GB2186172A

GB2186172A - Adjusting ground penetration of implements

Info

Publication number: GB2186172A
Application number: GB08624839A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey Davies
Original assignee: DABRO INT Ltd
Current assignee: DABRO INT Ltd
Priority date: 1986-02-08
Filing date: 1986-10-16
Publication date: 1987-08-12
Anticipated expiration: 2006-10-16
Also published as: GB8603158D0; GB2186172B; GB8624839D0

Abstract

A ground care implement or appliance which may be attached to a powered mobile unit and onto which downward pressure may be applied comprises a trailer mounted ground care implement or appliance (10, 12) and means for raising and lowering wheels (18) of the trailer (14), whereby the implement or appliance makes more or less ground contact or penetration. <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 implement.

In such circumstances weights may be 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 first.

More recently it has been proposed to connect tractors to implements by an hydraulically powered linkage which can either raise the implement clear of the ground 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 downward pressure on the implement cannot easily be controlled. For different ground conditions different downward pressures are desirable and also the weight of the tractor driver cannot readily be 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 and onto which downward pressure may be applied.

According to the invention a ground care implement or appliance is trailer mounted and means are provided for raising and lowering wheels of the trailer, whereby the implement or appliance makes more or less ground contact or penetration.

The trailer preferably has a weight or weights thereon whereby ground penetration may be increased in conjunction with raising of the trailer wheels.

The trailer wheels are preferably mounted on part of the trailer pivotable relative to the rest of the trailer whereby the wheels may be raised or lowered. Said part is preferably pivotable hydraulically say by one or more hydraulic rams connected thereto and conveniently supplied with hydraulic fluid pumped from a source on the towing vehicle.

One preferred pivotable trailer part comprises a linkage that is angled with a wheel at one end, the pivot point at the angle and the hydraulic ram connected to the other end.

Usually a pair of said linkages will be provided, one on each side of the trailer In this embodiment the linkage is preferably pivotable relative to that part of the trailer that carries the turf or ground care implement.

The connection between the trailer and towing vehicle is preferably pivotable at the trailer, whereby the trailer can be at the same level in spite of the height of the connection at the towing vehicle. A conventional three point linkage can still be used provided that it is modified by making the upper linkage length adjustable, say be incorporation of a turnbuckle.

In an alternative embodiment the trailer wheels are mounted on a frame that also carries the turf or ground implement. The frame may then be pivotable relative to a part of the trailer whereby a towing connection is made.

To pivot the frame a hydraulic ram may be provided between the frame and said towing connection part.

The turf or ground care implement is preferably mounted on the underside of said frame so that it may be easily removed and replaced by another implement.

In all embodiments of the invention it is preferable that the trailer have a cage or like protection over the implement.

The trailer of the invention can be used for various kinds of ground care implements and appliances including slitters, drainers, scarifiers, brushes, core extractors and rollers.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following desription of one embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of a trailer carrying a turf slitter; Figure 2 shows detail of the trailer of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows another form of a trailer with its wheels raised and carrying a turf slitter; and Figure 4 shows the trailer of Figure 3 with its wheels lowered.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a turf slitter in the form of discs 10 with slitter tines 1 2 extending therefrom are rotatably mounted in a trailer framework 14 and protected above and at the sides by a wire cage 16.

The trailer framework 14 has wheels 18 attached thereto via angled linkages 20 that are pivotably attached to the framework at their angle 22 with the wheels at one end 24 and a piston 26 of a hydraulic ram 28 pivotally attached to the other end 30. The cylinders 32 of the rams 28 are mounted on the sides of the framework 14 and supplied with hydraulic fluid via pipes 84 connected to a hydraulic pump (not shown) mounted on tractor 36 to which the trailer is coupled. The cou pling 38 between the trailer 14 and the tractor 36 is a conventional three point linkage.

At the rear of the trailer 14 three weights 40 are mounted.

The linkages 20 and hydraulic rams 28 are provided to raise and lower the wheels 18 relative to the framework 14 as desired. For transporting the trailer to and from a work area, the wheels will be lowered so that the turf slitter is clear of the ground. For lowering the wheels, the ram is retracted.

To bring the turf slitter into an operative position, the ram is extended to raise the wheels relative to the trailer. The weights 40 will then start to have an effect in improving ground penetration of the slitter tines. In fact, the position of the wheels can be adjusted as desired for depth of ground penetration of the tines.

Turning to Figures 3 and 4, a turf slitter in the form of a roller 100 with blades 102 extending therefrom at different angles relative to each other is rotatably mounted on the underside of a generally rectangular frame 104.

The turf slitter is mounted on the underside of the frame 104 to facilitate removal and replacement thereof. Once securing nuts and bolts are removed, the slitter can be dropped to the ground, removed and replaced in the reverse manner. The framework 104 carries a cage 106 to protect the slitter from above and the sides and, at its rear relative to its normal direction of travel, has a pair of wheels 108 spaced apart.

The frame 104 is pivotably mounted at 112 on a second frame 110 that includes a towing connection 112 for a tractor or other suitable towing vehicle 1 The frame 104 and 110 are further connected via a hydraulic ram 116 that has its cylinder 118 pivotably attached to the frame and its piston 120 pivotably connected to the front of the frame 104. Hydraulic fluid supply and return is via pipes 122 and 123 that are connected to a pump (not shown) on the tractor.

As shown in Figure 3, the ram 116 is extended so that the framework 104 is pivotted to put the wheels 108 on the ground and to raise the turf slitter, In Figure 4, the ram 116 is retracted so that the framework 104 is parallel with and partly overlying the other frame 110. In this position the wheels 108 are off the ground and the blades of the turf slitter are penetrating the ground. The depth of penetration of the ground by the blades can be controlled by the extent by which the hydraulic ram is extended or retracted and possibly also by ballast added to the trailer.

The invention has been described specifically with reference to turf slitters but it is clearly applicable to many other turf and ground care implements and appliances.

Claims

1. A trailer mounted ground care implement or appliance having means for raising and lowering wheels of the trailer, whereby the implement or appliance makes more or less ground contact or penetration.

2. A ground care implement or appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trailer wheels are mounted on a part of the trailer pivotable relative to the rest of the trailer whereby the wheels may be raised or lowered.

3. A ground care implement or appliance as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pivotable trailer part comprises a linkage that is angled with the wheel at one end and has its pivot point at the angle.

4. A ground care implement or appliance as claimed in claim 3, wherein the linkage is pivotable relative to that part of the trailer that carries the turf or ground care implement.

5. A ground care implement or appliance as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the connection between the trailer and towing vehicle is pivotable at the trailer whereby the trailer can be at the same level in spite of the height of connection at the towing vehicle.

6. A ground care implement or appliance as claimed in claim 5, wherein an upper part of said linkage is length adjustable.

7. A ground care implement or appliance as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the trailer wheels are mounted on a frame that also carries the turf or ground implement.

8. A ground care implement or appliance as claimed in claim 7, wherein the frame is pivotable relative to a part of the trailer whereby a towing connection is made.

9. A ground care implement and appliance as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 8, wherein said part is pivotable hydraulically.

10. A ground care implement or appliance as claimed in claim 9, comprising one or more hydraulic rams connected to said part and supplied with hydraulic fluid pumped from a source on the towing vehicle.

11. A ground care implement or appliance as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the turf or ground care implement is mounted on the underside of said frame so that it may be easily removed and replaced by another implement.

12. A ground care implement or appliance as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the trailer has a cage or like protection over the implement.

13. A ground care implement or appliance as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the trailer has a weight or weights thereon whereby ground penetration may be increased in conjunction with raising of the trailer wheels.

14. A ground care implement or appliance substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.