IES71159B2 - Sports equipment/goal post - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to sports equipment. Within sports such as football, and where the objective is to direct a ball or the like between uprights and either below or over a crossbar, it is in this case that the sport is played at junior and senior level, and where posts and crossbars, of particular size and diameter and all of aluminium material, are required to suit different age groups at junior level and to suit the sport when played at senior level i.e. 5 - A - Side.

With such as Association Football, it is played to a considerable degree indoors, requiring goal posts and crossbars of a particular suitable size and diameter to suit, i.e. 5 - A - Side.

In ι yet another context, and particularly with Association Football, goals are frequently purchased for practice and recreational purposes for location . in, for example, a domestic garden and for use, particularly, by juniors of a variety of age groups. Here again, goals of a particular size, and diameter of posts, to suit the age group of the junior and intended location in a garden, are required.

Hitherto, it has been the case that uprights and crossbars have been produced of a particular size and diameter to suite two intended purposes and which, consequently, are not able to serve any other purpose.

It is a first objective of the invention to provide goal posts and crossbars of this size and of this diameter for Association Football of considerably greater versatility that has hitherto been the case.

Accordingly, to a first aspect of the invention, goal posts and crossbars for Association Football are each formed from a number of members suitably inter connected, and whereby, a required number of goal post members can be combined to provide a goal post of required height and depth and a required number of crossbar members of the same length, can be combined to provide a goal of a required length, and there being a junction member to enable the connection of each end of the crossbar to respective goal post.

For simplicity, a basic construction can be provided and formed by two goal post members of a required height and diameter ”1 + 2 can be combined to a crossbar of required length and diameter 4 to form the. first part of the construction, and whereas another two members of a required different height but same diameter 1 can be combinded with another crossbar of same length and diameter to form second part of construction and where a required and custom built member of different length but same diameter with two different degree angles, are at each end of the member and welded firmly in place to member, 3 to make connection at both ends of member to the junction member 5 and to members 4 to complete construction of goal posts as per drawings.

In addition to post members 1 + 2 + 3, the junction members to be used are of a three way fitting 5 and two way fitting 6. The two way fitting 6 to be used where the two members 1 + 2 meet detail A. The three way fitting 5 to be used where the opposite end of members 1 + 2 and to each end of members 3 + 4, and all of which are securely held by built in grub screws in fittings 5 + 6. 3. 57115® t The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a goal according to the invention, being a two way goal.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is the other front elevation of a goal according to the invention being a two way goal.

Figure 4 is the front elevation of item ’’7 being the U - shape spike to secure invention to ground, in outdoor use.

Detail ”A” is the detail of the two way fitting jointing member ”6’’ used to secure two members 1 + 2 to each other by means of the built in grub screw.

Detail B is the detail of the three way jointing member ’’5’’ used to secure three members 2+4+3 or 1 + 4 + 3 to each other by means of the built in grub screw.

Detail C is the cross section detail to members 1 + 2 + 3 extruded to a particular diameter and wall thickness, for the invention.

Detail D is the cross section detail to member 4 extruded to a particular diameter and wall thickness, for the invention.

Claims (4)

CLAIMS:

1. A goal comprising of goal posts and a crossbar, characterised in that the goal posts and crossbars are of extruded aluminium metal and in case of 1 + 2 + 3 of 48mm overall diameter and of a wall thickness of 1.5mm and in case of 4 of 48mm overall diameter and of 3mm wall thickness.

2. A goal as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the goal post members and crossbar members are of identical dimensions to the extruded aluminium section.

3. A goal is claimed in any of claims 1 + 2, characterised in that locking means are provided to secure by means of items 5 + 6 to it' adjacent members 1 + 2 + 3 + 4.

4. A goal is claimed in any of claims 1-3 characterised in that ground spikes are provided to secure the goal posts members 4 to the ground. ft 2. 571154 1 Perhaps apart from senior sport where goals of a particular size are mandatory, and particularly for junior sport and leisure/practice, manufacture can be altered considerably and simply by making alterations to length of crossbar 4 but not diameter. In addition to this goal a net to be used would be made to suit the exact size of the goal, in length as well as to cover from crossbar at top of goal to crossbar at the bottom of the goal with required length to take the shape of welded member ’’3, now known as stanchion, see fig. 2. In many areas of use, an assembled goal cannot be left in situ and whilst not being used. With goal posts and crossbars of fixed height and length and diameter there are attendant storage problems, whereas with the invention ready dismantling of the goal posts and crossbars into their individual members greatly facilitates their storage ready for their next use. To enable the goal posts to be held in an upright position, and in in another use, it is possible to provide a mounting member in the form of a U - shape spike, 7 placed over either member 4 depending on which way goal is to be used. Thus with the spike 7 driven into the ground at the required positions, the respective goal post is simply held to ground. When used indoors, it is frequently so that sports halls are provided with a number of strategically located screwed sockets sunk into the floor. Thus, a mounting member with a screwed stem can be provided, the mounting member again being of corresponding cross section to the goal post members and dimentioned to be a bolting fit there-within, and the screwed stem engaged with an appropriate socket. Given the nature of the construction and material, the goals of the invention can readily be dismantled and transported with the considerable benefit that provides in being able to move with relative ease a goal from it’s location for use and it’s transport to a point of safe storage. With goals of the invention, and in the wider context of Association Football at large, there is either the advisability or the necessity of securing a net to the goal post and crossbar. Conventionally, and particularly with metal crossbars and goal posts, hook’members can be provided, secured such as by welding or screwing, and on to which the edge of the net is hooked. The instance of damage to or breakage of such hook members are high, and particularly with junior football where repair is not feasible, it is more often than not the case that resorting to tying the net to the goal post and crossbar cannot be avoided. Metal hooks also constitute a hazard when on goal posts, by being a sourceof potential injury.