FR2813491A1 - Artificial turf maintenance machine has driven rotary combs for turf fibres on wheeled chassis - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine, consisting of a chassis (1) mounted on wheels (2), has at least one driven rotary comb for the artificial turf fibres, comprising a horizontal shaft with a flange (4) at each end and one or more rows of teeth (7) on supports between the flanges. Each comb can have three rows of teeth positioned by cam and lever mechanisms, with the combs rotated by a motor (10) through a belt (11) and pulley drive system.

Description

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The present invention relates to a machine for the maintenance of a synthetic grass, such as that of a lawn of a sports field.

The evolution of the construction of sports fields known as big games, football and rugby in particular, in synthetic grass linked to the growing needs of owners and / or managers as for the availability of their equipment has led suppliers to propose new structures better suited.

Traditionally, a sports field has a draining platform on which a layer of flexibility is laid, most often made of 10mm thick rubber to which a synthetic coating weighted with silica sand is applied. This solution, although much appreciated by the players and managers of such sports complexes, does not, however, make it possible to fully meet their expectations, in particular because of the absence of spike penetration in such a coating.

Consequently, the manufacturers of synthetic turf have been led to propose a coating which is posed directly on the draining platform, which is ballasted with a load of sand then of rubber aggregates. For this, the coating comprises looped fibers which are very solid, almost wear-free and which have the particularity of trapping the aggregates and of improving the flexibility of such a coating.

This new product requires that the rubber aggregates penetrate into its looped fibers: if the dry sand naturally descends to the bottom of the fibers, it is not the same for the rubber aggregates rubber aggregates One of the problems posed by this new coating is therefore to penetrate the rubber aggregates to the bottom of the fibers, to trap them and to ensure correct filling between the fibers without the latter being coated under the aggregates.

Another problem is to do this in a non-manual manner and possibly to participate in the maintenance of such a coating.

One of the aims of the present invention is therefore to provide a machine for the maintenance of a synthetic lawn, such as that of a lawn in a sports field, which makes it possible to solve the problems set out above.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a machine which is of safe and simple design.

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 These aims, as well as others which will appear subsequently, are achieved by a machine for the maintenance of a synthetic grass comprising a substantially horizontal chassis and mounted on wheels, which machine is characterized, according to the present invention, by the fact that it comprises at least one device for combing the fibers of this lawn and means for driving this device.

Advantageously, the device for combing the fibers of the synthetic turf comprises a horizontal shaft, provided with a flange at each end, arranged transversely relative to the direction of advance and comprising at least one row of combs.

Preferably, the row of combs comprises a support provided with teeth according to a generatrix of this support, mounted free at each end on the flanges and on a link articulated on an integral cam mounted on the end of the horizontal axis.

Advantageously, the horizontal axis comprises three rows of combs arranged regularly.

Preferably the means for driving the device comprise a motor means driving each device in rotation to comb the fibers of the lawn by a set of belts cooperating with pulleys disposed at the ends of each device.

The description which follows and which has no limiting character, should be read with reference to the appended figures, among which - FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a machine for the maintenance of a synthetic grass according to the present invention; and, - Figure 2 is a schematic side view of the machine according to Figure 1.

As can be seen in these figures, a machine for the maintenance of a synthetic grass according to the present invention comprises a chassis 1 substantially horizontal and mounted on wheels 2 as well as at least one device for combing the fibers of this grass and means for driving this device.

The device for combing the fibers of the grass comprises a horizontal shaft 3 which is provided with a flange 4 at each of its ends, which is arranged transversely relative to the direction of advance and which comprises at least one row 5 of combs.

The row 5 of combs comprises a support 6 provided with teeth 7 according to a generator of this support, mounted freely at each end on the flanges 4 and on

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 a link 8 articulated on a cam 9 integral with the end of the horizontal axis 3.

According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the support 6 comprises three rows 5 of combs arranged regularly, that is to say 120 from one another. In addition, the frame 1 comprises three devices for combing the fibers of the lawn which are arranged in two parallel and staggered lines.

The means for driving each device for combing the fibers of the lawn comprise a motor 10 which drives each device in rotation by a set of belts 11 cooperating with pulleys 12 disposed at the ends of each device. The motor 10 is generally controlled by that of the machine towing the machine according to the present invention. Indeed, it will generally be coupled to a tractor fitted with a hydraulic outlet.

In motion, each device for combing the fibers of the lawn is rotated in a clockwise direction: the combs or teeth 6 penetrate vertically into the synthetic lawn, gradually lie down under the effect of the links 8 and the cams 9, and come out of the turf substantially horizontally: this has the effect of lifting and / or straightening the fibers of the turf in order to allow, on the one hand, a descent of aggregates and, on the other hand, a better distribution of them.

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Claims (5)

1. Machine for the maintenance of a synthetic grass comprising a chassis (1) substantially horizontal and mounted on wheels (2), characterized in that it comprises at least one device for combing the fibers of this grass and means for driving said device. 2. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for combing the fibers of the synthetic grass comprises a horizontal shaft (3), provided with a flange (4) at each end, arranged transversely relative to the direction of advance and comprising at least one row of combs (5). 3. Machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the row of combs (5) comprises a support provided with teeth according to a generator of said support, mounted freely at each end on the flanges (4) and on a link (9) articulated on an integral cam (9) mounted on the end of the horizontal axis. 4. Machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the horizontal axis comprises three rows of combs arranged regularly. 5. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for driving the device comprise a motor (10) rotating each device for combing the fibers of the lawn by a set of belts (11) cooperating with pulleys (12 ) arranged at the ends of each device.