Inturf develop 15 unit hydraulic gang

Inturf develop 15 unit hydraulic gang

Designed and developed in-house by mechanic/fitter Peter Pearson, this mowing leviathan utilises two Ransomes TG4650 7-cylinder gangs mounted side by side with a further cylinder mounted onto a specially fabricated frame to alleviate any uncut gap between the two sets of gangs.

The drive from the tractor pto is an ingenious use of off-the-shelf splitter gearboxes and pto shafts that transfer power to the two TG4650s. The resultant machine has a massive working width of 9.6 metres and is towed behind an 85hp New Holland tractor with large flotation tyres to minimise ground compaction.

For ease of transport, the drive shafts can be uncoupled and stowed in a special carrying cradle; the two TG4650 gangs can be uncoupled from the frame; the single reel lifts into the transport position; the frame ends then fold hydraulically to within the width of the tractor tyres and the two units can be hitched in tandem and towed to a new destination.

Peter Pearson commented, "With huge acreages in development we need to cut as quickly and efficiently as possible. Now with a 9.6 metre cut and the speed at which the New Holland can tow the unit we have improved productivity substantially. In fact we're getting about 7 hectares per hour.

"I had a feeling that we could get a 15-unit machine to work and within a few weeks I had the basis of a working unit. We've used a bit of ingenuity and also some sound engineering to produce the machine. We've applied to patent the design and have even painted it in Ransomes green."

Inturf have won the contract to relay the pitch at Everton's Goodison Park stadium during the summer and Head Groundsman Bob Lennon, on a recent visit to the Newark nursery said, "I came down to check on the progress of our pitch and was fortunate to see the new machine. The engineering is quite incredible. What Peter Pearson has achieved would do credit to any major turf equipment manufacturer. The biggest accolade that I can pay is to say that it looks like a factory manufactured item. The hydraulics, the attention to detail and the finish are superb. To see it in action is a sight indeed; it makes light work of huge fields."