Method and apparatus for removing protective cover from golf course greens

Abstract

An apparatus for removing a protective cover from the green of a golf course and for placing a cover on the green mounts to the front of a maintenance tractor on either the bucket of the tractor or the three point hitch of the tractor. The frame of the apparatus has two hydraulic motors mounted thereto are controlled and powered by the hydraulic system of the tractor. By mounting the roller bar to couplings on the motor with lynch pins a wrapped cover can easily be removed from the apparatus for storage.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to Thurman et al., U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/504,771, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Removing Protective Cover from Golf Greens” filed on Sep. 22, 2003 and is incorporated by reference herein, with priority claimed for all commonly disclosed subject matter.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure generally relates to removing a protective cover from a green of a golf course or replacing the cover on the green. The apparatus provides removing and replacing functions that require less manpower than traditional techniques and in addition reduces the amount of time required to complete either of the functions.

RELATED ART

Greens of a golf course must frequently be covered for protection from damaging weather conditions and then uncovered for play when the conditions no longer exist. Traditionally these functions of covering and uncovering are achieved manually. The uncovering or removing of a protective cover, such as a tarp, from a green usually requires a crew of around six workers. The workers usually fold and roll the cover and then move the rolled cover to a place that will not interfere with play. If there is a chance that changing weather or other circumstance could damage the greens it usually desirable to replace the covers on each green as quickly as possible. The conventional covering procedure, typically replacing a cover that had previously been removed, comprises placing the cover on or near the green and then unrolling, unfolding and positioning the cover. As might be expected, the covering procedure typically requires a work crew of around six.

In general each green of a golf course has a different size and shape so that each green has a corresponding or custom shaped cover. Because of the differences in size and shape of the covers there may be considerable variations in their weight.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Generally, the present invention provides an apparatus and method for removing covers from and replacing covers on the greens of a golf course. The disclosed apparatus and method provides techniques for removing and replacing covers that require less time and manpower than traditional techniques.

In one disclosure for removing a cover, a torque source is provided for rotating a roller bar wherein the cover is wrapped about the roller bar. The torque source preferably is one or more hydraulic motors connected to the hydraulic system of a maintenance tractor or similar vehicle. The tractor then transports the wrapped cover to another location for storage and in addition provides a means for lowering and placing the wrapped cover at the storage location.

In another embodiment the disclosed apparatus for removing a cover comprises a frame adapted to mount on the bucket of a maintenance tractor. The apparatus has one or more motors coupled the frame and the motors have receiver cups for coupling to a roller bar. The roller bar fits in receiver cups and is secured in place with lynch pins.

A disclosed method for removing a cover comprises the steps of placing one end of the cover on a roller bar, applying torque to the roller bar using one or more motors, stopping the one or more motors when the cover is wrapped about the roller bar, and then placing the wrapped cover at a storage location.

Various features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon examination of the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such features and advantages be included herein within the scope of the present invention and protected by the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale relative to each other, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention. Furthermore, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a front view diagram illustrating an embodiment of cover removal apparatus.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are illustrations of a preferred embodiment of a frame for the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 1 utilizing the frame of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is the top view of another embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of FIG. 4 having a cover wrapped about a roller bar.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of the apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating a cover partially wrapped about a roller bar.

FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C illustrate details of an embodiment of the roller bar shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 illustrates details of a connector assembly for coupling the roller bar to the motor as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating the steps for removing a cover from a green using the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating the steps for placing a cover on a green using the apparatus of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Because the novel and patentable features of the present invention can be shown with block and other diagrams, conventional elements such as bolts, pins, connectors, hydraulic couplers and hoses well-known to those skilled in the are not shown. A person skilled in the art could readily understand the diagrams illustrating embodiments of the present invention. The diagrams show specific details that are pertinent to the present invention and do not obscure the disclosure with details that would readily be apparent to those skilled in the art.

FIG. 1 illustrates a cover removal apparatus 100 that is utilized for removing a protective cover (not shown) from a green of a golf course and is also used for placing or replacing a cover on the green. The cover removal apparatus 100 preferably has a frame 102 having a left side and a right side. The frame 102 preferably is fabricated of steel and is adapted to couple to a maintenance tractor or similar vehicle that is used for maintaining a golf course. The drawing of FIG. 1 is a view looking at the front of the cover removal apparatus 100 and the frame 102 is shown as the ends of steel tubes or bars that are preferably used to create the frame.

Preferably the maintenance tractor has a bucket that may be raised or lowered using the tractor's hydraulic system. The bucket of a tractor is generally used to move materials such as gravel, dirt, sand or any materials that fit within the bucket. Typically a maintenance tractor also has a hydraulic system available to furnish power for a variety of maintenance attachments. Connections to the hydraulic power system are typically made with conventional hydraulic couplers and hoses.

As seen in FIG. 1 there are two hydraulic motors 104 attached to the frame 102 of the cover removal apparatus 100. The hydraulic motors 104 preferably receive power from the hydraulic power system of the tractor. Preferably the frame 102 is coupled to the tractor in order that the tractor may lower or raise the cover removal apparatus toward or away from the surface of the green. Each of the hydraulic motors 104 preferably is mounted to the frame by bolts attached through holes in a mounting plate 106. The shaft of each motor preferably fits through a hole in the mounting plate between steel tubes that are part of the frame 102. Connected to the end of the shaft of each motor is a connector assembly 110. One end of the connector assembly 110 is coupled to the end of the shaft, preferably using a key and bolt connection and the other end of the connector assembly is fabricated to receive a roller bar 112 as will be described later. The coupling on the roller bar end of the connector assembly 110 preferably has a cup shape where the cup has a bottom and is open on the side furthest away from the motor shaft 108. The structure and function of the cover removal apparatus 100 will be more clearly understood upon viewing FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3.

FIG. 2A is a top view of the frame 102 whereas the front view as shown in FIG. 1 is at a location near the mounting plate 106. The frame 102 has a left side 114 and a right side 115. The left side 114 has an adjustment sleeve 118, preferably a steel tube, extending perpendicular towards the right side 115 as shown in FIG. 2A. The right side 115 of the frame 102 has an adjustment bar 120, which preferably is a steel tube, that extends perpendicular from the right side 115 and points toward the left side 114. As illustrate in FIG. 2A, the adjustment bar 120 fits within the adjustment sleeve 118 allowing the distance between the left side 114 and right side to be varied in order to provide a desired separation distance. When the desired distance between the left side and right side is obtained by positioning the adjustment sleeve 118 and adjustment bar 120, then bolts are tightened to lock the frame at that desired distance. There is a bucket bracket 122 (shown as dotted lines) on the bottom edge of each side of the frame 102. The bucket brackets 122 are used to attach the frame to the bucket of the tractor.

A view B-B of the right side 115 of the bracket is shown in FIG. 2B. The right side 115 preferably is fabricated of steel tubes and other steel shapes as need to meet the strength requirements of the cover removal apparatus 100. FIG. 2B shows a truss structure with the bucket bracket 122 on one end. The bucket bracket has two holes 124 that are used to mount the right side of the frame to the bucket of the tractor. The left side of the frame preferably has the same structure (essentially a mirror image) as the right side and includes a bucket bracket for mounting to the left side of the frame to the left side of the bucket. The right side 115 of the frame 102 preferably has a mounting plate 106 secured to the other end as seen in FIG. 2B. The mounting plate has holes 126 for attaching the motor 104 to the right side of the frame and has a larger hole 128 allowing the shaft motor to extend through the mounting plate 106. Preferably, a second motor 104 is attached to a mounting plate on the left side 114 of the frame.

Hydraulic lines (high pressure hoses with couplings) preferably are routed inside the steel tube of the frame 102 as shown in FIG. 3. A hydraulic hose 130 fits through a hole (shown in the upper left-hand corner of the figure) in one end of the left side 114 and then exits near the hydraulic motor 104. Hydraulic power from the tractor's hydraulic system is available to power the hydraulic motor coupled to the system via hose 130 using appropriate connectors. Preferably the motor rotates in either direction at the command of the tractor operator. A similar hydraulic connection (not shown) is installed for the hydraulic motor mounted on the right side 115 of the frame 102. When both hydraulic motors are rotating for wrapping a cover about the roller bar 112, the top of the roller bar is moving towards the tractor and the bottom of the roller bar is moving away from the tractor. This will become clear when viewing FIG. 6 and following the steps of the flow chart of FIG. 9.

A second preferred embodiment of the cover removal apparatus 100 is illustrated in FIG. 4. The bracket of FIG. 2 is modified by having a back bracket 132 connected between the left side 114 and the right side 115 of bracket 102. The back bracket has hitch connectors 134 with holes for connecting the frame 102 to the three point hitch of the tractor. The three point hitch is then used to raise or lower the cover removal apparatus 100. In the second preferred embodiment the bucket brackets 122 do not serve attach the cover removal apparatus to the tractor. It would be understood by those skilled in the art that a frame could be adapted to mount on other vehicles, a trailer and the like.

When either the first embodiment of FIG. 3 or the second embodiment of FIG. 4 is attached to the tractor and the hydraulic system is coupled to the motors 104, the cover removal apparatus 100 is available for removing covers from greens. When the roller bar is in the raised position (a few feet or so above the cover that is on the green) one end of the cover is preferably placed on the top of the roller bar 112 and wrapped around the roller bar so it will not slip from the roller bar when torque is applied for rotating the roller bar. When torque is applied to the roller bar, preferably turning the top of the roller bar towards the tractor, the cover is wrapped about the roller bar. In order for the cover to fit between the left side 114 and right side 115 of the frame 102, workers guide the edges of the cover between the sides. Although an optional technique for guiding the cover comprises vertically mounted rollers to the frame, the inventors prefer to use workers to guide the cover since they are needed to start the wrapping process. When using the cover removal apparatus 100 of the present disclosure, three workers are needed for cover removal. The conventional removal technique requires around six workers and in addition requires more time to remove a cover. FIG. 5 shows the embodiment of FIG. 4 with a wrapped cover 136 on the roller bar 112.

To better understand how the cover removal apparatus wraps a cover about the roller bar 112 refer now to FIG. 6. In FIG. 6 only the roller bar 112 and the cover are shown. The roller bar 112 is shown as a rectangular shape at the center of a partially wrapped cover. A rectangular shape is the preferred shape of the roller bar because the square edges of the rectangle grab the cover and do not allow the cover to slip during the first few turns of the roller bar. It would be apparent to someone skilled that other shapes could be used for the roller bar 112 and a non-slip coating or technique could be used reduce slipping on a roller bar having any shape. Other means for securing the cover to the roller bar during startup are consider to be within the scope of the present disclosure. As the roller bar 112, as shown in FIG. 6, rotates its top side toward the tractor (not shown) the cover wraps about the roller bar. The top side of the roller bar is the side (it changes every one quarter of a rotation) that is farthest from the surface of the green. Once the cover is completely wrapped about the roller bar, the wrapped cover may be placed in a storage location. The roller bar and the wrapped cover are removed from frame when the frame is lowered and the weight of the cover is no longer on the frame. This occurs, for example, when the wrapped cover is resting on a floor or a shelf of a storage area. When the weight of the cover and roller bar is removed from the frame another roller bar may be placed in the frame for removing another cover from another green.

FIG. 7A-C and FIG. 8 illustrate the preferred coupling between the roller bar 112 and the connector assembly 110 that is attached to the hydraulic motor 104. The preferred shape of the roller bar is rectangular (including a square shape) and the roller bar 112 preferably is comprised of a roller bar sleeve 140 and an insertable bar 142. Such a sleeve and insertable bar arrangement provide for a roller bar that has a variable length. On the outside ends of the roller bar is a roller bar connector having a slot 146. Preferably the slot 146 is round as shown and has a radius that is consistent with a lynch pin that secures the roller bar within the connector assembly 110. A cross section of the roller bar sleeve 140 is shown in FIG. 7B. FIG. 7C shows the cross section of the insertable bar 142. Both the roller bar sleeve 140 and the insertable bar 142 are preferably steel tubes.

FIG. 8 illustrates the preferred connector assembly 110 in detail. A keyed connector 150 is shown at the right side of the connector assembly. The keyed connector is dimensioned to fit on the shaft of the hydraulic motor. The shaft on the hydraulic motor is threaded and extends through the hole in the keyed connector and is secured to the connector assembly with a bolt. A receiver cup 152 is attached (typically welded) to the keyed connector and has an opening adapted to receive the roller bar connector 144. When the roller bar connector is placed within the bar receiver cup 152 a lynch pin is inserted within hole 154 and through the notch 146 in the roller bar connector. The roller bar connector is secured between the bottom of the bar receiver cup and the lynch pin. When the lynch pin is removed from the connector assembly the roller bar is no longer secured to the connector assembly and may be removed when desired. The preferred method of removing the roller bar, when it has a wrapped cover, comprises lowering the frame 102 until the weight of the wrapped cover is not longer on the frame. The lynch pins of both the receiver cups are then removed. Next, the frame is moved further downward thereby allowing the roller bar to be separated from the connector assembly 110. As a final separation step the tractor backs away from the roller bar holding the wrapped cover. When another roller bar is locked in the connector assembly, the cover assembly apparatus is available for removing another cover.

A preferred method for removing a cover is shown in the flow chart 200 of FIG. 9. A cover removal apparatus is attached to a tractor that has a bucket or three point hitch that is able to move the cover removal apparatus up and down as desired. The tractor is position near one end of the cover. First, step 210, one end of the cover is placed on the top side of the roller bar 112. It is preferable to wrap the one end of the cover about the roller bar so that it will not slip as the roller bar rotates. When the cover is in a no-slip condition, torque is applied to the roller bar via the motors 104. As the motors pull the cover about the roller bar the cover is guided, step 230, to conform with the width of the roller bar so that the cover will fit between the left side and right side of the frame 102. Once it has been determined that the cover is completely wrapped about the roller bar 112 torque is removed from the roller bar, step 240. The cover is now wrapped about the roller bar and in a compact condition for movement to a storage location. The cover is then moved to a storage location, step 250.

A preferred method for replacing a cover is illustrated by the flow chart 300 of FIG. 10. First, step 310, a cover is moved from a storage area to the green that will receiver the cover. In order for the cover removal apparatus 100 to capture or pickup a wrapped cover, the frame 102 must be lowered below the ends of the roller bar containing the wrapped cover. When the opening in the receiver cups 152 are aligned with the roller bar connector slots, the frame is raised thereby allowing the roller bar to be lifted by the frame. Lynch pins are then inserted to secure the roller bar to the motors 104. The frame is preferably raised further so the cover may be moved, via the tractor, to the cover placement location. When the tractor is located for placing the cover on the green, torque is applied, step 320, in a direction that moves the top of the receiver bar away from the tractor. As the roller bar rotates, the cover end moving downward towards the green is pulled across the green by workers or a golf cart, step 330. Torque is removed from the roller bar, step 340, when the cover is completely unwrapped. Next, step 350, the cover is unfolded and position for protecting the green.

It should be further emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present invention, particularly, any “preferred” embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention and protected by the following claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for removing a cover from a green of a golf course comprising:

a frame adapted for coupling to a vertical motion apparatus, the frame having mounting brackets for one or more motor;

one or more motors connected to the mounting bracket of the frame, each motor having a connector assembly; and

a roller bar coupled to the connector assemblies, the roller bar receiving torque from the motor for wrapping the cover about the roller bar.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motor is a hydraulic motor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vertical motion apparatus is the bucket of a maintenance tractor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the roller bar is removed from the connector assembly after the cover has been wrapped about the roller bar.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the to the roller bar is comprised of a sleeve and an insertable bar.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more motors are electrical motors.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the connector assemblies secure the roller bar with lynch pins.

8. A method for removing a cover from a green for a golf course, the method comprising the steps of:

placing the cover on a roller bar;

applying torque to the roller bar;

wrapping the cover about the roller bar until it forms a wrapped cover; and

placing the roller bar having the wrapped cover at desired location.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the roller bar receives torque for the wrapping step from a hydraulic motor.

10. A method for placing a cover on a green for a golf course, the method comprising the steps of:

placing a roller bar having a wrapped cover to a location adjacent to the green;

unwrapping the cover from about a roller bar; and

unfolding and positioning the cover on the green.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein torque by a hydraulic motor to unwrap the cover.

12. The method of claim 11 one end of the tarp is pulled away from the green with a wheeled vehicle.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the roller bar is mounted on a frame.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the frame is coupled to a maintenance tractor.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the coupling to the tractor is a frame to tractor bucket connection.

16. A cover removal apparatus for removing a cover from a green and for placing a cover on a green, the apparatus adapted for utilization with a maintenance tractor where the tractor has a means for lower and raising the apparatus and the tractor has a power sources that is coupled to the apparatus, the apparatus comprising;

a frame with left side and a right side that is adapted for bolting to the bucket of the tractor and the bucket services as the lowering and raising means, the frame further having one or more mounting plates for securing one or more motors;

one or more hydraulic motors mounted to the mounting plates and for receiving hydraulic power from the tractor, the hydraulic motors having connector assembly coupled to the shaft of each of the motors; and

a roller bar coupled to the connector assemblies, the roller bar further being adapted to receive and wrap a cover.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the roller bar is comprised of a sleeve and an insertable bar wherein the insertable bar is removable when the cover is wrapped about the roller bar.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the width of the frame is adjustable.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the frame is modified to fit on a three point hitch of the maintenance tractor.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the frame is adapted to connect to a trailer.