GB2327329A - Combination device for ground care - Google Patents

Abstract

A combination device for ground care, comprises a housing (1') and wheels (2', 3') which are attached to the housing whereby said housing is movable on a ground surface (4') for the purpose of working upon said surface; a guiding bar (5') which is attached to the housing and which provides for said housing to be manually moved and/or guided by an operative on the ground surface; a working tool (15'); and a motor (17') for driving the working tool, which motor is secured to the housing, wherein there are provided receiving means (14,) for selectively securing a sweeping device (16') which comprises at least one rotationally drivable sweeping roller, the sweeping roller is associated with a gear (25') and the gear is adapted to engage a driving gear (24') which is associated with one of the wheels (3') attached to the housing.

Description

2327329 Title: Combination Device for Ground Care

Description of Invention

This invention relates to a combination device for ground, e.g. garden, landscape or yard care. It comprises a housing which is movable on wheels on a ground surface for the purpose of working upon said surface. For the purpose of moving the device said housing is associated with a guiding bar which is handled by an operative who is thus able to guide and/or move the housing on the surface. Furthermore, a motor is secured to the housing, which motor serves to drive a working tool which is intended to be used for mowing or scarifying, for example.

DE-3930123-Al describes a combination device to which it is possible to attach a working tool in the form of a scarifying shaft, a sweeping roller or an aerating shaft for aerating a lawn. For driving the individual working tools there is provided a driving motor with a belt pulley which can be connected by means of a driving belt to a belt pulley associated with the working tool to be driven. When changing the working tool, it is first necessary to remove a cover which covers the belt drive. Thereafter, the belt has to be released from the belt pulley associated with the working tool. The device has one main direction of movement which constitutes the working direction. In the case of such a predetermined main direction of movement, the direction of rotation of a sweeping roller for example is opposed to the direction of rotation of a cutter shaft used for scarifying purposes, and so the sweeping roller is additionally associated with a reversina drive.

When changing the working tools, the operative has to ensure that the belt drive is mounted in the Correct way and that the cover, too, is accurately fitted, as otherwise the operative or other persons in the vicinity may be 2 endangered. As there is provided only one bearing region, it has to be ensured that the shaft itself, which is associated with the working tools, is secured in holding devices which compensate for differences in distance from the surface, which differences result from the different rotational operating diameters of different tools.

It is the object of the present invention, to provide a combination device of the species claimed, wherein, in addition to a working tool permanently arranged at the housing, a further working tool can be selectively provided, which further working tool is easy to operate, i.e. which can be attached easily.

In accordance with the invention, there are provided receiving means for selectively securing a sweeping device which comprises at least one rotationally drivable sweeping roller, the sweeping roller is associated with a gear and the gear is adapted to engage a driving gear which is associated with one of the wheels attached to the housing.

The advantage of this embodiment is that it is possible to use a sweeping device which is not driven by the motor. For using a sweeping roller, it is possible for the rotational speed and the power to be low, thus allowing the drive to be taken from the rotational movement of one of the wheels, which wheel rotates when the housing is moved by the operative on the surface to be worked. When using the device as a sweeping device, the driving motor does not have to be operated, so that when the device is provided with a petrol engine, the environment is not disadvantageously affected by operation thereof, while if the device is operated by an electric motor, there is achieved greater flexibility in that there is no need for a cable connection. Furthermore, it is possible to achieve a higher degree of utilisation in that the device is suitable for different applications.

Preferably, the housing comprises an ejection aperture for material removed from the surface by the motor-driven working tool, and the receivin.g means for the sweeping device are arranged at the housing end which 0 1 3 comprises the ejection aperture. A device which is designed primarily as a scarifier or mower may, relative,to the direction of movement, be provided with rear ejection means. One of the wheels attached at the rear end of the housing may then be associated with the driving gear.

To achieve an enclosed and reliably functioning assembly, the sweeping roller may be partially covered by a covering hood which is provided with an e. ection aperture to which a collecting device can be attached. The collecting device used is preferably also suitable for the motor-driven working tool; it is normally associated with the housing and is secured, for example, by being suspended from suitable housing means.

The sweeping roller may be provided in the form of a separate component and be secured to a shaft which also carries the gear for engaging the driving gear of the wheel.

Furthermore, it is proposed that the sweeping device, in addition to the sweeping roller, may also comprise a rotationally drivable side broom which, by means of a belt drive, is drivingly connected to the shaft or to a separate gear which can be brought into engagement with a driving gear associated with the other wheel at the rear end of the housing. To permit differential rotation between the two rear wheels of the machine, the separate gear may be arranged on the shaft so as to be rotatable relative thereto. When in operation, the side broom rotates around a substantially vertically oriented axis. In consequence, the belt drive is crossed, because the shaft carrying the sweeping roller is aligned horizontally. To achieve an assembly which is capable of bearing loads, there may be provided a bar-shaped can-ying element on which, by means of bearings, there is supported the shaft carrying the sweeping roller. Furthermore, the cover is attached to said carrying element. In addition, the carrying element serves to secure a holding device for the side broom.

To improve the movability of the housing if intended to be used as a sweeping machine, a carrying wheel which is pivotably adjustable around a 4 vertical axis and which is positioned on the longitudinal axis of the housing may be removably provided at the housing end facing away from the ejection aperture. Said carrying wheel may be lowerable, so that when it comes into contact with the ground surface, the other wheels associated with said end are moved out of contact and held out of contact with the surface.

To be able to make use of the housing and the means for attaching the collecting device, such as they are designed if the device is used as a scarifier for example, the guiding bar associated with the housing may be pivotable between two working positions. This results in a change in the direction of movement if the device is used as a sweeping device. If rear ejection is required, the point of application, too, and thus the handling region of the guiding bar are on the end of the collecting device arranged at the rear. For the purpose of using the device for sweeping purposes, the guiding bar is pivoted to the opposite end, which means that the collecting device is located at the front of the device, in the direction of movement, i.e. the rear end becomes the front end.

A prefeiTed device which call be provided with a sweeping unit is a device whose workin. tool is represented by a cutter shaft suitable for 0 scarifying purposes, and for suppoilin,(,,, the cutter shaft there may be provided a rocker with two spaced arms which comprise two first bearing regions. The arms may be arTanged in the housing so as to be pivotable, at one end, around a common pivot axis which extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the housing and parallel to the axes of rotation of the wheels, and the receiving means for removably receiving the sweeping roller may be associated with the arms of the rocker in the form of fuillier bearing regions, with the second bearing regions being aiTanged at a different distance from the pivot axis than are the first bearing regions. The rocker may be associated with setting means which serve to set the rocker in working positions which col-respond to the positions of the working tool when in operation. Furthermore, the pivot axis of 0 the rocker may be arranged in such a way that it coincides with the axis of rotation of at least one of the four wheels on which the housing is moveable.

In an alternative embodiment, the receiving means for the sweeping device may be provided in the form of receiving slots in the side walls of the housing, in which receiving slots the sweeping roller may be suspended. The receiving slot may be inclined in such a way that the shaft carrying the sweeping roller is guided with its gear in such a way that the gear teeth are made to engage the teeth of the driving gear.

The setting means for setting the rocker preferably comprise a threaded spindle, a nut secured to one of the arms of the rocker so as to be pivotable around a setting axis extending parallel to the pivot axis, an abutment, an engaging element which is secured to the housing and comprises at least two regions of engagement for supporting the abutment, and an actuating element for rotationally adjusting the threaded spindle. In this way it is possible to set the rocker to suit the respective requirements. This can also be achieved if the threaded spindle is pivotable around the setting axis of the setting nut towards the different positions of engagement, and in each case, precision adjustment can be effected by means of the threaded spindle. In this way, it is possible, for the cutter shaft or the sweeping roller, to achieve the optirnum working position for the surface to be worked or to achieve a working position and a lifting position for the cutter shaft in the sense of a high-speed adjustment.

In case the sweeping roller can be selectively associated with the rocker, there may be provided a belt drive for passing on the rotational movement from the motor to the first bearing regions which are provided to accommodate the cutter shaft to be driven by the motor.

In an embodiment of the invention with a guiding bar which is associated with the housing and which is pivotable between two working positions, it is possible for the housing to be moved, as a function of its application (as a scarifier or sweeping machine), in opposed main directions of c 6 movement along the longitudinal axis, and it is advantageous that the collecting device needs to be attached in only one position at the housing, which means that both the cutters of the scarifier shaft and the bristles of the sweeping roller rotate in the same direction of rotation while being able to throw the material into the collecting device. The setting of the rocker when using a sweeping roller which is driven by a ring gear of one of the wheels is ensured in that the pivot axis of the rocker is centred on the axis of rotation of the wheel provided with the ring gear. In consequence, the rocker, with the gear driving the sweeping roller, also moves around the axis of rotation of the ring gear associated with the wheel. In cases where there is only one main direction of movement of the housing, the directions of rotation, for example, of a cutter shaft used for scarifying purposes and of a sweeping roller, would extend in opposite senses. However, because the main direction of movement of the combination device can be clianaed, so that the main direction of movement for working the surface with the respective working tools is reversed, there are achieved directions of rotation which extend in the same sense. In this way it is possible to achieve optimum utilisation of the collecting device. If only the cutter shaft is associated with the rocker, it is possible to provide an assembly wherein the pivot axis of the rocker coincides with the axis of rotation of the wheel comprising the driving gear or with the driveshaft of tile motor.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are diagrammatically illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:- Figure 1 is a first longitudinal section of a side view of a first embodiment of a combination device used as a scarifier, but with the cutter shaft in a raised position, and without a collecting device and guiding bar; Figure 2 is a second longitudinal section of the first embodiment; Figure 3 is a side view of the combination device according to Figure 1, having a guiding bar and an attached collecting device; 0 1 7 Figure 4 is a side view of the combination device in its first embodiment, used as a sweeping device; Figure 5 shows the sweeping device in the form of a detail in the side view in an enlarged scale; Figure 6 is a side view of a second embodiment of the combination device, partially in section; Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view regarding the rocker with the setting means; Figure 8 again in an enlarged scale, shows a detail regarding the design of the setting means, with a cutter shaft used for scarifying purposes being used as the working tool and with the rocker being in the working position required for this working tool; Figure 9 is an illustration CO1Tesponding to Figure 8, but with the rocker being in the lifted, i.e. inactive position for the cutter shaft.

Figures 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of a combination device which comprises a housing 1 which is movable on four spaced wheels 2, 3) on a surface 4 to be worked. The wheels 2, 3 are carried by the housing in such a way that their axes of rotation 7, 8 extend parallel relative to one another. In a preferred embodiment, for example, both wheels 2 positioned in front of the housing with respect to movement thereof in the direction of arrow B are arranged on the side of housing 1 and comprise one common axis of rotation 7.

The same applies to wheels 33 positioned in front in arrow direction A and having the axis of rotation 8. For guiding and moving the housing 1 on the surface 4, a guiding bar or handle 5 is attached to the housing. The guiding bar is operated manually by an operative. As can be seen, the guiding bar 5 is attached by means of a joint 6 to ensure it is pivotable between two positions.

For moving the housing 1 by means of the wheels 2, -3) on the surface 4 in arrow direction A, the guiding bar 5 is in the pivoted position as shown in Figures 1 to 3 3, i.e. the housing 1 is pushed in arrow direction A. To be able to push the 8 housing 1 in arrow direction B, the guiding bar 5, following the release of securing means in the region of the joint 6, can be pivoted to the right into the position as shown in Figure 4. For fixing this position of the guiding bar 5, the joint 6 can be locked.

The housing 1 has an associated rocker 9 which is pivotable around a pivot axis 10 which coincides with the axis of rotation of the shaft of a motor 17 and extends transversely of the housing. The rocker 9 comprises two spaced arms which extend parallel relative to one another, of which only the arm 11 is shown, which are offset from the rotational axis 8 and which are connected by means of a coupling rod 12. Both arins comprise bearing means 13. They serve to receive a cutter shaft 15 for scarifying a surface 4 in the form of a lawn surface.

The motor 17 is an electric motor and serves to drive tile cutter shaft 15 in the direction of rotation N for the main direction of movement A in order to throw the material separated from the surface 4, e.g. from the lawn, into a collecting device 26 which, with reference to the main direction of movement A, is attached at the rear of the housing 1. To be able to drive the cutter shaft 15, a first belt pulley 18 is associated with the motor 17 and a second belt pulley 19 is associated with the motor 17 and a second belt pulley 19 with the cutter shaft 15. Both pulleys are connected by a belt 20, for example a V-belt.

For the purpose of setting the cutter shaft 15 into a lowered working position and into a raised inoperative position of rest, there are provided setting means. As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the rocker 9 is associated with a spring 27 which is a tension spring and which acts oil one of the two arms 11 on the one hand and on the housing 1 on the other hand and which loads the rocker 9 with the cutter shaft 15 towards a raised position, i.e. a position which is pivoted clockwise with reference to Figures 1 and 2, upwardly from the surface 4 around the pivot axis 8. The cutter shaft 15 comprises a shaft element 29 which is provided to establish a connection with the bearing means 13. The i 1 9 cutter shaft 15 has cutters 28 which extend outwardly from the shaft 29 and rotate therewith. In the positions as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the rocker 9 is held by setting means 30 through the force of the spring 27. Said setting means 30 comprise a threaded spindle 3 1 which passes through a setting nut 33 which is supported at the aim 11 so as to be pivotable around a setting axis 32.

The threaded spring 311 comprises an extension holding an abutment 34 which is supported on damping means and on an engaging element. Said abutment 34 cooperates with an engaging element 3)5 which is secured to the housing 1 and comprises arch-shaped recesses which form two regions of engagement 42, 43.

Furthermore, on the extension there is attached an actuatina element 40 in the form of an actuating knob by means of which the threaded spindle 31 can be rotationally adjusted, so that the distance between the setting nut 33 and the abutment 34 changes. This allows a precision setting relative to the working position of the rocker 9, thus achieving accurate setting of the outer contour of the cutter shaft 15 relative to the surface to be worked. For example, said measure allows the setting of the required depth of penetration of the cutters 28 into a lawn surface. If now the cutter shaft 15 is to be transferred into an inactive position, this can be achieved by a high-speed setting method. For example, the actuating element 40 can be subjected to a force which is directed downwardly towards the surface 4 and which disengages the abutment 34 from the region of engagement 42. If now the actuating element 40 is subjected to a force in the sense of pivoting sarne to the right around the setting axis 32 of the setting nut 333, the abutment 34 reaches the region of the guiding means of the engaging element 35, which guiding means narrow in a wedge-like way, so that the abutment 34 is guided towards the region of engagement 43. At the same time, said region of enaaoemeiit 43 'Is positioned at a greater vertical distance from the surface 4 than the region of engagement 42, so that the rocker 9 pivots upwards under the effect of the spring 27. The spring 27 also ensures that the abutment 34 always remains in contact with one of the regions of engaevement 0 42, 43. To bring the cutter shaft 15 into contact with the suiface 4, it can be set by the actuating element 40 by introducing a rotational movement into the spindle which increases the distance between the abutment 34 and the setting nut 33.

For the direction of movement A, the housing 1, at its rear, is provided with an ejection aperture 44 which can be closed by a spring-loaded flap 45. This condition is shown in Figures 1 and 2. Furthermore, the housing 1 is provided with suspension means for securing a collecting device 26 for receiving the material cut by the cutters 28 of the cutter shaft 15, for which purpose it is necessary, first, to lift the flap 45, as shown in Figure 3.

For attaching a sweeping device, there are provided receiving slots 47 in the side walls of the housing 1. They extend towards the wheels 2.

For the purpose of using the device as a sweeping device, the direction of movement corresponds to arrow B, with the guiding bar 5 in the Joint 6 being pivoted into the position as shown in Figure 4. For driving the sweeping device 16 to be described later, the wheel 2 is associated with a driving gear 24, as shown in Figure 4. The driving gear 24 rotates with the wheel when the housing 1 is moved on the surface 4. The inain direction of movement of the sweeping device 16 is indicated by arrow B. The sweeping device 16 comprises a shaft 48 to which there is secured a sweeping roller 49. The sweeping roller 49 and the shaft 48, together, are received in the receiving slots 47 of the housing 1, with the shaft 48 projecting beyond at least one of the side walls. To the projecting end of the shaft 48 there is secured a gear 25 which engages the driving gear 24 of the wheel 2 when the shaft 48 is inserted into the recelvina slots 47. Furthermore, the sweeping device 16 comprises a bar-shaped carrying element 50 with two legs to which there are attached bearings 51 which serve to support the shaft 48. One of the legs of the carrying elenient 50 'Is bent and extended, with a side broom 53 being secured to the bent end 52 by, means of a holding device. To be able to drive the side broom 53, it is connected to the shaft 48 by means of a belt drive 54. Furthermore, a cover 55 is secured to the carrying element 50, from the lower end of which cover 55 the sweeping roller 49 emerges partially. In addition, the cover 55 towards one side, leaves open an ejection aperture 56. After the flap 45 has been raised, first the sweeping device 16 can be attached. Subsequently, it is possible to attach the collecting device 26 at the housing 1, which attaching device 26 is also provided for scarifying purposes. If now the housing 1 is moved oil the surface 4 in arrow direction B by the operative by means of the guiding bar 5 secured in the position pivoted towards the left, the sweeping roller 49 is driven by the wheel 2 or by the driving gear 24 which is connected to the wheel 2 and engages the gear 25. The sweeping roller 49 is driven in the driving direction of rotation NI. The material collected from the surface 4 is transferred th. rough the ejection apert-tire 56 in the sweeping device 16 into the collecting device 26.

To ensure that the device can be manoeuvred more easily, a carrying wheel 57 is arranged in the region between the two wheels 3 remote from the collecting device 26, which carrying wheel 57 can be lowered by actuating by foot a lever 58, with the wheels 3 being lifted off the surface 4. The carrying wheel 57 is pivotable around a vertical axis and can be removed from the housing 1. If used as a sweeping device, the housing 1 is thus moved oil the two wheels 2 and on the carrying wheel 57. The side broom 5, 3) moves the material collected from the surface 4 towards one side in the direction of the housing 1, so that the swept-up material reaches the region of the sweeping roller 49.

Figures 6 to 9 show a second embodiment of a combination device according to the invention, with those pails corresponding to pails shown in the drawings of the first embodiment having been given the same reference numbers, but followed by an apostrophe.

12 Figures 6 and 7 show the housing 1' which is movable on four spaced wheels 2% 3' on a surface 4' to Pe worked. The wheels 2% 3' are arranged in such a way that their axes of'rotation 7, 8' extend parallel relative to one another. In a preferred embodiment, for exainple, both wheels 2' positioned in front, in arrow direction A, are arranged on the side of the housing 1' and comprise one common axis of rotation T. The same applies to wheels 3' positioned in front in arrow direction B and having the axis of rotation W. For guiding and moving the housing 1' on the surface 4% the guiding bar 5' is attached to said housing F. The guiding bai. 5' is operated manually by an operative. As can be seen, the guiding bar 5' is attached by means of a joint so as to be pivotable between two positions. For inoving the housing 1' by means of the wheels 2% J on the surface 4' in the direction of the longitudinal axis in arrow direction A, the guiding bar 5' is in the pivoted position as shown in thick continuous lines in Figures 6 and 7, i.e. the housing 1' is pushed in arrow direction A. To be able to push the housing 1' in arrow direction B, the guiding bar 5% following the release of the securing ineans in the region of the joint 6', can be pivoted to the left into the position indicated by dash-dotted lines. Thereafter, the joint 6' can be locked for the purpose of securing said position of the guiding bar Y.

The housing 1' is associated with a rocker 9' so as to be pivotable around a pivot axis which slinultaneously constitutes the axis of rotation 8' of at least one of the wheels 3' and extends transversely to the longitudinal axis X. The rocker 9' comprises two spaced arnis 11' which extend parallel relative to one another and which, at theli. ends facing away froin the axis 8, are connected by a coupling rod 12'. Both arms coinprise two fixing regions which each comprise bearing ineans 13Y, 14. The bearing means 14 are closer to the axis 8' than the bearing nieans 1j. Said bearing ineans 1Y, 14 serve to receive 0 13 different working tools which may be alternatively associated with the housing 1' and the rocker 9' respectively In the embodiment according to Figures 6 to 9, the rocker 9' is designed to l-eceive a working tool and a sweeping device, with the rocker 9' at the same time being shown to be associated with the housing 1% but under practical operating conditions, only one of the two can be associated with the rocker 9'.

The working tool is a motor-driven cutter shaft 15' for scarifying a surface 4' in the form of a lawn surface, which working tool is associated with the bearing means 1Y. Furthermore, the rocker 9' is associated with a sweeping device 16' in the form of a sweeping roller. The sweeping device 16, is received in the bearing means 14. The bearing means 13% 14 can be provided in the form of high-speed locks, for example, by means of which it is possible to connect the shafts associated with the cutter shaft 15' and the sweeping device 16' either to rotatably support the latter or to drive same, as described in greater detail below.

In the case of this embodiment, the cutter shaft 15' associated with the bearing means 13' is intended to be driven by a motor IT; it requires a direction of rotation N in connection with a inain direction of movement A to be able to throw the material separated from the surface 4% i.e. from the lawn, into the collecting device 26' which, with reference to the main direction of movement A, is attached at the rear of the housing I'. To be able to drive the cutter shaft 15% the bearing rneans 13% on the outside, i.e. between a side wall of the housing l' and an arm 11' of the rocker T, are provided with a second belt pulley 19'. The output shaft of the motor 17% for example in the form of an electric motor, is associated with a first belt pulley 18' which is connected to a second belt pulley 19' by means of a belt 20% for example a V-belt. Furthermore, the belt 20' is guided over a deflection pulley 21 arranged near 14 the first belt pulley 18' and over a tensioning pulley 22 arranged between the deflection pulley 21 and the second belt pulley 19'. The tensioning pulley 22 is supported pivotably to maintaiii the driving connection between the first belt pulley 18' and the second belt pulley 19' in the different pivoted positions of the rocker 9' and its arms IF respectively around the pivot axis 18'. The change in distance between the two belt pulleys 18', 19% which results from the change in position, is compensated for by the tensioning pulley 22 and the lever 23 to ensure that the belt 20' always remains under tension.

To be able to use the device for sweeping purposes with a sweeping device 16' in the form of a sweeping roller and to ensure that the collected material reaches the collecting device 26% there is proposed manual operation of a kind where the direction of movement corresponds to arrow B and where one of the two wheels 3' whose axis of rotation coincides with the pivot axis 8, of the rocker 9' is associated with a driving gear 24% i.e. for the sweeping device 16' in the form of a sweeping, roller there is provided a main direction of movement along the longitudinal axis in the direction of arrow B. To be able to move the housing 1' in said direction, the guiding bar 5' is moved into the position pivoted towards the left and indicated by dash-dotted lines. Furthermore, the collectine, device 26' is then arranged in front, in the direction of movement B, andretains its position in cases where use is made of the cutter shaft 15'. The advantage of this design is that the housing requires only one C ejection aperture and needs to comprise only those means which serve to attach the collecting device 26'. The sweepHig device 16' comprising a central shaft is associated with a gear 25' which is eii,,aged by the driving gear 24'. As the axis of the rocker 9' coincides with the axis of rotatiori 8' of the wheel 3' and thus with that of the driving gear 24% the gear 25' and the driving gear 24, remain engaged, even if the rocker 9' occupies different pivoted positions.

1 Figures 6 and 7 show the disengaged position of the working tools.

The setting means for setting the basic position of the two working tools 15% 16' with reference to the surface 4' to be worked are explained in greater detail in connection with Figures 7 to 9. These show that the rocker 9' is associated with a spring 27' which is a tension spring and which, at the coupling rod 12' connecting the two arms 11% acts on the housing 1 on the one hand, and which, on the other hand, loads the rocker 9' together with the respective working tool which it carries into a raised position, i.e. a position pivoted to the right upwardly from the surface 4' around the axis W. Figures 7 to 9, in continuous lines and in outline, show how the cutter shaft 15' used for scarifying purposes is associated with the bearing means 1 3 V, with the cutter shaft 15' comprising a shaft 29' whicli is provided for the purpose of establishing a connection with the bearing means E3'. Furthermore, the said cutter shaft comprises cutters 28' which are spaced from, and extend parallel to, the shaft 29'. In its position as illustrated in Figure 7, which position corresponds to that shown in Figure 8, the rocker 9' is brought closer to the surface 4' and is held by setting means 30' against the force of the spring 2T.

Said setting means 30' comprise a threaded spindle 3 1' which passes through a setting nut 33' which, in turn, is supported oii the arm 11' so as to be pivotable around a setting axis 3T. For this purpose, the setting nut -3)3)' is provided with a projection which passes tlirougli the arm 11' atid is secured thereto by a nut 39 in such a way that the pivot movement can take place around the pivot axis 3T. The threaded spindle -3) 1' comprises an extension 41 holding an abutment 34' which is supported oii a nut J38 which is adjustably guided on the thread of the threaded spindle 3 F. The abutment is provided in the form of a pin which comprises a transverse bore by means of which it is positioned on the extension. Said abutment 34' cooperates with an engaging element 35' which is 0 16 secured to the outside of the housing 1' and comprises two plates provided with arch-shaped recesses which form two regions of engagement 42% 4Y. Because there are provided two parallelwalls 36, 37 rnade of plate metal and arranged on one side of the threaded spindle, the abutment 34' is firmly supported at its two ends. Furthermore, the extension 41 is provided with an actuating element 40' in the form of an actuating knob by means of which tile threaded spindle 3 1' can be rotationally adjusted, so that the distance between the setting nut 33, and the abutment 34' changes. In this way it is possible to achieve a precision setting in respect of the position of the rocker 9% which, in turn, results in the outer contour of the respective working tool to be set accurately relative to the surface to be worked. For example, it is possible, in this way, to set the required depth of penetration of the cutters 28' of a cutter shaft 15' in the lawn surface. If the cutter shaft 15' is now to be transferred into an inactive position, this can be achieved by high-speed setting ineans. For example, the actuating element 40' can be subjected to a force which is directed downwardly towards the surface 4' and which disengages the abutment 34' from the region of engagement 4T. If the actuating element is now subjected to a force in the sense of being pivoted towards the right around the setting axis 32' of the setting nut 33% the abutment 34' enters the region of the guiding means of the engaging element 3)5% which guiding means narrow in a wedge-like way, and is guided towards the region of engagement 4Y. At the same time, said region of engagement 43' is located at a greater vertical distance fi-om the surface 4' than the region of engagement 42% so that the rocker 9' pivots upwardly under the effect of the spring 2T. The sprino 27' ensures that the abutnient 34' always remains in contact with one of the two regions of engageinent 42', 4Y, in which case, the rocker 9% together with the cutter shaft 15% remains in a raised position relative to the surface 4'. The rocker 9' is not in contact with the 1 17 surface 4'. This position, i.e. the position in which the abutment 34' is in contact with the region of engagment 43% simultaneously constitutes the basic position for using the sweeping device 16' in the form of a sweeping roller. This is shown in Figure 7 by dasli-dotted lines in outline. The sweeping roller is still in a slightly raised position relative to the surface 4'. To set the sweeping roller in such a way that it conies into contact with the surface 4% it is actuated by the actuating element 40' by initiating a rotational movement of the spindle 31' which increases the distance between the abutment 34' and the setting nut 3Y. Furthermore, Figure 7 shows that in the two different positions of the rocker 9% the position of the threaded spindle 30' relative to the rocker 9' also changes, i.e. the rocker 9' is pivoted slightly to the right around the setting axis 32'. This becomes possible as a result of the jointed connection between the setting nut 33' and the arm 11' of the rocker T.

When using the machine with a sweeping device 16', the latter also rotates in arrow direction N, i.e. in the same direction as the cutter shaft 15'. However, when using a cutter shaft 15% the housing V is moved in the opposite direction.

The features disclosed in the foi-e,,olii,,. description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

18

Claims (1)

1. A combination device for ground care, having a housing and wheels which are attached to the housing whereby said housing is movable oil a ground surface for the purpose of working upon said surface; a guiding bar which is attached to the housing and which provides for said housing to be manually moved and/or guided by an operative on the ground surface; a working tool; and a motor for driving the working tool, which inotor is secured to the housing, wherein there are provided receiving ineans for selectively securing a sweeping device which coinprises at least one rotationally drivable sweeping roller, the sweeping roller is associated with a gear and the gear is adapted to engage a driving gear which is associated with one of the wheels attached to the housing.

   2. A device according to Claini 1, wherein the housing comprises an end ejection aperture for material reinoved froin the surface by the motordriven working tool, and the housing, at its end having the ejection aperture, is provided with the receiving rneans, and that the wheel with the driving gear is at or adjacent said end.

   J. A device according to Claiiii 1 or Claini 2, wherein the sweeping roller is partially covered by a covering hood which is provided with all exit aperture to which a collecting device call be connected.

   4. A device accordino to Claini 3, wherein the collectlii(, device is identical c Z to a collecting device used ill connection with the operation of the motor-driven 0 working tool.

   19 5. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the sweeping roller is secured to a shaft and the gear is secured to. the shaft.

   1 6. A device according to Claim 5, wherein the sweeping device further comprises a rotationally drivable side brooin.

   7. A device according to Claim 6, wherein said side brooin is drivable from the shaft by means of a drive belt.

   8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein there is provided a bar-shaped carrying element on which, by ineans of bearings, there C is supported the shaft carrying the sweeping roller, and the covering hood and a holding device for the side broom are secured to the can-ying element.

   9. A device accordillo to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a carrying wheel which is pivotably movable around a vertical axis and which is positioned on the longitudinal axis of the housing and is removably attached at the housing at the housing end facing away from the ejection aperture, which carrying wheel is lowerable and which, when coming into contact with the ground surface, holds the othei. wheels attached at that end of the device out of contact with the surface.

   10. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the guiding bar associated with the housing is pivotable between two working positions.

   11. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the working tool comprises a cutter shaft for scarifying purposes, and for supporting the cutter shaft, there is provided a rocker with two spaced arms extending parallel relative to one anotlier and with two bearing regions and the arms, at one end, are pivotably arranged in the housing around a common pivot axis which extends transversely to the longitudinal axis and parallel to the axes of rotation of the wheels.

   12. A device according to Claim 11, wherein the art-ns of the rocker are provided with second bearing regions which constitute receiving means for removably receiving a sweeping device in the form of a sweeping roller, with the second bearing regions being arranged at a different distance from the pivot 0 c axis than the first bearing regions.

   13. A device according to Claim 12, wherein the rocker is associated with setting means which serve to set the rocker in working positions which C1 correspond to the positions of the workin- tool wlien in operation, and the pivot axis of the rocker coincides with the axis of rotation of at least one of the wheels.

   14. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the 0 0 receiving means comprise receiving slots in side walls of the housing.

   Z:) 15.

   setting means.

   0 A device according to Claim 11, wherein the rocker is associated with 21 16. A device according to Claim 14 or 15, wherein the setting means comprise a threaded spindle, a setting nut secured to one of the arms of the rocker so as to be pivotable around a setting axis extending parallel to the pivot axis, an abutinent, an engaging element which is secured to the housing and comprises at least two regions of engagement for supporting the abutment, and an actuating element for rotationally adjusting the threaded spindle.

   0 17. A device according to any one of the preceding clairns, wherein driving means for the working tools to be driven by the inotor comprise a belt drive.

   C) 18. A device according to Clairn 11 or any, claiiii appendant thereto, wherein the pivot axis of the rocker coinclides with the axis of rotation of the wheel provided with the driving gear, or with the driveshaft of the motor.

   0 19. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the c working tool comprises a cutter shaft to be drivert by the motor and suitable for scarifying purposes.

   20. A device substantially as liereMbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 or 6 to 9 of the accoiiipailylii,, di-avill(IS.

   1 0 21. Any novel feature or novel coiiibliiatioii of features described hereM and/or m the accompanying drawillOS.

   0 0