MC954A1 - Improvements relating to the cultivation of turf - Google Patents

Description

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This invention relates to the cultivation of turf and the necessary arrangements for turf fields or sites. Although this invention is, in practice, suitable for all types of terrain and climates, its use is particularly important in countries where the periods of heat between rainfall are relatively long and where turf fields must be artificially irrigated to a large extent in order to maintain the turf properly, as well as in countries where, due to the hot climate, it is difficult to create new turf areas.

The simple purpose of this invention is to provide an improved method and installation for the cultivation of turf.

In accordance with one aspect of this invention, I provide a method for the cultivation of turf in which the growth of grass occurs through openings on the flat surface of a piece resembling a tile (hereafter referred to as the tile) and having sufficient inherent rigidity and hardness to support the normal load imposed on the turf area, the grass being rooted in a mixture of soil below said surface, and the blades of grass growing outward and through said openings.

In accordance with another aspect of this invention, a tile is provided for use in the cultivation method

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of the turf, which tile comprises a flat or substantially flat load-bearing surface; the tile is composed of several openings spaced uniformly in general over the area of said surface, and having underneath a number of projections, all of the same height, measured from said underside of the surface, the material and construction of the tile possessing sufficient inherent hardness and rigidity to support the normal load imposed on the turf area.

The expression "soil mixture," as used here, is understood in a generic sense, encompassing the various mixtures that can be used for turf cultivation and, in addition to normal soil, could include compost mixtures and other additives such as fertilizers. Similarly, the reference to "normal load" imposed on a turf area should be understood as the load that any turf area is likely to bear, whether from human, animal, or vehicle movement.

The tile can be used in various ways if the method is carried out in accordance with invention 1. Where there is already an area of freshly sown grass, the tiles can be forced into the ground, the projections of each tile being made to facilitate penetration into the soil. The existing or newly grown grass will grow through the openings in the flat surfaces of the tiles.

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Similarly, tiles can be used according to the method to create a grassy area where there is no base of soil, for example on tarmac, concrete, gravel, or ballasted surfaces. On such surfaces, a mixture of soil and grass seed can be spread; the tiles are then pressed onto this mixture so that the projections from the underside touch the base of the tarmac, concrete, or other surface, and thus any load due to movement will be directly transmitted to this foundation. Furthermore, if the underside of the tile is shaped into ridges to create pockets, it can be filled with a mixture of soil and grass seed, and several tiles prepared in this way can be laid directly onto tarmac, concrete, or a similar surface. Additionally, the pre-filled tiles with soil and grass can be laid on an existing ground base to create a new lawn area.

By way of example, we will describe below certain realizations of tiles and applications of the method, with reference to the attached drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a top view of part of a tile shape conformed with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a section of line 2-2 of Figure 1, illustrating the tiles used, in accordance with Figure 1, and FIGURES 3 and 4 are views similar to Figure 2, illustrating other tile shapes.

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Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the tile illustrated therein has a flat upper surface through which extend several openings 11 which,

In practical terms, they are all the same size and evenly spaced across the entire upper surface, forming the flat upper surface 10; the top view of the tile is usually square or rectangular. Alternatively, the tile may be hexagonal or multi-shaped.

On the underside, the tile has several edges—see 12 in the drawing—extending transversely between opposite sides of the tile. Where these edges intersect,

They extend away from the underside of the tile, forming triangular projections, 13 all having the same depth - measured from said underside of the tile - so that, when the tile rests with these projections and touches a substantially horizontal surface, the surface 10 of the tile will be on a horizontal or substantially horizontal plane.

As seen in Figure 2, the thickness of the edges 12 can be tapered from the underside of the tile,

to facilitate their pressure on the field base; this,

when the tile is used for this particular application of the method where it is pressed into an existing ground base. The upper part of Figure 1 illustrates another choice where the projections 13 have a cylindrical lug shape 13 which can be hollow and milled on the upper side and can receive long fixing pegs.

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The upper edges of the openings 11 can be rounded so that the grass is not cut by the impact of said edges. The lower edges of the openings can also be rounded to facilitate the upward growth of the grass blades through the openings.

For the adjacent sides—taking as an example the sides shown in Figure 1 (14) and Figure 15 (15)—the tile is provided with projecting fastening lugs 16, which can be extensions of the edges 12 (which is very convenient) beyond the edges of the sides. In Figure 2, it can be seen that the upper surface of a fastening lug 16 is at the same level as the underside of the top of the tile. The purpose of these fastening lugs is illustrated in Figure 2 by the dotted lines on the right side of the page. It shows a tile adjacent to the tile shown in full, and it can be seen that the edge of this second tile—which does not have projecting fastening lugs—rests against the fastening lug of the first tile. When tiles are laid in this way, with the correct edge of one tile resting on the protruding tabs of the adjacent tile, the tile cannot be lowered by the relative pressure of another tile. As a result, the entire area covered by several tiles can be kept substantially level.

With the edge shape shown in Figures 1 and 2,

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Interconnecting passages are provided under the tiles and between adjacent tiles to allow the free movement of water beneath the tile layer. This ensures efficient drainage. If the tile has multiple edges whose depth matches that of the projections, the edges will have openings on their lower edge to allow drainage under the tile and between adjacent tiles.

Tiles of the shape shown in Figures 1 and 2, or other similar shapes, can be molded from plastic or other moldable materials, such as cement, which may be reinforced with fiber cement or other fiber reinforcement. Alternatively, the tile can be made from a suitable clay mixture. The tiles shown and described below—referenced in Figures 3 and 4—can also be made from suitable plastic materials, but, given their shape, sheet metal is preferable.

In the application of the tile as illustrated in Figure 2, reference No. 17 indicates the type of foundation on which the turf area should be installed. This can be either an existing earth foundation or an artificial foundation, such as concrete or asphalt. Reference No. 18 shows a perforated sheet of plastic material, which can be used in warm climates and laid on

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a soil base 17 in order to retain moisture. Rain or water artificially applied to the grass growing on said perforated sheet would pass through the perforations of the sheet 18. Consequently, the percentage of water evaporated under the sheet is slowed, resulting in the grass being retained for a longer period than normal.

The soil mixture indicated at 19 and 20 shows the grass roots that grow in such a soil mixture. In one method of tile application, this mixture can be applied to an area already sown with grass or turf, or to a recently sown area where the soil mixture 19 and the growing grass, or seed mixture, is already in place, and the depth—typically—would be 1 inch or thereabouts. In this method, the number of tiles needed to cover the determined area is chosen; then these tiles are pressed or rolled into the soil mixture 19 so that the edges under the tiles penetrate the mixture and the top of the tile prevents the soil from compacting further. The pressure can be such that the top of the tile sinks partially or completely into the top of the soil surface, or even be pushed slightly under the top of said surface, so that the soil enters and fills the openings 11. The grass that grows through the openings 11 will subsequently spread laterally and form a palisade. grass.

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The percentage of evaporation from beneath the tiles is significantly reduced, thus retaining moisture, which is very important, especially in hot climates. Similarly, in newly sown areas, the tiles provide protection against animals and birds that would otherwise remove the seeds.

The invention is particularly suitable for creating grassy areas where there is no existing soil base, such as, for example, on tarmac or concrete surfaces—on the ground floor, other floors, or top floor of a building. A soil mixture approximately 1 inch deep would be laid on such a surface, the soil would be sown normally, and subsequently, the agreed number of tiles would be pressed or rolled into the surface, in accordance with the method described above. In such cases, the undersides of the tiles would be in contact with the tarmac, concrete, or similar foundation, and the loads would be directly transmitted to this foundation.

This aspect of the method can also be used for laying turf on sheltered, multi-story areas, but where the shelter has at least some transparent areas allowing light to penetrate. By pressing the tiles into the soil surface so as to

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To ensure the top of the tile does not penetrate too deeply, an interior covering of natural grass, free of soil and dirt, can be provided on the surface. In this case, the occasional watering or liquid feed required to promote grass growth can be provided either above the tile surface or via a water system installed beneath the tiles.

In another variation of the tile method, grassy areas can be installed on a steeply sloping or even vertical surface, either inside or outside a building, using the required number of tiles. With the tiles inverted, the spaces behind the tiles are filled with a damp mixture of grain and soil, and the tiles can then be laid and secured to such a vertical or sloping surface. Similarly, after filling the tile, the back of the tile can be sealed with a thin plastic membrane to prevent roots from penetrating the wall structure. On a vertical or steeply sloping surface, the tile openings can be angled upwards to allow grass to grow upwards and rainwater to enter the openings and reach the back of the tiles.

In any case, where the tiles are laid on a solid surface foundation, the soil mixture behind the tile cannot be crushed or hardened, and therefore, it

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retains its natural aeration properties. When tiles are laid on a base of soil prone to settling and therefore loss of aeration, tiles can be manufactured with perforated aeration pipes protruding from the underside of said tiles; these pipes will also help anchor the tile to the ground.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate examples of tiles that can practically be made from a sheet of perforated flat material, either metal or plastic. Such sheets can be curved, pressed, or folded, and have projections in the form of single-piece edges. The tile shown in Figure 3 alone illustrates three possible shapes that the protruding edges can have.

On the left of Figure 3, the perforated sheet metal 20 has an edge 21 whose V-section is pressed from top to bottom; in the center of Figure 3 another form of edge pressed from top to bottom in U-section is shown at 22, while on the right side of Figure 3 a third version of edge 23 is shown, the shape of which this time is a rectangular section pressed from the flat sheet.

The perforations on the sheet provide openings on the top surface of the tile, and the openings in the edges 21, 22, or 23 provide passages through which moisture can move freely.

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in a transverse direction under the tile, and from one tile to another.

On the right side of Figure 3 is shown an example of a way of joining two adjacent tiles made with a perforated sheet of metal, tile 24 having at the edge a projection 25 turned downwards and in contact with the projection 26 of the adjacent tile (turned upwards), the height of the wall 26 being less than the average height of the tile, which makes the adjacent tile 24 rest on the wall 26 with the top of its flat surface with that of tile 20.

Figure 4 illustrates another possible tile shape, made with perforated metal or plastic sheeting. In this case, the tile is made by curving the edges of the sheet, thus forming projections or ridges 28 that extend downwards. In particular, in the manner described in Figure 4, similar tiles 29,

are used upside down, in the form of trays and, in relation to the 27 tiles above, laid in a staggered position.

To achieve the best results, the maximum size of the openings in a tile is important. Ideally, the opening should not be large enough to allow a small object, such as the heel of a lady's shoe, to pass through. This is particularly important where the area of

$

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The grass will be for pedestrian use. For your information,

the dimensions of a square opening should not exceed

Approximately 3" x 3".

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Claims (12)

- 14 - THE FOLLOWING CLAIMS DETERMINE THE INVENTION: 1. A method for cultivating turf in which the grass grows between the openings in the flat surface of a tile whose inherent rigidity and hardness are sufficient to withstand the normal load imposed on the turf area, the grass taking root in a mixture of soil beneath said surface, and the blades of grass growing outwards through the aforementioned openings. P.D. 7/3/72 2. A method for cultivating turf in accordance with Claim 1, wherein a layer of sown soil mixture is provided on an area to be turfed, and several of said tiles—each having a flat top surface and projections on the underside—are pressed into the soil mixture. P.D. 7/3/72 3. A method for cultivating turf in accordance with Claim 1, whereby several of the aforementioned tiles—each having a flat top surface and projections on the underside—are embedded in the surface of an existing turf area. P.D. 7/3/72 4. A method for cultivating turf in accordance with Claim 2, wherein the sown soil mixture layer is established on an existing soil foundation, and on which a perforated sheet of plastic material is first laid, the soil mixture then being placed on said sheet. P.D. 7/3/72 - 15 - 5. Method for cultivating turf conforming to Claim 1, wherein the underside of several of said tiles, each having a flat top surface and ridges underneath, is filled with a mixture of sown soil; these pre-filled tiles are laid directly on the foundation. P.D. 7/3/72 6. Method for cultivating turf in accordance with Claim 5, where the tiles are laid on a sloping surface or fixed to a vertical surface. P.D. 7/3/72 7. A tile for use in the method for cultivating turf, conforming to Claim 1, comprising a flat or substantially flat load-bearing surface, having several openings generally uniformly spaced over the area of said surface, and having below it several projections of equal depth when measured from the underside of said surface, the tile material having sufficient inherent rigidity and hardness to withstand the normal load (as defined herein) imposed on a turf area. P.D. 7/3/72 8. A tile conforming to Claim 7, square or rectangular in shape, and having several edges on its underside, extending transversely between the pairs of opposite sides of the tile. P.D. 7/3/72 - 16 - 9. Tile conforming to Claim 8, wherein, on two adjacent sides, the edges project beyond the tile and form support tabs, each of these support tabs having its upper surface spaced below the top surface of the tile at a distance equal to the thickness of the top of the tile. P.D. 7/3/72 10. Tile conforming to Claim 7, made with a perforated sheet of metal or plastic, the projections having the form of edges and being curved or recessed from the sheet, P.D. 7/3/72 11. A tile and a seeded earth mixture combined and comprising a tile conforming to Claim 7, wherein the projections have transversely extending edges, and wherein the seeded earth mixture is compacted in the area(s) between said edges. P.D. 7/3/72 12. Tile conforming to Claim 7, where the projections are hollow, cylindrical lugs milled onto the top of the tile, and receive long fixing pegs. P.D. 7/3/72 ORIGINAL in pages Made^à^ ^ ^ containing References By. proeuFsH&n dê , Jack Blackburn rîîoi_s|city rnot jaya-iraw 103 Portland 1973 l, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 9QX. ENGLAND. i~ôse uujkAU Industrial Property Consulting 26 b|j, Princess Charlotte Blvd. MONTÉ-CARLO