Abstract: A mobile turf instrument apparatus has a wheeled frame that may be propelled over the ground by a motive device, such as by a separate vehicle or by its own engine and drive train. A driven arm is carried on the frame and revolves in circles to periodically insert the probe(s) of a probe assembly into the ground during motion of the frame. The drive to the arm is momentarily disengaged when the probe(s) of the probe assembly are inserted into the ground. The probe assembly comprises two parts that rock relative to one another. Two soil measurement devices are connected to the probe assembly. A soil moisture sensor is coupled to the probe assembly for measuring soil moisture when the probe(s) are inserted into the ground. A load cell is responsive to the amount of rocking of the two parts of the probe assembly to measure soil compaction.

Abstract: An outdoor power equipment unit, such as a mower, includes a foot platform for supporting a standing operator who operates the unit while standing atop the foot platform. The foot platform can be pivoted upwardly from a substantially horizontal orientation into a substantially vertical, folded up orientation against the rear of the traction vehicle. A thigh pad engages against the thighs of the operator and is pivotally linked to the foot platform to pivot on the traction vehicle with the pivotal motion of the foot platform. When the foot platform is horizontal, the thigh pad is pivoted to be angled downwardly and rearwardly relative to the rear of the traction vehicle. When the foot platform is folded up, the thigh pad is pivoted inwardly relative to the rear of the traction vehicle to be sandwiched between the rear of the traction vehicle and the folded up foot platform.

Abstract: Methods are provided for assembling desired die-cuts from individual die-cut components. Each individual die-cut component may consist of films of various materials, diverse adhesive tapes, diverse foam materials, fabrics, metals and others. Individual die-cut components are assembled onto liners that function as carriers or platforms. The liners may be in individual panels or continuous rolls. Individual die-cut components are assembled onto the liner using computer controlled pick and place equipment with a high degree of accuracy and speed. The liner may consist of a film with controlled adhesive strength to maintain the x-y position of placed individual die-cut components. The die-cut comprising the liner and assembled die-cut components is then used for various purposes, such as holding two parts together, in the assembly of various products, such as cell phones.

Abstract: A reel cutting unit of a reel mower is provided with a belt and pulley drive system for rotating the reel of the cutting unit at variable speeds when the ground speed of the reel cutting unit is substantially constant to provide different clips. The drive system has three pulleys of different diameter in engagement with the belt in drive, driven and idler positions. The pulleys can be interchangeably used in any of the positions by moving the pulleys around into the different positions in six different possible arrangements. The pulleys are selectively placed in one arrangement at a time to select the clip provided by that arrangement. A chain and sprocket drive system with different diameter sprockets may be used in place of the belt and pulley drive system. The belt and pulley drive system may comprise toothed pulleys and toothed timing belt.

Abstract: A reel gang mower has a row of front reel cutting units and a row of rear reel cutting units that cut an unbroken swath of grass in each pass. Each cutting unit is connected for propulsion to the mower frame by a four-bar linkage having front and rear pivot links that converge towards a focal point that establishes a virtual pull point through which propulsive force acts on the cutting unit. The rear pivot links can attach to the mower frame at a selected one of different attachment points to thereby longitudinally shift the pull point fore-and-aft relative to the center of gravity of the cutting unit, thus changing the fore-and-aft weight distribution. The rear cutting units in the gang can be configured to have a tail heavy weight distribution relative to the front cutting units to help eliminate marking in the overlap areas between the cutting units.

Abstract: A mobile turf instrument apparatus has a wheeled frame that may be propelled over the ground by a motive device, such as by a separate vehicle or by its own engine and drive train. A driven arm is carried on the frame and revolves in circles to periodically insert the probe(s) of a probe assembly into the ground during motion of the frame. The drive to the arm is momentarily disengaged when the probe(s) of the probe assembly are inserted into the ground. The probe assembly comprises two parts that rock relative to one another. Two soil measurement devices are connected to the probe assembly. A soil moisture sensor is coupled to the probe assembly for measuring soil moisture when the probe(s) are inserted into the ground. A load cell is responsive to the amount of rocking of the two parts of the probe assembly to measure soil compaction.

Abstract: A core processor comprises a frame that supports a housing. The housing carries a rotary pulverizer inside a semi-cylindrical drum and a rotary pick up brush in a pick up head below the drum. The drum is open at the rear to form a rear discharge opening. The pick up head includes a full width rear roller behind the brush to support the housing for rolling movement over the ground in a work mode of the processor. In the work mode, the brush picks up aeration cores from the ground, delivers them to the rotary pulverizer which comminutes or pulverizes the aeration cores, and the particle debris so created exits through the rear discharge opening beneath a hood or shroud. A powered roller is located at a junction between the orbits of the brush and the pulverizer to help keep the junction free of a build up of core material. In a transport mode of the core processor, a pair of transport wheels are lowered into engagement with the ground until the pick up head is lifted out of engagement with the ground.

Abstract: A zone tillage tool comprises a tool frame connected by a parallel lift linkage to a tool bar. A fall tillage coulter or dual spring tillage coulters can be carried on the tool frame in advance of a pair of containment coulters. The fall tillage coulter tills soil in a zone that is approximately 7 to 9 inches deep while the spring tillage coulters till 2 to 3 inches deep. The fall tillage coulter includes a plurality of shovel bits located around the circumference thereof at a forward rake angle. The tip of each shovel bit has a generally vertical entry position into the ground due to the forward rake angle. As the fall tillage coulter rotates, the shovel bits rotate around and exit the soil in a generally horizontal position, thereby lifting and loosening the soil without compacting the soil through a series of rearwardly and upwardly directed soil scooping actions.

Abstract: This invention relates to a selectorized dumbbell having a handle that can be dropped down between nested left and right stacks of weight plates. The weight plates can comprise individual weights or a pair of weight plates, one from each stack, can be connected together to form a single weight. A selector is provided to allow the user to select a desired number of weight plates from each stack and couple such weight plates to the handle to provide an adjustable weight dumbbell. Each weight includes a weight frame having at least one carrier to which a commodity weight can be fastened. The dumbbell can be shipped by the manufacturer with empty weight frames to reduce shipping costs. When the dumbbell with empty weight frames reaches a destination, the dumbbell can be completed by securing commodity weights to the carriers on the respective weight frames.

Abstract: A water pump assembly includes a frame having a mount for mounting the frame to a vehicle. A water pump is mounted within a bottom bowl on the frame and is substantially surround by an encircling U-shaped foot to protect the water pump from damage. A pivotal arch is carried on the frame and a water discharge nozzle is carried on the arch. A flexible conduit connects the nozzle to an outlet of the water pump. Pivoting of the arch flexes the conduit in a fore and aft direction to raise or lower the trajectory of the water stream being thrown from the nozzle. In addition, pivoting of the nozzle about a vertical axis on the arch laterally changes the direction of throw of the water stream by flexing or twisting the conduit in a side to side manner. The nozzle is carried on the arch using a nozzle support sleeve in which the nozzle is free to slide back and forth to accommodate changes in the orientation of the conduit.

Abstract: A rotary cutting deck has a roller striper along a rear side thereof. The roller striper comprises a pivotal frame that rotatably journals a roller made from a plastic roller body. Torsion springs surround the pivots for the frame. The springs put enough downforce on the plastic roller body to lay the cut grass over in a rearward direction as the cutting deck moves forwardly over the ground. The roller striper can be selectively moved into and out of engagement with the ground by a pivotal handle that can be manipulated by an operator from a seat of the lawn mower on which the cutting deck is installed.

Abstract: A proportional counterbalance system comprises an electronic controller operatively connected to a proportional hydraulic control valve to substantially continuously and infinitely adjust the backpressure in a fluid return circuit from the lift and lower cylinders of a plurality of cutting units on a mower. The backpressure is infinitely adjusted within a band between a minimum and a maximum backpressure in concert with a varying input parameter to the controller to transfer desired amounts of weight of the cutting units from the ground to the traction vehicle of the mower to enhance traction as needed. A wide variety of input parameters can be used, including a selected operating condition of the mower, a selected environmental condition of the turf surface being mowed, the actual, real time location of the mower on the turf surface, altitude above sea level, and manual input from the operator.

Abstract: A lawn mower includes a housing having a cutting chamber defined by a top wall and a circumferential sidewall. A side discharge opening is provided on the sidewall. A side discharge chute selectively opens and closes the discharge opening. The discharge chute has a side door pivoted to the sidewall about a vertical pivot axis and a top deflector pivoted to the side door about a substantially horizontal pivot axis. When the discharge chute is in an open position to open the discharge opening to the flow of grass clippings, the top deflector pivots downwardly on the side door into an inclined position to intercept the grass clippings and direct them downwardly towards the ground.

Abstract: A gang reel mower comprises a plurality of laterally spaced front reel cutting units having gaps therebetween, each gap being covered by a rear reel cutting unit that spans and overlaps the gap on each side thereof by an overlap area. Each of the front cutting units is supported for rolling on the ground by a grooved front roller having a grooved portion and by a substantially smooth rear roller having a substantially smooth rolling surface that each extend substantially across the entire width of cut of the front cutting unit. Each of the rear cutting units has a grooved front roller with side shoulders on each end and with a grooved portion between the side shoulders such that the shoulders extend substantially over the overlap areas between the front and rear cutting units with the grooved portion on the front roller of the rear cutting units not extending substantially into the overlap areas.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bedknife for a reel cutting unit comprises providing a base having a tool steel insert that forms a cutting edge of the bedknife. The base comprises a heat treatable steel. Both the base and the insert are heat treated prior to joining the insert to the base. The insert is then integrally joined to the base by brazing the two together using a silver based filler between the two.

Abstract: A selectorized dumbbell has nested stacks of left and right weight plates, a handle that can be disposed between the two stacks of weight plates, and a selector that couples selected numbers of the left and right weight plates to left and right planar ends of the handle. The handle has at least one loop type hand grip located above the ends of the handle and above the weight plates to allow the dumbbell to be used as a kettlebell. This loop type hand grip can be replaced with a bar type hand grip if the dumbbell is to be used like a standard dumbbell, or the handle can be provided in kettlebell or standard versions thereof. Alternatively, the loop type hand grip can be movably disposed on the handle for movement between operative and non-operative positions.