| CPC A01G 20/15 (2018.02) [B65G 47/902 (2013.01); B65G 47/907 (2013.01); B65G 57/03 (2013.01); B65G 57/22 (2013.01); B65G 57/26 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
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1. A method of stacking sod rolls on a pallet using a sod handling apparatus, the sod handling apparatus including a head supporting a plurality of sod carriers, each sod carrier capable of picking up at least one sod roll, each sod roll having a roll axis, the method comprising:
a) positioning the pallet in a sod drop-off area, the pallet having opposing first and second edges that are spaced apart from each other in a first direction, and opposing third and fourth edges that extend between the first and second edges and are spaced apart from each other in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
b) forming a first layer containing nine sod rolls by operating the head to:
i) deposit five sod rolls on the pallet using the sod carriers to form a first row of five sod rolls in the first layer, wherein the respective roll axes of the five sod rolls in the first row extend in the second direction, the five sod rolls in the first row are positioned next to each other to form the first row, the first row extends in the first direction between the first and second edges of the pallet, and each sod roll in the first row of five sod rolls comprises a respective first end adjacent the third edge of the pallet and a respective second end axially spaced from the first end;
ii) pick up a sixth sod roll and a seventh sod roll for the first layer using the sod carriers, carry the sixth and seventh sod rolls for the first layer together to the pallet through translation of the head, and deposit the sixth and seventh sod rolls for the first layer on the pallet, wherein when the sixth and seventh sod rolls for the first layer are deposited, the respective roll axes of the sixth and seventh sod rolls extend in the first direction, and the sixth and seventh sod rolls are positioned between the first row when the first row is formed and the fourth edge of the pallet so that a respective first end of each of the sixth and seventh sod rolls is adjacent the first edge of the pallet, the sixth sod roll is adjacent the second ends of at least two of the sod rolls in the first row when the first row is formed, and the seventh sod roll is adjacent the fourth edge of the pallet;
iii) pick up an eighth and a ninth sod roll for the first layer using the sod carriers, carry the eighth and ninth sod rolls for the first layer together to the pallet through translation of the head, and deposit the eighth and ninth sod rolls for the first layer on the pallet, wherein when the eighth and ninth sod rolls for the first layer are deposited, the respective roll axes of the eighth and ninth sod rolls extend in the first direction, and the eighth and ninth sod rolls are positioned between the first row when the first row is formed and the fourth edge of the pallet so that: a respective first end of each of the eighth and ninth sod rolls is adjacent the second edge of the pallet, the eighth sod roll is aligned with the sixth sod roll when the sixth sod roll is deposited, the eighth sod roll is adjacent the second ends of at least two of the sod rolls in the first row when the first row is formed, the ninth sod roll is aligned with the seventh sod roll when the seventh sod roll is deposited, and the ninth sod roll is adjacent the fourth edge of the pallet; and
c) forming a second layer containing nine sod rolls on top of the first layer by operating the head to:
i) deposit five sod rolls on the pallet using the sod carriers to form a second row of five sod rolls in the second layer, wherein the respective roll axes of the five sod rolls in the second row extend in the second direction, the five sod rolls in the second row are positioned next to each other to form the second row, the second row is parallel to the first row and is positioned on top of the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth sod rolls of the first layer, each sod roll in the second row of five sod rolls comprises a respective first end adjacent the fourth edge of the pallet and a respective second end axially spaced from the first end;
ii) pick up a sixth and a seventh sod roll for the second layer using the sod carriers, carry the sixth and seventh sod rolls together to the pallet through translation of the head, and deposit the sixth and seventh sod rolls for the second layer on the pallet, wherein when the sixth and seventh sod rolls for the second layer are deposited, the respective roll axes of the sixth and seventh sod rolls for the second layer extend in the first direction, and the sixth and seventh sod rolls of the second layer are positioned on top of the first row so that: a respective first end of each of the sixth and seventh sod rolls of the second layer is adjacent the first edge of the pallet, the sixth sod roll of the second layer is adjacent the second row when the second row is formed, and the seventh sod roll of the second layer is adjacent the third edge of the pallet;
iii) pick up an eighth and a ninth sod roll for the second layer using the sod carriers, carry the eighth and ninth sod rolls for the second layer together to the pallet through translation of the head, and deposit the eighth and ninth sod rolls for the second layer on the pallet, wherein when the eighth and ninth sod rolls for the second layer are deposited, the respective roll axes of the eighth and ninth sod rolls for the second layer extend in the first direction, and the eighth and ninth sod rolls of the second layer are positioned on top of the first row so that: a respective first end of each of the eighth and ninth sod rolls of the second layer is adjacent the second edge of the pallet, the eighth sod roll of the second layer is aligned with the sixth sod roll of the second layer when the sixth sod roll is deposited, the eighth sod roll is adjacent the second row when the second row is formed, the ninth sod roll of the second layer is aligned with the seventh sod roll of the second layer when the seventh sod roll is deposited, and the ninth sod roll is adjacent the third edge of the pallet.
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