Process and apparatus for laying a subterranean film

Claim 2

Apparatus for laying a strip of film under the surface of the soil comprising: a hollow plow having a film inlet above the soil surface and a film outlet adapted to be below the soil surface when the plow is moving through the soil; a source of film; means for passing film from the source of film into the film inlet, through the hollow plow, and out the film outlet under the soil surface while the plow is moving through the soil; and first means adjacent the film outlet of the hollow plow for supporting the film under the soil after passing the film out of the film outlet under the soil.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein: the first means comprises a first hinged plate mounted to the plow adjacent the film outlet so that the plate supports the film under the soil after passing the film out of the film outlet under the soil.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising: second means adjacent the film outlet of the hollow plow for preventing soil from entering the film outlet of the hollow plow passing the film out of the film outlet under the soil.

Claim 5

Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein: the first means comprises a first hinged plate mounted to the plow adjacent the film outlet so that the plate supports the film under the soil after passing the film out of the film outlet under the soil; and the second means comprises a second hinged plate mounted to the plow adjacent the film outlet so that soil is prevented from entering the film outlet of the plow while film is being laid.

Claim 6

Apparatus for laying a strip of film under the surface of the ground comprising: a hollow plow having a film inlet above the ground surface and a film outlet adapted to be below the ground surface as the plow is moving through the ground; a source of film; means for passing film from the source of film into the film inlet, through the hollow plow, and out the film outlet, said means comprising centering means associated with the plow adjacent the film inlet for centering the film in the film inlet and for preventing side-to-side movement of the film as the film enters the hollow plow, said centering means comprising a first bar and a second bar, the second bar being narrowly spaced from the first bar to form a narrow passage which is centered in the film inlet means.

Claim 7

Apparatus for laying a strip of film under the surface of the ground comprising: a hollow plow having a film inlet above the ground surface and a film outlet adapted to be below the ground surface as the plow is moving through the ground; a source of film; means for passing film from the source of film into the film inlet, through the hollow plow, and out the film outlet, said means comprising centering means associated with the plow adjacent the film inlet for centering the film in the film inlet and for preventing side-to-side movement of the film as the film enters the hollow plow, said centering means comprising a first bar and a second bar, the second bar being narrowly spaced from the first bar to form a narrow passage which is centered in the film inlet means.

Claim 8

Apparatus for laying a strip of film under the surface of the ground comprising: a plow having a film inlet, a film feed housing in film feed communication with the film inlet, a film distribution housing in film feed communication with the film feed housing, said film distribution housing further having a film outlet; first means connected in film feed communication with the film feed housing for centering the film edge to edge and for smoothing in lateral directions the film being centered; second means for shaping the film to be laid according to a desired confirmation and for stretching the film in lateral directions, said second means being in film feed communication with the first means, wherein the second means comprises means for curving lateral edges of the film upward and for stretching the film horizontally so that the film is conformed to a cross sectional trough conformation having a central generally horizontal portion and upwardly curved lateral edges; and third means, adjacent and between the first means and the second means, for preventing the curved lateral edges of the film from overlapping the central generally horizontal portion of the film.

Claim 9

Apparatus for laying a strip of film under the surface of the ground comprising: a plow having a film inlet, a film feed housing in film feed communication with the film inlet, a film distribution housing in film feed communication with the film feed housing, said film distribution housing further having a film outlet; first means connected in film feed communication with the film feed housing for centering the film edge to edge and for smoothing in lateral directions the film being centered; second means for shaping the film to be laid according to a desired confirmation and for stretching the film in lateral directions, said second means being in film feed communication with the first means, wherein the second means comprises means for curving lateral edges of the film upward and for stretching the film horizontally so that the film is conformed to a cross sectional trough conformation having a central generally horizontal portion and upwardly curved lateral edges; and third means, adjacent and between the first means and the second means, for preventing the curved lateral edges of the film from overlapping the central generally horizontal portion of the film.

Claim 10

Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein: the first means comprises a roller tapered in a crown pattern being larger at the middle and smaller at ends thereof, the right-hand portion of the roller when viewed from the film outlet having a groove forming a right-handed helix thereon and the left-hand portion of the roller having a groove forming a left-handed helix thereon; the second means comprises a first bar having a first bar surface and a second bar having a second bar surface substantially conforming to the first bar surface and the second bar surface having grooves therein for stretching the film.

Claim 11

Apparatus for laying a strip of film under the surface of the ground comprising: a source of folded film, said film having a first portion, a second portion, and a fold joining the first portion and the second portion; a plow having a film inlet, a film feed housing in film feed communication with the film inlet, a film distribution housing in film feed communication with the film feed housing, said film distribution housing further having a film outlet; first means mounted in the film feed housing adjacent the film inlet for spreading the first portion from the second portion of the folded film; second means mounted in the film feed housing and connected to said first means and extending therefrom toward the film distribution housing for guiding the fold of the spread film and for preventing side-to-side movement of the film in the film feed housing; third means in the film distribution housing for further spreading the first portion from the second portion of the folded film to produce a generally horizontally disposed strip of nonfolded film; and fourth means for passing the generally horizontally disposed strip of film through the film outlet of the film distribution housing.

Claim 12

Apparatus for laying a strip of film under the surface of the ground comprising: a source of folded film, said film having a first portion, a second portion, and a fold joining the first portion and the second portion; a plow having a film inlet, a film feed housing in film feed communication with the film inlet, a film distribution housing in film feed communication with the film feed housing, said film distribution housing further having a film outlet; first means mounted in the film feed housing adjacent the film inlet for spreading the first portion from the second portion of the folded film; second means mounted in the film feed housing and connected to said first means and extending therefrom toward the film distribution housing for guiding the fold of the spread film and for preventing side-to-side movement of the film in the film feed housing; third means in the film distribution housing for further spreading the first portion from the second portion of the folded film to produce a generally horizontally disposed strip of nonfolded film; and fourth means for passing the generally horizontally disposed strip of film through the film outlet of the film distribution housing.

Claim 13

Apparatus as in claim 8 further comprising: fifth means for centering the film in the film feed inlet to prevent side-to-side movement of the film as the film enters the film feed housing.

Claim 14

Apparatus for laying a strip of film under the surface of the ground comprising: a plow having a film inlet above the ground surface and a film outlet below the ground surface when the plow is moving through the ground; and film starting means carried by the plow for releasably retaining an end of film as the plow enters into the ground and for releasing the end of film after a portion of the strip of film is laid under the surface of the ground.

Claim 15

Apparatus for laying a strip of film under the surface of the ground comprising: a plow having a film inlet above the ground surface and a film outlet below the ground surface when the plow is moving through the ground; and film starting means carried by the plow for releasably retaining an end of film as the plow enters into the ground and for releasing the end of film after a portion of the strip of film is laid under the surface of the ground.

Claim 16

Apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the film starting means comprises: a first bar; a second bar for bearing against the first bar; and means resiliently connecting the first bar and the second bar so that pressure is developed between the first bar and the second bar to releasably retain an end of film inserted therebetween.

Claim 17

Apparatus for laying a generally horizontally disposed strip of film under the surface of the earth comprising: a spool of folded film, said folded film having a first portion, a second portion joined to and overlapping the first portion, and a fold at the junction of the first portion and the second portion; a hollow plow comprising a film feed housing having a film inlet, a film distribution housing in film feed communication in the film feed housing, the film distribution housing having a film outlet; first means adjacent the film inlet for centering a strip of folded film passed from the spool to prevent side-to-side movement of the film; second means adjacent the first means for spreading the first portion from the second portion of the folded film; third means adjacent the second means for guiding the fold of the spread film to prevent side-to-side movement of the film; fourth means for passing the guided film into the film distribution housing; fifth means for further spreading the first portion from the second portion of the film to produce a generally horizontally disposed nonfolded strip of film; sixth means for centering the thus spread film to prevent edge-to-edge movement of the film and for smoothing the film in lateral directions, said sixth means comprising a roller journaled in said film distribution housing and tapered in a crown pattern and being larger at the middle and smaller at the ends thereof; seventh means for curving the lateral edges of the centered film and for stretching the thus centered film laterally; eighth means for preventing the curved lateral edges of the film from overlapping noncurved portions of the film; and ninth means adjacent the film outlet for distributing the film with curved lateral edges from the film outlet under the surface of the earth so that wrinkling of the film is prevented and so that entry of earth into the film feed housing is reduced.

Claim 18

Apparatus for laying a generally horizontally disposed strip of film under the surface of the earth comprising: a spool of folded film, said folded film having a first portion, a second portion joined to and overlapping the first portion, and a fold at the junction of the first portion and the second portion; a hollow plow comprising a film feed housing having a film inlet, a film distribution housing in film feed communication in the film feed housing, the film distribution housing having a film outlet; first means adjacent the film inlet for centering a strip of folded film passed from the spool to prevent side-to-side movement of the film; second means adjacent the first means for spreading the first portion from the second portion of the folded film; third means adjacent the second means for guiding the fold of the spread film to prevent side-to-side movement of the film; fourth means for passing the guided film into the film distribution housing; fifth means for further spreading the first portion from the second portion of the film to produce a generally horizontally disposed nonfolded strip of film; sixth means for centering the thus spread film to prevent edge-to-edge movement of the film and for smoothing the film in lateral directions, said sixth means comprising a roller journaled in said film distribution housing and tapered in a crown pattern and being larger at the middle and smaller at the ends thereof; seventh means for curving the lateral edges of the centered film and for stretching the thus centered film laterally; eighth means for preventing the curved lateral edges of the film from overlapping noncurved portions of the film; and ninth means adjacent the film outlet for distributing the film with curved lateral edges from the film outlet under the surface of the earth so that wrinkling of the film is prevented and so that entry of earth into the film feed housing is reduced.

Claim 21

Method as in claim 13 further comprising: preventing earth from entering the hollow plow while laying down earth on the supported film.

Claim 26

Method as in claim 16 wherein the step of shaping the centered film in a desired conformation and stretching the centered film in lateral directions comprises curving the lateral edges of the film upward and stretching the film horizontally so that the film is conformed to a trough conformation having a central generally horizontal portion and upwardly curved lateral edge, and further comprising: preventing the upwardly curved lateral edges of the film from overlapping the central generally horizontal portion of the film.

Claim 31

Apparatus for laying a strip of film under the surface of the ground comprising: a plow having a film inlet, a film feed housing in film feed communication with the film inlet, a film distribution housing in film feed communication with the film feed housing, said film distribution housing further having a film outlet; first means connected in film feed communication with the film feed housing for centering the film edge-to-edge and for smoothing in lateral directions the film being centered, said first means comprising a roller tapered in a crown pattern being larger at the middle and smaller at the ends thereof, the right-hand portion of the roller when viewed from the film outlet having a groove forming a right-handed helix thereon and the left-hand portion of the roller having a groove forming a left-handed helix thereon; second means for shaping the film to be laid according to a desired conformation and for stretching the film in lateral directions, said second means being in film feed communication with the first means, said second means comprising means for curving lateral edges of the film upward and for stretching the film horizontally so that the film is conformed to a cross sectional trough conformation having a central generally horizontal portion and upwardly curved lateral edges, and said second means further comprising a first bar having a first bar surface and a second bar having a second bar surface substantially conforming to the first bar surface and the second bar surface having grooves therein for stretching the film; and third means, adjacent and between the first means and the second means, for preventing the curved lateral edges of the film from overlapping the central generally horizontal portion of the film.

Claim 32

Apparatus for laying a strip of film under the surface of the ground comprising: a plow having a film inlet, a film feed housing in film feed communication with the film inlet, a film distribution housing in film feed communication with the film feed housing, said film distribution housing further having a film outlet; first means connected in film feed communication with the film feed housing for centering the film edge-to-edge and for smoothing in lateral directions the film being centered, said first means comprising a roller tapered in a crown pattern being larger at the middle and smaller at the ends thereof, the right-hand portion of the roller when viewed from the film outlet having a groove forming a right-handed helix thereon and the left-hand portion of the roller having a groove forming a left-handed helix thereon; second means for shaping the film to be laid according to a desired conformation and for stretching the film in lateral directions, said second means being in film feed communication with the first means, said second means comprising means for curving lateral edges of the film upward and for stretching the film horizontally so that the film is conformed to a cross sectional trough conformation having a central generally horizontal portion and upwardly curved lateral edges, and said second means further comprising a first bar having a first bar surface and a second bar having a second bar surface substantially conforming to the first bar surface and the second bar surface having grooves therein for stretching the film; and third means, adjacent and between the first means and the second means, for preventing the curved lateral edges of the film from overlapping the central generally horizontal portion of the film.

Claim 33

Apparatus for laying a strip of film under the surface of the ground comprising: a plow having a film inlet, a film feed housing in film feed communication with the film feed inlet, a film distribution housing in film feed communication with the film feed housing, said film distribution housing further having a film outlet; first means connected in film feed communication with the film feed housing for centering the film edge-to-edge and for smoothing in lateral directions the film being centered, said first means comprising a roller tapered in a crown pattern being larger at the middle and smaller at the ends thereof, the right-hand portion of the roller when viewed from the film outlet having a groove forming a right-handed helix thereon and the left-hand portion of the roller having a groove forming a left-handed helix thereon; and second means for shaping the film to be laid according to a desired conformation and for stretching the film in lateral directions, said second means being in film feed communication with the first means, said second means comprising means for curving lateral edges of the film upward and for stretching the film horizontally so that the film is conformed to a cross sectional trough configuration having a central generally horizontal portion and upwardly curved lateral edges, and said second means further comprising a first bar having a first bar surface and a second bar having a second bar surface substantially conforming to the first bar surface and the second bar surface having grooves therein for stretching the film.

Claim 34

Apparatus for laying a strip of film under the surface of the ground comprising: a plow having a film inlet, a film feed housing in film feed communication with the film feed inlet, a film distribution housing in film feed communication with the film feed housing, said film distribution housing further having a film outlet; first means connected in film feed communication with the film feed housing for centering the film edge-to-edge and for smoothing in lateral directions the film being centered, said first means comprising a roller tapered in a crown pattern being larger at the middle and smaller at the ends thereof, the right-hand portion of the roller when viewed from the film outlet having a groove forming a right-handed helix thereon and the left-hand portion of the roller having a groove forming a left-handed helix thereon; and second means for shaping the film to be laid according to a desired conformation and for stretching the film in lateral directions, said second means being in film feed communication with the first means, said second means comprising means for curving lateral edges of the film upward and for stretching the film horizontally so that the film is conformed to a cross sectional trough configuration having a central generally horizontal portion and upwardly curved lateral edges, and said second means further comprising a first bar having a first bar surface and a second bar having a second bar surface substantially conforming to the first bar surface and the second bar surface having grooves therein for stretching the film.

Claim 35

Apparatus for laying a strip of film under the surface of the ground comprising: a plow having a film inlet above the ground surface and a film outlet below the ground surface when the plow is moving through the ground; and film starting means associated with the plow for releasably retaining an end of the strip of film as the plow enters into the ground and for releasing the end of the strip of film after a portion of the strip of film is laid under the surface of the ground, said film starting means comprising: first bar means; second bar means for bearing against the first bar means; and means resiliently connecting the first bar means and the second bar means so that pressure is developed between the first bar means and the second bar means to releasably retain an end of a strip of film inserted therebetween.

Claim 36

Apparatus for laying a strip of film under the surface of the ground comprising: a plow having a film inlet above the ground surface and a film outlet below the ground surface when the plow is moving through the ground; and film starting means associated with the plow for releasably retaining an end of the strip of film as the plow enters into the ground and for releasing the end of the strip of film after a portion of the strip of film is laid under the surface of the ground, said film starting means comprising: first bar means; second bar means for bearing against the first bar means; and means resiliently connecting the first bar means and the second bar means so that pressure is developed between the first bar means and the second bar means to releasably retain an end of a strip of film inserted therebetween.