Portable basketball goal

• US 4,759,545 A
• Filed: 03/30/1987
• Issued: 07/26/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David I. Grable
• Original Assignee: David I. Grable
• Inventors: Grable, David I.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAPIRO, PAUL
• Application Number:
  US07/031,274
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 273/1.5, 273/55 D, 272/1 B, D21/201, 248/188.1, 248/DIG. 10, 248/158, 248/150, 40/606
• US Class Current: 473/481
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/026 stabilised by weight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/083 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/91 Weighted base

Abstract

A portable basketball goal for location on the pool deck of a swimming pool, which includes a base adapted to seat on the pool deck and internally receive a first quantity of water for ballast and externally receive a second quantity of water or other ballast, a backboard support extending upwardly from fixed or removable attachment to the base and a backboard and hoop mounted on the extending end of the backboard support and projecting over the swimming pool. The portable basketball goal can be located at any point along the deck lip or edge of the pool deck and is adapted and located for shooting basketball goals while a player or players are swimming.

Claims

1. A portable basketball goal comprising a base characterized by at least three elongated members having a hollow interior, said elongated members joined to define a polygon;

a base plate closing the bottom of said polygon to define a container;

a backboard support having one end secured to at least one of said elongated members and the opposite end of said backboard support projecting from said at least one of said elongated members;

a backboard carried by said opposite end of said backboard support; and

a hoop mounted on said backboard.

2. The portable basketball goal of claim 1 wherein said at least three elongated members is four elongated members and said polygon is a square.

3. The portable basketball goal of claim 1 wherein at least the lower segment of said backboard support is provided with an internal opening and said hollow interior of said elongated members communicates with said internal opening for receiving liquid ballast.

4. The portable basketball goal of claim 1 wherein:

(a) said at least three elongated members is four elongated members and said polygon is a square; and

(b) at least lower segment of said backboard support is provided with an internal opening and said hollow interior of said elongated members communicates with said internal opening for receiving liquid ballast.

5. The portable basketball goal of claim 4 further comprising a support fill plug provided in said lower segment of said backboard support, said support fill plug communicating with said internal opening and a drain plug provided in at least one of said elongated members, said drain plug communicating with said hollow interior, for selectively filling said internal opening and said hollow interior with said liquid ballast and draining said liquid ballast from said internal opening and said hollow interior, respectively.

6. The portable basketball goal of claim 1 further comprising a base fill plug provided in the top one of said elongated members and a drain plug provided in at least one of said elongated members, said base fill plug and said drain plug communicating with said hollow interior, for selectively filling said hollow interior with liquid ballast and draining the liquid ballast from said hollow interior, respectively.

7. The portable basketball goal of claim 1 further comprising a bracket carried by said backboard and wherein said opposite end of said backboard support is secured to said bracket for mounting said backboard to said backboard support.

8. The portable basketball goal of claim 7 wherein said at least three elongated members is four elongated members and said polygon is a square.

9. The portable basketball goal of claim 8 wherein at least the lower segment of said backboard support is provided with an internal opening and said hollow interior of said elongated members communicates with said internal opening for receiving water as ballast.

10. The portable basketball goal of claim 9 further comprising a support fill plug provided in said lower segment of said backboard support, said support fill plug communicating with said internal opening and a drain plug provided in at least one of said elongated members, said drain plug communicating with said hollow interior, for selectively filling said internal opening and said hollow interior with said liquid ballast and draining said liquid ballast from said internal opening and said hollow interior, respectively.

11. The portable basketball goal of claim 7 further comprising a base fill plug provided in the top one of said elongated members and a drain plug provided in at least one of said elongated members, said base fill plug and said drain plug communicating with said hollow interior, for selectively filling said hollow interior with water and draining the water from said hollow interior, respectively.

12. The portable basketball goal of claim 1 further comprising receptacle means provided in said at least one of said elongated members for receiving said one end of said backboard support and fastening means provided in said receptacle means for engaging said one end of said backboard support and securing said one end of said backboard support in said receptacle means.

13. The portable basketball goal of claim 12 wherein said receptacle means further comprises a sleeve, a sleeve plate welded in said sleeve and a sleeve plate opening provided in said sleeve plate;

said fastening means further comprises a bolt adapted for registration with said sleeve plate opening; and

further comprising a base end plate provided in said one end of said backboard support, a base end plate opening provided in said base end plate and a nut carried by said base end plate adjacent said base end plate opening, whereby said bolt projects through said sleeve plate opening in said sleeve plate and said end plate opening in said end plate and threadibly engages said nut for removably mounting said one end of said backboard support to said at least one of said elongated members.

14. The portable basketball goal of claim 12 wherein said at least three elongated members is four elongated members and said polygon is a square.

15. The portable basketball goal of claim 14 further comprising a base fill plug provided in the top one of said elongated members and a drain plug provided in at least one of said elongated members, said base fill plug and said drain plug communicating with said hollow interior, for selectively filling said hollow interior with water and draining the water from said hollow interior, respectively.

16. The portable basketball goal of claim 15 further comprising a bracket secured to said backboard and wherein said opposite end of said backboard support is secured to said bracket for mounting said backboard to said backboard support.

17. The portable basketball goal of claim 16 wherein said receptacle means further comprises a sleeve, a sleeve plate welded in said sleeve and a sleeve plate opening provided in said sleeve plate;

said fastening means further comprisies a bolt adapted for registration with said sleeve plate opening; and

further comprising a base end plate provided in said one end of said backboard support, a base end plate opening provided in said base end plate and a nut carried by said base end plate adjacent said base end plate opening, whereby said bolt projects through said sleeve plate opening in said sleeve plate and said end plate opening in said end plate and threadibly engages said nut for removably mounting said one end of said backboard support to said at least one of said elongated members.

18. A portable basketball goal for location on the pool deck of a swimming pool, comprising a base characterized by a plurality of hollow, elongated members joined in end-to-end relationship at junctions to define a polygon having a hollow interior;

a base plate closing the bottom of said polygon to define a container;

an elongated backboard support having one end attached to two of said elongated members at one of said junctions and the opposite end of said backboard support projecting upwardly from said base in angular relationship;

a backboard carried by said opposite end of said backboard support; and

a basketball hoop mounted on said backboard, whereby when said base is located on the pool deck, said backboard and basketball hoop project over the water in the swimming pool.

19. The portable basketball goal of claim 18 wherein said plurality of hollow elongated members is four hollow elongated members and said polygon is a square.

20. The portable basketball goal of claim 19 wherein at least the lower segment of said backboard support is provided with an internal opening for receiving liquid ballast.

21. The portable basketball goal of claim 20 further comprising a support fill plug provided in said lower segment of said backboard support, said support fill plug communicating with said internal opening and a drain plug provided in at least one of said elongated members, said drain plug communicating with said hollow interior, for selectively filling said internal opening and said hollow interior with said liquid ballast and draining said liquid ballast from said internal opening and said hollow interior, respectively.

22. The portable basketball goal of claim 18 further comprising a base fill plug provided in the top one of said elongated members and a drain plug provided in at least one of said elongated members, said base fill plug and said drain plug communicating with said hollow interior, for selectively filling hollow interior with liquid ballast and draining the liquid ballast from said hollow interior, respectively.

23. The portable basketball goal of claim 18 further comprising a bracket carried by said backboard and wherein said opposite end of said backboard support is secured to said bracket for mounting said backboard to said backboard support.

24. The portable basketball goal of claim 18 further comprising receptacle means provided in said at least one of said elongated members for receiving said one end of said backboard support and fastening means provided in said receptacle means for engaging said one end of said backboard support and securing said one end of said backboard support in said receptacle means.

25. The portable basketball goal of claim 24 wherein said receptacle means further comprises a sleeve, a sleeve plate welded in said sleeve and a sleeve plate opening provided in said sleeve plate;

said fastening means further comprises a bolt adapted for registration with said sleeve plate opening; and

further comprising a base end plate provided in said one end of said backboard support, a base end plate opening provided in said base end plate and a nut carried by said base end plate adjacent said base end plate opening, whereby said bolt projects through said sleeve plate opening in said sleeve plate and said end plate opening in said end plate and threadibly engages said nut for removably mounting said one end of said backboard support to said at least one of said elongated members.

26. The portable basketball goal of claim 25 further comprising:

(a) a bracket carried by said backboard and wherein said opposite end of said backboard support is secured to said bracket for mounting said backboard to said backboard support; and

(b) a base fill plug provided in the top one of said elongated members and a drain plug provided in at least one of said elongated members, said base fill plug and said drain plug communicating with said hollow interior, for selectively filling said hollow interior with liquid ballast and draining the liquid ballast from said hollow interior, respectively.

27. A portable basketball goal for location on the deck of a swimming pool, comprising a base characterized by four pipe segments joined together at welded seams in the configuration of a square;

a base plate closing the bottom of said pipe segments to define a container;

a backboard support having one end carried by two of said pipe segments at one of said welded seams and the opposite end of said backboard support projecting from said pipe segments;

a backboard carried by said opposite end of said backboard support; and

a hoop mounted on said backboard, whereby said backboard and said hoop are projected over the swimming pool when said base is located on said deck.

28. The portable basketball goal of claim 27 further comprising a bracket carried by said backboard and wherein said opposite end of said backboard support is secured to said bracket for mounting said backboard to said backboard support.

29. The portable basketball goal of claim 28 further comprising receptacle means provided in said one of said welded seams provided in two of said pipe segments for receiving said one end of said backboard support and fastening means provided in said receptacle means for engaging said one end of said backboard support and securing said one end of said backboard support in said receptacle means.

30. The portable basketball goal of claim 29 further comprising a base fill plug provided in the top one of said pipe segments and a drain plug provided in at least one of said pipe segments, said base fill plug and said drain plug communicating with the hollow interior of said pipe segments, for selectively filling said hollow interior with water and draining the water from said hollow interior, respectively.

31. The portable basketball goal of claim 30 wherein said receptacle means further comprises a sleeve, a sleeve plate welded in said sleeve and a sleeve plate opening provided in said sleeve plate;

said fastening means further comprises a bolt adapted for registration with said sleeve plate opening; and

further comprising a base end plate provided in said one end of said backboard support, a base end plate opening provided in said base end plate and a nut carried by said base end plate adjacent said base end plate opening, whereby said bolt projects through said sleeve plate opening in said sleeve plate and said end plate opening in said end plate and threadibly engages said nut for removably mounting said one end of said backboard support to said one of said welded seams provided in two of said pipe segments.

32. The portable basketball goal of claim 28 further comprising a support fill plug provided in said lower segment of said backboard support, said support fill plug communicating with said internal opening and a drain plug provided in at least one of said pipe segments, said drain plug communicating with the hollow interior in said pipe segments, for selectively filling said internal opening and said hollow interior with said liquid ballast and draining said liquid ballast from said internal opening and said hollow interior, respectively.