US3515092A

US3515092A - Tennis game set scoreboard

Info

Publication number: US3515092A
Application number: US818566A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fritz C Stengel
Original assignee: FRITZ C STENGEL
Current assignee: FRITZ C STENGEL
Priority date: 1969-04-23
Filing date: 1969-04-23
Publication date: 1970-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 1987-06-02

Description

June 2, 1970 F. c. sTENGEL 3,515,092

TENNIS GAME SET SCORE BOARD Filed April 25, 1969 INVENTOR FRJlTz c. STENGEL United States Patent O 3,515,092 TENNIS GAME SET SCOREBOARD Fritz C. Stengel, Drawer P, Mason, Tex. 76856 Filed Apr. 23, 1969, Ser. No. 818,566 Int. Cl. A63b 71 06' U.S. Cl. 116-120 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A color coded, display scoreboard designed to inform spectators and players of the games won and progress towards set win. Two (2) sets of six (6) semi-circular color coded indicators are mounted and concealed in the scoreboard. When the game is Won a players game win indicator is rotated out of the concealed position to the displayed position. Scoring progresses from the bottom, and in the absence of a tie set, the rst player to win six (6) games is indicated by rotating the set indicator into the display position. A player ip panel in the bottom of the board indicates by color coding the respective player on each side of the net. t

Heretofore visible Scoreboards or scoring indicators have not been generally employed in the game of tennis. In tournament play, with several courts in an area being simultaneously used by players, a question discreetly asked of the scorekeeper was the common practice. No device particularly adapted for displaying the status or progress of the game of tennis is in general use.

An object was to provide a visible indicator for players and spectators particularly suited for tournament play.

Another object was to provide an indicator for use in association with a net post or so approximately situated as to identify players and progress of the competition on an individual court.

The device is generally characterized as an elongated display panel approximately forty (40) inches long and six (6) inches wide. Numerals are progressively displayed on the board from the bottom to the top-one (1) through ve near the top of the board is a set win symbol S. Mounted internally of the board rotating out to indicate win on each side of the board is a series of six (6) semicircular or half moon color coded win indicators. They are rotated out as the games are won in progression from bottom to the top of the board. The set symbol S is rotated when a set is won.

With the view to providing a detailed description drawings have been provided illustrating the construction of the device and its use. Reference is now made to the drawings wherein identical reference characters will Ibe used to refer to identical or equivalent components throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an elevation View of the tennis scoreboard simulating its actual use to indicate the progress of a theoretical competition toward set win.

FIG. 2 is a side or edge View of the device illustrating its narrowest dimension.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view depicting an individual semi-circular game or set indicator.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section of the color coded player indicator taken on line 4 4 of IFIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

IFIG. 5 is a perspective View of the board mounting bracket secured to a net post.

The tennis game set scoreboard may be constructed utilizing a variety of materials such as wood, pressed board, aluminum and plastic. The basic body of the device is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and is referred to as the board 10. In a preferred embodiment, a board forty i ce (40) inches long, six (6) inches wide and one-half (1/2) inch thick was utilized. A series of indicator recesses 11 are cut or constructed in each edge of the board 10 and semi-circular indicators 12 are pivotally mounted in the recesses 11 on indicator axles 13. The rotation of the indicators 12 in both the exposed and concealed position is limited by the indicator stops 14. The axles 13 and stops 14 are of conventional construction of metal ybolts or pins.

The board 10 is provided with a board mounting pin 15 secured to the lower edge of the board 10 which is utilized in conjunction with the board mounting bracket 16 for convenience in attaching the board 10 to the tennis net post 17 for display in use.

Referring to FIG. 5, the bracket 16 is constructed including a bracket base 18, a bracket body 19 and bracket socket 20. The bracket 16 is secured to the net post 17 by an upper 21 and lower retaining band 22. These bands 21 and 22 :may be similar in construction to the widely used hose clamping device which are screw tightened. When the bracket 16 is secured to the post 17, the board mounting pin 15 is placed in the bracket socket 20 which retains the board 10 in the normal display position for use.

The board 10 may be constructed with a color coded player flip panel 23 in the center of the lower edge of the board 10. A panel recessed 24 is cut or formed in the lower edge of the board 10 and the flip panel 23 is retained in the recess 24 by a panel mounting pin 25. Referring to FIG. 4, some of the details of the construction and mounting of the player ip panel 23 is illustrated.

The indicators 12 are rotatably mounted in the outer edge of the board 10 and color coded for identification and use. Any contrasting colors may be used but for the purpose of illustration, yellow and red have been selected. Referring to FIG. 1, the indicators on the left edge of the board positioned progressively from the bottom up are yellow game one (1) indicator 26 the yellow game two (2) indicator 27. A series is continued through game three (3) 28, four (4) 29 and five (5) 30. At the top edge of the series is the yellow set indicator 31. The red series of game set indicators are repeated on the right or opposite edge of the board as red game indicator one (1) 32, game two (2) 33, three (3) 34, four (4) 35, ve (5) 36, and red set indicator 37.

Conspicuously painted or constructed on the outer face of the board 10 are the series of game numerals corresponding to the color coded game indicators. This series of game numerals progress from the bottom of the board 10 upward and are respectively game numerals one 1) 38, two (2) 39, three (3) 40, four (4) 41 and five (5) 42 and a large S is utilized for the set symbol 43.

As described above, the device of board 10 is secured to the board mounting bracket 16 by means of a board mounting pin 15. The bracket 16 is securely mounted on the net post 17. A color is assigned to each player or team. School colors might be used or a color used for the home team and'white used for the visiting team. As play progresses and games won, the garne indicators are tilted out of t he board 10. If the yellow team wins the first three games, indicators 26, 27 and 28 are rotated into the display position. Assuming the red team wins the next three games, the

indicators

32, 33 and 34 are rotated into the display position. The first team to win six (6) games would be the set winner and the yellow set indicator 31 or the red set indicator 37 used to so indicate. In event of a deuce or tie set, all indicators except the yellowr five (5) 30 and the red ve (5) 36 game indicators are returned to the concealed position. As the playoff progresses, the game indicators 12 are progressively rotated starting again with the yellow one (1) 26 and the red one (1) 32. The iirst player in lead by two games wins this set and the set indicator, either yellow 31 or red 37, is rotated.

Since most matches are played on a basis of two out of three sets, one (l) S symbol 43 is considered to be adequate. It would be possible, however, to provide an additional S set position and additional set indicators if desired. For use by schools or club teams the device may be constructed and used eliminating player ip panel 23. In such a case, it is suggested that a color be utilized for indicating the home team and white for the visiting team. For intramural or intra-club competition, the player ilip panel 23 is valuable. The color coded game indicators 12 are for example, coded yellow and red. The flip panel 23 is similarly color coded, the panel 23 is rotated as the players change sides of the court as the set progresses and the player flip panel 23 is rotated or flipped around the mounting pin 25 in the recess 24 to exopse respective color coded side on the side of the net facing the respective player or team. Having described the construction use of my in` vention in detail, what I claim is all equivalent constructions or equivalent modifications not departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A scoreboard comprising:

(a) an elongated rst body member having a top and bottom portion and a first and second edge,

(b) an elongated second .-body member having a top and bottom portion and a rst and second edge.

(c) means for securing and retaining the rst and second body members together as a unitary structure,

(d) a multiplicity of arcuate semi-circular recesses constructed in the contacting surface of the rst and second body member adjacent the rst and second edge,

(e) a series of semi-circular game indicators rotatably and tiltably mounted in said arcuate semi-circular recesses,

(f) a multiplicity of indicator axles positioned at the radial center of said arcuate semi-circular recesses Cil rotatably and tiltably securing said game indicators in said arcuate recesses, and

(g) indicator stop means positioned between the said rst and said second body member projecting through said arcaute recess in the lower portion thereof at such a position as to stop the rotation of the said game indicators selectively in the concealed and displayed position.

2. The invention of claim 1 including a series of game numerals progressively positioned from the bottom to the top of said scoreboard.

3. The invention of claim 2 including a set S symbol adjacent the top of said scoreboard.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said semi-circular game indicators are uniformly color coded.

5. The invention of claim 1 including a color coded player flip panel rotatably mounted in said scoreboard.

6. The invention of claim 1 including:

(a) a scoreboard mounting pin secured to the bottom of said scoreboard, (b) a scoreboard mounting bracket constructed and arranged to receive and retain said pin, and (c) means for securing said `bracket to an upright supporting structure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 289,566 12/1883 Samuel 116-134 877,443 1/1908 Maxeld 116-134 XR 2,784,972 3/1957 Mater 116-134 XR 2,798,320 7/1957 Montalto 116-134 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 22,946 1899 4Great Britain.

LOUIS I. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner