GB2462708A - A support apparatus for sports netting - Google Patents

Abstract

A net assembly for arresting a ball comprises a support apparatus for supporting a net, said support apparatus comprising a pair of spaced apart upright support posts 2 & 4, each support post having a cantilevered support arm 6 & 8 extending generally perpendicularly from an upper region thereof towards the other of the support posts. A net 10 is supported by said support apparatus to be suspended between said upright support posts 2 & 4, wherein the support arms 6 & 8 of the support apparatus support at least a portion of the net 10 mounted between said support posts, thus reducing the span of unsupported netting between the support post and reducing sag. Wire cables 16, 18 and 20 may extend between the arms or posts to provide an improved support for the net 10.

Description

A Support Apparatus for Sports Nettin2 This invention relates a support apparatus for sports netting and to a net assembly incorporating such support apparatus, and in particular a support apparatus for ball stop nets for location behind a goal to arrest and prevent a ball from passing out of a sports ground.

In Gaelic games, (i.e. Gaelic football and hurling), a point is scored by kicking or hitting a ball over the cross bar of the goal, between the upright goal posts. Thus balls can be kicked or hit over the goal at a considerable height. It is therefore necessary to place a high net or fence directly behind the goal to arrest the ball and to prevent the ball from leaving the sports ground. Such high net or fence is typically referred to as a ball stop net.

Ball stop nets typically comprise a large net, typically up to 30 metres wide and up to 15 metres high, supported from at least one horizontally arranged steel supporting wire between a pair of tall upright posts. Typically the weight of the net is borne by the uppermost horizontal supporting wire stretched between the posts. Further horizontal supporting wires are typically provided beneath the upper wire to reinforce the net. To withstand the tension of the supporting wires and net, the posts are held apart by steel guy lines extending obliquely from the top of each post to the ground. The support posts are supported by further guy lines extending obliquely from the posts to the ground in a direction perpendicular to the net, in front of and behind the net. Due to the weight of the netting, the supporting wires tend to sag in the middle, particularly the uppermost wire which typically supports the full weight of the net, causing the net to lose tension and lie over the lower supporting wires in folds which may result in balls becoming trapped in the net. Such problem may become more severe over time as the supporting wires tend to stretch over time.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a support apparatus for a ball stop net, said support apparatus comprising a pair of spaced apart upright support posts, each support post having a cantilevered support arm extending generally perpendicularly from an upper region thereof towards the other of the support posts for supporting a net therefrom.

A net supporting wire or cable preferably extends between the support posts for supporting a net therefrom, said net supporting wire being supported by the support arms along at least a portion of its length. The net supporting wire is preferably attached to each of said support arms at or adjacent a respective distal end of each support arm.

Preferably the ends of the net supporting wire are connected to the support posts at locations adjacent to and beneath the support arms to extend between the support posts, respective first regions of said net supporting wire spaced inwardly from said ends thereof being suspended from the support arms at least at or adjacent a distal end of each support arm.

A further elongate wire or cable may be provided extending between distal ends of said support arms, further regions of said net supporting wire being suspended from said further wire at one or more positions between said first regions.

Preferably one or more elongate support members, such as cables, wires or struts, extend obliquely between one or more side regions of the support posts and fixed positions at or adjacent the ground to support the support posts and maintain tension in the net supporting wire.

A plurality of substantially parallel net reinforcing wires may be provided, extending between said support post at spaced locations beneath said net supporting wire, for reinforcing a net, supported by said support apparatus. Preferably said net reinforcing wires are arranged substantially parallel to said net supporting wire.

In one embodiment, each of said support arms include upper and lower sides tapering towards one another from said first end mounted on the respective support post towards a free end thereof Each support arm may comprise a framework or trellis of bars or rods, comprising a substantially horizontal upper bar and an inclined lower bar, said upper and lower bars converging towards said free end of the support arm.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a net assembly for arresting a ball, said net assembly comprising a support apparatus for supporting a net, said support apparatus comprising a pair of spaced apart upright support posts, each support post having a cantilevered support arm extending generally perpendicularly from an upper region thereof towards the other of the support posts, and a net supported by said support apparatus to be suspended between said upright support posts, wherein the support arms of the support apparatus support at least a portion of the net mounted between said support posts, thus reducing the span of unsupported netting between the support post and reducing sag.

Preferably an upper end of said net is supported from an elongate supporting wire or cable extending between said support posts at or adjacent upper ends thereof, said supporting wire being at least partially supported by said support arms.

Preferably a plurality of reinforcing wires are provided, extending between the support posts at spaced locations beneath said supporting wire to reinforce the net.

Preferably each support post comprises an elongate tubular pole. Preferably the diameter, wall thickness and material of the support posts are selected such that the support posts are substantially free standing, avoiding the need for support struts or cables extending perpendicular to the net.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is a front view of a ball stop net incorporating an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a plan view of the ball stop of Figure 1.

As illustrated in the drawings, a ball stop net incorporating an embodiment of the present invention comprises a pair of spaced apart upright support posts 2,4 which may be mounted on or embedded in a suitable base, for example, embedded in a concrete foundation block 3.

Opposing cantilevered support arms 6,8 are mounted at the upper ends of the support posts 2,4, extending towards one another, for supporting a net 10 between the support posts 2,4, as will be described below.

Each support arm 6,8 comprises a framework of steel bars comprising a substantially horizontally arranged upper bar 12 and an inclined lower strut 14 to define a tapered beam extending from each support post 2,4. Tn the example shown, the total distance between the support posts 2,4 may be between 20 and 30 metres and the length of the support arms 6,8 may be between 5 and 10 metres, more preferably 7.5 metres.

The free ends of the support arms may be linked together by means of a first cable 16, comprising a 13mm diameter multi-strand wire rope.

An upper net supporting cable 18 extends between the support posts 2,4, the upper net supporting cable 18 supporting the upper edge of the net 10. A further, lower net supporting cable 20 extends between the lower ends of the support posts 2,4 for supporting the lower edge of the net 10. The upper and lower net supporting cables 18,20 comprise 10mm diameter multi-strand wire rope. The sides 22,24 of the net 10 are connected to the support posts 2,4 such that the net 10 is held taught therebetween.

The ends of the upper net supporting cable 18 are connected to the support posts 2,4 at locations adjacent and below the support arms 2,4. In order to provide improved support for the net 10, the upper net supporting cable 16 is suspended beneath the support arms 6,8 and from the intervening first cable 16 by means of wire links 26 such that the support arms 6,8 bear at least part of the weight of the net 10, avoiding excessive sagging of the net supporting cable 18, leading to sagging of the net 10 and the resulting problems discussed above in relation to prior art arrangements. The length of the support arms 6,8 may be arranged such that the span of the net 10 that is unsupported in the vertical direction, and thus prone to sagging, is reduced by at least 50%.

Steel cable guy lines 28, comprising 19mm diameter high tensile multi-core stainless steel wires, extend from the sides of the support posts 2,4 to fixed locations on the ground, such as bottle screws embedded in concrete foundation blocks, for supporting the support posts 2,4 against the tension applied to the posts 2,4 by the net 10 and the net supporting cables.

While the present invention is defined in terms of a support apparatus and a net assembly for a ball stop net for use behind a goal for Gaelic games, such could be equally suitable for other ball sports, such as rugby, golf, football or cricket, and therefore may be used for any application where nets, fencing, enclosures or screening are required to arrest projectiles, such as balls.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described herein but can be amended or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (17)

1. Claims 1. A support apparatus for a ball stop net, said support apparatus comprising a pair of spaced apart upright support posts, each support post having a cantilevered support arm extending generally perpendicularly from an upper region thereof towards the other of the support posts for supporting a net therefrom.
2. 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one net supporting wire or cable extends between the support posts for supporting a net therefrom, said at least one net supporting wire being supported by the support arms along at least a portion of its length.
3. 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one net supporting wire is attached to each of said support arms at or adjacent a respective distal end of each support arm.
4. 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the ends of the at least one net supporting wire are connected to the support posts at locations adjacent to and beneath the support arms to extend between the support posts, respective first regions of said net supporting wire spaced inwardly from said ends thereof being suspended from the support arms at least at or adjacent a distal end of each support arm.
5. 5. An apparatus as claimed 4, wherein a further elongate wire or cable is provided extending between distal ends of said support arms, further regions of said net supporting wire being suspended from said further wire at one or more positions between said first regions.
6. 6. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein one or more elongate support members, such as cables, wires or struts, extend obliquely between one or more side regions of the support posts and fixed positions at or adjacent the ground to support the support posts and maintain tension in the net supporting wire.
7. 7. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a plurality of substantially parallel net reinforcing wires are provided, extending between said support post at spaced locations beneath said net supporting wire, for reinforcing a net, supported by said support apparatus.
8. 8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 when dependent upon claim 2, wherein said net reinforcing wires are arranged substantially parallel to said net supporting wire.
9. 9. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each of said support arms include upper and lower sides tapering towards one another from said first end mounted on the respective support post towards a free end thereof
10. 10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein each support arm comprises a framework or trellis of bars or rods, comprising a substantially horizontal upper bar and an inclined lower bar, said upper and lower bars converging towards said free end of the support arm.
11. 11. A net assembly for arresting a ball, said net assembly comprising a support apparatus for supporting a net, said support apparatus comprising a pair of spaced apart upright support posts, each support post having a cantilevered support arm extending generally perpendicularly from an upper region thereof towards the other of the support posts, and a net supported by said support apparatus to be suspended between said upright support posts, wherein the support arms of the support apparatus support at least a portion of the net mounted between said support posts, thus reducing the span of unsupported netting between the support post and reducing sag.
12. 12. A net assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein an upper end of said net is supported from an elongate supporting wire or cable extending between said support posts at or adjacent upper ends thereof, said supporting wire being at least partially supported by said support arms.
13. 13. A net assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein a plurality of reinforcing wires are provided, extending between the support posts at spaced locations beneath said supporting wire to reinforce the net.
14. 14. A net assembly as claimed in any of claims 11 to 13, wherein each support post comprises an elongate tubular pole.
15. 15. A net assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the diameter, wall thickness and material of the support posts are selected such that the support posts are substantially free standing, avoiding the need for support struts or cables extending perpendicular to the net.
16. 16. A support apparatus for a ball stop net substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
17. 17. A net assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.