"Soil Amendment Injector"

Inventors: G.W. Hamilton, D. Livingston, G. Dillner

PSU Inv. Disc. No. 2000-2375

Licensing Contact: Matthew D. Smith

Penn State Researchers have modified an existing system in the field of turf soil that could revolutionize golf course and athletic field maintenance. This newly invented device is comprised of a soil injecting system, in which a row of sharp mechanisms cut slits into the soil (approximately 0.37 inches wide by 3 inches deep). The machine creates eight slits across four feet, where sand is then injected. The invention is novel due to the fact that it actually dispenses the old soil out of the generated grooves, creating a more efficient, compact drainage system.

Other injectors on the market prove to be highly complicated, disruptive to the surface and costly, as contractors usually can only use these machines. In turn, this is a device that would be for sale to all turf grass managers. Accordingly, to improve the drainage of a putting green or an athletic field, poor quality soils must be removed and replaced with modified soils in order to effectively improve drainage. Moreover, this system provides a simpler and less destructive approach to drainage improvement.