US3560092A - Clipboard with slate surface - Google Patents

Abstract

A RECTANGULAR SHAPED BOARD WHOSE SURFACE ON BOTH SIDES THEREOF IS OF SLATE OR OTHER MATERIAL THAT WILL ACCEPT CHALK AS THE WRITING MEDIUM THEREOF. INDICIA OF A BASKETBALL COURT, FOOTBALL FIELD OR OTHER FIELD OF ATHLETIC CONTEST ARE ALIGNED IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF THE BOARD WITH A CLIP AT ONE END THEREOF TO HOLD OVERLYING PAPERS OR OTHER MATERIALS.

Description

I Feb. 2, 1971 L J c Y 3,560,092

CLIPBOARD WITH SLATE SURFACE Filed July 24, 1968 L J Coney.

INVIL'N'I'UK.

United States Patent 3,560,092 CLIPBOARD WITH SLATE SURFACE L J Coney, Box 265, Roxton, Tex. 75477 Filed July 24, 1968, Ser. No. 747,270 Int. Cl. B421? 1/02; B431 1/10 US. Cl. 35-62 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A rectangular shaped board whose surface on both sides thereof is of slate or other material that will accept chalk as the writing medium therefor. Indicia of a basketball court, football field or other field of athletic contest are aligned in the longitudinal direction of the board with a clip at one end thereof to hold overlying papers or other materials.

Heretofore, when coaches or athletic directors desired to keep a play-by-play record of football, basketball or similar games while in progress or if they desired to work up a new play for such contest while on the practice field or during a game it was necessary to do so on a sheet of paper held on a clipboard, or to have a slate board. This was inconvenient as the piles or sheaf of scrap paper required became cumbersome or the blackboard had to be lined or in some way oriented to demonstrate to the players the course of the play.

The instant invention provides a clipboard whose surfaces are slate or covered in a similar chalk producing surface material. On one or both of the planar surfaces thereof are reproduced the indicia of a basketball, football or other diagram of an athletic field of contest. The coach or athletic director then could keep a record of the course of a game, or diagram new plays, or generally note the movements of players on the reproduction of the athletic field. The indicia is permanently reproduced on the planar surfaces so that the erasure of the chalk would not disturb them. In this way repeated and rapid presentations of plays or movements could be done while always being able to orientate them on the athletic field on which the players are currently on. The clip part of the device allows papers or overlying sheets to be retained thereon, or allows the board to be used in the normal manner of a clipboard.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a simple but unique record keeping device for athletic contests.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a slatelike surface with permanent indicia thereon representing the outline of a field of athletic contest.

It is a further object of this device to provide a slate.- like surface for recording athletic contests while maintaining the function of a clipboard.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a clipboard with a slate-like surface. whose entire surface is usable for writing thereon.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as 'more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts ,throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device showing a basketball court reproduced thereon.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the back of the device showing a football field reproduced thereon.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral generally indicates the device while numeral 12 designates the board portion thereof and the numeral 14 designates the clip assembly attached thereto. The board 12 is of elongated rectangular shape, that is the long sides 16 are considerably longer than the width 18 of the board. The ratio of the side 16 to 18 is roughly 2 /2 or 3 to 1, respectively. This is so chosen because the similar ratio of length to width of a basketball court, football field, soccer field or other field of similar athletic contest is roughly, 2 to 1. With the size of the board thus chosen a field can be shown on the board in proper scale with room at the end of the board to put a clip thereon with papers and other material held thereby and not overlap onto the reproduction of the playing surface. As shown in FIG. 1, a basketball court 20 is drawn to exact scale with the width thereof aligned with the width 18 of the board and the length of the board aligned with the length 16 of the board. With the ratio of 2 /2 or 3 to 1 this leaves a clear area 22 beyond the end of the court on the end of the board. This then leaves room for the clip assembly 14 to be placed thereon, which could also hold the eraser 23 and a chalk chuck 24 without infringing on the confines of the playing surface represented thereon. The board 12 being constructed of slate or covered with a slate-like material} the background will be of a dark color, for example green or black, and the confines of the playing surface can be represented in white thereby producing a sharp contrast which coupled with the use of the chalk will make the writing and plays diagrammed thereon easy to see. With the basketball court reproduced in exact scale thereon in permanent white marking the complete details of the court can be shown, such as the foul circle and the foul line therein, and the back boards and baskets. The center circle, and the restraining circle therearound can also be shown as well as the mid-court lines and what ever indicia may be needed to graphically illustrate the playing surface to the players. With the surface thus reproduced on the board, the board can be orientated with the playing surface so that players can readily see their positiori and assignments with regard to the court that they will be playing on. This obviously simplifies the teaching process of the coach.

In FIG. 3 the back of the board is shown with a football gridiron reproduced thereon. As mentioned hereinbefore, the football gridiron and the basketball court have the same general ratio of 2 to 1, length to width, respectively, so that the gridiron can be represented thereon with an empty space 28 remaining at the top of the board. The gridiron is shown reproduced in exact scale to the same minute detail of the basketball court, for example the yard line markers, the end zone, the extra point line, the kick-off marks at the 40 yard lines, and the inbound hash marks. If desired, a basic interior line of five men and the quarter back can be permanently marked on the board as illustrated at 30. As most every T formation play will be run from a formation containing this basic unit this can be represented permanently on the board to facilitate the quick drafting of a play thereon. This would permit a coach to diagram a play during the course of a game to be used during the contest. As can be seen in FIG. 3 with the aforementioned ratios of length to width the clear area 28 being at the end of the gridiron, other notes or articles may be attached thereon while not inter fering with the representation of the field and the use thereof.

While the device has been shown with a basketball court on the front side and a gridiron on the rear side thereof, it can readily be seen that any combination of athletic fields could be represented thereon. As mentioned hereinbefore, soccer, Rugby and Canadian football fields have the same general length to width ratio as the basketball court and football gridiron. Thus the clipboard can be designed to suit a coach participating in any one of these well-known sports. Also, while two different playing surfaces have been shown on opposite sides of the board it can readily be understood that a playing surface could be shown on one side of the board with the opposite side thereof left blank to provide a board to flash signals or take other notes thereon during the course of a contest. The clip assembly 14 provides a convenient holder for the eraser and chalk chuck which may be used with the board, and if desired the front of the board could be left blank, to hold notes thereunder with the reproduction of a playing surface on the back thereof.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A clipboard comprising a rigid rectangular panel of a length two and one-half to three times its Width, the opposite side faces of said panel having different scale rectangular playing field gridirons reproduced thereon, extending lengthwise of said panel and spaced more closely to one end portion of said panel and the other end portion of the panel, said gridirons being of contrasting colors and at least the face portions of said panel on which said gridirons are formed being suitable for marking thereon with chalk, a clip assembly carried by the other end por- 4 tion of said panel and spaced lengthwise of the latter from the corresponding ends of said gridirons, and a chalk eraser removably engaged and clamped to said other end portion of said panel by said clip assembly in position spaced lengthwise of said panel from the adjacent end of corresponding gridiron.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said gridirons comprise basketball and football gridirons.

3. The combination of claim 1 including a chalk chuck provided with means for removable support from said clipboard.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 369,663 '9/ 1-887 Swanen 62 1,766,087 6/1930 Sullivan 3561X 1,927,695 9/ 1933 Andreas 3529 2,417,879 3/ 1947 Merritt 35-62UX 2,579,105 12/ 1951 Baldine 35-29 2,876,022 3 1959 Kroviak 2467.7X 3,127,649 4/ 1964 Linsenmayer 24-67.7

FOREIGN PATENTS 130,057 10/1932 Austria 3562 HARLAND S. SKOGQUIST, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. Z4-67.7; 35-29

Images