Abstract:
A ball with high aerodynamic drag and with the ability to rapidly come to a stop when rolling on a flat or a slight inclined surface is disclosed herein. The ball has an arrangement of fins sewn, glued or molded to its surface. These fins may be of various heights from 2.0mm to 20.0mm depending on the degree of the effects sought. The lattice of fins must be such that to continue to roll the ball must roll over a fin. The fundamental tradeoff in this invention is between the degree of normal behavior of the ball when struck or when bouncing and the reduced duration of flight and reduced distance to stop rolling. The preferred embodiment has fins sewn into the seams of an otherwise conventionally constructed sewn soccer ball. The effect gained is a ball that behaves like a normal soccer ball in most ways but flies a shorter distance and stops rolling more quickly.
Abstract:
A hinge assembly (10, 110) comprises first (12, 112), second (14,114), third (16, 116) and fourth (18, 118) links and a locking mechanism (20, 120). The first link (12, 112) is pivotally connected to the second link (14, 114). The third link (16, 116) is pivotally connected between the second (14, 114) and fourth (18, 118) links. The locking mechanism (20, 120) is engageable with, and releasable from, a lockable link (14, 118), which is one of the second (14, 114) and fourth (18, 118) links, so as to prevent and allow, respectively, relative movement between the second (14, 114) and fourth (18, 118) links. The third link (16, 116) is pivotally connected to one of the second (14, 114) and fourth (18, 118) links by a moveable pivot (29, 129), which allows the third link (16, 116) to be rotated relative to the second (14, 114) and fourth (18, 118) is links. The third link (16, 116) or the pivot (29, 129) is engageable with the locking mechanism (20, 120) such that when the locking mechanism (20, 120) is engaged with the lockable link, rotation of the third link (16, 116) relative to the second (14, 114) and fourth (18, 118) links releases the locking mechanism (20, 120) from the lockable link (14, 118).
Abstract:
There is provided a goal for a ball game, comprising; a frame, which encloses a volume of space large enough to encompass a ball of the sport for which the goal is intended to be used, provided with at least two orifices large enough to allow said ball to pass therethrough into the space, wherein the orifices face in outwardly different directions; and wherein means is provided for each orifice, said means being displaceable by the ball and adapted to reduce the kinetic energy of said ball sufficiently that the ball remains within the space enclosed by the frame.
Abstract:
A hinge assembly (10, 110) comprises first (12, 112), second (14,114), third (16, 116) and fourth (18, 118) links and a locking mechanism (20, 120). The first link (12, 112) is pivotally connected to the second link (14, 114). The third link (16, 116) is pivotally connected between the second (14, 114) and fourth (18, 118) links. The locking mechanism (20, 120) is engageable with, and releasable from, a lockable link (14, 118), which is one of the second (14, 114) and fourth (18, 118) links, so as to prevent and allow, respectively, relative movement between the second (14, 114) and fourth (18, 118) links. The third link (16, 116) is pivotally connected to one of the second (14, 114) and fourth (18, 118) links by a moveable pivot (29, 129), which allows the third link (16, 116) to be rotated relative to the second (14, 114) and fourth (18, 118) is links. The third link (16, 116) or the pivot (29, 129) is engageable with the locking mechanism (20, 120) such that when the locking mechanism (20, 120) is engaged with the lockable link, rotation of the third link (16, 116) relative to the second (14, 114) and fourth (18, 118) links releases the locking mechanism (20, 120) from the lockable link (14, 118).