotating when the rollup conveyor has traveled a certain distance rotationally.