GB2061345A - Constructional element for artificial ski tracks - Google Patents

Abstract

Ski tracks are formed of plastics tiles interlocked with each other, and the correct interlocking readily determined by visual inspection in a tile provided at its top surface along edges thereof with locking members (4) extending outwardly therefrom and slots (7) extending inwardly therefrom. Each locking member is engageable in a corresponding slot of an adjacently-laid tile, and the under- surface of said locking member is provided with a stud or a socket engageable in a corresponding socket or stud respectively in a said slot, and the said locking members are provided along their side edges with lateral projections (14) and the said slots are provided along their upper edges with inwardly-extending projections (20), whereby the said lateral projections are engaged under said inwardly- extending projections when a said locking member is engaged in a corresponding slot of an adjacently laid tile. The tiles may be substantially square, oblong or of hexagonal shape. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Constructional elements for an artificial ski track and artificial ski tracks constructed from such elements This invention relates to a constructional element for an artificial ski track consisting of a plastics tile provided on the top with sliding members and on the sides with locking members, for connecting adjacent elements; and to ski tracks constructed from such elements.

Artificial ski tracks are constructed so as to be provided with a covering of material acting as a substitute for snow, and are erected in regions where there is little or no snowfall. They are used as training facilities for winter sports enthusiasts.

Such ski tracks are also erected in winter sports countries to lengthen the skiing season.

Ski tracks provided with a sliding surface constructed from uniform elements are known for instance from Dutch Patent Application No.67021 16, which describes a surface constructed from hexagonal elements with crownshaped sliding members. Other known sliding surfaces are provided with brushes or with areas set with resilient pins.

Artificial sliding surfaces for ski tracks have to satisfy numerous requirements for safety, technical suitability, construction and maintenance and cost. For surfaces composed of tile-shaped elements, so-called ski tiles, it is essential for the users' safety that the connection between individual tiles be such as to prevent displacement of the tiles relative to each other, both in the plane of the track slope and normal to this plane.

Good gripping and sliding properties and a certain degree of resilience of the surface are technical requirements which in large measure determine the suitability of artificial tracks used in the skiing sport. These properties depend both on the choice of material and on the design of the track element.

In construction as well as repair of the ski track surface it is essential, if only in connection with labour cost, that the elements be easy to handle and that their interlocking can be brought about in a simple way.

Although known ski tracks composed of ski tiles satisfy such requirements to some degree, they also have some disadvantages which are undesirable from a safety point of view and which are also prone to constitute a hindrance in construction and maintenance. These disadvantages are caused mainly by the locking system applied with the known constructional elements. Known systems cannot be visually inspected so that it is impossible to determine whether the locking is established correctly and maintained in correct relationship. It is impossible with known systems to replace worn tiles by new ones in a simple way because it is difficult to remove a worn tile from among the surrounding ones and to replace it with a new tile.

The invention is directed to a ski tile which while satisfying the gripping and sliding requirements described above, also mitigates the disadvantage set forth, and being made of plastics material, can be readily manufactured by injection moulding.

This is achieved according to the invention in that the top of the element is provided with studs or sockets located on or in the bottom of slots provided on the top of the element, which slots extend from a side edge over a length at least equal to that of the locking members, and are provided at least locally, with edge portions projecting inward, the underside of the locking members being provided with sockets or studs and their side edges with lateral projections, and the whole design being such that a stud or socket of a locking member of one element fits in or around a sock or stud of an adjacent element and that the lateral projections of the locking member are positioned under the inwardly projecting edge portions of the slot.

The tiles may be for example square, oblong or hexagonal in shape and are preferably laid in bond pattern. This requires adaptation as regards number and location of locking members and slots. For square tiles, for instance, two meeting side edges of a tile can each be provided with two locking members and the other two meeting side edges nf the tile can each be provided with two slots, with each of the locking members and slots being located for example at a distance from a corner that is equal to one-fourth of the length of a side edge of the tile.

One embodiment of the invention is hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a ski tile according to the invention, Figure 2 is an elevated view of the front of the tile of Figure 1, Figure 3 is an elevated view of the right-hand side of the ski tile of Figure 1, Figure 4 represents a longitudinal section of a locking member along the line IV--IV in Figure 1, Figure 5 represents a longitudinal section of a slot along the line V-V in Figure 1, Figure 6 represents a cross section of a slot along the line VI--VI in Figure 1, Figure 7 represents a cross section of a ski tile along the line VIl-VIl in Figure 1, and Figure 8 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the connection between two adjacent elements.

The tile 1 shown in Figure 1 is of square shape and has locking members 4 on each of the two contacting side edges 2 and 3. The top surface of the tile is provided along the side edges 5 and 6 with slots each having a length that is at least equal to that of a locking member. The tile further comprises a base slab 8 with openings indicated for example at 9 and 10, and raised portions 11 thereof moulded with flexible pins 12. The pins, which need not all have the same length, serve as sliding members. The base slab 8 is provided with holes 1 3 through which pegs can be inserted to anchor the tile to the ground. The locking members 4 have projections 14 on both sides, and their ends are provided with a lip 15. The undersides of the locking members are provided with a cylindrical socket 16.Studs 17 are provided on the bottom of the slots 7 (Figure 5).

Both side edges 18 of slots 7 have chambers 19 which at the top have edge portions 20 projecting inwards.

The tiles 1 are preferably laid in a stagger pattern. The locking members 4 and the slots 7 are so disposed that the centre line of each locking member and slot is at a distance from a corner that is equal to one-fourth of the length of the side edge to which they are attached. Each of the side edges of a tile is provided with one or more lips 21 so disposed that when the tiles are placed against each other the lips project over adjoininy tiles at the locations 22 (shown by hatching in Figure 1) so that the tiles remain positioned in one plane when unequally loaded.

The tiles are interconnected by so disposing two adjacent tiles that the centre line of a locking member of one tile is in line with the centre line of a corresponding slot of an adjacent tile. The cylindrical socket 16 of a locking element is placed over the stud 17 in the slot, and the lateral projections 14 of the locking members are pressed under the inwardly projecting edge portions 20 of the adjoining chambers 19 of a slot.

It is possible as an alternative to provide the underside of the locking member with a stud and the slot with a socket. During assembly the stud then drops into the socket and the lateral projections 14 of the locking members are pressed under the inwardly projecting edge portions 20. In both instances the locking member is completely fixed within the slot, and horizontal or vertical displacement of the tiles relative to each other is prevented. It is thus possible to check visually whether a connection has been established correctly and also whether it is maintained because it is readily visually determinable whether the projections are still under the inwardsprojecting edge portions. Also rupturing of the locking members is immediately visible.

Replacement of worn tiles is easy. When locking member 4 is pulled up, which can be done by means of pulling lip 15, the lateral projections come away from beneath the inwardly-projecting edge portions. When all connections with the surrounding tiles have been loosened in this way, the tile can be lifted by a corner and drawn away diagonally. For placing a new element in the location of the worn one the actions are carried out in reverse order.

The tile can be made by injection moulding from a suitable plastics material e.g. polyethylene, polypropylene, EVA, thermoplastics rubber, or copolymers or mixtures thereof.

Fillers for providing improved wear-resistance may be incorporated in the plastics material as may also be the normal UV stabilisers and anti-rot additives.

Claims (7)

1. A constructional element for an artificial ski track consisting of a plastics tile provided on the top with sliding members and-on the sides with locking members for connecting adjacent elements, characterised in that the tile is provided at its top surface along edges thereof with locking member (4) extending outwardly therefrom and slots (7) extending inwardly therefrom disposed whereby a said locking member is engageable in a corresponding slot of an adjacently-laid tile, and wherein the under-surface of said locking member is provided with one or more studs or sockets engageable in a corresponding socket or stud respectively in a said slot, and the said locking members are provided along their side edges with lateral projections (14) and the said slots are provided along their upper edges with inwardlyextending projections (20), whereby the said lateral projections are engaged under said inwardly-extendlng projections when a said locking member is engaged in a corresponding slot of an adjacently laid tile.

2. A constructional element according to Claim 1, characterised in that the said element is substantially square in shape.

3. A constructional element according to Claim 1, characterised in that the said element is substantially oblong in shape.

4. A constructional element according to Claim 1, characterised in that the constructional element substantially has the shape of a regular hexagon.

5. A constructional element for an artificial ski track substantially as hereinbefore described, with particular reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

6. An artificial ski track constructed from elements according to any of Claims 1 to 5.

7. A ski track according to Claim 6, characterised in that the elements are laid in a stagger pattern relative to each other.

New claims of amendments to claims filed 11/12/79.

Superseded claims: none.

New or amended claimstClaim 1 line 9 delete "one or more studs or sockets" and insert "a stud or socket".