The Toro Company

Other

Jack R Gust

Gaylord M Pahl

Robert C Comer

David J Scherbring

Walter J Petersen

Gordon R Schmidt

Daniel Mark Treu

Miguel Angel Pizano

Daniel G Stiller

Dennis J Deets

Reta Comer Wee, Legal Representative

Dan Comer, Legal Representative

Donald T Lackner

Steve Comer, Legal Representative

A core processor comprises a frame that supports a housing. The housing carries a rotary pulverizer inside a semi-cylindrical drum and a rotary pick up brush in a pick up head below the drum. The drum is open at the rear to form a rear discharge opening. The pick up head includes a full width rear roller behind the brush to support the housing for rolling movement over the ground in a work mode of the processor. In the work mode, the brush picks up aeration cores from the ground, delivers them to the rotary pulverizer which comminutes or pulverizes the aeration cores, and the particle debris so created exits through the rear discharge opening beneath a hood or shroud. A powered roller is located at a junction between the orbits of the brush and the pulverizer to help keep the junction free of a build up of core material. In a transport mode of the core processor, a pair of transport wheels are lowered into engagement with the ground until the pick up head is lifted out of engagement with the ground.

Aeration core processor

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 triplex trim mower ( ) including a vehicle ( ) having two front drive wheels ( ) and one rear steerable wheel ( ). Mounted generally forward of the front wheels ( ) are two reel-type cutting units ( ) laterally offset about the longitudinal axis ( ) of the vehicle ( ). Mounted between the front and rear wheels and substantially centered between the forward cutting units ( ) is a rear reel-type cutting unit ( ). A lateral support frame ( ) is incorporated into the main frame of traction vehicle ( ). The cutting units ( ) are supported by a lateral carrier frame ( ) which is slidably engaged to lateral support frame ( ) such that carrier frame ( ) can move laterally relative to support frame ( ). A hydraulic cylinder ( ) permits carrier frame ( ) to be laterally displaced under operator command. Second and third hydraulic cylinders ( ) permit cutting units ( ) to be moved between a transport position and an operating position. A single joystick ( ) permits the operator to control all aspects of cutting unit position including transport or operating position and lateral offset position. The reel-type cutting units ( and ) can be replaced with rotary cutting units ( and ).

Triplex trim mower with laterally adjustable cutting units

A triplex trim mower (100) including a vehicle (102) having two front drive wheels (104) and one rear steerable wheel (106). Mounted generally forward of the front wheels (104) are two reel-type cutting units (108a) laterally offset about the longitudinal axis (110) of the vehicle (102). Mounted between the front and rear wheels and substantially centered between the forward cutting units (108a) is a rear reel-type cutting unit (108b). A lateral support frame (137) is incorporated into the main frame of traction vehicle (102). The cutting units (108) are supported by a lateral carrier frame (144) which is slidably engaged to lateral support frame (137) such that carrier frame (144) can move laterally relative to support frame (137). A hydraulic cylinder (158) permits carrier frame (144) to be laterally displaced under operator command. Second and third hydraulic cylinders (131) permit cutting units (108) to be moved between a transport position and an operating position. A single joystick (118) permits the operator to control all aspects of cutting unit position including transport or operating position and lateral offset position.

One aspect of the invention relates to a cutting unit joint (22) which can be located between a lift arm (18) and a cutting unit (20). Cutting unit joint (22) includes a four-bar linkage preferably including pairs of pivoting links (46 and 48) which create a 'virtual pull point' at any desired location. With regard to one embodiment, a cutting unit (20), the virtual pull point is even located below ground, when the cutting unit (20) is generally level. This configuration reduces or eliminates cutting unit 'bobbing.' In another embodiment, in connection with a cutting unit (20'), the virtual pull point is located roughly at the centerline of the reel, to maintain a good 'seal' between the cutting unit (20') and a lift arm supported grass basket (52'). Another aspect of the present invention relates to a self-contained damper (76) connected to lift arm (18), the damper (76) resisting upward movement at a velocity or frequency consistent with cutting unit 'bobbing.'

Method and apparatus for supporting a turf mower cutting unit

Growing community of inventors

Northfield, MN, United States of America

Jack R Gust