Abstract: A bowling lane maintenance machine has a cleaning assembly in which liquid cleaner is deposited on the lane surface at the front of the machine as the machine moves down the lane. Immediately behind the point of application of the cleaning solution, a wiping web assembly spreads the solution across the entire surface of the lane and presses the solution down into the conditioner for subsequent pickup by a suction pickup head behind the wiper web assembly. The web is looped under a backup roll having an exposed fibrous pile face that engages the inside surface of the web while the outside surface engages the lane. The fibrous pile encourages the web to remain in intimate contact with the lane surface at all times while accommodating surface irregularities such as depressions and other variations in lane contour.

Abstract: A bowling lane conditioning machine has dressing application mechanism that includes an elongated, non-rotating strip brush which transfers dressing from a dispensing means to another surface, such as a bristle-type, lane-engaging applicator roll, a metal transfer roll that in turn transfers the dressing to the applicator roll, or the lane surface itself. In a preferred embodiment, dressing is dispensed to an upper one of two strip brushes that extend along the length of an applicator roll and engage its bristles at circumferentially spaced locations around its periphery. Dressing dispensed to the upper strip brush migrates by gravity to the bristles of the applicator roll and becomes applied to the lane surface as the roll rotates down into engagement with the surface. No dressing is dispensed to the second strip brush, which feathers the dressing on the applicator roll and reduces splattering.

Abstract: A bowling lane conditioning machine has dressing application mechanism that includes an elongated, non-rotating strip brush which transfers dressing from a dispensing means to another surface, such as a bristle-type, lane-engaging applicator roll, a metal transfer roll that in turn transfers the dressing to the applicator roll, or the lane surface itself. In a preferred embodiment, dressing is dispensed to an upper one of two strip brushes that extend along the length of an applicator roll and engage its bristles at circumferentially spaced locations around its periphery. Dressing dispensed to the upper strip brush migrates by gravity to the bristles of the applicator roll and becomes applied to the lane surface as the roll rotates down into engagement with the surface. No dressing is dispensed to the second strip brush, which feathers the dressing on the applicator roll and reduces splattering.

Abstract: An automated lane surface measuring device comprising a controller for operating a drive mechanism for propelling the measuring apparatus and one or more sensors operated by the controller to measure topographical parameters of the bowling lane surface. In one embodiment the apparatus measures bowling lane surface elevation by measuring bowling lane height with respect to the measuring apparatus in selectable increments along the surface of the bowling lane. The measuring apparatus may also measure crosswise tilt along the width of a bowling lane in selectable increments. The measuring apparatus may also measure lengthwise tilt of the length of the lane surface in selectable increments.

Abstract: An automated lane surface measuring device comprising a controller for operating a drive mechanism for propelling the measuring apparatus and one or more sensors operated by the controller to measure topographical parameters of the bowling lane surface. In one embodiment the apparatus measures bowling lane surface elevation by measuring bowling lane height with respect to the measuring apparatus in selectable increments along the surface of the bowling lane. The measuring apparatus may also measure crosswise tilt along the width of a bowling lane in selectable increments. The measuring apparatus may also measure lengthwise tilt of the length of the lane surface in selectable increments.