GB2501873A - Machine attachment for treating hybrid turf - Google Patents

Machine attachment for treating hybrid turf Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2501873A
GB2501873A GB201207925A GB201207925A GB2501873A GB 2501873 A GB2501873 A GB 2501873A GB 201207925 A GB201207925 A GB 201207925A GB 201207925 A GB201207925 A GB 201207925A GB 2501873 A GB2501873 A GB 2501873A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
attachment
machine
minor
elongate members
major
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB201207925A
Other versions
GB201207925D0 (en
Inventor
John Rowland Mallinson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
MALLINSON ORMSKIRK Ltd J
Original Assignee
MALLINSON ORMSKIRK Ltd J
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by MALLINSON ORMSKIRK Ltd J filed Critical MALLINSON ORMSKIRK Ltd J
Priority to GB201207925A priority Critical patent/GB2501873A/en
Publication of GB201207925D0 publication Critical patent/GB201207925D0/en
Publication of GB2501873A publication Critical patent/GB2501873A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01B—SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL
    • A01B45/00—Machines for treating meadows or lawns, e.g. for sports grounds
    • A01B45/02—Machines for treating meadows or lawns, e.g. for sports grounds for aerating
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01B—SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL
    • A01B45/00—Machines for treating meadows or lawns, e.g. for sports grounds
    • A01B45/02—Machines for treating meadows or lawns, e.g. for sports grounds for aerating
    • A01B45/026—Scarifiers comprising a knife reel actively driven around a substantially horizontal shaft

Abstract

An attachment 1 for a machine, the attachment and the machine together operable to remove natural material in from a hybrid pitch comprising a matrix of artificial fibres with natural material therebetween. The attachment includes a major elongate member 2a, 2b supporting a plurality of minor elongate members 4 such as tines, and a coupling part at each end of the major elongate member for coupling to the machine such that the machine can cause the attachment to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the major elongate member, wherein the minor elongate members have a rounded profile adapted to pass through a region of the hybrid pitch/turf and remove natural material therefrom without damaging the artificial fibres. The tines may comprise pairs of tines formed from first and second protruding ends of a helical torsion spring. The elongate members may have diameter between 5-20mm.The attachment may rotate at a speed of between 1000-2000 rpm.

Description

Machine attachment
Description
The invention relates, among other things, to an attachment for a machine. In particular, the attachment and the machine are together operable to remove natural material from a hybrid pitch comprising a matrix of artificial fibres with natural material therebetween.
Hybrid pitches comprising natural material, e.g. grass, sand, soil, etc., as well as a io matrix of artificial fibres are regularly used for high-performance sports pitches. Such pitches can be more durable and can be better draining than fully natural grass pitches while having a very similar feel.
An example of such a hybrid pitch is a Desso GrassMaster pitch (Desso Sports i Systems). This has artificial grass (e.g. plastic) fibres injected 200 mm deep into a natural pitch. The artificial fibres extend about 30 mm above the surface of the pitch.
The artificial fibres are arranged in a matrix with a spacing of 20 mm between neighbouring clusters of fibres.
Due to the natural material included in them, hybrid pitches can require maintaining in similar ways to fufly natural pitches. For example, they may need scarifying to remove some of the natural material, e.g. dead grass leaves. Moreover, penodically, the natural material towards the surface of the pitch may need to be completely removed so that it can be replaced.
However, traditional methods and machines for maintaining fully natural pitches are not necessary suitable for hybrid pitches.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an attachment for a machine, the attachment and the machine together operable to remove natural material from a hybrid pitch comprising a matrix of artificial fibres with natural material therebetween, the attachment comprising a major elongate member supporting a phirahty of minor elongate members and a coupling part at each end of the major elongate member for coupling to the machine such that the machine can cause the attachment to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the major elongate member, wherein the minor elongate members have a rounded profile adapted to pass through a region of the hybrid pitch and remove natural material therefrom without damaging the artificial fibres.
Thus, the natural material towards the surface of a hybrid pitch can be effectively partly or frilly removed without damaging the artificial fibres, that is to say without cutting or removing the fibres or, at least, only within an acceptable limit.
The minor elongate members may each have a circular cross section. I0
The minor elongate members may all be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the major elongate member.
The minor elongate members may all be positioned at the same radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the major elongate member.
The minor elongate members may each have a different position along the ongitudinal axis of the major elongate member. The distance between successive ones of the different positions along the longitudinal axis of the major elongate member is between about 50 and 100 mm, preferably 8o mm.
The minor elongate members may be formed from a metal, preferably steel.
The minor elongate members may be adapted to resiliently deform and/or rotate in a backwards direction in relation to their direction of movement when, in operation, the machine causes the major elongate member to rotate.
The minor elongate members may each be formed from a protruding end of a helical torsion spring. Thc minor clongatc mcmbcrs may comprisc pairs of minor clongatc members formed from the first and second protruding ends of a hellcal torsion spring.
The minor elongate members may be aligned such that they extend away from the major elongate member in a backwards direction in relation to their direction of movement when, in operation, the attachment is caused to rotate by the machine.
The minor elongate members may be distributed over a region defined by the side surface of a cylinder whose axis is coincident with the longitudinal axis of the major elongate member.
The minor elongate members may be distributed along one or more helical lines on the region.
The length of the each minor elongate member that can pass through the region of the hybrid pitch may be between about 100 and 200 mm, preferably 150 mm. I0
The minor elongate members may each have a diameter of between about 5 and mm, preferably 9 mm.
There may be more than about 100, preferably about 200 minor elongate members.
The major elongate member may have a length of about 2000 mm.
There may be provided a machine comprising the attachment.
The machine may be a Koro Field TopMaker 2000 (Imants By). However, it will be appreciated that any machine which can hold the attachment in a suitable position and which can cause it to rotate may be used.
The machine may comprise one or more members adapted to receive the natural material removed by the attachment and to convey it to a defined region.
The machine may be adapted to cause the attachment to rotate at a frequency of between about 1,000 and 2,000 revolutions per minute, preferably 1,500 revolutions per minute.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of removing natural material from a hybrid pitch comprising a matrix of artificia' fibres sqth natural material therebetween, the method comprising moving the machine over the pitch with the attachment rotating.
The method may comprise moving the machine over the same area of the pitch in more than one different direction.
Some embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example on'y, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of an attachment according to some embodiments of the invention.
io Figure 2 shows an end view of the attachment shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows a plan view of a machine comprising the attachment shown in Figures 1 in operation.
Figure 4 shows a view of the attachment shown in Figure 3 in operation. The view is a sectional v]ew on a plane perpendicifiar to the axis of the attachment.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, an attachment 1 will be described. The attachment 1 has a major elongate member 2 in the form of a cylindrical drum 2a co-axially mounted on a shaft 2b. For attachment to a Koro Field TopMaker 2000 (Imants By), the shaft preferably has a length of about 2250 mm and the drum preferably has a length of about 1900 mm and a diameter of about 190 mm.
A coupling part 3 in the form of a plate is provided at each end of the shaft 2b. As will be explained in more detail below, the coupling parts 3 are for coupling to a machine (, Fig. 3) such that the machine 4 can hold the attachment 1 and can cause it to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the shaft 2b.
The drum 2a supports a plurality of minor elongate members which wilt be referred to herein as "tines" 4.
The tines 4 are rounded. In particular, the tines have a circular cross-section and preferably have a diameter of between about 5 and omm, more preferaNy 9mm.
As will be explained in more detail below, in operation, the attachment 1 and the machine 4 are for removing natural material (io, Fig. 3) from a hybrid pitch (8, Fig. 3) comprising a matrix of artificial fibres (9, Fig. 4) with natural material therebetween.
To achieve this, the attachment 1 is held in a suitable position and caused to rotate such that the tines pass through a region of the hybrid pitch (8, Fig. 3) and remove the natural material (in, Fig. 3) from it. The rounded tine 4 are adapted to do so in an effective way without damaging the artificial fibres (, Fig. 4).
There are preferably more than 100, more preferably about 200 tines 4 (e.g. 208 tines 4).
io The tines 4 are all perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drum a.
The tines 4 are arranged so that they each have a different position along the longitudinal axis of the drum a. The distance between successive positions along the longitudinal axis of the drum a is preferably between about 50 and 100 mm, more preferably 80 mm. Thus, in operation, each tine 4 wifl move through a different region of the pitch (8, Fig. 3) underneath the attachment 1, the different regions being separated by this distance (80 mm).
The tines 4 are formed from a metal, preferably steel.
The tines 4 are adapted to resiliently deform and/or rotate in a backwards direction in relation to their direction of movement when in operation.
To achieve this, the tines 4 are each formed from a protruding end of a helical torsion spring 5. In particular, pairs of tines 4 are formed from the first and second protruding ends of the same spring 5. As shown in the figure, such a spring 5 is divided into two parts, wherein the parts are mirror images of each other and are connected by a kinked section.
Furthermore, the tines are aligned such that they extend away from the drum a in a backwards direction in relation to the direction of movement when in operation.
By being adapted to resiliently deform and/or rotate in this way and by being aligned in this way, the robustness of the tines 4 can be increased when, in operation, they are caused to pass through the natural material, e.g. grass, sand, soil, etc. (in, Fig. 3).
The springs 5 are mounted in boxes 6 which are attached to the drum 2a. The boxes 6, and hence the tines 4, are distributed over the cylindrical outer surface of the drum 2a and, in particular, are distributed along one or more helical lines (the boxes 6 are distributed along a single heBcal Une and so the tines 4 are distributed along two hehcal lines).
The length of each tine 4 that protrudes from the spring 5 and/or box 6 is preferably between about 100 and 200 mm, more preferably 150 mm. This length of the tine 4 can pass through the hybrid pitch (8, Fig. 3). I0
Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the operation of a machine 7 with the attachment 1 will be described.
The machine 7 is preferably a Koro Field TopMaker 2000 (Imants By). However, the attachment 1 can be used with any suitable machine 7.
The machine 715 shown in operation on a hybrid pitch 8. As mentioned above, the hybrid pitch 8 comprises a matrix of artificial fibres 9 with natural material 10, e.g. e.g. grass, sand, soil, etc., therebetween.
The machine 7 can be moved across the pitch 8 by a suitable vehicle such as a tractor 11.
As mentioned above, the attachment 1 is coupled to the machine 7 by the coupling parts 3 at the ends of the shaft 2b.
It will be appreciated that the coupling parts 3 and the dimensions of the attachment 1 may be different depending upon the machine 7 with which the attachment 1 is to be used.
The machine 7 has one or members in the form of conveyor belts 12 adapted to receive the natural materia' 10 removed by the attachment 1 and to convey it to a defined region for collection, e.g. a trailer 13. The belts 12 are positioned towards the front of the machine 7 from the attachment 1, wherein the front is defined in rebtion to the usual direction of movement B of the machine 7.
The attachment 1 is caused to rotate by the machine in a direction A such that the tines 4 at the bottom of the attachment 1 are moving towards the front of the machine 7.
Thus, the removed natura' material 10 is thrown onto the belts 12.
The machine 7 is preferably adapted to cause the attachment 1 to rotate at a frequency of between about 1,000 and 2,000 revolutions per minute (e.g. 1,500 revolutions per minute).
As mentioned above, as the attachment 1 rotates, the tines 4 pass thrOLigh a region of io the pitch 8 and parfly or fufly remove the natural materia' 10 from that region. The tines 4 extend a certain distance be'ow the surface of the pitch 8. The distance may be adjustable. In normal operation, the distance is less than the distance be'ow the surface to which the artificial fibres 9 extend (see Figure 4).
As expthined above, the attachment 1 and, in particifiar, the tines 4 thereon are adapted to remove the natura' materia' to in an effective way without damaging the artificia' fibres 9.
It maybe desirable to move the machine 7 over the same area of the pitch 8 in more than one different direction in order to remove more of the natura' materia' 10 therefrom.
It should be realized that the foregoing embodiments should not be construed as limiting. Other variations and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reading the present application.

Claims (17)

  1. Claims 1. An attachment for a machine, the attachment and the machine together operable to remove natural material from a hybrid pitch comprising a matrix of artificial fibres with natural material therebetween, the attachinent comprising: a major elongate member supporting a plurality of minor elongate members; and a coupling part at each end of the major elongate member for coupling to the machine such that the machine can cause the attachment to rotate about the io longitudinal axis of the major elongate member; wherein the minor elongate members have a rounded profile adapted to pass through a region of the hybrid pitch and remove natural material therefrom without damaging the artificial fibres.
  2. 2. A]1 attachment according to daim 1, wherein the minor elongate members each have a circiflar cross section.
  3. 3. An attachment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the minor elongate members are all perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the major elongate member.
  4. 4. An attachment according to any preceding claim, wherein the minor elongate members are all positioned at the same radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the major elongate member.
  5. 5. An attachment according to any preceding claim, wherein the minor elongate members each have a different position along the longitudinal axis of the major elongate member.
  6. 6. An attachment according to claim 5, wherein the distance between successive ones of the different positions along the longitudinal axis of the major elongate member is between about 50 and 100 mm, preferably So mm.
  7. 7. An attachment according to any preceding claim, wherein the minor elongate members are formed from a metal, preferably steel.
  8. 8. An attachment according to any preceding claim, wherein the minor elongate members are adapted to resiliently deform and/or resiliently rotate in a backwards direction in relation to their direction of movement when, in operation, the machine causes the major dongate member to rotate.
  9. 9. An attachment according to claim 8, wherein the minor elongate members are each formed from a protruding end of a helical torsion spring.
  10. 10. An attachment according to claim 9, wherein the minor elongate members Jo comprise pairs of minor dongate members formed from the first and second protruding ends of a hehc& torsion spring.
  11. ii. An attachment according to any preceding claim, wherein the minor elongate members are aligned such that they extend away from the major elongate member in a backwards direction in relation to their direction of movement when, in operation, the attachment is caused to rotate by the machine.
  12. 12. An attachment according to any preceding claim, wherein the minor elongate members are distributed over a region defined by the side surface of a cylinder whose axis is coincident with the longitudinal axis of the major elongate member.
  13. 13. An attachment according to claim 12, wherein the minor elongate members are distributed along one or more helical lines on the region.
  14. 14. An attachment according to any preceding claim, wherein the length of each minor elongate member that can pass through the region of the hybrid pitch is between about 100 and 200 mm, preferably 150 mm.
  15. 15. An attachment according to any preceding claim, wherein the minor elongate members each have a diameter of between about and 20 mm, preferably 9 mm.
  16. 16. An attachment according to any preceding claim, wherein there are more than about 100, preferably about 200 minor elongate members.
  17. 17. An attachment according to any preceding claim wherein the major elongate member has a length of about 2000 mm. -10-18. An attachment substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.19. A machine comprising an attachment according to any preceding daim.20. A machine according to claim 19, comprising one or more members adapted to receive the natural material removed by the attachment and to convey it to a defined region.Jo 21. A machine according to cthim 19 or 20, adapted to cause the attachment to rotate at a frequency of between about 1,000 and 2,000 revolutions per minute, preferably 1,500 revolutions per minute.22. A method of removing natural material from a hybrid pitch comprising a matrix of artificial fibres with natura' material therebetween, the method comprising moving a machine according to any one of the preceding three daims over the pitch with the attachment rotating.23. A method according to claim 22, comprising moving the machine over the same area of the pitch in more than one different direction.
GB201207925A 2012-05-05 2012-05-05 Machine attachment for treating hybrid turf Withdrawn GB2501873A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB201207925A GB2501873A (en) 2012-05-05 2012-05-05 Machine attachment for treating hybrid turf

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB201207925A GB2501873A (en) 2012-05-05 2012-05-05 Machine attachment for treating hybrid turf

Publications (2)

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GB201207925D0 GB201207925D0 (en) 2012-06-20
GB2501873A true GB2501873A (en) 2013-11-13

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GB201207925A Withdrawn GB2501873A (en) 2012-05-05 2012-05-05 Machine attachment for treating hybrid turf

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL2020960B1 (en) * 2018-05-18 2019-11-25 Gkb Machines B V Method and device for scarifying grassland with pressure plate

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2992525A (en) * 1959-09-01 1961-07-18 Donald F Irish Hay tedder
US5524425A (en) * 1993-11-30 1996-06-11 Gallazzini; Silvio Dethatching machine
US6196329B1 (en) * 1999-11-18 2001-03-06 Kevin J. Pierce Dethatcher
GB2364497A (en) * 2000-07-07 2002-01-30 Valex Spa Motorised rake
WO2003017746A1 (en) * 2001-08-24 2003-03-06 Wolf-Garten Gmbh & Co. Kg Lawn aerating device
EP1632120A1 (en) * 2004-09-03 2006-03-08 Robert Bosch Gmbh Lawn care apparatus

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2992525A (en) * 1959-09-01 1961-07-18 Donald F Irish Hay tedder
US5524425A (en) * 1993-11-30 1996-06-11 Gallazzini; Silvio Dethatching machine
US6196329B1 (en) * 1999-11-18 2001-03-06 Kevin J. Pierce Dethatcher
GB2364497A (en) * 2000-07-07 2002-01-30 Valex Spa Motorised rake
WO2003017746A1 (en) * 2001-08-24 2003-03-06 Wolf-Garten Gmbh & Co. Kg Lawn aerating device
EP1632120A1 (en) * 2004-09-03 2006-03-08 Robert Bosch Gmbh Lawn care apparatus

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL2020960B1 (en) * 2018-05-18 2019-11-25 Gkb Machines B V Method and device for scarifying grassland with pressure plate
EP3571907A1 (en) * 2018-05-18 2019-11-27 GKB Machines B.V. Method and device for verticutting grassland with pressing plate

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB201207925D0 (en) 2012-06-20

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