Detachable tiller tines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9763372-B2
Application number	US-201214428036-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2012
Priority date	Sep 13, 2012
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A tiller includes an engine, a mobility assembly, and a rotating assembly. The mobility assembly is operably coupled to the engine to provide mobility of the tiller responsive to operation of the engine. The rotating assembly is selectively coupled to the engine to provide rotation of the rotating assembly. The rotating assembly includes a rotatable shaft configured to turn when the rotation assembly is operably coupled to the engine, and one or more sets of tines disposed on respective tine assemblies. Each of the tine assemblies includes a hollow shaft for receiving the rotatable shaft. The one or more sets of tines extend radially outward from the respective tine assemblies.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A tiller comprising:
an engine;
a mobility assembly operably coupled to the engine to provide mobility of the tiller responsive to operation of the engine; and
a rotating assembly operably coupled to the engine to provide rotation of the rotating assembly responsive to operation of the engine, the rotating assembly comprising:
a rotatable shaft configured to turn responsive to operation of the engine, and
a first tine assembly and a second tine assembly, each of the tine assemblies comprising one or more sets of tines disposed thereon, each of the first and second tine assemblies comprising a respective sleeve portion defining a hollow shaft for receiving the rotatable shaft, the first and second tine assemblies being configured to axially couple with each other at adjacent ends of the respective sleeve portions and ends of the respective sleeve portions of the first tine assembly and second tine assembly opposite the second tine assembly and the first tine assembly, respectively, are operably coupled to the rotatable shaft, such that rotation between the rotatable shaft, the first tine assembly, and the second tine assembly is prevented,
wherein the one or more sets of tines extend radially outward from the respective tine assemblies.

2. The tiller of claim 1 , wherein the end of the sleeve portion of the first tine assembly that is opposite the second tine assembly engages an inner fixing member disposed on the rotatable shaft to prevent rotation of the first tine assembly relative to the rotatable shaft.

3. The tiller of claim 2 , wherein a key slot is disposed in the sleeve portion of the first tine assembly at the end of the sleeve portion of the first tine assembly that is opposite the second tine assembly, the key slot engaging the inner fixing member.

4. The tiller of claim 3 , wherein the inner fixing member comprises a head at one end thereof, and receives a removable locking device at an opposite end thereof, the inner fixing member passing entirely through the rotatable shaft and the sleeve portion of the first tine assembly.

5. The tiller of claim 2 , wherein the end of the sleeve portion of the second tine assembly that is opposite the first tine assembly comprises a locking slot configured to engage a locking pin responsive to insertion of the locking pin into a receiving opening disposed at an end portion of the rotatable shaft.

6. The tiller of claim 5 , wherein the locking pin comprises a head at one end thereof, and receives a locking device at an opposite end thereof, the locking device being removable without tools.

7. The tiller of claim 6 , wherein the locking device comprises a spring type split pin.

8. The tiller of claim 1 , wherein the tine assemblies are alternately fixable and releasable relative to the rotatable shaft without requiring a tool.

9. The tiller of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable shaft is operably coupled to the engine via a sprocket disposed at a center of the rotatable shaft, and wherein a plurality of tine assemblies are provided on each side of the sprocket to form the rotating assembly.

10. The tiller of claim 1 , wherein rotation of the hollow shaft relative to the rotatable shaft is prevented when the hollow shaft is installed onto the rotatable shaft, and wherein movement of the hollow shaft along an axis of the rotatable shaft is alternately enabled and disabled by a respective installation and removal of one or more fixing members.

11. The tiller of claim 1 , wherein the ends of the respective sleeve portions of the first tine assembly and the second tine assembly that are opposite the second tine assembly and the first tine assembly, respectively, engage a fixing member disposed on the rotatable shaft to prevent rotation of the first tine assembly and the second tine assembly relative to the rotatable shaft, and
wherein adjacent ends of the respective sleeve portions of the first tine assembly and the second tine assembly comprise an engagement portion configured to axially couple the adjacent ends of the respective sleeve portions of the first tine assembly and the second tine assembly.

12. The tiller of claim 11 , wherein the engagement portion of the first tine assembly includes an extended portion and the second tine assembly includes a complementary retracted portion, such that the extended portion fits within the retracted portion when the first tine assembly is engaged with the second tine assembly.

13. A rotating assembly for working ground responsive to operation of a tiller when the rotating assembly is operably coupled to an engine of the tiller, the rotating assembly comprising:
a rotatable shaft configured to turn responsive to operation of the engine, and
a first tine assembly and a second tine assembly, each of the tine assemblies comprising one or more sets of tines disposed thereon, each of the first and second tine assemblies comprising a respective sleeve portion defining a hollow shaft for receiving the rotatable shaft, the first and second tine assemblies being configured to axially couple with each other at adjacent ends of the respective sleeve portions and ends of the respective sleeve portions of the first tine assembly and second tine assembly opposite the second tine assembly and the first tine assembly, respectively, are operably coupled to the rotatable shaft, such that rotation between the rotatable shaft, the first tine assembly, and the second tine assembly is prevented,
wherein the one or more sets of tines extend radially outward from the respective tine assemblies.

14. The rotating assembly of claim 13 , wherein the end of the sleeve portion of the first tine assembly that is opposite the second tine assembly engages an inner fixing member disposed on the rotatable shaft to prevent rotation of the first tine assembly relative to the rotatable shaft.

15. The rotating assembly of claim 14 , wherein a key slot is disposed in the sleeve portion of the first tine assembly at the end of the sleeve portion of the first tine assembly that is opposite the second tine assembly, the key slot engaging the inner fixing member.

16. The rotating assembly of claim 15 , wherein the inner fixing member comprises a head at one end thereof, and receives a removable locking device at an opposite end thereof, the inner fixing member passing entirely through the rotatable shaft and the sleeve portion of the first tine assembly.

17. The rotating assembly of claim 14 , wherein the end of the sleeve portion of the second tine assembly that is opposite the first tine assembly comprises a locking slot configured to engage a locking pin responsive to insertion of the locking pin into a receiving opening disposed at an end portion of the rotatable shaft.

18. The rotating assembly of claim 17 , wherein the locking pin comprises a head at one end thereof, and receives a locking device at an opposite end thereof, the locking device being removable without tools.

19. The rotating assembly of claim 18 , wherein the locking device is a spring type split pin.

20. A method of providing a tiller with removable tine assemblies, the method comprising:
providing operative coupling between an engine of the tiller and a rotatable shaft to provide rotation of the rotating assembly responsive to operation of the engine, wherein rotation of the rotating assembly works ground over which the tiller;
providing a first tine assembly and a second tine assembly each comprising a respective sleeve portion defining a hallow shaft of the rotating assembly to rece

Assignees

• Modzik Andrew
• Lambert Matt
• Holloway Mark
• Husqvarna Ab

Inventors

• Modzik Andrew
• Lambert Matt
• Holloway Mark

Classifications

• A01B33/021

  with rigid tools · CPC title

• F02B63/02

  for hand-held tools · CPC title

• A01B33/028 Primary

  of the walk-behind type (walk-type tractors B62D51/04) · CPC title

• A01B33/103

  the rotating shaft being oriented horizontally · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title