US3721418A - Natural ice rink mould - Google Patents

Natural ice rink mould Download PDF

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Publication number
US3721418A
US3721418A US00014061A US3721418DA US3721418A US 3721418 A US3721418 A US 3721418A US 00014061 A US00014061 A US 00014061A US 3721418D A US3721418D A US 3721418DA US 3721418 A US3721418 A US 3721418A
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mould
water
sheets
ice
enclosure
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US00014061A
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English (en)
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E Vincent
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Individual
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Individual
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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01C—CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR
    • E01C13/00—Pavings or foundations specially adapted for playgrounds or sports grounds; Drainage, irrigation or heating of sports grounds
    • E01C13/10—Pavings or foundations specially adapted for playgrounds or sports grounds; Drainage, irrigation or heating of sports grounds for artificial surfaces for outdoor or indoor practice of snow or ice sports
    • E01C13/102—Civil engineering aspects of the construction of ice rinks or sledge runs made from frozen-liquid, semi-liquid or frozen-pasty substances, e.g. portable basins

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A one-shot mould for forming natural ice rinks is provided. It includes a pair of sheets of synthetic thermoplastic material, e.g. polyethylene, whose peripheral edges are sealed together. The bottom of the two sheets is water-tight and can conform to the shape of an irregular surface. The top has a water inlet aperture, and preferably also more holes to permit the escape of entrapped air as water fills the enclosure.
  • This invention relates to a portable mould for use in the formation of natural ice rinks. More particularly, it is directed to such moulds which are especially adapted for use in the formation of natural ice rinks, for example, on private lawns or the like. The invention is also directed to a novel method for the formation of natural ice rinks.
  • such outdoor ice rinks may be made by flooding an area, either open or enclosed along the sides and ends, until a suitable ice surface has formed.
  • This method is time-consuming and impractical, since water is wasted and the rink boards are expensive and require storage.
  • the area is flooded without rink boards, the water runs to the lowest points which may be off the property.
  • the area is left only partially frozen and porous.
  • the area must be further packed and sealed and the porous areas frozen with water until the entire area is water-tight.
  • the ice has generally followed the contour of the base which is usually uneven or sloped.
  • a further problem must be avoided where narrow boards are used for the enclosure and where the area slopes to the extent that the vertical distance between the upper and lower limits of the slope is greater than the width of the boards. When this occurs, a total flat ice surface is impossible to obtain since after the level of water reaches the top edge of the boards at the lowest end of the slope, it overflows and is no longer contained in the area. This problem is difficult to anticipate with the naked eye. If the boards are set with a carpenters level, wide spaces are left to be filled, otherwise, wider boards are required.
  • Such portable ice skating rink included members providing a frame and sheeting (which was thin, highly flexible to conform closely to an irregular surface, e.g. a tough, water impervious polyethylene plastic having a thickness of the order of 0.003 to 0.005 inch), the sheeting being arranged to extend through the area defined by the frame' with its major portion arranged to rest on a supporting surface and with its edge portions upturned and secured to the frame for the ice-containing enclosure. It was alleged that such a skating rink had the particular advantage in that it may be used without damage to a lawn. Furthermore, it was alleged to be highly durable and required for the formation of the ice surface only a small quantity of water ranging, for example, from a depth of about one inch to a maximum ofa few inches. I
  • the surface upon which the rink is to be placed must be approximately level or at least no more slope than 1 in 30. For sloping surfaces, it would be almost impossible to provide a level skating surface.
  • Objects of this invention include the provision of a truly portable natural ice rink mould, and one which is completely enclosed so as to protect the surface of the ice which is being formed.
  • an expendible mould for forming an ice surface, the mould comprising a pair of sheets of substantially similar shape, the peripheral edges thereof being either integral or sealed to one another to form a water-tight enclosure, the sheets being formed of a synthetic thermoplastic material, one of the sheets being water-tight and adapted to be the bottom, and being thin and highly flexible to conform closely to the shape of an irregular surface, the other of the sheets being adapted to be the top and being provided with a water inlet aperture.
  • a method for forming an outdoor natural ice rink which includes the steps of: (l) spreading out, at the site where the ice rink is to be formed, an expendible mould comprising a pair of sheets of substantially similar shape, the peripheral edges thereof being either integral or sealed to one another to form a water-tight enclosure, the sheets being formed of a synthetic thermoplastic material, one of the sheets being water-tight and adapted to be the bottom, and being thin and highly flexible to conform closely to the shape of an irregular surface, the other of the sheets being adapted to be the top, and being provided with a water inlet aperture; (2) filling the mould with water; (3) allowing the water to freeze to ice; and (4) removing the top sheet, thereby leaving an exposed, substantially flat ice surface.
  • the sheet material used in producing the expendible mould of one aspect of this invention is formed of a synthetic thermoplastic polymer, for example a polyolefin polymer, e.g. polyethylene or polypropylene.
  • the polyolefin sheet should'be quite thin, i.e. of the order of 0.001 0.005 inch, e.g. 0.003 inch. It has been found that particularly advantageous results accrue where there is used a polyethylene polymer of the type having a molecular weight in excess of ten thousand. A sheet of this type has various highly desirable characteristics.
  • the sheeting need not be continuous since a large sheet may be readily built up by joining together several small sheets, for example, by welding through heat, chemical combinations of the same or other means.
  • the sealing provides joints which are impervious and consequently, rinks in accordance with the invention may be provided up to any desired area. In fact, certain of the peripheral edges of the top and bottom sheets are sealed together to form the expendible mould.
  • FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an expendible mould according to one aspect of this invention, filled with water in frozen ice form;
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a final skating rink produced by the method of another aspect of this invention.
  • FIG. 6 is a perspective view, partly broken away, ofa combination according to yet another aspect of this invention.
  • FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of yet another aspect of this invention.
  • the expendible mould 10 of this aspect of this invention includes an upper sheet 11 and a lower sheet 12 of a polyolefin polymer, sealed together at their marginal side edges l3, 14.
  • the upper sheet 11 is provided with a water inlet aperture 15.
  • the bottom sheet 12 follows the uneven contours of the surface upon which it rests.
  • the bottom sheet 12 rests directly on the ground 16 while in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the bottom sheet 12 rests on a ground cover of snow and/or ice 17 over the ground 16.
  • a substantially flat, smooth ice surface 18 is provided.
  • FIGS. 4 and 5 show the embodiment when the expendible mould is not rectangular in shape.
  • the expendible mould is circular in plan (although any other geometrical shape may be used) and includes circular top sheet 20 and circular bottom sheet 21, with the circumferential edge 22 of top sheet 20 being heat-sealed to the circumferential edge 23 of bottom sheet 21.
  • a space 25 is provided between the top sheet 20 and the bottom sheet 21 for placement of water therein, through water inlet aperture 24.
  • the combination shown in FIG. 6 includes a top rectangular sheet 30 and a bottom rectangular sheet 31, heat-sealed at their marginal side edges 32.
  • the top sheet 30 is provided with a water inlet filler opening 33, as well as with a plurality of small holes or perforations 34 to allow trapped air to escape as the enclosure is being filled with water.
  • the water previously admitted to the enclosure provided between top sheet 30 and bottom sheet 31 is in the form of ice 35. It will be observed that the top surface 30 is flat to provide a smooth, substantially flat ice surface 36, while the bottom sheet 31 follows the contours of the ground 16.
  • the rectangular expendible mould 10 includes a top sheet 40 and a bottom sheet 41 which are heat-sealed together at their marginal side edges 42, 43.
  • Top sheet 40 includes filler opening 44.
  • the two joined rectangular sheets are rolled together into a spiral 45, to facilitate the handling of large size expendible moulds. It will be evident that expendible moulds in various sizes may be sold to provide natural ice skating rinks of various sizes.
  • the ice surface may be maintained merely by spraying additional water onto the ice surface by means of a hose, and finally, when the rink is to be removed, the water may run off and/or be permitted to evaporate or the ice melts.
  • the present invention also now provides a means of making a large flat ice surface with only one flood of water. It does not require the use of rink boards and the like. Furthermore, it does not require any preparation of the surface of the area regardless if the condition is bare, snow-covered, level, uneven, or sloped.
  • the bottom layer of the mould can be opaque to protect the grass from any possible damage normally caused by sunlight.
  • the bottom layer can have designs or markings placed or printed thereon, which can be seen through the ice for use with games played on the ice, or the top layer can have markings to be left imprinted in the ice after the water has frozen and the top layer of plastic or polyethylene is removed.
  • the final shape of the mould after it is filled and the water frozen is somewhat the same as a pillow.
  • the edges are curved; the bottom follows the contours of the ground; the top surface is perfectly flat and smooth over the entire area; and the ice becomes solid with substantially no air pockets.
  • a mould for forming an ice skating surface said mould when used once, being thereafter destroyed, said mould having a bottom and top comprising:
  • one of said sheets being water-tight and being the bottom of said mould, and being thin and highly flexible to conform closely to the shape of an irregular surface;
  • the other of said sheets being the top of said mould and being provided with an unsealed water inlet aperture for the free, unhindered entry into, and exit from, the mould of water and including a plurality of further apertures to permit the escape of entrapped air as the mould is being filled with water;
  • the mould being destroyed by tearing off the top sheet after the mould has been filled with water and then frozen, the torn top sheet thereafter being removed in order to leave a moulded exposed, substantially uniform and flat ice skating surface.
  • an enclosure including a pair of sheets of substantially similar shape, the peripheral edges thereof being either integral or sealed to one another to form a water-tight enclosure, the sheets being formed of a synthetic thermoplastic material, one of the sheets being water-tight and adapted to be the bottom, and being thin and highly flexible to conform closely to the shape of an irregular surface, the other of the sheets being adapted to be the top, and being provided with a water inlet aperture, and including a plurality of further apertures in the top to permit the escape of entrapped air as the enclosure is being filled with water and water in liquid and/or solid form in the enclosure.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Floor Finish (AREA)
  • Road Paving Structures (AREA)
US00014061A 1969-03-25 1970-02-25 Natural ice rink mould Expired - Lifetime US3721418A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA46709 1969-03-25

Publications (1)

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US3721418A true US3721418A (en) 1973-03-20

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US00014061A Expired - Lifetime US3721418A (en) 1969-03-25 1970-02-25 Natural ice rink mould

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US (1) US3721418A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA852455A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2014503A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3808831A (en) * 1973-01-22 1974-05-07 J Landry Ice rink
US3898855A (en) * 1973-10-03 1975-08-12 Charles P Curfhey Ice rink mould and method of constructing an ice rink utilizing the mould
US3933002A (en) * 1974-06-17 1976-01-20 Vickery Earle R Skating rink
US4647000A (en) * 1984-05-02 1987-03-03 Hideharu Osada Flexible mold for forming simulated tile or brick surfaces
US4815301A (en) * 1988-09-19 1989-03-28 Edith Deloughery Portable ice skating rink
US5938991A (en) * 1997-06-18 1999-08-17 Big Color Creations Ltd. Process for placing color graphics in ice
US6021646A (en) * 1998-06-26 2000-02-08 Burley's Rink Supply, Inc. Floor system for a rink
US9833689B2 (en) 2013-11-15 2017-12-05 Jeffrey T. Smith Modular connector system
US20240207714A1 (en) * 2021-04-16 2024-06-27 Sun-Ice Energy Pte. Ltd. Skating rink that retains refrigeration energy by way of a phase-change material

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3808831A (en) * 1973-01-22 1974-05-07 J Landry Ice rink
US3898855A (en) * 1973-10-03 1975-08-12 Charles P Curfhey Ice rink mould and method of constructing an ice rink utilizing the mould
US3933002A (en) * 1974-06-17 1976-01-20 Vickery Earle R Skating rink
US4647000A (en) * 1984-05-02 1987-03-03 Hideharu Osada Flexible mold for forming simulated tile or brick surfaces
US4815301A (en) * 1988-09-19 1989-03-28 Edith Deloughery Portable ice skating rink
US5938991A (en) * 1997-06-18 1999-08-17 Big Color Creations Ltd. Process for placing color graphics in ice
US6021646A (en) * 1998-06-26 2000-02-08 Burley's Rink Supply, Inc. Floor system for a rink
US9833689B2 (en) 2013-11-15 2017-12-05 Jeffrey T. Smith Modular connector system
US20240207714A1 (en) * 2021-04-16 2024-06-27 Sun-Ice Energy Pte. Ltd. Skating rink that retains refrigeration energy by way of a phase-change material

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Publication number Publication date
CA852455A (en) 1970-09-29
DE2014503A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-10-08

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