GB2141011A - Horticultural equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

Horticultural equipment for treatment of grassed areas comprises a hollow roller (10) on the peripheral surface of which are part-circular shaped plate tines (14) in spaced array. The roller (10) may be filled with water, sand or the like through a closable aperture (11) for rolling purposes whilst the tines (14), cut slits in the grassed area for aeration purposes. A handle (12) is provided, and wheels (18) are provided on an axle (17) mounted on struts (16) depending from the handle (12) to facilitate turning of the roller (10) at each end of a rolling pass over the grassed area. The roller may have rod-like lines and be driven by a motor mounted on the handle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Horticultural equipment This invention relates to horticultural equipment and in particularto equipment for use in the treatment of grassed areas such as lawns, parks, sports surfaces and the like.

One ofthetreatments considernd to be beneficial to grassed areas is that of aerating the ground just beneath the surface and the grass rootstherein by 'spiking'. This process consists of making holes into the ground at generally regularly spaced locations overthewhole ofthe surface. Aiorkorthe like tined implement is generally used, although it is known to provide a plurality of tines on the periphery of a wheeled cylindrical body which can be pulled along the grassed surface so as to cause the tines to enterthe ground and be pulled therefrom sequentially.

The use of a fork or the like is convenient for relatively small grassed areas, but is time consuming, inconvenient and impractical for relatively large areas such as parks, sports fields and the like. Forthese larger areas a tined and wheeled device is the more practical type of equipment to use, and although there are many such devices available they are not entirely satisfactory in use and/or are inconvenient as regards transporation or storage. In particularthewheels tend to damage wet grassed areas, and the tines do not readily penetrate hard ground.

It is an object of the present invention to provide equipment for use in the treatment of grassed areas which is convenient to use for large or small grassed areas, aerates the grassed area satisfactorily without causing damage thereto, and may be transported and/or stored conveniently.

The invention provides equipment for use in the treatment of grassed areas comprising a hollow cylindrical roller having an aperture therein and closing meansforsaid aperture, a plurality of tine means secured to and in spaced disposition around the peripheral surface of said rollerand handle means to which said roller is connected for rotation relative thereto.

Preferably each of said tine means comprises a generally sectorally shaped plate, which may be of substantially semi.circular planform and which lies in a plane perpendicularto the axis ofthe roller.

Alternatively, each of said tine means may comprise a rod having one end thereof secured to said roller and tapering atthefree end thereof. In this case each tine may be pivotaliy secured to said roller to pivot about an axis parallel with the axis ofthe roller, and may be resiliently biassed towards an operating position extending outwardly of said roller's peripheral surface.

The handle means may comprise a handle part and a depending part on which are mounted a plurality of coaxially disposed wheels, the axis of said wheels being parallel with the axis of said roller. Preferably said wheels lie above a flat surface on which said roller may roll when said handle means is in an operating position.

One embodiment of the invention wili now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. lisa perspective view, Fig. 2 is a front elevation, Fig. 3 is a side view in a manoeuvering position.

Referring now to the Figures there is shown a hollowcylindrical roller 10 which may be of any suitable material such as steel, cast iron orthe like. At one end of roller 10 is an aperture into which a closing cap 11 is screwed. By removing cap 11 the roller 10 may be filled with water, sand or the like to add considerably to the weight ofthe roller 10 so that it may be used as a heavy garden roller. However, if the water, sand or like filling is emptied from roller 10, it is relatively lightforthe purpose of transportation and is more conveniently stored without deterioration of the roller. A handle 12 is provided and attached to the ends of an axle 13 passing axially th rough the roller 10.

The roller 10 may be rotatably mounted on axle 13 and handle 12 fixedly secured thereon, or roller 10 is fixedly secured on axle 13 and the handle 12 is rotatably secured thereto. In the latter case the roller loins more readily sealed against leakage of water therefrom.

Around the periphery of the roller 10 are provided a plurality oftines 14, which may be disposed thereon in any desired spaced array. The tines 14 are in the form of part circular (sectorally shaped) plates each lying in a plane perpendicularto the roller axis and upstanding from the surface ofthe roller to provide a slitting edge 15. The slitting edges 15 may be sharpened if required.

The tines 14 may be substantially semi-circular, having a base dimension of about 10 cms and a height from the rollersurface ofabout5cms, although other dimensions may be used if desired. The tines 14 may be for example steel plate of about 1cm thickness.

In use the roller 10 is pushed or pulled using handle 12 in the manner of a conventional garden roller. The tines 14 readily enter and leave the ground in sequence, even if the ground is hard, and create slits therein at spaced intervals, thereby providing that the ground and grass roots are suitably aerated. Drainage ofthe grassed area is also facilitated. At the same time the grassed area is rolled without causing damage thereto if the ground is wet.

Depending from the handle 12 at each end of roller 10 are struts 16towhich an axle 17 is attached. Axle 17 is parallel with the axle 13 of roller 10 and has a plurality of wheels 18 freely rotatably mounted thereon. With the handle 12 in the normal operating position for use of roller 10, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the wheels 18 are clear of the ground. However, when the roller 10 completes a pass and has reached the edge ofthe grassed area to be rolled and aerated, the handle 12 is lowered so that wheels 18 contact the ground and roller 10 is raised therefrom. This with The drawings originally filed were infornial and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

The claims were filed later than the filing date within the period prescribed by Rule 25(1) of the Patents Rules 1982.

drawsthelowermosttines l4fromthe ground. The equipment can then beturned without damaging the grassed area so as to be in position for rolling and aerating a pass either parallel with and adjacent the completed pass, oratan angletothe completed pass.

The provision of independently rotatable rollers 18 on axle 17 facilities such turning movement since each roller 18 can rotate at a faster or slower rate than its adjacent rollers 18. When the roller 10 is in the desired position and desired orientation for making the new pass it is lowered onto the ground and the rolling and aerating operation continued.

Alternative embodiments of equipment in accordance with the invention will be readily apparentto persons skilled in the art. For example, instead ofthe plate tines 14 shown, conventional pivotally mounted rod tines may be provided, such tines being spring loaded towards an operating position upstanding from the surface ofthe roller 10. Also, the roller 10 may be motor driven by means of a motor mounted on the structure of handle 12 and drivingly connected to roller 10 in known manner.

Claims (16)

1. Horticultural equipmentforthe treatment of grassed areas comprising a hollow cylindrical roller having an aperture therein and a closure for said aperture, a plurality oftine means secured to and in spaced disposition around the peripheral surface of said roller and handle means to which said roller is connected for rotation relative thereto.

2. Horticultural equipment according to claim 1 wherein each tine means comprises a generally sectorallyshaped plate.

3. Horticultural equipment according to claim 2 wherein each tine means comprises a plate of substantially semi-circular planform.

4. Horticultural equipment according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein each plate lies in a respective plane which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of said roller.

5. Horticultural equipment according to claim 1 wherein each tine means comprises a rod having one end thereof secu red to said roller and tapering at the free end thereof.

6. Horticultural equipment according to claim 5 wherein each rod is secured to said roller to be pivotal about a respective axis which is substantially parallel with the axis of said roller.

7. Horticultural equipment according to claim 6 wherein each rod is resiliently biassed towards an operating position extending outwardly of said roller's peripheral surface.

8. Horticultural equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein said handle means comprises a handle part and a depending part extending therefrom.

9. Horticultural equipment according to claim 8 wherein a plurality of wheels are mounted coaxially on said depending part.

10. Horticultural equipment according to claim 9 wherein the axis of said wheels is substantially parallel with the axis of said roller.

11. Horticulturalequipmentaccordingtoclaim8 or claim 9 wherein said wheels are disposed above a flat surface on which said roller may roll when said handle part is in an upwardly inclined operating position.

12. Horticultural equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein said aperture is located in an end wall of said roller.

13. Horticultural equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein said closure comprises a closing cap which is screwed into said aperture.

14. Horticultural equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein said handle means is secured to opposed ends of an axle of said roller.

15. Horticultural equipment according to claim 14 wherein said roller is fixedly mounted on said axle, and said handle means is rotatably mounted thereon.

16. Horticultural equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.