Patent ID: 7335119

Claim:
An elevator system for adjusting the height of a basketball backboard above a playing surface, the system comprising: a basketball support element; a basketball backboard having at least a first position above said playing surface and a second position above said playing surface, the first position being lower than the second position; at least one elevator arm rotatably connected to said backboard and rotatably connected to said basketball support element; a ratchet having a plurality of ratchet teeth, said ratchet being rigidly connected to said at least one elevator arm; a pawl, said pawl being in engageable relation with the plurality of ratchet teeth when said backboard is at both the first position and the second position and capable of maintaining a position of said backboard above said playing surface; and a cam rotatably connected to said ratchet and said backboard and having an elongated slot, said ratchet being slidably engageable with the elongated slot; wherein the application of an upward force to said backboard when said backboard is at the first position causes said backboard to move to said second position and the application of an upward force to said backboard when said backboard is at the second position causes said cam to disengage said pawl from said ratchet, preventing said pawl from engaging with the plurality of ratchet teeth and permitting said backboard to move from the second position to the first position.