Abstract: A recreational vehicle is provided including a power source, such as an engine or an electric motor, and a transmission having a variable gear ratio. A sub-transmission coupled to an output of the transmission includes a plurality of selectable gear configurations including park gear and at least one of a forward gear, a neutral gear and a reverse gear. An electronic controller is operative to electronically control the gear configuration of the sub-transmission in response to a set of conditions.

Abstract: A hand-pulled garden row making tool includes a set of blades that are attached to a rail. The rail is attached to an elongated shaft coupled to a pull handle. The wide pull handle allows the tool to be easily pulled and turned to give the tool a continuous, rapid movement capability. The blades enable the user to create multiple sets of deep, straight, and evenly spaced rows of furrows with corresponding rows of mounds, each row of proportional depth, height, and width. The tool facilitates the design of a garden layout plan, the seeding process, the harvesting process, and the conservation of irrigation water.

Abstract: A screeding machine for screeding an uncured concrete surface includes a wheeled unit having a plurality of wheels for moving the wheeled unit over a support surface. A screed head assembly includes a grade setting device and a vibrating member and is movable over the concrete area via the wheeled unit. The grade setting device includes an at least partially cylindrical concrete engaging surface, such as a roller that is rotatably mounted at the screed head assembly and rotatably driven about its longitudinal axis. The screed head assembly may include a wiper element disposed along the roller and configured to wipe or remove excess concrete from the roller during rotation of the roller about its longitudinal axis. The grade setting device or roller plow assembly may be provided as an aftermarket kit for attachment at a screed head assembly of a screeding machine.

Abstract: The present invention is a compact earth leveling and moving apparatus including a handle assembly, a blade assembly, a blade coupled to the blade assembly, a basket, and two wheel assemblies. The handle assembly is connected to the blade assembly which is coupled to the blade. The blade may be removable and may have a straight edge or a ripper edge with teeth for cutting through hard surfaces. The basket is coupled to the handle assembly and to two wheel assemblies. The blade height is determined by adjusting the wheel assemblies and varying the force used on the handle assembly. The basket may have materials for weight in order to aid in applying a downward force to cut or gouge the land and level the land as the user desires. The basket may also be used to move debris and materials around the worksite.

Abstract: Non-highway vehicle plowing systems are described. The plowing system includes a mount assembly having a lower mount bracket, a plow mount bracket, an upper mount bracket, and an actuator bracket. The lower mount bracket is attached to the non-highway vehicle and the plow mount bracket is pivotably connected to the lower mounting bracket. The upper mount bracket is also secured to the non-highway vehicle and is constructed to engage the actuator bracket at a plurality of positions thereby allowing the plow mount assembly to be operable with a plurality of non-highway vehicles. The systems provide advantages in that the systems are not vehicle specific and are adaptable to different vehicle structures.

Abstract: Non-highway vehicle plowing systems are described. The plowing system includes a mount assembly having a lower mount bracket, a plow mount bracket, an upper mount bracket, and an actuator bracket. The lower mount bracket is attached to the non-highway vehicle and the plow mount bracket is pivotably connected to the lower mounting bracket. The upper mount bracket is also secured to the non-highway vehicle and is constructed to engage the actuator bracket at a plurality of positions thereby allowing the plow mount assembly to be operable with a plurality of non-highway vehicles. The systems provide advantages in that the systems are not vehicle specific and are adaptable to different vehicle structures.

Abstract: A livestock bedding conditioning apparatus is disclosed, the apparatus comprising a self-propelled drive vehicle with a rotor arm attached to a frame on the vehicle. The rotor arm comprises a plurality of rotors, the device having hydraulic motor for rotating the rotors. Each rotor has a bit at its end, which engages the livestock bedding material. The rotation of the bit within the bedding material loosens, fluffs up and aerates the bedding material, resulting in a healthier and more comfortable bedding material for the livestock.

Abstract: An improved rotary soil probe is provided with a frame pivotally mounted on the rear of a truck or vehicle for movement about a horizontal axis between raised and lowered positions. A rotatable wheel is pivotally mounted to the frame for movement about an upwardly angled axis between an extended use position and a folded transport position. The wheel includes probes extending radially outwardly from the perimeter of the wheel. The probes are adapted to receive soil samples as the wheel is rolled along the ground. Plunger assemblies automatically discharge the soil samples on each rotation of the wheel so that the samples can be continuously collected, without the need to stop to clean out the soil samples.

Abstract: A combination trencher (10) and vehicle (11) is disclosed wherein the tractor (11) has a pair of mounting rods (23) and a mechanically driven transfer case (20) with a rotating hub (25) extending from the front of the vehicle. The trencher (10) has a frame (31) which includes two generally parallel mounting members (32) sized and shaped to receive the mounting rods (23) of the tractor (11), and a hydraulic digging attachment (39). The digging attachment (39) has a pivotal cutting boom (41), an endless loop digging chain (42), a hydraulic boom actuator (44), and a hydraulic chain drive (45). The hydraulic chain drive (45) includes a hydraulic motor (51) mounted to the cutting boom (41) which drives the digging chain (42). The hydraulic motor (51) is in fluid communication with the hydraulic pump (52) through a hydraulic control system (53).

Abstract: The resilient scraping blade attachment is provided that includes an attachment hook-up assembly adapted to be mounted on a vehicle. The attachment hook-up assembly includes an elongated central support member and a vehicle interface component. In addition, the attachment hook-up assembly includes a pair of diagonal supports that link the central support member to the vehicle interface component. A mounting plate is secured at an end of the central support member. A resilient blade assembly is attached to the attachment hook-up assembly by means of a bearing bracket and bearing means. The resilient blade assembly includes an elongated blade mounting channel having a pair of resilient blades mounted thereon. The resilient blade assembly includes extension blades that may be mounted at the ends of the blade mounting channel in order to increase the effective width of the resilient blade assembly. The extension blades may be contoured to approximate different surfaces such as a roadside curb.

Abstract: A soil conditioner implement designed for operation in cooperation with a supporting skid steer vehicle, the skid steer vehicle being moveable over the soil to be conditioned and having a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure for transmission to the soil conditioner implement for powering thereof and having a skid steer control system for providing a plurality of commands to the soil conditioner implement, the soil conditioner implement includes a drum member having a rotatable drum, the drum being selectively contactable with the soil to be conditioned. A bolster member is operably coupled to the drum member for supporting in part the drum member, the bolster member being shiftable between a soil engaging disposition and a flipped-up disposition, the bolster member being borne on the drum member when in the flipped-up disposition. A method of conditioning soil is further included.

Abstract: A tool, for mounting on a powering vehicle for transport, vertical motion and pivotal motion about a horizontal axis, provides a frame having connecting structure to interconnect with the powering vehicle. The frame carries extracting structure having plural laterally spaced extracting tines extending forwardly from the lower frame portion. At least one extracting tine has at least one depending vertical fin to increase tine strength and direct tine motion in a horizontal plane upon insertion through the earth; at least one extracting tine has at least one laterally extending horizontal fin to increase tine strength and direct tine motion in a vertical plane upon insertion through the earth; and at least one extracting tine has at least one soil retaining plate to aid support of material thereabove. The fins and plates tend to separate earth above and below the course of their insertion.

Abstract: A manually adjustable snowplow apparatus for mounting to an all terrain vehicle comprises a blade assembly pivotally mounted to a frame member of the ATV and adapted for relative up and down movement. The snowplow apparatus further includes a vertical plate mounted to the ATV and forming a plurality of spaced apart notches. A handle is pivotally attached to the plate and includes a rod that selectably mates with one of the notches. A cord extends between the handle and the blade assembly such that a forward or rearward movement of the handle decreases or increases, respectively, the height of the blade assembly above a ground surface.

Abstract: A cultivator attachment is mounted on a skid steer tractor and includes a main frame, a vertical receptacle attached to the frame to receive and attach to the mounting plate member of the skid steer tractor and a plurality of cultivator discs carried on the frame for working ground underneath the frame and forwardly of the skid steer tractor unit. Two rows of disk extend across the frame generally transverse to the forward direction. One of the rows of discs includes teeth projecting outwardly from at least some of the discs. Each row includes two disc sections arranged such that an axis of rotation of the discs is inclined to the forward direction and converge to an apex centrally of the frame. The disc sections are adjustable from a first position in which the apexes of the rows are adjacent to a second position in which the apexes are spaced apart so as to reverse the direction of cut of the discs and allow movement of the frame in a reverse direction opposite to the forward direction.

Abstract: A three-point hitch for an all terrain vehicle (ATV) comprising a mounting frame which is attached to the axle housing of the ATV. The mounting frame is supported on the tongue hitch of the ATV and is attached to the body of the ATV so that the rear suspension of the ATV is locked-out. The multiple-point hitch is operatively secured to the mounting frame and is raised and lowered by means of an electromechanical screw actuator. The multiple-points of the hitch are free to float, in some situations, with respect to the mounting frame and the ATV.

Abstract: An improved garden implement that is a combination soil working and cartage implement which is comprised of a wheeled, hand powered cultivator with subsoiler capable of receiving a cartage bed for selective use as a wheelbarrow type implement. The implement consists of a hand powering frame carrying cultivator blades and a subsoil cutter blade, which frame can be turned over to then receive a cartage bed in rapid affixure for use as a wheelbarrow type of implement.