Soil core collector

Details Soil core collector Soil core collector

2000-01-05

2001-07-03

Batson, Victor (Department: 3671)

Earth working

Lawn aerator or perforator, or plug remover

Earth removing

C298S01700B

Reexamination Certificate

active

06253858

ABSTRACT:

This invention relates to a soil core collector to be progressed across an area of ground, normally compacted ground, from which cores have been removed by a turf aerating or coring apparatus as a step in the process for revitalising the ground ant any grass growing therein, and to harvest same. The collector is part of, or an attachment to, a prime mover, for example a turf aerator.
Heretofore, different means have been proposed to collect cores left lying scattered across the ground from where they have been removed by a turf aerating apparatus, however all the means have involved either a labour intensive two stage process, for example a window or swath-board mounted onto a turf aerator apparatus or other prime mover to draw the scattered cores into a row for manual collection, or more complicated and therefore more expensive machinery, for example a core harvester comprising a scoop feeding onto a conveyor discharging into a trailer or such for disposal, or a collection box apparatus comprising a removable collection box in front of which a rotatable brush is positioned. When the box is full it requires to be emptied at a suitable location.
Heretofore, a soil core collector has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5 069 293, the collection comprising a structure including a canopy having a top (
46
,
52
,
54
) and a back (
36
) adapted to be supported from the prime mover (
14
), with two laterally spaced sides (
20
,
22
) each adapted for pivotal connection (
40
,
42
,
44
) to the prime mover, a sole plate (
18
) to extend between the two sides and having a connecting link arrangement to the back of the canopy (see column
4
, lines
25
-
27
). In the collection mode the sole plate (
18
) rests on the ground with the bottom of each side of the canopy, and in the emptying mode the canopy is raised causing the sole plate to be raised (see FIGS.
1
and
3
).
Accordingly, the present invention is a soil core collector adapted to be supported from a prime mover, the collector comprising a structure including a canopy having a top and a back with two laterally spaced sides each adapted for pivotal connection to the prime mover, a sole plate to extend between the two sides, the sole plate in a collecting mode resting on the ground with the bottom of each side of the canopy and in a emptying mode the canopy is raised causing the sole plate to be raised wherein the sole plate is formed of a series of contiguous platelets connected such that, in use, the sole plate conforms to the contour of the ground over which the sole plate passes, the sole plate has a connecting link arrangement to the back of the canopy and is loosely connected to the top of the canopy whereby in the emptying mode, the sole plate moves about its connecting link arrangement while being held by its top connection.
Preferably, the platelets extend behind the back of the canopy, and towards their front edges are desirably cranked downwardly and behind the back of the canopy are desirably cranked upwardly. The platelets are beneficially linked together loosely substantially at the front crank line and at or adjacent to their back edges.
The sides of the canopy of the structure desirably extend forwardly with the front edge angled outwardly and downwardly. At the leading part of the bottom edge of each side a skid is desirably provided with the front part thereof cranked or curved upwardly. The back of the canopy is preferably cranked inwardly towards its bottom edge and a reinforcement is desirably provided on the inside of the back at the cranked portion. The reinforcement is preferably a mirror-image of the back of the canopy in the region of the cranked portion and forms internally a void of substantially diamond shape.
Preferably also, one connecting link arrangement is provided for each platelet, the arrangement comprises an upstanding link secured to the respective platelet, an anchorage link secured to the reinforcement, and a connecting link pivotally mounted to the upstanding link at one of its ends and pivotally mounted to the anchorage link at its other end. On the connecting link and near to its pivotal mounting to the upstanding link, one end of a flexible element is preferably secured with the other end anchored to an apertured web provided on the inside of the front of the top of the canopy.
Two spaced anchorage points are preferably provided at or adjacent to the front of the top of the canopy and near to each side. Near to the bottom of the front edge of each side a pin preferably outstands to which one end of an arm is pivotally mounted with the other end to be similarly pivotally mounted to the prime mover.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3596764 (1971-08-01), Smith
patent: 3797578 (1974-03-01), Velasquez
patent: 5002453 (1991-03-01), Shigehisa
patent: 5069293 (1991-12-01), St. Romain
patent: 5178221 (1993-01-01), Hamawaki et al.
patent: 5305834 (1994-04-01), White
patent: 5423386 (1995-06-01), Lapearous
patent: 5816336 (1998-10-01), Underhill
patent: 6092607 (2000-07-01), Bercheny et al.

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