The Toro Company

Food Engineering Corporation

Fredrick D Wucherpfennig

Dana R Lonn

Robert B Carlson

Ralph D Burgess, Jr

William M Dunford

David Martin

The present invention provides for a turf maintenance vehicle controller which includes data logger means to store the status of predetermined parameters. The invention further includes the ability to provide such data in real time to an inexpensive diagnostic apparatus and to store the data for concurrent or later analysis by either the diagnostic apparatus or a remote microprocessor.

Turf maintenance vehicle diagnostics and parameter condition logger

Single drive conveyor apparatus including an elongated material-conveying conveyor having a vibration generator connected to one end thereof and vibrating the same substantially only in a direction parallel with the longitudinal centroidal axis thereof and including two pairs of parallel vibration-generating shafts, each pair having axial displacement relative to the other and each shaft of each pair carrying eccentrically mounted weights generating equal forces and rotating in opposite directions, each pair of shafts rotating at different speeds and each pair carrying a pair of equal force-generating and eccentric weights different from that of the other, a continuous flexible drive element having opposed continuums extending around and in driving relation to each of the pairs of shafts, and controllably shiftable phase-adjustment/motion-altering mechanism engaging each of the continuums and shortening one of the continuums while lengthening the other as the mechanism shifts to thereby controllably alter the axial displacement existing between the shafts of the two pairs.

Single drive vibrational conveyor with vibrational motion altering phase

The present invention provides for an automated clip control device for maintaining a predetermined clip at varying ground speeds, heights of cut, and other changed conditions. The reel speed of the mower 10 is controlled based upon a feed-back control loop, using as input the ground speed of the mower 10, the actual speed of the reel 48, 50, and 52, the number of blades on the reel, and height of cut, among other factors. A microprocessor 102 uses control process equations to determine the duration of an output pulse width modulated signal which is provided to a valve 702, 706 controlling hydraulic fluid flow to the reel motor 71-75. The target value of the reel speed is determined by reading the desired height of cut value and the number of blades per reel, and then going to a look-up table which contains optimized 'linear distance traveled per time grass is cut' values. Once the appropriate look-up table target value is found, the target reel speed is determined by finding the product of the number of blades on the reel times the target clip times the ground speed times a constant (to correct for units).

Electronic control for turf maintenance vehicle

A dual drive conveyor system which has a vibration control mechanism for adjusting the application of vibratory force to the material-conveying member without changing the direction of the resultant line of vibratory force generated thereby, wherein the vibration generator connected to the material-conveying member includes a pair of opposing parallel counter-rotating eccentrically weighted master shafts driven by a first drive motor, and a pair of opposing parallel counter-rotating eccentrically weighted slave shafts driven by a second drive motor, the master and slave shafts rotating in such manner that the direction of the resultant line of vibratory force is substantially only parallel with the longitudinal centroidal axis of the material-conveying member. The vibration control mechanism monitors the angular position of the eccentric weights carried by the slave shafts relative to the eccentric weights carried by the master shafts and compares the relative angular displacement therebetween to a preselected target angular displacement, and automatically and periodically adjusts the speed of the drive motor for the slave shafts in order to change the angular position of the eccentric weights carried thereby to cause the relative angular displacement between the eccentric weights carried by the slave and master shafts to match the preselected target angular displacement therebetween. The target angular displacement may be changed during the operation of the conveyor system to cause the vibration control mechanism to readjust the relative positions of eccentric weights carried by the master and slave shafts to meet a newly selected target angular displacement therebetween. By monitoring the speed of conveyance of a given material for various selected angular displacements between eccentric weights carried by the slave and master shafts, an optimal application of vibratory force can be determined for providing the best conveyance for any such material.

Dual drive conveyor system with vibrational control apparatus and method

A leg exercise machine (10) for bilateral and unilateral leg exercising. Machine (10) preferably includes an electromagnetic brake unit (44) coupled to a side-mounted exercise arm (68) through a planetary drive assembly (51). A longitudinally-adjustable leg pad support (70) is slidably mounted on exercise arm (68). Leg pad support (70) can carry a long rod (78) suitable for supporting a pair of leg pad assemblies (84) or a short rod (93) suitable for carrying a single leg pad assembly (84), depending on whether bilateral or unilateral exercising, respectively, is desired. Rods (78, 93) are sufficiently long to allow for lateral play in the leg pad assemblies (84) relative to the exercise arm (68) so as to accommodate various hip widths and so as not to create a side load on the knees during flexion and extension.

Leg exercise machine

An arm and shoulder exercise machine (20) including a base (22), a vertical rack (32) and resistance means (38) is disclosed herein. Resistance means (38) can be adjusted vertically and pivotally with respect to rack (32) using a unique rack-and-pinion system. A preferred machine (20) also includes an exercise arm (130) which carries a sliding or floating hand grip assembly (142). A preferred machine (20) further includes a pair of pivoting caster assemblies (50), each including a pair of casters (66) and a handle (54). In their raised positions, caster assemblies (50) are above feet (29); when the caster assemblies (50) are in their lowered positions casters (66) are below feet (29), thereby rendering machine (20) transportable.

Growing community of inventors

Bloomington, MN, United States of America

Fredrick D Wucherpfennig