Technology Licensing Corporation

Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.

The Motz Group

Murray Equipment, Inc.

Coevin Licensing, LLC

Joseph E Motz

Mark A Heinlein

David P Motz

James B Goddard

Steve Linville

Carl Tyner

Stephen L Linville

Craig Reese

Brian L Ferry

Particulate infill from a worn down infilled artificial turf, particularly a sand/rubber mixture which includes crumb rubber from vehicle tires, is extracted from a prior field and then thereafter incorporated into the top surface of the compacted base at the same site, thereby to assure better drainage conditions in the compacted base for the subsequently installed field. The extracted and incorporated infill helps to maintain open drainage channels throughout the top of the compacted base, particularly in areas where limestone is prevalent. Otherwise, the limestone 'fines' are susceptible to compacting and creating a cement-like crust at the top of the base. An existing infill extractor/collector device is modified to operate in a second mode, so that instead of merely performing the conventional bagging of the already-used infill, the already-used infill is laterally diverted back on to the base at the same site, and thereafter, distributed and tilled into the base. By incorporating the extracted infill into the base of the new field, the need to bag, remove, and dispose of the used infill is eliminated, along with the time and costs associated therewith, while at the same time improving the drainage of the new field. Two structures for diverting the collected infill are disclosed.

Method and apparatus for incorporating already used and extracted infill into the subsurface of a newly installed field

A turf cutter device, an infill extractor/collector device, and a turf wind-up device are used to facilitate the cost-effective removal of an infilled synthetic turf and the subsequent installation of a new turf at the same site, with minimal subsurface disruption. An infill extractor/collector device mounted on a motorized vehicle moves a relatively narrow strip of filled artificial turf from the surface, in front of the vehicle, and directs the strip to an infill removal station. The infill removal station inverts the strip and redirects the strip back toward the front of the vehicle, after agitating the strip to extract the infill. After redirecting the strip toward the front of the vehicle, the vehicle drives over the unfilled strip. Meanwhile, the extractor/collector device moves the extracted infill rearwardly to a bag located in a trailer. The turf cutter device is used prior to infill extraction, while the turf wind up device may be used before or after infill extraction, depending on whether infill extraction takes place at the field or at a remote site, respectively.

Apparatus and methods for facilitating the removal of existing turf and installing new turf

An apparatus for extracting and collecting particulate infill from an infilled artificial turf field. A vehicle has a first forward end and a second rearward end. An infill extractor is located at the first end of the vehicle and adapted to extract infill from a strip of infilled athletic turf. Extracted infill falls into a bottom section of the infill extractor. An infill mover is secured to the vehicle and adapted to move the extracted infill from the bottom section of the infill extractor toward the second end of the vehicle. An infill collector is connected to the second end of the vehicle and operable to cooperate with the infill mover to collect the moved infill. The infill collector includes a frame that is laterally movable relative to the vehicle from an operative 'in use' position to a stowed position.

Apparatus for infill extraction and collection

A method and device for installing synthetic turf uses a motorized turf rollout vehicle and a frame removably carried by the vehicle, the frame holding a roll of synthetic turf on a spindle at a first, forward end thereof. The roll and spindle are held in an orientation that is transverse to the first forward direction, and have a transverse dimension that extends beyond that of the vehicle. As the vehicle moves forward in the first direction, the vehicle engages and pulls the roll of turf, and the vehicle also moves on top of the just-unrolled portion of the turf. This accurately and efficiently places the turf on and over the base, in a desired position. Because the vehicle moves on top of the just unrolled section of turf, the present invention eliminates direct contact with, and disruption to, the underlying prepared base. This method and device reduces the time and cost associated with locating a roll of synthetic turf over a base during the installation of an athletic field, compared to prior installation methods.

Method and device for installing synthetic turf

A synthetic turf comprises a backing with a plurality of pile filaments secured to the backing and extending upwardly therefrom and filled with particulate fill material. The fill material comprises a lower ballast layer of gravel residing on the backing and an upper layer of resilient particles above the lower layer. The lower layer of gravel provides weight and stability to hold down the synthetic turf without migrating to the surface. The upper layer provides cushioning and uniform resilience for the synthetic turf while the pile filaments create a grass-like appearance for the playing surface.

Filled synthetic turf with ballast layer

A stabilized turf (,) particularly suitable for athletic fields includes a mat (,) interposed between upper (,) and lower (,) layers of growth media, the mat (,) having a horizontally disposed, biodegradable primary backing (,) and generally upwardly extending fibers (,) secured thereto, wherein the fibers (,) extend above the upper layer (,) of growth media. Natural grass plants (,) extend upwardly above the upper layer (,), with the roots extending down through the backing (,) and into the lower layer (,). The mat (,) stabilizes root growth, particularly during initial grow in. The biodegradability of the primary backing (,) results in a loss of all or most of its horizontal structural integrity within a predetermined time period. The primary backing (,) may be treated with a decomposition agent to control the predetermined time period for decomposition, a stabilizing agent to assist in holding the upright fibers (,) or a growth agent for the natural turf grass. The mat (,) may also include a reinforcement primary backing (,), to which the fibers (,) may be secured along with the biodegradable primary, or the reinforcement primary could stand alone, above or below the biodegradable primary. Aerating helps to disperse, i.e., reorient and vertically distribute, the fibers (,) within a subsurface vertical band (,) greater in vertical dimension than the upper layer of growth media. The stabilized turf (,) can also be topdressed. Thus, this turf (,) is adapted to accommodate both aeration and topdressing, two well-recognized and advocated turf management practices.

Method for stabilizing natural turf with dual primary stabilizer

A stabilized natural turf surface particularly suitable for athletic fields includes a mat interposed between upper and lower layers of growth media, the mat having a woven biodegradable backing and upwardly extending artificial fibers secured thereto, wherein the fibers extend well above the top of the upper layer. Natural grass plants grow in the upper layer, with the crowns being located in the upper layer of growth media and the roots extending down through the backing and into the lower layer. The mat helps to stabilize root growth, particularly during the first few years. The biodegradability of the backing results in its eventual decomposition, so that after a predetermined time the turf surface may be aerated all the way down to the lower layer without adversely affecting the mat and the mat can be top dressed beginning immediately after turf growth occurs. The biodegradability also prevents the creation of an agronomic barrier between the upper and lower layers.

Stabilized natural turf with decomposition agent

Stabilized natural turf for athletic field

A stabilized turf (10) particularly suitable for athletic fields includes a mat (18) interposed between upper (24) and lower (16) layers of growth media, the mat (18) having a horizontally disposed, biodegradable primary backing (22) and generally upwardly extending fibers (20) secured thereto, wherein the fibers (20) extend above the upper layer (24) of growth media. Natural grass plants (26) extend upwardly above the upper layer (24), with the roots extending down through the backing (22) and into the lower layer (16). The mat (18) stabilizes root growth, particularly during initial grow in. The biodegradability of the primary backing (22) results in a loss of all or most of its horizontal structural integrity within a predetermined time period. The primary backing (22) may be treated with a decomposition agent to control the predetermined time period for decomposition, a stabilizing agent to assist in holding the upright fibers (20) or a growth agent for the natural turf grass. The mat (18) may also include a reinforcement primary backing (122a), to which the fibers (20) may be secured along with the biodegradable primary, or the reinforcement primary could stand alone, above or below the biodegradable primary. Aerating helps to disperse, i.e., reorient and vertically distribute, the fibers (22) within a subsurface vertical band (22a) greater in vertical dimension than the upper layer of growth media. The stabilized turf (10) can also be topdressed. Thus, this turf (10) is adapted to accommodate both aeration and topdressing, two well-recognized and advocated turf management practices.

Stabilized turf for athletic field

A temporarily stabilized natural turf conforms to a foundation of uniform or nonuniform topography, for instance a golf course green, and includes a flexible biodegradable primary backing with biodegradable fibers tufted thereto, an upper sand-based fill layer extending above the primary to about the tops of the fibers, and natural grass plants supported within the fill layer. The natural grass plants have blades which extend above the fill layer and the fibers to form a natural grass playing surface. The crowns of the natural grass plants reside just beneath the fill layer. The roots of the natural grass plants extend downwardly through the fill layer and through the root permeable and water permeable primary backing. The stabilized turf is grown at a sod farm and transplanted to the use site, and the primary backing helps to carry the sand-based fill layer. Once installed, the roots grow into the foundation relatively quickly, reducing the time needed to achieve a durable natural turf. Neither the backing nor the fibers impede the natural play characteristics of the natural turf surface. Because the backing and the fibers biodegrade over a period of time, the turf may be aerated.

Temporarily stabilized natural turf

A control system for an athletic field coordinates drainage by gravity or vacuum-enhanced and irrigation by monitoring water level with respect to a subsurface membrane, wherein a flow network resides on the membrane and is covered by a fill layer, which in turn supports the field surface thereabove. The flow network includes couplings located at the intersections of some of the pipe rows and conduit rows. The water permeability of the conduit rows allows the flow network to be used for draining, irrigating or heating the field. The heating of the fill layer and the surface thereabove minimizes energy costs and eliminates installation and maintenance costs that would otherwise be necessitated by separate heating and draining systems.

Control system for draining, irrigating and heating an athletic field

A drainage system for a natural turf athletic field includes a buried drainage network located above a water impermeable membrane which conforms to the topography of a compacted subsoil, the drainage network including a plurality of water impermeable pipe rows partially recessed in depressions in the subsoil and a plurality of water permeable conduit rows oriented perpendicular to and intersecting the pipe rows. At each intersection, a low profile coupling interconnects the respective pipe row to the respective conduit row, the coupling having a vertical dimension less than the combined vertical dimension of the pipe rows and the conduit rows. A fill layer covers the membrane and supports natural turf thereabove. The drainage network connects to a a gravity drain and a water supply. The design of the drainage network results in reduced excavation and simplified construction, thereby lowering the installation cost for the system. The system may also include a subsystem for vacuum-enhanced drainage, or irrigation and sensors for automatically initiating these features.

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Joseph E Motz