Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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"A HOCKEY GOAL AND MEMBER FOR LOCATING THE GOAL POST OM
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THE ICE"
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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This invention relates to a hockey goal and to
a member or pin for locating the goal post on the ice.
Generally hockey goals comprise a pair of posts
and a cross bar joining the posts which are formed from
hollow pipes of the specified dimensions. Rearwardly
from the posts extends a net support frame which compri-
ses a lower frame generally in the form of a pipe which
is welded to the posts and extends rearwardly therefrom
so as to form a flat horizontal face at the bottom of the
goal structure which can sit on the ice and slide across
the ice. An upper frame portion is attached to the posts
and cross bar with the frame supporting the net rearward-
ly of the posts and cross bar for catching the puck.
A number of problems arise with goal nets of
this type particularly but not exclusively in relation to
smaller rinks which are used for non-professional play
where there is less time, money and manpower for mainten-
ance of the ice surface and mounting of the goal on the
ice surface. ~enerally with very young hockey players
the goal is merely placed in position and is allowed to
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sit on the ice so it can move away as soon as it is
vigorously c~ntacted by the players. This however be-
comes ~nsatisfactory a~ the p~ayers get older, larger and
stronger since the goal moves a~ay on any contact thus
immediately stopping the game. Various techniques are
used for locating the goal on the ice including steel
pegs or pins which are driven into the ice and engage up
into the hollow post. The pins create an effectively
rigid structure which can cause serious injury. Recently
magnetic de~ices have bee~ developed which hold the post
in place but allow it to break away if the impact force
is too ~eat but these are very costly and require exten-
sive maintenance and therefore not practical ~or other
than professional or representative games. Plastic pins
are also available but these free7e into the ice surface
and break off on impact thus requiring frequent replace-
ment and causing significant delay to the game.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention,
therefore, to pro~de an improved locating device for the
goal post of a hockey net of this type.
According to the first aspect of the invention,
therefore, there is provided a device for locating a
hockey goal having hollow goal posts on the ice compris-
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ing an elongate flexible member having a longitudinaldimension sufficient to extend from a position beneath
the ice into an open end of the h~llow goal post and a
transverse dimension such that it lies as a loose fit
within the goal post.
In addition, the net structure itself can in-
clude surfaces and edges of which can increase the possi-
bility of injury and accordingly it is a second object of
the present inven~ion to provide goal structure which
reduces the danger of injury.
Ac~ording to a second aspect of the invention,
therefore, ~here is provided a hockey net having a cross
bar, a pair of goal posts each extending downwardly from
an end of the cross bar, a net and a net support frame
extending rearwardly of the posts and the cross bar
whereby the posts, cross bar and frame form a rigid
structure which can sit on the ice with an open end of
the hollow posts and with a portion of the net support
frame in contact with the ice wherein the portion of the
net support frame for contacting the ice is shaped in
cross section as a right angle triangle providing one
side for lying in contact with the ice parallel thereto,
a second side at right angles to said one side and facing
away from said posts and an inclined side joining said
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first and second sides.
The flexible member is preferably provided by a
rubber steam hose of the order of one and one-half inches
outside dla~eter and of the order of one inch inside
diameter with a slit along the fu~l length thereof since
this provides firstly a very flexible device which is
sufficient to support the goal post but can allow it to
move away on sufficient impact. The slit increases the
flexibility and also can be used to release hot water to
the outer edges of t~e tube or hose should it become
frozen int~ the ice after an extended period.
The goal structure thus provides a support for
the lower edge of the net and also a deflection plate to
avoid the puck bouncing directly out of the goal which is
less dangerous than the conventional arrangement. In
addition, the dimensions of the goal can be reduced that
is the dimension from a line joining the posts to the
rear edge of the lower frame. This reduction in dimen-
sion down to as little as thirty inc~es can avoid the net
and goal structure interfering with the game and also can
avoid the ne~essity for removing the goal to re-surface
thP ice rearwardly of the goal.
With the foregoing in view, and other advan-
tages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art
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to which this invention relates as this specification
proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference
to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which
includes a descript~on of the best mode known to the
applicant and of the preferred typical embodiment of the
principles o~ the present invention, in which:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
.
Figure 1 is an isometric view of a goal struc-
ture and post locating member according to the inven-
tionO
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along the
lines ~-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along the
lines 3-3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along the
lines 3-3 of Figure 1 of a preferred arrangement on an
enlarged scale showing the net mounting arrangement.
In the drawings liXe characters of reference
indicate correE~onding par~s in the different ~igures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIO~
A goal structure according to t~e invention
comprises a pair of posts 10 and 1~ and a cross-bar 12
inter-connecting the upper ends of the posts 10 and 11,
the posts and cross-bar being formed from hollow pipe in
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conventional manner. The outside diameter of the posts
is of the order of three inches.
Th~ ~osts and cross-bar formed into a rigid
self-supporting struct~re by a net support frame inclu-
ding a lower frame member 13 which lies in the æame hori-
zontal plane as the bottom of the posts 10 and 11 and is
welded thereto at 14 so as to form a flat bottom surface
which can rest upon the ice and hold the posts upright.
The lower frame member 13 includes rearwardly
extendin~ portion~ 15 and 1~ which are connected to the
back of ~he posts and extend directly rearwardly there-
~rom so as to lie parallel. A straight back portion 17
lies parallel to a line joining the posts so as to form a
back for the net support frame. The ends of the straight
rear portion 17 are interconnected to the rear ends of
the portions 15 and 16 by inwardly inclined portions 18
and 19 which are directed inwardly at approximately 45
degrees so as to complete the rear lower frame.
The cross-section of the rear lower frame
through the portions 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 is the same
and is for~ed as shown more clearly in Figure 3 as a
right angle triangle having a flat base 20, an upstanding
rear wall 21 and an inclined surface 22. The frame can
conveniently be formed by an angle iron defining the
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sides 20 and 21 and a flat plate welded to the edges o
the angle iron forming the inclined surface 22. The
dimens'~ns of t~ angle iron are preferably two inches by
two inches.
A net 23 is connected to the lower frame by an
edge portion 24 to which the net is coupled by rivets 25.
The edge portion 24 is arranged to wrap around the frame
and to over-lap at the rivets 25 to enclose the net 23.
Thus the lower surface of the edge portion 24 engages the
ice and a front inclined portion 2~ lying against the
inclined plate 22 is padded.
In an alternate arrangement (not shown~ the
edge portion 24 can be simply pop-riveted to the rear
face 21 of the frame 17.
An upper frame 27 includes a pair of loops 28
extending rearwardly from the cross-bar 12 and inter-
connected at the centre of the cross-bar by a triangular
flange 29. The loops 28 are formed preferably ~rom one
inch pipe welded to the top ends of the posts and to the
cross-bar to form a rigid structure. An inter-connecting
pipe 30 extends downwardly from the flange 29 and is
welded to the inclined upper face 22 of the triangular
lower frame.
The net 23 is attached to the posts and to the
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upper frame 27 by rivets in conventional manner and is
also connected to the lower frame to form a complete net
structure around the rear of the goa.~ in conventional
manner. For convenience of illustration, ~he net is
omitted from the i.sometric view of Figure 1.
The trian~ar lower frame cross-section and
the use of the straight rear portion 17 enables the front
to rear dimension indicated at 30 of the goal to be re-
duced to the order of 30 inches and preferably 31 inches
from the conventional 43 inches. At the same time the
struct~re xetains its rigidity and also retains its abil-
ity to remain upright resting upon the ice with the under
surface in contact with the ice.
In addition the triangular cross-section of the
lower frame enables the inclined surface 22 to act as a
deflector plate so that the puck engaging the lower frame
tends to bounce upwardly into the net and remain in the
net rather than to return directly out of the net with
the danger that its entry into the goal is not observed~
At the same time the triangular shape particularly with
the padding 26 provides an additional degree of safety in
that it i5 less likely to cau~e damage to a skater fal-
ling onto or into the goal than the conventional arrange-
ment.
g
Turning now to the enlarged view of Figure 4 it
will be noted that in the preferred arrangement the strut
30 is flattened at its lower end as indicated at 301 and
welded to the upper apex of the frame indicated at 302.
This provides a better weld and also avoids the strut
interfering with the effect of the deflector plate provi-
ded by the surface 22.
The net is attached to the frame by means of
tie bars to 1-1. These tie bars are welded to the rear
side of posts 10 and 11 and the cross bar 12 but are not
shown for convenience of illustration. In addition, the
tie bars are welded to the front lower side of upper
frame 27 and to the apex 302 of the frame 13. The net is
attached to these tie bars using net twine or plastic
ties.
A net protector is then added to the net and
indicated at 303. The net protector can be of nylon or
similar fabric and ~as eyelets 2~ for tieing to the net-
ting. A lower portion of the pTotector 303 is then
stretched over the lo~er frame tie bars and pop rivoted
onto the rear surface 21 of the lower frame 13. The pop
rivots are indicated at 304.
The absorbtion pad or padding 26 includes eye-
lets for tieing to the netting and lies loosely over the
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plate 22 over its full extent into contact with the ice.
The rigid goal structure which is s~ideable
across the ice can then be located in position by a pair
of location members 32 and 33 one of which is shown in
more detail in Figure 2. Specifically Figure 2 shows the
ice indicated at 34 which is formed over a concrete sur-
face 35 or layer in which freezing pipes (not shown) are
embedded with a sub-flo~r 36 beneath the concrete layer.
The location member 33 comprises a rubber steam
hose having an external diameter 37 of one and one-half
inches and an internal diameter 38 of the order of one
inch. A slit 39 is formed along the full length of the
hose in an axial direction at one point in its peri-
phery.
The length of the hose is preferably of the
order of eight inches so that it can extend from a posi-
tion within the sub-floor through the ice in the concrete
leaving a p~rtion o~ the order of two inches extending
above the ice for projecting into the hollow interior of
the post 11.
The outside diameter 37 of the order of one and
one-half inches allows the pipe to lie as a loose fit
within the interior of the post 11 and within a conven-
tional two inch internal diameter pipe insert 40 mounted
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in t~e concrete. The pipe inserts 40 are conventionally
provided for r~ceiving the rigid pegs on which the net is
norinally mountea and have a len~th usually of five
inches. Thus the pipe or hose 33 can flex to allow the
release of the post 11 on impact of a sufficiently high
force which would otherwise tend to cause injury to a
player. The ~lexin~ is improved by the loose ~it and by
the slot 39 and is not significantly reduced by freezing
of the pipe 33 within the ice which can occur after a
period of time.
1~ it is necessary to remove the pipe 33 from
the ice, this can generally simply be pulled ~rom the ice
and from the concrete bore 40 without difficulty. How-
ever, in some cases when freezing has occurred, the pipe
can be removed simply by pouring hot or warm water into
the interior of the pipe following which the water tends
to escaps through the slot and melt the ice surrounding
the pipe a~lowing ;t to ~e simply removed.
The hose or pipe 33 is preferably formed of
rubber or other similar material which remains flexible
at temperatures below freezing that is O degrees C~
Since various modifications can be made in my
invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently
widely different embodiments of same made within the
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spirit and scope of the cl.aims without departing from
such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter
contained in the accompanying specification shall be
interprete~ as illustrative only and not in a limiting
sense.
