GB2258665A - Ground anchor for a goal post. - Google Patents

Abstract

A ground anchor for a goal post which is sufficiently intentionally portable not to be able to rely solely on the penetration (if any) of the ground by the goal post upright to fix the goal post safely in position on the playing surface; the anchor comprising, firstly, a spike, (19) one end of which, in use, is driven into the ground and the other end of which carries a hook or an eye (23), (Fig 4, not shown), which, with the spike driven fully home, will break or will lie just below the ground surface; and, secondly, a clip (22) which, in use, connects the said hook or eye to an appropriate part of the goal post - for example to a ground-lying (in use) extension of the goal post upright - to anchor that said part adjacent the ground surface; the clip being readily releasable from the spike. <IMAGE>

Description

GROUND ANCHOR Background to the Invention The invention relates to goal posts.

The invention is specifically concerned with the kind of goal posts which is sufficiently intentionally portable not to be able to rely solely on the penetration (if any) of the ground by the goal post uprights to fix the goal post safely in position on the playing surface.

Generally portable goal posts of the kind just outlined have come more and more into use in recent years particularly in the game football.

However, they have drawbacks. Youngsters have always tended to swing from the crossbars of goal posts during or between games.

With the generally portable kind of goal post frame under discussion, this can all too often lead to the post tipping over and in some cases the weight of the post, the suddenness of its up-ending, and the momentum generated by it have literally killed the person concerned.

Conventional goal post frames of the kind under discussion tend to rely primarily if not entirely on their own weight to keep them upright in use, and on the fact that the goal post frame consists not just of the crossbar and uprights but also extends into oppositeend side pieces and a ground-adjacent back piece which runs parallel with the crossbar but is spaced rearwardly from the plane containing the crossbar and the uprights.

It is known to reinforce this ground-engaging back piece with a relatively heavy metal bar and it is also known to do the same thing to the crossbar so as to increase the overall down-bearing weight of the goal post frame. This however works against the inherent portability of the goal post frame and experience has shown that even then the goal post frame can still be inadvertently up-ended.

It has been proposed to secure the back piece to the ground surface with a relatively large metal stake. This does secure the goal post safely during play but it makes it difficult to move, for instance, to preserve the grass of the playing surface because the more secure the stake, the more difficult it will be to get it out of the ground.

The invention therefore seeks to overcome this known and dangerous proven tendency of portable goal posts to be easily up-ended whilst trying to balance, against this objective, the need for any kind of portable goal post to be relatively easily moved about the playing surface on which it is temporarily positioned.

Summary of the Invention A ground anchor; for a goal post which is sufficiently intentionally portable not to be able to rely solely on the penetration (if any) of the ground by the goal post uprights to fix the goal post safely in position on the playing surface; the anchor comprising, firstly, a spike, one end of which, in use, is driven into the ground and the other end of which carries a hook or an eye which, with the spike driven fully home, will break or will lie just below the ground surface; and, secondly, a clip which, in use, connects the said hook or eye to an appropriate part of the goal post - for example to a ground-lying (in use) extension of the goal post upright - to anchor that said part adjacent the ground surface; the clip being readily releasable from the spike.

Preferably the spike incorporates a crosspiece in its clip-adjacent region so that, in use, the crosspiece can be trodden or otherwise embedded into the ground to help the spike to resist being pulled out of the ground inadvertently in normal use.

Preferably also the crosspiece is rigidly fixed to the spike.

The crosspiece may project at right angles to the elongate axis of the spike; but it is not essential that it should do so.

Neither is it essential that the crosspiece projects in each opposite direction from the elongate axis of the spike. It could project from one side of the spike only.

There may be more than one crosspiece and, where there are, they may project by respectively differing amounts and at individually different angles from the spike.

The or each crosspiece may be so incorporated onto the spike as to tend to resist any inadvertent pulling-out of the ground. For example, where the or each crosspiece is non-rigidly fixed to the spike, the crosspiece may so fold against (or at least towards) the spike as the spike is hammered home that the hammering-home of the spike is minimally resisted by the or each crosspiece, whilst any attempt to pull the spike out of the ground causes the or each crosspiece automatically to open out the angle between itself and the spike body.

The invention includes within its scope a ground anchor, comprising a spike and a clip, substantially as described herein with the reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The invention also includes within its scope the combination of a goal post and one or more ground anchors embodying the invention.

In this context it will be self-evident that this "combination" invention, and the ground anchor as such, are clearly so linked as to form part of the same inventive concept.

It will also be appreciated that the ground anchor constitutes means, relating to an essential element of the "combination" invention, for putting that invention into practice.

Brief Description of the Drawings In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows in perspective a goal post, and ground anchors, embodying the invention Figure 2 (drawn to an enlarged scale) shows one of the ground anchors in use; Figure 3 repeats Figure 2 but is drawn to a larger scale still, for clarity of detail; and Figures 4 and 5, drawn to the same scale as one another but to a larger scale still than the rest of the Figures, show the anchor respectively in side elevation and in end elevation.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment A goal post for football (for example) consists of a conventional tubular metal crossbar 11 with respective opposite-end tubular metal uprights 12 and 13 supporting it, in use, sufficiently far above the ground and generally parallel to the ground playing surface; and with a secondary framework behind the goal post crossbar and uprights to position this generally portable goal post safely on the ground in use.

The secondary frame consists of back pieces 14, 15; end pieces 16, 17; and a ground-lying bar 18, all of which are jointed as shown (and by means known in themselves) to the uprights 12 and 13 and to one another to form a generally trapezoidal framework.

The net (not shown) is of course draped and secured in use around the frame to define the goal envelope. The relative sizes and spacings of all the frame members are such that, as shown, the uprights 12 and 13 are propped to rise at right angles from the ground and to support the crossbar 11 horizontally above the ground whilst the back bar 18 runs along the ground as do the bars 16 and 17.

Any one jumping up and swinging on the crossbar 11 would tend immediately to up-end the illustrated goal post frame about the ground-engaging feet of the uprights 12 and 13. To counter this, respective opposite-end ground anchors embrace the end regions of the ground-lying side bars 16 and 17. These anchors are each referenced A in Figure 1 and will now be described in more detail.

Anchor A consists primarily of three components. There is an elongate tubular spike 19. There Is an angle-iron crosspiece 21 projecting at right angles from it. And there is a clip 22 which, in use, embraces the relevant side bar 16 or 17 and connects an eye (23) at the ground-adjacent end of the anchor firmly, but readily releasably to the bar 16/17.

The tubular anchor body 19 is circular-cylindrical and is open at each opposite end. In something under the last one third of its length it is flattened, as indicated by reference numeral 24, to give it spike-like properties, ie to make it deliberately so shaped at one end as to be easily driven into the ground. The other end of the body 19 has a pin 25 piercing it, and this pin 25 secures one of two inter-engaged chain links into that end of the body 19.

One of these links is the link 23 previously referred to and this, as Figure 4 shows particularly clearly, sticks part-way out of the open end of the anchor body 19. The other link is referenced 26 and is identical to link 23. As illustrated, they lie of course at right angles to one another approximately.

Link 23 sticks out of the open end of anchor body 19 sufficiently for the hasp 27 of clip 22. This clip 22 is bolted to bar 16/17 but its hasp 27 trails from it by way of two chain links similar to links 26 and 23; and the hasp 27 itself of known construction and can easily be snap-fitted onto and released from link 23.

In use, the anchor body or spike 19 is driven into the ground at approximately 45" to the horizontal as the drawings illustrate, until fully home, ie with the end of link 23 breaking or lying just below the ground surface. The goal post frame is then manoeuvred into position and the hasp 27 snapped into position on link 23. As shown, the frame is so positioned that the moment tending to up-end the goal post about its uprights is resisted and the line of action M of this potential moment is indicated in Figure 2 and Figure 3.

As illustrated, crosspiece 21 projects in each opposite direction from the elongate axis of body 19. This particular crosspiece is fixed rigidly to the body 19 and consists of a right-angled metal strip. It is trodden or otherwise embedded into the ground as the spike body 19 is driven home. It helps in resisting the tendency of the body 19 to pull out inadvertently under load.

Claims (8)

CLAIMS:

1. A ground anchor for a goal post which is sufficiently intentionally portable not to be able to mEy solely on the penetration (if any) of the ground by the goal post upright to fix the goal post safely in position on the playing surface; the anchor comprising, firstly, a spike, one end of which, in use, is driven into the ground and the other end of which carriers a hook or an eye which, with the spike riven fully home, will break or w lie just below the ground surface; and, secondly, a clip which, in use, connects the said hook or eye to an appropriate part of the goal post - for example to a ground-lying (in use) extension of the goal post upright - to anchor that said part adjacent the ground surface; the clip being readily releasable from the spike.

2. A ground anchor according to Claim 1 in which the spike incorporates a cross piece in ins clip-adjacent region so that, in use, the cross piece can be trodden or otherwise embedded into the ground to help the spike to resist being pulled out of the ground inadvertently in normal use.

3. A ground anchor accarding to Claim 2 in which the cross piece is rigidly fixed to the spike.

4. A ground anchor according to Claim 3 in which the cr piece may project at right angles to the elongate axis of the spike.

5. A ground anchor accarling to Claim 4 in which there is more than one cross piece and, where there are, they project by respectively differing amo@@@ and at individually different angles from the spike.

6. A ground anchor according to Claim 5 in which the or each cross piece is so incorporated onto the spike as to tend to resist any inadvertent pulling-out of the ground.

7. A ground anchor according to Claim 6 in which the or each cross piece is non-rigidly fixed to the spike, the aoss piece may so fold against (or at least towards) the spike as the spike is hammered home that the hammering-home of the spike is minimally resisted by the or each cross piece, whilst any attempt to pull the spike out of the ground causes the or each cross piece automatically to open out the angle between itself and the spike body.

8. A ground anchor, according to any of the preceding Claims, compiising a spike and a c1p, substantially as described herein with the reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.