Turf roller
AssigneeThe Toro Company
InventorsJoseph W. Pogatchnik, III, Alan J. Kummet
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A turf roller can include a chassis, a roller assembly supporting the chassis, the roller assembly including a roller, a first actuator operably connected to the roller and configured to control an angular position of the roller, a second actuator operably connected to the roller and configured to rotationally drive the roller, and an operator station supported by the chassis, the operator station including a single input member controlling the output to both the first and second actuators to provide directional and speed control for the drive the turf roller.
Claims28
A turf roller comprising:
- a chassis having one or more wheels operably coupled thereto, wherein the chassis is configurable between a towed configuration, when the one or more wheels are in a ground engaging position, and a roller configuration, when the one or more wheels are in a non-ground engaging position;
- one or more roller assemblies operably coupled to the chassis;
- a prime mover supported by the chassis and powering the one or more roller assemblies of the turf roller;
- and
- a removable towbar extending between a first end region and a second end region, wherein the first end region of the towbar is selectively connectable to and removable from the chassis and the second end region of the towbar is configured to be coupled to a vehicle hitch mount, wherein the towbar is configured to contact a ground surface and define an upright orientation, wherein the first end region of the towbar vertically aligns with a receiver of the chassis when in at least one of the roller and the towed configuration;
- wherein the towbar defines the upright orientation when connected to the chassis, and wherein the towbar maintains the upright orientation when coupled to the vehicle hitch mount and is detached from the chassis.
A turf roller comprising:
- a chassis;
- one or more roller assemblies operably coupled to the chassis;
- one or more wheels operably coupled to the chassis;
- a prime mover supported by the chassis and configured to power the one or more roller assemblies of the turf roller;
- and
- a towbar extending between a first end region and a second end region, wherein the first end region of the towbar is selectively receivable by and removable from a receiver of the chassis with a horizontal linear motion and the second end region of the towbar is configured to be coupled to a vehicle hitch mount;
- wherein the receiver defines an open channel extending to a guiding element, wherein the guiding element is configured to coincide with at least one protrusion of the towbar to assist in selectively connecting the towbar to the chassis, wherein the receiver flares laterally outward to define the guiding element.
A method of trailering a turf roller, the method comprising:
- moving the turf roller towards a towbar via one or more roller assemblies in ground-engaging contact, wherein the one or more roller assemblies are operably coupled to a chassis of the turf roller;
- aligning a receiver of the turf roller with the towbar via operation of the one or more roller assemblies;
- and
- receiving the tow bar with the receiver via operation of the one or more roller assemblies by an operator positioned on an operator seat of the turf roller;
- wherein the one or more roller assemblies of the turf roller is powered by at least one prime mover supported by a chassis of the turf roller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.