Apparatus and method for bowling lane maintenance
View Patent ↗A bowling lane maintenance apparatus includes a transfer roller and a dressing oil tank configured to contain dressing oil. A wick is configured to pass dressing oil from the tank to the transfer roller. A buffer brush is configured to receive dressing oil from the transfer roller and spread the dressing oil on a bowling lane. The wick may comprise a foam material having a first region having a first capillarity and a second region having a second capillarity differing from the first capillarity. The wick may also be maintained in contact with the transfer roller.
1. A bowling lane maintenance apparatus, comprising:
a transfer roller;
a dressing oil tank configured to contain dressing oil;
a wick configured to pass dressing oil from the tank to the transfer roller; and
a buffer brush configured to receive dressing oil from the transfer roller and spread the dressing oil on a bowling lane,
wherein the wick comprises a foam material having a first region comprising a first capillarity and a second region having a second capillarity differing from the first capillarity.
2. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the foam wick is formed of one of a polyester urethane, a reticulated polyester urethane, a non-reticulated polyester urethane, a non-reticulated polyether, and a reticulated polyether.
3. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wick is configured to pass dressing oil onto the transfer roller so as to provide a desired dressing oil profile on the bowling lane.
4. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cleaning assembly configured to apply cleaner to the bowling lane and remove the cleaner applied to the bowling lane.
5. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wick comprises a first wick and wherein the apparatus further comprises:
a second dressing oil tank; and
a second wick configured to pass dressing oil from the second dressing oil tank to the transfer roller, the second wick having a capillarity differing from the capillarity of the first wick.
6. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the wick is maintained in contact with the transfer roller.
7. A bowling lane maintenance apparatus, comprising:
a transfer roller;
a dressing oil tank configured to contain dressing oil;
at least two wicks configured to pass dressing oil from the tank to the transfer roller, the at least two wicks having a differing capillarity; and
a buffer brush configured to receive dressing oil from the transfer roller and spread the dressing oil on a bowling lane,
wherein the apparatus is configured such that the at least two wicks are maintained in contact with the transfer roller.
8. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the at least two wicks are foam wicks.
9. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the foam wicks are formed of at least one of a polyester urethane, a reticulated polyester urethane, a non-reticulated polyester urethane, a non-reticulated polyether, and a reticulated polyether.
10. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 7 , wherein each of the at least two wicks includes a designation representing a respective capillarity.
11. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the designation is a color representing a respective capillarity.
12. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the at least two wicks are configured to pass dressing oil onto the transfer roller so as to provide a desired dressing oil profile on the bowling lane.
13. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
a cleaning assembly configured to apply cleaner to the bowling lane and remove the cleaner applied to the bowling lane.
14. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the at least two wicks comprise a first wick and a second wick and wherein the apparatus further comprises:
a second dressing oil tank, wherein the second wick is configured to pass dressing oil from the second dressing oil tank to the transfer roller.
15. A bowling lane maintenance apparatus, comprising:
a transfer roller;
at least one dressing oil tank configured to contain dressing oil;
at least two wicks configured to pass dressing oil from the at least one dressing oil tank to the transfer roller; and
a buffer brush configured to receive dressing oil from the transfer roller and spread the dressing oil on a bowling lane,
wherein the at least two wicks have a differing capillarity.
16. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least one dressing oil tank is a single dressing oil tank.
17. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least one dressing oil tank comprises a plurality of dressing oil tanks, and wherein each of the at least two wicks is associated with a different one of dressing oil tanks.
18. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least two wicks are foam wicks.
19. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the foam wicks are formed of at least one of a polyester urethane, a reticulated polyester urethane, a non-reticulated polyester urethane, a non-reticulated polyether, and a reticulated polyether.
20. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 15 , wherein each of the at least two wicks includes a designation representing a respective capillarity.
21. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the designation is a color representing a respective capillarity.
22. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least two wicks are configured to pass dressing oil onto the transfer roller so as to provide a desired dressing oil profile on the bowling lane.
23. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
a cleaning assembly configured to apply cleaner to the bowling lane and remove the cleaner applied to the bowling lane.
24. The bowling lane maintenance apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the at least two wicks are maintained in contact with the transfer roller.