Abstract:
Apparatus for raking and cleaning topsoil of undesired materials has a frame supporting a scoop and a rake or comb of multiple tines on a shaft that is rotatable about the shaft&#39;s longitudinal axis. Rotation of the shaft can then be used to raise or lower the rake into a raking or combing engagement with the top soil. The scoop is also rotatably supported to allow it to be activated to accumulate undesirable materials. Hydraulic cylinders or equivalent apparatus are provided to activate alternately the rake or scoop as desired by the operator.

Description:
[0001]    This is a continuation-in-part application claiming priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/230,014, filed Aug. 28, 2002, and entitled “Landscape Preparation Apparatus.” 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to apparatus and method useful for conditioning, smoothing, and landscaping soil and particularly to an apparatus and method that enables the user to smooth the ground surface and to rake or comb the surface to remove undesired materials such as rocks and sticks. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Conditioning or preparing the surface of the ground before landscaping is almost necessary. Often, particularly at new construction sites, the top layer of soil is mixed with undesirable materials such as rocks or large sticks. These undesirable materials must be removed to provide the typically desired, smoothly contoured surface before grass and other foliage is planted. Usually, this work is performed with hand labor and it can be a labor intensive process using rakes and shovels to separate and then pick up the undesirable material. The undesirable materials are often buried under one or more inches of loose top soil, resulting in the need for great effort to unearth these undesirable materials and to remove them. Indeed, a site often appears to be ready to be landscaped only to have a rain occur that reveals much such undesirable material that had been buried under the top layer of soil.  
           [0004]    In part because the supply of available labor to perform these landscape preparation tasks fluctuates and is often in short supply and/or expensive, those businesses involved in landscaping have both a need and a desire to be able to perform such conditioning with mechanized equipment rather than hand labor.  
           [0005]    None of the presently available mechanized tools quickly and easily removes debris from a site, however. Many of the tools, particularly those that are attached to power sources such as tractors, however, are not well suited to work in confined areas. One piece of equipment used on many landscaping sites is the skid-steer loader. These loaders are capable of being maneuvered in small areas and of moving heavy loads. Some attachments have been made for this type of equipment, but none are capable of raking a landscaping site while also being able to pick up and remove the undesired materials. Thus, separate attachments are required by those using such machines to perform various aspects of a landscape preparation job.  
           [0006]    It would be desirable to have a tool or piece of equipment that was capable of raking or combing the upper soil layer to remove undesired materials such as rocks, sticks, construction debris such as, for example, boards, insulation, or siding, or other undesirable materials from the area to be landscaped and that was also capable of being used to remove the undesired materials from the site as well as to clean it.  
         BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    It is an object of the present invention to provide new and useful apparatus that is not subject to the previously mentioned disadvantages.  
           [0008]    It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus useful for raking or combing the ground surface to separate undesired material from the topsoil.  
           [0009]    It is still another object of the present invention to provide a apparatus useful for raking or combing the ground surface to separate undesired material from the topsoil and then to scoop up such undesired material for removal to a remote location.  
           [0010]    The foregoing objects of the present invention are provided by a landscape preparation apparatus including a frame supporting a rake or comb of multiple tines on a shaft that is rotatable about the shaft&#39;s longitudinal axis. Rotation of the shaft can then be used to raise or lower the rake into a raking or combing engagement with the top soil. The frame can take the form of a bucket with an inner scoop that is mounted for rotation on a shaft to raise or lower the inner scoop as desired. Lowering the inner scoop allows the scoop to be used to accumulate undesirable materials. In one embodiment of the present invention the rake and the inner scoop are both attached to the same power source so that when the rake is rotated into a ground engaging position the inner scoop is rotated away from a ground or material accumulating position. Similarly, rotation of the rake away from a ground engaging position will cause the inner scoop to be rotated into a ground engaging position. In the embodiment illustrated, the inner scoop can have solid side walls and a screen-like structure forming the rear and bottom walls, thereby allowing material smaller than the screen apertures to pass therethrough while retaining the larger, undesirable pieces therein. Alternatively, the inner scoop can have solid rear and bottom walls also.  
           [0011]    Thus, the present invention provides an apparatus and method useful for cleaning up a site wherein a raking tool and a scooping tool are alternately and selectively activated by an operator to rake or gather debris or other undesirable materials such as construction materials from the soil and to subsequently pick the materials up with the scooping tool and remove them from the site.  
           [0012]    In a method in accord with the present invention an apparatus is providing with a raking tool and a scooping tool, each tool having an operational and a non-operational position. The raking tool is disposed in its operational position and the scooping tool in its non-operational position and the raking tool is moved through the soil at a desired depth to gather debris and undesirable materials within the soil. The scooping tool is then disposed in its operational position; and accumulates the gathered debris and undesirable materials therein for removal from the site. In another aspect of the present invention, disposing one of the tools is in its operational position disposes the other tool is in its non-operational position.  
           [0013]    These and other objects, advantages, and features of an embodiment of the present invention will be appreciated by those skilled in the art when the following drawings are considered in conjunction with the accompanying text description. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of an embodiment of the present invention shown attached to a skid-steer loader shown in phantom.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a top plan view.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a side elevation, cross sectional view of the present invention taken along viewing plane  3 - 3  of FIG. 2 and showing the rake in a first operative position.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a side elevation, cross sectional view of the present invention showing the rake in a second operative position.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a schematic, side elevation, operational view wherein the bucket is being pushed forward with the rake teeth extended downwardly to rake the soil and push oversized, undesirable materials ahead of it.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a schematic, side elevation, operational view wherein the bucket is being pulled rearwardly with the rake teeth extended downwardly to rake the soil and pull oversized, undesirable material backwards with it.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 7 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a schematic, side elevation, operational view wherein the bucket is being pushed forward with the teeth elevated and with the screen lowered to scoop the oversized, undesirable materials while passing smaller material through the screen.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]    An embodiment of a landscape preparation apparatus  10  in accord with the present invention will be hereafter described with reference to FIGS. 1-7. Landscape preparation apparatus  10  is shown attached to a skid steer loader  12  (shown in phantom outline) using a common attachment bracket  14  (shown in phantom outline) of the type typically used for such attachments. Landscape preparation apparatus  10  could also be mounted to other equipment, such as a standard farm tractor with its three point hitch or other kinds of equipment and its use is not limited to the skid-steer loader exemplarily shown here. The attachment bracket  14 , therefore, may take on other configurations for attachment to other equipment.  
         [0022]    Landscape preparation apparatus  10  includes a frame  16  taking the general form of a bucket  18  commonly mounted to loaders  12 . That is, the frame  16  includes a pair of side walls  20 , each having, if desired, a skid plate  20  attached thereto. Skid plates  22  substantially prevent the bucket  18  from digging into the ground. The side walls  22  are supported by support members  24  that extend therebetween the inner surfaces  26  thereof. The skid plates  22  extend outwardly from the outer surfaces  28  of the side walls  20 . Unlike typical buckets, however, bucket  20  does not include a solid bottom or rearward wall structure to contain materials therein. In particular, the bucket  20  includes a gap  29  between the side walls  20  near the bottom rear side to allow materials to pass through the landscape preparation apparatus  10 .  
         [0023]    Mounted at the forward end of the bucket  18  is a rake or comb  30 . Rake  30  comprises a plurality of teeth or tines  32  mounted to a shaft  34 . Shaft  34  is rotationally mounted at its ends to the side walls  20 . Each of the tines  32  includes a tine end  36 , which is capable of engaging the ground as seen in FIG. 4. The tine ends  36  may be supported by a support member  38 , comprising a longitudinally extending solid shaft in the present embodiment, that extends through a hole  40  in each tine  32 . As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rake  30  may be disposed in a non-operative position and an operative position, respectively, by rotating the rake. Such rotation may be accomplished by a linkage mechanism to be described further below. Adjacent tines  32  are separated by a gap  42  (FIG. 2) that may be sized as desired for particular soil cleaning operations. Tines  32 , when placed in an operational position will break up, that is, crush or pulverize, clumps of dirt or clods. Clods that resist reduction in size will be pushed or pulled by the tines  32  depending upon the direction of operation of the apparatus into piles for removal or further processing. Smaller clods will pass between the tines. The tines will also push or pull any other material such as sticks or rocks or other debris too large to pass through the gap  42 .  
         [0024]    Bucket  18  also mounts a scoop  50 . Scoop  50  is mounted for rotation relative to bucket  18  by a shaft  52  mounted at its ends to the interior surface  26  of the side walls  20 . Scoop  50  includes a pair of side walls  54  mounted so as to lie substantially parallel to bucket side walls  18  and which are attached to the shaft  52 . The side walls  54  as shown, have a substantially triangular configuration, with the rear and bottom sides  56  and  58 , respectively, merging in a smoothly configured corner  60  (FIG. 3).  
         [0025]    Extending between the side walls  54  of scoop  50  is a screen member  62 . Screen member  62  as shown is attached to the rear and side sides  56  and  58 , respectively, of the side walls  54 . As shown, screen member  62  is a one-piece construction, but if desired, multiple pieces could be used. Screen member  62  includes screening apertures  64  of a desired size and configuration to allow material to be screened as desired. Also, if desired, member  62  could be manufactured as a solid piece without any screening apertures  64 . As shown, the side walls  54  are configured to be of solid material, though they also could be made of a material having a screen-like structure if desired.  
         [0026]    The activation apparatus  70  for the rake  30  and the scoop  50  will now be described. It will be understood that while the present embodiment advantageously uses a single mechanism to activate both the rake  30  and the scoop  50 , those skilled in the art will appreciate that separate mechanisms similar to that described here could also be used to separately activate them.  
         [0027]    Apparatus  70  includes an hydraulic cylinder  72  pivotally attached at one end to the bucket  18 . More specifically, in the embodiment shown in the Figures, the end  74  of the cylinder  72  is attached to an upwardly extending member  76 , which is in turn attached to the support member  24  of bucket  18 . The other, extensible end  78 , that is, the cylinder piston, is attached to a rocker arm  80 . Rocker  80  comprises a rocker arm member  82  to which the cylinder end  78  is attached and a pair of outwardly extending scoop rocker arm member  84  and rake rocker arm member  86 . The rocker arm  80  is attached to a rocker arm shaft  88  that is rotationally attached at its ends to the inner surfaces  26  of the bucket side walls  20 . Thus, comparing FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be observed that extending the piston  78  will cause the first rocker arm member  82  to pivot forwardly about its attachment to rocker arm shaft  88 . This will in turn cause the rocker arm shaft  88  to rotate counterclockwise about its longitudinal axis and cause the scoop and rake rocker arm members  84  and  86 , respectively, to rotate counterclockwise about their attachments to the rocker arm shaft  88  also.  
         [0028]    Scoop rocker arm member  84  is pivotally attached at its free end  90  to an end  92  of a scoop linking arm  94 . The other end  96  of scoop linking arm  94  is pivotally attached to an attachment member  98 , which is rigidly attached to a scoop lift arm  100  that is attached at its ends to the scoop side walls  54 .  
         [0029]    Comparing FIGS. 3 and 4 again, it will be seen that when the cylinder piston is retracted, the scoop  50  is in its lowered or operative position with its bottom surface  102  engaging the ground surface. As the piston is extended, the scoop rocker arm is pivoted such that the end  90  thereof is elevated relative to the ground. This elevation of end  90  in turn causes the attached arm  94  to be raised and thereby lifting the scoop off the ground and disposing it in its upper or non-operative position  104 .  
         [0030]    The rake rocker arm member  86  is pivotally attached at its free end  110  to an end  112  of a rake linking arm  114 . The other end  116  of the rake linking arm is pivotally attached to the upwardly extending attachment ears  118  of a plurality of tines  32 . As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, four tines are used with such extended attachment ears  118 , though more or less could be used as required to provided the desired strength and length of life. As seen in the Figures, the two end tines and two evenly space intermediate tines include such ears  118 .  
         [0031]    Comparing FIGS. 3 and 4 again, it will be seen that when the cylinder piston is retracted, the rake  30  is in its raised or non-operative position. As the cylinder piston is extended, the rocker arm  80  pivots forwardly about rocker arm shaft  88 , causing the free end  110  of rake rocker arm member  86  to pivot downwardly and rearwardly. This pivoting action of the rake rocker arm member  84  pulls the rake linking arm  114  rearwardly, in turn pulling the rake attachment ears  118  rearwardly and causing the rake shaft  34  to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4. This rotation in turn causes the tines to rotate in a clockwise direction and into the ground as seen in FIG. 4.  
         [0032]    A landscape preparation apparatus  10  may also include one or more cutting bars  120 , best seen in FIGS. 2-4. Each bar  120  may have a forward and a rear beveled or cutting edge  122 ,  124 , respectively, separated by a center section  126 . The center section  126  may have a dimension in the forward-rearward direction as desired. The cutting bars  120  function to strengthen the frame  16  as well as to remove inconsistencies in the height of the soil or area being worked. As seen in FIG. 3, when the scoop  50  is in its operational position, the front edge  128  of the scoop  50  will preferably lie snugly against the rear cutting edge  124  of a forwardly placed cutting bar  120 . When the apparatus  10  is used in this position and operated in a forwardly moving direction, the forward cutting bar  120  will level off the area being worked and will lift the soil removed and force it directly into the scoop.  
         [0033]    Referring now to FIGS. 5-7, operation of the present invention will be described. As seen in FIG. 5, the landscape preparation apparatus  10  is being pushed forwardly as indicated by the arrow  130 . The scoop  50  has been raised into its non-operative position while the tines  32  have been rotated into an operative position wherein they are digging into the ground. The depth of penetration can be controlled by the degree of extension of the cylinder piston  78 . In this position, materials larger than the gap  42  between adjacent tines are pushed forwardly of the landscape preparation apparatus  10 , as indicated by the gathering material pile  132 . This material pile  132  may consist of dirt clods that resist pulverization into smaller clumps, rocks, sticks, construction materials, and other debris or materials unwanted in a landscaped area. Smaller items pass through the gap between the adjacent tines  32 , underneath the scoop  50 , and out of the landscape preparation apparatus  10  through the open gap  29  at the back of the landscape preparation apparatus.  
         [0034]    In FIG. 6, the direction of motion is reversed from that of FIG. 5, with the landscape preparation apparatus  10  now being pulled rearwardly as indicated by the arrow  134 . The rake  30  is still in the operative position and the scoop  50  is in its in- operative position. As the landscape preparation apparatus  10  is pulled rearwardly, material will enter the landscape preparation apparatus  10  through the gap  29  at the back of the landscape preparation apparatus. The rake  30  will capture materials too large to pass through the gap  42  between adjacent tines. That is, such materials will be caught by the rake and pulled rearwardly, thus creating an accumulating material pile  136  of unwanted material like that previously described above inside the landscape preparation apparatus  10 . Smaller objects will pass through the gaps  42  and out of the landscape preparation apparatus. In this manner, then, the landscape preparation apparatus  10  can be used in either a forward (FIG. 5) or reverse (FIG. 6) direction to clean the soil.  
         [0035]    Referring now to FIG. 7, once the desired amount of raking or combing of the soil has been accomplished, the rake  30  can be raised to its inoperative position, thus lowering the scoop  50  to its operative position. The landscape preparation apparatus  10  can then be pushed forward as indicated by arrow  138  to scoop the debris pile— 132  or  136 —into the scoop  50 . Once again, the landscape preparation apparatus  10  will perform a cleaning or sorting operation as materials too large to pass through the screen apertures  64  are retrained within the scoop  50  and smaller materials are allowed to pass through the apertures  64  back onto the ground, thereby sifting the soil to remove dirt clods and other undesirable materials having a size larger than the apertures. At any point in time, the landscape preparation apparatus  10  can be raised by the loader  12  operator by raising the loader&#39;s arms  140  and the material can be transported and dumped in a specified area. Once again, it will be understood that the present invention can be attached to other equipment such as farm tractors or the like.  
         [0036]    The apparatus  10  thus mechanizes landscape preparation that may otherwise require manual labor because of its ability to rake, separate, and collect using a single piece of equipment and moving it in a forward/reverse direction as previously described. The rake  30  can reduce clod sizes and separate large, undesirable material from the terrain while the scoop  50  can be used to remove such materials from a site or take it to another location for further processing. One or more cutting bars  120  can be used to aid in the leveling of the site.  
         [0037]    In addition to functioning as a topsoil conditioner, landscape preparation apparatus  10  can also perform the functions of a traditional bucket. That is, it the operative position illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 7 the landscape preparation apparatus  10  can be pushed or pulled along the ground using the bottom surface  102  of the scoop  50  and the cutting bars  120  to smooth the ground surface as well as to pick up and transport materials from one location to another.  
         [0038]    The present invention having thus been described, other modifications, alterations, or substitutions may now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, all of which are within the spirit and scope of the present invention. By way of example only, other mechanisms could be used in lieu of hydraulic cylinder  72 , such as an air cylinder, linear actuator, or other known mechanical or electrical actuators. Additionally, landscape preparation apparatus  10  could be attached to other motive power sources such as a farm tractor as previously mentioned or other any device deemed suitable or equivalent thereto by those skilled in the art. Also, the present invention has been illustrated herein with an embodiment wherein a mechanical linkage is used to alternately dispose the rake and the bucket in their operating positions. However, other known forms of providing motion, such individually actuated hydraulic cylinders or linear actuators or other devices known to the art could be used to alternately place the rake and scooping tools in their operational and non-operational positions and thus the physical linkage between them as shown herein could be obviated. It is therefore intended that the present invention be limited only by the scope of the attached claims below.