GB2405802A

GB2405802A - Horse riding and other sports arenas

Info

Publication number: GB2405802A
Application number: GB0321006A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Anthony West; Peter Barton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-09-09
Filing date: 2003-09-09
Publication date: 2005-03-16
Also published as: GB0321006D0

Abstract

A transportable and temporary arena for erection, eg in a city centre park, comprises panels which can be connected edge to edge over a horizontal surface, each panel comprising a layer of impact absorbing resilient material. Preferably, each panel is a rectangular tray 4 of relatively rigid metal or synthetic material carrying a base layer 8A of cushioning material and a top layer of water-permeable material 8A, 8C with a surface 8D providing a good grip. The base layer may have voids allowing water to spread evenly across the tray. The raised lips of the trays are joined by locking connectors, Figs 3 to 5 (not shown), and each tray may comprise four sub-panels with lower reinforcing lips which are welded together to give some extra rigidity to the units, Fig 7 (not shown). The trays are easily transportable along with inclined boundary panels and nets to create complete arenas, Fig 1.

Description

Horse Riding and Other Sports Arenas This invention relates to a horse

riding arena. Horse riding arenas are traditionally made by excavating large amounts of earth and replacing it by stone and drainage systems. The stone is then covered by a porous membrane on top of which a loose riding surface e.g. of sand, rubber particles or wood chips is placed.

This invention arose from an idea that it would be useful to design a portable riding arena which could be transported to different sites for prestigious sporting events e.g. in city centre parks etc. According to this invention there is provided a transportable sports arena comprising panels or sheets adapted to be connected edge to edge over a horizontal surface, each panel comprising or carrying a layer of resilient material for absorbing impact.

Each panel could consist solely of a flexible sheet of resilient material. A preferred construction however employs a relatively rigid supporting structure e.g. of metal or a synthetic material which carries the resilient material. One suitable supporting structure is of tray-like construction and has peripheral lips and means for connecting these lips to join the trays together. The resilient material can be a single separate sheet which fits loosely in the trays but is - 2 preferably permanently fixed into position e.g. using adhesive. It is believed that the best results will be obtained by using a two layer construction. In this two layer structure the bottom layer provides a cushioning effect and defines spaces through which water can drain away; whilst the top layer is pervious to water allowing it to soak into the aforementioned spaces in the bottom layer.

The bottom layer can be secured to the trays using adhesive. The top layer can be applied as a liquid and then allowed to solidify so that it is fixed permanently into the trays. Its upper surface is preferably formed to provide a good grip Each tray is preferably made as large as can practicably fit into a normal container or lorry. For this reason its width should preferably not be substantially more than 3m. A size of less than 2m would result in a large number of trays which would be difficult to handle. A 3m square shape is considered best.

It is important that the trays should be sufficiently light-weight to be handled easily by two people. The inventors have found that this can be done by connecting together a number (e.g. 4) of sub-trays. In this arrangement the lips of the sub-trays are welded (or otherwise connected) together to form reinforcing straps allowing the trays to be made of light weight sheet material whilst still having a degree of rigidity. The trays are preferable provided with drainage holes to allow rainwater to soak away. - 3

It is preferred that a peripheral boundary wall be included, formed from component parts which can readily assembled together on site and then detached after the sporting event has concluded. The peripheral boundary should preferably slope upwardly and outwardly to prevent accidents should the horse approach too closely. The invention was conceived with the particular intention of creating a polo arena and for that reason the boundary advantageously includes a net to prevent escape of the polo ball from the arena.

One example of how the invention can be performed will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 1 is a perspective view of one corner of an assembled polo arena constructed in accordance with the invention, and shows panels comprising supporting trays and polymer cushioning connected together to form a riding surface, peripheral wall panels, and net; Fig 2 is a vertical cross section through two abutting panels of Fig 1; Fig 3 is a perspective view showing adjoining corners of four of the trays of Fig 1, prior to assembly and with the polymer cushioning removed for purposes of illustration; - 4 Fig 4 is a perspective view of a connecting boss used to lock four adjoining panels together, omitting, for purposes of illustration, a rubber-like polymer top plate; Fig 5 is a view similar to that of Fig 3 showing the boss fitted in position; Fig 6 is a perspective view of a supporting structure for the wall of Fig 1; and Fig 7 is a schematic perspective view of one of the panels but without showing the rubber-like polymer cushioning so as to illustrate details of construction.

Referring firstly to Fig 1, the illustrated riding arena comprises a number of panels 1 placed on an unprepared ground surface and connected edge to edge without any other preparation. The panels are connected together in a manner that is described later and the arena is surrounded by a boundary formed by wall panels 2 and netting 3.

Referring now to Figs 2 and 7, it can be seen that each panel 1 comprises a tray 4 which is 3m x 3m square and is made from sheet metal. Each tray 4 is, in turn, made from four sub-panels. Each sub-panel is l.5m x l.5m square and has relatively high lips 5 on two adjoining edges and relatively short lips 6 on the - 5 other two edges. The short lips 6 of adjoining sub-panels are welded together at 7 and 7A to form a reinforcing strap which gives rigidity to the tray 4.

Each tray 4 carries a removable sheet or mat 8 of resilient cushioning material formed as two layers as follows. A base layer 8A is of high density polyethylene formed as a cuspated, corrugated or dimpled structure so as define voids which are responsible for giving the structure a cushioning effect and which also allow water to flow in the direction of the plane of the sheet but not perpendicularly through it. The bottom of the base layer is bonded by adhesive to the tray and is formed with slits or grooves on its underside to receive the reinforcing straps formed by the lips 6. The top of the base layer 8A is bonded to a porous filter fabric 8B carrying a porous rubber-like polymer layer 8C whose top surface 8D has a textured effect to provide a good grip. The layer 8c is applied, during manufacture in a liquid form and allowed to set. The layer 8C is permeable to water so that rainwater can enter the voids in layer 8A and drain away from the trays 4 through holes as shown in Fig 5 The trays are connected together by connectors 9, one of which is shown Fig 4.

It is welded as a single piece of rigid synthetic plastic material and is formed as a cylindrical disc-shaped boss having a cylindrical wall 9A and a circular top wall 9B. The top wall 9B has a central hole 9C and peripheral holes 9D. The cylindrical wall 9B has four slots 9E. Each of these slots extends axially and then circumferentially from a bottom edge so as to define locking arms 9F. - 6

During assembly of the arena the bosses 9 are fitted into recesses defined by cut-away corners 5a of the lips 5, and cut-away corners of the multi-layered cushioning material 8. The recessed portions of the lips 5 are shaped to define S projections 5B which fit into the interior of the bosses to help locate them. A tool, not shown, engages in the holes 9D and is used to rotate the bosses so that locking arms 9F slide into holes 5C formed at the corners between the lips 5 and the base of each tray as shown in Fig 5. A disc (not shown) of resilient polymer material, similar to the material of the layer 8C, fits onto the top of boss 9B so as to form a continuous upper surface.

Pins 5d, welded to the lips 5 of each tray, engage in corresponding holes Se as shown in Fig 7 to give added support.

Fig 6 shows a supporting structure for the wall panels. Each supporting structure consists of a triangular welded metal frame 13 attached to the ground by spikes 14 which are hammered through holes in a base piece 15.

Extending from the base piece 15 is a tubular upright 16, in which slides a telescopic net support 17. This can be extended upwardly during assembly of the arena and is locked in an extended position by screw clamps (not shown).

The upright 16 is supported by a sloping support 18 and carries flanges 19 onto - 7 which the panels 2 are attached by bolts (not shown). The arrangement is such that the panels 2 slope upwardly and outwardly.

It will be appreciated that the illustrated arena has been described only by way of example and that many variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. However it is believed that the illustrated construction can be easily transported by lorry and assembled very quickly anywhere, and equally easily dismantled and moved to another venue. In this way it is believed that the invention will for the first time make it possible to stage important polo and other riding events at city centres and other locations where such events have hitherto not been possible. - 8

Claims

1. A transportable sports arena comprising panels or sheets adapted to be connected edge to edge over a horizontal surface, each panel comprising or carrying a layer of resilient material for absorbing impact.

2. An arena according to Claim 1 characterized in that each panel comprises a relatively rigid supporting structure carrying the resilient material.

3. An arena according to Claim 2 characterized in that the supporting structure has a peripheral edge and characterized by connectors for connecting the peripheral edges of adjoining panels together.

4. An arena according to claim 3 characterized by corner connectors and the panels being formed with co-operating parts such that rotation of a corner connector serves to lock four adjoining corners of respective panels together.

5. An arena according to Claim 3 or 4 characterized in that the supporting structure is a tray.

6. An arena according to Claim 5 in which the tray is formed by individual components, each having peripheral lips, the components being connected together by their lips to form the tray; the lips around the edge of the tray being - 9 - relatively high and serving to retain a sheet of the resilient material whilst the remaining lips serve as bracing to give some rigidity to the tray.

7. An arena according to Claim 4 or 6 in which the tray has drainage holes to allow rain water to soak away.

8 An arena according to any preceding Claim in which the resilient material comprises a relatively deformable layer designed to provide a cushioning effect covered by a top layer designed to provide good grip and to withstand impact of horses' hooves.

9 An arena according to claim 7 in which the top layer is permeable to water and the bottom layer contains spaces to allow drainage of the water.

10 An arena according to any preceding claim comprising a peripheral boundary provided by wall components and means for supporting the wall components and detachably connecting them together so that they can be assembled to form the peripheral boundary and subsequently detached for transportation.

11. An arena according to Claim 10 characterized in that the peripheral boundary provides a smooth inner surface which slopes upwardly and outwardly. - 10

12. An arena according to any preceding Claim characterised in that the peripheral boundary includes a net to prevent escape of a ball from the arena.

13. A horse-riding arena according to any preceding claim

14. A kit of parts for making an arena according to any one of claims 1 to 13 comprising: the panels, the resilient material formed as part of or designed to be carried by the panels and means for releasably connecting the panel's edge-to- 1 0 edge.

15. A kit of parts according to claim 14 when dependent on Claim 10 further including the wall components; and the means for supporting and detachably connecting the wall components together to form the peripheral boundary.

16. A kit of parts according to claim 15 further characterised by the inclusion of the net and means for connecting it to the wall components.

17. A transportable riding arena according to Claim 1 and comprising panels substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.