IES970655A2 - A hurley - Google Patents

Abstract

A hurley having a core (15) of a foamed plastics material preferably foamed polyurethane with a moulded on layer (17) of a synthetic fibre material preferably a high density polyethylene. The core may be covered with a PVC film (16).<Fig.2>

Description

This invention relates to a Hurley. * ί« Conventional hurleys are made from wood, especially ash. Due to the potential shortage of such raw material and for environmental reasons many attempts, some partially successful, have been made to produce a hurley using wood laminates and veneers. In addition some investigations have been made, without leading to any notable success, to produce a plastic hurley.

The present invention provides a construction of a hurley comprising a core of a foamed plastics material covered with a moulded on layer of a synthetic fibre material.

Preferably the core is of foamed polyurethane. The use of foamed polyurethane provides a lightweight core which is readily shaped to the correct configuration upon which to mould on the synthetic fibre material. The use of a foamed polyurethane core also imparts a dampening characteristic to the construction of a hurley since the core readily absorbs vibrations.

The synthetic fibre material used for the moulded on layer may be a resin impregnated high density polyethylene which is a light material with a high impact strength. As an alternative to a high density polyethylene one may use to good advantage such synthetic fibre materials as fibreglass, carbon fibre, synthetic fibre Kevlar and Aramid or a polyester material or nylon or any suitable mix or hybrid of these synthetic fibre materials. The choice of synthetic fibre material or mix or hybrid being determined by the quality of a hurley required and by the consequent production methods necessary to produce the hurley and the cost.

In the production of the hurley and in particular in the moulding on process of the synthetic fibre material layer, the core is first cover in a conventional mould OPEN 1ORJBUC M8PBCmi* UNDER SECTION 28 AND 23 JNL No.. >97 0 fi H * release substance. If no mould release substance is to be employed in the production process then the use of a polyvinylchloride film cover for the core may be used.

The invention will be understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig 1. is a front view of a hurley according to the present invention; Fig 2. is a transverse cross-sectional view along the line II- II of Fig 1; and Fig 3. is a transverse cross-sectional view along the line III- III of Fig 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings the hurley 10 consists of a bas 11 with a toe 12, a shaft 13 with a handle 14, all elements of the hurley being moulded as an integral unit.

The hurley is formed with a shaped core 15 of formed polyurethane with a cover 16 of PVC film stretched tight on the core 15. The core 15 has a moulded on layer 17 of a resin impregnated high density polyethylene.

The core 15 of foamed polyurethane is in production made slightly larger than the size of the hurley to be produced so that in the moulding on process of a layer 17 of high density polyethylene the core 15 is compressed slightly forcing the braid of the polyethylene layer 17 to retain a compacted configuration for impregnation by expoxy resin to give the resin impregnated polyethylene layer as an exterior surface to the hurley. This process gives a tactile surface, which is a visually attractive surface with an ash-like appearance. <3970655 The shaft 13 of the hurley may be reinforced as considered necessary by the use in the moulding on process of the layer of synthetic fibre material of a plurality of spaced apart unidirectional fibres running longitudinally on the shaft 13. Similarly if reinforcing is required on the bas 11 of the hurley a plurality of spaced apart cross linked fibres may be used.

In order to ensure a proper finish to the hurley a knitted cap of synthetic fibres is fitted over the extreme end of the toe of the core and the extreme end of the handle of the core as part of the final moulding on process of the synthetic fibre layer 17. This ensures that in the finished product the hurley has a toe 12 and a handle 14 finished at these extremities in a rounded manner without any projection of fibre or any sharp edges.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above which may be modified and/or varied without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (5)

1. A hurley having a core of a foamed plastics material covered with a layer of a synthetic fibre material.

2. A hurley as claimed in Claim 1 in which the layer on synthetic fibre material is moulded on to the core of foamed plastics material.

3. A hurley as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which the core is foamed polyurethane

4. A hurley as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which the layer of synthetic fibre material is high density polyethylene or fibreglass or carbon fibre or a polyester material or a synthetic fibre material as sold under the Trade Marks Kevlar, Aramid and Nylon or any suitable mix or hybrid of one or more of all such synthetic fibre materials.

5. A hurley substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.