Turfco Manufacturing, Incorporated

Maintainer Corporation of Iowa

Thomas E Isaman

Steven Ferguson

Terrence R Bondeson

Scott Kinkead

John Blackburn Kinkead

Donavon D Kotula

Loren F Hansen

Robert C Brophy

Tom Fiske

Kenneth W Sylvester

David Cress

Matthew C Lohafer

Kurtis L Vos

Andrew Hawkins

A pressurized storage system for a service truck body or the like which pressurizes the storage compartment thereof by means of an air blower located above the storage compartment.

Service truck body pressurized storage system

A seeder () includes multiple cutting head units () pivotally mounted to a jack shaft () of a frame () and spring biased downwardly by hold downs (). Each multiple cutting head unit () includes multiple roller blades () received on an axle () rotatably mounted in a carrier () and in gearing relation to the jack shaft (). The roller blades () include a series of oppositely formed, circumferentially spaced radially extending indentations () extending from a continuous, smooth periphery at a constant extent from the axle (). Fingers () extending between the roller blades () are pivotally mounted to the carrier () to adjust the depth of the slits formed by the roller blades (). Each hose () extending from a seed box () diverts seed into adjacent slits immediately after the roller blades ().

Turf overseeding apparatus and methods

A top dresser () includes sheeting () in the form of an endless belt passing around first and second drums () and a bed () including a plurality of rollers (). Continuous V-shaped guides () are received in pulleys () on the drums () for tracking the endless belt. A blocking device () in the form of a rod is slid in the mid-frame () to prevent the shafts () of the rollers () from axially sliding against their bias from their operative positions to their installation positions. Ledges () having friction reducing strips () extend over the shafts () of the rollers (). A compound gear () in gearing relation with the second drum () and in driving relation with a spindle () of a brush () is rotatably mounted to an arm () pivotally mounted to the second drum (). The spindle () includes two portions () removably connected by a coupler (), with the first portion () being cantilevered supported from the side frame ().

Top dresser

A sod cutter () is disclosed including a frame () formed by welding the free edges of mount, frame and end plates () bent relative to one of two side plates () to the corresponding edges of the other side plate (). An axle assembly () is pivotal relative to the frame () by a depth adjustment lever () between a working position where wheels () carried by the axle assembly () engage tubular members () slideably and nonrotatably received on a drive shaft () and a transport position where the wheels () are spaced from the tubular members (). A U-shaped handlebar () is positionable between an operating position for grasping during operation and a storage position for lifting and handling. A U-shaped control () is pivotably mounted in front of and above the U-shaped handlebar () for actuating the throttle of the engine (). A threaded lock () provides a connection between the handle mounting tube () and the mast () of the handlebar () and is not threadably removable by a spring pin () extending from the lock () and received in a gap defined between the mounting tube () and a locking plate.

Simple, durable and easy-to-use earthworking machine

A broadcast spreading top dresser ( ) includes a diverter ( ) which can be positioned in an upper position for light applications and a lower position for heavy applications, with the diverter ( ) extending through a slot ( ) in an upper sheet ( ) of the spinner assembly ( ) and beyond and below the upper sheet ( ) in the lower position. The leading edges ( ) of the diverter ( ) are spaced from the circular disks ( ) of the spinners ( ) intermediate the radial position that the material is dispensed unto the spinners ( ) and the maximum rearward extent of the circular disks ( ). The lower edges of the diverter ( ) extend at differing distances into the thickness of the propelled top dressing material. The metering gate ( ) is prevented from being inadvertently manually pivoted between first and second ranges of spacings from the conveyor ( ) by a stop ( ) having a spring based plunger ( ), with the free end of the plunger ( ) sliding on the face of the side plate ( ) of the metering gate ( ) in the second range while the plunger ( ) abuts with an edge of the side plate ( ) in the first range.

Broadcast spreading top dresser

An aerator that allows the operator to make a turn with the machine while the tines are still in contact with the turf through the use of a differential shaft and brakes that enhance the maneuverability of the machine. The aerator is fitted with a mechanical gear type differential on an intermediate drive shaft that provides for automatic, separate and variable rotational motion of the individual halves of the tine shaft. This differential apparatus also provides constant and equal torque application to both sides of the tine wheel assembly simultaneously while the machine is operating. This insures that tine penetration into the turf is equal on both sides at all times. The tine shaft halves are designed and mounted in such manner as to allow each half (left and right sides) to be driven by separate chains from the differential shaft. This design results in a desired variation in the speed of rotation of the two halves that facilitates turning the unit. The differential mechanism is also functional in driving the transport rollers at the front of the machine. The improved aerator is also fitted with brakes installed on each side of the unit which can reduce the speed of rotation of the separate tine wheel halves and the individual drive rollers on the front of the unit, thus increasing the steering efficiency and a spring-actuated lift assist to help the operator raise the unit into the transport position. The aerator includes heavy duty springs on both sides of the unit to apply equal forces to both of the transport wheel lift members. A release mechanism operated from the handle bar is provided to allow the operator to disengage the retaining latches, which will allow these springs to pull the transport wheels under the unit thus raising the tine shaft halves. The aerator also incorporates drums of sufficient mass so as to not require the addition of water or other additional weighting methods.

Growing community of inventors

Ham Lake, MN, United States of America

Thomas E Isaman