GB2068704A

GB2068704A - Turf-treatment apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2068704A
Application number: GB8004078A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Sisis Equipment Macclesfield Ltd
Current assignee: Sisis Equipment Macclesfield Ltd
Priority date: 1980-02-07
Filing date: 1980-02-07
Publication date: 1981-08-19
Also published as: GB2068704B

Abstract

A powered mobile unit for turf-care apparatus comprises a chassis 10, driven and steerable front wheels 12,a seat 16 carried at least mainly by the rear wheels 14, a linkage 18 behind the rear wheels 14 for the attachment of turf-treating implements 36; and powered hydraulic means 22 capable of activating the linkage 18 to lift an attached implement clear of the ground and of applying such downward pressure to the implement 36 as to cause the rear wheels 14 to be raised clear of the ground with an operator in the seat 16, whilst the unit is in motion. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Turf-treatment apparatus This invention is concerned with turf-care apparatus comprising a powered mobile unit to which may be attached turf-working implements of turf-treatment appliances for towing over an area of turf, either in operative position or raised clear of the 'ground. More specifically the invention is concerned with the powered mobile unit.

Such turf-care apparatus is known comprising a tractor to which implements and appliances may be attached. The tractor has a pair of rear driven ground wheels, and a steerable front wheel. When being used to tow such implements as coring drums, aerators, spikers and soon penetration of the implement is frequently inadequate, accompanied by loss of traction due to the load on the driven ground wheels being reduced by the action of the implement. It is, therefore, in such circumstances, necessary to add weights to the towed implement.

When it is wished to lift the implement clear of the ground however the weights must be removed in case the combined effect of the implement and the weights cause the steerable front wheel to be raised clear of the ground.

It has also been proposed resilientlyto load turf treatment implements hitched to and towed by a tractor.

The object of the present invention is to provide a powered mobile unit for turf-care apparatus of the type described which facilitates substantial loading of a towed implement to aid penetration and, at the same time, improved traction.

According to the present invention a powered mobile unit for turf-care apparatus comprises a chassis driven and steerable front wheel means and rear wheel means supporting the chassis, a seat for an operator, carried at least mainly by said rear wheel means, a linkage behind said rear wheel means adapted for the hitching thereto of turf treatment implements which are required to pene trate turf, and powered hydraulic means capable of activating said linkage so as to lift a hitched turf treatment implement clear of the ground behind said rear wheel means, or of applying such downward pressure to such implement as to cause rear wheel means to be raised clear of the ground with an operator occupying said seat, in either case whilst the unit is mobile.

The powered mobile unit itself may conveniently incorporate one or more of the following optional features: (a) a pairofsteerablefrontwheels, our a single steerable front wheel (b) an internal combustion engine mounted above the front wheel means for driving same (c) a double-acting hydraulic cylinder for activat ing said linkage (d) a common power suorce for the driven front wheel means and the hydraulic means (e) resilient shock absorbing means in the linkage As typical accessories for the powered mobile unit the following may be provided: (a) a hollow timer (b) a shallow slitter (c) a deep slitter (d) a roller (e) a scarifier (f) a brush The invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a powered mobile unit, for turf-care apparatus, constructed in accordance with the invention and in use deep slitting turf; and Fig. 2 is a detail view of the rear end of the unit shown in Fig. 1 with certain parts in different positions.

The unit basically comprises a chassis 10, a pair of steerable front wheels 12, and a pair of rear wheels 14, all supported by the chassis 10, a seat 16 for an operator, mounted directly above the rear wheels 14, a linkage 18 also carried by the chassis 10 and located behind the rear wheels 14, and having attachment plates 20 to which a turf-treatment implement or appliance may be hitched, a doubleacting hydraulic cylinder 22 connected between the chassis 10 and the linkage 18, an internal combustion engine 24 for driving the front wheels 12, and a gear-box 26 between the engine 24 and wheels 12, which also constitute the reservoir for the cylinder 22.

The linkage consists of a central turnbuckle 28 pivotally connected to an attachment plate 30 at the rear of the chassis 10, an A-frame 32 pivotally connected to the other end of the turnbuckle 28, and two further links 34 pivotally connected between the lower ends of the A-frame 32 and the rear of the chassis 10. A deep slitter 36 is shown hitched to the attachment plates 20.

The hydraulic cylinder 22 has a ram 38 the outer end of which is pivotally connected to a lever40 extending radially from a shaft 42 extending across the rear of the chassis. The shaft 42 also carries two further levers 44 each of which is pivotally connected to an adjustable spring shock absorber 46 the other ends of which is pivotally connected to the respective links 34.

The hydraulic cylinder 22 is pivotally connected to the chassis and there are suitable conduits 48 between the cylinder 22 and the gear box 26 and a control switch 50.

In use an operator occupies the seat 16 and when driving to and from a work location (say a golf green) the switch 50 is operated to cause the ram 38 to be extended which raises the linkage 18 which in turn lifts the hitched implement clear of the ground. All the wheels of the unit are on the ground and the unit proceeds normally under power, the front wheels 12 being steered by handle 52. This situation is shown in Fig. 2. When it is wished to use the implement the The drawing(s) originally filed was/were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

switch 50 is operated to move the ram 38 in the opposite direction whereby the implement, in this case the siitter 36, is lowe.-ed to the ground. Now the v:eight of the implement also is often not sufficient to ensure the necessary penetration of the turf as the latter is traversed and as the implement rotates.

However by means of the cylinder 22 and ram 38 further downward pressure may be applied to the implement, and indeed such pressure as causes the rear wheels 14to be raised off the ground as shown in Fig.2.

In this position the weight of the entire unit and the operator is carried by the implement and the front wheels 12 which assists in achieving maximum penetration, good traction and responsive steering.

As mentioned the implement in the instance being particularly described is a deep slitter. However a variety of implements and appliances wili be provided (such as those listed hereinbefore) to enable the apparatus to be used for carrying out a full range of turf-care treatments.

Claims

1. Apowered mobileunitforturf-care apparatus comprises: a chassis, driven and steerable front wheel means and rear wheel means supporting the chassis; a seat for an operator, carried at least mainly by said rear wheel means; a linkage behind said rear wheel means adapted for the hitching thereto of turf-treatment implements which are required to penetrate turf; and powered hydraulic means capable of activating said linkage so as to lift a hitched turf-treatment implement clear of the ground behind said rear wheel means, or of applying such downward pressure to such implement as to cause rear wheel means to be raised clear of the ground with an operator occupying said seat, in either case whilst the unit is mobile.

2. A powered mobile unit as claimed in Claim 1, and haring a pair of steerable front wheels.

3. A powered mobile unit as claimed in Claim 1 and having a single steerable front wheel.

4. A powered mobile unit as claimed in Claim 1,2 or 3, and having an internal combustion engine mounted above the front wheel means for driving same.

5. A powered mobile unit as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the hydraulic means is a double acting hydraulic cylinder.

6. A powered unit as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, and having a common power source forthe hydraulic means and the front wheel means.

7. A powered unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the linkage is a parallelogram linkage.

8. A powered unit as claimed in Claim 7, and having resilient shock-absorbing means in the linkage.

9. A linkage as claimed in Claim 8 when appendantto Claim 7, wherein the resilient shockabsorbing means includes a tension spring whose lower end is connected to a lower link of the linkage and to whose upper end a lifting force can be applied.

10. Apowered mobile unit for turf-care apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.