Lacrosse goal

A frame for a lacrosse goal is disclosed which comprises two upright frame members, a crossbar frame member joining the upper ends of the upright members defining a plane and enclosing that portion which constitutes a goal mouth, and a base perpendicular thereto, which base is comprised of two leg members, each of which joins one of the uprights at its lower end and interconnects with the other leg member at the rear of the base, in which a first portion of each leg immediately rearward of the goal mouth, forms an obtuse angle with the plane of the goal mouth, and a second portion of each leg, beginning at a point disposed at a distance from the plane of the goal mouth, forms an acute angle with the plane of the goal mouth.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Lacrosse is a game which has been played on the North American Continent 
for many hundreds of years. In recent years the game has taken on a more 
formalized structure and has involved league play at the collegiate and 
amateur level, as well as some professional level play. There are 
rule-making authorities, such as the United States Intramural Lacrosse 
Association (USILA) for collegiate and scholastic level play, and a 
tournament is held to determine a recognized national collegiate champion 
each year. 
The game is scored by attempting to put a ball into the goal of the 
opposing team. The ball, of a hard, elastomeric composition is carried and 
tossed or thrown from a stick. Traditionally the stick was composed of a 
formed hardwood handle with a triangular net of leather, string or gut at 
one end. More recently a stick with a metal handle and plastic head has 
become common. Until recently, the goal, which sat on the ground of the 
playing field, had consisted of a net-covered frame. This frame consisted 
of two uprights which were joined by a crossbar at their upper ends, and a 
triangular base composed of two legs, each attached to the lower end of 
one of the uprights and joined to the other leg. The triangular base 
extended to the rearward perpendicular to the plane of the goal mouth 
formed by the uprights and the crossbar. Approval and use of modern 
materials for the lacrosse stick as described above has led to harder and 
faster shots on the goal, and this led to problems with the traditional 
form of the goal. A ball thrown at the goal from the side would 
occasionally pass through the goal mouth, technically scoring a goal, and 
bounce directly back out onto the playing field after contact with a 
portion of the leg immediately rearward to the goal mouth. Because of the 
speed of the shot, an official might not be able to judge whether the shot 
crossed the goal mouth and struck the leg, and should thus be ruled a 
goal, or merely struck an upright, resulting in no goal and the 
continuation of play. 
The number of instances of this type of uncertainty has led at least one 
rule-making authority to ban the use of this traditional goal. They 
insisted that league play take place with a goal with no rear leg members, 
and in which the upright frame members had extensions which continued into 
the ground. The net, which was traditionally anchored in some fashion to 
the legs of the goal, was instead to be anchored directly on the ground. 
While such a goal was able to overcome the problem described above, there 
were several reaons why it was not generally regarded as suitable. The 
first problem with the use of such a goal was its permanence. The prior 
goal had the advantage of its portability, and could be moved from the 
playing field if the field was to be used for other activities. Anchoring 
the uprights and the net to the ground precluded this kind of portability 
and use of the field for any other purpose was thus complicated. Secondly, 
occasional weather changes causing repeated freezing and thawing caused 
the uprights to rise out of the ground. This creates a difficulty in 
keeping the area of the goal mouth of a regulation size. 
OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a frame for a lacrosse 
goal which will prevent the lacrosse ball from returning onto the playing 
field after entering the goal mouth. 
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a frame for a 
lacrosse goal which will be easily removable from the playing surface. 
The other objects, features and advantages of the present invention are 
pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to this 
specification. Further, they will become more apparent in light of the 
detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof and as 
illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
According to the present invention, there is provided a frame for a 
lacrosse goal comprising: two upright frame members; a crossbar frame 
member joining the upper ends of the upright members, said crossbar 
together with the upright members defining a vertical plane and enclosing 
that portion thereof which constitutes a goal mouth; a base having two leg 
members, each leg member having a first end interconnected with the other 
leg at the rear periphery of the frame and a second end which connects to 
the lower end of one of the upright members, said base extending rearward 
in the plane perpendicular to the plane of the goal mouth, thereby 
defining a goal enclosure; in which a first portion of each said leg 
immediately rearward of the goal mouth forms an obtuse angle with the 
plane of the goal mouth, and a second portion of each said leg, beginning 
at a point disposed at a slight distance from the plane of the goal mouth, 
forms an acute angle with the plane of the goal mouth.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
The frame of a lacrosse goal of the present invention is shown as it would 
appear in use in FIG. 1. The frame (10) is shown sitting on a playing 
surface (12) as a free standing structural unit. When used in play, the 
frame (10) would be covered by a net (14). 
The frame (10) consists of two upright frame members (16) and (18). These 
uprights (16) and (18) are joined at their upper ends (17) and (19) by a 
crossbar frame member (20). The two uprights (16) and (18) and the 
crossbar (20) lie in the same vertical plane, which is perpendicular to 
the playing surface (12). Together, the two uprights (16) and (18) and the 
crossbar (20) define a goal mouth which is closed in on the fourth side by 
the playing surface (12) along the line shown as (aa) in FIG. 1. A base 
(22) lies in the plane of the playing surface (12) and extends both 
perpendicular to and rearward to the plane of the goal mouth. This base is 
comprised of two leg members (24) and (26) each of which interconnects 
with the lower end of one of the upright frame members (16) and (18) at 
(25) and (27) respectively. These legs (24) and (26) interconnect with 
each other at the rear periphery of the frame (10). 
Each of the leg members (24) and (26) is comprised of two portions, and 
this is shown more clearly in FIG. 2. In this drawing, a first portion of 
leg (24) is shown as (28), and a second portion beginning at a point 
disposed at a distance shown as (b) in FIG. 2 is shown as (30). Likewise, 
a first portion of leg (26) is shown as (29), and a second portion 
beginning at a point disposed at a distance shown as (b) in FIG. 2 is 
shown as (31). In the frame of the present invention, it is intended that 
the first portion of each leg be disposed such that it forms an obtuse 
angle opening away from the plane of the goal mouth. Thus, the angle (A) 
formed between portion (28) of leg (24) and the bottom of the goal mouth 
represented by the line (aa) in FIG. 2, must exceed 90.degree.. Likewise, 
an equal angle (A) is formed between portion (29) of leg (26) and the 
bottom of the goal mouth on the opposite side. 
At some point disposed rearward of the goal mouth at a distance shown as 
(b) in FIG. 2, a second portion (30) of leg (24) begins and forms an acute 
angle (B) with the translated plane of the goal mouth, represented by the 
line (a'a') in FIG. 2. Likewise, at a point disposed rearward of the goal 
mouth at the same distance (b), a second portion (31) of leg (26) begins 
and forms the same acute angle (B) with the translated plane of the goal 
mouth, represented by the line (a'a') in FIG. 2. The distance (b) may vary 
from approximately one foot to approximately three feet from the goal 
mouth in order to accomplish the aims of the present invention. However, a 
distance of twenty inches is presently preferred. 
The angles (A) are measured opening outwardly from the center of the bottom 
of goal mouth, represented by the line (aa). The angles (B) are measured 
opening outwardly from the center of the bottom of the translated goal 
mouth plane, represented by the line (a'a'). 
At some point further rearward, represented as (32) in FIG. 2, the second 
portion (30) of the leg (24) and the second portion (31) of leg (26) meet 
and are interconnected. It is advantageous, particularly at present, to 
form this connection, at least partly, by affixing a flat plate (34) 
covering a small portion of the rear periphery of the second portion (30) 
of leg (24) and the second portion (31) of leg (26), although a portion of 
tubular pipe would serve the same purpose. This is of advantage because it 
allows the nets used with the prior art to be used with the frame of the 
present invention, which has a slightly wider base area. This will allow 
the frame of the present invention to be used without the necessity of 
replacing the nets presently in use with nets specifically designed for 
the frame of the present invention. 
The net, shown as (14) in FIG. 1, may be attached to the frame (10) of the 
present invention by passing internal loops over the frame members, by 
trying or by any method currently known to the art. 
For the purpose of this invention, to prevent balls from re-entering the 
playing field after entering the goal, it is necessary to have the angle 
(A) greater than 90.degree.. It is advantageous to have the angle (A) 
between 90.degree. and 110.degree., and most advantageous to have the 
angle (A) between 100.degree. and 102.degree.. At some value of (A) 
greater than 110.degree. however, the advantages of the present invention 
are outweighed by the problems introduced by the near perpendicularity of 
the rear portions of the legs to the incident angle of a ball coming 
directly into the goal, and by the intrusion of the goal enclosures into 
the playing area which extends around the sides of the goal enclosure. 
At present, it is most advantageous to construct the frame members from 
some type of metal such as tubular steel. This is particularly true in 
that only metal-framed goals are currently approved by the USILA. It 
should be noted however, that it is entirely possible to construct the 
frame from numerous other structural materials, and such constructions are 
intended to be within the scope of the present invention. 
Other features, advantages and specific embodiments of this invention will 
become readily apparent to those exercising ordinary skill in the art 
after reading the foregoing disclosures. These specific embodiments are 
within the scope of the claimed subject matter unless otherwise expressly 
indicated to the contrary. Moreover, while a specific embodiment of this 
invention has been described in considerable detail, variations and 
modifications of this embodiment can be effected without departing from 
the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed and claimed.