05/377080

04/29/1975

07/06/1973

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473/471

273/402

A63B63/00; A63F9/02; A63F9/24; A63B71/02

273/58K,95R,12R,12S,102.4,15R,105.5,16R,16B 46/74D 35/22A

Pinkham, Richard C.

Siskind, Marvin

Richards, Harris & Medlock

I claim

1. A sailball game comprising:

2. The sailball game according to claim 1 wherein the annular portion of the sailball is substantially V-shaped in cross-section.

3. A sailball game comprising:

4. The sailball game of claim 3 wherein the annular portion of the sailball is concentric about the circumference of said spherical portion and characterized by a substantially V-shaped cross section.

5. The sailball game according to claim 3 wherein the spherical portion of the sailball is inflatable having a circumference of about 25 inches; wherein the annular portion of the sailball projects beyond said spherical portion approximately 3 inches; and wherein the overall weight of the sailball is approximately 20 ounces.

6. A sailball game comprising:

7. The sailball game of claim 6 wherein said aperture formed through said frontboard and said rim disposed congruent with said aperture are formed with at least one portion dimensioned to facilitate passage of the other periphery of the annular portion of said sailball at least one other portion dimensioned to prohibit said passage.

8. The sailball game of claim 7 wherein said aperture formed through said frontboard and said rim formed congruent therewith is cloverleaf shaped and comprises two spaced apart portions adapted to facilitate passage of the outer periphery of the annular portion of said sailball and two other spaced apart portions adapted to prevent such passage of the outer periphery of the annular portion of said sailball.

9. The sailball game of claim 3 wherein said means for arresting the flight of said sailball includes a backboard and a net depending therefrom.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a sailball game and more particularly, to a game comprising both a novel ball construction and a novel goal construction.

The traditional game of basketball is played on a hardwood court with a spherical ball. Backboards are mounted above the opposite ends of the court, and a horizontally disposed hoop is provided on each backboard. Scoring is accomplished by throwing the ball through the hoop, either directly or by bouncing the ball from the backboard and into the hoop.

The present invention relates to a sailball game comprising an improvement over traditional basketball. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, a sailball comprises a spherical portion and an annular portion projecting from the spherical portion to serve as an airfoil. The game further comprises a goal including a frontboard having a vertically disposed cloverleaf-shaped aperture formed therethrough which is dimensioned to receive the sailball with the annular rim disposed either horizontally or vertically. A rim is supported on the frontboard and defines a second vertically disposed cloverleaf-shaped aperture aligned with the aperture formed through the frontboard. Apparatus is provided for indicating a positive score whenever the sailball is thrown through the cloverleaf-shaped apertures of the rim and the frontboard, and for indicating a negative score whenever the sailball strikes either the frontboard or the rim without passing through the cloverleaf-shaped apertures.

In accordance with more specific aspects of the invention, goals are provided at each end of a hardwood court. A backboard is mounted behind the frontboard of each goal for arresting the movement of the sailball after it passes through the cloverleaf-shaped apertures of the goal, and a net depends from the backboard for returning the sailball to the court. The backboard is equipped with switch means for indicating a positive score whenever the sailball passes through the cloverleaf-shaped apertures of the rim and the frontboard, and the frontboard is equipped with switch means for indicating a negative score whenever the sailball engages the frontboard or the rim without passing through the cloverleaf-shaped apertures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sailball incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the sailball;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a goal incorporating the invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the construction of the frontboard of the goal shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a top view of the goal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the Drawings, a sailball game incorporating the invention is illustrated. Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the sailball game is played with a sailball 10 having an inner spherical portion 12 surrounded by an annular portion 14. The spherical portion 12 of the sailball 10 has a circumference of approximately 25 inches, and the annular portion 14 extends beyond the periphery of the spherical portion by approximately 3 inches. That is, the outside diameter of the annular portion 14 of the sailball 10 is approximately six inches greater than the outside diameter of the spherical portion 12.

Referring particularly to FIG. 2, the annular portion 14 of the sailball 10 may have any desired crosssectional configuration, but is preferably characterized by a pair of inwardly tapered walls 16 extending to a blunt edge 18 so as to provide a substantially V-shaped cross-section. It will be understood that the annular portion 14 serves as an airfoil for the sailball 10. This permits the sailball 10 to be sailed in the manner of a flat plate, or the like.

The spherical portion 12 of the sailball 10 may be fabricated from leather, rubber, or plastic. Conventional ball manufacturing techniques of the type heretofore utilized in the construction of basketballs, soccer balls, footballs, etc. may be utilized in the manufacture of the spherical portion 12 of the sailball 10. The spherical portion 12 is preferably adapted for inflation to a pressure of between about 7 psi and about 10 psi. The annular portion 14 of the sailball 10 may be formed integrally with the spherical portion 12, or may be formed separately and secured to the spherical portion by means of a suitable adhesive. The annular portion 14 may be either solid or inflatable in nature, but in either event is preferably substantially rigid in construction. The total weight of the sailball 10 is preferably about 20 ounces.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, there is shown a goal 20 for the sailball game. The goal 20 includes a frontboard 22 having a cloverleaf-shaped scoring aperture 24 formed through it. The aperture 24 includes two relatively wide portions 26 each providing substantial clearance for the annular portion 14 of the sailball 10. The relatively wide portions 26 are separated by relatively narrow portions 28 which are dimensioned to prevent the annular portion 14 of the sailball 10 from passing therethrough. It will thus be understood that the aperture 24 is dimensioned to receive the sailball 10 with the annular portion 14 thereof disposed either substantially vertically or substantially horizontally. The narrow portions 28 of the aperture 24 are of course dimensioned to receive the spherical portion 12 of the sailball 10.

The goal 20 further includes a scoring rim 30 defining an aperture 34 which is substantially congruent with the aperture 24 in the frontboard 22. The rim 30 extends parallel to the frontboard 22 and 15 supported on and spaced approximately 12 inches from the adjacent surface of the frontboard 22 by a plurality of brackets 36. The rim 30 and the brackets 36 are preferably formed from a material having substantial strength and toughness, such as stainless steel, or the like.

Referring to FIG. 5, the goal 20 is provided with a backboard 38 which functions to arrest the travel of the sailball 10 after it has passed through the apertures 34 and 24 defining the goal of the sailball game. A net 40 similar to the net used in traditional basketball depends from the backboard 38 and the rear of the frontboard 22 and serves to return the sailball to the area below the goal 20. A trigger 42 extends into the path of the sailball 10 as it passes through the net 40 and functions to actuate a switch 44 mounted on the backboard 38. The switch 44 in turn actuates a bell circuit 46 to provide an audible signal indicative of the fact that a goal has been scored.

The construction of the frontboard 22 of the goal 20 is illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 4. The frontboard 22 comprises a front panel 48 which is slidably supported on a rear panel 50 by means of a plurality of studs 52 formed from an electrical insulation material, such as plastic. A spacer 54 formed from soft rubber or the like surrounds each stud 52 and extends between the front panel 14 and the rear panel 50. By this means the gap 56 is normally retained between the panels 48 and 50.

The rim 30 of the goal 20 is supported on the front panel 48 by the brackets 36. The facing surfaces of the panels 48 and 50 are provided with conductive layers 58 and 60, respectively, formed from metal, or the like. Therefore, whenever the sailball 10 strikes the frontboard 22 without passing through the apertures 34 and 24, the front panel 48 is moved rearwardly against the action of the spacers 54. The layers 58 and 60 are thus brought into conductive engagement. This in turn actuates a buzzer circuit 62 to provide an audible signal indicative of the fact that an attempt to throw the sailball 10 through the apertures 34 and 24 of the goal 20 has failed. That is, whenever the sailball engages the frontboard 22 or the rim 30 without passing through the apertures 24 and 34, the buzzer circuit 62 is actuated to indicate a negative score.

The sailball game is played on a hardwood or similar court by two teams consisting of seven players each. A goal similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 is supported at each end of the court by suitable brackets and each team attempts to throw a sailball of the type illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 through the scoring apertures comprising its respective goal. Each successful scoring attempt actuates the bell circuit 46, whereupon a positive score is registered. Each unsuccessful scoring attempt actuates the buzzer circuit 62, whereupon a negative score is registered. At the end of the game the total negative score for each team is subtracted from the total positive score for the team, and the team having the highest net score is declared the winner of the game.

A more complete understanding of the sailball game may be had by reference to the rules of the game, which are as follows:

RULES

SECTION I ...EQUIPMENT

Playing court

the playing court is a hardwood surface 94 feet long by 84 feet wide (high school courts may be 50 × 84 feet). The longer boundries are sidelines, shorter boundries are endlines. There shall be a center line for dividing offensive and defensive play and for starting the game originally and at quarters. There shall also be a FREE SAIL LINE 20 feet from the endlines on each end of the court, parallel to the endlines. All lines shall be 2 inches wide.

Frontboards

frontboards are mounted at the ends of the courts, centered above the endlines. They may be made of any rigid material, including glass or plastics. They may be either rectangle shaped (6 feet horizontally, 4 feet vertically) or fanshaped (54 inches wide × 35 inches high). Upper edge of the frontboard shall be 15 feet above the floor for rectangular frontboards and 14 feet above the floor for fanshaped frontboards. There shall be a cloverleaf-shaped hole in the center of each board, with the center 12 feet from the floor, to permit the Sailball to sail through the goal and the frontboard. When the Sailball goes through the frontboard a bell rings, and when the ball hits the frontboard, a missed shot, a buzzer sounds.

The goal

the goal is a cloverleaf-shaped (see diagram) metal ring-like structure. It is spaced horizontally from the frontboard with the center of the goal 12 feet from the floor. Flanges and braces attach the goal to the frontboard 12 inches from the frontboard. A scoring device shall ring a bell when the Sailball passes through the frontboard. A buzzer will sound, indicating a negative score, when the Sailball hits any other portion of the frontboard.

The sailball

the official ball shall be the Sailball, which is a basically round ball with a three inch curved extension around the middle of the ball (see illustration). The inflated bell may be made of leather or composition materials and it may be yellow, orange or natural tan in color. The ball may vary slightly in size, but a standard professional ball will be approximately 25 inches in circumference, plus a three inch ring around the middle. Weight of the ball will be approximately 20 ounces, with seven to ten psi inflation.

Benches & tables

benches for players of both teams and coaches will be placed along the side of the court where the scores' and timers' table is located.

SECTION II ...OFFICIALS

Officials

there shall be at least two referees for high school and college games and three referees for professional games. There shall be at least one timer and one score keeper, but more may be used if agreed upon by each team. A special table will be provided at the side-center of the court for the timer and score keeper.

Duties of referees

referees, one of whom shall also be designated an umpire shall inspect all equipment, including the court and the frontboards to see that it meets specifications. The Referee shall not permit any player to wear any equipment that could be dangerous to another player. Each Referee shall wear uniforms different from the players. In case of disputed calls, the Umpire makes the final ruling.

The Referee shall toss the ball at the start of the game at each quarter and each time the ball is tied-up by two or more players by having all players form a circle, either in the center of the court or at either end of the courts, with players alternated by teams, and then tossing the ball in a circular fashion high into the center of the circle of players.

Referees shall conduct the game in accordance with all the rules outlined herein. They shall decide all matters, such as fouls, penalties, official scoring, timing, substitutions, removing players from games and penalizing coaches and the spectators for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Referee shall signal the time keeper to stop the clock any time the ball is not in play . . . such as out of bounds, free throws, time between quarters, etc.

Duties of score keeper

the score keeper shall record all scores for each team . . . goals made, free goals and shots missed. The score keeper shall record the personal and technical fouls on each player and notify the Referee when four fouls have been called on a player so he can be removed from the game. In addition, the score keeper shall keep a record of the penalties called on each player, and notify the Referee when three penalties have been called on a player so that he may be removed from the game. Each team will be granted three time outs in each half of the game, and the score keeper shall notify the official, and the coach if requested, when the maximum number of time outs has been used.

The time keeper

the Time Keeper, who may have helpers if agreed by each team, records all official time. Upon advice from the Referee, he gives a signal five minutes before the start of the game and before starting the second half. He stops the clock upon signals from the Referees. The Timer will have a signaling device to indicate the starting and stopping of play, and the substitution of players.

The Timer will also keep time on penalties called on players. On both minor and major penalties (player removed from the game for two minutes and four minutes respectively), the Timer will signal when the player is to return to the game. The Timer shall be consulted by the Referee if there is some doubt as to whether a foul or a goal occurred before time expired, but the referee's decision shall be final.

SECTION III . . . PLAYERS

Each team consists of seven players . . . five offensive and two defensive players. The two defensive players are restricted to the half of the court of the opposing team's goal and may not cross the center line into their team's end of the court without being penalized by a free throw by the opposing team.

A captain must be designated by each team, and he will be the official spokesman for his team.

Numbers

each player shall wear a number on the front and back of his shirt with Arabic numbering.

Substitution

players may enter the game as often as the coach desires. They may enter only when the ball is dead, and only after reporting to the scorer's table.

SECTION IV . . . DEFINITIONS

Blocking

illegal personal contact which impedes the progress of an opponent who may or may not have the ball.

Boundary lines

lines of the playing court which define the playing area.

Disqualified players

a player who is barred from further competition in the game because he has committed his fourth personal or technical foul or his third penalty. (see rules on violations and penalties). Also, a player who is ejected from the game by an official for a flagrant violation or unsportsmanlike conduct.

Extra period

a period of time of 3 minutes duration to be played if the regulation game ends in a tie. Consecutive extra periods are allowed if the game remains tied at the end of an extra period of time.

Fouls

there are several different types of fouls, resulting in different penalties. (See the rules on Violations and Penalties for details.

Front and back court

a team's front court is the half of the playing court in which its goal is located and defined by the distance between the center line and the endline under its goal. The back court is the other half of the playing court.

Goal

the goal, a cloverleaf-shaped ring, is used for scoring. The Sailball is tossed through the goal, which is mounted vertically on the frontboard. The visiting team chooses the goal it will use during the entire game.

Held ball

a player may not hold the ball more than 5 seconds without a toss ball being called by the Referee.

Holding

holding is personal contact, usually with the hands, with an opposing player to restrict his movements.

Multiple sail

more than one penalty sail or toss at the goal, as the result of a foul . . . personal or technical.

Pass

a pass or sail is the movement of the ball by a player who sails, throws, bats, or rolls the ball to another player.

Penalty

a penalty is the charging of an offending player, the coaches, or the home crowd with a violation, and it shall result in awarding one free sail at the goal for a minor penalty and the removal from the playing court of the offending palyer for two minutes. For a major penalty, the opposing team is awarded two free sails at the goal and the removal of the offending player for four minutes from the game. If the penalty is called on the coach or the home crowd, the referee may declare it a minor or major penalty and award one or two free sails, but a player may not be removed from the game. (See Violations and Penalties for further details).

Sail or sailing

a player sails the ball by throwing it through the air to another player. It may be tossed with or by the center ring in a vertical, horizontal or tumbling orientation.

Traveling

a player may not take more than three steps without committing a traveling violation. After three steps, he may pivot on either foot, but not take additional steps before sailing the ball to another player.

SECTION V . . . SCORING AND TIMING

Scoring

there is both a plus and minus scoring system, and the scoreboard shall reflect each. The difference between the two at the end of the game is the gross score and determines the winner.

A. free sail

when the ball is sailed through the goal from the Free Sail Line, it shall count three points for each penalty sail. The Referee may award one or two free sails depending upon the penalty. Ball is in play if goal missed, out of bounds to other team if goal made. Missed attempt does not result in minus score.

B. goal or score

a goal or score is made by sailing the ball through the metal goal and through the frontboard, and each successful attempt counts five points. Ball is awarded to other team out of bounds when a goal is scored.

C. minus scoring

minus points shall be registered on the scoreboard when a player misses a sail or a shot. A sail is missed when the ball hits the goal or the frontboard and does not sail through. When this happens, a buzzer sounds indicating the miss and two points shall be registered under the minus sign on the scoreboard for that team.

Timing

all timing will be done by an official timer who may have assistants. He will start the game, indicate penalty periods, etc. (See Rule No. 2).

A. length of periods

professional and college teams shall play two 30 minute halves, with an intermission of 15 minutes. High school teams shall play two 20 minutes halves, with 15 minute intermissions. Teams under high school age shall play two 15 minute halves, with 15 minute intermission.

B. putting ball in play

the game is started at the beginning of each half and after each time the ball is declared "dead" or out-of-play by the Referee lining players up in a circle in the center of the court--or the center of the front or back court, depending on the where the ball was called "dead"--and sailing the ball into the air. The players shall be alternated by each team. The Referee should not sail the ball higher than ten feet and should attempt to sail it straight up.

C. stopping clock

the Referees stop the clock by signaling with a whistle to the Time Keeper any time the sailball is declared "dead," out-of-bounds and during free sails.

D. tie score

if the score, the gross score, is tied at the end of regulation play, 3 minute periods will be played until one team ends with the highest gross score.

E. time out

a team may call three times outs of 2 minute duration during each half. A penalty or free sail shall be granted for excessive time outs called, after the team coach has been informed that his team is out of time outs. One time out may be granted during each overtime period.

SECTION VI . . . VIOLATIONS AND PENALTIES

Violations and penalties are divided into two major categories . . . Fouls (personal, technical, etc.), and penalties which are classified as both major and minor.

Fouls

there are many different types of fouls and they result in different penalties. They are defined as follows:

A. center line

a team has ten seconds to get the ball over the center line. The two players designated as defensive player may not cross the center line. The ball may not go back over the center line after entering the front court. Any of these violations result in a foul and one free sail at the goal by any player designated by the team.

B. free sail

opposing players may not interfere with a player during a free sail at the goal. The penalty is an additional free sail. The shooter has ten seconds to take his sail or shot.

C. personal foul

a player shall not hold, push, charge, trip, block, elbow or use excessive contact with an opponent. The penalty is one free sail if the player is not in the act of sailing or two free sails at the goal if he is in the art of sailing the ball.

D. removal from game

a player may be removed from the game by the Referee for a flagrant violation, unsportsmanlike conduct, and after he has committed four fouls or three penalties (either major or minor or a combination of both).

E. technical foul

the Referee may call a technical foul on a player, the coach or the crowd for violating rules, bad conduct, abusive language, coach entering playing court to argue with Referee, player leaving court, or the home crowd interferring with a player during a free sail or throwing things onto the court. The penalty is one free sail by any player designated by the coach.

F. throw in or sail in

a defensive player may not excessively interfere with a player sailing the ball into the playing court. The penalty is one free sail.

Penalties

there are two types of penalties; major and minor penalties.

A. minor penalties

a minor penalty shall result in the offending player being removed from the game for a period of time of 2 minutes. The team may not substitute another player in his place during this period of time. In addition, the offended player, or a designated player if the offended player cannot take the sail because of injury or if it is a technical penalty, has one free sail at the goal. A minor penalty is called when a foul, as described under the section of rules on fouls, is excessive or deliberate. Examples would be excessive body contact, vicious holding or elbowing, charging or any foul that could result in injury to another player.

B. major penalty

a major penalty shall result in the offending player being removed from the game for a period of time of four minutes. The team may not substitute another player in his place during this period of penalty time. In addition, the offended player, or a player designated by his coach if the offended player cannot take the free sail, may take two free sails at the goal.

A major penalty is very violent action; such as fighting, deliberate attempts to injure another player, kicking, tripping or vulgar or abusive language to another player or officials. The decision of whether or not a violation is a foul, a minor penalty or a major penalty is up to the discretion of the Referee. If one Referee disagrees with the other Referee, the Referee also designated as the Umpire shall have the final decision. These rules and regulations may be amended or altered from time-to-time depending upon the decisions of the organization set up to govern rules changes.

It will thus be understood that the present invention comprises a unique game incorporating both a novel ball construction and a novel goal construction. The sailball utilized in the game differs from conventional spherical balls in that it includes an annular portion serving as an airfoil to permit sailing of the ball in the manner of a flat plate, or the like. The goal differs substantially from that of a traditional basketball game in that the scoring apertures are disposed vertically and are designed to receive the sailball only when the annular portion thereof is disposed in particular orientations. Another important feature of the game comprises the provision for the recording of unsuccessful scoring attempts to provide a negative score which is ultimately deducted from a positive score generated in response to successful scoring attempts to determine the gross score.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention.