Abstract:
An auxiliary weighted roller assembly attachable to a sports goal ground crossbar to stabilize the goal and to facilitate temporary or long term relocation for field maintenance, alternative field use, or storage consisting of a framework attachable to the crossbar and a pair of weighted rollers attached to the framework one each disposed on the front and rear of the crossbar and of sufficient diameter to raise the crossbar above the ground.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is based on the disclosure of U.S. provisional patent application 62/022,242 by the same inventors filed Jul. 9, 2014 which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention resides in field of sports goals and more particularly relates to goals for outdoor use having a framework for supporting a net and further to devices pertaining to preventing such goals from tipping over or shifting position due to high wind, player impact, or inappropriate use by unauthorized use by others. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    There is great concern for the stability of sports goals for use on outdoor playing fields for sports such as soccer, field hockey, and the like, and the prevention of injury from accidental or inappropriate use of such goals particularly as they are often unattended due to their public locations. At the same time, it is necessary to occasionally move such goals for field maintenance, long term storage, or alternative field use. 
         [0006]    A number of solutions have been proposed including stakes, augers, and portable sandbags as weights all of which are easily tampered with when the goals are unsupervised. A weighted ground crossbar mounted roller system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,579,736, Gravel, which ,while addressing the problems of stability and mobility is not easily incorporated into existing goals having a wide variety of ground crossbars as are being currently or previously manufactured. The present invention presents a system which is capable of being attached to wide variety of goals for the above stated purposes and is easy to install but not remove or misplace as are most of the prior art devices known to the inventors. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The invention may be summarized as an auxiliary roller apparatus for a sports goal attachable to a rear ground crossbar disposed between two spaced apart side structures arranged to support a net for trapping a game ball or puck, the apparatus consisting of a frame assembly arranged to position and secure a pair of weighted rollers, one forward of, one rearward of, and substantially parallel to the ground crossbar. 
         [0008]    The apparatus functions to provide a substantial counter weight to any forces which may result in the goal shifting or tipping such as strong winds, player contact, or inappropriate use by one or more individuals, for example, hanging from a front or side component of the structure. 
         [0009]    The apparatus is designed to allow the goal to be easily moved for temporary or long term relocation for field maintenance, alternative field use, or off season storage. It is optionally configured to be attachable to a standard range of sizes and shapes of cross bars, round, square, and oval, without altering the cross bars; to allow lifting the front of the goal for repositioning without lifting the weight of the forward roller; and further to provide a latitude of stearability during repositioning to maneuver the goal into positions difficult to reach. A recessed port disposed on the longitudinal surface of the rollers for filling the rollers with ballast, sand for example, is also disclosed. 
         [0010]    These and other features and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the description of the preferred embodiments taken with the drawings which follows. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  installed on a sports goal; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of one element of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the element of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a rear view of the element of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  illustrating alternative installation options of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a side cross-sectional view of an additional element of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an additional embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    Referring first to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of the preferred embodiment is illustrated in which front hollow roller  10  and rear hollow roller  12  are mounted on frame  14 . The assembly as shown is symmetrical allowing for a reverse or 180 degree rotation in positioning the apparatus on a rear ground crossbar  16  of a goal  18  which mounting is shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0022]    Frame  14  consists of a central bottom plate  20  joining two spaced apart front and rear roller mounting brackets  22  and  24 . As further shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , each bracket is composed of a vertical longitudinal upright  26  and a pair of two side uprights  28  disposed one each at opposite ends of upright  26 . 
         [0023]    Each pair of uprights  28  provides a mounting support for a roller axel  30  longitudinally disposed substantially parallel to upright  26  as further illustrated in the exploded view of  FIG. 3 . Each axel  30  is slideably mounted between a matching pair of side uprights  28  in substantially vertical slots  32  disposed therein and secured thereto by a suitable combination of inside and outside washers  34  on each side of uprights  28  and a ROTORCLIP TX-50 shaft ring  36  or similar device connected to each end of the axel. 
         [0024]    Each roller is therefore, with respect to the ground crossbar, free to rotate about a parallel longitudinal axis to that of the crossbar and further to move up and down vertically within the confines of the upper and lower ends of slots  32 . This provides the benefit of the front  19  of the goal to be raised a slight amount above the ground to facilitate a moving operation with out raising either of the rollers and their commensurate weight off the ground as well. 
         [0025]    Bottom plate  20  and the front and rear vertical longitudinal uprights  26  comprise in combination a cradle for receiving ground crossbar  16  as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 7 . As is illustrated, the assemblies are best employed in spaced apart pairs, one near each side of the goal. 
         [0026]    The crossbar is secured in the cradle by downward clamping pressure provided by a pair of longitudinally opposed clamping members  38  secured by side bolts  40 . Slots  42  disposed in uprights  26  provide in combination a set of tracks for bolts  40  which when loose allow clamping member  38  to move up and down into various positions. Clamping members  38  have a curved side  44  and a flat side  46  which, upon rotation, provide appropriate contact with either a flat ground crossbar, or a round or oval crossbar of varying size ( 16   a - 16   d  as shown in  FIG. 4 ) up to the width of bottom plate  20 . When a clamping member  38  is secured firmly in place by bolts  40  atop a ground crossbar resting on bottom plate  20 , the entire assembly of frame  14  and rollers  10  and  12  is secured to the goal. 
         [0027]    Hollow rollers  10  and  12  require ballast in order to sufficiently weigh down the goal and such may be provided by sand, for example, deposited to the interior of both rollers through ports  44  disposed in the curved surface of the roller and closed by threaded caps  46 . 
         [0028]    Referring next to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , an additional embodiment of the roller assembly described above is shown in which rollers  60  and  62  are attached to a goal rear ground crossbar  64  employing frame  66  consisting of a central bottom plate  68  joining two spaced apart front and rear roller mounting brackets  70  and  72 . Each bracket is composed of a vertical longitudinal upright  74  and a pair of two side uprights  76  disposed one each at opposite ends of upright  74 . 
         [0029]    Each pair of uprights  76  provides a mounting support for a roller axel  78  longitudinally disposed substantially parallel to upright  74 . Each axel  78  is slideably mounted between a matching pair of side uprights  76  in substantially horizontal slots  80  disposed therein and secured thereto by, for example, a combination of washers and a ROTORCLIP TX- 50  shaft ring or similar device connected to each end of the axel as described above. Mounting of the axels in these horizontal slots will allow the rollers to swivel a limited amount when the goal is being repositioned imparting a degree of stearability to maneuver in tight spaces. 
         [0030]    Further illustrated is an alternative means to attach the framework and rollers to ground rear crossbar  64  consisting of hold down brackets  82  positioned over crossbar  64  and secured in place by hexbolts  84  disposed in bolt housings or channels  86  in bracket  82  communicating with threads in bottom plate  68  or a nut  88  underneath or attached thereto. The bottom surface of bracket  82  may be shaped and size in any appropriate profile suitable for the goal crossbar to which the assembly is to be attached. 
         [0031]    Coil springs  90  may be disposed between the bolt head and the top bracket surface to act as a piston and allow the brackets to partially release from the crossbar to rotate when the goal is lifted to facilitate relocation. 
         [0032]    Variations in the above described preferred embodiments may be made within the general concept of the disclosure. The invention is therefore accordingly defined by the following claims.