Spring-biased apparatus for positionally adjustable structure

Abstract

An adjustable structure for altering the position of a device such as a basketball goal. The adjustable structure includes a pivoting frame mounted to a support. The positionally adjustable device is mounted to the frame for movement therewith. Incorporated into the frame is a spring-biased jack member for controlling the position of the frame and facilitates movement of the frame over a range of positions. The jack includes inner and outer telescoping tubes secured at their outer ends to the frame. A spring disposed within the tubes biases the tubes toward an expanded position. A lock plate mounted to the outer tube selectively lockingly engages the inner tube to retain the jack and frame in the desired position. The lock plate includes a cup for depressing the lock plate and releasing the inner tube for adjustment of the frame.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An adjustment structure for positionally adjusting a device comprising: 
 a stationary support;    a deformable frame assembly attached to said stationary support;    a device attached to said frame assembly, said device being positionally adjustable upon selective deformation of said frame assembly; and    at least one jack member controlling positional adjustment of said device, said at least one jack member including telescoping inner and outer tubes and a lock plate for controlling telescoping movement of said inner tube relative to said outer tube.    
     
     
         2 . The adjustment structure as defined in  claim 1  wherein said frame has a parallelogram configuration selectively deformable between a first configuration and a second configuration to positionally adjust said device.  
     
     
         3 . The adjustment structure as defined in  claim 2  wherein said device is a basketball goal, said structure allowing for adjustment of the height of said basketball goal above a playing surface.  
     
     
         4 . The adjustment structure as defined in  claim 1  wherein said at least one jack member includes an expansion spring disposed within said inner and outer tubes, said spring biasing said inner tube telescopically outwardly relative to said outer tube.  
     
     
         5 . The adjustment structure as defined in  claim 4  wherein said lock plate is pivotably mounted to said outer tube and includes an aperture through which said inner tube extends, said lock plate selectively lockingly engaging said inner tube to prevent telescoping movement of said inner tube relative to said outer tube.  
     
     
         6 . The adjustment structure as defined in  claim 5  wherein said lock plate includes release means for moving said lock plate from a locking position lockingly engaging said inner tube to a release position allowing telescoping movement of said inner tube relative to said outer tube.  
     
     
         7 . The adjustment structure as defined in  claim 5  wherein said release means facilitates deformation of said frame assembly while maintaining said lock plate in said release position.  
     
     
         8 . An adjustment structure for positionally adjusting a device relative to a surface, said adjustment structure comprising: 
 a stationary support extending upwardly from the surface;    a deformable frame assembly attached to said stationary support, said frame assembly having a substantially parallelogram configuration with parallel arms pivotally connected to said stationary support;    a device attached to said frame assembly, said device being vertically adjustable relative to the surface upon selective deformation of said frame assembly, and    a jack member adjustably attached to said frame assembly for deformation of said frame assembly and positional adjustment of said device, said jack member including telescoping inner and outer tubes and a lock plate or controlling telescopic movement of said inner tube relative to said outer tube.    
     
     
         9 . The adjustment structure as defined in  claim 8  wherein said frame is adjustable between a first configuration extending said device a maximum height above the surface and a second configuration extending said device a minimum height above the surface, said jack member maintaining said frame is any one of a plurality of continuous positions between said first configuration and said second configuration.  
     
     
         10 . The adjustment structure as defined in  claim 9  wherein said deformable frame assembly includes a vertical bracket pivotally mounted to said parallel arms to form said deformable parallelogram whereby said arms remain parallel to each other and said vertical bracket remains parallel to said stationary support through the full range of adjustment of said frame assembly.  
     
     
         11 . The adjustment structure as defined in  claim 10  wherein said device is mounted to said vertical bracket of said frame assembly for movement between said first and second positions.  
     
     
         12 . The adjustment structure as defined in  claim 11  wherein said device is a basketball goal, said structure facilitating adjustment of the height of said basketball goal above the surface.  
     
     
         13 . The adjustment structure as defined in  claim 9  wherein said lock plate of said jack member is pivotably connected to said outer tube for selectively engaging said inner tube to prevent telescoping movement of said inner tube relative to said outer tube, remote ends of said inner and outer tubes pivotally connected to said frame assembly to control deformation of said frame assembly.  
     
     
         14 . The adjustment structure as defined in  claim 13  wherein said jack member includes an expansion spring disposed within said inner and outer tubes and biasing said inner tube telescopically outwardly relative to said outer tube.  
     
     
         15 . The adjustment structure as defined in  claim 14  wherein said lock plate includes an aperture through which said inner tube extends, an edge of said lock plate aperture selectively lockingly engaging said inner tube to prevent telescoping movement of said inner tube relative to said outer tube.  
     
     
         16 . The adjustment structure as defined in  claim 15  wherein said lock plate includes release means for moving said lock plate from a locking position lockingly engaging said inner tube to a release position allowing telescoping movement of said inner tube through said aperture relative to said outer tube.  
     
     
         17 . The adjustment structure as defined in  claim 16  and further comprising means for biasing said lock plate towards said locking position to lockingly engage said inner tube.  
     
     
         18 . An adjustment structure for vertically adjusting a basketball goal relative to a fixed horizontal surface to alter the height of the goal above the surface, said adjustment structure comprising: 
 a fixed vertical support extending upwardly from the surface;    a deformable frame assembly attached to said support, said frame assembly including parallel arms pivotably connected to said support and a vertical bracket to form an adjustable parallelogram configuration, said vertical bracket adapted to receive the basketball goal for selective adjustment of the goal above the surface; and    a jack member adjustably attached to said frame assembly for controlling deformation of said frame assembly and positional adjustment of the basketball goal, said jack member including telescoping inner and outer tubes connected at their remote ends to said frame assembly, an expansion spring disposed within said inner and outer tubes for biasing said tubes telescopically outwardly, and a lock plate pivotally attached to said outer tube and selectively engaging said inner tube for controlling telescopic movement of said inner tube relative to said outer tube thereby positioning the basketball goal at a desired position above the horizontal surface.