ROLLER ASSEMBLY

This invention relates to an improved roller assembly which may be used as a drive roller or idler roller in machines or vehicles incorporating rolling apparatus for rolling of turf or grass surfaces inclusive of golf greens and bowling greens. However this is not the only application of the roller assembly of the invention which could be employed in relation to rolling of snowfields, road surfaces during preparation of roads and rolling of other uneven surfaces such as sand.

One conventional rolling apparatus is described in US Patent 6,457,903 which has a mobile main frame and at least a pair of undercarriages attached to the main frame in side by side relationship wherein each undercarriage has one or more smoothing rollers and there is further provided a control arm or plate pivotally attached to the main frame about a horizontal axis wherein each undercarriage is pivotally attached to the control arm or plate. There was further provided a transmission interconnecting each undercarriage to an operating lever or joystick wherein actuation of the operating lever or joystick causes reciprocatable pivotal movement of each undercarriage such that in use the or each smoothing roller closely follows ground contours.

It is important in rolling of golf greens or bowling greens that smoothing or idler rollers as described in US Patent 6,457,903 closely follow ground contours. If such is not the case the smoothing rollers may leave indentation lines or unsightly marks on the greens and this was detrimental to achievement of a smooth and even grass surface. Another problem of using smoothing rollers that did not closely follow ground contours was that surface corrugations in the greens still remained after repeated roller operations.

However while this objective was achieved in US Patent 6,457,903 by the use of pivotal movement of each undercarriage to closely follow surface undulations or corrugations it will be appreciated that US Patent 6,457,903 still incorporated a conventional drive roller shaft which was provided with a pair of stub axles at each end thereof which were attached to mounting plates rigidly attached to the chassis of the rolling apparatus. Each stub axle was also mounted in bearing carriers carrying bearings for each stub axle so as to enable the drive roller to rotate relative to the chassis. Another conventional arrangement was that the drive roller was rigidly mounted to a support shaft which extended through each end of the drive roller thereby providing the pair of stub axles. However these conventional drive roller mounting arrangements had disadvantages in that (i) on uneven ground there was created greater ground pressure resulting in an uneven surface finish due to lines, marks or impressions left on the ground surface after passage of the drive roller. Other disadvantages were (ii) that the drive roller had reduced width compared to each smoothing roller, (iii) that there was less driving friction on the ground than desired which created loss of traction in certain driving conditions and situations, especially on increased slopes or wet turf and (iv) the drive roller was rigidly mounted to a support shaft which meant that the style of roller to be employed was limited being relatively short which was not adapted to follow ground contours.

It was also to be appreciated that in relation to each of the smoothing rollers in order to achieve an objective of each smoothing roller closely following ground contours it was necessary to mount a plurality of smoothing rollers in undercarriages as described above and this procedure was relatively complicated although it operated in a perfectly satisfactory manner.

It therefore is an object of the invention to provide a roller assembly that is adapted to follow ground contours during operation.

The roller assembly of the invention includes in a first embodiment a pair of end roller components having respective inner ends connected to each other by a flexible and movable primary coupling and having their respective outer ends connected to a support shaft which extends through a hollow interior of each driven roller component by a secondary coupling.

In a second embodiment there may be one or more intermediate or floating roller components located between the pair of end roller component. In this embodiment each of the end roller components are connected at their respective outer ends to a support shaft which extends through a hollow interior of each driven roller component and each intermediate roller component by the secondary coupling. However each of the inner ends of the end roller components are connected to an adjacent end of an adjoining intermediate roller component by the flexible and movable primary coupling. In the case where there are more than one intermediate roller component, adjacent ends of each intermediate roller component are connected to each other by the flexible and movable primary coupling.

The flexible and movable primary coupling may comprise a disc or sleeve made from natural rubber, synthetic rubber or other form of flexible or elastomeric material. In one arrangement the flexible disc may have a plurality of holes to enhance flexibility or in another arrangement may have a relatively large central aperture to enhance flexibility. Preferably the flexible disc has a peripheral flange defining a pair of adjacent shoulders for supporting an adjacent end of a roller component.

In the case of the first or second embodiment the primary coupling may be provided with a plurality of spigots or sockets which engage with corresponding sockets or spigots of an adjacent end of a driven roller component. In the case of adjacent ends of intermediate or floating roller components each of these may be interconnected by a primary coupling having spigots or sockets engaging with corresponding sockets or spigots of

each adjacent end of the floating roller component.

Reference may be made to a shaft assembly as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein FIG 1 is an exploded perspective view of a roller assembly in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG 2 is a partially cut away view of an assembled roller assembly shown in FIG 1 ;

FIG 3 is a side view of the roller assembly shown in FIGS 1 to 2; FIG 4 is a sectional view through line B-B of FIG 3;

FIG 5 is a side view of the roller assembly of FIG 1 showing concave flexibility;

FIG 6 is a side view of the roller assembly of FIG 1 showing convex flexibility; FIG 7 is a perspective view of the support shaft prior to attachment to each roller component;

FIG 8 is a side view of the support shaft shown in FIG 7;

FIG 9 is an end view of the support shaft shown in FIG 7;

FIG 10 is a schematic view of the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG 11 is a perspective view similar to FIG 1 showing another embodiment of the invention;

FIG 12 is a perspective view similar to FIG 2 in respect to the FIG 11 embodiment; and FIG 13 is a view similar to FIG 7 in respect to the FIG 11 embodiment.

The roller assembly 11 shown in FIG 1 has a roller support axle or shaft 1 , driven roller components 12 each having an inner metal roller sleeve 5 and outer rubber sleeve 7, end coupling assemblies 14 each having inner support plate 2, outer support plate 6 and flexible or secondary coupling 8 between roller support axle 1 and each roller component 12, and fasteners 10 interconnecting each of secondary couplings 8 to inner support plate 2 and outer support plate 6. Each of secondary couplings 8 include metal

inserts 9 in apertures 4A and 4C to facilitate insertion of fasteners 10. There is also provided primary and floating couplings 3 between each of roller components 12. Secondary coupling 8 is also provided with flange 19 which abuts each of roller components 12 and shoulders 20 for seating in corresponding groove 21 of each roller component 12.

In FIG 2 an assembled view of roller assembly 11 is shown and it will be noted that each of inner plates 2 is welded or otherwise attached to roller axle 1 and that each of outer plates 6 are welded or otherwise attached to inner surface 15 of drive roller inner sleeve 5. It will also be noted that each of outer plates 6 have an aperture 16 as best shown in FIG 1 to facilitate insertion of inner plates 2 but that inner plates 2 are spaced from outer plates 6 as shown by spacing or gap 17. Also primary or central coupling 3 is provided with a plurality of apertures 18 to facilitate flexing of central coupling 3 when required. Primary coupling 3 is suitably made from natural rubber, synthetic rubber or other types of elastomeric material and this also applies to each of secondary couplings 8.

Roller shaft 1 is also provided with reduced diameter ends 22 and 23 for location of a bearing housing (not shown) of the type discussed above in relation to US Patent 6,457,903 and slot 24 for retention of a pulley wheel or sprocket also of the type shown in US Patent 6,457,903.

In FIGS 3 to 4 there is shown clear separation of each of roller components 12 on each side of central coupling 3 with each roller component 12 abutting flange 19. Roller axle or shaft 1 passes through each of central apertures 25 of secondary or end couplings 8, central aperture 26 of each inner plate 2, aperture 16 of each plate 6 and central aperture 27 of central coupling 3.

FIG 3 shows flexing of roller assembly 11 about central coupling 3 as indicated by the arrows wherein the lines in phantom shows both convex

flexing and concave flexing.

FIGS 5 to 6 show both concave flexing and convex flexing of each of roller components 12 about central coupling 3 which functions to keep each of roller components 12 aligned with each other. Each of end coupling assemblies 14 facilitate this flexing by allowing relative movement between roller shaft or axle 1 and each of roller components 12 to achieve a position as shown in FIG 5 or 6 wherein each of roller components 12 hug closely the contours of the ground 11A in the case of a slight mound or hill in the case of FIG 5 having regard to a concave flex and also in the case of a slight valley or depression 11B in the case of FIG 6 having regard to a convex flex.

In the case of manufacture of roller assembly 11 , this is shown in FIG 7-9 wherein central coupling 3 is located on roller shaft 1 before attachment of each of plates 2 by welding. Subsequently each of roller components 12 and their associated coupling assemblies 8 are attached to roller shaft 1 as shown in FIG 2 and fasteners 10 inserted in co-aligned apertures 4A of end coupling 8 and apertures 4B of plate 2. Also fasteners 10 are inserted through co-aligned apertures 4C of end coupling 8 and apertures 4D of plate 6 which are best shown in FIG 1.

In FIG 10 there is shown a roller assembly 11A having a support shaft 30, secondary coupling assemblies 31 interconnecting end or driven roller components 32 to support shaft 30 and a primary coupling 34 interconnecting the floating roller component 33 and adjacent ends of each driven roller component 32. Each secondary coupling assembly 31 has a flexible disc 35 with an aperture 36 to permit insertion of support shaft 30, lugs 38 welded to roller components 32 which are connected to flexible discs 35 by fasteners 37 and further fasteners 39 interconnecting metal disc 40 welded to support shaft 30 with flexible disc 35. Each of the floating couplings 34 has a relatively large aperture 41 to permit passage of shaft 30 and also to facilitate flexing of coupling 34 as well as spigots 42 engaging in

corresponding sockets 43 of adjacent ends of roller components 32 or 33. The support shaft 30 is also provided with deflection plates 44 welded to support shaft 30.

In another embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG 11 which shows a view similar to FIG 1 in relation to roller assembly 49, plate 6 has now been replaced by opposed triangular shaped plates 50 each having an aperture 51 for passage of fasteners 10. Each of plates 50 are welded to the internal surface of metal sleeve 5A and plate 52 replaces plate 2 and is welded to shaft 1 A. Plate 52 has central aperture 53 for passage of shaft 1 A and attachment apertures 54 for passage of fasteners 10.

FIG 12 shows a perspective view similar to FIG 2 in regard to the embodiment of FIG 11 and FIG 13 shows a perspective view similar to FIG 7 in relation to the embodiment of FIG 11.

It will also be appreciated that6 the position of two opposed plates 50 gives adequate clearance for operation of the roller assembly 49 wherein plates 50 are spaced from plates 52 as shown in FIG 12 by gap 56.

The roller assembly of the invention has advantages over the prior art fixed roller assemblies in that:

(i) an increased length of roller is obtainable which is in contact with the golfing green surface to provide increased friction, reduced pressure and thereby increased torque and increased traction;

(ii) superior ground hugging ability on flat surfaces or ground surfaces having variable curvature;

(iii) increased surface area with the ground lowering ground pressure;

(iv) increased traction in a driving situation;

(v) no ground ridging or line marks imparted to the ground; and

(vi) flexibility across concave or convex surfaces because of the fact that each roller component is not rigidly mounted to the support shaft.