Adjustable field goal post apparatus

Abstract

An adjustable field goal assembly is provided. Adjustable field goal assembly permits a user to adjust the width of the field goal posts to widen or narrow the displacement between the field goal posts. The field goal assembly includes a support pole, a cross bar, a first upright post, a second upright post, and a displacement mechanism. The displacement mechanism permits the user to move the first and/or second upright posts to vary the distance between the first and second upright posts.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:  
     
         1 . An adjustable field goal assembly comprising; 
 a support pole extending perpendicularly from the ground;    a cross bar having a first end, a second end, and a center, wherein the center of the cross bar is coupled to the support pole and the cross bar extends parallel to the ground;    a first upright post vertically and movably coupled to the cross bar at a position distal to the cross bar center in the direction of the cross bar first end; and    a second upright post vertically and movably coupled to the cross bar at a position distal to the cross bar center in the direction of the cross bar second end.    
     
     
         2 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 1  wherein the first upright post is slideably coupled at the cross bar first end and the second upright post is slideably coupled at the cross bar second end.  
     
     
         3 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a displacement mechanism  50  configured to automatically move the first and second upright posts toward the cross bar center.  
     
     
         4 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 3  wherein the displacement mechanism  50  comprises a motor and an internal output shaft internal to the cross support.  
     
     
         5 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 4  wherein the motor comprises a bi-directional motor for rotating the internal output shaft in a first and a second direction.  
     
     
         6 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 4  further comprising a motor controller wherein the motor is regulated by the means of the motor controller.  
     
     
         7 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 4  further comprising an input mechanism for inputting commands to the motor controller.  
     
     
         8 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 7  wherein the input mechanism is hardwired to the motor allowing commands to be input to the motor controller either from a remote location or a location proximal to the motor.  
     
     
         9 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 7  wherein the input mechanism comprises a infrared device for sending commands to the motor controller.  
     
     
         10 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 7  wherein the input mechanism comprises a radio frequency device for sending commands to the motor controller.  
     
     
         11 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 3  wherein the displacement mechanism  50  comprises a crank for manually moving the first and second upright posts closer to and further from the cross bar center.  
     
     
         12 . An adjustable field goal assembly having a support shaft, a cross bar, a first upright post, and a second upright post, wherein the cross bar has a first end, a second end, and a center, and wherein the first upright post is moveably coupled approximately at the first end of the cross bar and the second upright post is movably coupled approximately at the second end of the cross bar, and wherein the first upright post is selectively moveable between the cross bar first end and the cross bar center, and the second upright post is selectively moveable between the cross bar second end and the cross bar center, the adjustable field goal assembly comprising; 
 a displacement mechanism configured to move the first and second upright posts closer to or further from each other; and    a control mechanism configured to control the displacement between the first and second upright posts.    
     
     
         13 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 12  wherein the displacement mechanism comprises a crank and a crank arm.  
     
     
         14 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 12  wherein the displacement mechanism comprises a motor.  
     
     
         15 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 14  wherein the displacement mechanism further comprises an internal output shaft.  
     
     
         16 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 14  wherein the control mechanism comprises an electromechanical controller for regulating operation of the motor.  
     
     
         17 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 16  further comprising a remote control module for allowing the motor to be controlled from a remote location.  
     
     
         18 . An adjustable field goal assembly having a support pole, a cross bar, a first upright post, and a second upright post, wherein the cross bar has a first end, a second end, and a center, and wherein the first upright post is moveably coupled approximately at the first end of the cross bar and second upright post is movably coupled approximately at the second end of the cross bar; and wherein the first upright post is selectively moveable between the cross bar first end and the cross bar center, and the second upright post is selectively moveable between the cross bar second end and the cross bar center, the adjustable field goal assembly comprising: 
 a housing;    a motor mounted in the housing;    a drive shaft driven by the motor;    a communicating shaft driven by said drive shaft and internal to the support pole;    an output shaft internal to the cross support and driven by the communicating shaft in rotary forward and reverse directions; and    engageable lower portions coupled to first and second upright posts, wherein rotation of the output shaft moves the first and second posts closer to or farther from the center of the cross support.    
     
     
         19 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 18  wherein the housing, motor, and drive shaft are positioned below ground level.  
     
     
         20 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 18  wherein the drive shaft includes a bevel gear for relaying a force to the communicating shaft.  
     
     
         21 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 20  wherein the communicating shaft includes a bevel gear for engaging the bevel gear of the drive shaft.  
     
     
         22 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 18  wherein the communicating shaft includes a bevel gear for relaying a force to the output shaft.  
     
     
         23 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 22  wherein the output shaft includes a bevel gear for engaging the bevel gear of the communicating shaft.  
     
     
         24 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 18  wherein the output shaft includes threads at the first and second extremities.  
     
     
         25 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 24  wherein the engageable portions of the upright posts are configured to receiving the threads of the first and second extremities of the output shaft.  
     
     
         26 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 18  wherein the output shaft includes first and second extremities and wherein the first and second extremities are covered with High Density Polyethylene wear strips.  
     
     
         27 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 18  further comprising bearings for supporting the output shaft.  
     
     
         28 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 27  wherein the bearing comprise roller bearings.  
     
     
         29 . An adjustable field goal assembly comprising: 
 a motor;    a support pole extending perpendicularly from the ground;    a cross bar coupled to the support pole and having an internal output shaft driven by the motor; and    first and second upright posts having engageable portions coupled to the internal output shaft internal to the cross bar, wherein upon movement of the output shaft in a first direction, the first and second upright bars move toward the cross bar center, and wherein upon movement of the output shaft of the cross bar in a second direction, the first and second upright posts move away from the cross bar center.    
     
     
         30 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 29  wherein cross bar includes indicators for identifying a given displacement between the first and second upright posts.  
     
     
         31 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 30  further comprising a control mechanism for controlling the displacement of the first and second upright posts.  
     
     
         32 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 31  wherein the control mechanism includes one or more sensors for monitoring when the first and second upright posts occupy positions representing predetermined displacements between the first and second upright posts.  
     
     
         33 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 31  wherein the control mechanism comprises a series of contact switches for monitoring when the first and second upright posts occupy positions corresponding to locations representing a preset displacement between the first and second posts.  
     
     
         34 . The adjustable field goal assembly of  claim 31  further comprising a controller for regulating operation of the motor, wherein the controller operates the motor to automatically move the first and second posts to locations representing a preset displacement between the first and second posts.  
     
     
         35 . An adjustable field goal assembly having a support pole, a cross bar, and first and second upright posts, wherein the first and second upright posts are moveably coupled at the first and second ends of the cross bar; the adjustable field goal assembly comprising; 
 a means for displacing the first and second upright posts, closer to and further from the cross bar center;    a means for providing driving force to the means for displacing; and    a means for controlling the displacement of the first and second upright posts.