Football Goal

Abstract

A goal for use in a ball game, wherein the mouth of the goal is defined by two laterally spaced upright posts and a horizontal cross bar, wherein the posts and the cross bar are formed of flexible collapsible ropes tensioned by taut cables connected to the ends of the cross bar, the goal being suspended to a support cable

1 . A goal for use in a ball game, wherein the mouth of the goal is defined by two laterally spaced upright posts and a horizontal crossbar, wherein the posts and the crossbar are formed of flexible collapsible rope and are tensioned by taut cables connected to the ends of the crossbar, characterised by an upper support cable above the height of the goal from which the goal is suspended to allow the goal to slide along the upper cable between a deployed and stowed position when not laterally tensioned by the taut cables. 
     
     
         2 . A goal as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising weights attached to the posts to increase the vertical tension within the posts. 
     
     
         3 . A goal as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a tether attached to a lower edge of the posts to secure them relative to the ground. 
     
     
         4 . A goal as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a lower taut cable, wherein the rope posts are connected between the taut cables extending from the rope crossbar and the lower taut cable. 
     
     
         5 . A goal as claimed in  4 , wherein the lower taut cable is at ground level. 
     
     
         6 . A goal as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the goal is formed from a mesh or web in the shape of a pocket for catching a ball, the pocket having a rear edge in a different plane from the goal mouth. 
     
     
         7 . A goal as claimed in any claim depending from  claim 5 , wherein the rear edge of the goal is attached to a second lower taut cable. 
     
     
         8 . A goal as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the second lower taut cable is at ground level. 
     
     
         9 . A goal as claimed in  claim 1 , further including additional mesh or netting extending around the goal mouth to catch balls that do not enter the goal mouth. 
     
     
         10 . A goal as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tension in the taut cables connected to the ends of the rope crossbar is altered by means of a releasable cambuckle, ratchet or locking pulley. 
     
     
         11 . A goal as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at one of the taut cables extending from one side of the cross bar includes a coupling for selectively dividing the line into two sections. 
     
     
         12 . A goal for use in a ball game, the goal having a mouth defined by two laterally spaced upright posts and a horizontal crossbar, wherein the posts and crossbar are formed of flexible collapsible rope, 
       characterised in that the goal is suspended only from a tensioned cable in a plane containing the crossbar and the goalmouth. 
     
     
         13 . A method of constructing and erecting a goal for use in a ball game, wherein the mouth of the goal is defined by two laterally spaced upright posts and a horizontal cross bar, wherein the posts and the cross bar are formed of flexibly collapsible rope comprising the steps of suspending the goal mouth from an upper support cable, 
       sliding the goal mouth along the upper cable from a stowed to a deployed position and tensioning the goal mouth by connecting taut cables to the ends of the rope crossbar. 
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising the step of applying weights to the rope posts to increase the vertical tension within them. 
     
     
         15 . A method as claimed in  claims 13 , further comprising the step of tethering a lower edge of the rope posts relative to the ground. 
     
     
         16 . A method as claimed in  claim 15 , further comprising the step of attaching a lower edge of the rope posts to a lower taut cable. 
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the lower taut cable is arranged at ground level. 
     
     
         18 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the goal is formed from a mesh or web and is in the form of a pocket for catching a ball, the pocket having a rear edge in a different plane from the goal mouth, further comprising the step of tethering the rear edge of the goal to the ground. 
     
     
         19 . A method as claimed in  claim 18 , further comprising the step of attaching the rear edge of the goal to a second lower taut cable extending in a different plane from the goal mouth. 
     
     
         20 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising the step of providing additional mesh or netting extending around the goal mouth to catch balls that do not enter the goal mouth.