CA2296030A1 - Allsports backstops - Google Patents

Abstract

Other tarping systems for garage doors require a complicated system of cords and ties for temporary attachment. My invention allows for a permanent (or removable) retractable system for creating a back stop for a variety of sports.
This system utilizes polypropylene netting,\tarping,vulcanized rubber\steel pins, velcro to create a tarping\ netting type apparatus allowing attachment to any structure containing a top beam and side posts (i.e. garage doors, soccer or football posts.).
Velcro (or bungy type) attachment converts the tarp from a hockey play backer with built in goal, to a baseball\football (or like) accuracy pitching or throwing backer. A netting attachment would allow a quick and permanently attached netting conversion for soccer play or golf practice.

Description

SPECIFICATIONS
This invention deals with securely attaching tarps or netting to garage doors or steel goal post through the use of steel screws and eyelets, or steel hooks. A
means of manual retraction' and easy storage would provide a simple and e~cient installation, for the purpose of providing an area of play or practice for a variety of sports through various seasons. The retracted tarp would hang slightly below the top header in a long cigar shaped nylon wrap type housing.
Commonly tarps attached to the garage door header and casings, or nets attached to soccer/football posts have been temporary measures requiring cords, ties or strapping.
The tarping~netting had to be stored in an area away from the playing area, brought to the play area and installed. This detachment causes unnecessary work and storage along with opportunities for lost or misplaced straps or cords, as much, or more time is spent removing the tarp~netting and returning it to storage than initial set up.
I have found that these disadvantages can be overcome by permanently attaching the tarplnetting to the header casing of the door jamb soccer goal (if the prefer ed method of storing the tarp was to remove it from the header then steel hooks could be used to temporarily attach the cigar housing bag to the top header see illus. 1 a.).
The polypropylene tarp( illus 1 fig 4) has a hard plastic backing sandwiched in the top seam, which is screwed to the top beam using a series of steel eyelets and attaching screws(see illus. # I fig 1) This hard plastic reinforcement is approximately three feet shorter than the overall length of the structure (illus. # I ) and is covered by a velcro back strip. The remaining one and one half foot of tarp on either side of this reinforced area has an opposite velcro so that it can be folded for ease of retraction(illus # 1). The backside of these one and one foot strips would contain the original velcro back strips so that when retracted the tarp~netting could be housed by wrapping a nylon cover attached to the header on the backside of the plastic reinforced area to these strips{see illus. # 1 fig 8}. For the removable bag, hooks would be attached to the top header by which the bag could be attach to allow for the same installation. This hooking system would allow for portability of the system.
The tarp would be pinned at the top corners and side posts by a series of hard vulcanized rubber\steel pins { see illus 1 fig3 } which would be attached through their pre drilled centers into the wood or steel side posts. In this manner the tarp\netting itself could be used as a template to make the location of these pins easier. The pins would insert through reinforced holes in the side seems of the tarp The bottom of the tarp would have round steel adjustable post(illus 1 fig 7) which would slide through the bottom seem.
When joined ,these posts would create a solid post around which the tarp can be easily rolled so that it can be retracted up to it's stored position{see illus. 4}
Depending on the structure to which the tarp has been attached the bottom could be held in several manners. When the tarp is used for soccer \football post, plastic pegs are used to hold the tarplnet bottom to the ground. {see illus. # 1 and 2} When the tarp is used in the garage door application the bottom of the tarp is held by heavy pads that would outline the bottom ofthe tarp\netting{see illustration#1 and fig 6}..
The tarp it self would have goal areas seemed, and outlined in velcro so that different sport related activities is achieved through different velcro backed smaller tarp additions (i.e. velcro backed hockey posts, velcro back tarps with baseball\football rugby targets or openings .( See fig S a, b,.) In addition to the tarp there could be a second netting mounted behind the first which when lowered from its' separate housing would create a practice back drop for golf {see illus. # 3 }The golf application is pinned in the same manner as the tarp above but is attached by straps to aluminum\steel poles mounted by brackets attached to the side of the door casing on the brick. These poles would extend several feet across the header When rotated outwards these poles would add depth to the netting perpendicular to plane ofthe door\goal area. {see illus. 3}.by extending extra net outwards and above. The bottom of the net is held in the same manner as the tarp except the net would be held just slightly inside the plane of the door.{ See illustration # 3 }
when the Allsports backstop tarp\netting is attached to goals in a public setting the system could be protected from vandalism through the addition of welded pegs( illus 2 ) placed at the top of the header post. A tight wire mesh covering could circle the post and system secured to the pins. A rod could then be placed through drilled holes in the welded pegs, through which a lock could be placed for security.

Claims (7)

1. a permanently installed retractable (either manually or mechanically) tarping\netting system for any structure containing a header and 2 sides meant for multi sport applications

2. velcro sides (or bungy type) with smaller independent tarps converting larger tarping to multi sport applications

3. a permanent, retractable netting system for football\ soccer goals

4. a system as in claims 1 and 3 used for golf

5. a system as in claims 1, 3 and 4 in which tubular steel posts are used to extend the netting system outside the plane of the garage door.

6. a system as in claim 1 which uses steel hooks for removeability and portability.

7. the names ALLSPORTS BACKSTOPS, ALSPORT BACKSTOP, ALLSPORT
BACKDROP, ALSPORT BACKDROP.