Cultivator

• US 4,901,655 A
• Filed: 12/11/1987
• Issued: 02/20/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lawn Doctor Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lawn Doctor Incorporated
• Inventors: Magda, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): STEINBERGER, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US07/131,988
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 111/1, 111/8, 111/10, 111/11, 172/21, 172/42, 172/43, 172/84, 172/91, 172/92, 172/93, 172/95, 172/96, 172/97, 172/82, 172/256, 172/361, 172/366, 172/365, 172/794
• US Class Current: 111/8
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 45/00 Machines for treating meadows or lawns , e.g. for sports grounds

Abstract

A special cultivating machine, lawn care apparatus and process are provided to properly prepare, efficiently condition, and gently cultivate the soil, turf and lawn in a uniform manner without uprooting, ruining, or damaging existing healthy plants and grass and without substantial thatching. The special cultivating machine, lawn care apparatus and process attain excellent seed and soil contact for virtually all soil compositions, textures, and conditions, and accurately follow the contour of the ground soil, turf, or lawn, regardless of mounds, hills, valleys, irregularities, clumps, and other soil conditions. The cultivating machine and lawn care apparatus has spring biased, rearwardly facing, scratching arms (cultivation fingers) which are reciprocatingly driven by a crankshaft. The crankshaft is smoothly rotated by a chain and sprocket arrangement. Desirably, the crankshaft and scratching arms can be raised or lowered by a height adjustment assembly to vary the depth and angle of soil penetration.

Claims

1. A lawn care and cultivating machine, comprising:

a power driven frame assembly with front wheels and rear wheels, said power driven frame assembly having pivotable crankshaft supporting bars positioned between said front and rear wheels and an engine support platform positioned rearwardly of said crankshaft support bars, said crankshaft supporting bars having front portions and rearward portions;

a set of spring biased cultivating fingers for reciprocating and sequentially cultivating soil, said fingers having crankshaft engaging front portions and pointed rearward portions;

a cultivator drive assembly having a crankshaft extending laterally between and rotatively connected to said front portions of said crankshaft supporting bars, said crankshaft having eccentric portions connected to said front portions of said cultivating fingers, driven crankshaft sprockets connected to said crankshaft, a cultivator drive shaft extending laterally between and rotatively connected to said rearward portions of said crankshaft supporting bars, crankshaft drive sprockets connected to said drive shaft, crankshaft drive chains operatively connecting said crankshaft drive sprockets and said driven crankshaft sprockets, an engine driven sprocket connected to said drive shaft and positioned between said crankshaft drive sprockets, an engine mounted on said engine support platform and located generally above said rear wheels, an engine drive sprocket operatively connected to said engine, and an engine drive chain operatively connecting said engine drive sprocket and said engine driven sprocket;

said crankshaft supporting bars being pivotable about said cultivator drive shaft from a substantially horizontal position to raise said crankshaft to a downwardly inclined forwardly position to lower said crankshaft;

and a seed spreader assembly positioned rearwardly of said crankshaft;

said seed spreader comprising

bin means having a front compartment, a rear compartment, and a partition separating said front compartment from said rear compartment;

front metering means operatively associated with said front compartment for metering substantially solid material, such as grass seed, from said first compartment; and

rear metering means operatively associated with said rear compartment for metering another substantially solid material, such as another type of grass seed, from said rear compartment;

one of said metering means operating at a faster metering rate than the other metering means for metering the material associated with said faster metering means at a faster rate than the material associated with said slower metering means; and

at least one of said metering means revolving at a different rate than said rear wheels.

2. A lawn care and cultivating machine, comprising:

a crankshaft;

cultivating fingers extending rearwardly from said crankshaft for scratching the surface of soil;

power driven chain and sprocket means for rotating said crankshaft; and

a guard plate positioned above a portion of said cultivating fingers;

a transverse spring retention bar positioned rearwardly and above said guard plate;

bar supporting members connecting said spring retention bar to said guard plate;

upright spring grasping members connected to and extending substantially vertically above said front portions of said cultivating fingers at a position substantially vertically above said crankshaft; and

tension springs extending between and connecting said spring retention bar and said upright spring grasping members.

3. A lawn care and cultivating machine in accordance with claim 2 including a transverse guide bar positioned below and engaging said cultivating fingers.

4. A lawn care and cultivating machine in accordance with claim 2 including:

a seed spreader assembly positioned rearwardly of said crankshaft;

said seed spreader comprising

bin means having a front compartment, a rear compartment, and a partition separating said front compartment from said rear compartment;

front metering means operatively associated with said front compartment for metering substantially solid material, such as grass seed, from said first compartment; and

rear metering means operatively associated with said rear compartment for metering another substantially solid material, such as another type of grass seed, from said rear compartment.

5. A lawn care and cultivating machine, comprising:

a power driven frame assembly with front wheels and rear wheels, said power driven frame assembly having pivotable crankshaft supporting bars positioned between said front and rear wheels and an engine support platform positioned rearwardly of said crankshaft support bars, said crankshaft supporting bars having front portions and rearward portions;

a set of spring biased cultivating fingers for reciprocating and sequentially cultivating soil, said fingers having crankshaft engaging front portions and pointed rearward portions;

a cultivator drive assembly having a crankshaft extending laterally between and rotatively connected to said front portions of said crankshaft supporting bars, said crankshaft having eccentric portions connected to said front portions of said cultivating fingers, driven crankshaft sprockets connected to said crankshaft, a cultivator drive shaft extending laterally between and rotatively connected to said rearward portions of said crankshaft supporting bars, crankshaft drive sprockets connected to said drive shaft, crankshaft drive chains operatively connecting said crankshaft drive sprockets and said driven crankshaft sprockets, an engine driven sprocket connected to said drive shaft and positioned between said crankshaft drive sprockets, an engine mounted on said engine support platform, a engine drive sprocket operatively connected to said engine, and an engine drive chain operatively connecting said engine drive sprocket and said engine driven sprocket;

said crankshaft supporting bars being pivotable about said cultivator drive shaft from a substantially horizontal position to raise said crankshaft to a downwardly inclined forwardly position to lower said crankshaft;

overhead support bars extending above said crankshaft supporting bars at a location rearwardly of said crankshaft;

an overhead shaft extending laterally between and connected to said overhead support bars;

a guard plate positioned above said cultivating fingers and below said overhead shaft;

guard plate linkages extending between and linking said overhead shaft and said guard plate;

crankshaft linkages extending between and linking said overhead shaft and said crankshaft;

a transverse spring retention bar positioned rearwardly and above said guard plate;

bar supporting members connecting said spring retention bar to said guard plate;

upright spring grasping members connected to and extending substantially vertically above said front portions of said cultivating fingers at a position substantially vertically above said crankshaft; and

tension springs extending between and connecting said spring retention bar and said upright spring grasping members.

6. A lawn care and cultivating machine in accordance with claim 5 wherein:

said cultivating fingers are substantially rigid, elongated, and straight; and

said frame assembly includes a lower transverse guide bar extending below said crankshaft supporting bars, said lower guide bar is positioned beneath and extends laterally across said cultivating fingers at a location between said pointed portions and said crankshaft for lifting said cultivating fingers.

7. A lawn care and cultivating machine in accordance with claim 6 wherein said frame assembly includes an upper transverse guide bar extending downwardly from said rearward portions of said crankshaft supporting bars at a location rearwardly and above said lower guide bar, and said upper guide bar is positioned below said crankshaft drive chain and above said cultivating fingers.

8. A lawn care and cultivating machine in accordance with claim 5 including a manually operable lever and lever linkages extending between and linking said lever to said overhead shaft for raising and lowering said crankshaft to change the depth of soil penetration of said cultivating fingers, said lever being pushable to a forward position for moving said overhead shaft forwardly and pivoting said crankshaft supporting bars to said downwardly inclined position to lower said crankshaft, and said lever being pullable to a rearward position for moving said overhead shaft rearwardly and pivoting said crankshaft supporting bars to said generally horizontal position to raise said crankshaft.

9. A lawn care and cultivating machine, comprising:

a power driven frame assembly with front wheels and rear wheels, said power driven frame assembly having pivotable crankshaft supporting bars positioned between said front and rear wheels and an engine support platform positioned rearwardly of said crankshaft support bars, said crankshaft supporting bars having front portions and rearward portions;

a set of spring biased cultivating fingers for reciprocating and sequentially cultivating soil, said fingers having crankshaft engaging front portions and pointed rearward portions;

a cultivator drive assembly having a crankshaft extending laterally between and rotatively connected to said front portions of said crankshaft supporting bars, said crankshaft having eccentric portions connected to said front portions of said cultivating fingers, driven crankshaft sprockets connected to said crankshaft, a cultivator drive shaft extending laterally between and rotatively connected to said rearward portions of said crankshaft supporting bars, crankshaft drive sprockets connected to said drive shaft, crankshaft drive chains operatively connecting said crankshaft drive sprockets and said driven crankshaft sprockets, an engine driven sprocket connected to said drive shaft and positioned between said crankshaft drive sprockets, an engine mounted on said engine support platform, a engine drive sprocket operatively connected to said engine, and an engine drive chain operatively connecting said engine drive sprocket and said engine driven sprocket;

said crankshaft supporting bars being pivotable about said cultivator drive shaft from a substantially horizontal position to raise said crnakshaft to a downwardly inclined forwardly position to lower said crankshaft; and

a seed spreader assembly positioned rearwardly of said crankshaft;

said seed spreader assembly comprising

bin means having a front compartment, a rear compartment, and a partition separating said front compartment from said rear compartment;

front metering means operatively associated with said front compartment for metering substantially solid material, such as grass seed, from said first compartment; and

rear metering means operatively associated with said rear compartment for metering another substantially solid material, such as another type of grass seed, from said rear compartment;

one of said metering means operating at a faster metering rate than the other metering means for metering the material associated with said faster metering means at a faster rate than the material associated with said slower metering means; and

at least one of said metering means revolving at a different rate than said rear wheels.

10. A lawn care and cultivating machine, comprising:

a manually pushable, power driven frame assembly having longitudinal side bars, a front bar extending laterally across said side bars, support struts extending downwardly and rearwardly from said side bars, pivotable crankshaft supporting bars pivotally connected to and extending forwardly from said struts, said crankshaft supporting bars having crankshaft supporting front portions and pivotable rearward portions, downwardly inclined bars extending rearwardly from said side bars, a transverse bar extending laterally between and connecting said downwardly inclined bars, rear axle supporting bars extending rearwardly and downwardly from said transverse bar, said rear axle supporting bars spanning a lateral distance less that the lateral distance between said downwardly inclined bars, upwardly inclined bars extending rearwardly from said transverse bar, said upwardly inclined bars positioned laterally inwardly and above said rear axle supporting bars, engine support bars extending rearwardly at an upward angle of inclination from said upwardly inclined bars, an engine support platform extending across said engine support bars, elongated rearward bars extending upwardly and rearwardly at an angle of inclination from said upwardly inclined bars to an elevation substantially above the height of said engine support platform, a handle bar extending across an upper portion of said elongated rearward bars, front compartment brackets extending substantially vertically upwardly from said side bars, and rear compartment brackets extending upwardly and rearwardly at an angle of inclination from said upwardly inclined bars to a height substantially above said front compartment brackets;

a hopper assembly extending substantially across said frame assembly above said transverse bar, said hopper assembly having side walls, a front compartment for containing one type of grass seed, a rear compartment for containing another type of grass seed, and an upright barrier wall providing a substantially imperforate partition extending laterally across said hopper assembly and separating said front and rear compartments, said front compartment having a lower front dispensing chamber and a front wall, said front wall comprising a rearwardly sloping upper portion, an inclined intermediate portion, and a rearwardly sloping lower portion mounted upon said front compartment brackets, said rear compartment having a lower rear dispensing chamber positioned rearwardly of said front dispensing chamber and a rearward wall abuttingly engaging and mounted against said rear compartment bracket, said front and rear walls extending laterally between and connecting said side walls, a front dispensing tube defining front inlet and outlet openings and containing rotatable front tumblers extending generally across said front dispensing chamber for dispensing seeds from said front compartment, a rear dispensing tube defining rear inlet and outlet openings and containing rotatable rear tumblers extending generally across said rear dispensing chamber for dispensing seeds from said rear compartment;

a set of spring biased cultivating fingers positioned between front castor wheels and rear drive wheels for reciprocating and sequentially cultivating soil, said fingers having crankshaft engaging front portions and pointed rearward portions, said cultivating fingers being substantially rigid, elongated, and straight;

a drive assembly comprising an internal combustion engine mounted on said engine support platform, said front caster wheels extending downwardly at a location in proximity to said front bar, a rear axle extending laterally between and supported by said rear axle supporting bars, said rear drive wheels operatively connected to said rear axle, a seed spreader drive assembly operatively connected to said engine, and a cultivator drive assembly operatively associated with said seed spreader drive assembly;

said seed spreader drive assembly comprising a gear reduction assembly operatively connected to said drive sprocket, a drive disc operatively connected to and positioned forwardly of said gear reduction assembly, a front compartment drive shaft drive shaft extending laterally between said engine and said hopper assembly, a front compartment drive sprocket connected adjacent an end of said front compartment drive shaft, an adjustable front compartment friction wheel slidably connected to said front compartment drive shaft, said adjustable front compartment friction wheel positioned above and driven by said drive disc in one direction, a rear compartment drive shaft positioned in substantial lateral alignment with said front compartment drive shaft, a rear compartment drive sprocket connected adjacent an end of said rear compartment drive shaft, an adjustable rear compartment friction wheel slidably connected to said rear compartment drive shaft, said rear compartment friction wheel positioned above and driven by said drive disc in an opposite direction of said front compartment friction wheel, a front compartment driven sprocket operatively to said front tumblers, a rear compartment driven sprocket operatively connected to said rear tumblers, a front compartment chain operatively connecting said front compartment drive sprocket and said front compartment driven sprocket, and a rear compartment chain connecting said rear compartment drive sprocket and said rear compartment driven sprocket, one of said friction wheels and said tumblers rotating clockwise for dispensing seeds in a clockwise direction and the other of said friction wheels and said tumblers rotating counterclockwise for dispensing seeds in a counterclockwise direction;

said cultivator drive assembly comprising a crankshaft positioned between said front wheels and said hopper assembly, said crankshaft extending laterally between and rotatively connected to said front portions of said crankshaft supporting bars, said crankshaft having eccentric portions connected to said front portions of said cultivating fingers, driven crankshaft sprockets connected to said crankshaft, a cultivator drive shaft extending laterally between and rotatively connected to said rearward portions of said crankshaft supporting bars, crankshaft drive sprockets connected to said drive shaft, crankshaft drive chains operatively connecting said crankshaft drive sprockets and said driven crankshaft sprockets, an engine driven sprocket connected to said drive shaft and positioned between said crankshaft drive sprockets, an engine drive sprocket operatively connected to said engine, and an engine drive chain operatively connecting said engine drive sprocket and said engine driven sprocket, said crankshaft supporting bars being pivotable about said cultivator drive shaft from a generally horizontal position to raise said crankshaft to a downwardly inclined forwardly position to lower said crankshaft;

an assembly comprising overhead support bars extending above said crankshaft supporting bars at a location rearwardly of said crankshaft, an overhead shaft extending laterally between and connected to said overhead support bars, a guard plate positioned above said cultivating fingers and below said overhead shaft, guard plate linkages extending between and linking said overhead shaft and said guard plate, and crankshaft linkages extending between and linking said overhead shaft and said crankshaft;

a biasing assembly comprising a transverse spring retention bar positioned rearwardly and above said guard plate, bar supporting members connecting said spring retention bar to said guard plate, upright spring grasping members connected to and extending substantially vertically above said front portions of said cultivating fingers at a position substantially vertically above said crankshaft, and tension springs extending between and connecting said spring retention bar and said upright spring grasping members; and

an adjustment assembly comprising a manually operable lever and lever linkages extending between and linking said lever to said overhead shaft for raising and lowering said crankshaft to change the depth of soil penetration of said cultivating fingers, said lever being pushable to a forward position for moving said overhead shaft forwardly and pivoting said crankshaft supporting bars to said downwardly inclined position to lower said crankshaft, and said lever being pullable to a rearward position for moving said overhead shaft rearwardly and pivoting said crankshaft supporting bars to said generally horizontal position to raise said crankshaft.

11. A lawn care and cultivating machine in accordance with claim 10 wherein:

said front and rear compartments of said hopper assembly each comprise a plurality of chambers;

at least one of said friction wheels rotates at a different speed than said rear drive wheels; and

said rear drive wheels and said crankshaft rotate in opposite directions.

12. A lawn care and cultivating process, comprising the steps of:

moving a lawn care and cultivating machine in a forwardly direction along the ground to be prepared and conditioned preparatory to the ground receiving grass seeds;

powering rear wheels of said machine in a clockwise direction while powering a crankshaft of said machine in a counterclockwise direction;

following the contour of said ground with said lawn care and cultivating machine regardless of mounds, hills, and valleys;

while simultaneously

scratching the soil comprising said ground in a rearwardly direction at a substantially downwardly angle of inclination with cultivating fingers without substantially uprooting and damaging plants and grass on said ground;

pushing said cultivating arms rearwardly at a faster rate than the forward progress of the machine along the ground;

jabbing points of said cultivating arms into the ground at about a 45 degree angle and continuing to push said points into the ground while lowering the angle of inclination of said points into the ground to about 30 degrees to break up the ground so as to help form a seed bed; and

concurrently

metering seed on said seed bed.