GB2035104A - Improvements in or relating to dartboards and their method of construction - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of manufacturing dartboards, and in particular the wire framework defining the scoring areas, comprises forming the radial and concentric circular wires from a number of wire elements (10). Each wire element is bent into a spike (12) at both ends and by means of which it is secured to the board. The method avoids the difficult step of forming joggles in the wire other than at the ends and reduces the total number of fixing staples required. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to dartboards and their method of construction DESCRIPTION This invention relates to dartboards and their method of construction and in particular to the construction of the wire framework defining the scoring areas on the surface of a dartboard.

The traditional method of construction the wire framework on the surface of a dartboard is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows a plan view of a dartboard illustrating the layout of the wire framework of a standard dartboard; Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of the way radial wires and the ends of the ring wires are secured to the board; and Figure 3 is an enlarged schematic illustration of the intersection between a ring and radial wire and the method of securement.

The arrangement of the metal wire framework on the surface of a dartboard, as shown in Fig. 1 is generally well known. The framework comprises a number of concentrically circular ring wires 1 which are intersected by 20 radial wires 2 spaced at 18 intervals.

There are 6 ring wires, two of which define the bulls eye and outer bull (25 ring) and these are positioned close to the centre of the board. The radial wires 2 terminate at their inner ends at the outer bulls eye ring. The two other pairs of ring wires define respectively the trebles ring situated roughly half way along the radius of the board, and the doubles ring situated near the edge of the board and defining the limit of the scoring area of the board. The radial wires 2 extend from the outer bulls eye ring out through the doubles ring and terminate in the non-scoring area outside the doubles ring. The wires are fabricated from high tensile steel wire and cannot be satisfactorily welded together.

Fig. 2 shows how the ends of both the radial wires 2 and the circular wires 1 are fixed to the board. The ends of each of the wires (except the circular wires defining the bull areas) are bent to provide a perpendicular spike of wire 3 at each end. These spikes are hammered into the board to provide the basic securement of the wires. Fig. 2 also shows how the radial wires are bent to provide 'joggles' 4 which accommodate the intersecting wire rings 1. Long, narrow staples 5 are used to secure the joggle in place over the wire ring; this is illustrated in Fig. 3.

The spikes 3 and the staples 5 securing the joggles are still insufficient to hold the wires in position for it will be appreciated that for accurate play it is necessary that the wires remain exactly in shape. Therefore, over 60 staples are used on the wires at positions adjacent intersections of the wires but even so the radial wires still tend to distort after a period of use. The provision of this number of staples is unsightly and the heads of the staples provide additional obstructions to darts causing an increase in the number of darts that fall from the board. The joggles 4 are also inconvenient since it is difficult to construct these in the middle part of a wire and maintain the wire straight or circular as the case may be.The need for the production of these joggles and the insertion of a large number of staples is a hindrance to the advance of mechanisation in dartboard construction.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a dartboard having a wire framework secured to its playing surface to define the scoring areas of the playing surface and the wire framework comprising concentric circular wires and radial wires, the method including the steps of forming at least one of said circular or radial wires from a plurality of wire elements and securing each element separately to the board by means of integral lateral spike portions at the ends of the wire elements.

The method may include forming some or all of the circular wires from a plurality of wire elements as aforesaid so that the adjacent ends of two adjacent elements are adjacent the point at which a radial wire intersects the circular wire.

In one embodiment said adjacent ends of the elements of the circular may be positioned such that they are separated by a small gap to accommodate the intersecting radial wire.

In a second embodiment the method may include the step of providing a joggle at the ends of one of said adjacent ends of wire elements and overlapping the intersecting radial wire with this joggle.

Joggles may be provided at both said adjacent ends of wire elements, the radial wire being overlapped by both joggles, at least one of the joggle portions of the wire elements being bent out of the circular line of the circulare wire so that the joggle portions do not overlap.

The present invention also provides a dartboard having a wire framework secured to its playing surface to define the scoring areas of the playing surface, the wire framework comprising concentric circular wires and radial wires wherein at least one of the wires comprises a plurality of wire elements, each element being secured separately to the board by means of integral lateral spike portions formed at the ends of the wire elements.

Either the radial wires or the circular wires or both may be composed of elements as aforesaid. Some or all of the circular wires may be arranged in elements as aforesaid so that the adjacent ends of two adjacent elements are adjacent the point at which a radial wire intersects the circular wire.

Said adjacent ends of the elements of the circular wire may be separated by a small gap to accommodate the intersecting radial wire.

Alternatively, one of said adjacent ends of the elements may be provided with a joggle adjacent the spike portion allowing the end of this element to overlap the radial wire.

Both of said adjacent ends of said wire element may be provided with said joggles so that the radial wire is overlapped by the ends of both the adjacent wire elements, in this case at least one of the joggle portions of the elements is bent out of the circular line of the circular wire so that the joggle portions do not overlap.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to Fig. 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of part of the wire framework of a dartboard constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 5 is a sectional view through the plane of a dartboard illustrating one form of intersection between circular and radial wires; Figure 6 is a similar view to Fig. 5 illustrating a second form of intersection; Figure 7 is a similar view to Figs. 5 and 6 illustrating a third form of intersection; and Figure 8 is a plan view of the intersecting wires shown in Fig. 7.

Referring to Fig. 4, each of the radial wires and the doubles and trebles circular wires of the wire framework of a dartboard comprises a number of wire elements 10. Each element 10 has a portion 11 which forms part of the wire framework located flush with the playing surface of the board. Each element 10 also has two wire spikes 12 integral with the portion 11 but projecting laterally therefrom.

These wire spikes 1 2 are hammered into the board to secure the elements 10 to the board.

The lengths of the surface portions 11 of the wire elements 10 are chosen such that the portions 11 are unlikely to distort seriously when the dartboard is used thereby obviating the need for the customary 3 staples along each radial wire.

The lengths of the portions 11 of circular wire elements are chosen so that each spans exactly one of the sectors of the dartboard and hence so that the radial wire elements intersect the circular wires at the junction between two elements of the circular wire.

Fig. 5 shows one such junction in which adjacent ends of adjacent elements 14 and 1 5 of a circular wire are separated by a small gap 1 6. This gap accommodates the width of a radial wire element 1 7. With this arrangement no joggles are required and no staple is required at the intersection of the wires.

In Fig. 6 an alternative junction arrangement is shown in which a joggle 1 8 is formed at the end of one of the adjacent elements 14 and 1 5 of a circular wire. This joggle 1 8 traps the radial wire 1 9 and makes it possible to use a unitary radial wire, ie. without separate elements, and to secure it by joggles 1 8. It will be appreciated that it is much easier to construct joggles at the end of wire element where the wire is, in any case, required to be bent to form the spike, than it is to form the joggle in the middle of the surface portion 11 of the wire.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a further alternative arrangement where joggles 20 and 21 are formed at the adjacent ends of both wire elements 14 and 1 5. This arrangement provides added strength and securement. In order that the joggles 20 and 21 do not overlap they are bent in opposite directions out of the line of the circular wire of which the portions 11 of the elements 14 and 1 5 form a part.

Figs. 9 and 10 show an embodiment which is, in effect a combination of the embodiments shown in Figs. 6 and 8. A joggle 1 8 is formed at the end of only one of the adjacent elements 14 and 1 5 and the joggle 1 8 is bent out of the line of the circular wire to allow the end of the other element to terminate close to the intersecting radial wire.

Claims (9)

1. A method of manufacturing a dartboard having a wire framework secured to its playing surface to define the scoring areas of the playing surface and the wire framework comprising concentric circular wires and radial wires, the method including the step of forming at least a circular or radial wire from a plurality of wire elements and securing each element separately to the board by means of integral piercing bent portions at the ends of the wire elements.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a circular or radial wire is formed from said plurality of wire elements so that the adjacent ends of two adjacent ones of said wire elements are adjacent the point at which a radial or circular wire, as the case may be, intersects the first wire.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said adjacent ends of the two adjacent elements are located so that they are separated by a small gap which accommodates the intersecting wire.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein one of said adjacent ends of the elements is provided with a joggle adjacent its piercing bent portion, which joggle overlaps the intersecting wire.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the joggle portion of the wire element is bent sideways so that the end of that wire element which overlaps the intersecting wire is laterally adjacent the adjacent wire element.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the adjacent ends of both adjacent wire elements are provided with joggles.

7. A dartboard made by a method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A method of manufacturing a dartboard substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figs. 4 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A dartboard substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figs. 4 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.