GB2301602A

GB2301602A - Dual purpose playing field

Info

Publication number: GB2301602A
Application number: GB9511261A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Horton; Mark Kaspruk; Peter George Neal; Catherine Rhoda Brown; Geoffrey James Points
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-06-03
Filing date: 1995-06-03
Publication date: 1996-12-11
Also published as: GB9511261D0

Abstract

A dual purpose playing field 1, constructed at near ground level can be elevated to a second location 7, by means of subterranean hydraulic jacks, to provide a flat roof over the area originally occupied by the field in its first location. During the lifting operation, lateral stability to the jacks and frame are provided by roller restraints fitted to the frame columns, passing between the jack and guide columns which in turn are positively attached to the subterranean shaft structure. The means of support for the frame and field in the roof location, is provided by retractable load transfer beams at the top of the shafts, to allow the release of support provided by the jack pistons.

Description

DUAL PURPOSE PLAYING FIELD This invention relates to a playing field located at or near ground level constructed with an inbuilt facility to elevate its position to prbvide a roof over the vacated ground area.

Sports arenas traditionally provide for a single purpose use as either an indoor or outdoor venue.

In the case of outdoor stadiums principly serving field sports, a facility to convert to indoor activities would enable continuous use and thereby attract added revenue for the owners.

Conventional solutions entail the provision of a retractable roof over the playing area, but in the case of natural turf pitches it is essential to maintain an open environment for the turf to survive.

Current solutions to maintaining the turf in an outdoor environment entail fragmenting the pitch into small panels for removal to a parking area out side the stadium, which necessitates a large expense in the acquisition of land space, in addition to the space required for the stadium.

When the pitch is reinstated within an open stadium, a labour intensive operation is involved to achieve a perfectly flat surface and making good the panel joints with turf.

The foregoing solution can only be contemplated as part of a newly constructed overall stadium design, as conversion of a traditional stadium roof to support a retractable roof over the pitch is not a viable proposition without the introduction of additional structural columns which would impair sight lines from spectator areas.

A need exists for a solution to achieving a dual purpose to existing open pitch stadiums, without the introduction of intrusive structure in spectator areas, and confined to the pitch area alone.

According to the present invention there is provided a dual purpose playing field constructed on top of a structurally framed diaphragm, at or near ground level, which in association with subterranean hydraulic jacks, and lattice structure, can be elevated to a second location for the purpose of providing a flat roof, over the vacated first location.

The aforementioned pitch and diaphragm in the first position, is supported by a combination of suitably surfaced natural ground, and retracted hydraulic jacks each housed within a subterranean vertical concrete shaft.

Also in the first position the shafts house structural columns of lattice box section, suspended from the diaphragm, concentric with the axis of the jack.

The diaphragm is elevated to the second position by activating the jack pistons, with lateral restraint to the diaphragm and jack cylinders, provided by the lattice columns in association with the subterranean shaft.

On achieving the second position, the columns will be supported by four retractable beams at near ground level, which span between the shaft wall and the jack cylinder in each case, thereby on deactivating the jack piston, all structural loads will be sustained by the columns which in turn achieve support from the shaft and cylinder at ground level.

The invention may be carried into practice in a number of ways but one specific embodiment, based upon a soccer pitch will now be described by way of example with reference to the acompanying drawings in which: Figure 1. Shows the plan configuration of the primary structural frame that forms the pitch diaphragm.

Figure 2. Illustrates the pitch in the first location and in broken line, elevated to its second location.

Figure 3. Shows a sectional detail of a subterranean shaft housing a jack and lattice column in the first position.

Figure 4. Shows a part sectional detail of the top of a shaft with a jack and lattice column in the second position.

Figure 5. Shows a typical plan section, through a shaft with the pitch in first position.

Figure 6. Shows a plan section at the top of a shaft with the pitch in second position (as in figure 4).

Referring to the drawings, figures 1 and 2 show the primary structural frame 1. which supports the pitch diaphragm and consists of a latticed girder space grid, supported by in this example twelve retracted jacks 2, housed within concrete shafts 3 constructed below natural ground level 4.

Figure 2 shows the diaphragm 1 in the first position at near ground level, and in this location latticed box section columns 5 are suspended from frame 1 housing the jacks 2.

The pitch in the first position 1 is hydraulically elevated by the jack pistons 6, to the second position 7.

In order to maintain lateral stability during the jacking operation, the base frame 8 of each trailing lattice column, is fitted with four double roller guides 9 which pass between the jack and four vertical roller guides 10.

The guides 10 extend full height from the base of the shaft 11 to ground level 4, and are laterally connected to the inside face of the shaft by beams 12, at appropriate levels.

In order to provide means of access to the interior of the shafts the beams 12 support platforms 13 at appropriate levels, accessed by ladders 14.

When the jacking operation has achieved the second position 7, figure 4 shows the trailing column base frame e at its maximum elevation, in the shaft head chamber 15, vertical support maintained by the jack piston 6 alone.

Tn order to transfer support from the piston to the columns and the ground, four horizontally retractable beams 16 traverse out from their parked position 17, to pass under the frame 8 and take up a support on the hydraulic shaft face 18. When the four beams 16 have achieved their span between the shaft wall 3 and jack 2, the piston is released to lower the column onto the retractable beams.

Lowering the pitch from the second position to the first is carried out in the reverse sequence, i.e the piston is activated to raise the diaphragm, a small amount sufficient only to allow the retraction of the four beams 16, to position 17.

The piston is then retracted to lower the pitch from roof mode to ground.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A dual purpose playing field constructed on top of a structurally framed diaphragm, at or near ground level, which in association with subterranean hydraulic jacks, and lattice structure, can be elevated to a second location for the purpose of providing a flat roof over the vacated first location.

2. A dual purpose playing field as claimed in Claim 1. wherein guide means are provided by rollers and guide columns in a subterranean shaft.

3. A dual purpose playing field as claimed in Claim 1, wherein retractable support beams are provided at near ground level to give support in the second location.