Samuel H Drake

US Patent:

20130255978, Oct 3, 2013

Filed:

Mar 27, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/851413

Inventors:

Steven R. Aposhian - Farmington UT, US
Eric E. Aston - Salt Lake City UT, US
William M. Decker - Salt Lake City UT, US
Samuel Drake - Cottonwood Heights UT, US

Assignee:

FIREFLY EQUIPMENT, LLC - Farmington UT

International Classification:

A01B 45/04

US Classification:

172 19

Abstract:

The present invention extends to an articulated cutting head and conveyor mount for sod harvesting machines. The invention provides a linkage design that can provide many benefits including: allowing the operator to see the cutting operation, enabling the high lifting of the cutting head for service and maneuvering, managing the vertical bending load of the ground reference roller, providing high transverse stiffness, maintaining the position of the conveyor relative to the cutting head. The linkage design can include fewer parts than previous designs while still being robust and durable. As such, cutting heads employing the linkage design of the present invention can produce higher quality slabs with less service and maintenance than when using current designs.

US Patent:

20130256099, Oct 3, 2013

Filed:

Mar 27, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/851457

Inventors:

Steven R. Aposhian - Farmington UT, US
Eric E. Aston - Salt Lake City UT, US
William M. Decker - Salt Lake City UT, US
Samuel Drake - Cottonwood Heights UT, US
Isaac R. Jones - Round Rock TX, US

Assignee:

FIREFLY EQUIPMENT, LLC - Farmington UT

International Classification:

A01B 45/04

US Classification:

198837

Abstract:

The present invention extends to a lifting system for lifting a portion of a conveyor. The lifting system maintains the length of the conveyor while changing the shape of the conveyor to lift the top surface of the conveyor belt towards a stacking head. This design facilitates the quick lifting and lowering of slabs of sod while minimizing the stress on the sod harvesting machine.

US Patent:

20130259629, Oct 3, 2013

Filed:

Mar 27, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/851402

Inventors:

Steven R. Aposhian - Farmington UT, US
Eric E. Aston - Salt Lake City UT, US
William M. Decker - Salt Lake City UT, US
Samuel Drake - Cottonwood Heights UT, US

Assignee:

FIREFLY EQUIPMENT, LLC - Farmington UT

International Classification:

A01B 45/04
B65G 47/31

US Classification:

4147881, 1984623

Abstract:

The present invention extends to a conveyor system that allows the spacing between slabs on a conveyor to be controlled. Because the spacing can be controlled, a single stacking head can be used to pick up and stack multiple slabs at the same time. In this manner, a harvesting machine employing the conveyor system of the present invention can utilize a single stacking head while still harvesting sod at least as quickly as harvesting machines employing multiple stacking heads.

US Patent:

20130259630, Oct 3, 2013

Filed:

Mar 27, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/851418

Inventors:

Steven R. Aposhian - Farmington UT, US
Eric E. Aston - Salt Lake City UT, US
William M. Decker - Salt Lake City UT, US
Samuel Drake - Cottonwood Heights UT, US

Assignee:

FIREFLY EQUIPMENT, LLC - Farmington UT

International Classification:

A01B 45/04

US Classification:

414792

Abstract:

The present invention extends to a stacking mechanism having electrical actuators for stacking slabs of sod on a sod harvesting machine. The electrical actuators allow the stacking head to be driven in three axes. The stacking mechanism also includes position feedback sensors for reporting the position of the stacking head to enable precision when operating the stacking head at a fast rate. The stacking mechanism of the present invention also provides temporary pallet support wings to enable the continued stacking of slabs of sod on one pallet even while another pallet is being dropped from the sod harvesting machine.

US Patent:

57268967, Mar 10, 1998

Filed:

Aug 29, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/705194

Inventors:

Ji Jia - Salt Lake City UT
Elaine Cohen - Salt Lake City UT
Samuel H. Drake - Salt Lake City UT
Russell D. Fish - Salt Lake City UT

Assignee:

University of Utah Research Foundation - Salt Lake City UT

International Classification:

G06F 1900
G06G 766

US Classification:

36447429

Abstract:

An iterative spline interpolation method for a numerically-controlled machine tool device is disclosed. The non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) curve inputted to the numerically-controlled machine tool is interpolated with a constant step size providing the ability to maintain a controlled velocity to within a specified tolerance. In addition, the distance left to travel on the curve is obtained by a unique spline node-based approximation method providing accurate acceleration and deceleration control. The rational spline interpolation method provides significant reduction in the amount of data required to produce smoothly machined pieces while providing accurate machining of conic sections not possible by previous spline interpolation methods.

US Patent:

20200084960, Mar 19, 2020

Filed:

Sep 19, 2018

Appl. No.:

16/135970

Inventors:

- North Salt Lake UT, US
Eric E. Aston - Farmington UT, US
William M. Decker - Salt Lake City UT, US
Samuel H. Drake - Cottonwood Heights UT, US

International Classification:

A01D 34/00
A01D 34/66
A01D 34/82

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.

US Patent:

20190239427, Aug 8, 2019

Filed:

Feb 8, 2018

Appl. No.:

15/892232

Inventors:

- North Salt Lake UT, US
Eric E. Aston - Farmington UT, US
William M. Decker - Salt Lake City UT, US
Samuel H. Drake - Cottonwood Heights UT, US

International Classification:

A01D 34/00
A01D 34/66
A01D 34/74
A01D 34/76
G05D 1/02

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.

US Patent:

20190239429, Aug 8, 2019

Filed:

Mar 22, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/362514

Inventors:

- North Salt Lake UT, US
Eric E. Aston - Farmington UT, US
William M. Decker - Salt Lake City UT, US
Samuel H. Drake - Cottonwood Heights UT, US

International Classification:

A01D 34/00
A01D 34/66
A01D 34/76
B60K 31/00

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.