Structure for resurfacing bowling lanes

Abstract

An overlay structure is provided for resurfacing a bowling lane. The structure includes a relatively thick homogeneous laminate sheet having a print layer to simulate the appearance of a wood bowling lane. A plurality of mechanical fasteners are positioned in respective recesses in the upper surface of the sheet and extending through the sheet for securement to the lane. Plugs are force fit into the recesses to hide the mechanical fasteners. The plugs are fabricated similarly to and have the same appearance as the print layer of the sheet.

We claim: 
     
       1. An overlay structure for resurfacing an existing bowling lane, comprising: a homogeneous, plastic covering . .layer laminate.!. sheet having a print layer to simulate the appearance of a wood bowling lane and at least one clear wear layer over said print layer, the homogeneous . .laminate.!. sheet being greater than 3/16 inch thick and defining an exposed surface of the bowling lane to resist denting from pin and bowling ball impact;   a plurality of mechanical fastening means in respective recesses in the upper surface of the homogeneous . .laminate.!. sheet and extending through the homogeneous . .laminate.!. sheet for securement to the lane; and   plug means .Iadd.sized to be inserted .Iaddend.in the recesses for hiding the mechanical fastening means, the plug means being fabricated of the same material as the homogenous . .laminate.!. sheet.   
     
     
       2. The overlay structure of claim 1 wherein said . .laminate.!. .Iadd.homogeneous .Iaddend.sheet is . .greater than.!. approximately 7/16 inch thick. 
     
     
       3. The overlay structure of claim 1 wherein said mechanical fastening means are spaced on the order of 10-20 inches apart. 
     
     
       4. The overlay structure of claim 1 wherein said mechanical fastening means comprise screw means. 
     
     
       5. The overlay structure of claim 4 wherein said recesses are countersunk for receiving heads of said screw means. 
     
     
       6. The overlay structure of claim 5 wherein said recesses are countersunk to a depth greater than the thickness of the plug means to prevent the plug means from bottoming out and allow the plug means to be flush with the upper surface of the sheet. 
     
     
       7. The overlay structure of claim 4 wherein the thickness of said . .laminate.!. .Iadd.homogeneous sheet .Iaddend.is on the order of three times the height of a head of one of the screw means. 
     
     
       8. The overlay structure of claim 1 wherein said plug means are .Iadd.sized to be .Iaddend.force fit into the recesses. 
     
     
       9. The overlay structure of claim 1 wherein said plug means include a set of plugs having varying dimensions from which a plug for a given recess can be chosen. 
     
     
       10. An overlay structure for resurfacing an existing bowling lane, comprising: a homogeneous plastic covering . .layer laminate.!. sheet greater than 3/16 inch thick and defining an exposed surface of the bowling lane to resist denting from pin and bowling ball impact and having a print layer to simulate the appearance of a wood bowling lane and at least one clear wear layer over said print layer;   a plurality of screw fasteners in respective recesses in the upper surface of the homogeneous . .laminate.!. sheet and extending through the homogeneous . .laminate.!. sheet for securement of the lane;   said homogeneous . .laminate.!. sheet being thicker than the height of a head of a screw fastener; and   plug means .Iadd.sized to be .Iaddend.force fit into the recesses for hiding the screw fasteners, the plug means being fabricated of the same material as the . .laminate.!. .Iadd.homogeneous .Iaddend.sheet.   
     
     
       11. The overlay structure of claim 10 wherein said . .laminate.!. .Iadd.homogeneous .Iaddend.sheet is approximately 7/16 inch thick. 
     
     
       12. The overlay structure of claim 10 wherein said . .mechanical fastening means.!. .Iadd.screw fasteners .Iaddend.are spaced on the order of 10-20 inches apart. 
     
     
       13. The overlay structure of claim 10 wherein said recesses are countersunk for receiving heads of said screw . .means.!. .Iadd.fasteners.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       14. The overlay structure of claim 13 wherein said recesses are countersunk to a depth greater than the thickness of the plug means to prevent the plug means from bottoming out and allow the plug means to be flush with the upper surface of the sheet. 
     
     
       15. The overlay structure of claim 10 wherein said plug means include a set of plugs having varying dimensions from which a plug for a given recess can be chosen. 
     
     
       16. The overlay structure of claim 10 wherein the thickness of said laminate is on the order of three times the height of a head of one of the screw . .means.!. .Iadd.fasteners.Iaddend.. .Iadd. 
     
     
       17.  A system for defining a bowling lane surface, said system comprising: a covering sheet having a first layer, a print layer over the first layer, and a clear wear layer over the print layer,   said first, print, and clear wear layers united to define a homogeneous sheet having a thickness that is greater than 3/16 inch and defining an exposed upper surface of a bowling lane to resist denting from pin and bowling ball impact; and   a plurality of mechanical fastening means extending through the homogeneous sheet and into recesses defined through the exposed upper surface and having a depth that is less than the thickness of the homogeneous sheet. .Iaddend..Iadd.   
     
     
       18.  The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 17 including plug means sized to be inserted in the recesses over the mechanical fastening means. .Iaddend..Iadd.19. The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 18 wherein said plug means are sized to be force fit into the recesses. .Iaddend..Iadd.20. The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 18 wherein said plug means comprise a set of plugs having different dimensions from which a plug of desired size for a given recess can be chosen. .Iaddend..Iadd.21. The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 18 wherein said plug means are fabricated from the same material as the homogeneous sheet. .Iaddend..Iadd.22. The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 17 wherein said homogeneous sheet has a thickness of approximately 7/16 inch. .Iaddend..Iadd.23. The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 17 wherein said plurality of mechanical fastening means are spaced from each other with said space being in the range of approximately 10 to 20 inches. .Iaddend..Iadd.24. The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 17 wherein said mechanical fastening means comprise screws. .Iaddend..Iadd.25. The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 24 wherein said recesses are pre-formed and countersunk for receiving heads of said screws. .Iaddend..Iadd.26. The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 25 wherein the depth of the recesses is greater than the thickness of the plug means to prevent the plug means from bottoming out and allow the plug means to be flush with the upper surface of the homogeneous sheet. .Iaddend..Iadd.27. The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 24 wherein the thickness of the homogeneous sheet is approximately three times the 
     
     
        height of a head of one of the screws. .Iaddend..Iadd.28.  A system for defining a bowling lane surface, said system comprising: covering sheet having a first layer, a print layer over the first layer, and a clear wear layer over the print layer,   said first, print, and clear wear layers united to define a homogeneous sheet having a thickness that is greater than 3/16 inch and defining an exposed upper surface of a bowling lane to resist denting from pin and bowling ball impact;   a plurality of recesses in said homogeneous sheet at said exposed upper surface having a depth that is less than the thickness of the homogeneous sheet; and   a plurality of mechanical fastening means in said plurality of recesses and extending through the homogeneous sheet. .Iaddend..Iadd.29. The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 28 including plug means sized to be inserted in the recesses for covering the mechanical fastening   
     
     
        means. .Iaddend..Iadd.30.  The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 29 wherein said plug means are sized to be force fit into the recesses. .Iaddend..Iadd.31. The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 29 wherein said plug means are fabricated from the same material as the homogeneous sheet. .Iaddend..Iadd.32. The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 28 wherein said homogeneous sheet has a thickness of approximately 7/16 inch. .Iaddend..Iadd.33. The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 28 wherein said mechanical fastening means comprise screws. .Iaddend..Iadd.34. The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 33 wherein said recesses are countersunk for receiving heads of said screws. .Iaddend..Iadd.35. The system for defining a bowling lane surface according to claim 34 wherein the depth of the recesses is greater than the thickness of the plug means to prevent the plug means from bottoming out and allow the plug means to be flush with the upper surface of the homogeneous sheet. .Iaddend.