초록 ▼

A walk-behind lawn aerator has a left and right aerator reels both journalled side by side on the same axle and rotatable independently of one another. Left and right hydraulic drives provide motive power to the left and right reels, and each is capable of rotating the associated reel forward, rever

A walk-behind lawn aerator has a left and right aerator reels both journalled side by side on the same axle and rotatable independently of one another. Left and right hydraulic drives provide motive power to the left and right reels, and each is capable of rotating the associated reel forward, reverse, or at intermediate speeds. A wheel boom carries front wheels, and is raised and lowered using a hydraulic cylinder. With the wheel boom lowered, the unit is capable of a zero-radius turn.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A walk-behind power lawn aerator machine that permits an operator walking behind it to control the direction and speed of travel with great precision; comprising a frame including a transverse axle, the axle being mounted at a fixed location on the frame; a left aerator reel and a right

I claim: 1. A walk-behind power lawn aerator machine that permits an operator walking behind it to control the direction and speed of travel with great precision; comprising a frame including a transverse axle, the axle being mounted at a fixed location on the frame; a left aerator reel and a right aerator reel both journalled side by side on said axle and rotatable independently of one another; an engine mounted on said frame and positioned above said aerator reels; separate left and right independent drive means each powered by said engine and providing motive power to said left and right aerator reels respectively; each capable of rotating the associated reel at a forward speed and at a reverse speed; wherein each of said left and right drive means includes a continuous drive web situated at a respective end of said frame, and engaging a drive sprocket situated at an outboard end of the associated aerator reel; a control handle assembly that extends from the frame to an operator position behind the frame, having left and right control handles each operatively coupled to the associated drive means permitting an operator to control the rotation speed of each of said reels; left and right front drive wheels; and a front boom on which said left and right front drive wheels are mounted at a location forward of said axle and said aerator reels, the front boom having a pivot axis on the transverse axle on which the aerator reels are mounted, and including means for moving said boom about the pivot axis thereof between an elevated position and a lowered position, wherein, in the elevated position the front drive wheels are raised and the aerator machine is supported on said aerator reels, and in the lowered position the machine is supported on the drive wheels and the left and right aerator reels are raised; wherein said left and right drive wheels are each supported on a respective independent axle; and wherein said left and right drive means include respective left and right drive mechanisms connecting the drive wheel with its associated aerator reel, such that when the boom is lowered and said machine is supported in the drive wheels, the operator can turn the machine by use of said left and right control handles. 2. The power lawn aerator according to claim 1 wherein said boom includes left and right drive webs each coupled between a respective one of said drive sprockets and an associated one of said drive wheels. 3. The power lawn aerator according to claim 1, further comprising a caster wheel disposed on said frame behind said roller drums. 4. The power lawn aerator according to claim 1, wherein drive means include left and right hydraulic pumps coupled to an output of said engine, and associated left and right hydraulic motors coupled to the respective aerator reel. 5. The power lawn aerator according to claim 4, wherein said hydraulic motors have speeds that are infinitely variable between a maximum forward speed and a maximum reverse speed. 6. The power lawn aerator according to claim 4, wherein said left and right drive mechanisms respectively include a continuous web drive mechanism connecting the respective drive motor and aerator reel. 7. The power lawn aerator according to claim 1, wherein said means for moving said boom between an elevated position and a lowered position includes a hydraulic actuator mounted on said frame and on said boom, a hydraulic pump powered by said engine, and a control on said handle to permit the operator to raise and lower said boom and front drive wheels. 8. The power lawn aerator according to claim 1, further comprising safety covers situated over the drive webs at the respective left and right ends of the frame. 9. The power lawn aerator according to claim 6, further comprising safety covers situated over the web drive mechanism on said boom. 10. The power lawn aerator according to claim 1, wherein said transverse axle includes means permitting the operator to field-detach the axle from said frame; said left and right aerator reels are removably mounted upon said transverse axle and include means permitting the reels to slide off said transverse axle; and further comprising left and right roller drum portions that are adapted to be interchangeably field-mounted upon said transverse axle. 11. A walk-behind power lawn aerator that permits an operator walking behind it to control the direction and speed of travel with great precision; comprising a frame including a transverse axle, said transverse axle being mounted at a fixed location on the frame; a left aerator reel and a right aerator reel both journalled side by side on said axle and rotatable independently of one another; an engine mounted on said frame and positioned above said aerator reels; separate left and right independent drive means each powered by said engine and providing motive power to said left and right aerator reels, respectively; each capable of rotating the associated reel at a forward speed and at a reverse speed; a control handle assembly that extends from the frame to an operator position behind the frame, having left and right control handles each operatively coupled to the associated drive means permitting an operator to control the rotation speed of each of said aerator reels, wherein each of said left and right drive means includes a respective hydraulic pump that is coupled to an output of the engine, an associated hydraulic motor coupled to a respective continuous drive web situated at a respective end of said frame, and engaging a drive sprocket situated at an outboard end of the associated aerator reel, hydraulic hoses connecting between the hydraulic pump and the associated hydraulic motor, and linkage means connecting between the associated control handle and the respective hydraulic motor, such that the operator may control the rotation speed of each of the two roller drums, independent of each other; left and right front drive wheels; a front boom on which said left and right front drive wheels are mounted at a location forward of said aerator reels, the front boom having a pivot axis on the transverse axle on which said aerator reels are journalled, a hydraulic cylinder mounted between said frame and said boom for moving said boom about the pivot axis thereof between an elevated position and a lowered position, wherein, in the elevated position the front drive wheels are raised and the aerator machine is supported on said aerator reels, and in the lowered position the machine is supported on the drive wheels and the left and right aerator reels are raised; and left and right drive webs each coupled between a respective one of said drive sprockets and an associated one of said drive wheels, such that when the boom is in its lowered position, the rotation of the left and right front drive wheels can each be independently controlled between a full forward speed, through a null speed, to a full reverse speed, such that the operator can turn the aerator machine by actuating said left and right control handles and differentially rotating said left and right drive wheels. 12. The walk-behind aerator according to claim 11, wherein said transverse axle includes means permitting the operator to detach the axle from the frame; and wherein left and right aerator reels include means permitting the reels to slide off said transverse axle such that the are removably mounted upon a transverse axle and field-removable therefrom; and further comprising left and right roller drum portions that are adapted to be interchangeably mounted by the operator in the field upon said transverse axle.