Turf pallet and system

Abstract

A lightweight turf pallet is formed of High Density Polyethylene and is formed by a twin-skin vacuum moulding process under high pressure. The pallet has top and bottom faces each with an array of frusto-conical cavities formed in rows on each face, the cavities on opposed faces being coaxial and joined at their apices to form a web therebetween. A system for constructing a recreation or sporting surface comprising such pallets, together with corner joiner members and surface pads is also described and claimed.

1 . A lightweight turf pallet formed of plastics material having spaced top and bottom faces and comprising an array of cavities formed in each face, the cavities on opposed faces being coaxial and being joined at their bases to form a web therebetween.  
   
   
       2 . A pallet according to  claim 1 , wherein said cavities are substantially frusto-conical and said oppose cavities are joined at their apices.  
   
   
       3 . A pallet according to  claim 2 , wherein said pallet is formed by a twin-skin vacuum moulding process under high pressure, and steel reinforcing is provided therein, said reinforcing defining at least part of tyne pockets facilitating lifting and transportation of the pallet using a fork lift.  
   
   
       4 . A pallet according to  claim 3 , wherein said web has one or more drainage holes therein.  
   
   
       5 . A pallet according to  claim 4 , made primarily from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE).  
   
   
       6 . A pallet according to  claim 1 , manufactured from two like parts arranged coplanar and joined along adjacent edges to form a rectangular pallet.  
   
   
       7 . A pallet according to  claim 6 , wherein said parts are joined by aluminium joiner members that are slid between the two parts from opposite edges and interlock with grooves provided in said adjacent edges.  
   
   
       8 . A pallet according to  claim 5 , wherein said reinforcing comprises spaced U-shaped channels extending across the width of the pallet and enclosed within said HDPE, said channels having outwardly directed flanges on the sides of the channels and being open in a direction towards the underside of the pallet, and a steel plate extending across the width of the pallet and fixed, through said HDPE, to said flanges, to form said tyne pockets.  
   
   
       9 . A pallet according to  claim 8 , wherein a rebate extends around the upper perimeter of the pallet to receive a moulded rectangular perimeter member providing an upstanding wall for retaining said turf on said pallet.  
   
   
       10 . A system for constructing a recreation or sporting surface, said system including a series of pallets as defined in  claim 1 , corner joiner members for joining the adjacent corners of four said pallets together, surface pads comprising a plastics sheet for placing on top of each said pallet to provide sound deadening in use, said surface pads having holes therein for drainage purposes, and natural or synthetic turf on top of said surface pads and retained thereon by said perimeter member.  
   
   
       11 . A system according to  claim 10 , wherein said surface pads are formed of acrylonitrite butadiene styrene (ABS).  
   
   
       12 . A system according to  claim 10 , wherein said corner joiner members are plastics pads with generally conical upstands for engaging in corresponding said cavities in the underside of each pallet at said corners.  
   
   
       13 . A system according to  claim 11 , wherein said corner joiner members have an upstanding central cruciform for locating and supporting the respective corners of the pallet.