Turfplaner with Improved Gimbal

• US 20140174771A1
• Filed: 02/25/2014
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: g2 Turftools, Inc.
• Original Assignee: g2 Turftools, Inc.
• Inventors: Merkt, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 9,198,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 172/4.5
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 33/022 with helicoidal tools
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 45/00 Machines for treating meadows or lawns , e.g. for sports grounds
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 59/002 Details, component parts
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/54 Cutting-height adjustment

Abstract

A gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch is described. The gimball includes a tow plate comprising a first side and a second side wherein the tow plate comprises lower brackets on the first side arranged to connect to lift arms of the three point hitch and an upper bracket on the first side arranged to connect to a stabilizer arm of the three point hitch. An implement plate is rotationally attached to the tow plate wherein the implement plate comprises an upper implement bracket for coupling to an upper implement arm and a lower implement bracket for coupling to a lower implement arm.

Claims

1. A gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch comprising:

a tow plate comprising a first side and a second side wherein said tow plate comprises lower brackets on said first side arranged to connect to lift arms of said three point hitch and an upper bracket on said first side arranged to connect to a stabilizer arm of said three point hitch;

an implement plate rotationally attached to said tow plate wherein said implement plate comprises an upper implement bracket for coupling to an upper implement arm and a lower bracket for coupling to a lower implement arm; and

a pivot restraint comprising a pivot arc restraint.

2. The gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch of claim 1 wherein said pivot restraint further comprises a free pivot restraint.

3. The gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch of claim 2 wherein said free pivot restraint comprises a pivot lock cylinder.

4. The gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch of claim 3 wherein said pivot lock cylinder is selected from a passive cylinder and an active cylinder.

5. The gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch of claim 1 wherein said pivot arc restraint comprises at least one pivot boss.

6. The gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch of claim 5 wherein said implement plate is sandwiched between said pivot boss and said tow plate.

7. The gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch of claim 6 further comprising threaded members connecting pivot boss to said tow plate through at least one slot in said implement plate.

8. The gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch of claim 7 comprising a maximum rotation arc.

9. The gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch of claim 8 wherein said maximum rotation arc is defined by a limit of movement of said threaded member in said slot.

10. The gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch of claim 1 further comprising a swing restraint.

11. The gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch of claim 10 wherein said swing restraint comprises a swing lock cylinder.

12. The gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch of claim 11 wherein said swing lock cylinder is selected from a passive cylinder and an active cylinder.

13. The gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch of claim 10 wherein said swing restraint spans between said gimbal and said implement.

14. The gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch of claim 1 wherein said implement is selected from the group consisting of a turfplaner, a mower, a grader, a snow blower, a trailer, a rake, a landscaping box, a broom, a brush, a scrape blade, a plow, a turf float and a sub-soiler.

15. The gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch of claim 14 wherein said implement is said turfplaner.

16. The gimbal for attaching an implement to a three-point hitch of claim 14 wherein said turfplaner comprises at least one of an autograde device or an autodepth device.

17. A rotational cutter comprising:

a cutter head shaft; and

a multiplicity of removable cutters arranged on said cutter head shaft wherein each cutter of said cutters comprises;

a cutter bracket comprising an inner void for receiving said cutter head shaft; and

a cutter tooth mounted on said cutter bracket.

18. The rotational cutter of claim 17 further comprising a cutter bushing between said inner void and said cutter head shaft.

19. The rotational cutter of claim 18 further comprising a keyway received by aligned hey holes of each said cutter bushing

20. The rotational cutter of claim 17 wherein said removable cutters are helically arranged.

21. The rotational cutter of claim 17 further comprising a cutter tooth mount between said cutter tooth and said cutter bracket.

22. A turfplaner system comprising:

a tow vehicle comprising a three-point hitch wherein said three-point hitch comprises lift arms and a stabilizer arm;

a gimble attached to said three-point hitch wherein said gimble comprises;

a tow plate comprising a first side and a second side wherein said tow plate comprises lower brackets connectable to said lift arms and an upper bracket on said first side connectable to said stabilizer;

an implement plate rotationally attached to said tow plate; and

a pivot restraint comprising a pivot arc restraint; and

a turfplaner attached to said implement plate wherein said turfplaner comprises;

a rotational elongated cutter comprising a first side and a second side; and

a control mechanism capable of independently altering a height of said first side of said rotational cutter and said second side of said rotational cutter relative to a predetermined height over said area.