Dan Moran, of Dan's Machine and Welding in Brady, was talking to a friend about the difficulties of removing some brush and cactus from his land, when the thought occurred to him that there should be a more efficient way to tackle the job. Grubbing and raking are typically separate operations that require an implement change and at least two passes over the same ground. After a little bit of engineering, Moran came up with the unique idea of a combination rake and grubber implement that would allow both tasks to be performed in one pass.
The implement has a lower multi-toothed rake, a grubber mounted with a hydraulic cylinder on the front of the rake, and an upper mast mounted directly above the rake teeth and grubbing attachment. The mast helps to protect the operator and also aids in the gathering of vegetation, brush, and small trees. The grubber hydraulically folds down in front of the rake for the grubbing operation, then folds up flush against the front of the rake for immediate raking capability. The entire operation is controlled from the cab of the machine, without requiring the operator to dismount and change implements.
The implement can be attached to skid steer loaders, bulldozers, tractors, or front end loaders.
"Once people see it I think they'll say, 'Man, I've got to have that.' It saves them time."-- Dan Moran
Attorney David Hall, with Jackson Walker law firm in Blanco County, helped Moran receive the machine's patent in just over 12 months. Most patents take over two years to receive approval.