US 4,844,455 AGranted

Tennis net tightening apparatus

AssigneeHar-Tru, LLC

InventorRichard N. Funkhouser, Jr.

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Abstract

A tennis net tightening assembly adapted for installation as a unit inside the upper end of an existing tennis net post and which comprises an elongated threaded shaft journaled between a pair of support plates, one of which contacts a portion of the lower inner wall surface of the net post while the other support plate is fitted to the lower portion of a collar which is adapted to seat on the top of the net post and extends upwardly therefrom. A captured nut is located on the threaded shaft and includes a hook for engaging one end of the net support cable. The support cable passes through a slot in the upper portion of the collar, which additionally includes a semi-circular cable guide element adjacent the slot. The elongated threaded shaft is journaled between the support plates and includes a shank at its upper end which passes through the collar and is protected thereby. The shank terminates in a square headed end portion which can be engaged by a wrench for turning the shaft and thus loosening or tightening the cable by linear travel of the captured nut along the shaft.

Claims20

Dependent claims

In combination, a tennis net post and an assembly for installation as a unit inside the upper end of the tennis net post for tightening a tennis net support cable, said assembly comprising;

top and bottom support plates;
an elongated threaded shaft journaled between said support plates and including a shank at its upper end, said shank having an end portion including means thereon for being turned;
a captured nut located on said threaded shaft and including means thereon for engaging one end of said net support cable;
means for restraining rotation of said nut causing the nut to thereby travel in a linear direction between said support plates when said shaft is turned in either direction to alternately loosen and tighten the tennis net support cable;
a protective collar attached at its lower end to the top support plate, said collar surrounding and being coextensive with said shank, and including an aperture for passage of said tennis net support cable therethrough and having a lower rim surface for engagement with the upper end of the net post;
said net post including an inner wall surface;
means attached to the lower portion of said collar and in slidable engagement with said inner wall surface of the net post for stabilizing and holding the upper portion of said assembly in position on top of the net post, and
wherein said bottom plate includes a pair of opposing perimeter edge segments in slidable engagement with the inner wall surface of the net post for stabilizing and holding the lower portion of said assembly in position on top of the net post.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.