APPARATUS FOR WORKING THE COMPOST OF MUSHROOM BEDS

• US 3,704,752 A
• Filed: 05/06/1971
• Issued: 12/05/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas J. Piacentino
• Original Assignee: Thomas J. Piacentino
• Inventors: Piacentino, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pulfrey, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US05/140,667
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 172/116,117,80,123,122,387,393 47/1.1
• US Class Current: 172/116
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 18/20 Culture media, e.g. compost

Abstract

A compost supported non-dirigible frame of a width for extending across a mushroom bed mounts a shaft and an electric motor and change speed unit operable for actuating the shaft. The shaft mounts a plurality of tines angularly spaced about the shaft and of a length for digging into the compost as they successively present downwardly when the shaft is actuated for working the compost and simultaneously advancing the frame progressively along the mushroom bed.

Claims

1. In a power operated machine for working the compost of mushroom beds arranged in vertically spaced relation, the combination comprising A. a compost supported non-dirigible frame of a width for extending across a mushroom bed including three laterally spaced parallel frame sections extending lengthwise of said frame and having means extending across the back of said frame, said frame sections extending forwardly from said means and being secured thereby in relatively fixed relation, B. an electric motor carried by said frame, C. a change speed unit mounted upon the intermediate one of said frame sections and disposed forwardly of said electric motor, D. shaft means coupled directly to said change speed unit and extending across the front of said frame, the remote end portions of said shaft means being carried respectively by the remote ones of said frame sections, and E. a plurality of tines spaced axially along said shaft means and extending generally radially therefrom, said tines being angularly spaced about the axis of said shaft means and being of a length for digging into said compost as they successively present downwardly when said shaft means is actuated, whereupon said machine is advanced over the surface of said mushroom bed with the bottoms of said frame sections effectively functioning as runners in direct contact with said compost.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein each of the remote ones of the frame sections includes looped tubular means, said loops being disposed respectively in laterally spaced vertically disposed parallel planes.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the intermediate one of the frame sections consists of a horizontally disposed plate member.

4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein an on-off switch connected in electric circuit with the motor is mounted upon each of the remote ones of the frame sections for easy access by an operator stationed at the associated side of the machine.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein the switches are single push button switches which light up when the electric circuit is closed.

6. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the intermediate one of the frame sections consists of a horizontally disposed plate member, and lateral extensions of the looped tubular means tie into the aft end portion of said platE member to thereby secure said frame sections together in relatively fixed relation.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein the fore end of each loop is closed, the section of the loop extending along the bottom thereof rearwardly from the closed fore end is of a length to effectively function as a runner, and the intermediate one of the frame sections also is of a length to effectively function as a runner.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein the bottoms of the runners are disposed approximately in coplanar relation.

9. The combination according to claim 8 wherein the lateral extensions of the looped tubular means are disposed a substantial distance above the bottom of the frame and extend inwardly toward each other across the back of the frame and then downwardly respectively on opposite sides of the plate member for connection to the aft end portion thereof, the area between said tubular extensions and over said aft end portion of the plate member being open.

10. The combination according to claim 7 wherein a bearing is disposed within each loop and mounted on the section thereof extending along its bottom rearwardly from the closed fore end, and the remote end portions of the shaft means are journalled respectively in said bearings.