Apparatus for Treating Lawns

This invention relates generally to apparatus for treating lawns and deals more particularly with an apparatus capable of aerating a lawn, rolling the lawn, and picking up leaves from the lawn.

In accordance with the present invention a cylindrical drum is provided with projecting spikes that are adapted to puncture the ground aerating the lawn as the device is pushed across the ground. As these spikes move upwardly between two spaced side frame members a rotating brush removes the leaves from the drum and directs the leaves into a basket provided between these side frame members. A handle at the end of the side frame members permits the device to be pushed across the lawn for aerating the ground and picking up leaves.

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the FIG. 1 apparatus.

Turning now to the drawings in greater detail, FIG. 1 shows a generally hollow cylindrical drum 10 preferably formed of steel plate and welded to the desired shape with a filler plunger 17 provided in one end or face of the drum so that the drum can be partially filled with water to roll the lawn while the lawn is being aerated and leaves picked up in accordance with the present invention.

A metal frame 20 is provided to define a support for rotating brush 13 and for the drum 10. The frame 20 comprises laterally spaced side members 19, 19 as best shown in FIG. 2 which side frame members have upper end portions that support a handle 12. The lower end portions of the side frame members 19 rotatably support the drum on stub shafts as indicated generally at 21 in FIG. 1. These side frame members 19 also include depending legs 40, 40 the lower ends of which legs may include rollers so as to facilitate pushing of the apparatus across a lawn when water is provided in the drum. A generally rectangular upwardly open basket 9 is supported from the side frame members by pins 22, 22 and by a shelf 42 provided for this purpose on the depending legs 40, 40. The basket 9 includes a front wall 9a that has its upper end generally below the periphery of the brush 13 and in closely spaced relationship to the path of the spikes 10a on the drum 10. As so constructed and arranged the spikes 10a will pick up leaves from the surface of the ground G carrying the leaves clockwise around the drum until bristles of the brush 13 remove the leaves from the spikes and direct the leaves into the basket 9.

Means is provided for achieving rotation of the brush 13 for this purpose and said means preferably comprises pulleys 23, 24 provided respectively on the support shafts for the brush and the drum with a drive belt 25 provided over these pulleys so that rotation of the drum causes rotation of the brush as well. A tensioning device 26 is provided for the belt 25 and the sizes of the pulleys associated with the brush and the drum are such that the brush rotates at a peripheral speed greater than the peripheral speed of the spikes on the drum.