[001] The present invention relates to liner production apparatus and delivery systems and vehicles incorporating these for use in such applications as the lining of liquid reservoirs such as containment ponds, waste storage areas, water storage areas, tailings dams and channels such as irrigation channels, aqueducts, and for purposes such as erosion mitigation control.

Background of the invention

[002] Currently, to manufacture such linings, these linings require the spraying of a liquid polymer modified cementitious and or rubber product to a geotextile to create a liner for liquid storage and liquid proofing. Alternatively a knife over roll factory application process can be used. This pre-coated liner is then rolled, lifted, loaded, transported, unloaded and then applied to the surface to be lined. There is a market need for a different means of producing such lined structures.

[003] An alternative means of manufacture is to lay the liner in place on a liquid reservoir or the like, and then coating the placed liner in situ, by means of spraying. A further alternative is to apply to the reservoir an uncoated material such as high density polyethylene or black plastic.

[004] Any reference herein to known prior art does not, unless the contrary indication appears, constitute an admission that such prior art is commonly known by those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, at the priority date of this application.

Summary of the invention

[005] The present invention provides a liner coating apparatus including a base, a coating reservoir located above the base and at a height to allow a substrate to pass over the base, but under the reservoir, a lower-most edge of the reservoir being spaced from the base to control the depth of coating to be positioned on the substrate to thereby extrude onto the substrate a predetermined thickness of coating. [006] A downstream wall of the reservoir, relative to the direction of motion of the substrate, can include an angled surface to extrude the coating onto the substrate.

[007] The angled surface can be in the range of 20 to 45 degrees to the horizontal.

[008] The angled surface can be in the range of 25 to 40 degrees to the horizontal.

[009] The angled surface can be at an angle of 30 degrees to the horizontal.

[010] An upstream side of the reservoir can include a dam to engage the substrate to retain the coating and prevent the coating from escaping from the reservoir in the vicinity of the upstream edge.

[011] The reservoir can extend wholly across the width of the substrate.

[012] The extrusion of the coating onto the substrate can be by means of gravity and the substrate passing under an extrusion formation formed as part of the reservoir.

[013] The reservoir can include a gantry located thereabove to enable the reservoir to be lifted or removed from the apparatus.

[014] The surface area of the reservoir can be such that coating material contained therein makes contact with a similar surface area of substrate.

[015] The reservoir can include a base and a downstream aperture leading to the extruding formation.

[016] The reservoir can be adapted to be pressurised by pneumatic, hydraulic or mechanical means.

[017] A frame can be provided above the reservoir.

[018] The frame can include a translating mechanism for receiving a hose to replenish the reservoir.

[019] Downstream from the extruding formation of the reservoir there can be located a wiper or wiper means.

[020] Adjacent the reservoir at an upstream location can be a means to rotatably support a roll of substrate, for feeding the substrate into and under the reservoir. [021] The apparatus can be located on or in one of the following: a pod, cartridge or vehicle.

[022] The apparatus can receive the reservoir in a modular manner.

[023] The base can include means to rotatably support a roll of substrate.

[024] The base can be one of the following: an integral part of a vehicle; formed as part of a pod.

[025] The apparatus or a vehicle carrying the apparatus can include a ramp surface to deliver coated substrate to a ground level.

[026] The apparatus can be part of a vehicle or attachable to a vehicle, the vehicle having its own motive power, or is towed or dragged by another vehicle.

[027] The apparatus can be part of or attachable to vehicle which has wheels or rails to slide over the ground in the manner of a sled.

[028] The apparatus or a vehicle or pod which includes the apparatus can also include a means to releasably hold an axle around which the roll of substrate can be mounted.

[029] A motorised means can be provided to pass the substrate under the reservoir irrespective of whether the vehicle or pod is moving relative to a ground location.

[030] The vehicle or structure carrying the apparatus can include an angled structure to allow the reservoir to be approximately horizontal while the substrate is delivered to an angled ground surface.

[031] The present invention also provides a method of applying a coated liner to a liquid reservoir, channel or surface requiring erosion mitigation control, the method including the step of extruding onto a substrate a coating material.

[032] The method can further include a step of passing the substrate under a reservoir of coating material.

[033] The method can also include a step of extruding the coating onto said substrate by means of gravity and the substrate passing underneath the reservoir. [034] The method can also include the use of an apparatus as described above and below with reference to the accompanying Figures.

Brief description of the drawings

[035] An embodiment or embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[036] Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus mounted on a pod mounted on a vehicle;

[037] Figure 2 is a cross-section through the line II - II of Figure 1 ;

[038] Figure 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1 ;

[039] Figure 4 is a detailed part section of Figure 2 showing the extruder in detail;

[040] Figure 5 is a front elevation of another apparatus mounted on a pod mounted on a

vehicle;

[041] Figure 6 is a cross-section through lines VI - VI of Figure 5; [042] Figure 7 illustrates a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 5;

[043] Figure 8 illustrates a perspective view of the part of the vehicle, the pod and the modular reservoir assembly;

[044] Figure 9 illustrates a detailed cross-section through lines IX-IX in figure 5 through the reservoir assembly utilised with the apparatus of Figures 5 to 8;

[045] Figure 10 illustrates a modified reservoir assembly for use as an alternative to that of Figure 9;

[046] Figure 11 illustrates a reservoir assembly similar to Figure 9 with a pressurisation

mechanism associated therewith;

[047] Figure 12 illustrates a reservoir assembly similar to Figure 9 with a mechanical

pressurisation mechanism associated therewith;

[048] Figure 13 illustrates an end view of an angled mobile gantry arrangement allowing the embodiments of previous Figures to be utilised with an angled ground surface; and

[049] Figure 14 illustrates a side view of the arrangement of Figure 14. Detailed description of the embodiment or embodiments

[050] Illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 is a first embodiment of a liner coating apparatus 100 which is arranged on a pod 1.1. As is better illustrated in Figure 2, the pod 1.1 sits in a suitable recess 1.2 in a chassis 1.3 of a vehicle 1 , which has a forward set of wheels 1.4 and a rearward set of wheels 1.5 for rolling over a surface to receive the coated liner produced by the apparatus 100. The pod 1.1 includes laterally extending tyne apertures 7 to enable a forklift to raise and/or lower the pod 1.1 into or out of the chassis 1.3.

[051] The pod 1.1 has a forward opening hinged door 6 which in Figure 2 is shown in both the closed position when it is vertical and in the open condition when it is in a horizontal location. The door 6 includes an idling roller 6.1 to assist the movement of a roll 8 of substrate or liner 17. The roller 6.1 assists the roll 8 to be pushed into its deployed position as illustrated in Figure 2 by pushing the roll 8 over the rollers 6.1 once the roll 8 has been lifted onto the open door 6. Priof to the roll 8 being positioned on the apparatus 100, an axle 8.5 is positioned in the central tube on which the substrate 17 is wound. Thus, once the roll 8 has been located near its final position for dispensing, a bearing 8.4 can be located at either end of the axie 8.5 so that the bearings outer circumference will engage a generally vertical shoulder or wall 1.6 on the pod 1.1, so that the axle 8.5 can slide downwardly relative to the pod 1.1 during operation of the apparatus 100, as the roll 8 has substrate 17 dispensed therefrom.

[052] The chassis 1.3 includes an operator work area or platform 1.55 at the front of the chassis, and an optional handrail 3 in case the apparatus 100 is being used over heights greater than one metre which may be the case when the apparatus 100 is used for lining aqueducts or irrigation channels.

[053] The forward end of the chassis 1.3 includes a tow ball 4 for attachment to a vehicle which will allow the apparatus 100 to be towed with a vehicle as required. The rear of the chassis 1.3 includes a delivery feed tray 2 which feeds substrate 17, after it has passed out of the apparatus 100, down to a ground location to be coated by the liner, over which the apparatus 100 is travelling. [054] The pod 1.1 includes in its structure a supporting roller to rotatably support the roll 8 at the rear end of the pod 1.1. The roller 8.1 is preferably an idler roller, but if needed this can be a driven roller to allow the substrate to be unwound from the roll 8.

[055] The front door 6 and the reservoir wall 12.1 forms a liner well 11 which allows the liner roll 8 to roll therein to feed the substrate 17 under the reservoir or coating well 13.

[056] While the front door 6 is hinged to the pod 1.1 , the wall 12.1 is slidably mounted to the sides 5 of the pod 1.1 in a groove 5.1 at either side of the pod 1.1.

[057] At the rearward end of the pod 1.1 is a rear reservoir wall 12.2 which is slidably mounted in the grooves 5.2, in a manner similar to that of wall 12.1. The walls 12.1 and 12.2 are height adjustable in their respective grooves 5.1 and 5.2, with respect to the base surfacel .11 so as to be able to adjust for different thickness of coating to be extruded from the apparatus 100 and or for different thicknesses of substrate which will be coated by the apparatus 100.

[058] Between the walls 12.1 and 12.2 the reservoir or coating well 13 is formed. The reservoir 13 receives a relatively high viscosity liquid coating material such as polymer modified cementitious product, liquid rubber products or any product that appropriately solidifies or sets after being a viscous liquid. As is better seen in Figure 4, the front reservoir wall 12.2 has a lower most wall portion 12.21 which is generally parallel to the base 1. 1 of the pod 1.1. The distance of the wall 12.21 from the upper surface of the base 1.11 is selected to accommodate the thickness of the substrate or liner 17 as well as a thickness of the composition of the coated layer 17.1 to a desired thickness.

[059] Forward of the wall 12.21 is an angled wall 12.22. The wall 12.22 is at an angle of approximately 30° to the horizontal, however, it is expected that any angle in the range of 20° to 45° would also be suitable. The angle used for the surface 12.2 to the horizontal may also to some extent dependent upon the viscosity of the lining composition placed in the reservoir 13, but for most applications 30° would be suitable.

[060] As the substrate 17 passes in a rearward direction under the reservoir 13, the weight of the material in the reservoir 13 on the substrate 17 and the action of the substrate 17 passing under the rearward wall 12.2, forces the surface 12.22 to extrude or compress the composition at the rearward and lowermost edge of the reservoir 13, onto the substrate 17, so that an extruded or compressed surface coating 17.1 is applied to the substrate 17.

[061] As is illustrated in Figure 3, the reservoir 13, as defined by the height and width and spacing of the reservoir walls 12.1 and 12.2 can be seen to be almost the full width of the pod 1.1 and the chassis 1.3 of the vehicle. Further the base of the reservoir 13 has the majority of its surface area acting upon the surface of a similar surface are of substrate such as a geotextile.

[062] The framework of the pod 1.1 and the chassis 1.3 can be made from any appropriate material such as steel, aluminium, composites and polymeric materials.

[063] The means of dispensing the liner under the reservoir 13 and down the feed tray 2 and ultimately off the apparatus 100, can be by the end of the roll being held in position on the ground and the vehicle on which the apparatus is located, simply moving away therefrom, whereby the tension and strength of the substrate will force the roll 8 to unwind and pass under the reservoir 13. Whilst this is the preferred method of dispensing coated substrate 17, it will be readily understood that other methods could be utilised. For example, the roll 8 or supporting roll or set of rolls 8.1 can actually be motorised so that substrate can feed into and under and through the reservoir 13 and down the feed tray 2. Another possibility, in view of the chassis 1.3 being a towed chassis, is that the vehicle which is attached to the tow ball 4 can have a power takeoff or similar to motorise the roll 8 or the roller 8.1 thus creating a feed system which does not rely on the stressing or tensing of the substrate 17.

[064] The coated substrate 17 will exit the pod 1.1 at approximately the same speed at which the chassis 1.3 is being moved over the ground to be coated by a prime mover or other system. Rates of approximately 10 metres per minute would be suitable to produce a suitable coating and delivery rate of product.

[065] The substrate can be a geotextile material of any appropriate thickness, such as in the range of 1 to 5 millimetres, but may also be in the range of 3 to 5 millimetres. The thickness, density of the material and its mechanical properties will depend upon what application the liner, membrane or substrate will be put to. For example, in some situations high puncture resistance will be required to cope with the feet and claws of animals which might walk over the surface. Further in situations where one end of the substrate is held stationary while the vehicle moves away therefrom, the substrate will need to be robust enough to transmit the tensile stresses associated. Whereas, if the roll 8 or 8.1 were motorised such tensile stresses would not need to be transmitted through the fabric of the geotextile.

[066] The apparatus 100 of Figure 1 to 4 is illustrated as a towed vehicle.

However, the chassis 1.3 could include motorising means to drive the wheels 1.4 or 1.5 or both or the chassis 1.3 could be mounted on a sled arrangement whereby the vehicle can be dragged over the ground rather than moved or rolled by means of wheels.

[067] As is illustrated in Figure 2, once the end of the roll 8 has been laid, to join the start of the next roll to the end of the previously laid roll, then lap flashing 19 can be applied to the end of the previous roll and to which can be joined the end of the new roll. It is expected that the rolls would be of the order of 100 to 500 metres in length, however, it would be readily understood that this is a function of the size of the pod 1.1 and the amount of coating composition in the reservoir 13.

[068] It is preferred that the coating composition reservoir 13 will have new or continual amounts of material added to it as the chassis 1.3 is moving, in order to keep the level in the reservoir 13 at a desired height. The depth of coating in the reservoir 13 in the embodiment of figures 1 to 4 is the means to apply at the bottom of the reservoir sufficient force to help impregnate the substrate 17. By this means, the forces of adhesion between the lower most layer of composition particles are given the best chance of adhering to the upper surfaces of the substrate 17. Then the forces of cohesion in the coating material at the base of the reservoir 13, assist with the extruding process by means of the surface 12.22 acting or directing the coating composition into position to form the coated layer 17.1 , by means of the relative movement of the substrate 17 under the rear wall 12.2.

[069] If necessary, the reservoir 13 can be filled to a predetermined level with the coating composition so as to produce, for example, a five metre length calibration run in order to determine the correct thickness of the coating 17.1 which exits from the apparatus 100. If required, the rear wall 12.2 can have its height adjusted relative to the base 1.11 of the pod 1.1 so as to adjust the distance of the wall 12.21 relative to the upper surface of the base 1.11. By this means a desired thickness of composition can be achieved. If the thickness of coating 17.1 on membrane 17 is at the desired level then apparatus 100 can be utilised to lay out a whole roll of coated liner. As the coating layer 17.1 exits the wall 12.2, a silicone rubber flange 16 with a wiper 16.1 travels over the upper surface of the layer 17.1. The wiper can be used to smooth out the upper layer of the product coating 17.1 , or to apply a texture or striations to the upper surface of the coating or this can be removed so as to leave the originally extruded finish.

[070] Once the roll 8 has delivered all its contents by passing it underneath the reservoir 13 and has been appropriately coated, as it may take a considerable time to place another roll 8 onto a roller 8.1 , the walls 12.1 and 12.2 and their adjoining walls can be removed so as to clean them of remaining coating material, as well as any surfaces of the pod 1.1 which may have inadvertently received such coating material. This allows cleaned surfaces of walls 12.1 and 12.2 to be receive the coating composition when a new roll 8 begins to be fed through. When reloading a roll 8 and reservoir 13, the substrate 17 will be in positioned underneath the reservoir 13 location, prior to the walls 12.1 and 12.2 (and adjoining walls) are put back in place after cleaning. Then the coating material is pumped, poured or otherwise deposited in the reservoir 13 ready for the operation to begin again.

[071] As will be seen from figure 2, the forward wall 12.1 of the reservoir has at its base a silicone rubber flange 16.2 and a wiper 16.3 which prevents the composition in the reservoir 13 from exiting in a forward direction out of the reservoir 13 over the top of the substrate. Due to the viscosity of the coating material, such a mechanism is sufficiently effective.

[072] If needed, rather than replacing the roll 8 and cleaning the walls 12.1 and

12.2, the whole pod 1.1 can be lifted off the chassis 1.3 and replaced with a primed and fully loaded pod having a roll 8 and reservoir walls 12.1 and 12.2 and composition therein ready to go.

[073] Illustrated in Figures 5 to 8 is another apparatus 200 which is similar to the apparatus 100 previously described and like parts have been liked numbered.

[074] The apparatus 200 differs from the apparatus 100, in that the roller 8 is rotatably held on a dual roller system having a forward roller set 8.1 and a rearward roller set 8.2, thus better distributing the weight of the roll 8 thereon. The roll 8, as illustrated in Figure 7, is mounted by means of an axle 8.5 having end bearings 8.4 which can be received inside a generally vertical channel 1.12 on the pod 1.1 , so that the axle 8.5 can slide vertically relative thereto as described previously. This also prevents the roll 8 from moving forwardly or rearwardly relative to the pod 1.1 , as the roll 8 unrolls the substrate. As best seen from Figures 6 and 8 the channel 1.12 is generally vertical in arrangement and has an angle reinforcing strut 1.13, which will assist in bearing the forward and rearward forces applied to the channel 1.12 by the weight of the roll 8.

[075] As can be seen in Figure 5, the width of the rearward reservoir wall 12.2 is substantially the full width of the vehicle and the delivery tray 2. Further the reservoir 13 is of the same width as the roll 8 of substrate 17, so as to coat the whole width of the substrate in one pass under the reservoir assembly 13.1. The width of the roll 8 can be any desired width, however it is believed that a width of 2.5 metres to 6 metres is of sufficient size, with 4 metres being the most preferred, to provide an appropriate level of output, but also for a single operator on the apparatus 100 or 200 to keep the reservoir 13 appropriately filled or operating.

[076] Another point of difference between the apparatus 200 compared to the apparatus 100 is that the reservoir 13 is formed in a reservoir assembly 13.1 , as illustrated in figure 8. The reservoir assembly 13.1 is a modular unit having front wall 12.1 and rear wall 12.2 held spaced apart and joined by side walls 12.8 and 12.9. The reservoir assembly 13.1 is received in a channel 5.5 in the pod 1.1 , which holds the reservoir assembly 13.1 in place by engaging the edges of the front and rear walls 12.1 and 12.2 and the side walls 12.8 and 12.9. Thus all the walls of the reservoir assembly 13.1 can be lifted out as a single unit as indicated in broken line work 13.1' and as described below. This allows ready replacement of the reservoir assembly 13.1 with a cleaned and ready unit during the operation of the apparatus 200.

[077] The apparatus 200 further differs from the apparatus 100 in that the reservoir walls 12.1 and 12.2 of the reservoir assembly 13.1 have above them a horizontal frame member 12.3 and vertical or angled frame members 12.4. The frame member or beam 12.3 includes on its upper surface a left and a right side lifting hook 12.31, which will provide a lifting means to enable the reservoir assembly 13.1 to be removed as a single unit from the pod 1.1. Further, the horizontal frame member 12.3 as best illustrated in the cross-section of Figure 9, also includes a gantry rail 12.5 on its under surface in which can slide or roll an apertured holder 12.6. The gantry rail 12.5 and the frame member 12.3 also act as a handrail for the on machine operator to brace themselves and operate the apparatus.

[078] The holder 12.6 will enable an operator to pass a hose through the apertured support 12.6 and thereby keep the reservoir 13 filled to an appropriate depth at all times as the substrate passes under the reservoir assembly 13.1. The gantry 12.5 allows the operator to place composition at any appropriate location across the width of the reservoir 13 to keep the level relatively consistent or to an appropriate depth as the coating tends not to flow in a relatively easy manner, as the viscosity is generally too great for this to happen.

[079] As can be seen from Figures 6 and 7, the apparatus 200 also differs from the apparatus 100, in that the operator platform 1.55 is no longer located at the front of the chassis. Instead, in apparatus 200, the platform 1.55 is located in a forward position and adjacent to the reservoir assembly 13.1 and above the base 1.11 , so that the substrate 17 can pass underneath the platform 1.55 across the full width of the base 1.11. As illustrated in figure 7, the operator platform 1.55 is supported by inwardly projecting flanges 1.51 at either side of the pod 1.1 to keep the platform 1.55spaced from the base 1.11 , so as not to make contact with the substrate 17 passing underneath.

[080] As can be seen in Figure 9, the forward reservoir wall 12.1 includes an angled lead forward in surface 12.25, to assist in the feeding of the substrate 17 under the reservoir wall 12.1. Also visible in figure 9 is a dam formed from a wiper holder 16.2 and silicone rubber wiper 16.3, which helps to seal against the substrate 17, the front lower edge of the forward wall 12.1 of reservoir assembly 13.1 to prevent the coating composition from exiting the reservoir 13 in a forward direction.

[081] Illustrated in Figure 9 is a height adjustment mechanism for the reservoir assembly 13.1 , which includes threaded bolts 12.81 which pass through the end walls 12.8 and 12.9 at a forward and rearward location thereof. The end of the bolts 12.81 engage the base surface 1.11 of the pod 1.1 , so as to adjust the space or gap between the walls 12.22 and 12.21 and thus the thickness of substrate 17 and of coated composition 17.1 which can enter and exit from under the reservoir assembly 13.1. The upper portion of each bolt 12.81 has a hexagonal head 12.82 for easy adjustment by a spanner, and once the desired height of the base of the reservoir above the surface 1.1 1 has been achieved, a lock nut 12.83 is provided to keep the reservoir assembly 13.1 at that height. The bolts 12.81 pass through the outboard edge or region of the end walls 12.8 and 12.9, so that the substrate 17 can pass unobstructed between the bolts 12.81 at either side ends of the reservoir 13.

[082] The walls 12.8 and 12.9 can include a wiper mechanism similar to 16.2 and 16.3, to ensure that a portion, approximately 25 to 50 mm of the side edges, of the substrate 17 are not coated with material, so that the side edges will have exposed or uncoated substrate for a lap joint with an overlapping coated substrate to be made. Further, at the front and end of a roll 8 of substrate 17, a band of approximately 50mm to 100mm, can be left uncoated or exposed, so that there will be exposed or uncoated front and rear edges available for a lap joint, such as that illustrated in Figure 2, to be made.

[083] The mechanism of Figure 9, to adjust the height of the reservoir assembly

13.1 above the surface 1.11 of the pod 1.1 , entails the reservoir assembly 13.1 bearing against the base 1.1 1 of the pod 1.1 by means of the ends of the bolts 12.81. If desired the reservoir 13 can instead be made to bear against a side wall of the pod 1.1. An alternative height adjustment means can be used whereby the side walls 12.8 and 12.9 are chocked or spaced by means of a spacer plates or shims. These may need to be held securely relative to the base 1.11 or the pod 1.1 , to ensure that they will not move out from under the reservoir assembly 13.1 during operation of the apparatus 200.

[084] Illustrated in Figure 10 is a modular reservoir similar to that of Figure 9 except that the base of the reservoir assembly 13.1 has a base wall or base surface 12.7 which extends along a substantial proportion of the previously open area of the reservoir 13 so that the coating composition can only exit the reservoir 13 in a relatively narrow gap 12.221 at the rearward end of the reservoir 13. The gap 12.8 is sized according to the viscosity of the coating composition so as to deliver an appropriate amount of coating composition to the extruding surface 12.22. The wall 12.7 preferably has an angle of the order of 30* to 45° so that the mass of composition of coating can exert pressure on the opening 12.8 thus making the extrusion process more effective.

[085] Illustrated in Figure 11 is another modular reservoir assembly 13.1 similar to that of Figure 9 except in this reservoir assembly 13.1 the coating composition or material is first positioned in the reservoir 13, then a moveable sealing platen 13.1 1 seals with respect to the walls of the reservoir, and can be pushed down by pneumatic or water pressure from the delivery tube 13.2, to force the coating composition in the reservoir to be extruded under pressure at the extrusion surface 12.22 as the substrate moves out from underneath the reservoir 13.

[086] If desired, the platen in figure 11 can be removed and the delivery tube

13.2 can be used to deliver pumped coating composition into the reservoir 13 under pressure by means of a pumping mechanism or the like, so that the composition will exit the extruder under additional pressure, not just the mass of the coating composition in the reservoir 13, thus assisting the extruder to work more effectively.

[087] Illustrated in Figure 12 is a further reservoir assembly 13.1 arrangement which includes a reservoir 13 having a base surface 12.23, which provides an arcuate sealing surface to engage the end of a pivoting platen 13.5, which is pivoted to the rear reservoir wall 12.2 near to its top at pivot 13.4. In this embodiment the platen 13.5 can be motivated by any appropriate means such as hydraulic jack or other appropriate means, and the platen 13.5 acts to apply pressure to the coating composition in the reservoir 13, to force the coating material to the extruding surface 12.22 and thereby extrude the coating under pressure onto the substrate 17.

[088] Whilst a pump or similar mechanism is discussed in the preceding paragraph, a mechanical pressure inducing system such as a pivoting platter over the reservoir and hydraulic means positioned above it to exert pressure thereon and expel coating composition from the reservoir 13. However, pressurised systems which do not allow for continual replenishment may require a reservoir to be considerably larger in order to ensure that a roll of sufficient length is appropriately coated. This limitation tends to make the open reservoir versions more conducive to a continuous process.

[089] Illustrated in Figures 13 and 14 is an apparatus 100 or 200 as described above, mounted on an angled wheeled frame 110, which is towed by a prime mover or tractor 120. The angled wheel frame 110 allows the apparatus 100 or 200 to remain in a generally horizontal condition while feeding the liner substrate 17 having a coating 17.1 down the delivery ramp 2 and then onto the surface of a the angled channel wall. By the apparatus 100, 200 being mounted on a pod and then mounted on the angled wheeled frame 110, the angled side walls of a channel can have coated liner delivered thereto. Once the angled wall of a channel is completed, the pod with apparatus 100 or 200 can 2011/000852

14 then be removed and mounted onto a chassis or trailer as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 or 5 to 7, so that the generally flat base of the channel or reservoir can the be delivered a coated liner.

[090] It will be readily understood that the apparatus 100, 200 can be integrally formed as part of a vehicle such as a trailer as is illustrated or as part of a self powered vehicle such as a truck or tractor or it can be formed as part of a pod or cartridge for connection to such a vehicle. If the apparatus is a part of a vehicle, or in a pod for being carried by a vehicle then the ramp surface of the delivery feed tray 2, to deliver coated substrate to a ground level, can be part of the vehicle. The vehicle can have its own motive power, or can be towed or dragged by another vehicle.

[091] While a wheeled vehicle or trailer is illustrated in the figures the vehicle could alternatively have rails or skids to slide over the ground in the manner of a sled.

[092] The above describes that the substrate 17 is fed off the roll 8, by the action of the vehicle or trailer moving over the ground and the substrate being held stationary with respect to the ground. While this is the preferred arrangement due to its simplicity and cost effectiveness, it will be readily understood that a motor driven roller 13.25, such as that illustrated in figure 12, can be mounted to the cartridge or pod 1.1 , or to the reservoir assembly 13.1 , to actively drag the substrate 17 off the roll 8. Such a machine driven roller 13.25 could also be located on the front side of the vehicle with respect to the reservoir assembly 13.1. However issues of synchronisation, if there are more than one such rollers and or synchronisation with the vehicle's speed over the ground to be covered, may need to be addressed.

[093] In the above description of the figures, and in the figures, like parts having like functionality, have been like numbered.

[094] Where ever it is used, the word "comprising" is to be understood in its

"open" sense, that is, in the sense of "including", and thus not limited to its "closed" sense, that is the sense of "consisting only of. A corresponding meaning is to be attributed to the corresponding words "comprise", "comprised" and "comprises" where they appear.

[095] It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to ail alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

[096] While particular embodiments of this invention have been described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments and examples are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all modifications which would be obvious to those skilled in the art are therefore intended to be embraced therein.