GB2057536A - A turf cutting device - Google Patents

Abstract

A turf cutting device comprises base frame 10, 11 pivotted at 13 for rotation about a horizontal axis to a support frame 14 attached to the front loader arms of a tractor. The side arms 10 of the base frame slidably mount a box member 15 sub-divided into square or rectangular channels 16. The box member 15 can be pushed forwardly into a bank of turf by a hydraulic ram 26 so that each channel cuts and retains an individual sod of turf. The side arms 10 also slidably mount a plurality of push rods 23 each extending in a respective channel 16 and terminating in a plate. The rods 23 can be moved relative to the channels 16 by a second ram 27, so that after turves have been cut and the box member 15 removed from the bank of turf the plates can push the cut turves out of the box member. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A turf cutting device This invention relates to a turf cutting device which may be mounted on a tractor and which is relatively simple in construction, and easy to operate and service.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a turf cutting device comprising a base frame adapted for operative association with a tractor, a box member sub-divided into a plurality of parallel channels and slidably supported on the base frame for movement in a direction parallel to the channels, ejection means also slidably supported on the base frame for movement in a direction parallel to the channels, the ejection means comprising a plurality of push rods each entering a respective channel, and respective power means connected between the base frame and the box member and between the base frame and the ejection means to effect independent sliding movement of the box member and the ejection means respectively, all the push rods entering the channels from the same end of the box member and the channels being open at the other end of the box member for the cutting and reception of turf.

Preferably the power means used are hydraulic rams connected into the hydraulic system of the tractor. Further, the component parts of the turf cutting device are preferably fabricated from mild steel plate and mild steel angle iron, as will hereinafter be described. Further it is preferable that the base frame be mounted on the front loader arms of a conventional tractor, although it may be mounted on the rear lift links.

The invention will be understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a turf cutting device of the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of the device of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an exploded diagrammatic perspective view of the device of Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings, the turf cutting device comprises a base frame of mild steel box section formed from two longitudinal support bars 10 bridged at their rear end by a transverse bar 11 which carries a pair of brackets 12, one above and one below the bar 1 At pivot points 13 the base frame is pivotally connected, for rotation about a horizontal axis, to a support frame 14 mounted on a conventional pair of front loader arms at the front of a tractor (not shown).A mild steel box member 1 5 is sub-divided by thin walls into a plurality of separate parallel channels 1 6 of square or rectangular cross-section -- in the present embodiment there are twelve channels -- and is provided with runner supports 1 7 and a transverse bracket bar 1 8 carrying a bracket 1 9. The runner supports 1 7 accommodate the free ends of the support bars 10. The device further includes ejection means comprising a plurality of push rods 21 - in this embodiment twelve push rods having end plates 22 of similar shape to the channel cross-section.The push rods are collectively connected at the ends thereof remote from the box member 1 5 to a transverse support frame 23, which also carries a bracket 25.

The push rods 21 are formed in pairs in a substantially U-shaped configuration the free ends of the U each carrying an end plate 22 while the base 21 a of the U is fixedly secured, e.g. welded, to the support frame 23. In this manner six U-shaped push rods carry twelve end plates which are located and supported for back and forth movement within the twelve channesl 1 6 of the box member 1 5. The ends of the support frame 23 are suitably angled at 24 to allow the frame 23 to engage the support bars 10 for sliding movement thereon.

Connected between each bracket 1 2 and a respective bracket 1 9 and 24 is a respective hydraulic ram 26 and 27, the hydraulic rams 26 and 27 being in use operatively connected into the hydraulic system of the tractor. Actuation of the hydraulic ram 26 serves to move the box member 1 5 back and forth as appropriate on the support bars 10 in a direction parallel to the channels 16, and similarly, actuation of the hydraulic ram 27 serves to move the support frame 23 and the push rods 21 back and forth in a direction parallel to the channels 1 the angle ends 24 of the frame 23 sliding on the support bars 10. Each ram 26 and 27 is capable of-independent actuation.

In operation, the hydraulic rams 26 and 27 are fully retracted to withdraw the box member 1 5 and push rods 21 to their rearmost position on the support arms 10. In this position the device, mounted on the front loader arms 14 of the tractor, is brought against a bank of turf to be cut with the open front ends of the channels facing the bank. It is to be understood that the pivots 13 permit the base frame to be adjusted in angular position so that the channels are directed normally at the bank of the turf, means not shown being arranged to hold the base frame in a chosen angular position. Now the box member 1 5 is pushed by extending the hydraulic ram 26 so that the box member 1 5 is forced into the bank of turf and each channel 1 6 is filled with turf.Next, actuation of hydraulic ram 27 presses the push rods 21 with their end plates 22 to compact the turf in the channels. The box member 1 5 is now withdrawn from the bank of turf, by reversing the tractor, with the channels 1 6 full of turf and a quick jerk movement of the front loader arms 1 4 will act to break any connection between the turf in the channels 16 of the box member 1 5 and the bank of turf. The bydraulic rams 26 and 27 may now be actuated -- the hydraulic ram 26 to pull back the box member 1 5 and the hydraulic ram 27 to push forward the push rods 21. The relative axial movement between the box member 1 5 and the push rods 21 serves to eject the turf - in a long sod form - from each of the channels 1 6.

When the turf has been ejected the push rods 21 are retracted and the turf cutting operation may start again. The independent operation of the rams 26 and 27 permits the degree and sequence of operation of the hydraulic rams 26 and 27 to be modified and/or varied to suit any device design and/or turf cutting requirements.

Referring now to Figure 5, the embodiment there shown operates in principle in the same manner as the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4, and similar components thereof have been given the same reference numerals. the following description will therefore concentrate on the differences between the two embodiments.

The box member 15 has been extended laterally at 1 5' on either side of the runner supports 17 so as to provide thirty-two, rather than twelve, channels 16, which are typically 42" x 42" in cross-section. In order to provide adequate support for this larger box member the runner supports 1 7 are extended at 1 7' rearwardly of the box member 15 so as to support the latter over a greater length of the bars 10. At their forward ends the runner supports 17 are now enclosed in the box member 15, and the spaces containing these forward ends, located between the central twelve channels 1 6 and the set of ten channels on either side, are closed at the front by closure plates 30 which are pointed as shown so as to offer a low resistance when pushing the box member 15 into a bank of turf.Furthermore, a pair of roller bearings 31 is set into each bar 10 to facilitate the sliding movement of the runner supports 1 7 -- further such rollers may be provided at the forward end of the bars 10 if desired.

Due to the rearward extension 1 7' of the runner supports 17, the transverse support frame 23 now slides on these supports rather than directly on the bars 10, and takes the form of a narrow rectangle as shown. The push rods 21 are individually welded at their rear ends to the inside edge of the frame 23 rather than being coupled together as U-shaped pairs. It is to be understood that only a few of the push rods 21 are shown in Figure 5 for clarity - in fact there will be sixteen push rods attached to the inside edge of the top transverse rail of the frame 23 and sixteen to the inside of the bottom rail, each rod extending into a respective channel 16.

At its rear the base frame is horizontally pivotted, as before, to a support frame 14. The frame 14 is a rigid structure comprising three pairs of parallel arms 32, 33 and 34 respectively in the configuration shown with bracing members 35 and cross members 36 and 37. The pivot points 13 between the base frame and the support frame 14 are at the junction between the forwardly and downwardly inclined arms 33 and the rearwardly extending arms 34. The arms 32 are rigidly secured to the front loader arms (not shown) of the tractor.

In order to control the angular position of the base frame relative to the support frame 14, the former is provided with a pair of upwardly extending arms 38 pivotted at their lower ends to respective brackets 39 secured at opposite ends of the transverse bar 11. The upper ends of the arms 38 are rigidly secured together by a cross member 40. A further bar 41 extends between the cross members 36 and 40 and is pivotted to these members at opposite ends at respective brackets 42 and 43. Finally, a hydraulic ram 44 operated by the tractor hydraulic system extends between the cross members 37 and 40 and is similarly pivotted at opposite ends at respective brackets 45 and 46.

By inspection it will be seen that retraction of the ram 44 will swing the base frame and box member 1 5 to a horizontal position, whereas extension of the ram 44 will swing the box member 1 5 to a substantially vertical position.

Thus the device can cut turf not only from an inclined bank, but also from substantially flat ground. It is to be understood that the operation of the rams 26 and 27 in cutting the turf is the same as before - the only difference in operation is that in the vertical position of the box member 1 5 the latter is withdrawn from the turf by raising the loader arms of the tractor rather than by reversing the tractor. Of course, the box member 1 5 can be set at any desired angular position between the horizontal and vertical by an appropriate degree of extension of the ram 44.

Claims (7)

1. A turf cutting device comprising a base frame adapted for operative association with a tractor, a box member sub-divided into a plurality of parallel channels and slidably supported on the base frame for movement in a direction parallel to the channels, ejection means also slidably supported on the base frame for movement in a direction parallel to the channels, the ejection means comprising a plurality of push rods each entering a respective channel, and respective power means connected between the base frame and the box member and between the base frame and the ejection means to effect independent sliding movement of the box member and the ejection means respectively, all the push rods entering the channels from the same end of the box member and the channels being open at the other end of the box member for the cutting and reception of turf.

2. A turf cutting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each channel is of square or rectangular cross-section, and each push rod carries a similarly shaped plate at its free end inside the respective channel.

3. A turf cutting device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein each power means comprises a hydraulic ram.

4. A turf cutting device as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the base frame is mounted on a support frame for rotation about a horizontal axis relative to the support frame, the device including a further power means coupled between the support frame and the base frame for changing the angular position of the base frame relative to the support frame.

5. A turf cutting device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the further power means comprises a hydraulic ram.

6. A turf cutting device substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

7. Any novel feature or combination of features described herein.