US2225458A

US2225458A - Game court

Info

Publication number: US2225458A
Application number: US270179A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward F Murphy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-04-26
Filing date: 1939-04-26
Publication date: 1940-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 1957-12-17

Description

De.l17, 1940.

E. F. MURPHY 2,225,458

GAME COURT Filed April 26, 1959 CINDERS TON ROLLER Patented Dec. 17, 1940 UNITED STATESl PATENT orifice 2 Claims.

This invention relates to the method of constructing foundations and the 'surfaces thereof, rand particularly to the method of constructing surfaces and foundations for tennis courts, badminton courts, paddle courts and playgrounds, paths andr drivewaysand the like, as well as to the structure of the sports courts themselves.

It is highly desirable that sports courts, driveways, paths and the like be constructed for r-apid drying to enable the early use thereof after they have been rained upon, and it is, therefore, a purpose of this invention to provide a playing court or the like which will quickly dry after a wetting.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sports court and the like which has a resilient and yet a strong surface.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a sports court and the like having a surface which permits a certain amount of slide under foot.

It is a further purpose of this invention to provide a sports court and the like which may be used outdoors the year around and is not affected by the rays of the sun, or by changes in weather conditions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sports court and the like which is durable and lasting and will not require constant care and attention.

The foregoing and still further objects will become more fully apparent from the ensuing description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming part of my disclosure but not intended to limit the same to the actual construction shown.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a cross section through a portion of a sports court embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section through a portion of a o modified form of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a cross section through a portion of another form of my invention when applied as a new surface over a former sports court or the like.

The area which is to be prepared to receive my fsp'ts court or the like is rst excavated to a depth of approximately eight inches. It is to be understood that the depth of the excavation may be ascertained in accordance with the use to o. which the court is to be put and the figures which are given herein have Ibeen found to be satisfactory for sports courts but they may be made greater or less when found desirable without departing from the spirit and scope` of my invention.

The surface of the excavation is graded to have a pitch of one inch in twenty feet and the materials which are used follow this pitch so that the finished surface of the court will be similarly inclined to insure proper drainage thereof. The surface of the excavation is then rolled, prefera- 5 bly with a heavy power roller and when substantially all irregularities are smoothed out 2" x 6" creosotedplanks are disposed on all the outside edges of the excavation and are secured rmly in place by creosoted stakes driven into the 10 ground; The excavation or pit is now fully prepared to receive the various layers of material whichare combined to provide a court having the Various advantages resulting from this design and method of construction.

The surface of the pit is covered with a layer of clean cinders to a depth of approximately four inches, as disclosed, particularly in Fig. 1 of the drawing, these cinders are evenly distributed in the, pit and are then subjected to the crushing and, compressing action of a heavy power roller.

I prefer-ably use clean cinders to form` the base of my court but it is not my intention to limit my invention to their use alone, as I also contemplate using broken stone in place of cinders when desired.

Upon this base of cinders I, I place 2 x4" screeds on edge which are set to the finished grade of the next layer or stratum of my court which I am about to describe. Approximately four more inches of clean cinders 3 are evenly distributed over the base of cinders `and in this instance I may again use broken stone in place of cinders 3. The stratum of cinders laid over the base of cinders is graded by a straight edge which rests upon and slides on the edges of the screeds which have been disposed on the cinder base about the inside edge of the pit. v The cinders 3 are then rolled an-d I have found the action of a three ton power roller to be effective in compressing this stratum of cinders on the cinder base, although a heavier or lighter roller may, of course, be used.

The 2 x 4" screeds should nowbe removed and the depressions left must be filled with cinders which are thoroughly tamped and the stratum is again checked with a long straight edge and any depressions forming an uneven surface are filled with screened cinders which are lightly rolled.

It is evident that two beds of cinders have been 50,

disposed in the pit and rolled and graded. This base for my sports court comprises the two beds or layers l and 3 which have been separately laid and separatelygraded and rolled so as to provide arelatively rm foundation for the layers of material which are now applied and which I am about to describe. To the surface of the layer of cinders 3 which forms the top layer of the entire base I apply either liquid asphalt emulsion or cut back, employing one-half gallon to one square yard of surface of the cinders. This asphalt emulsion acts as a binder for the top surface of the upper layer or stratum of cinders. Over the layer of cinders 3 and after the asphalt emulsion has been applied thereto I stretch a fabric 1 preferably though not necessarily a heavy cotton fabric such as burlap, using Ia block and tackle to secure the proper positioning and tautness to the fabric which may be applied in strips, the joints thereof being lapped about eight inches. When the fabric is tautly and securely disposed over the cinder layer 3 and the asphalt emulsion 5 to which it adheres, it is impregnated with liquid asphalt emulsion or cut back, applying approximately one-quarter gallon to one square yard of the fabric. Immediately following the impregnation of the burlap a resilient layer is applied thereto which consists of cork granules I I which are applied insufficient quantity to completely cover the impregnated fabric surface to an approximate depth of one-quarter of an inch. Upon the resilient cork layer I place pipe screeds which are set to the finished grade and then approximately three-eighths inch crushed stone I3 is distributed over the cork granules t0 a depth of about three-quarters of an inch forniing a layer of non-yielding material. I grade this layer of crushed stone with a straight edge resting upon the pipe screeds. Upon completion of the grading the pipe screeds are removed and the holes left are filled with three-eighths inch crushed stone. To the surf-ace of the crushed stone layer I3 I apply liquid asphalt I5, using approximately one-half gallon to one square yard of surface; after the surface of the stone has been treated I ll the voids between the crushed stone with finer crushed stone and grits I1. The foundation is now left until the asphalt emulsion I5 has cracked or turned black, at which time the surface is rolled thoroughly, preferably with a three .ton power roller, after which liquid asphalt I9 is applied in the quantity of approximatelyone-fth of a gallon to one square yard, and before the asphalt hardens it is covered with green slate granules 2| and rolled While the asphalt is still soft.

vWhen the asphalt has hardened and a proportion of the slate granules have adhered thereto the court may be marked in any desired manner depending upon the use to which it is to be put.

` At any Itime during the process of constructing my court when the fabric 'I has set with its adjacent materials the block and tackle may be removed therefrom and any excess portions of fabric out from the edges of .the court.

It will thus .be Aevident that a court or pavement constructed as described includes a base 52 formed of the two cinder or stone layers I and 3 and the upper section which comprises the various layers of materials both resilient and unyielding, and that the base and upper section are separated by the fabric. Such a court is quick drying and because ofthe material used and the arrangement thereof in the structure presents a resilient surface, yet one which is endowed with strong and lasting qualities. By using slate granules on the surface which are colored green it will be clear that the rays of the sun Will not be attracted and the court surface will not become as hot as does lthe surface of the usual asphalt court.

In Fig. 2 of the drawing, I show another form of my invention which is used when a sports court, path, or driveway is desired, which is less expensive than that disclosed in Fig. l of the drawing.

The method used in this form is similar to that already described and therefore will not be repeated in detail in this connection. The area upon which the court is to be constructed is excavated and graded forming a pit approximately three inches in depth into which I place clean cinders 23 to a depth of about three inches. The cinders are then rolled, preferably with a .three ton roller. Liquid asphalt 25 and heavy cotton yfabric 2l, such as burlap, are then applied as above described. In this form of my invention I omit the cork granules and instead I place the three eighths inch crushed stone 29 directly over the fabric after it has been impregnated and I then apply asphalt 3| and fill in the voids between the stone with finer crushed stone and grits 33. The completing steps are exactly similar to those explained in connection with Fig. lof the drawing, the green slate granular surface being designated by the numeral 35.

In Fig. 3 I have disclosed my invention as applied oVer a present surface of clay or other materials. Where the owner of a sport-s court or the like of clay or other materials desires a court of my construction it is not necessary to remove the old surface. Instead I merely regrade the present clay surface 31 so that the pitch of the court is one inch in twenty feet and to this graded surface I apply a three inch layer of clean cinders 39 graded between screeds, and roll with a three ton roller. The depressions remaining after removal of the screeds are filled with cinders which are tamped into place, whereupon the surface is again check-ed for irregularities and screened cinders yarer used to even the surface. Upon this layer 39 a heavy cotton fabric or burlap 4I is stretched with block and tackle and the burlap is impregnated as in the already -described forms of my invention. The impregnated fabric, asphalt cork granules 45, crushed stone 4l, asphalt 49, and the use of crushed stone and grits 5I, and the remaining steps used in completing the sports court including the surface 53 are similar to that described in connection with the preferred form of Fig. 1 of the drawing and will not now be further described.

Thus the court of my invention maybe built right upon the surface of a clay or the like court and like advantageous results will follow.

Variations within the spirit and scope of my invention are equally comprehended by the foregoing disclosure.

I claim:

1. A sports court comprising a base section composed of two separately laid beds of cinders having a, binder applied to the top surface there,- -of, an asphalt impregnated fabric disposed on said base and a resilient layer of cork granules disposed on said fabric, a layer of crushed stone applied on said cork granules, a binder applied to Isaid layer of stone, finer stone applied between said crushed stones, a binder applied thereto and slate granules dispo-sed on said layer of crushed stoneand said finer stone.

2. A method of constructing a sports court comprising the following steps; excavating a pit, kdistributing a layer of granular material therein and rolling said layer, distributing another layer of granular material therein and rolling and grading, applying an asphalt emulsion to this surface and then stretching strips of heavy fabric over this lapping the joints of the fabric, impregnating the fabric with a liquid asphalt and covering inmediately with a layer of resilient material, `distributing a layer of non-yielding material on said layer of resilient material, and grading, applying a liquid asphalt to this surface, letting the asphalt on last named layer crack, then rolling the surface `and applying liquid asphalt, and covering with granular material while asphalt is soft. 5

EDWARD F. MURPHY.