Aerating apparatus

Aerating apparatus comprising:

• a chassis having a front portion, a back portion and opposite side portions;
• aerating means for penetrating the ground mounted on said chassis for rotation relative thereto;
• drive means for rotating said aerating means mounted on said chassis;
• support means rotatably mounted on said chassis for movement between a down location at which said aerating means are out of contact with said ground and an up location at which said aerating means can penetrate said ground;
• said support means including a wheel spaced outwardly from each of said opposite side portions;
• first and second linkage means pivotally mounted on said opposite side portions and pivotally connected to said support means for moving said support means between said down and up locations;
• a handle mounted on said chassis;
• moving means pivotally mounted on said handle and pivotally connected to at least one of said first and second linkage means to move said support means between said down and up locations;
• adjusting means, in addition to said moving means, for adjusting the position of said support means when in said up location to provide lateral stability for said aerating apparatus when said aerating means do not fully penetrate into said ground;
• connecting means extending between and secured to said first and second linkage means so that said first and second linkage means will move simultaneously;
• said adjusting means comprising:
• a member in contact with said connecting means;
• and
• force applying means for applying a force to said member to move said connecting means relative to said chassis to rotate said first and second linkage means to move said support means relative to said chassis.

Aerating apparatus comprising:

• a chassis having a front portion, a back portion and opposite side portions;
• aerating means for penetrating the ground mounted on said chassis for rotation relative thereto;
• drive means for rotating said aerating means mounted on said chassis;
• support means rotatably mounted on said chassis for movement between a down location at which said aerating means are out of contact with said ground and an up location at which said aerating means can penetrate said ground;
• said support means including a wheel spaced from each of said opposite side portions;
• linkage means pivotally mounted on at least one of said opposite side portions and pivotally connected to said support means, for moving said support means between said down and up locations;
• a handle mounted on said chassis;
• said handle having two spaced apart members;
• moving means pivotally mounted on said handle and pivotally connected to said linkage means for moving said linkage means to move said support means between said down and up locations;
• folding means for permitting said handle and said moving means to be moved between a generally upright operating position and a generally horizontal transporting position;
• locking means extending between and operatively associated with each of said members for simultaneously applying a force on said members to lock said handle and said moving means in said generally upright operating position;
• and wherein said locking means comprises:
• a hollow rod mounted on said chassis;
• a rod mounted in said hollow rod for axial movement relative to said hollow rod;
• said rod having opposite end portions;
• each of said end portions passing through a hole in each of said spaced apart members;
• a pair of support brackets, each of said support brackets having a recess for receiving at least a portion of each of said spaced apart members;
• and
• cam means for moving said rod in an axial direction to apply forces on said two spaced apart members to move said two spaced apart members toward each other and to move said portions into said recesses.