PREFABRICATED PORTABLE INDOOR/OUTDOOR NATURAL GRASS SPORTSFIELD

TERRAIN DE SPORT PREFABRIQUE, PORTATIF, EN GAZON NATUREL, POUR L'INTERIEUR ET L'EXTERIEUR

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A prefabricated portable indoor/outdoor system
for rapidly removing excess moisture from a planted area
surface such as a sportsfield or sports area including a
sub-surface multistrata base for drainage and irrigation
combined and adpated for propagating a planted surface
requiring controlled irrigation and/or draining of
excessive moisture.
IRRIGATION supply consists of a small diameter
duct superimposed into a larger duct at right angles to
each other.
Ports through the smaller duct are spaced directly
into the larger duct below the level of smaller duct. The
upper smaller duct is a pressure duct conducting water.
During irrigation water falls from the upper small pressure
duct ports into the lower larger duct which forms a perforated
sump allowing the irrigation water to disperse over the
impervious plastic base.
DRAINAGE. The water rises into the larger lower
duct through ports to the level of the port in the duct end
caps which connects to a solid duct thus forming a reservoir
sump within the larger duct over the impervious plastic base.
HONEYCOMB. Being of a lightweight construction and
prefabricated in a workshop allows the apparatus to be lifted
by hand according to its size and laid by hand and by doing so
is consistent with a temporary movable apparatus allowing a
multi purpose apparatus.
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Claims

CLAIMS
1. A drainage system for rapid drainage of the
top surface of a sportsfield - athletic playing field
and for water conservation characterized by a water-
proof plastic polythene barrier disposed above the
existing subsoil.
A drainage pipe system disposed above said
waterproof barrier.
A porous medium composed substantially of
sand and porous medium.
2. A portable lightweight apparatus constructed
with porous materials, soft when wet and stable when dry.
The apparatus constructed with cardboard or
plastic hollow honeycombs of various thicknesses all
combining to drain, irrigate and aerate substantially.
The honeycomb structure of a manufactured paper product
houses and supports the grass root structure on pre-
fabricated units substantially completed within a workshop
and transported to the site for laying ready for play.
3, The drainage pipe conduits being perforated and
connected to a pressurized water supply will force the
water through the pipes in a reverse flow thus allowing
the water supply to disperse upward as a moisture content
to the root structure, thus irrigating.
4. The honeycomb structure controls the vertical
movement of the soil water upwards and downwards according
to the action required, drainage or irrigation. The
honeycomb structure confines the moisture movement and
eliminates the horizontal movement of the soil water
which is the major problem with conventional drainage.
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5. The honeycomb structure of a manufactured paper
product allows for a drainage/irrigation system of a
prefabrication constructed off-site in various shapes
and sizes to suit each area.
6. The lightweight prefabricated portable honeycomb
system is a unique method of supporting natural grass
(indoor) within a dome stadium where artificial
conditions prevail.
7. The prefabricated portable honeycomb structure
is a unique method of surface to subsoil aeration due
to the hollow wall structure of the honeycomb.
8. The object of the invention is to overcome the
difficulties to provide adequate drainage of surface and
sub surface liquids and to dissipate or otherwise
dispose of.
9. The object of the invention is to enhance the
usefulness of various kinds of surface activity by
reducing the amount of rainfall to which the surface is
exposed thereby increasing the stability of the playing
surface.
10. Due to the prefabricated and lightweight
construction of the honeycomb box filled with lightweight
growing medium each section can be laid by hand over a
level and incline base thus eliminating heavy machines
and trucks to form the sportsfield area.
11. Due to being portable each unit box can be lifted
and transferred to a different location and re-established
quickly, thus allowing instant sport activity.
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Description

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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
ThiS invention relates ^to planted surface
conditioning systems and more par^ticularly relates to
a system for controlling drainage and/or irrigation to
promote extensive roo^t formation of the planted area. ~
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BACKGROUND OF THE I~VENTION ~:
Sportsfields for external use have principally ~ .
been constructed by grading the soil at the proposed ~ :~
site, tilling l:he surface, planting seed or turf sods .
to the playing area and letting nature control the
surface. Most locations truck in better grades of top .
soil to improve conditions which never really improve
the drainage characteristics. Such sportsfields are
customarily crowned at the center field sloping to the ~.
sides as much as 24 inches to facilitate surface runoff.
Many college and highschool sportsfields
become wet and muddy under rainy conditions as players :
and sports fans will readily attest. ~ .
One of the solutions to the problem has been ~: :
plastic turf. This solution is costly but still remains .
very slippery under rainy conditions and causes major ~
player i.njuries. ~.
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S~MMARY OF THE INVENTION ...
One object of this invention is to provide a .-
natural grass spor-tsfield which can be quickly drained
to avoid wet and muddy playing conditions. - : -
Another object of the invention is to provide
a natural grass sportsfield with quick drainage, with
substrata that can be controlled so that the effect of
compaction is minimized and thereby retaining injury
preventing resiliency.
A further object of the invention is to build
such a system so that it may also be used for subsurface
irrigation.
These objects are accomplished by constructing ,
the turf substrata of substantia]ly soil free materials
which are installed as a compacted porous rootzone and
which are not affected by further compaction.
The invention is~built on a substantially
I.evel site on a firm subsoil. ~:
The entire area is underlaid with a waterproof `;
layer such as a plastic polythene sheet.
Drains are installed above the plastic sheeting
and covered with sand fill over the entire area of the ..
sportsfield.
Superimposed over ~he sandfill is a porous
cardboard box ~ith honeycomb compartments filled with a
non compactible mixture of peat, perlite and calcined
agreegate toyether with recycled organic material such
as sawdust, rice hulls or paper pellets to form a rooting ~:
medium for supporting grass roots to a substantial turf
grass surface.

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This highly permeable substrata then permits
rainfall to be promptly directed down from the surface
to be collected and controlled over the polythene
sheeting impervious layer.
The densely constructed paper built in a -
vertical slot formation allows the surface rainfall
water to be accepted quickly and transferred below to
the honeycomb cardboard or plastic compartment filled
with absorbent but porous material as indicated before.
This structure allows the grass roots in the
growing medium to penetrate the perforated structure
thus allowing the root formation to grow through the
vertical slots and into the supporting honeycomb structure.
The vertical slots (cardboard) cannot prevent
the roots from growing through and transfexring soilwater
down and allowing a passage for air thus preventing a ;;
compaction factor at this level common to turf sportsfield
surfaces.
The whole invention will be housed in a
2G cardboard box (paper) which becomes porous by wetting.
This box can be carried by hand or machine and laid down
over the designated sportsfield area. `'`
This lightweight method of construction
eliminates heavy machinery which usually is required
for construction work together with the trucking of
materials. ~ ~
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig.l Indicates a sportsfield complete with drainage
-i sub-irrigation and outlets complete with controls -
for conserving soilwater when required. -
Sections showing honeycombs of certain sizes to
complete and cover the sportsfield. ~ ;
Fig.2 Illustrates the method of eontrol of honeycombs
indicating drainage outlets.
Fig.3 Illustrates the cardboard box housing the j~
honeycomb with vertical slots superimposed
thereon superimposed on a drainage and irrigation
system engulfed in sand medium showing irrigation
10w conservation and drainage return.
Fig.4 Indicates the drainage pipe having a superimposed
smaller pressure irrigation pipe directing
irrigation water into a pipe with ports along its `~
length with end caps forming ports dictating ~;
soilwater overflows into a solid drain pipe for "
gravity extraction.
Fig.S Detail showing honeycomb structure with 2 inch
apertures and 2 inch depth.
Detail showing vertical slots in line 1/8" thiek
with 1/32" apertures.
Fig.6 Deseribes the seetion of eardboard slots super-
imposed over the honeyeomb paper ~cardboard)
structure laid within a cardboard box.
This box is shown laying over a drainage layer
of perforated pipe and sandfill superimposed on
a polythene sheet. `~

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A typical layout for a football-soccer size -~
-~ sportsfield indoor ox outaoor where maln
collector drains 1 are interconnected with
irrigation laterals 2 which are of porous ~;
material such as slitted pipes or ports.
The collector mains are connected to a sump 3
which discharges and are connected to an outlet
drain located at the bottom of the sump 4
discharge.
Independent perimeter drains 6 should be
installed to keep all surplus rainwater drained
away Erom the sportsfield.
The pre-made boxes are laid over the surface of
the sportsfield area awaiting the final finish.
A drainage pipe 3 equipped with a stopcock or
valve 18 permits controlled gravity drainage.
Moisture sensors 20 may be conventional~ A
solenoid valve normally closed is connected to ~
the irrigation line and has one side connected ~ ~ ;
with a conduit 21 leading to the pressurized
water supply. ~ ;
The field subgrade is prepared for installation
of this system by first preparing a level surface
after excavating 12 inches below the final grade
to the subsoil hase 5 or tentatively superimposing
on existing sportsfield surface.
A waterproof barrier 7 such as a 6 mil plastic
be installed and laid over a compacted subsoil.
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The plastic sheets should be overlapped and -~
stitched together and sealed to form a
-; continuous watertight barrier 7.
A uniform porous media 8 is then filled into
the cardboard box housing the honeycomb 9.
The vertical slot formation is superimposed
over the honeycomb 10.
The final grade level 11 is porous medium 12
.. . .
preferably comprised of coarse to fine grain
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size sand. ~`
The rooting medium 13 for the seedbed for the
turf to be grown comprised of substantially ~`
non-compactible materials com~osed of a mixture
of peat, perlite and calcined aggregate mix
spread over the vertical slots 14 and levelled
to final grade.
Granular fertilizer may also be incorporated
into the final mix 15. -~
This system will continuously drain away
approximately 10 inches of rainfall per day or
24 hour period~ :
Another advantage of this system is that an
irrigation inlet 16 may be combined with it to ~
supply subsurface irrigation to the turf in ~, ;
periods of inadequate rainfall.
The above ground sprinklers may be used as a
supplemental watering source as an adjun~t to
this system.
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.
A irrigation supply pipe of smaller aperture
flowing under high pressure superimposed on :
: each drainage pipe 2 having ports at specific
drain pipes to discharge into the drain pipe
when under pressure as irrigation water through :~
a port 16.
Each drain pipe has end caps where ~orts are :~
located 17. These ports can be increased in
aperture to suit area rainfall. Port 17 is
interconnected to a solid pipe of various sizes 18 ..
that conduct surplus soil water to a designated
sump 4~ ;
Each drain pipe is covered by a fabric sock to
ensure non silting of the drain 22.
The irrigation ~low is shown 16 with discharge
17 together with the distribution over impervious ~
base 23. Distribution ports 19. ~:
A detail of the cardboard or plastic constructed
honeycomb of various sizes to suit area 2~ and
levels 2~. Honeycombs can be of a size no
greater than 2 inches square and 4 inches depth.
The vertical slots constructed of cardboard with
vertical honeycombs of 1/8" width 26 and no .
greater than 2 inch depth 27 o various overall
sizes to suit area.
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Representative Drawing