TURF CUTTER/DE-COMPACTOR/TRENCHER

• US 20100193204A1
• Filed: 02/01/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: William Lyle Warke
• Original Assignee: William Lyle Warke
• Inventors: WARKE, William Lyle
• Application Number:
  US12/697,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20100193204A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 172/19
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 20/12 Apparatus for cutting sods or turfs
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/00 Dredgers or soil-shifting machines for special purposes

Abstract

An apparatus for cutting turf, for soil de-compacting and for soil drainage and irrigation. The apparatus has a chassis with a ground engaging means, an adjustable working arm having a chassis-engaging end movably mounted on the chassis and a tool-engaging end having means for receiving a tool. The apparatus also has means for oscillating the tool-engaging end of the adjustable working arm. The oscillating means comprises a drive means mounted on the chassis and a connecting means, preferably a single connecting rod, mounted intermediate the drive means and the adjustable working arm.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cutting turf, for soil de-compacting and for soil drainage and irrigation, the apparatus comprising a chassis having ground engaging means, an adjustable working arm having a chassis-engaging end movably mounted on the chassis and a tool-engaging end having means for receiving a tool, means for oscillating the tool-engaging end of the adjustable working arm wherein the oscillating means comprises a drive means mounted on the chassis and a single connecting rod mounted intermediate the drive means and the adjustable working arm, wherein the ground engaging means comprises at least one axle having wheel means mounted thereon, whereby in use a leading portion of a tool on the tool receiving means is disposed substantially vertically below an axis of rotation of the axle.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive means is a camshaft.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chassis-engaging end of the adjustable working arm is pivotally mounted on a housing which is movably mounted on the chassis.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ground engaging means comprises at least one axle carrying wheel means thereon, the apparatus being pivotable about the axle to allow the tool to be raised clear of the ground when out of use.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ground engaging means comprises a pair of axles, an aft axle adjacent the tool engaging end of the adjustable working arm and a forward axle and at least one axle carrying wheel means thereon.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tool is a turf cutting knife comprising a turf undercutting blade.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the turf undercutting blade is disposed substantially vertically below an axis of rotation of the axle.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the turf undercutting blade is reinforced.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein a range of turf cutting knives are provided with brackets of different lengths to accommodate blades and/or wheels of different widths.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a guillotine is mounted on the aft portion of the chassis of the turf cutting apparatus and is operable between an out of use position where a cutting head of the guillotine is clear of the ground and an in use position where the cutting head slices vertically down into a strip of cut turf to produces strips of turf of a predetermined length.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the guillotine is operated between its two positions by guillotine drive means taken off the main turf cutting apparatus drive means.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the guillotine has a measuring means in operable engagement with a clutch means such that when a predetermined distance has been measured by the measuring means, the clutch means couples the guillotine cutting head to the guillotine drive means to operate the guillotine between the out of use position and the in use position and back to the out of use position effecting a chopping action by the guillotine cutting head.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the measuring means is a wheel having wheel diameter adjustment means.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a trench generating means is mounted on the tool receiving means of the adjustable working arm wherein the trench generating means comprises a wedge blade having a leading edge blade and a trailing edge having means for receiving material.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein pipe dispensing means are mounted on the chassis of the apparatus.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the pipe dispensing means and the trench generating means are mounted on the apparatus for dispensing pipe into the material receiving means of the trench generating means for drainage and/or irrigation.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein guide means is mounted on the chassis of the apparatus for guiding the pipe from the pipe dispensing means into the trench via the material receiving means.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein a material hopper is mounted on the chassis and a material delivery means is connected intermediate the hopper and the material receiving means of the trench generating means.

19. An apparatus for soil drainage and irrigation, the apparatus comprising a chassis having ground engaging means, an adjustable working arm having a chassis-engaging end movably mounted on the chassis and a tool-engaging end having means for receiving a tool, means for oscillating the tool-engaging end of the adjustable working arm wherein the oscillating means comprises a drive means mounted on the chassis and a single connecting rod mounted intermediate the drive means and the adjustable working arm, wherein a trench generating means is mounted on the tool receiving means of the adjustable working arm wherein the trench generating means comprises a wedge blade having a leading edge blade and a trailing edge having means for receiving material.