GB2142960A

GB2142960A - Sports surface construction

Info

Publication number: GB2142960A
Application number: GB08318310A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul David France
Original assignee: Nuway Manufacturing Co Ltd
Current assignee: Nuway Manufacturing Co Ltd
Priority date: 1983-07-06
Filing date: 1983-07-06
Publication date: 1985-01-30
Also published as: GB2142960B; GB8318310D0

Abstract

A sports surface construction having a surface dressing layer comprising granulated fibre-reinforced elastomeric material. The surface dressing layer may be confined by a boundary wall and supported by a foundation of hardcore with a base layer of gravel between the dressing layer and hardcore. The elastomeric material may be granulated car tyres, conveyor belts or the like. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Surface construction This invention relates to a surface construction, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to an equestrian sports surface.

Examples of such surfaces are race tracks for horse racing, training gallops, arenas for show jumping or dressage events, menages, walks and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a surface construction, particularly but not exclusively, for use as an equestrian sports surface and suitable for use in all weathers.

According to the invention, we provide a surface construction having a surface dressing layer of predetermined contour and comprising granulated fibre-reinforced elastomeric material.

The elastomeric material is preferably rubber.

The fibre reinforcement may comprise nylon, rayon or other non-metallic fibres.

The fibres may comprise multi-filament fibres and at least some of said fibres may have fibrilated parts projecting outwardly of the rubber.

The elastomeric material may have a mesh size of 5.0cm and preferably a mesh size of 2.5cm.

Each grain of elastomeric material may comprise a plurality of layers of parallel fibres, the fibres of each layer lying in a plane and the planes of each layer being parallel, but the longitudinal direction of the fibres in adjacent planes being inclined at an angle lying in the range 30 to 90 .

The grains of elastomeric material may be of irregular shape and size.

The surface dressing may comprise a mixture of elastomeric material grains and sand, gravel or the like.

The surface dressing may have a thickness lying in the range 5cm to 15cm.

The surface construction may comprise a base layer beiow said surface dressing to separate the granular material from an underlying foundation.

The base layer may be water permeable to permit of water to drain therethrough from the surface dressing layer to the foundation which may be provided with means to discharge said water.

The base layer may comprise small size hard core.

The foundation may comprise hardcore preferably of larger size than the base layer.

The surface construction may comprise a bound ary wall within which the granular material is confined in operation with the base layer.

An example of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accom panying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic cross-section through a surface construction embodying the invention; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of a granule for use in the surface construction of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a surface construction for use as an arena for show jumping. It should however be understood that the surface construction described hereinafter may be used for any other equestrian surface or may be used;fbrother purposes, such as a sports surface for other sports such as athletics, or may be used to provide a road or other way for pedestrians or motor vehicles, for example at agricultural shows.

Referring to the drawing, the surface construction comprises a foundation 12 made by laying hardcore 13 in a pit 14formed in the ground. The pit 14 may be provided with drainage channels, such as indicated at 15, to permit of drainage of water from the foundation.

The arena is provided with side walls 16 supported on the outer side 17 by the hardcore 13. The side walls 16 may be made of any suitable material such as concrete or wood and, of course, are of the shape of the boundary of the desired arena, or, where the surface construction is not an arena, such as a racetrack orwalkway, of the shape of the track or walkway as required.

A permeable base layer 18 of small size hardcore such as quarry scalpings, gravel or the like is provided on top of the hardcore 13, material of smaller grain size than the hardcore 13 to prevent the surface dressing being pressed between the hardcore particles.

Within the side walls 16 on top of the base layer 18 is provided a surface dressing layer 21,10cm thick and made of granulated fibre-reinforced rubber material and in some cases a mixture of the material and sand or gravel.

The rubber material is obtained by granulating fibred rubber material, in the present example scrap motor vehicle tyres of the type which are fibre reinforced and passing the resultant chips or grains through a sieve having a mesh size of, in the present example 2.5cm, thus the grains have a maximum size such that they will pass through a square mesh of 2.5cm side length and a minimum size such that they will not pass through a mesh of approximately a quarter to 1cm side length, although there is a relatively small proportion of smaller particles. This proportion does not exceed approximately 15% in the present example. If desired otherfibred rubber material such as conveyor belting may be used or a mixture of materials.

Although the surface dressing has been described as being 1 Ocm thick, the thickness may lie in the range 5cm to 15cm.

If desired, the grain size may lie outside the above mentioned limits, for example particles may have a maximum mesh size of 5.0cm.

As best shown in Figure 2, each grain is of irregular shape and comprises a plurality of layers 21a to 21d of parallel multi-filament nylon fibres. The fibres 22a to 22d in each layer are parallel and lie in a plane and the planes of adjacent layers are also parallel but the longitudinal direction of the fibres in adjacent planes are mutually inclined at, in the present example approximately 60 . The granulation process causes fibrilation of at least some of the fibres to provide fibrilated portions 23 projecting outwardly of the rubber mass 24 in at least some of the grains.

Claims

1. A surface construction having a surface dressing layer of predetermined contour and comprising granulated fibre-reinforced elastomeric material.

2. A surface construction according to Claim 1 wherein the elastomeric material is rubber.

3. A surface construction according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the fibre reinforcement comprises nylon, rayon or other non-metallic fibres.

4. A surface construction according to Claim 3 wherein the fibres comprise multi-filament fibres.

5. A surface construction according to Claim 4 wherein at least some of said fibres may have fibrilated parts projecting outwardly of the rubber.

6. A surface construction according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the elastomeric material has a mesh size of 5.0cm.

7. A surface construction according to Claim 6 wherein the elastomeric material has a mesh size of 2.5cm.

8. A su rface construction according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each grain of elastomeric material comprises a plurality of layers of parallel fibres.

9. A surface construction according to Claim 8 wherein the fibres of each layer lie in a plane and the planes of each layer being parallel, but the longitudinal direction of the fibres in adjacent planes being inclined at an angle lying in the range 30 to 90 .

10. A surface construction according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the grains of elastomeric material are of irregular shape and size.

11. A surface construction according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the surface dressing comprises a mixture of elastomeric material grains and sand, gravel or the like.

12. A surface construction according to any one of the peceding claims wherein the surface dressing has a thickness lying in the range 5cm to 15cm.

13. A surface construction according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the surface construction comprises a base layer below said surface dressing to separate the granular material from an underlying foundation.

14. A surface construction according to Claim 13 wherein the base layer is water permeable to permit of water to drain therethrough from the surface dressing layer to the foundation which may be provided with means to discharge said water.

15. A surface construction according to Claim 13 or Claim 14 wherein the base layer comprises small size hard core.

16. A surface construction according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the foundation comprises hardcore.

17. A surface construction according to Claim 16 when dependant on Claim 15 wherein the foundation hardcore is of larger size than the base layer.

18. A surface construction according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the surface construction comprises a boundary wall within which the granular material is confined in operation with the base layer.

19. A surface construction substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

20. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect: *(a) Claims 1-20 above have been deleted or textually amended.

*(b) New or textually amended claims have been filed as follows:

1. Asurfaceconstruction comprising afoundation provided with means to discharge water from a water permeable base layer on top of the foundation and a surface dressing of predetermined contour and comprising granulated fibre-reinforced elastomeric material on top of the base layer.

6. A surface construction according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the elastomeric material has a maximum mesh size of 5.0cm.

7. A surface construction according to Claim 6 wherein the elastomeric material has a maximum mesh size of 2.5cm.

8. A surface construction according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the elastomeric material has a minimum mesh size of mum.

9. A surface construction according to any one of Claims 1 to 7 wherein the elastomeric material has a minimum mesh size of 1cm.

10. A surface construction according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each grain of elastomeric material comprises a plurality of layers of parallel fibres.

11. A surface construction according to Claim 10 wherein the fibres of each layer lie in a plane and the planes of each layer being parallel, but the longitudinal direction of the fibres in adjacent planes being inclined at an angle lying in the range 30 to 90 .

12. A surface construction according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the grains of elastomeric material are of irregular shape and size.

13. A surface construction according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the surface dressing comprises a mixture of elastomeric material grains and sand, gravel or the like.

14. A surface construction according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the surface dressing has a thickness lying in the range 5cm to 15cm.

15. A surface construction according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the base layer comprises small size hard core.

17. A surface construction according to Claim 16 when dependent on Claim 15 wherein the foundation hardcore is or larger size than the base layer.

18. A surface construction according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the surface construction comprises a boundary wall within which the granular material is confined in cooperation with the base layer.