US3908992A

US3908992A - Portable football goal post

Info

Publication number: US3908992A
Application number: US437680*A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donald C Cunningham; Esse Harold Keyes; Tom W Cox
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-01-29
Filing date: 1974-01-29
Publication date: 1975-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 1992-09-30

Abstract

A portable, knockdown football goal post employing a plurality of straight pipe sections to form a U-shaped upright having a cross-bar and a pair of upright members. The U-shaped upright is supported by a pair of vertical support members having their upper ends attached to the cross-bar of the U-shaped upright. Intermediate the ends of the vertical supports is attached an elongated brace member having one end attached to a vertical support, the brace member being parallel to and in the same plane as the cross-bar. The lower end of each vertical support is attached intermediate the ends of an elongated base member, each base member lying in a plane perpendicular to the plane containing the cross-bar and brace member. The uprights, crossbar, vertical support members, brace member and base support members are appropriately water tight. A liquid is placed inside the goal post as a weighting substance.

Description

United States Patent [191 Cunningham et al.

[451 Sept. 30, 1975 1 1 PORTABLE FOOTBALL GOAL POST [22] Filed: Jan. 29, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 437,680

[52} U.S. Cl 273/55 R [51] Int- Cl. A63B 67/00 [58] Field of Search 273/55 R, 55 B; 272/59 C; 46/16, 17, 27, 28, 29; 182/181; 211/177 Pllllllll) Evaminer-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Evaminer-T. Brown Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John B. Dickman, 111

l 5 7 ABSTRACT A portable, knockdown football goal post employing a plurality of straight pipe sections to form a U-shaped upright having a cross-bar and a pair of upright members. The U-shaped upright is supported by a pair of vertical support members having their upper ends attached to the cross-bar of the U-shaped upright. Intermediate the ends of the vertical supports is attached an elongated brace member having one end attached to a vertical support, the brace member being parallel to and in the same plane as the cross-bar. The lower end of each vertical support is attached intermediate the ends of an elongated base member, each base member lying in a plane perpendicular to the plane containing the cross-bar and brace member. The uprights, cross-bar. vertical support members, brace member and base support members are appropriately water tight. A liquid is placed inside the goal post as a weighting substance.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,908,992 A US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 2 on 3,908,992

PORTABLE FOOTBALL GOAL POST BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The game of football, either touch or tackle, has fast become one of the largest participant sports in the country.

In the past the game was mostly limited to the High School, College, or Professional Leagues which had their own static installations of stadiums, playing and practice fields.

The tremendous growth of the Pop Warner type leagues, which have opened the sport to almost any person with a desire to play, has created a demand for playing fields which far surpassed the availability of these static installations.

As a consequence the small leagues have made use of many open areas which were available to them and which had adequate dimensions. This satisfies the requirement for a playing surface but does not provide the other necessary equipment such as goal posts. In some instances it has been found that owners of these open areas have no objection to their being used as playing surfaces but do not want any permanant installations made on them. Also a permanantly installed goal post is subject to vandalism which puts an unneeded requirement on the usually limited finances of these small leagues.

In choosing a rigid lightweight plastic as the material for the goal post components any repairs to them may be accomplished by solvent welding and a replacement of any part is relatively inexpensive.

Also a goal post of the type described may be used by individuals for their own amusement which need not be a team sport.

Therefor an obivous need for this type of a portable football goal post exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention generally concerns football goal posts and more specifically a portable knockdown football goal post constructed of easily'assembled and disassembled units which facilitates its transportation to its site of use.

It is also an object of this invention to construct the goal post from an inexpensive, strong, lightweight material which may be easily replaced or repaired if it is damaged.

It is a further object of this invention to provide fluid tight joints between the units which will allow a complete or partial filling of the assembly with a fluid which will add stabilizing weight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The preferred embodyment of the present invention will be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view;

FIG. 2 is a front view; and

FIG. 3 is a side view.

FIG. 4 is a cut away section taken from line 4 in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODYMENT A portable knockdown football goal post assembly comprises a U-shaped cross bar sub-assembly 11 and two ground abutting support sub-assemblies 12.

The cross bar sub-assembly 11 comprises a first horizontal rod 13 engaged at each end in tee connectors 14,

second horizontal rods 15 engaged in tee connectors 14 and ninety degree elbow connectors 16, vertical rods 17 engaged in ninety degree elbow connectors 16 and closed at their extreme ends by rod caps 18.

The ground abutting support sub-assemblies 12 comprises first horizontal ground abutting rods 19 closed at their extreme ends by rod caps 20 and engaged at their inboard ends in first tee connectors 21, first vertical rods 22 engaged in first tee connectors 21 and second tee connectors 23, second vertical rods 24 engaged in second tee connectors 23 and in tee connectors 14 of the cross bar sub-assembly 11.

A horizontal brace rod 25 joins the sub-assemblies 12 by engaging in the inward facing legs of second tee connectors 23.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 the horizontal ground abutting rods 19 are substantially perpendicular to the axis of the U shaped cross bar sub-assembly l l.

In the preferred embodyment the material for the goal post is round, hollow, lightweight, rigid plastic but any suitable material such as aluminum or steel could be used. Also the geometric shape of the rods could be square or oblong.

Where the hollow rods are used, the joints between the rods and the connectors and caps may be made fluid tight whereby all or a portion of the goal post may be filled with water 26 to add weight for added stability.

I claim:

1. A stable, portable knockdown goalpost assembly comprising:

a. a U-shaped cross bar sub-assembly having a first horizontal hollow rod engaged at each end in a tee connector, second horizontal hollow rods engaged in said tee connectors and ninety degree elbow connectors, vertical hollow rods engaged in said ninety degree elbow connectors, and said vertical hollow rods closed at their extreme ends by rod caps;

b. two ground abutting support sub assemblies, each said sub assembly having first horizontal ground abutting hollow rods closed at their extreme ends by rod caps and engaged at their inboard ends in a first tee connector, a first vertical hollow rod engaged in said first tee connector and a second tee connector, a second vertical hollow rod engaged in said second tee connector and in said tee connector of said U-shaped cross bar sub-assembly;

c. a horizontal hollow brace rod joining said two ground abutting support sub assemblies by engaging in the inward facing legs of said second tee connectors;

. said ground abutting rods of said two ground abutting support sub assemblies being positioned substantially perpendicular to the axis of said cross bar assembly;

e. each said hollow rod, said tee connector, said ninety degree elbow connector and said rod cap being joined in fluid tight, disengageable engagement; and

f. a stabilizing weight of water within said goal post assembly.

Claims

1. A stable, portable knockdown goalpost assembly comprising: a. a U-shaped cross bar sub-assembly having a first horizontal hollow rod engaged at each end in a tee connector, second horizontal hollow rods engaged in said tee connectors and ninety degree elbow connectors, vertical hollow rods engaged in said ninety degree elbow connectors, and said vertical hollow rods closed at their extreme ends by rod caps; b. two ground abutting support sub assemblies, each said sub assembly having first horizontal ground abutting hollow rods closed at their extreme ends by rod caps and engaged at their inboard ends in a first tee connector, a first vertical hollow rod engaged in said first tee connector and a second tee connector, a second vertical hollow rod engaged in said second tee connector and in said tee connector of said U-shaped cross bar sub-assembly; c. a horizontal hollow brace rod joining said two ground abutting support sub assemblies by engaging in the inward facing legs of said second tee connectors; d. said ground abutting rods of said two ground abutting support sub assemblies being positioned substantially perpendicular to the axis of said cross bar assembly; e. each said hollow rod, said tee connector, said ninety degree elbow connector and said rod cap being joined in fluid tight, disengageable engagement; and f. a stabilizing weight of water within said goal post assembly.