Foldable backstop and like structure

• US 4,072,295 A
• Filed: 03/01/1976
• Issued: 02/07/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Darrel V. Roberts
• Original Assignee: Darrel V. Roberts
• Inventors: Roberts, Darrel V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schroeder, Werner H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Troutman, Doris L.
• Application Number:
  US05/662,543
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 256/26, 256/65, 273/26 A, 182/152
• US Class Current: 256/26
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/022 Backstops, cages, enclosures or the like, e.g. for spectator protection, for arresting balls
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 17/163 using wired panels with frame

Abstract

A baseball backstop or similar structure, such as dog run, fence section, etc., is constructed of panel sections uniquely connected together so the entire structure is foldable for shipment to the erection site. The panel sections are each made up of steel tubing, forming a frame, and of steel chain link fence fabric covering the frame. Adjoining frames are hingedly connected by sleeves of larger diameter steel tubing rigidly secured to the frame of one of the adjoining panel sections, as by welding, and closely but freely encircling a frame member of the other of the adjoining panel section. The chain link fence fabric of the one panel section is secured at one of its sides to the frame of that section and at its opposite side to the said frame member of the other section. Set screws in the sleeves provide rigidity for the structure after erection.

Claims

1. A factory-fabricated baseball backstop or like structure constructed to fold compactly for transportation to an erection site, comprising a plurality of side-by-side, laterally adjoining and hinged panel sections, each having a frame made up of steel tubing as upstanding post and transverse frame members, and having steel chain link fence fabric covering the frame;

hinges in the form of relatively short sleeves of steel tubing rigidly secured in mutually spaced relationship to respective transverse frame members of one of mutually adjoining sections and freely encircling a post frame member of the other said mutually adjoining sections as a hinge sleeve, said post constituting the hinge pintle;

means attaching one side of the chain link fence fabric of said one section to a post frame member of that section;

means attaching the other side of the chain link fence fabric of said one section to the hinge-sleeve-encircled, post frame member of said other of the mutually adjoining sections, the chain link fence fabric of said one section being stretched taut between the post frame members to which it is attached; and

means for preventing hinging action of the hinges following erection of the structure, whereby, in the erected structure, adjoining panel sections have a single post in common which is a part of only one of said adjoining panel sections, mutually adjacent lateral margins of the fence fabric of the respective adjoining panel sections being attached to the common post under stretching stress.

2. A backstop or the like according to claim 1, wherein the relatively short, hinge sleeves of steel tubing are rigidly secured to the respective transverse frame members by respective welds.

3. A backstop or the like according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of panel sections comprise a central panel section flanked on opposite sides thereof by adjoining and hinged panel sections;

the central panel section having a post frame member at each of its lateral sides, and each of the flanking panel sections having a post frame member only at the lateral side thereof that is remote from the central panel section;

each of said adjoining and hinged panel sections being hinged to said central panel section as the one panel section of claim 1 is hinged to the other panel section of claim 1, and having its chain link fence fabric secured and stretched taut between it and said central panel section as the chain link fence fabric of the one panel section of claim 1 is secured and stretched taut between it and the other panel section of claim 1.

4. A backstop or the like according to claim 3, wherein overhead and overhanging panel sections are hinged to the upper ends of the central panel section and the flanking panel sections, respectively;

and wherein clamping means are provided to secure said overhead panel sections in overhanging positions when the structure is unfolded and erected.

5. A backstop or the like according to claim 1, wherein the means for preventing hinging action are set screws threaded in the hinge sleeves.