GB2289848A - Divot retainer - Google Patents

Abstract

A divot retainer is made of bio-degradable material and has the form of either a headed member with depending element of a U-shaped staple.

Description

FASTENER AND METHOD FOR REPAIRING GRASS BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Grass is often damaged, e.g. in the game of golf,- -- golf divots of grass are often displaced when making a shot. Such divots or the absence thereof are an unexpected hazard since they are deep and can be large. Balls can roll into and lodge in the divot holes and be difficult to hit. Most golf courses have rules saying divots must be replaced, but even then there are snags. The divots are usually trodden into place but, since golf shoes are spiked, the divots tend to be lifted and broken up by such treatment. In addition, the divot tends to attract birds which lift and invert the divot looking for insects which congregate under the divots. A similar problem arises in other grassland such as lawns which can get bare patches - the patching up with spare turfs suffers the same hazards.The present invention aims at providing a method of repairing grass and a means therefore.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION One aspect of the present invention provides a method of repairing grass, comprising inserting a sod or divot in a hole in the grass and securing the sod or divot by a fastener.

The fastener should preferably be bio- or otherwise degradable so it exists for a limited time depending on the soil and other conditions and should also break rapidly if a mower blade hits it. Alternatively, the fastener could be designed to be driven deeply into the divot or sod, either when installed or after it has served its purpose.

Another aspect of the invention provides a fastener adapted to be driven through a sod or divot into underlying soil in grass which is designed to be sacrificial.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS figure 1 shows a divot hole in a stretch of grass with the divot replaced and secured by a fastener.

Figure 2 illustrates one form of fastener as used in Figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates alternative forms of fasteners for use in Figure 1.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS - In Figure 1 , a stretch of grass, such as the-fairway of a golf course, has a surface 11 out of which has been scooped a divot leaving a hole 12. The divot 14 is replaced in this hole and secured in place by one or more fasteners 15.

Figure 2 illustraates one form of fastener 15. This form of fastener has a head 16 and a pointed depending element 17 penetrating into the underlying soil. The head can be flat as shown or dished so as to lie below the surface 11.

Figure 3 illustrates another form of fastener which is U-shaped in the form of a staple.

Each form of fastener is meant to be sacrificial and is made of a degradable material such as a suitable plastics material. It can be bio-, photo- or otherwise degradable so that, if left in the ground long enough for the turf to knit together, the fastener will have vanished. There is another requirement which is that the fastener should break rather than spreading the damage caused by the golf club or harming the mower blade, should the fastener be struck by a golf club or the blade of a mowing machine.

After a fastener has been in the ground a few days, the depending elements will be fast in the divot or sod as the grass roots will have grown around it and so the head or top will no longer be important.

Claims (1)

1. In this claim, patent rights are claimed. Whenever a biodegradable fixing device is used to hold in place a new turf or recently replaced turf, sods or divots as in fig 3 4 5 6 .