Aerator sulky
OwnerThomas F. Jesseninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lawn aerator sulky adapted for attachment to a selflawn vehicle, such as a walk-behind mower or fertilizer spreader. The sulky includes a frame supported with wheels, a first platform on which an operator can stand and ride while not aerating, and a second platform carrying one or more aerator tine assemblies on its underside. The second platform and tine assemblies are moveable by the operator selectively transferring his/her weight to position the tine assemblies in a ground-engaged or ground-disengaged position. The sulky includes a device to support the second platform and its tine assemblies in the disengaged position when the operator steps off the platform, and a latching device to hold the second platform and its tine assemblies in the engaged position when the operator steps off the second platform.
Claims22
An aerator sulky comprising:
- a frame having a front portion and side portions that are oppositely disposed from each other portions;
- wheels mounted to support the frame above a surface;
- means for pivotably connecting the sulky to a towing vehicle;
- a first platform mounted to the frame for supporting an operator of the sulky while in a standing position, the first platform being located on the frame to enable the operator to step forward onto the first platform to ride the sulky and to step rearward off of the first platform to walk behind the sulky;
- a second platform pivotably attached to the frame and configured to enable the operator to stand thereon while performing an aerating operation with the sulky, to enable the operator to step forward onto the second platform to ride the sulky, to enable the operator to step rearward off of the second platform to walk behind the sulky, and to step to and from the first and second platforms, the second platform being pivotably attached to the frame so as to enable the operator to shift his/her weight in order to selectively raise and lower the second platform between a ground-engaged position and a ground-disengaged position thereof;
- at least one aerator tine assembly rotatably mounted to and beneath the second platform so as to engage the surface beneath the sulky when the second platform is in the ground-engaged position and to be out of contact with the surface beneath the sulky when the second platform is in the ground-disengaged position;
- and
- means for affecting motion of the second platform between the ground-engaged and ground-disengaged positions thereof.
An aerator apparatus comprising a self-propelled vehicle and a sulky coupled to the self-propelled vehicle, the sulky comprising:
- a frame having a front member and side portions that are oppositely disposed from each other members;
- wheels mounted to support the frame above a surface;
- means for pivotably connecting the sulky to the self-propelled vehicle;
- a first platform fixedly mounted to the frame for supporting an operator of the aerator apparatus while in a standing position, the first platform being located on the frame to enable the operator to step forward onto the first platform to ride the sulky and to step rearward off of the first platform to walk behind the sulky, the first platform being fixedly mounted to the frame so as not to move when the operator steps onto and off of the first platform;
- a second platform having a rear portion pivotably attached to the frame so as to enable the operator to shift his/her weight rearward and forward in order to selectively raise and lower, respectively, a front edge of the second platform between a ground-engaged position and a ground-disengaged position of the second platform, the second platform being configured to enable the operator to stand thereon while performing an aerating operation with the sulky, to enable the operator to step forward onto the second platform to ride the sulky, to enable the operator to step rearward off of the second platform to walk behind the sulky, and to step to and from the first and second platforms;
- multiple aerator tine assemblies rotatably mounted to and beneath the second platform so as to engage the surface beneath the sulky when the second platform is in the ground-engaged position and to be out of contact with the surface beneath the sulky when the second platform is in the ground-disengaged position;
- means for selectively latching the second platform in the ground-engaged position to enable the operator to step off the second platform without pivoting the second platform while the sulky performs an aerating operation;
- and
- means for selectively latching the second platform in the ground-disengaged position to enable the operator to step on and off the second platform without pivoting the second platform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.