The Toro Company

Dennis J Deets

Jack R Gust

Miguel Angel Pizano

Bruce A Granger

Gaylord M Pahl

Dean A Podevels

Randel J McCrackin

A debris sweeper has a powered rotary brush for sweeping debris, such as aerator cores, from a turf surface into a debris collecting hopper. The brush and hopper are carried on a wheeled tow frame. The hopper is pivotally supported on a pivotal lift frame that moves the hopper between a lower, debris collecting position and an upper, debris dumping position. The lift frame pivots on the tow frame behind an axis of a pair of wheels while the hopper pivots on the lift frame in front of the wheel axis. This ensures that positive weight is kept on the tongue of the tow frame at all times.

Debris sweeper for turf surface

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

Growing community of inventors

Medford, MN, United States of America

Dennis J Deets