The present invention relates to an automatic appara for covering fields, particularly sports pitches. Background Art

As known, in the case of inclement weather, it beco necessary in order to guarantee good continuation sporting events, to effect preventative covering of terrain on which the athletes must perform.

That requirement is greatly felt in the practice (football) soccer, in that when the pitch becomes soa with water, the athletic capacity of the players is alte and, due to the studs which protrude .from the sole of particular type of footwear, the grassed covering inc onerous damage which takes a long time to repair.

In order to overcome the above mentioned problems, has been made of large-size sheets mad.e of plastic mater which are laid as a single body, in the event precipitation, over the entire pitch, and are then remo at the start of the game.

These sheets however have given rise to vari inconveniences which render their use problematical, am which inconveniences is the low resistance of the materi used due to the various folding and unfolding thereof, above all , the difficulty in manoeuvring due essentially the large dimensions and inherent weight, which compulsori necessitates a large number of personnel and, in the case removal, procedures must be effected long before the sta of the game in order to allow sufficient working time

carry out the lengthy operations.

This latter negative factor partly renders the use such sheets as being of no avail due to the exposure of terrain to the inclement weather during the working t DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The aim of the present invention is to overcome above-mentioned problems by providing an automatic appar for covering fields, in particular sports pitches, whic easy to use, rapid in function, and which does not req the presence of a large number of personnel. Within the above aim, a scope of the invention is provide an automatic apparatus for covering fields, particular sports pitches, which permits the arrangemen a large space, visible even from a great distance, on w can be placed messages such as publicity. This aim and object, as well as other objects w will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by automatic apparatus for covering fields, in partic sports pitches, which is characterized in that it compr a cover having slightly greater dimensions than the fiel be covered, and comprising a plurality of modular st each equipped with thermal heating devices and b slideable parallel with respect to the adjacent strips, strips being activated by winding and/or unwinding m concealably insertable into parallel pits formed extern of the field, proximate to the opposite sides thereof, visible side of said cover being adapted for the applica of publicity messages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further features and advantages of the invention

become apparent from the following description of preferred but not exclusive embodiment of apparatus covering fields, in particular sports pitches, illustra in the following illustrative, non-limitative draw figures wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view a football (soccer) pitch, with means for winding and unwinding strips arranged at opposite sides thereof;

Figure 2 is a schematic view of a portion of a st which is partially cut-away to show the interior thereof;

Figure 3 illustrates a second possible embodiment the means for winding and/or unwinding the strips;

Figure 4 is a schematic view of a sports pitch in phase of partial covering.

WAYS OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION With particular reference to the drawing figures, reference numeral 1 designates the automatic apparatus covering fields 2, in particular sports pitches, comprises a sheet 3 constituted by a plurality of modul strips 4, each equipped with thermal heating devi essentially constituted by short circuit inducti resistances defining interconnected members 5, made of me net having a mesh which can be electrified and bei inserted "sandwich-like" between two sheets of elasti plastic material constituting each of the strips 4. The strips are activatable and slideable with respe to each other through winding and/or unwinding means concealably housed in respective pits 7, parallel to t sides of the pitch 2.

Said means 6 comprise, at a first side of said pitc

a plurality of pulleys 8 located at eac of the strips 4 a being motorized in rotation by a plurality of synchronous activatable motors-motor reducers 9 provided with clut devices, not illustrated in the drawing figures, f disengagement purposes. On the pulleys 8 are wound cables or the like which can be coupled at their free end 4a each strip 4.

At the side opposite to the first side of the pitch said means 6 are constituted by a series of drums 11 key to parallel, horizontal shafts 12, which are rotatab motorized with respective members 13.

The drums 11 are placed in contact engagement wi underlying pairs of rollers 14 having axes parallel to t axes of the drums, on which are wound the strips 4 and whi are preferably keyed to two parallel horizontal shaf arranged, when viewed in plan, in a staggered manner.

The use of the invention can be deduced from t preceding description. When it is desired to use the spor ground 2, which may be for instance a football (socce pitch, each strip 4 is wound on its respective drum 1 located in a concealed manner in a corresponding pit provided with a protective cover 15, so as not to constitu a danger for players who run out of the area of play.

At the end of the game, or during the interval betwe play, if the ground needs to be protected from incleme weather, one or more operators manually hook the cables to the ends 4a of the strips 4, and successively actuate t motors-motor reducers 9 which rotatively drive the pulle 8, either directly if the pulleys are keyed to the vertic drive shafts of the motors, or through transmissions 16,

the instance that these are supported on horizont rotatable shafts.

The cables 10 are thus wound onto the pulleys 8 entrain, preferably in the transverse direction of the pi 2, all of the strips 4 until they constitute the shee covering the entire pitch 2. During that phase, it advantageous to be able to arrange on the visible surfac the sheet 3, publicity messages, which will thus displayed before a multitude of spectators, as well as television filming equipment which may be present.

When it is desired to re-commence use of the pitch 2 the players, operators unhook the cables 10 from the ends of the strips 4, which are wound onto the drums 11 maintained .on the drums in a correct position, without undesired folding due to the friction caused by the inher weight of the strips resting on the ground and by cont engagement with the two rollers 14 which, according to aspect of the invention, can be motorized to activate drums 11 whilst, according to another aspect of invention, the drums themselves are provided with activat motors-motor reducers 17 and the pairs of rollers 14 idly, rotatably supported.

Throughout the time when the sheet 3 is laid on pitch 2, an energy source can be connected via the termin 18 to the net members 5, to cause heating of the mesh of net and consequent heating of the surface of the pitch which, when soaked, will tend to dry rapidly.

It should be noted that the particular stagge arrangement of the drums 11 allows the strips 4 to aranged in reciprocal contact engagement to eliminate g

defined between the housings of the motors 13.

Thus, the invention achieves the proposed aim objects.

The invention described herein is susceptible numerous modifications and adaptations, all falling wit the purview of the instant inventive concept. Thus, example, the layers of material constituting each st could, for summer use, be perforated to allow ra evaporation of humidity.

Furthermore, all of the details may be substituted other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, any materials and dimensions may be u without departing from ;the protective scope of the follow claims.