The Toro Company

Dean A Podevels

Robert C Comer

David J Scherbring

Dana R Lonn

John M Beattie

Charles C Holley

Bruce A Granger

Dennis J Deets

Michael T Schmidt

Randel J McCrackin

A top dresser for distributing particulate matter on a variety of terrain. The top dresser may includes a towable frame which is operatively connected to a pair of wheel assemblies. Each wheel assembly is rotatingly attached to the frame of the top dresser in such a fashion as to enable the wheels of the wheel assembly to follow the contours and undulations in the terrain over which it traverses. Each wheel assembly is operatively connected to a hydraulic pump which is in turn operatively connected to a hydraulic circuit which is used to control and power various elements of the top dresser. The top dresser includes a hopper with gate assembly and a conveyor to distribute particulate matter at predetermined rates to the terrain. The gate assembly is adjustable and includes a biased gate which deflects in response to contact with large nonconformities such as rocks. The conveyor belt is a pre-manufactured substantially continuous loop of material which has a patterned or otherwise roughened surface. The conveyer belt is supported between a pair of roller assemblies, including a drive roller having a textured metal oxide coating for enhancing the friction coefficient between the belt and the drive roller assembly. The conveyor belt and the attendant roller assemblies may be accessed by shifting a portion of the top dresser, and the conveyor belt and attendant roller assemblies may be in turn shifted to permit replacement, repair and inspection. A hydraulic circuit is provided with a charge pump assembly which eliminates the need to maintain a pressurized reservoir, thus reducing leakage during periods of inactivity.

Top dresser

An apparatus and method is disclcosed for cultivating soil and turf by utilization of pressurized liquid injected into the soil and turf. A roller assembly (33) is provided for applying mechanical pressure to the turf after cultivation. Further, a means for setting a first speed in a transport mode and a second speed in a cultivating mode is provided. The apparatus is designed to be bidirectional to allow the apparatus to be used in both a forward and reverse direction. The flow of the pressurized liquid is controlled to be at intervals of from about 0.010 to 0.065 seconds and at pressures from about 2,300 psi to about 5,500 psi through nozzles having diameters of from about 0.033 to about 0.090 inches. The apparatus (10) utilizes a water hammer effect to effect the flow of pressurized liquid out of the nozzles 55 and has found a relationship in the pressure and pounds per square inch of the cross-sectional area of the bore of the manifold to the accumulated area of the output ports of the nozzles.

Method and apparatus for soil cultivation by high pressure injection of

Growing community of inventors

Chanhassen, MN, United States of America

Dean A Podevels