Jockey Goal Combined With Y-shape Goaltender Therefore

Abstract

A device for use by children or adults in training or practicing hockey, characterized by its ability to return or deflect hockey pucks and so shaped that it represents a goalie's position in front of a standard goal which causes the players to develop habits which they can translate to actual play. The device is affixed in a forwardly disposed V-shape in front of a hockey goal whereby pucks striking the device are diverted to either side thereof. Additionally, the device has an aperture therethrough simulating the opening between the legs of a player and a pocket therein for receiving and holding a puck simulating the catching of a puck by a player.

Description

This invention relates to hockey, and more particularly to a device useful in practicing and training for hockey players.

Hockey is a well-known game and is played very actively in the northern climates where ice is available. Several players wearing ice skates, using a hockey stick, cause the puck, a hard round rubber object, to be sent past a goaltender who tries to prevent its passage into a net called the goal. Quite often the players do not have enough players to practice hockey on the ice; consequently, a device which would enable them to play and practice without the need of a goaltender, would accommodate this shortage of players.

The goaltender necessarily is the object of numerous injuries. He is required to wear considerable padding and special equipment for the puck, if it hits him, will cause injury and pain. Therefore, if during practice sessions and in training one were able to eliminate the need for a goaltender, injuries from the game could be considerably reduced. Moreover, the special equipment which goaltenders would require would not be necessary during practice and training sessions.

No such equipment has been made available in the prior art, however, in other fields such as baseball devices have been made to return the ball to pitchers so that they could practice pitching. However, the ball is returned directly and in hockey a specific training requirement is that the hockey player aim at certain segments of the net which are likely to be unguarded so they will be able to score. Moreover, they are required to take a shot and if the guard deflects it like he does they must attempt again to head towards that new place so that they can recapture the hockey puck and try for another goal. The present invention, therefore, delivers or returns the puck in such a way that it duplicates what one would encounter in actual play.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a goaltender for the game of hockey.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce the injuries to goaltenders by eliminating their need during practice and training sessions.

Another object of the present invention is to enable hockey practice and training sessions, although all the players, especially a goaltender are not available.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a goaltender which duplicates that encountered in actual play.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a goaltender, whereby the equipment required of goaltenders is not necessary in playing hockey on the street or ice.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed specification, especially when read in conjunction with the attached drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a straight view of the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, we see a hockey player and the present invention from on top of the ice or just above it. Ordinary goal 11 and the hockey player 16 are encountered on ice 24 quite often, with his stick 31, the player 16 causes puck 17 to be launched or sent with a rather considerable force to the goal 11. Normally another player dressed in the necessary padded equipment to protect him tends the goal, his job is to intercept the puck and he causes it to go to the left or the right. All the players including players from the opposing team, head for the puck if it goes left or right and the goaltender does this very swiftly. Accordingly, the players on both teams must attempt to immediately retreave the puck when a player has tried to score a goal and have the puck diverted by the goaltender.

It is obvious then that the goaltender is in the line of fire and can be injured by the puck, however, although inherent in the game, injuries can be reduced if during hockey practice or training sessions the goaltender is duplicated by means of the present device. Referring again to FIG. 1 we note that a device 22 called the goaltender is placed immediately in front of goal 11. The supports 20 keep the goaltender erect on the ice. We note two slopping services 12 and 13 separated by an angle theta, this angle can be changed at will by pushing in or pulling out the slopping surfaces. This enables the coach to change the angle of deflection so that the players do not become accustomed to having the puck diverted the same amount of angle everytime. It also enables the coach to introduce variety into the play.

The player 16 with his stick 31 now launches puck 17 along path 18, it strikes the slopping surface 13 and is diverted off to side along path 34. We note that the puck along path 34 will cause the player 16 an anybody in his immediate environment to immediately skate to the right of the tender to retrieve the puck and attempt a new goal, or if it is a competing player, to get the puck and bring it back to the other end of the ice. It is seen then that the goaltender in actual practice duplicates a real live goaltender in every essential way by the simple expedient of deflecting the puck to the right or left depending upon which surface is struck.

Referring now to FIG. 2, we see the goaltender of the present invention straight on, we have painted on here for purposes of esthetics an actual player. The player presents approximately this sort of frame, the corners of the goal 11 which are 37 and 38 must be the targets for the players. Goaltender cannot cover the entire goal, accordingly he centers himself and necessarily leaves open the corners 38 and 37 during actual play. Accordingly, the players must develop motor reactions which force them to head for those positions. However, their control over the puck is limited and they quite often have their puck intercepted by the goalie 22. And as seen above depending upon the sloping surface the puck is diverted to the left or right. This is what one encounters in actual play for the goalie as he intercepts the puck, obviously attempts to get rid of it immediately so that it can not slip into the goal by accident, so if he is on the left side of the goal will cause the puck to go to the left, if he is on the right side of the goal he will cause the puck to go to the right. Accordingly the present invention on this score duplicates what one encounters in actual play. At the same time, obviating the need for an actual goalie and his equipment thereby avoiding the necessity for the equipment, the extra player and above all avoiding injury to a player who plays in this game.

Referring now again to FIG. 2, we see an opening 14, this duplicates the opening one encounters in actual play between the goalie's legs and if you are fortunate enough to hit dead center, the puck will score. However, this is not too common, but it does give variety and a sense of reality to the players so that they will learn to accommodate this facet of play.

Along this same line, a pocket has been placed where the goalie's hand is at 15. Pocket 15, if the puck is hit there, will be caught by the player and it will not be diverted to the left or the right and the puck will remain there and the players will have to retrieve it in order to continue play. Again a sense of realism is introduced to the game by way of this pocket and if the player aims his puck toward the goalie to his hand it will be intercepted and the diversion to the left or the right will not be encountered and he will not be able to retrieve the puck, so accordingly he will avoid aiming the puck or letting the puck leave the ice to that height.

The present invention is constructed of tubing 39 which makes a complete frame, the frame has two parts for sloping surfaces 12 and 13 which are hinged together by a simple loop mechanism 40. The supports 20 are also of steel tubing and are pivotally connected at point 41 by means of a simple pin arrangement. Struts 20 are held to the goal frame by means of thumb screws 45, such arrangements are well-known in the art and will not be discussed further. Any clamp which is easily affixed to the frame will do, nothing is complex about it. The entire frame 12 and 13 are covered preferably by means of a latex material, the latex material will absorb the impact of the puck and cause it to be deflected to the right or left as the case maybe. However, canvas and even plywood can be used effectively in this regard, however plywood would be quite noisy and if the game were in front of one's house, on the street, neighbors would complain from the constant impact of the puck against the hard plywood surface. Accordingly, the preferred material is sheet latex or rubber of about a 1/8-inch grade, thinner grades might rip due to constant usage. It is apparent now that the simple frame of steel or aluminum or even wood for that matter, can be affixed by means of simple clamps to the goal and a sheet of latex or similar material covering the framework will provide a very inexpensive goaltender. Some grades of plastic might be found as durable and more inexpensive and may be substituted for the sheet material. An open net, although possibly useful, is not held desirable because the puck after a while would be caught in the openings or diverted in an askew manner, so preferably a solid sheet would be the preferred material.

As I have pointed out, through this specification the embodiment of a goaltender as I have described it can be useful on ice hockey during training and practice sessions. Owing to its inexpensive nature, it can also be used in the popular game of street hockey, whereby children play in the street without skates, but use hockey sticks and a puck. The danger of injury to a goaltender is again considerably reduced by means of the present invention. Accordingly, owing to the inexpensive nature of the present invention, this unit will find extensive use for young people in the game of street hockey.

Although I have described my invention with reference to specific apparatus, I do not wish to be limited thereby. I wish to be limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A goaltender for rejecting pucks to prevent scoring in combination with a hockey goal commonly used in the popular hockey game comprising,

a first vertical puck rejecting frame,

a second vertical puck rejecting frame,

resilient deflecting energy absorbent means for covering said frames,

means for interconnecting said frames at a preselected angle, said frames being interconnected with an opening midway therebetween, said opening being shaped to simulate the opening between the legs of a goalie, at least one of said first frame and said second frame further including means therein for receiving and holding a puck simulating the catching of a puck by a player, and means for affixing said interconnected frames in a forwardly disposed V-shape in front of said goal whereby pucks striking the surface of each angularly disposed frame are diverted to either side of said goal forcing the players to chase after it.

2. A goaltender according to claim 1 wherein said covering means is selected from the group consisting of, sheet rubber, sheet plywood, a fine nylon mesh, fiberglass and plastic strips.

3. A goaltender according to claim 1 wherein said means for affixing said goaltender in a predisposed position in front of said goal includes struts attachable to said goal by means of a clamp arrangement.