GB2158686A

GB2158686A - Ground care implements and appliances

Info

Publication number: GB2158686A
Application number: GB08512051A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey Davies
Original assignee: EUROTEC PRECISION Ltd
Current assignee: EUROTEC PRECISION Ltd
Priority date: 1984-05-11
Filing date: 1985-05-13
Publication date: 1985-11-20
Also published as: GB2158686B; GB8512051D0

Abstract

A ground working implement or ground care appliance suitable for attachment to a powered mobile unit 10 has means for controlled weight transfer for pressure downwards on the operative part of the implement or appliance, such as a weight or mass 24 slidable from in front of say a spiker 14 to behind the spiker, the position of the weight or mass being chosen according 16 to the desired downward pressure. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ground care implements and appliances This invention concerns ground care implements and appliances and is especially concerned with turf-care implements and appliances.

Working implements or treatment appliances are usually attached to a powered mobile unit such as a tractor, for towing over an area of ground or turf either in a lowered operative position or raised clear of the ground.

When a tractor is being used to tow such implements as coring drums, aerators, spikers and the like, ground penetration is often inadequate and accompanied by loss of traction due to the load on driven ground wheels being reduced by the action of the implements.

In such circumstances weights are added to the towed implement. These weights are often whatever is available, such as concrete blocks or bags of sand. However, when the implement is to be raised clear of the ground, these weights have to be removed.

More recently it has been proposed to connect tractors to implements by a hydraulic powered linkage which can either raise the implement or lift the rear wheels of the tractor so that part of the weight of the tractor and its driver apply downward pressure on the implement.

This proposal has the disadvantage that the downwards pressure on the implement cannot easily be controlled. For different ground conditions different downwards pressures are desirable and also the weight of the tractor driver cannot be readily taken into account.

The object of this invention is to provide ground care implements and appliances which may be attached to a powered mobile unit, which implements and appliances have means for controlling downward pressure exerted on the operative part of the implement or appliance.

According to this invention there is provided a ground working implement or ground care appliance suitable for attachment to a powered mobile unit having means for controlled weight transfer for pressure downwards on the operative part of the implement or appliance as desired.

By operative part is, of course, meant that part of the implement or appliance that is for ground contact and/or penetration.

For transporting the implement or appliance to a work site, pressure is preferably not applied to the implement or appliance so that it is clear of the ground. However, when an implement or appliance is in use, that operates by ground penetration, preferably a weight or mass will be transferred to a position whereby downward pressure is applied to the implement or appliance. The position to which the weight is transferred will depend on the desired amount of downward pressure.

Preferably the weight or mass is movable from a position forward of the operative part of the implement or appliance in its normal direction of travel rearwardly of that position relative to the normal direction of travel of the implement or appliance.

The weight or mass may be moved by a mechanical linkage that preferably includes powered hydraulic means.

In a first preferred embodiment the implement or appliance includes a weight or mass that is slidable between a position forward of the operative part of the implement or appliance and a postion rearward of said operative part.

The weight or mass may be of elongate form and arranged transverse to the direction of travel of the implement or appliance for sliding in a pair of parallel slideways which could be L-shaped or of channel section. The mass or weight may be moved by one or more double acting hydraulic rams, usually one applied centrally of the weight or mass.

In a second preferred embodiment the implement or appliance includes a weight or mass pivotable between a position forward of the operative part of the implement or appliance and a position rearward of said operative part.

The mass or weight is preferably at one end of a pivotted member which is moved by means of a double acting hydraulic ram.

Thus with the apparatus of the invention the position of the weight or mass may be chosen to apply a desired downwards pressure on the operative part of an implement or appliance to suit the ground conditions and any other relevant factors.

This invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 shows schematically a side view of one embodiment of the invention with its mass withdrawn; Figure 2 shows the apparatus of Figure 1 with the mass over the operative part of an implement; Figure 3 shows the apparatus of Figure 1 with the mass beyond the operative part of the implement; Figure 4 shows schematically a side view of another embodiment of the invention with its mass withdrawn; Figure 5 shows the apparatus of Figure 4 with the mass over the operative part of any implement; and Figure 6 shows the apparatus of Figure 4 with the mass beyond the operative part of the implement.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, a tractor 10 has connected or attached thereto by a standard three point linkage system 11 a spiker implement 12. The spiker 12 includes a freely rotatable spiked roller 14 which has its axle ends 16 in axles boxes 15 on parallel lower frame members 18 of the implement.

Extending rearwardly from the linkage system 11 and supported by upstanding end frame members 20 are a pair of channel section members 22 in which an elongate mass 24, arranged transversely of the normal direction of travel of the implement, can slide. The channels 22 extend from before the spiker 14 to beyond the spiker so that a wide range of mass positions is possible.

For moving the mass 24 is a double acting hydraulic ram 26 which has its piston 27 connected to a midpoint of the mass 24 and its cylinder 28 connected at 29 to a forward point of the linkage system 11. Hydraulic fluid supply lines are shown at 32 and 33.

When transporting the implement to and from a work site the mass 24 is withdrawn as shown in Figure 1 but during operation when ground penetration is required the mass is moved rearwardly to a position such as in Figure 2 or Figure 3 where the desired downward pressure will be achieved.

Turning now to Figures 4 to 6 a tractor 100 has connected or attached thereto by a standard three point linkage system 111 a spiker implement 11.

The spiker 112 includes a freely rotatable spiker roller 114 which has its axle ends 116 in axle boxes 115 on lower frame member 118 of the implement.

At the forward end of the implement and on cross member 120 is pivotably mounted an arm 122 the other end of which carries a mass 124. The arm 122 has connected to a lower point thereof piston 126 of double acting hydraulic ram 127, the cylinder 128 of which is connected to a forward part of the linkage system 111. Hydraulic fluid supply lines are shown at 132 and 133. The mass 124 is thus movable relative to the roller 114 by means of the ram 127.

When transporting the implement to and from a work site, the arm 122 is inclined in the normal direction of travel of the implement so that the mass 124 forward of the roller 114. During operation when ground penetration is required, the arm 122 is pivotted rearwardly by means of the hydraulic ram to position, such as in Figure 5 or in Figure 6 where the desired downward pressure will be achieved.

Both embodiments have the advantage that changing from an operative position to a transporting point for an implement or appliance can be easily and readily controlled by the driver of the tractor by operation of hydraulic controlls for the hydraulic ram. Thus the driver does not need to leave his seat on the tractor nor handle heavy weights.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a spiker implement, it will be appreciated that the principle thereof can be applied to any other type of implement or appliance that requires downward pressure thereon for satisfactory operation.

Claims

1. A ground working implement or ground care appliance suitable for attachment to a powered mobile unit having means for controlled weight transfer for pressure downwards on the operative part of the implement or appliance as desired.

2. An implement or appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein a weight or mass is selectively transferable to a position whereby downward pressure is applied to the implement or appliance.

3. An implement or appliance as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the weight or mass is movable from a position forward of the operative part of the implement or appliance in its normal direction of travel rearwardly of that position relative to the normal direction of travel of the implement or appliance.

4. An implement or appliance as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the weight or mass is movable by a mechanical linkage.

5. An implement or appliance as claimed in claim 4, wherein the linkage includes powered hydraulic means.

6. An implement or appliance as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, which includes a weight or mass that is slidable between a positioned forward of the operative part of the implement or appliance and in a position rearward of said operative part.

7. An implement or appliance as claimed in claim 6, wherein the weight or mass is of elongate form and arranged transverse to the direction of travel of the implement or appliance for sliding in a pair of parallel slideways.

8. An implement or appliance as claimed in claim 7, wherein the slideways are L-shaped or of channel section.

9. An implement or appliance as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the mass or weight is moved by one or more double acting hydraulic rams.

10. An implement or appliance as claimed in claim 9, wherein the mass or weight is movable by one hydraulic ram applied centrally of the mass or weight.

11. An implement or appliance as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 which includes a weight or mass pivotable between a position forward of the operative part of the implement or appliance and a position rearward of said operative part.

12. An implement or appliance as claimed in claim 11, wherein the mass or weight is at one end of a pivotted member which is moved by means of a double acting hydraulic ram.

13. A ground working implement or ground care appliance substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 or Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.