GB2079164A - Portable stand for dartboards - Google Patents

Abstract

A stand for use with a dartboard has a mounting frame 14, on which a dartboard 20 may be supported. The mounting frame 14 is supported above a base frame 12, by collapsible struts 38 and hinged legs 22, such that the mounting frame 14 can be folded down above the base frame 12, for ease of transportation. Preferably, a hinged distance marker device 40 is provided at one side of the base frame 12, to indicate a correct throwing distance from the mounting frame 14 and dartboard 20. Due to its hinged construction, the distance marker device 40 can be folded down above the base frame 12, for ease of transportation. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Supporting apparatus The invention relates to supporting apparatus and more particularly to stands for supporting dartboards.

A known type of stand for a dartboard comprises a rigid structure mounted on a pair of feet, and a securing device by means of which a dartboard can be secured to the stand.

The known type of dartboard is usually between seven and eight feet high and as wide as a dartboard to be secured thereon. As the known type of stand is rigid, it cannot be dismantled and therefore because of its size it is relatively bulky and difficult to transport.

The known type of stand for a dartboard tends to be relatively unstable because it is only mounted on a pair of feet, one either side thereof, and is likely to topple over either sideways, forwards, or backwards, especially when a dartboard is secured to the upper end of the stand.

The present invention seeks to provide a stand for use with a dartboard which mitigates or alleviates the disadvantages associated with the known type of stand.

According to the invention a stand for use with a dartboard comprises a mounting frame for use in supporting a dartboard, wherein the mounting frame is arranged to be supported by support means above a base frame, the stand being collapsible and/or being capable of dismantling for ease of transportation, and the base frame being capable of location on a ground surface to provide a stable support for the mounting frame.

Preferably, the stand is provided with securing means whereby at least one dartboard can be secured to the mounting frame.

Preferably, also, the support means comprises one or more rigid struts, each strut being releaseably securable between the base frame and the mounting frame to support the mounting frame at a fixed height above the base frame.

Alternatively, or in addition, the base frame may be pivotally connected to the mounting frame by connection means, so that the mounting means can be pivoted onto, or adjacent to the base frame when the stand is collapsed and/or dismantled for ease of transportation.

It is preferred that the stand comprises at least one distance marker connected to, or connectable to the base frame, each distance marker being arranged to provide an indication of the correct throwing distance from a dartboard to be supported on the mounting frame. Each distance marker may include a toe-board against which the front foot of a darts player can be located to ensure that the player is the correct throwing distance from the mounting frame and/or a dartboard secured thereon. The stand may be provided with a distance marker one on each side thereof, and the dartboard may be secured one to each side of the mounting frame so that each side of the stand can simuitaneously be used for a darts match.

Preferably, each distance marker is pivotally mounted on the base frame, and may be supported thereon. The distance marker may be adjustable to allow for variations in the throwing distance from the toe-board to the mounting frame for different types of darts matches.

The invention includes a stand when fitted with one or more dartboards.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figure of drawings which is a perspective view of a stand for a dartboard.

A collapsible tubular steel stand for a dartboard is indicated generally at 10, and comprises a rectangular base frame 12 and a rectangular top frame 14. The frames 12 and 14 are of substantially the same dimensions and each frame houses a rectangular chipboard support member 16, the members 1 6 being secured within their associated frames 12 and 14 by means of screws 1 8.

A hook 1 9 is secured to, and projects forwardly from the upper central portion of the support member 1 6 of the top frame 14. The hook 19 is arranged to support a dartboard indicated by chain dotted lines 20 in the drawing. It is intended that the side portions 21 of the support member 1 6 should be used for marking the scores of a darts match. A blackboard panel (not shown) can, if required, be secured to one or each side portion 21 to further aid the marking of scores thereon.

A tubular steel leg 22 is located one at each side of the stand 10, and each leg 22 is pivotally connected by means of pivot pins 23 to a block 24 welded to the lower edge 25 of the top frame 14 at its upper end 26, and to a block 27 welded to the rear end of the side face 28 of the base frame 16, at its lower end 30. The legs 22 are of equal length, the length of each leg 22 being substantially equal to the length of side of each of the frames 12 and 14. It will be appreciated that the height of the dartboard 20 above the ground (i.e. above the base frame 12) is determined both by the positioning of the hook 1 9 and the lengths chosen for the legs 22 and the sides of the base frame 12 and the top frame 14.

A lower angled socket 32 is welded one to each side face 28 of the base frame 1 2 substantially half way along the said side face 28. The sockets 32 extend upwardly perpendicular to the plane of the base frame 1 2.

An upper socket 34 is welded one along the lower portion of each side face 36 of the top frame 14, and each upper socket 34 extends substantially parallel to the plane of the top frame 14. A support strut 38 is provided one at each side of the stand 10, each strut 38 being connected between upper and lower sockets 34 and 32 at an associated side of the stand 1 0. The upper end of each strut 38 is located within its associated upper socket 34, and the lower end of each strut 38 is housed within the associated lower socket 32. There is sufficient play between the struts 38 and the associated sockets 32 and 34 to enable the top frame 1 4 to be pivoted upwardly on the pivot pins 23 away from the base frame 12 to free the lower ends of the struts 38 from their associated lower sockets 32.Without such play between the ends of the struts 38 and their associated sockets 32 and 34, the strut would become wedged within the sockets 32 and 34 and it would not be possible to remove the struts when the stand 10 is to be collapsed.

A throwing distance marker device is indicated generally at 40 and is secured to the front edge of the base frame 12. The distance marker device 40 comprises a pair of first side limbs 42, a pair of second side limbs 44, an end cross member 46 and an adjustable toe-board 48. The rear ends of each first side limb 42 are pivotally connected by means of pivot pins 49 to an associated bearing block 51 welded to the front edge of the base frame 12. The blocks 51, and therefore the front side limbs 42 are spaced apart from each other.

The front end of each first side limb 42 has the rear end of a second side limb 44 pivotally connected thereto, and the cross member 46 is welded at each of its ends to respective front end of each second side limb 44. The cross member 46 thus interconnects each first and second side limb at one side of the stand to the other such limbs at the other side of the stand. The toe-board 48 is located in front of the cross member 46 and is parallel therewith. A pair of bolts 50 are welded in spaced-apart relationship to the rear edge of the toe-board 48, and each bolt 50 extends rearwardly from the toe-board 48 through an associated hole (not shown) formed through the cross-member 46. Each bolt 50 is secured within the associated hole by means of a pair of nuts 52.

By loosening one nut 52 of each pair, and tightening the other such nut 52, a bolt 50 and thereby the toe-board 48 can be adjusted relatively to the cross member 46 in order to alter the distance of the toe-board from the base frame 12.

When the stand 10 is to be collapsed the first limbs 42 are each pivoted inwards relatively to the base frame 12 and the second limbs 44 are simultaneously pivoted relatively to the first limbs 42 until associated first and second limbs 42 and 44 lie along side each other, and along side a respective side edge of the base frame 12 on the chipboard support member 16 of the base frame 12. The toe-board 48 and the cross member 46 are then located along side and in front of the front edge of the base frame 12. The marker device 40 is then located on the base frame 12. The lower ends of the struts 38 can then be freed from the respective lower sockets 32 by pivoting the top- frame 14 upwardly therefrom, as previously described.The top frame 14 and the struts 38 located thereon are then pivoted forwardly and the struts 38 are removed from their associated upper sockets 34. With the struts 38 removed from the stand 10, the legs 22 are pivoted downwardly towards the base frame 12 until they rest along side a respective side edge of the base frame 12.

The top frame 14 is lowered relatively to the legs 22 and the base frame 12 until it lies on top of the legs 22 parallel with the base frame 12. The stand 10 is then in the collapsed condition in which the base frame 12, legs 22 and top frame 14 take up very little volume to enable the stand 10 to be easily transported for example, from one darts tournament venue to the next such venue.

In order to erect the stand 10 once more, the reverse procedure is followed, so that the top frame 14 is firstly raised relatively to the base frame 12. The struts 38 are then each inserted in their associated upper sockets 34 and the legs 22 are pivoted upwardly away from the base frame 12. The top frame 14 is then pivoted relatively to the legs 22 until it is substantially perpendicular to the base frame 12, and then the lower ends of each strut 38 are each engaged in their associated lower socket 32.

When a game of darts is to be played, a dartboard 20 is secured to the hook 19 on the chipboard support member 16 of the top frame 14 and the toe-board 48 is adjusted relatively to the cross member 46, as previously described, so as to provide an accurate measure of the throwing distance from a darts player to the dartboard 20.

If desired, a second marker device 54 as partially indicated in dotted lines in the drawing, could be provided on the rear edge of the base frame 12. A second dartboard 20 could be secured on the rear of the support member 16 of the top frame 14 so that a game of darts could be played on both the front and rear faces of the stand 10.

Alternative embodiments according to the invention are also envisaged. Thus, the stand 10 could be formed of materials other than steel such as, for example, aluminium. Also, the stand could be formed of solid rather than tubular material.

The height of the dartboard 20 above the base frame 12 may be adjustable, for example, by altering the position of the hook 19, or by slidably mounting the lower sockets 32 on the side edges of the base frame 12 (rather than welding the sockets 32 to the frame 12), and by providing struts 38 of adjustable lengths.

It will be appreciated that the legs 22 could be dispensed with, and the top frame 14 could be releaseably mounted on the base frame 12 by means of the struts 38 only. In such a case, the stand 10 would be capable of dismantling into the top frame 14, the base frame 12 and the struts 38, and the frames 12 and 14 could be placed one on top of the other for ease of transportation.

Claims (12)

1. A stand for use with a dartboard, comprising a mounting frame for use in supporting a dartboard, wherein the mounting frame is arranged to be supported by support means above a base frame, the stand being collapsible and/or being capable of dismantling for ease of transportation, and the base frame being capable of location on a ground surface to provide a stable support for the mounting frame.

2. A stand according to Claim 1, provided with securing means whereby at least one dartboard can be secured to the mounting frame.

3. A stand according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the support means comprises one or more rigid struts, each strut being releasably securable between the base frame and the mounting frame to support the mounting frame at a fixed height above the base frame.

4. A stand according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the base frame is pivotally connected to the mounting frame by connection means, so that the mounting means can be pivoted onto, or adjacent to the base frame when the stand is collapsed and/or dismantled for ease of transportation.

5. A stand according to any preceding claim, comprising at least one distance marker connected to, or connectable to the base frame, the or each distance marker being arranged to provide an indication of the correct throwing distance from a dartboard to be supported on the mounting frame.

6. A stand according to Claim 5, wherein the or each distance marker includes a toe-board against which the front foot of a darts player can be located to ensure that the player is the correct throwing distance from the mounting frame and/or a dartboard secured thereon.

7. A stand according to Claims 5 or 6, wherein the or each distance marker is pivotally mounted on the base frame.

8. A stand according to Claim 5,6 or 7, wherein the or each distance marker is adjustable to allow for variations in throwing distance to the mounting frame.

9. A stand according to Claim 5, 6, 7 or 8 provided with two said distance markers one on each side thereof.

1 0. A stand according to any preceding claim, wherein the mounting frame is arranged to support two dartboards, one on each side thereof.

11. A stand for use with a dartboard, the stand being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

12. A stand according to any preceding claim, when fitted with one or more dartboards.