Abstract: Heavy equipment includes a main body, a drivetrain, a work implement, and a control system. The drivetrain includes a first and second actuator providing speed and direction movement of the heavy equipment. The work implement includes a third and fourth actuator providing position and orientation of the work implement. The control system includes first and second main interfaces and first and second auxiliary interfaces, to allows an operator to simultaneously control the drivetrain and the work implement. The first main interface is operated by a first hand of the operator, and the control system operates the third actuator responsive to a signal from the first main interface. The first auxiliary interface is integrated with the first main interface, and operates simultaneously with the first main interface by a finger of the first hand. The control system operates the first actuator responsive to a signal from the first auxiliary interface.

Abstract: A turf treatment trailer attachable to a ride-on lawnmower. The turf treatment trailer comprises a drawbar which is detachably attachable to the ride-on lawnmower, a frame connected to the drawbar, a first ground-bearing trailer wheel rotatably mounted on the frame, a second ground-bearing trailer wheel rotatably mounted on the frame and at least one turf treatment unit detachably attached to the frame. The turf treatment unit is positioned on the frame to trail the first ground-bearing trailer wheel so that in use when the turf treatment trailer is attached to the ride-on lawnmower which is moving forward over the ground, a substantially common area of the turf on the ground is sequentially traversed by the first ground-bearing trailer wheel and treated by the turf treatment unit.

Abstract: A method is described of operating a working machine which includes a body, a ground engaging structure, and a working arm carrying a working implement, and an operator control for operating hydraulic actuators for effecting operating functions of the machine, the operator control mounting an additional control which is controllable to operate at least one selected actuator for effecting a selected operating function, the additional control providing inputs to a control device which responds proportionally to operate the selected actuator, the method including controlling the additional control to operate the selected actuator, and with the additional control being controlled to provide an input to the control device to achieve a desired operation of the actuator, activating a memory mode whereby the control device memorises the input and continues to operate the selected actuator in accordance with the memorised input.

Abstract: A core harvesting machine that can be mounted to the rear of a conventional aeration machine to receive green cores directly from the aeration machine without having the cores discharged to the ground. The core harvesting machine has a rotating brush core capturing system that collects green aeration cores directly from an aeration machine to which the core destroying machine is attached. The collected green cores are discharged from the brush collector system and received by a core destroying apparatus including three rotary paddle assemblies co-operating with corresponding arcuate screens to separate the earthen material from the root thatch before discharging the thatch into a collector vessel. The core harvesting machine includes paddle members having overlapping arcs of rotation that have a relatively flat side and an opposing bent side to enhance the operation of the machine is either mode of operation.

Abstract: An apparatus used in agriculture and more specifically to an apparatus for removing the plastic film cover from raised plant beds in which the edges thereof are tucked under soil placed in overlying relation to the downwardly inclined side edges of the plastic film thereby enabling separation of the plastic film from the plant bed after the plants have matured and the crop harvested from the plants so that the plastic film can be removed and appropriate cultivation and reshaping of the plant beds may be more effectively accomplished with the apparatus of the present invention materially reducing the time and labor required in removing the plastic film for disposal or recycling.

Abstract: A soil cultivating machine has a front row of subsoil penetrating tools and a second soil working member or row of members that work the top soil. The tools can be strip-shaped tines, at least some of which have plate-shaped elements pivoted to their lower ends. The elements or tines are connected to an eccentric mechanism that periodically raises and lowers the elements as the machine is operated. The second soil working member can be a row of tined rotors or an elongated further working member that extends transverse to the direction of travel and works the top soil from a direction that is different from the direction of movement of the strip-shaped tines. Intermixing the worked top soil and the subsoil is prevented.

Abstract: A cultivator has a row of soil working members mounted on upwardly extending shafts journalled in a hollow frame portion that houses driving connections for the shafts. The working members have tines that are deflectable relative to their shafts, such as supports with hubs that can be interconnected to tine supports by resiliently mounted arms. The hollow frame portion can be fashioned from upper and lower parts that are clamped together with brackets and bearings, for the shafts are held in place by the brackets. A leading soil crumbling member is pivoted to the front of the frame portion by a linkage that allows deflection of the leading member and a setting device can fix that member in place to provide support for the implement. A rear soil crumbling member is pivoted to the rear of the working members and an eccentric driving mechanism is interconnected with the rear member to vibrate same in up and down movements and further work the soil.

Abstract: A soil cultivating machine has a row of tined rotors on an elongated frame portion that extends transverse to the direction of travel. An elongated soil crumbling member is pivoted to the frame portion at the front of that portion and settable to level the ground and provide support for the machine. A second elongated crumbling member is linked at the rear of the frame portion for free pivoting responsive to ground irregularities to further crumble the soil worked by the tined rotors. Both crumbling members have parallelogram linkage connections so that the relative positions of the crumbling members to the frame portion can vary without those members tilting. The bottoms of the crumbling members can be corrugated plates or other configured elements designed to bear on the ground and be self cleaning. Also, the rotors can have resilient or freely rotatable mountings to allow for the displacement of tines when meeting obstacles.

Abstract: A cultivating implement includes a row of cultivating members, such as resilient tines or tined rotors, and a soil crumbling member positioned at the rear of the cultivating tines. A driving transmission, including eccentric weights or discs, is interconnected to supports which mount elongated, horizontally extending elements of the crumbling member and the elements are moved relative to the frame in a non-horizontal direction to perform reciprocatory and/or vibratory movements against the soil previously worked by the tines. The supports are pivoted to the frame either by forwardly extending arms or by flexible brackets which, in effect, pivot when acted on by the eccentric transmission.