GB2452755A - Combined cricket pitch cover and sightscreen - Google Patents

Abstract

A cricketing apparatus 10 comprises a cover 11, 12 for covering a portion of a cricket pitch, with a portion 12 of the cover being moveable from a pitch covering position to an upright sightscreen position (see figure 2). The moveable portion 12 may be pivotally moveable, e.g. via a hinge (not shown), and may be lockable in the pitch covering position and/or the upright sightscreen position using locking mechanisms (not shown). Biasing means, e.g. cylinders or pistons 20, may be included for biasing the moveable portion 12 towards the upright, sightscreen position, such that releasing the locking mechanism causes the pistons/cylinders to raise the moveable portion into the upright, sightscreen position. The cover may include a non-moveable portion 11, with both portions 11, 12 being attached to a frame 14 mounted on wheels 16. The apparatus may be of a size such that four are required to cover a standard cricket pitch when in the pitch covering position.

Description

* 2452755 Title: Cricketing Apparatus

Description of Invention

This invention relates to a cricketing apparatus.

Many types of crcketing apparatus are used when playing cricket, for example, a cricket ball, a cricket bat, stumps, one or more pitch covers, sightscreens etc..

A pitch cover(s) is/are used to protect the playing surface, often referred to as the pitch', against weathering, e.g. rain. Known pitch covers take the form of either sheet of canvas or a frame which is covered by a waterproof covering, e.g. canvas. The frame is supported by a plurality of wheels and is pushed/pulled into position over the pitch. Often two or more pitch covers are positioned adjacent each other over the pitch to ensure that all of the pitch is covered.

A sightscreen is a white or near-white rectangular screen which is positioned at or near the boundary directly behind one of the wickets. Usually, two sightscreens are necessary, one being positioned at the boundary directly behind each wicket. The purpose of a sightscreen is to ensure that the batsman can see the ball when it is delivered by a bowler.

Pitch covers and sightscreens are, by their every nature, large pieces of apparatus and are not easily stored; they are also expensive when compared to other cricketing apparatus, e.g cricket bats and balls. Pitch covers, when not in use, are often moved to a position near the boundary and as a result often obstruct an area of the playing field, which is undesirable. Sightscreens are usually left in situ behind the wicket when cricket is not being played. * 2

According to the present invention, we provide a cricketing apparatus including a cover for covering a portion of a cricket pitch, wherein a portion of the cover is moveable to a substantially upright position to provide a sightscreen.

Further features of the invention are set out in claims 2 to 6 appended hereto.

Non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:-Figure 1 is perspective view of a cncketing apparatus in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cricketing apparatus of figure 1 in use as a sightscreen; and Figure 3 is a further perspective view of the cricketing apparatus of figure 1 with the cover thereof removed.

Referring to the figures there is shown a cricketing apparatus 10 in accordance with the present invention. The apparatus 10 includes a cover having a first portion 11 and a second moveable portion 12. The cover is manufactured from a suitable material, such as waterproof fabric, e.g. canvas. The cover must be waterproof so that, in use, it inhibits rain from coming into contact with a portion of the cricket pitch covered thereby. The first and second portions 11, 12 of the cover are supported by a frame 14 which in turn is supported by six ground-engaging wheels 16.

In more detail, as can be seen from figures 2 and 3, the frame 14 includes a lower frame part 1 4a to which is connected six ground-engaging wheels 16, in three pairs; one pair of wheels 16 positioned at each end of the lower frame * 3 part 14a and one pair of wheels 16 positioned substantially midway therebetween. The lower frame part 14a includes a plurality of metal frame members which are connected to each other by known means, e.g. welding.

However, it should be appreciated that the lower frame part 14a could take many other appropriate forms and could be made of any appropriate material, e.g. a plastics material.

One end of the lower frame part 1 4a includes a frame part 14d which supports the first portion 11 of the cover. The second portion 12 of the cover is supported by a moveable frame part 14b. Both the first 11 and second 12 parts of the cover are convex in cross-section, which ensures that any rain falling on the cover will flow, under gravity, to one side of the apparatus 10. In this example the second portion 12 of the cover is roughly 2.5 times the length dimension of the first portion 11 of the cover.

The moveable frame part 14b includes a plurality of convex frame members 1 4c, each of which extends transversely across the apparatus 10 and supports the second portion 12 of the cover. An end of the moveable frame part I 4 remote from the first portion 11 of the cover is pivotally connected to the lower frame part 14a, e.g. by a hinge or any appropriate means. Thus, the moveable frame part 14b, and the second portion 12 of the cover, is pivotally moveable relative to the lower frame part I 4a and the first portion 11 of the cover.

The apparatus 10 also includes biasing means, in the form of a pair piston/cylinder devices 20, for biasing the second portion 12 of the cover to a substantially upright position. One piston/cylinder device 20 is positioned at each side of the apparatus 10 near the pivotal connection of the moveable frame part 14b to the lower frame part 14a. A remote end of each piston is pivotally connected at 21 to a portion of the lower frame part 14a, substantially midway between the two adjacent wheels 16 at that end of the apparatus 10.

A remote end of each cylinder is pivotally connected at 22 to a portion of the moveable frame part 14b; the pivotal connection at 22 is spaced from the pivotal connection of the moveable frame part 14b to the lower frame part 14g.

Each piston/cylinder device 20 is a sealed pneumatic piston/cylinder and is biased to an extended position, i.e. so as to bias the second portion 12 of the cover to a substantially upright position.

The apparatus 10 also includes a lock (not shown) for locking the moveable frame part 14b, and thus the second portion 12 of the cover, in a substantially horizontal cricket pitch covering position (see figure 1). The apparatus 10 may also include a lock (not shown) for locking the moveable frame part 14k, and thus the second portion 12 of the cover, in a substantia'ly upright, sightscreen, position (see figure 2).

In order to use the apparatus 10 as a cricket pitch cover, the apparatus 10 is pushed/pulled into position over the pitch. In order to cover fully a standard cricket pitch it is necessary to use four of the apparatuses 10, positioned end to end. Of course, it should be appreciated that the apparatus 10 could be of a size such that only one apparatus is required to cover fully the cricket pitch.

Furthermore, three or more apparatuses 10 may be necessary to cover fully the cricket pitch. When positioned over the cricket pitch, the apparatuses 10 are pushed as close as possible to each other to ensure that no, or only a small amount of rain, is able to pass therebetween.

The apparatus 10 can also be used as a sightscreen by unlocking the second portion 12 of the cover. The piston/cylinder devices 20 will automatically bias the moveable frame part 14b, and thus the second portion 12 of the cover, to pivot about its connection to the lower frame part 1 4a, until the second portion 12 of the cover is in a substantially upright position (see figure 2). The apparatus 10 can then be positioned at or near a boundary of a cricket playing field, directly behind a wicket to ensure that a batsman can see a ball when it is delivered by a bowler.

Although not shown in the figures, the apparatus 10 could include guttering connected to a periphery of the frame 14 to collect water flowing off of the first 11 and second 12 portions of the cover.

Sightscreens are, of course, only required to be used when it is desired or possible to play cricket, whereas the reverse is true for cricket pitch covers, which are only required to be used when cricket cannot be played, i.e. in adverse weather conditions. The apparatus according to the present invention is therefore advantageous because it combines two existing pieces of cricketing apparatus and thus saves on storage space, not only during the cricketing season, but also during off-season. By using the apparatus according to the present invention it is no longer necessary to provide separate cricket pitch covers and sightscreens. Using the apparatus according to the present invention therefore frees up space around the boundary of the playing field when cricket is being played, as there is no longer a requirement for one or more additional pitch covers which would otherwise be obstructing areas of the playing field near the boundary thereof.

When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utillsed for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof. O 7

Claims (8)

1. A cricketing apparatus including a cover for covering a portion of a cricket pitch, wherein a portion of the cover is moveable from a cricket pitch covering position to a substantially upright position to provide a sightscreen.

2. A cricketing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the moveable portion of the cover is pivotally moveable.

3. A cricketing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the moveable portion of the cover is lockable in its cricket pitch covering position.

4. A cricketing apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the moveable portion of the cover is lockable in its substantially upright, sightscreen, position.

5. A cricketing apparatus according to any preceding claim including biasing means for biasing the moveable portion of the cover to its substantially upright, sightscreen, position.

6. A cricketing apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the biasing means is a piston/cylinder.

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

8. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.