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.

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.