Amusement devices: games – Aerial projectile game; game element or accessory therefor... – Target
Patent
1992-08-05
1994-05-31
Grieb, William H.
Amusement devices: games
Aerial projectile game; game element or accessory therefor...
Target
A63B 6300
Patent
active
053163141
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to sports equipment.
With sports such as football, association and rugby, water polo, hand ball, and hockey, and where the objective is to direct a ball or the like between uprights and either below or over a crossbar, it is the case that the sport is played at both a junior and a senior level, and where posts and crossbars of particular size are required to suit different age groups at a junior level and to suit the sport when played at a senior level.
With such as association football, it is played to a considerable degree indoors, requiring goal posts and cross-bars of a particular suitable size.
In yet another context, and particularly with association football, goals are frequently purchased for practice and recreational purposes for location in, for example, a domestic garden and for use, particularly, by juniors of a variety of age groups. Here again, goals of a particular size to suit the age group of the junior and intended location in a garden, are required. Hitherto, it has been the case that uprights and crossbars have been produced of a particular size to suit one intended purpose, and which, consequently, are not able to serve any other purpose.
With goals for sports such as association football, there is either the advisability or the necessity of securing a net to the goal posts and crossbar. Conventionally, and particularly with metal crossbars and goal posts, hook members have been provided secured such as by welding or screwing and on to which the edge of the net is hooked. The instances of damage to or breakage of such hook members are high, and particularly with junior football where repair is not feasible, it is more often than not the case that resorting to tying the net to the goal posts and crossbar cannot be avoided. Metal hooks also constitute a hazard when on goal posts, by being a source of potential injury. It is an object of the invention to provide a means of securing a net to goal posts and crossbars that avoids those disadvantages referred to above.
According to a first aspect of the invention, a means of securing a net to goal posts and crossbars comprises a fitting having a first part to engage in and behind a hole formed in the wall of a goal post or crossbar, extending to a shoulder at the end of a second part to lie externally of the goal post or crossbar and having a hook-like formation to create a recess in which an edge of a net can be engaged, there being an axial hole through the first and second parts, and a rod-like component inserted through the holes to ensure the engagement of the first part behind the hole.
Thus, the fitting can be a relatively simple moulding of an appropriate plastics material. The first part may be of simple wedge or conical section to provide an abutment shoulder, and of sufficient resilience to allow it to be pressed through the hole for the shoulder to engage behind the edge of the hole. Alternatively, the first part may be provided with outwardly splayed fingers that deflect as the first part is passed through the hole and spring out to engage behind the edge of the hole. A still further possibility is to provide a camming device on the first part, such that when inserted in the hole rotation of the fitting causes the locking of the fitting in the hole.
The second external part of the fitting may be one or more hook-like components that are inclined towards the first part. Thus the arrangement can be that pressing the first part through the hole can bring hook-like components into contact with the goal post or crossbar to trap the fitting in place, or an external abutment on the fitting can be provided to trap the fitting in place and locate the hook-like components in close proxiimity to the exterior of the goal post or crossbar. Thus, with an appropriate number of such fittings secured to the goal posts and crossbar, the edge of the net can be engaged with the fittings with certainty of security, and can be removed without difficulty. Of considerable benefit is that the fittings being of relatively low cost,
REFERENCES:
patent: 3756115 (1973-09-01), Schulpin
patent: 4407507 (1983-10-01), Caruso et al.
patent: 4728068 (1988-03-01), Rivkin
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