GB2269540A

GB2269540A - Football practice wall.

Info

Publication number: GB2269540A
Application number: GB9315417A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brendan Paul Mitchell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-08-10
Filing date: 1993-07-26
Publication date: 1994-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 2013-07-26
Also published as: GB2269540B; GB9315417D0

Abstract

A sports accessory comprises a wall of a size and shape to represent a football goal. The wall on one or both of its surfaces may be divided by markings into rectangles. Additional devices (9, 10, 11, 12, 13) may be marked or provided on the wall representative of other sports. Such devices may comprise one or more of the following: a tennis net cord line (9), a netball ring (10), a basketball net (11), a hockey goal, cricket stumps (12), rifle and archery targets (13). To provide a wall surface, a frame assembly (1-4) may have mounted on it in turn, metal cladding (5), a bonded particle board (6) and polycarbonate sheeting (7) providing the outer skin of the wall surface. The wall may also carry advertisements. <IMAGE>

Description

SPORTS ACCESSORY This invention relates to a sports accessory enabling the practicing of a plurality of sports.

According to the invention the sports accessory comprises a wall of a size and shape to represent a football goal. The wall may have additional devices marked or provided on it representative of other sports. Such additional devices may comprise one or more of the following: a tennis net cord line, a netball ring, a basketball net a hockey goal, cricket stumps and rifle and archery targets.

Advantageously one or both sides of the wall may be divided bv markings into rectangles which may be of different colours to provide target areas within the total area of the wall surface for example for shooting practice in football.

Both sides of the wall may be utilised for carrying the additional devices.

The wall may be provided as a fixed structure or it may be mounted on wheels for example in the manner of a cricket sight screen.

Sports walls in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: FIGURE 1 shows an elevational view of one side of one wall construction in accordance with the invention, FIGURE 2 shows a section on the line II-II of Figure 1, and FIGURE 3 shows a further elevational view of one side of a wall, showing different surface features from Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the wall has a width of 24ft 4ins and a height of 8ft, which is the conventional size of a football goal. Alternatively the wall may be 16ft wide by 8ft high to represent a smaller, say junior, goal.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 2 the wall in this example is made four outer rectangular steel frames 1. each made up from rectangular hollow steel sections 2 (see Figure 2). The steel frames are bolted to each other and have downward extensions 3 for fixing the frame into the ground. In this example the extensions 3 are set in concrete. Within each of the frames 1 is fitted a timber lattice 4. The frame assembly thus formed has steel cladding 5 secured to both faces by taptite screws screwed into pre-drilled holes in the cladding 5 and steel frames 1 and by wood screws screwed into pre-drilled holes in the cladding S and the timber lattices 4. Covering the steel cladding 5 on both faces of the wall is Viroc panelling 6 which is screwed tin position.Viroc panelling is a cement bonded particle board and has the following advantages: it is asbestos free and contains no volatiles, it is fire resistant and has excellent sound attenuation, it is weatherproof in its unprotected state, it will resist attack from insects vermin and fungi, and it has a compression strength of 15N/rnm2.

The Viroc panelling 6 covering both sides of the wall is in turn completely covered with polycarbonate sheeting 7 to provide the outer skin of the wall surface. Polycarbonate sheeting is transparent and has exceptionaly high impact strength. The vertical side edges and the top edge of the wall are fitted with a rounded edge capping 8 of for example rubber or plastics material.

Both surfaces of the wall may be used to represent a football goal. As indicated in Figure 3, one or both surfaces of the wall may be divided into 12 rectangular panels referenced a-l and may be of different colours to provide different target areas for shooting practice. To cater for other sports as indicated in Figure 1 a line 9 is marked on the wall surface to represent the cord of a tennis net. Also a netball ring 10 and a basket ball net 11 project above the top of the wall; these may be provided on upward extensions of the frames 1.Additionally in Figure 1 the wall is marked with cricket stumps 12. Provision may also be made for mounting an archery target as seen at 13 in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 3. the wall is additionally shown carrying a commercial advertisement. This can conveniently be carried on the Viroc panelling 6 and beneath the transparent polycarbonate sheeting 7 as can all the other markings on the wall surfaces. Additional graphics such as a sports action picture may also be camied on the Viroc panelling 6. These graphics and also the other markings and advertisements may be removably mounted on the Viroc panelling for example by being provided on thin plastics sheeting. These can then be changed simply by temporarily removing the polycarbonate sheeting.

Claims

Claims:

1. A sports accessory comprising a wall of a size and shape to represent a football goal.

2. A sports accessory according to claim 1, wherein the wall on one or both of its surfaces is divided by markings into rectangles.

3. A sports accessory according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein additional devices are marked or provided on the wall representative of other sports.

4. A sports accessory according to Claim 3, wherein such additional devices comprise one or more of the following: a tennis net cord line. a netball ring, a basket ball net, a hockey goal, cricket stumps, rifle and archery targets.

5. A sports accessory according to any preceding Claim, wherein to provide a wall surface a frame assembly has mounted on it in turn, metal cladding, a bonded particle board and polycarbonate sheeting, the latter forming the outer skin of the wall surface.

6. A sports accessory according to any preceding Claim, wherein the vertical side edges and the top edge of the wall are provided with a rounded edge capping.

7. A sports accessory substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.