US3227450A - Football device for kicking practice - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 4, 1966 c. L. PRUITT FOOTBALL DEVICE FOR KICKING PRACTICE Filed June 24, 1963 INVENTOR. CHARLES L.PRu/r1' United States Patent 3,227,450 FOOTBALL DEVICE FOR KICKING PRACTICE Charles L. Pruitt, 421 S. 2nd St., N ederlaud, Tex. Filed June 24, 1963, Ser. No. 289,816 1 Claim. (Cl. 27355) This invention relates to devices for football practice.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an elastic covering for a football which will have cords and stakes affording a means for football kicking practice in a small area, such as a yard.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a practice football which will have cords secured to ears on the football, to thus provide kicking practice in a small area.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a complete package of a football with ears and eyelets attached, kicking tee, lines and stakes, or if a cover is desired for a regulation football, it will have ears and eyelets attached and will have the kicking tee, lines and stakes included.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a football for kicking practice bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and efficient in operation and use.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a covering for a football in operative use;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the covering shown removed from FIG. 1 and partly broken away;

FIG. 3 is an e'lev-ational view showing a modified football for kicking practice; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side View of FIG. 3.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, a covering for a football made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a circular sleeve 12 made of an elastic material such as plastic having a circular opening 14 providing a means for inflating a football valve. A pair of cars 16 extend outwardly from sleeve 12 and are oppositely opposed to each other and are secured by a flap 17 to the interior of sleeve 12.

Ears 16 are provided with grommets 18 for receiving a tween a pair of stakes 22 which are driven into the ground. Football 24 is placed upon a kicking tee 26 and thus when kicked during practice the lines 20 by means of stakes 22 will prevent the ball form travelling a real distance but will enable it to be retrieved quickly and easily and replaced on tee 26 for another kick.

A modified form of football 28 is shown to include a valve opening 30 for inflation purposes and a pair of oppositely opposed ears 32 having a fl-ap 34 which is secured by suitable fastening means beneath the skin of the football 28. Bars 32 are provided with grommets 36 which receive lines 20:: providing a means for securing football 28 for kicking practice.

Football 28 is used in the same manner as the form previously described herein in the main embodiment of the present invention.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A football device for kicking practice comprising in combination a football and a jacket adapted to engage said football, said football comprising an inflatable collapsible member having a collapsible covering, and vent means for inflating said inflatable member, said jacket comprising a circumferential band around said collapsible covering of said football, said band having an opening for access to said vent and a pair of oppositely spaced apart ears on said jacket, said ears extending radially outward, each of said ears having an opening therethrough, each of said openings having one end of a line tied thereto, the opposite end of each of said line-s being secured to a stake, said lines being relatively equal in length, and said stakes having a tapered end for being easily driven into the ground.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 146,692 4/1874 Tardy 272 708,573 9/1902 Miles. 3,059,932 10/1962 Smallwood 273- FOREIGN PATENTS 1,074,306 3/1954 France.

331,782 7/1930 Great Britain.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Examiner.

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