Turfco Manufacturing, Incorporated

Nicholas Oeding

Scott Kinkead

George B Kinkead

Daryl Halvorson

Lucas Crist

When a GPS unit electronically detects being within a boundary, a motor controller electronically controls providing electrical power from a battery pack to a high-speed electric motor directly driving a rotatable turbine rotor inside a cylindrical housing at operational speeds. The motor controller electronically controls the high-speed electric motor to stop rotation, to rotate at operational speeds, or to rotate at turbo boost speeds. A single remote electronically controls multiple motor controllers. The motor controller inverts DC battery voltage of 100 volts to 3-phase alternating current used by the high-speed electric motor. A DC-DC converter is electrically connected between the battery pack and a nozzle motor and a display.

Battery powered debris blower

Optional attachments, such as a drop seeder and a sprayer unit, can be removably attached to the front plate of a turf aerator. The attachment includes a hitch slideably received in a tubular receiver and pinned therein by a pin. A lock is pivotal relative to the attachment from an unlocked position to a locked position with the front plate received in slots of the lock. The lock is pivoted relative to the attachment by a rod which is threadably received in the hitch. Valve openings in a valve plate are aligned or mis-aligned with lower openings formed in a hopper mounted to the hitch by a linear electric actuator. A lever is pivotably mounted to a housing which is removably attached to the chassis of the turf aerator and activates the linear electric actuator and a switch controlling an agitator. A valve is alternately in fluid communication with a spray nozzle mounted relative to the hitch and a spray wand. A switch mounted to the chassis is electrically connected to a motor driving a pump in fluid communication with a tank and the valve.

Methods and apparatus for aerating turf

An applicator includes a spinner rotated by the parking brake output shaft of a hydrostatic transaxle driving first and second drive wheels. Material delivered from a hopper on the spinner is spread by the spinner rotating at a speed corresponding to the rotating speed of the drive wheels. Liquid is sprayed by either a trim nozzle intermediate sides of the frame or broadcast nozzles adjacent the sides of the frame. A spray lever is pivoted to slide a slide linkage from an upper position to a lower position abutting with a biased actuator of an on/off valve, with the spray lever and a spinner gate opening lever operable at the same time with just one hand. During transport, a front bumper is received in a horizontal leg of an L-shaped slot and a cutout in an arm pivotably mounted to a stop in which the L-shaped slot is located and in a locking position. A locking pin is inserted through apertures in the arm and the stop in the locking position.

Walk behind applicator and a transport hold down

A debris blower includes an engine mounted to an engine mount and connected to a turbine. The engine mount and housing of the turbine are respectively mounted between a second side of a frame and first and second longitudinal supports connected to and between first and second sides of the frame. A screen guard is secured utilizing bolts extending in a non-rotatable manner from a top plate connected between the second longitudinal support and the second side. Due to the frame and engine mount having a parallelism and flatness tolerance, the engine and turbine can be aligned without shimming. A sensor senses first and second trip devices positioned at circumferential locations on the exit nozzle to rotate the exit nozzle to preset angles. Remote and hard wire controls each include direction and speed switches. A resume switch throttles the engine between idle and operating speeds.

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Shoreview, MN, United States of America

Nicholas Oeding