Plant husbandry – Receptacle for growing medium – Method of using a plant receptacle
Patent
1995-06-08
1997-10-07
Melius, Terry Lee
Plant husbandry
Receptacle for growing medium
Method of using a plant receptacle
47 56, 108 511, 108 563, 171 19, A01G 902
Patent
active
056735138
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a turf product and particularly to a turf product which has two distinct uses.
In this specification, we shall use the term turf both in the sense of the whole of the product to be described, and the planted material which is actually growing. The two usages will be readily separable by the context.
There are certain applications were it is desirable that turf be located temporarily in an area and, whilst this has previously been done, it has usually been a time consuming and expensive operation. Conventional turf used for this purpose does not withstand foot traffic etc. without severe deterioration.
There are also applications where it would be desirable to be able to lay turf rapidly for permanent installations in such a way that it is already established. Such applications, it is believed, would primarily be in high wear areas which could include, for example, football centres and goal squares, golf tees, and other similar applications but could also include applications where, for example, a whole sporting field or golf course needs to be ruffed rapidly.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a turf product which is useful in both such applications.
The invention in its broadest sense comprises a turf product having a transportable base, a root zone material having embedded reinforcement material therein located thereon and turf growing in the root zone material.
It is preferred that there is an upwardly directed skirt about the base with the root zone and reinforcing material being located in the volume defined by the base and the skirt.
The root zone material could be sand or it could be soil or a combination of these.
The reinforcement may be a plastics element or it could be a fibrous material and is preferably randomly located through the root zone material. Plastics elements are sold under the trade mark Netlon. These elements are cut from a plastics net and generally have at least one closed portion with extensions directed outwardly therefrom. There can be other forms of elements which are equally satisfactory.
Preferably the base is the upper surface of a pallet which can be handled by a fork lift or the like and also preferably the skirt may be removable from the base so that the turf is left with an edge which is effectively co-terminus with the base.
Particularly in some applications where great rigidity of the base is required, it is preferred to use a plastic pallet although the base could be of other material. It is preferred that it is basically a solid surface, and as such could satisfactorily of marine ply or steel or the like.
In a first application of use of the product of the invention, the product can be shifted to an area where a temporary turf is required, the pallet can be removed from the transport vehicle, the skirt can be removed from the pallet and adjacent pallets can be butted to provide a continuous turf surface.
In an application where the turf is to be permanent, the pallet can be moved to the required position, the skirt can be removed therefrom, one side of the pallet can be located where it is required that the turf be fitted and the turf can be held in a fixed position relative to the ground whilst the pallet is moved away from beneath the turf until the turf is located on the ground surface. In the use of this process, the turf growing on various pallets can be butted so that a continuous turf cover is provided which is already established and which can be used effectively immediately.
In order that the invention may be more readily understood, we shall describe with the aid of the accompanying drawings, certain embodiments of the invention.
In these drawings:
FIG. 1 shows a standard pallet of turf material as it would be delivered;
FIG. 2 shows the pallet of FIG. 1 with the skirt removed;
FIG. 3 shows a pallet particularly suitable to the invention which has a removable foot piece which enables the base of the pallet to be horizontal in normal use but permits the pallet to be wedge shaped when the material is to be deliver
REFERENCES:
patent: 4735153 (1988-04-01), Wong
patent: 4982859 (1991-01-01), Colebrook
patent: 5224290 (1993-07-01), Molnar
patent: 5309846 (1994-05-01), Peterson
patent: 5326192 (1994-07-01), Freed
Netlon Advanced Turf (Jan. 1992) 6 pages.
Downs Joanne C.
Melius Terry Lee
Schindler Edwin D.
StrathAyr Pty. Limited
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