GB2388551A

GB2388551A - Delivering an object, eg a rugby kicking tee, to a location, eg on the pitch

Info

Publication number: GB2388551A
Application number: GB0210956A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Boulter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-05-14
Filing date: 2002-05-14
Publication date: 2003-11-19
Also published as: GB0210956D0

Abstract

A device for delivering an article, eg a kicking tee 6, to a location where the article is to be used, comprises a receptacle 2 on the end of a rope 4 or attached to a rigid stick. The device is held manually by the rope or stick, swung around in a circular fashion and released at an appropriate moment so that it has sufficient impetus to fly to the desired location. Preferably the receptacle is shaped like a rugby ball, is weighted towards one end (at 8), and has zip or hook-and-loop fastening 3 so that the article, which may be a tee, water bottle or sports spray, can be temporarily removed. The process is repeated to get the article off the pitch. The rope or stick may be detachable from the receptacle.

Description

238855 1

AIR-LAUNCH DELIVERY DEVICE

DESCRIPTION

- 5 This invention relates to an air-launch device for delivering an article to a location where the article is to be used.

In the game of Rugby Union, as well as other 10 sports, such as Rugby League and American Football, it is sometimes necessary to use a tee for the ball when a spot kick, such as a kick-off or conversion kick, is taken. 15 Such a tee is usually in the form of a plastics structure which supports the ball, for example, a rugby ball, above ground level in a desired orientation, to assist a player in kicking a ball properly. When it is necessary to use such a tee, it has to be delivered by hand to the location on the pitch where it is to used and, once it has been used, it is either removed from the pitch by hand or thrown off 25 the pitch.

This is an unsatisfactory arrangement, in that time is lost in a person running on to the pitch to the required location of use for the tee and, 3) similarly, further time is wasted in removal of the tee from the pitch after the kick has been taken. If thrown from the pitch, the tee being a fairly rigid

plastics structure, could injure a player, match official, spectator or bystander.

Also, it is not unusual for the tee to be lost or 5 mislaid, because no specific storage place for the tee is provided.

An object of the invention is to provide a device which eliminates, or at least substantially reduces, 10 the disadvantages associated with the delivery to and i removal from a point of use for a plastics kicking tee, as well as those associated with the potential loss of the tee.

1, Accordingly, the invention provides an air-launch device for delivering an article to a location at which the article is to be used, the device comprising first means for carrying an article to be delivered to a location at which it is to be used and second means 20 attached to the article-carrying means and operable to direct and propel said first means, and hence an article carried thereby, to a desired location where the article is to be used.

25 Preferably, the first means comprises a receptacle in which an article to be delivered to a location of use thereof can be accommodated, in which case, the receptacle may comprise a suitably-shaped opening for the article, which may be openable and 30 closeable. I

-3 Alternatively, an article to be delivered to its location of use may, in some other way, be carried by said first means.

The second means is preferably in the form of an elongate element, preferably flexible, having one end attached to the first means and its other end capable of being held by a user, so that the first means, with an article carried thereby, can be swung around in 10 circular fashion, to provide the whole device with sufficient impetus and direction to propel it through the air to a desired location at which the article is to be used.

lo Also, the first means may be suitably weighted to improve the stability during flight of the device through the air and also its directional accuracy. In such a case, the first means is preferably weighted at its leading end in flight.

Once the device has reached 'its desired' location, the article can be removed from said first means for subsequent use. Thereafter, the article can be carried again by the first means and, if necessary, 25 the device can be propelled from its location of use using the second means.

In a preferred embodiment to be described hereinbelow, an article to be delivered to a location 30 where it is to be used is in the form of a kicking tee for a rugby ball and the first means, as a design choice, i; in the shape of a rugby ball, with an

( aperture for the tee, openable and closeable by means of a zip or other suitable releasable fastening means.

In order that the invention may be more fully 5 understood, an air-launch device in accordance therewith and for delivering a kicking tee to a desired location on a Rugby Union pitch, will now been described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a partial sectional view 10 of the device.

Referring, therefore, to the accompanying drawing, an air-launch device indicated generally at 1 for delivering a kicking tee 6 to a desired location 1' on a Rugby Union pitch, comprises a receptacle 2 in the shape of a rugby ball, one side of the receptacle 2 being provided with an aperture openable and closeable by means of a zip 3.

20 Other means for opening and closing the aperture may be provided, for example, the hook and eye arrangement sold under the Registered Trade Mark "Velcro". 25 Attached at 5 to one end of the rugby ball receptacle 2 is a flexible elongate member in the form of a piece of rope 4, its free end being indicated at 7. 30 At the other, leading end of the rugby ball shaped receptacle 2, interior thereof, is situated a weight 8 which provides the device I with flight:

( - - stability and directional accuracy when the device 1 is propelled through the air.

In use of the air-launch device 1, the zip 3 is 5 used to open the aperture in the rugby ball 2, thereby permitting access to the interior thereof.

The kicking tee 6 is then accommodated within the rugby ball 2 by insertion through the open aperture lo which is closed using the zip 3.

Then, a user grasps the free end 7 of the piece of rope 4 and with that rope swings the rugby ball receptacle 2 around in circular fashion, whilst also 15 aiming at a desired location on a rugby pitch where the tee 6 is to be used to support a rugby ball for a kicker. When the user considers that the rugby ball 20 shaped receptacle 2 has sufficient impetus and is properly aimed, the end 7 is released by the user, so that the device 1, and tee 6 carried by the rugby ball receptacle 2, is air- launched and propelled to the required location, with the weight 8 at the leading 25 end of the receptacle 2 assisting in the stability and directional accuracy of the in-flight device 1. In this particular embodiment, the weight 8 is in the form of a bag of sand sewn into the interior of the receptacle 2, although any other suitable weight may 30 be used.

f After the tee 6 has been used for the kick, it may be re-inserted in the rugby ball receptacle 2 and aimed and propelled, by using the piece of rope 4, to a location off the rugby pitch.

It is to be appreciated that the device 1 may include various alternatives to the components described above. For example, the receptacle 2 for carrying the article may be of a different shape and 10 the rope 4 may be replaced by, for example, a rigid element such as a stick.

Also, the carrier means may be detachable from the propelling means when the former is aimed and 1: propelled to a location of use for the article carried by the carrier means.

Further, it is to be understood that the device may be used to deliver other articles, such as water 20 bottles, sports sprays and the like.

Claims

-7 (AIMS 1. fin air-launch device for delivering an article to location at

which the article is to be used, the device comprising first means for carrying an article to he delivered to a location at which it is to be used and second means attached to the article-carrying means and operable to direct and propel said first means, and hence an article Carried thereby, to a 10 desired location where the article is to be used.

i. A device according to claim 1, wherein said first means comprises a receptacle in which an article to be delivered to a:I.ocation of use thereof can be 15 accommodated.

i. A device according to claim 2, wherein the receptacle comprises a suitably-shaped opening for the article. _ () 4. A crevice according to claim:S, wherein the opening pi openable and closeahle.

If. device according to claim 1, wherein said first 2.s means is arranged to carry an article to be delivered to its location of use.

(;. A device according to any preceding claim, whereir- said second means is in the form of an () elongate element, preferably flexible, having one end at.tachec] to said fir-et means and its other end capable of being held by a user, so that said first means,

( - - with an article carried thereby, can be swung around _'! circular fashion, to provide the whole device with i,uttlcient impetus and direction to propel iL through the air to a desired location at which the article is to be used.

7. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein said first means is suitably weighted to improve the stability during flight of the device lo through the air and also its directional accuracy.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein said first means is weighted at its leading end in flight.

15 9. A device according to any preceding claim, in the shape of a rugby ball, with an aperture for the tee, -operable and closeable by means Q: a Zip or othe suitable releasable fastening means.

So JO. An air-launch device for delivering an article to a location of use, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. method clef delivering an article to a location 95 at which it is to be used, comprising placing the article in said first means of a device according to any preceding claim and air-launching the device and article toward said location.

So 12. A method,:ccording to claim 11, wherein the r.lf ticle is a rugby bail kicking tee.

( I. An air-launch method for delivering an article to a location cat which the article is to be used, subst.antially as herelnbefore described.