Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE
Self-Propelled Aerating Device
INVENTOR
Loren F. Hansen
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a division of application
Serial No. 313,264, filed October 12, 1978.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention realtes generally to aerating
devices, and more particularly, to self-propelled
aerating devices.
Aerating devices which mechanically aerate
lawn and soil areas are known. Representative prior
art constructions of aerating devices are disclosed
in the following United States Patents:
Smith21,377 August 31, 1858
Harvey208,088 September 17, 1878
Marcy1,704,986 March 12, 1929
Stidger1,742,563 January 7, 1930
Hamshaw1,878,442 September 20, 1932
Archibald2,056,337 October 6, 1936
Krenzke2,258,061 October 7, 1941
Clark2,450,749 October 5, 1948
Howard2,545,735 March 20, 1951
De Cato2,664,683 June 5, 1954
Howard2,792,900 May 21, 1957
Hall2,816,496 December 17, 1957
Marlow2,961,055 November 22, 1960
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To facilitate operation, an aerating device
commonly includes a small reciprocating engine which
drives the aerating assembly and propels the device
over the ground. As with other powered devices, it is
desirable to coordinate the operation of the engine
throttle with the operation of the clutch assembly,
which engages and disengages the aerating assembly, to
provide smooth and reliable performance. It is also
desirable to be able to control the depth of penetration
of the aerating assembly into the ground and achieve
overall lateral stability in the device when the
aerating assembly is being operated, whlle facilitating
the transportation of the device when the aerating
assembly is not in operation.
None of the above patents discloses a simple
yet effective means for coordinating the operation
of the engine throttle and clutch assembly in a
self-propelled aerator. While some of the above patents
disclose means to control the depth of penetration of
the aerating assembly into the ground (Stidger, Hamshaw,
Archibald, and Howard), as well as means to facilitate
the transportation of the device when the aerating
assembly is not in operation (Marcy), none discloses
a self-propelled aerating device that achieves both of
these results with a minimum of operator effort.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a self-propelled aerating
device including a chassis having a handle, aerating means
for penetrating the ground, an engine including a drive wheel
S and having an idle speed, a throttle operatively connected with
the engine and movable between a normally idle position for
operating the engine at the idle speed and an advanced position
for operating the engine at above the idle speed, aerator drive
means including a flywheel drivingly connected with the aerating
means, a flexible drive belt carried by the flywheel and the
drive wheel and having a loosely-carried position for rendering
the aerating means inoperative and a tightly-carried position
for drivingly connecting the aerating means with the engine, and
control means for moving the drive belt from the loosely-carried
position to the tightly-carried position before moving the
throttle from the idle position to the advanced position and
for moving the throttle from the advanced position to the idle
position before moving the drive belt from the tightly-carried
position to the loosely-carried position, which control means
includes belt tigh~ening means for adjusting the flexible drive
belt between the loosely-carried position and the tightly-carried
position.
In accordance with one embodiment, the control means
includes a throttle control cable operatively connected
with the throttle, an aerator control cable opera-
tively connected with the aerator drive means, and a
control handle attached to ~he handle and operatively
connected with the throttle control cable and the aerator
control cable. The control handle is movable between a
neutral position holding the throttle in the idle position
and the aerator drive means in the disengaged position, and
a drive position holding the throttle in the advanced position
and the aerator drive means in the engaged position. The
control handle further includes an intermediate position
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between the neutral and drive positions, the control handle
having an aerator cable aperture adapted to engage the
aerator control cable to move the aerator drive means from
the disengaged to the engaged position in response to move-
ment of the control handle from the neutral to the intermediate
position, and a throttle cable aperture adapted to slidably
receive the throttle control cable when the control handle
is moved from the neutral to the intermediate position and
to engage the throttle control cable to move the throttle
from the idle position to the advanced position in response
to movement of the control handle from the intermediate to
the drive position.
In accordance with another embodiment of the
invention, the control handle includes an override
bracket operatively connected with the throttle control
cable and spring means attached to the override bracket.
The override bracket is adapted to move the throttle
from the idle position to the advanced position in
response to movement of the control handle from the neutral
to the drive position and to move the throttle from the
advanced position to the idle position in response to the
spring means. In this embodiment, the override bracket
includes tab means for preventing movement of the override
bracket in response to the spring means in excess of the
movement of the control handle between the drive position
and the neutral position.
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In accordance with another embodiment of the
invention, the engine includes a drive wheel. The
aerator drive means includes a flywheel drivingly
connected with the aerating means and a flexible drive
belt carried by the flywheel and the drive wheel. In
this embodiment, the drive belt has a loosely-carried
position corresponding to the disengaged position of
the aerator drive means, and a tightly-carried position
corresponding to the engaged position of the ae~rator
drive means. Belt tightening means is provided for
adjusting the flexible drive belt between the loosely-
carried position and the tightly-carried position in
response to movement of the control handle. The belt
tightening means includes a pulley carried by the flexible
drive belt intermediate the drive wheel and the flywheel
and a lever arm pivotally connected to the pulley for
moving the pulley against the flexible drive belt to
increase the tension thereof, which lever arm is operable
in response to the control handle.
Other features and advantages of the embodiment
of the invention will become apparent upon reviewing the
following general description and the appended claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a side and partially diagrammatic view
of a self-propelled aerating device embodying various of the
features of the invention and showing the device in the
operational position;
Fig. 2 is a side and partially diagrammatic view of
a self-propelled aerating device shown in Fig. 1, except
that the device is sho~l in the transport position;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the control
handle of the device shown in the neutral position;
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Fig. 4 is a sec~ional view taken generally
along line 4-4 in Fig. 3, except that the control
handle has been moved to the intermediate position; and
Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken generally
along line 4-4 in Fig. 3, except that the control handle
has been moved to the drive position.-
Before explaining the invention in detail,it is to be understood that tlle invention is not
limited in its application to the details of construction
and the arrangements of the components set forth in the
following description or illustrated in the drawings.
The invention is capable of other embodiments and of
being practiced and carried out in various ways.
Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and term-
inology employed herein is for the purpose of descriptionand should not be regarded as limiting.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
An aerating device 10 is shown in Fig. 1 which
embodies various of the features of the invention. While
the invention is applicable for use in aerating devices
of various constructions, in the illustrated embodiment,
the aerating device 10 includes a chassis 12 adapted
for movement over the ground 11 and havin~ a front end
portion 14 and a rear end portion 16. A handle 18 is
attached to the rear end portion 16 for guiding the
movement. A control handle 20 is attached to the handle
18 and is adapted for forward and rearward pivotal
movement relative to the handle 18.
Aerating means 22 is mounted for rotation
relative to the rear end portion 16. The aerating
means 22 includes a plurality of spikes 24, or tines,
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~i mounted about a center hub 26. The tines 24 are
adapted to penetrate the ground 11 as the aerating
means 22 is rotated.
A ballast wheel 28 having weight is mounted
for rotation relative to the front end portion 14
and supports the front end portion 14 from the ground Ll.
Because of this construction, the chassis 12
is adapted to pivot relative to the aerating means 22
when the handle 18 is moved vertically downwardly,
thereby lifting the ballast wheel 28 off the ground 11
to provide a downward thrust force upon the aerating
means 22 during operation of the device. The chassis
is further adapted to pivot relative to the ballast
wheel 28 w~en the handle 18 is moved vertically upwardly,
thereby lifting the aerating means off the ground 11 to
facilitate steering or otherwise moving the device 10
when the aerating means 22 is not being used.
In one embodiment of the invention, the device
10 includes rear support means 30 movable between an
operational position to control the depth of penetration
of the tines 24 into the ground 1l. and provide overall
lateral stability to the device 10 when the aerating
'~J~ means 22 is in operation, and a transport position in
which the rear support means 30 sup~orts the rear end
portion 16 and the aerating means 22 from the ground 11
to facilitate movement of the device 10 when the aerating
means 22 is not in operation.
The rear support means 30 includes a shaft
38 which is mounted transversely across the underbody
of thc chassis 12 and is located generally between the
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front end portion 14 and the rear end portion 16. The
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- shaft 38 is mounted to rotate relative to the chassis 12.
A pair of support frames 32 is provided,
each support frame 32 having an inner end 34 and an outer
end 36. While Figs. 1 and 2 show only one support
frame 32, it is to be understood that the opposite
side of the device 10, which is not illustrated, also
includes a support frame corresponding to the support
frame sho~n. The inner ends 34 are attached at opposite
ends of the shaft 38 for common rotation therewith, and
positioned generally outwardly of the aerating means
to provide lateral suppor~. A support wheel 40 is
mounted on each outer end 36 for rotation relative to the
outer end 36.
......
in this construction, the support frames 32
are movable between the transport position (sho~n in
Fig. 2) in which the support wheels 40 support the
rear end portion 16 and the aerating means 22 from the
ground 11; and the operational position (shown in Fig. 1)
in which the aerating means 22 supports the rear end
portion 16 from the ground 11 thereby permitting the
tines 24 to penetrate the ground 11. In the operational
position, however, the support wheels 40 limit the
''4 penetration of the tines 24 into the ground 11 to a
predetermined depth, as well as provide overall lateral
stability to the chassis 12 during operation of the
aerating means 22.
Locking means 42 is provided so that the
operator may selectively lock the rear support means 30
in either the transport or operational position. The
locking means 42 includes a locking quadrant 44 attached
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to at least one of tlle s~-?poLI ~ra..les 32. The locking
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` quadrant 44 has an upper slot 46 and a lower slot 48.
The locking means 42 further includes a manually
operated latch 50 which is adapted to be slidably
received in either slot 46 or 48. A spring 52 biases
the latch 50 in a normally locked position, engaging
the latch 50 in either slot 46 or 48,-and preventing
pivotal movement of the support frames 32. When the
latch 50 is thus engaged in the upper slot 46, the support
frames 32 are securely held in the transport position;
when the latch 50 is engaged in the lower slot 48~
the support frames 32 are securely held in the operational
position.
The machine operator may pivotally change the
position of the support frames 32 by sliding the latch
50 out of engagement with its respective slot 46 and
48 and moving the handle 18 either vertically upwardly
to move the support frames 32 from the operational
position to the transport position, or vertically
downwardly to move the support frames 32 from the trans-
port position to the operational position.
:. ~ The aerating device 10 is self-propelled
because a small reciprocating engine 54 is provided
having a drive wheel. 56 wh ^h is drivingly connected
with the aerating means 22. The engine 54 includes a
throttle 58 which is movable between an idle position
(shown in Fig. 2) for driving the engine 54 at idle
speed and an advanced position (shown in Fig. 1) for
driving the engine 54 at above idle speed. A throttle
control cable 60 is operatively connected to the throttle
58 and includes a throttle cable end portion 62 attached
to the control handle 20.
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Aerator drive means 64 operatively connects
the drive wheel 56 with the aerating means 22. The
aerator drive means 64 is movable between an engaged
position for drivingly connecting the aerating means
22 with the drive wheel 56 and a disengaged position
for interrupting the driving connection between the
aerating means 22 and the drive wheel 56.
. ~hile the aerator drive means 64 can be
constructed in various manners, in the illustrated
embodiment, the aerator drive means 64 includes a
flywheel 66 which is drivingly connected with the
aerating means 22 by a drive chain 68. A flexible
drive belt 72 is carried by the flywheel 66 and the
drive wheel 56. The drive belt 72 has a diameter
such that it is normally loosely-carried by the flywheel
66 and the drive wheel 56, so thattherotation of the
. drive wheel 56 will not be transmitted to the flywheel
- 66, as is shown in Fig. 2. This corresponds to the
. disengaged position of the aerator drive means 64.
The drive belt is further carried by a
;. pulley 74 located intermediate the flywheel 66 and the
drive wheel 56. The pulley 74 is mounted at the end
of a pivotally attached lever arm 76 which is, in turn,
operatively connected to an aerator control cable 78
having an aerator cable end portion 80 which is operatively
attached to the control handle 20. Thus, as the control
handle 20 is moved rearwardly by the operator, the
aerator control cable 78 moves the lever arm 76, which
causes the pulley 74 to bear against the drive belt
72. The tension in the drive belt 72 between the
fl~heel 66 and the drive wheel 56 is thereby increased,
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as is shown in Fig. l, moving the drive belt 72 from
the loosely-carried position to a tightly-carried
position, at which time the flywheel 66 and the drive
wheel 56 are drivingly connected. This correspon~a -~o
the engaged position of the aerator drive means 64.
As can be seen, movement of- the control
handle 20 between the forward and rearward positions
operatively affects the positions of both the throttle
58 and the aerator drive means 64. Rererring to
Fig. 2, in the forward, or neutral position, the control
handle 20 holds the throttle 58 in the idle position
while holding the drive belt 72 in the loosely-carried
position, during which the aerating means 22 is
inoperat~ve. Referring now to Fig. 1, in the rearward,
or drive, position, the control handle 20 holds the
throttle 58 in the advanced position while holding the
drive belt 72 in the tightly-carried position, during
which maximum power is transmitted from the engine 54
to the aerating means 22.
To achieve even and smooth operation and
to reduce the chance of damaging the aerator drive
means 64, it is desirable to further coordinate the
respective positions of the throttle 58 and the aerator
drive means 64 as the control handle 20 is moved between
the forward and rearward positions. Thus, the invention
provides control means 82 for moving the aerator drive
means 64 from the disengaged position to the engaged
position before moving the throttle 58 from the idle
position to the advanced position. Likewise, the control
means 82 moves the thro~tle 58 from the advanced
.._
position to the idle position before moving the aerator
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- drive means 64 from the engaged position to the disengaged
position.
More specifically, the control handle 20
includes an intermediate position between the neutral
S and the drive positions. In accordance with the invention,
as the control handle20 is moved from the neutral
to the intermediate position, the throttle 58 is held
in the idle position while the aerator drive means 64
is moved from the disengaged position to the engaged
position. As the control handle 20 is thereater
moved from the intermediate position to the drive
position~ the throttle 58 is moved from the idle
position to the advanced position while the aerator
drive means 64 continues to be held in the engaged
position.
This operational sequence is achieved by
providing an upper aperture 84 and a lower aperture
86 in the control handle 20. Referring first to
Fig. 3, the upper aperture 84 is adapted to engage the
aerator cable end portion 80. The aerator cable end
portion 80 further includes tension means 88, such
as a spring, to securely hold the aerator cable end
,~r~ portion 80 within the upper aperture 84 regardless
of the position of the control handle 20. Therefore,
as the control handle 20 is moved between the neutral
and intermediate positions, the aerator drive means 64
is immediately moved by the aerator control cable 78
from a disen~aged to the engaged position and continues
to be held in the engaged position as the control handle
20 is ~urther movcd between thc intermcdiate and drive
positions.
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The lower aperture 86 is adapted to receive
the throttle cable end portion 62. As can be seen
in Fig. 4, the lower aperture 86 is adapted to slidably
engage the throttle cable end portion 62 as the control
handle 20 is moved between the neutral and intermediate
positions. The throttle 58 is thereby held in the idle
position while the aerator drive means 64 is being moved
into the engaged position by the upper aperture 84.
As can be seen in Fig. 5, the lower aperture 86 is
adapted to securely engage the throttle cable end
portion 62 and thus move the throttle control cable
60 only when the control handle 20 is moved from the
intermediate position to the drive position. The
throttle 58 is thus moved by the throttle control cable
60 from the idle position to the i~dvanced position.
As previously noted, the aerator drive means 64 is
already in the engaged position when this sequence
occurs.
The invention further provides override
means 90 for reducing the possibility that the throttle
58 will become stuck or frozen in the advanced position
while the aerator drive means 64 is moved from the
,~ engaged to the disengaged position, thereby resulting
in engine "run-away". At the same time, the override
means 90 provides a means for quickly disengaging the
aerator drive means 64 in the event that the throttle
58 does become frozen in the advanced position.
The override means 90 includes an override
bracket 92 in which the lower aperture 86 is located
3~ and to ~,~hich thè throttle control cable 60 is operatively
connected as before described. The override bracket
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further includes a tab 94 which abuts the control
handle 20, thereby adapting the override bracket 92
for rearward pivotal movement in response to the
rearward pivotal movement of the control handle 20.
~.owever, the forward pivotal movement of the override
bracket is governed by spring means 96 attached to the
override bracket, and is controlled by the tab 94
which prevents the forward progress of the spring-
assisted pivotal movement of the override bracket 92
from exceeding the forward progress of the manually
controlled pivotal movement of the control handle 20.
In accordance with the invention, as the
control handle 20 is pivoted forwardly from the drive
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position to the neutral position, the spring biased
override bracket 92 assists the return of the throttle
from the advanced position to the idle position,
while the tab 94 assures the desired sequence of
;. operation. However, as is readily apparent, should
the throttle control cable 60 freeze while the throttle
58 is in the advanced position in spite of the spring
means 96, the control handle 20 operates independentl~
of the override bracket 92, and can be quickly moved
from the drive position to the neutral position to
disengage the aerator drive means 64.
Various of the features of the invention are
set forth in the following claims.
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