Apparatus for removing water from large surface areas

#This invention is directed to an apparatus for removing water off of a surface of a large surface area such as a race track, a runway or the like. The apparatus includes a rolling member which piles up a wave of water in front of it as it moves and a wave direction changing member which is capable of imparting a momentum to the wave, at least a portion of said momentum directed to one of the ends of the rolling member to cause the wave of water to be displaced toward the end of the rolling member.

#The pooling or improper drainage of water on certain surface areas such as race tracks and airport runways can be hazardous because of the loss of traction between a vehicle's tires and the surfaces.

#In certain sporting events such as baseball and football played on artificial turf, standing water also presents a problem. Machines have been invented which are capable of removing water from artificial turf. Examples can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,683,447; 3,351,971; 3,736,619; and 3,835,500. For other sporting events such as tennis and for factory floors and the like, a different class of water removal apparatus is known. Included in this class would be a machine known under the tradename of the "WATER BLOTTER" and the long handled rollers, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,339. In addition to these machines, a machine is also known for removing painted stripes from artificial turf. This machine is described in U.S. Pat. 4,069,540.

#The invention described in this specification will be better understood when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a first embodiment of the invention;

#FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a section of FIG. 1 showing that section in greater detail;

#The invention described in this specification and illustrated in the drawings utilizes certain principles and/or concepts that are set forth in the claims appended to this specification. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will realize that these principles and/or concepts could be utilized in a number of embodiments differing from the precise embodiments herein illustrated. For this reason this invention is to be construed in light of the claims and is not to be construed as being limited to the exact embodiments herein illustrated.

#All of the embodiments herein described for this invention will be shown as being attached to a trailer-like housing which is capable of being coupled to a drive vehicle such as a car or truck, for propelling the invention across a large surface wherein standing water is located. It will be understood, of course, that this invention is susceptible to being mounted on a self-propelled vehicle. It is considered, however, that the invention will find its greatest utility coupled with minimum manufacturing expense and thus purchase price when the invention is mounted on a towable housing or trailer.

#In FIGS. 1 and 9 a shortened version of the trailer is shown while FIG. 6 illustrates a longer version. Since aside from their lengths and components attached thereto, as hereinafter explained, these trailers are equivalent and therefore like numerals will be used to describe like components thereof.