US1906494A - Playing surfaces - Google Patents

Description

May 2, 1933. l.. H. sTEwARD 1,906,494

` PLAYING SURFACES Y Filed Oct. 9, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l ne aw-*f 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 2, 1933- L. H. sTEwARD PLAYING SURFACES Filed Oct. 9, 1950 lwowtoz www www5

Patented May 2, 1933 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEWIS H. STEWARiD, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN & FELT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ACORPORATION' OF DELAWARE PLAYING SREACES Y Application mea october l9, 1930. serial-No.. 487,339.

The invention relates to a new method for forming felt playing surfaces.

The great popularity which the playing of golf in restricted areas has attained has created the need for playing surfaces having certain specic properties. The surface must simulate a closely clipped lawn surface in the following respects: The surface must be uniform and resilient and pleasant lo under foot and at the same time must provide a rm and secure footing or stance. The surface must stand exposure to the weather without detrimental results. The surface should support a standard golfball 5 so that it will roll with `a certain restricted freedom. This restricted freedom isknown as the retard of the surface for the rolling ball.

Besides these properties, simulatingr a V closely clipped lawn, the surface must, in

addition, if it is to be a commercial success, havethe following characteristics; The surface mustrbe free draining; must dry rapidly; and Inust regain its normal properties quickly after exposure to rain. The surface must be extremely durable for the game being played in a restricted area subjects the surface to intensive wear.

Efforts to meet the requirements for such a surface have been numerous. Originally golf on a miniature scale, such as clock golf, was played upon lawn surfaces. The popularity of the game thus played was limited, partly because of the expense of maintaining the lawn surface in an attractive condition and partly because this game included none, of the recently conceived devices which have heightened the attractiveness and interest for golf played in restricted areas. With the introduction of these devices for increasing interest the necessity for more satisfactory surfaces was at once recognized.

Pavements of sand and gravel fail to meet the requirements. The shifting of the surface layers of the sand andV gravel be- A i neath the players feet gives to the player a sense of insecurity. If 'the surface is made firmer by the introduction of clay and more gravel the surface becomes harsh and causes the ball to travel erratically and wit-hout the necessary retard. These surfaces lack resilience and, in addition to the unpleasant effect upon the player, are dirty and hard to keep in repair.

Concrete and asphalt surfaces fail to meet the vrequirements of the game because of their extreme hardness and, of course, because of the almost total lack of retardoffered by such surfaces.

Woven mats with high cut nap, made of cocoa fiber, etc., and similar. to what iscommonly called a door mat, are impractical due tothe. peculiar dancing-rolling action ofthe ball on such mats. The surface of such mats is unyielding with respect to the weight. of aV standard golf ball. The mats are expensive and limited as to size.

The requirements for such surfaces have been' met Vin a measure by matted beds of feathers, vegetable. fibers, etc. The most widely used of such beds of material are those formed of a'layer of cotton seed hulls. The hulls with a small amount of the linters still clinging are packed into a shallow fra-me, whose .top is flush withthe surface of the surrounding ground. This surface, although practical, is not ideal for although resilient the surfacefseems to ,be lifeless and of an uncomfortable, soft deadness. Also, the surface is somewhat clinging and is 4lifted by the players feet. The material has no tensile strength whatsoever and scuffs up and requires constant attention and repair. The resistance offered to the rolling of the ball is excessive and exaggerates the retarding effect of a closely clipped lawn surface. The cotton seed hull lmat also is decidedly hygroscopic, shrinking and swellingl as thepmoisture content changes. q After a heavy rain the mat is so swollen that playing is impossible until the mat has been packed and rolled. Further, the nature of the cotton seed hull with the fibre clinging is such that dirt is easily caught in the multitude of soft, fluffy fibers and cleaning of the mat is almost impossible and the mat soon takes on a dirty, objectionable color.

Some have sought to solve the problem of providing a satisfactory surface by using felt. However, -the felts employed have been treated to give the requisite strength for golfing surfaces by such means as cooking, steaming, chemical shrinking with strong acid or alkali, by impact in the fulling mill and by pressing. All of these methods remove the life and resilience fromthel felt. In supplying a device for the practice Y of a pastime or an amusement, practical considerations are not as important in determining the usefulness `of the device'as considerations of pleasantness and appealingness to the player. Apparent minor differences in the nature of the felt employed constitute the cause of profound differences in attractiveness and consequently usefulness from the standpoint of the miniature golf player.

My invention consists partly in the discovery of a felt never used before for the purpose, which is profoundly different from other felts in that it is highly attractive and, therefore, highly useful from the standpoint of the miniature golf player.

My invention provides a playing surface closely simulating a closely clipped lawn surface in that the fibers in the surface have preponderantly vertically directional'components simulating the more or less vertical extensions of blades ofgrass. This feature of my invention I do not consider as beingv entirely novel because felts in which the fibers are normally mainly horizontal have beenv made with a surface of protruding fibers by drawing up la vsomewhat temporary nap. It is my belief, however, that prior to my .invention no felt with fibers preponderantly vertical throughout, so that wearV has no effect on the surface exposed, have been used for miniature golfing surfaces. It is also my belief that no felt has been used prior to my invention for said purpose which provides the marked pleasant liveliness` resilience and springiness underfoot and which supports and retards a rolling golf ball as my invention does.

However, in spite of the many advantageous properties of felt of the right sort, certain objections to its use, attributable to the manner of laying, have prevented this felt from being a highly satisfactory surfacing material for miniature golf courses. The foundations used for the old forms of felt, prior to my invention, were of tightly packed soil or relatively impervious layers of concrete or of lumber. The foundations made of soil are unsatisfactory, for the impressions of foot marks are too easily communicated through the felt when the soil support is softened by the rain. The concrete foundation used prior to my invention, being relatively impervious to water, holds rain water in the felt for an unreasonably long time. The water so held rots the fibers of the felt and in addition makes the surface, due to its sogginess, unfit for play for long periods after a shower. Lumber foundations provev unsatisfactory due to. warping, poor drainage, lack of durability and because of an unnatural hollow feeling under foot.

My invention comprises also a free draining, rigid, solid, uniform foundation for a suitable layer of resilient, wear-resisting felt. The mounting of the feltupon the proper foundation permits free drainage and yet holds the shape of the felt.

In the drawings Fig. 1 represents a vertical sectional view of a representative playing surface formed according to my method;

Fig. 2 represents a vertical section through a composite playing surface representing various forms of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a magnified section of the upper layerused in my invention; y

Fig. 4 is a magnified section of another form of the same;

Fig. 5 is also a magnified section of still another form of thesame.

The portion shown in Fig. l bearing the numeral 1 represents Well-drained soil upon whichv the course is built. The soil is drained naturally or by any suitable means, such as drain 6. Upon the soil is placed layer 2 vof broken stone or gravel, preferably of sizes that will be retained between quarter inch and two inch screens, although larger or smaller pieces may be used. Layer 2 is tamped or rolled firmly into place. This layer is preferably formed to have a depth of about five inches although layers as thin as one inch, or as thick as several feet in some cases will serve the purpose. Directly on to layer 2 is then poured a layer 3 of porous concrete, preferably three inches thick, although any thickness to give the requisite strength will serve. The porous concrete is compounded of' a mixturey containing about eight parts by volume of coarse crushed stone having a mean diameter of threequarters of an inch and a shape factor of about 1.5, one part by volume of Portland cement and sufficient water to give the proper consistency. The porous concrete may also be compounded with cinders in the place of crushedv stone, the proportions of the mixture being roughly eight parts of cinders to one part of Portland cement by volume with sufficient water to give the proper consistency.

Another material which I have found to be serviceable for layer 8 is bubble concrete in which gases released in the concrete before setting give a porous nature to the concrete.

When layer 3 has set and is dry enough, asphalt adhesive or other adhesive not soluble in water and adherent to concrete and felt is applied to the surface of the concrete in discontinuous patches, as shown in layer 4 in Fig. 1. The adhesive is applied in discontinuous patches to maintain free drainage through the porous concrete. The layer of felt 5 is then rolled or pressed into place before the adhesive hardens. The margins of the felt may be secured by continuous strips of the adhesive applied to the concrete in the proper place or the margins of the felt may be secured by strips of metal, fibrecomposition or wood applied over the felt with securing means, attached to the strips, passing through the felt into the concrete. The use of the adhesive may be omitted entirely, the felt being tacked, as shown in Fig. 2, numeral 12, screwed, numeral 7, or nailed, numeral 8, to wooden or other inserts, numeral 9, cast in the concrete when layer 3, Fig. 1, is poured, or the felt may be tacked or nailed to the concrete itself before the concrete has set,- as shown in Fig. 2, numeral 10. The natural laying properties of the felt may even be relied upon to keep it in place with or without the help of the points cast in the concrete, shown in Fig. 2, numeral 11. I have also found that if the felt is laid before the surface of the concrete hardens fair adhesion will obtain.

Felts naturally colored or dyed or sprayed may be used to obtain any particular surface desired. However, I have found most suitable for the purpose felts made by the punching process, from relatively short and somewhat stiff animal bers, jute, sisal or other vegetable fibers, separately or mixed, with or without a contained layer of stronger fabric or fiber and with or without a color applied to the felt or the fiber by dying or spraying. I express my preference for punched felt over other felts because the punching process for making felt gives a product more suitable for my purpose. The matting or knitting action of the transversely travelling needles in a punching loom intertwine and weave the fibers so that a considerable proportion of them protrude atirregular angles more or less vertical when theV felt is laid. These irregularly vertical fibers assist materially in the simulation of a lawn surface. Such felt supports and retards a rolling ball in a very natural manner and is pleasing to the player and durable.

fibers on account `of the factthat the animal Y fibers d'onot break down and vdeteriorate under use, as Vdo certain types of vegetable 'f bers, although a fairly satisfactoryproduct can be made of certain vegetable fibers. After passingthrough theloom or punching machine the felt is preferably sprayed with a Ysuitable lacquer or paint, or dye, which serves the double purpose of coloring the product toconform Yto thevnatural surroundings and also adds a certain waterproof value. This vspraying is done by means of a specially constructed nozzle or by any of the standard spraying equipment commonly known to the art. After passing under the spray the product may be dried naturally or through specially constructed can driers, or specially constructed driers using fans which pull thefair through the product.

Reference to the accompanying drawings, Figs. 3, 11 and 5 will reveal that my product is a felt with intertwined fibers, indicated by the numeral 13, with or without contained layer or layers of fabric or stronger fiber 14, the directional components of said fibers 13 being preponderantly vertical.

Thus Vmy product vdiffers `from the old, hard, lifeless golf surface felts in which a vertical nap had to be produced by artificial means, in that the bers are inherently vertical and wear and use will neither impair nor destroy the properties of thev felt for golfing purposes until the material isI nearly consumed by wear. The felt has great springiness and life because the fibers have not been shrunken and pounded until horizontal in a fulling process and are not horizontally matted by a pressing or' laying process. Y

A playing surface made according to my invention comprises a combination of felt, preferably punched felt, with a perviousV foundation and means for attaching the felt whereby a highly practical andnearly ideal playing surface is formed. The surface is resilient, lively, yielding yet firm, and supports and carries a rolling ball in the desired manner; it is resistant to the weather and dries and drains quickly; it is durable, easily cleaned, generally attractive and stands intensive wear. While I have described above completely and fully one or two forms which my invention may assume,

I do not intend that my invention be limited to any particular form, b-ut that it should be limited'to those forms which lie within Y the scope ofthe appended claims.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A playing surface of the character described comprising a felt layer, a layer of iso pervious concrete supporting said felt, a non-continuous layer of non-Water-soluble adhesive between said felt and said concrete, and a bedding of coarse gravel or broken stone supporting said concrete.

2. A playing surface of the Character described comprising a surface layer of animal hair felt, having a substantial amount of the fibers thereof ina nearly vertical position, a backing layer of pervious concrete, and a non-continuous layer of a nonwater-so1ub1e,cement therebetween.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature.

LEWIS H. STEVARD.

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