Apparatus and methods for revitalizing artificial turf fields
AssigneeTarkett Inc.
InventorAlain Bissonnette
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods that use shearing machines operate to revitalize artificial turf fields. In one exemplary apparatus, the apparatus may comprise a support frame, a plurality of shearing machines installed on the support frame, and a plurality of wheels installed on the support frame. The support frame may be configured to position the shearing machines parallel to each other, to tilt the shearing machines with respect a surface of the artificial turf field, and to position the shearing machines above a surface of the field at a distance such that the shearing machines cut fibers to produce trimmed fibers that have a length that can extend above infill or topmost layer of the artificial turf field.
Claims9
An apparatus for revitalizing artificial turf fibers on an artificial turf field comprising,
- a frame that supports a plurality of distinct sheep shearing machines, wherein the frame comprises two beams that are level and parallel to each other and two struts that are perpendicular to the beams and extend across between the beams;
- the plurality of distinct shearing machines that are installed on the support frame and that are individually powered, wherein a first set of the plurality of the distinct shearing machines are mounted on a first one of the struts and a second set of the plurality of distinct shearing machines are mounted on a second one of the struts;
- wherein the frame supports each sheep shearing machine during operation of the apparatus and positions the plurality of distinct sheep shearing machines to be distanced apart from each other, to be at a height from the artificial turf field for cutting worn portions of the artificial turf fibers, and to be angled towards the artificial turf field;
- a plurality of wheels that support the frame and that are configured to roll over the artificial turf field to apply the sheep shearing machines to the artificial turf fibers to revive the artificial turf fibers of the artificial turf field;
- and
- a vacuum that straightens the worn portions of the artificial turf fibers that are to be cut, and that remove a set of the cut artificial turf fibers without removing an amount of infill of the artificial turf field.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.