Title:
ADJUSTABLE BASKETBALL GOALS
United States Patent 3765676
Abstract:
A basketball goal is carried by upper and lower pairs of arms which are pivotally connected to a support to permit vertical adjustments. The adjustment is effected by means of a screw attached to the support and extending downwardly to a threaded tube which extends through a ring member carried by the lower arms and is mounted to tilt about a horizontal axis. The weight of the overhanding goal structure may be counterbalanced by torsion springs carried by lateral projections of a shaft forming part of the lower arm structure.
US Patent References:
Loom-seat
Rhoads - February 1920 - 1329546
Glare shield
Nathanson - October 1928 - 1686341
Basket-ball backstop apparatus
Hoppes et al. - December 1940 - 2227310
Lifting jack
Floyd - March 1951 - 2546361
Tractor seat
Gundersen - September 1953 - 2652880
Loom-seat
Rhoads - February 1920 - 1329546
Glare shield
Nathanson - October 1928 - 1686341
Basket-ball backstop apparatus
Hoppes et al. - December 1940 - 2227310
Lifting jack
Floyd - March 1951 - 2546361
Tractor seat
Gundersen - September 1953 - 2652880
Inventors:
Bearson, Benhard M. (Lanesboro, MN)
Klungtvedt, Orrin C. (Lanesboro, MN)
Klungtvedt, Orrin C. (Lanesboro, MN)
Application Number:
05/106644
Publication Date:
10/16/1973
Filing Date:
01/15/1971
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
248/281.110, 248/421
International Classes:
A63B63/08; A63B63/00; A63B63/04
Field of Search:
273/1.5R 248/281,421,284,292,297,280,4
US Patent References:
| 2757888 | Supporting assembly for outboard motors | August 1956 | Branstrator | |
| 2784764 | Adjustable seat supports | March 1957 | Rigby et al. | |
| 2982336 | Portable and adjustable wheel chair | May 1961 | Minici | |
| 3245641 | Mounting means for motors | April 1966 | Hart | |
| 3489174 | POSITION LOCKABLE,TORSION SPRING-BALANCED FLUID LOADING ARM | January 1970 | Cooley, Jr. | |
| 3586324 | VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE BASKETBALL GOAL | June 1971 | Bearson |
Primary Examiner:
Oechsle, Anton O.
Assistant Examiner:
Shapiro, Paul E.
Claims:
We claim
1. A basketball goal comprising rear supporting means, front supporting means, upper arm means and lower arm means extending between the front and rear supporting means, the end portions of the upper and lower arm means being pivotally connected to the respectively adjacent supporting means, a backboard and attached hoop carried by the front supporting means wherein the improvement comprises means for vertically adjusting the backboard and holding it in adjusted position comprising a threaded member extending downwardly from and pivotally connected to the upper portion of the rear supporting means, a tube having internal threaded parts in operative engagement with the threaded member, a ring member carried by the lower arm means to tilt about a horizontal axis, said tube extending freely and downwardly through the opening in the ring member, means carried by the tube for engagement with the under side of the ring member and means for rotating the tube whereby the backboard and attached hoop may be vertically adjusted and held in adjusted position.
2. The structure recited in claim 1 in which the ring member has oppositely extending pivot pins for tiltably mounting it on the lower arm means and an annular bearing member surrounds the tube below the ring member and above a collar fixed to the tube whereby the weight of the arm structure is transmitted through the ring member to the bearing member.
3. The structure recited in claim 1, further comprising spring means operatively connected to the lower arm means and normally urging the lower arm means upwardly, spaced collars secured, respectively, to the tube above and below the ring member, and a pair of annular bearing members surrounding the tube and located, respectively, between the ring member and the upper and lower collars whereby rotation of the tube will move the bearing members into engagement with the ring member to effect vertical adjustment of the backboard and attached hoop.
4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein the spring means comprises a coiled torsion spring carried on each lateral extension of a shaft positioned at the lower portion of the rear supporting means and forming a part of the lower arm means, the inner end of each spring being held by the rear supporting means and the outer end of each spring being held in a collar releaseably carried by the shaft and adapted to be turned to vary the tension of the spring.
1. A basketball goal comprising rear supporting means, front supporting means, upper arm means and lower arm means extending between the front and rear supporting means, the end portions of the upper and lower arm means being pivotally connected to the respectively adjacent supporting means, a backboard and attached hoop carried by the front supporting means wherein the improvement comprises means for vertically adjusting the backboard and holding it in adjusted position comprising a threaded member extending downwardly from and pivotally connected to the upper portion of the rear supporting means, a tube having internal threaded parts in operative engagement with the threaded member, a ring member carried by the lower arm means to tilt about a horizontal axis, said tube extending freely and downwardly through the opening in the ring member, means carried by the tube for engagement with the under side of the ring member and means for rotating the tube whereby the backboard and attached hoop may be vertically adjusted and held in adjusted position.
2. The structure recited in claim 1 in which the ring member has oppositely extending pivot pins for tiltably mounting it on the lower arm means and an annular bearing member surrounds the tube below the ring member and above a collar fixed to the tube whereby the weight of the arm structure is transmitted through the ring member to the bearing member.
3. The structure recited in claim 1, further comprising spring means operatively connected to the lower arm means and normally urging the lower arm means upwardly, spaced collars secured, respectively, to the tube above and below the ring member, and a pair of annular bearing members surrounding the tube and located, respectively, between the ring member and the upper and lower collars whereby rotation of the tube will move the bearing members into engagement with the ring member to effect vertical adjustment of the backboard and attached hoop.
4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein the spring means comprises a coiled torsion spring carried on each lateral extension of a shaft positioned at the lower portion of the rear supporting means and forming a part of the lower arm means, the inner end of each spring being held by the rear supporting means and the outer end of each spring being held in a collar releaseably carried by the shaft and adapted to be turned to vary the tension of the spring.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to basketball goals and more particularly it has reference to a basketball goal which may be vertically adjusted to selected heights so as to accommodate players of various ages. The height of a basketball goal on a regulation court is too high for children and hence they are unable to develop proper playing skills.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Objects of the present invention are to provide a basketball goal which will be relatively simple in structure and capable of being vertically adjusted with a minimum of effort and securely held in adjusted position.
According to the invention, upper and lower parallel arm means are pivotally connected at their respective end portions to rear supporting means and front supporting means which carries a backboard and attached hoop. The goal may be vertically adjusted by means of a screw which is pivotally connected to the upper portion of the rear supporting means and extends downwardly for engagement with internally threaded means such as a nut carried at the end of a tube. A ring member, which is carried by the lower arm means to tilt about a horizontal axis, has an opening through which the tube extends downwardly. Two annular bearing members surround the tube and are located, respectively, above and below the ring member and are limited in movement along the tube by collars fixed to the tube above and below the bearing members, respectively. Coiled torsion springs in operative engagement with the lower arm means act to counterbalance the weight of the backboard and normally urge the lower arm means upwardly. The lower end of the tube carries an eyelet which may be engaged by a crank or other device to rotate the tube and thereby move the backboard to a selected vertical position. The counterbalancing coil springs may be omitted.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a basketball goal embodying the invention, with parts broken away and in sections.
FIG. 2 is a view taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the screw adjusting means with parts broken away and looking in the direction of arrows 3--3 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the connection of the lower arm means to the rear supporting means taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a top plan view on a reduced scale showing the construction of the lower arm means.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings wherein 10 indicates rear supporting means comprising a frame formed of the two vertical members 11 and 12 and the connecting cross members 13, 14 all of which may be made of angle iron, for example. Extending forwardly from the rear supporting means are the two parallel arms 15 and 16 having their rear portions pivoted, respectively, to members 11 and 12 by pins 17 and forming the upper arm means. The front supporting means is formed by the two vertical members 18 which are secured to the backboard 19 carrying the hoop 19'. The front end portions of the upper arms 15 and 16 are pivotally connected to the front supporting means by pins 20. The lower arm means are formed by a frame, as shown in FIG. 5, comprising a horizontally extending shaft member 21 mounted to turn in U-shaped bearings 22 welded to the vertical members 11 and 12. Extending forwardly from the shaft 21 and secured thereto are the two side arms 23, 24 which are pivotally mounted to the front supporting means by pins 25. A horizontal member 26 connects the two side arms 23, 24 and a pair of spaced members 27, 28 extend between the shaft 21 and the member 26 to complete the frame.
The weight of the overhanging structure which projects forwardly from the rear supporting means may be counterbalanced by biasing means, such as springs, which normally urge the lower arm means and connected structure upwardly. This may be accomplished by a coiled torsion spring 29 which encircles each of the two lateral extensions 30 of shaft 21 with the inner end of each spring held under a clip 31 welded to each of the two vertical members 11 and 12. The outer end of each spring is positioned in an aperture formed in a collar 32 releaseably held at the end of each shaft extension 30 by means of a set screw 33. With this construction, the tension of the springs 29 will exert on the shaft 21 a force which will tend to turn the shaft in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 and thereby tend to raise the arm structures upwardly to counterbalance the weight of the backboard and other structure. Each collar 32 is provided with peripheral apertures 34 to receive a rod for turning the releaseably held collar 32 for adjusting the tension exerted by the spring.
The backboard 19 and the attached hoop 19' may be adjusted vertically by means comprising an elongated screw 35 which extends downwardly from the upper part of the rear supporting means to which it is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 36 to the cross member 13. The screw 35 is in operative engagement with internally threaded means such as the nut 37 which is fixed at the upper end of a downwardly extending tube 38. Mounted between the members 27 and 28 of the lower arm means is the apertured plate or ring member 39 having the laterally projecting pivot pins 40 received in openings formed in members 27 and 28 to thereby permit the ring member 39 to tilt about a substantially horizontal axis. The tube 38 extends downwardly and freely through the opening in the ring member 39 with an annular bearing member 41 surrounding the tube 38 above the ring member 39 and the bearing member 42 surrounding the tube 38 below the ring member. The upper bearing member 41 is limited in its upward movement by the upper collar 43 which is fixed to the tube 38 by the set screw 44 and the lower bearing member is limited in its downward movement by a collar formed by the tube 45 which surrounds the tube 38 and is fixed thereto by pin 46. An eyelet 47 is welded to the lower end of tube 38 and is adapted to receive a crank or rod for turning tube 38 and thereby move the arm structure to effect vertical adjustment of the backboard.
The screw 35 is preferably protected by a casing such as the plastic tube 48 which extends downwardly and over the upper portion of tube 38. The goal structure may be secured to a wall or suitable support by means of screws or bolts passing through openings formed in the vertical members 11 and 12.
In operation, a crank or rod may be engaged in eyelet 47 to rotate the tube 38 to thereby position and safely hold the backboard and attached hoop at a selected height. The force exerted by the torsion springs 29 may be adjusted to a desired amount. With the parts related as shown in FIG. 3, the force exerted by the springs is sufficient to move the ring member 39 upwardly against the annular bearing 41 which is held against the upper collar 43. As the tube 38 is rotated to raise the backboard, the bearing member 42 will move up against the under side of ring member 39. In a simplified structure, the torsion springs and associated parts may be eliminated along with the upper bearing member 41 and collar 43. In such case, the weight of the arm structure would be transmitted through the ring member 39 to the lower bearing member 42.
Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention as pointed out in the appended claims.
This invention relates to basketball goals and more particularly it has reference to a basketball goal which may be vertically adjusted to selected heights so as to accommodate players of various ages. The height of a basketball goal on a regulation court is too high for children and hence they are unable to develop proper playing skills.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Objects of the present invention are to provide a basketball goal which will be relatively simple in structure and capable of being vertically adjusted with a minimum of effort and securely held in adjusted position.
According to the invention, upper and lower parallel arm means are pivotally connected at their respective end portions to rear supporting means and front supporting means which carries a backboard and attached hoop. The goal may be vertically adjusted by means of a screw which is pivotally connected to the upper portion of the rear supporting means and extends downwardly for engagement with internally threaded means such as a nut carried at the end of a tube. A ring member, which is carried by the lower arm means to tilt about a horizontal axis, has an opening through which the tube extends downwardly. Two annular bearing members surround the tube and are located, respectively, above and below the ring member and are limited in movement along the tube by collars fixed to the tube above and below the bearing members, respectively. Coiled torsion springs in operative engagement with the lower arm means act to counterbalance the weight of the backboard and normally urge the lower arm means upwardly. The lower end of the tube carries an eyelet which may be engaged by a crank or other device to rotate the tube and thereby move the backboard to a selected vertical position. The counterbalancing coil springs may be omitted.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a basketball goal embodying the invention, with parts broken away and in sections.
FIG. 2 is a view taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the screw adjusting means with parts broken away and looking in the direction of arrows 3--3 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the connection of the lower arm means to the rear supporting means taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a top plan view on a reduced scale showing the construction of the lower arm means.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings wherein 10 indicates rear supporting means comprising a frame formed of the two vertical members 11 and 12 and the connecting cross members 13, 14 all of which may be made of angle iron, for example. Extending forwardly from the rear supporting means are the two parallel arms 15 and 16 having their rear portions pivoted, respectively, to members 11 and 12 by pins 17 and forming the upper arm means. The front supporting means is formed by the two vertical members 18 which are secured to the backboard 19 carrying the hoop 19'. The front end portions of the upper arms 15 and 16 are pivotally connected to the front supporting means by pins 20. The lower arm means are formed by a frame, as shown in FIG. 5, comprising a horizontally extending shaft member 21 mounted to turn in U-shaped bearings 22 welded to the vertical members 11 and 12. Extending forwardly from the shaft 21 and secured thereto are the two side arms 23, 24 which are pivotally mounted to the front supporting means by pins 25. A horizontal member 26 connects the two side arms 23, 24 and a pair of spaced members 27, 28 extend between the shaft 21 and the member 26 to complete the frame.
The weight of the overhanging structure which projects forwardly from the rear supporting means may be counterbalanced by biasing means, such as springs, which normally urge the lower arm means and connected structure upwardly. This may be accomplished by a coiled torsion spring 29 which encircles each of the two lateral extensions 30 of shaft 21 with the inner end of each spring held under a clip 31 welded to each of the two vertical members 11 and 12. The outer end of each spring is positioned in an aperture formed in a collar 32 releaseably held at the end of each shaft extension 30 by means of a set screw 33. With this construction, the tension of the springs 29 will exert on the shaft 21 a force which will tend to turn the shaft in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 and thereby tend to raise the arm structures upwardly to counterbalance the weight of the backboard and other structure. Each collar 32 is provided with peripheral apertures 34 to receive a rod for turning the releaseably held collar 32 for adjusting the tension exerted by the spring.
The backboard 19 and the attached hoop 19' may be adjusted vertically by means comprising an elongated screw 35 which extends downwardly from the upper part of the rear supporting means to which it is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 36 to the cross member 13. The screw 35 is in operative engagement with internally threaded means such as the nut 37 which is fixed at the upper end of a downwardly extending tube 38. Mounted between the members 27 and 28 of the lower arm means is the apertured plate or ring member 39 having the laterally projecting pivot pins 40 received in openings formed in members 27 and 28 to thereby permit the ring member 39 to tilt about a substantially horizontal axis. The tube 38 extends downwardly and freely through the opening in the ring member 39 with an annular bearing member 41 surrounding the tube 38 above the ring member 39 and the bearing member 42 surrounding the tube 38 below the ring member. The upper bearing member 41 is limited in its upward movement by the upper collar 43 which is fixed to the tube 38 by the set screw 44 and the lower bearing member is limited in its downward movement by a collar formed by the tube 45 which surrounds the tube 38 and is fixed thereto by pin 46. An eyelet 47 is welded to the lower end of tube 38 and is adapted to receive a crank or rod for turning tube 38 and thereby move the arm structure to effect vertical adjustment of the backboard.
The screw 35 is preferably protected by a casing such as the plastic tube 48 which extends downwardly and over the upper portion of tube 38. The goal structure may be secured to a wall or suitable support by means of screws or bolts passing through openings formed in the vertical members 11 and 12.
In operation, a crank or rod may be engaged in eyelet 47 to rotate the tube 38 to thereby position and safely hold the backboard and attached hoop at a selected height. The force exerted by the torsion springs 29 may be adjusted to a desired amount. With the parts related as shown in FIG. 3, the force exerted by the springs is sufficient to move the ring member 39 upwardly against the annular bearing 41 which is held against the upper collar 43. As the tube 38 is rotated to raise the backboard, the bearing member 42 will move up against the under side of ring member 39. In a simplified structure, the torsion springs and associated parts may be eliminated along with the upper bearing member 41 and collar 43. In such case, the weight of the arm structure would be transmitted through the ring member 39 to the lower bearing member 42.
Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention as pointed out in the appended claims.