Puck retriever

Abstract

A puck retriever has a hollow interior of diameter larger than that of a puck for use in the game of hockey. A ring of rubber or similar resiliently deformable material is located adjacent to the lower end of the tube. The ring has an inner edge which defines a circular inlet of diameter smaller than that of a puck. The ring flexes upward when pressed downward against a puck which is resting on a flat surface with resulting bending upward of the edge and enlargement of the inlet sufficient to allow the puck to pass through the inlet. The ring is of sufficient strength to resist flexing downward under the weight of any pucks within the tube such that the ring prevents pucks within the tube from exiting through the inlet. The ring may be continuous and unbroken throughout its circumference or it may be cut into a number of flaps.

1 . A puck retriever comprising: a tube having upper and lower ends and a hollow interior of diameter larger than that of a puck for use in the game of hockey; and a resiliently deformable annulus which is continuous and unbroken throughout its circumference and which is formed adjacent to the lower end of said tube, said annulus having an inner edge which defines a circular inlet of diameter smaller than that of said puck, said annulus being positioned adjacent to the lower end of said tube and flexing upward when pressed downward against a puck which is resting on a flat surface with resulting bending upward of said edge and enlargement of said inlet sufficient to allow said puck to pass through said inlet, but said annulus being of sufficient strength to resist flexing downward under the weight of any pucks within said tube such that said annulus prevents the latter said pucks from exiting through said inlet. 
   
   
       2 . The puck retriever of  claim 1  wherein said annulus is composed of synthetic or natural rubber. 
   
   
       3 . The puck retriever of  claim 1  wherein said annulus has a thickness which is least at said inner edge and enlarges radially outward of said inner edge. 
   
   
       4 . A puck retriever comprising: a tube having upper and lower ends and a hollow interior of diameter larger than that of a puck for use in the game of hockey; and a resiliently deformable annulus which is continuous and unbroken throughout its circumference save and except for a plurality of radially extending slits spaced around its circumference, which said slits define side edges of a plurality of flaps, said annulus being positioned adjacent to the lower end of said tube, said flaps having inner edges which define a circular inlet of diameter smaller than that of said puck, said flaps flexing upward when pressed downward against a puck which is resting on a flat surface with resulting bending upward of said flaps and enlargement of said inlet sufficient to allow said puck to pass through said inlet, said annulus being of sufficient strength to resist flexing downward under the weight of any pucks within said tube such that said annulus prevents the latter said pucks from exiting through said inlet. 
   
   
       5 . The puck retriever of  claim 4  wherein said annulus is composed of synthetic or natural rubber. 
   
   
       6 . The puck retriever of  claim 4  wherein said flaps have a thickness which is least at said inner edges and enlarge radially outward of said inner edges.