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An ice resurfacer is a truck-like vehicle used to clean and smooth the surface of an Ice Rink , originally developed by Frank J. Zamboni in 1949 . Frank J. Zamboni & Co, Inc. and other companies manufacture ice resurfacing machines, and many people colloquially refer to ice resurfacers as a '''Zamboni''', although the name ''Zamboni'' is a federally and internationally Registered Trademark . TECHNOLOGY The heart of an ice resurfacer is the ''conditioner'', a large device dragged behind the vehicle. A large, very sharp blade, similar to those used in industrial paper cutters, shaves the surface off the ice, and an Auger in front of the blade sweeps the shavings to the center of the conditioner, where a second auger (or, in early models, a paddle-and-chain conveyor) picks them up. Behind the blade, wash water is often sprayed on the ice by nozzles at either end of the conditioner; this wash water is confined inside the conditioner by the runners on either end and a rubber Squeegee at the rear of the conditioner, and picked up by a vacuum nozzle to be filtered through a screen, and recirculated. This washing process removes any foreign material that might otherwise become embedded in the ice surface. At the rear of the conditioner, a sprinkler pipe and a cloth towel lays down clean water to fill the residual grooves and form a new ice surface. Hot water (140°F to 160°F, 60°C) is frequently used where available because it melts and smooths the rough top layer to create a flat, smooth ice surface. This water in many rinks is filtered and treated before being heated to remove any residual minerals and chemicals in the water. These chemicals and minerals would otherwise make the ice brittle or soft, give it pungent odours, or make it cloudy. The rest of the machine exists to support the conditioner. An engine or electric motor provides propulsion (four-wheel drive with carbide-tipped tire studs) and Hydraulic power. The main tank holds clean water for making new ice. The wash tank holds a supply of water for the optional wash function. The ''dump tank'' holds the shaved ice picked up by the augers. The conditioner and dump tank are raised and lowered by hydraulic lifts, while the augers are powered by hydraulic motors. Most ice resurfacers run on Natural Gas , Propane or electric power, or less commonly on Gasoline . Many ice resurfacers are fitted with a ''board brush'', a rotary brush powered by a hydraulic motor, extended and retracted on the left side of the machine on a hydraulic arm. The brush sweeps accumulated bits of loose ice along the kick plates below the dasher boards of the rink into the conditioner. The use of a board brush can dramatically reduce the need for edging of the rink. ICE EDGERS The ice around the edges has a tendency to build up as the conditioner blade does not fully extend to the outer edges of the conditioner and it is unwise to "ride" (drive while touching) the dasherboards. An ice edger, a device similar to a rotary lawn mower, is used to cut down the edges of the ice surface that the ice resurfacer cannot cut. An ice edger does not alleviate ice that has an overall bowl or mushroom shape. A new edging system was introduced in 2000, the Continuous Edging System (Conti-Edger). It integrates edging into the normal process of ice-resurfacing, by mounting a secondary pneumatically controlled blade on the side of the ice resurfacer, similar to the main blade. NEW TECHNOLOGIES Ice resurfacing technology continues to advance. Laser-guided systems that automatically adjust the conditioner's cutting blade and the Fast Ice system, which uses mist instead of water and a towel, are now available, but very costly. MANUFACTURERS
''ZAMBONI'' TRADEMARK Frank J. Zamboni & Co , Inc. takes a strong stance against the ''Zamboni'' name being used as a Genericized Trademark for ice resurfacers. On August 15 , 2000 , Frank J. Zamboni & Co, Inc. was awarded a registered trademark on the design and configuration of the Zamboni Ice Resurfacer by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. It is speculated that the efforts to be granted this trademark was partially behind the Resurfice Corporation's decision to create and produce the Olympia Millennium, which is noticeably more distinct from the Zamboni Ice Resurfacer than the previous Olympia models. CULTURAL REFERENCES
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