Process for conditioning soil

• US 6,088,959 A
• Filed: 01/05/1999
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andrew M Masciarella, Thomas R. Wait
• Original Assignee: Andrew M Masciarella, Thomas R. Wait
• Inventors: Masciarella, Andrew M., Wait, Thomas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Lynette R. F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grunberg, Anne Marie
• Application Number:
  US09/226,916
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 47/1.01, 47/1.42, 47/2, 47/58.1, 62/240, 62/286, 62/238.6, 62/428, 405/43, 405/45, 405/36, 405/269
• US Class Current: 47/58.10R
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 20/30 Apparatus for treating the lawn or grass surface machines for aerating lawns A01B45/02
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 13/083 Construction of grass-grown sports grounds; Drainage, irrigation or heating arrangements therefor

Abstract

A process for conditioning a golf green which preferably is constructed in accordance with the specifications of the United States Golf Association. In this process, air is blown at a flow rate of from about 250 to about 1000 cubic feet per minute onto the top surface of the golf green while simultaneously withdrawing air from said vent side of the main feeder line at a flow rate of from about 250 to about 1,000 cubic feet per minute. A first blower disposed at a distance of less than 30 inches above the golf green is used to blow such air onto the top surface of the green, and the first blower is connected to an air conditioning unit which contains a second blower containing of blower blades and a motor for rotating the blower blades to draw air in a first direction, and expel air in a second direction, a shroud mounted adjacent the second blower, an evaporator coil positioned near the blower within the shroud, a condenser coil operatively positioned within the shroud between the evaporator coil and the second blower, and a compressor operatively connected to the evaporator coil and the condenser coil. The input port of the air conditioning unit is operatively connected to the vent side of the main feeder line.

Claims

1. A process for conditioning a golf green wherein said golf green is comprised of a top surface, a vent side, a drain side, and a main feeder line connected to said vent side and to said drain side and disposed beneath said top surface of said golf course, comprising the steps of blowing air at a flow rate of from about 250 to about 1000 cubic feet per minute onto the top surface of said golf green while simultaneously withdrawing air from said vent side of said main feeder line at a flow rate of from about 250 to about 1,000 cubic feet per minute, wherein said air is blown onto said top surface of said golf green by a first blower, and wherein:

(a) said first blower is disposed at a distance of less than 30 inches above the top surface of said golf green,

(b) said first blower is operatively connected to the output port of an air conditioning unit, wherein said air conditioning unit is comprised of;

1. a second blower comprised of blower blades and a motor for rotating said blower blades to draw air in a first direction, and expel air in a second direction,

2. a shroud mounted adjacent said blower,

3. an evaporator coil positioned near said second blower within such shroud so that air drawn by said second blower in the said first direction passes said evaporator coil,

4. a condenser coil operatively positioned within the shroud between said evaporator coil and said second blower so that air drawn by the second blower in the first direction passes through said evaporator coil and then passes said condenser coil and into said blower, and

5. a compressor operatively connected to said evaporator coil and said condenser coil; and

(c) said input port of said air conditioning unit is operatively connected to said vent side of said main feeder line.

2. The process as recited in claim 1, wherein water is fed to said air conditioning unit at a flow rate of at least about 7 gallons per minute.

3. The process as recited in claim 2, wherein the pressure of said water fed to said air conditioning unit is less than about 25 pounds per square inch.

4. The process as recited in claim 3, wherein said air conditioning unit provides cooled air to said first blower.

5. The process as recited in claim 3, wherein said air conditioning unit provides heated air to said first blower.

6. The process as recited in claim 3, further comprising the step of discharging said water from said air conditioning unit at a rate of at least about 7 gallons per minute.

7. The process as recited in claim 1, wherein said air conditioning unit weighs less than about 120 pounds.

8. The process as recited in claim 1, wherein said first blower is an oscillating blower.

9. The process as recited in claim 1, wherein said first blower is disposed at a distance of less than about fifteen feet from said golf green.