METHOD OF FORMING ARTIFICIAL COVERING AND VERSIONS OF APPARATUS FOR EFFECTUATING SAID METHOD Russian patent published in 2003 - IPC

FIELD: sports. SUBSTANCE: method involves applying to surface substance for improving its characteristics, with air-water foam of 50-70 units of degree of aeration being used as said substance. Basic foam-generating solution comprises 1-5 wt.% of surfactant and water the balance. Apparatus has pressurized air source, ejector, and mixing chamber, which are connected in series, and vessel for foam-generating solution designed for excessive pressure and equipped with siphon and distributor mounted at vessel outlet end and connected via air channel through return valve to reducer, which is connected through air channel via faucet to pressurized air source. Distributor is made in the form of two-position valve, which provides: connection of siphon via gas-and-air channels to reducer, when two-position valve is in first position; connection of siphon through liquid channel to ejector, and connection of reducer with vessel cavity through gas-and-air channel, when said valve is in second position. Foam and gas-and-air flow baffle is positioned in upper part of vessel. Mixing chamber is formed as elastic cylindrical hose with length and internal diameter ratio of 1:1,000 to 1:5,000. According to other version, apparatus is additionally equipped with vessel designed for excessive pressure, adapted for storage of basic foam-generating solution and equipped with bubbler connected via gas-and-air channel through valve with pressurized air source, tube mounted at vessel outlet end, equipped with return valve and connected to ejector furnished with elastic hose, which has nozzle. Mixing chamber is combined with vessel. According to third version, apparatus is additionally equipped with two hermetically sealed vessels designed for excessive pressure and adapted for foam-generating solution. One vessel is provided with siphon and distributor made in the form of two-position valve. Other vessel has bubbler and tube with return valve. Covering has improved appearance obtained by multicolored decoration provided through artificial simulation of exterior characteristics of natural formations. EFFECT: increased sliding capacity of covering on ski-jump and ski-track, reduced consumption of power, improved ecology control, and provision for using covering under any weather conditions. 13 cl, 19 dwg, 4 tbl