Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Switching systems – Condition responsive
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-12
2001-11-13
Ballato, Josie (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Switching systems
Condition responsive
C318S041000, C473S082000, C248S326000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06316847
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates broadly to a control for a hoisting apparatus used for moving an athletic game goal between a first predetermined position and a second predetermined position. More particularly, the invention pertains to an electrical control for enabling the simultaneous positioning of, at least one, and preferably a group of selected, multiple basketball backstops and their supporting folding structure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Basketball backstops are frequently used in gymnasiums and assembly halls in which basketball games are conducted, but which are also used for other purposes. It is often desirable to move the basketball backstops to positions offering an unobstructed view of some activity, such as a musical performance, speech, or play, occurring in an area of the gymnasium or assembly hall. For such activities, it is desirable to use the same seating as is used when the gymnasium, or assembly hall, is used to conduct basketball games. To leave the basketball backstops in their use positions would result in an obstructed view of non-basketball activities for many patrons. Thus, the basketball stops are, in many modern gymnasiums and assembly halls, mounted from the ceiling to swing between their use positions and hoisted or stored positions adjacent the ceiling or some other non-obstructing orientation. Apparatus for supporting and permitting folding of such basketball backstops is of various types which can generally be classified in three categories: forward-folding, backward-folding, and side-folding.
Each folding apparatus for a particular backstop is provided with a hoisting mechanism having a winding drum with a cable which is reeled in and out to effect the raising and lowering or lateral movement of the backstop. While some of the hoisting mechanisms may be cranked by hand or portable operator, most designs include a reversible electric motor-brake, a gear arrangement and limit switches for setting the upper and lower limits of travel for the folding apparatus. Each hoisting mechanism is typically mounted high on a supporting wall or ceiling adjacent the folding apparatus, and has low voltage electrical wires which are run through a conduit down to a dedicated control at eye level on the gymnasium or assembly hall floor. In order to move the basketball backstop on its folding apparatus, one has to hold a momentary key or flip switch in one of two positions until that single backstop is slowly moved into the desired position. This tedious procedure must be repeated for each backstop and hoisting mechanism and usually requires an operator to walk from one switch to the next, each being generally positioned beneath the backstop. Manufacturers have remained reluctant to provide automatic start/stop on their controls because of their worry regarding liability for damage to the backstop, wall, ceilings, etc., should the control fail to stop at the end of travel. Although there are some hoisting mechanisms which may be activated and deactivated by remote control, it remains necessary to use one control for moving any one basketball backstop. This becomes a time consuming nuisance, particularly if there are multiple, movable backstops to control as is generally the case in a gymnasium or assembly hall.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a control for ganging together all of the backstop hoisting mechanisms so as to allow an operator to move the mechanisms and their backstops synchronously as a group. It is also desirable to provide a control which first interlocks a select group of hoisting mechanisms and then employs a single button to move the backstops in unison between stored and use positions. It is further desirable to provide a control which will prevent simultaneous movement of the backstops in opposite directions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention to provide a control system for coordinating the synchronized movement of multiple winch-controlled objects.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an electrical control for selectively moving a group of basketball backstops and their folding and supporting apparatus between a retracted, non-use mode, and an extended, play mode.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an electrical circuit for tying together a set of winches used to swing and, more specifically, raise and lower a plurality of athletic goals.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrical control for converting a gymnasium or assembly hall from a basketball venue to a non-basketball venue offering an unobstructed view of an activity such as a musical performance, play, speech, or the like.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an additional winch control which is easy to install, operate and maintain at a relatively low cost.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a low voltage, semi-automatic, electrical control which performs reliably over a long period of time.
In one aspect of the invention, there is provided a control for moving at least one and preferably a group of objects, such as athletic equipment, in synchronous movement from one predetermined position to a second predetermined position. The control includes a source of AC power and a multiplicity of actuable winches having reversible motors, each motor being connected with the source of power and one of the objects to be moved. A first plurality of selection switching mechanisms is connected with the source for power of selectively indicating the winches to be actuated, there being one selection switching mechanism for each winch motor. A second plurality of positioning switching mechanisms is interconnected with the selection switching mechanisms for selectively operating the winch motors in opposite directions. A first set of electromagnetic actuating devices is connected between the winch motors and the selection and positioning switching mechanisms and is responsive thereto, there being a one-to-one correspondence between each device and each of the selection switching mechanisms. A second set of electromagnetic actuating devices is connected to the first set of electromagnetic actuating devices and the positioning switching mechanisms. A reset switching mechanism is connected with a source of power for selectively disconnecting the source of power of the first set of electromagnetic actuating devices. A transformer is mounted in a steel housing above one of the winch motors and is plugged into a common receptacle. The transformer is fused on the primaries up in the housing, and is fused on the secondary down on a panel face plate. A power supply is provided for converting the source of the AC power to DC, and includes an on/off switch, a full wave bridge rectifier, a voltage regulator, and a set of electrolytic capacitors, all being interconnected with the transformer so as to provide a steady DC voltage. A set of LEDs is connected to the power supply, the selection and positioning switching mechanisms and the reset switching mechanism for visually indicating the status thereof. The objects to be moved in the preferred embodiment are comprised of a group of basketball backstops. The selection, positioning and reset switching mechanisms are manually closable, pushbutton, spring return switches. The first set of electromagnetic actuating devices are double-pole, double-throw relays having a single energization coil and a pair of normally open contacts. In an alternative embodiment, the first set of electromagnetic actuating devices are latching relays having a pair of energization coils and a pair of normally open contacts. The second set of electromagnetic actuating devices are four-pole, double-throw relays having a single energization coil and four pair of normally open contacts. A reset relay is connected between the source of power and the reset switching mechanism. The reset relay is a double-pole, double-throw relay having a single energization coil and a pair of normally closed contacts. A control cabine
Andrus Sceales Starke & Sawall LLP
Ballato Josie
DeBeradinis Robert L.
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