Sod Positioning Machine

Abstract

An apparatus for a vehicle used for positioning sod strips includes a structure for mounting on the vehicle frame and a pushing plate slidably mounted to the structure. The pushing plate is arranged to be abuttable to an edge of a sod strip. A plurality of guide arms extend outwardly of the pushing plate to overlie a sod strip being positioned to prevent upward buckling of the sod strip. A pair of cylinders are operatively mounted between the structure and the pushing plate to slide the pushing plate away from the structure to laterally shift a sod strip to tighten up seams between adjacent sod strips. The pushing plate slides in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the straight ahead driving direction of the vehicle.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for positioning sod strips, comprising:
 a mounting structure for mounting on a vehicle;   a pushing plate assembly slidably mounted to the structure, the pushing plate assembly having a vertical pushing surface arranged to be abuttable to a vertical edge of a newly placed sod strip that has already been placed flat on the ground, and an overlying structure mounted to move with the pushing surface and which overlies the newly placed sod strip to prevent buckling upward of the newly placed sod strip during movement of the pushing plate assembly;   at least one actuator operatively mounted between the mounting structure and the pushing plate assembly to slide the pushing plate assembly away from the mounting structure to position the newly placed sod strip.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the overlying structure comprises at least one guide member that is spring loaded to pivot away from the pushing surface. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one guide member comprises a plurality of guide members, the guide members spaced apart along the sod plate and each cantilevered from the sod. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of guide arms are formed by a comb-like plate. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a pushing frame that carries the pushing plate, the pushing frame having arms between the pushing plate and the mounting structure; and
 the mounting structure comprises a base frame, the base frame having base tubes extending from the vehicle toward the pushing plate, each arm slidably received into a respective base tube, and the at least one actuator comprises a pair of actuators, one mounted between each arm and each respective base tube.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said mounting structure comprises a pair of upstanding posts that are configured to be mounted to the vehicle, the base frame being supported by the pair of posts. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the base frame is pivotally connected to the posts, and comprising at least one pivot actuator that is configured to controllably pivot up or down the base frame. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the at least one pivot actuator comprises a pair of pivot actuators operably connected between the pair of posts and the base tubes of the base frame. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle for moving along the ground, said structure mounted to the vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the vehicle comprises a sod roll holding and dispensing device to hold and dispense a roll of sod for unrolling and placement of the roll of sod flat on the ground. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the sod roll holding and dispensing device comprises a spindle carried by a forked frame. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for positioning sod strips, comprising:
 a mounting structure for mounting on a vehicle;   a pushing plate assembly slidably mounted to the structure, the pushing plate assembly having a vertical pushing surface arranged to be abuttable to a vertical edge of a newly placed sod strip that has already been placed flat on the ground, and an overlying structure mounted to move with the pushing surface and which overlies the newly placed sod strip to prevent buckling upward of the newly placed sod strip during movement of the pushing plate assembly;   at least one actuator operatively mounted between the mounting structure and the pushing plate assembly to slide the pushing plate assembly away from the mounting structure to position the newly placed sod strip;   wherein the actuator exerts a force on the pushing plate that has a force direction having a lateral component and a vertical downward component.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the overlying structure comprises at least one guide member that is spring loaded to pivot away from the pushing surface. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the overlying structure comprises at least one guide member that is spring loaded downward. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , comprising a pushing frame that carries the pushing plate, the pushing frame having arms between the pushing plate and the mounting structure; and
 the mounting structure comprises a base frame, the base frame having base tubes extending from the vehicle toward the pushing plate, each arm slidably received into a respective base tube, and the at least one actuator comprises a pair of actuators, one mounted between each arm and each respective base tube.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising a vehicle for moving along the ground, said structure mounted to the vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said structure comprises a pair of upstanding posts that are configured to be mounted to the vehicle, and a base frame, the base frame guiding sliding movement of the pushing plate, the base frame being supported by the pair of posts. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the base frame is pivotally connected to the posts, and comprising at least one pivot actuator that is configured to controllably pivot up or down the base frame. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the at least one pivot actuator comprises a pair of pivot actuators operably connected between the pair of posts and the base frame.