AU636331B2

AU636331B2 - Apparatus for playing a game

Info

Publication number: AU636331B2
Application number: AU50004/90A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Philip Gerard Way
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-02-20
Filing date: 1990-02-20
Publication date: 1993-04-29
Anticipated expiration: 2010-02-20
Also published as: AU5000490A

Description

COMPLETE 636331 PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

ORIGINAL

FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. Cl: Application Number: Lodged: 0*

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,,,Complete Specification-Lodged: Accepted: Lapsed: Published: P* Priority: Related Art: s* Name of Applicant: "Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: TO BE COMPLETED Philip Gerard Way BY APPLICANT 135 Parraweena Road CARINGBAH NSW 2229 A %l V\ IT REG -22.10 Philip Gerard Way T P Ce.1YJ2. f 4i wccM-5Z N t5 W e3s';S No~frf cbaaCAnQ, ANBBEpS6N-TAY)R-&-ASSeeiATES,-Registered-Patent-Aterneys- -of--O-Har-i-sen-Avenue-BeNNET-BA-N--S-W-- -2% N\V -ywa v-S Complete Specification for the invention entitled: APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A GAME The following statement is a full description of this Invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: -1- S013199 20/02/90 This invention relates to recreational or sporting equipment and more particularly to apparatus for playing a game of handball.

The traditional game of handball entails hitting a hard relatively small ball at high speed against the vertical walls of an enclosed court. The game therefore requires special facilities which are not readily provided in the home or school and moreover can be dangerous for inexperienced players or children because of the speed and hardness of the ball.

It is therefore an object of this invention to ameliorate these disadvantages and according to the invention there is provided apparatus for playing a game using a tennis ball or the like, said apparatus comprising at least first and second surfaces disposed one below the other and angled relative to one another so that a ball when hit by a player against either surface is deflected back to said player, and oeo wherein said first surface is angled at about 53 degrees to the horizontal.

4. In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: 4 Figure 1 is a perspective view from the front of S"apparatus for playing a game according to ~one embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view from the rear of said apparatus shown in Fig. 7, -2a- Figure 2A is a partial perspective view of modification to the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2, ,*oo oe** Seo as e oo a Figures 3 to 5 show a preferred form of hand bat for use with the apparatus of figures 1 and 2.

Referring first to figure 1 the apparatus may comprise a pair of planar surfaces 1 and 2 constructed from 15 mm.

thick sheets of particle board or the like. Preferably the surfaces are rectangular in shape and the lower one may be approximately 30 percent larger in area. The

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surfaces abut along a horizontal joint 3 and are angled gee.

er ~relative to one another at about 165 degrees as shown. In o ee addition the lower surface 1 with this particular eec.

gi ~embodiment of the invention is inclined at about 53 eeo degrees to the horizontal.

As shown by arrows A and B a ball driven by a player Ce..

against either the lower or upper inclined surface is ee deflected directly back toward the player in an upward direction oe so as to maximise its range of travel and ensure a return despite a decrease in velocity after impacting the surfaces.'.

*000 The supporting frame for the two surfaces as best shown in figure 2 may comprise a pair of spaced apart parallel steel rail assemblies designated generally as 4. Each of these rails has an inverted Y shape and consists of a first leg 5 which is screwed or otherwise fastened onto the back of the planar surfaces and a second leg 6 which angles back to support the structure at the required inclination to the ground or other support surface. There -3is also a cross-brace 7 extending between legs 5 and 6.

The first leg 5 also has a slight bend 8 approximately two thirds of the way along its length which serves to orient the two surfaces 1 an 2 at about 165 degrees with respect to each other as mentioned earlier.

To facilitate folding and storage of the structure the legs 5 preferably include sleeved joints 9 so that the upper end segments 10 can be detached. Also the legs 5 and 6 are linked by means of hinge pins 11 and the cross-braces

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7 are connected between said legs by hinge pins 12 at one end and releasible hooks 13 at the other. The entire O structure is thus able to be quickly dismantled and folded into a flat configuration for transport or storage.

Alternatively, as shown in Figure 2A the legs 5 and 6 may be 0000, linked by means of a sleeve joint. In this case a boss 13A is welded to the rear face of leg 5 and extends out at About 900 therefrom. The end 13B of leg 6 is a push fit over thi's boss. A strong, low cost and easily disassembled connection is thus obtained.

000* 0* A hand bat for use with the above apparatus is also proposed as shown in figures 3, 4 and 5. The bat may be fabricated from 5mm. thick perspex sheet and is preferably shaped and sized to generally follow the profile of the palm and fingers of a player's hand although other shapes such as ovals or rectangles may also be used. Apertures 14 and 15 may also be provided in the bat as best shown in figure 4 to receive a strap 16 to secure the bat in place over a player's hand as well as a wrist bracelet 17. With the bat in place over the hand a hard flat surface is thus provided for hitting a tennis ball or the like against the apparatus described earlier. In addition the hand is also protected from any injury or discomfort which would otherwise result from the ball being struck forcefully.

It will thus be appreciated that this invention at least in the form of the embodiments described provides a novel and unique apparatus for a game of handball. Clearly *0.S

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O00 o however the particular example disclosed is only the currently preferred form of this invention and a wide variety of modifications may be made which would be apparent to a man skilled in the art. For example, the So. relative size, shape, number and orientation of the 5050 planar surfaces may be changed to adapt the apparatus for use with different types of balls. Similarly the support frame as well as the shape and configuration of the hand bat could be modified according to design preference. In addition while in the described embodiment particle board is used for the rebound surfaces, steel for the supporting frame and plastic for the hand bat it is to be understood that the invention is not 6Tlifmited and can 'extend to other suitable materials.

Claims

1. Apparatus for playing a game comprising at least first and second surfaces disposed one below the other and angled relative to one another so that a ball when hit by a player against either surface is deflected back to said player, and wherein said first surface is angled at about 53 degrees to the horizontal.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second surfaces are substantially planar.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim I or claim 2 wherein the first and second surfaces are rectangular in shape and are angled at about 165 degrees relative to one another.

4. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein a support frame is provided for said first and second surfaces which comprises a pair of spaced apart rails, each rail being generally V shaped with one leg fastened to the backs of said first and second surfaces and the other leg adapted to engage a support surface.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said rails have sleeved joints which allow said apparatus to be dismantled for transport or storage.

6. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to and further including a hand bat for use in hitting said ball e against the apparatus, said hand bat comprising a substantially flat sheet which is adapted to be secured over "the open palm and fingers of a player's hand. *7raai

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein apertures i 0-I are provided in said sheet to receive a strap to secure the bat over said player's hand.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7 wherein said sheet is shaped and sized to follow the profile of the player's hand. Dated this 16th day of February, 1993. PHILIP GERARD WAY By his Patent Attorneys PETER MAXWELL ASSOCIATES S S *S S S. S S L U~"