Basketball backboard elevator system

An elevator system for a basketball backboard comprising, in combination,

• a frame including means defining first and second relatively spaced parallel, vertical surfaces, said frame further including means defining support arms relatively spaced one above the other pivotally connected between said first and second surfaces so that said vertical surfaces are connected on said arms for relative vertical movement while maintaining said parallel relation between said first and second surfaces,
• means for adjusting the vertical height of said first vertical surface defining ratchet and pawl members connected between one of said arms and said first vertical surface so that said first vertical surface is freely movable upward relative to said second vertical surface in response to a vertical lifting force applied to said first vertical surface and is held in a selected vertical position when the vertical lifting force applied to said first vertical surface is removed,
• said pawl member being pivotally connected to said first vertical surface and said ratchet member being connected to one of said support arms and pivotally connected to said first vertical surface,
• means biasing said pawl toward engagement with said ratchet,
• said ratchet being freely movable relative to said pawl upon upward movement of said first vertical surface and said pawl engageable with said ratchet to hold said one support arm against pivotal movement and correspondingly said first vertical surface against downward movement,
• means selectively engageable with said pawl for moving said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet so that said first vertical surface is released for downward movement,
• a contact point on said first vertical surface, and
• vertical manipulating means for applying said vertical lifting force to said contact point so that said first vertical surface is freely movable in an upward direction without disengagement of said pawl from said ratchet while maintaining a parallel relation with said second vertical surface, is held in a selected vertical position by said ratchet and pawl arrangement when said vertical lifting force is removed, and is released for downward movement when said pawl is disengaged from said ratchet by contact between said vertical manipulating means and said pawl engagement means and while said vertical manipulating means remains engaged with said contact point.

An elevator system for a basketball backboard comprising, in combination,

• a parallelogram frame and a backboard connected to said frame,
• said parallelogram frame including
• first and second vertical, relatively parallel surfaces,
• upper and lower arms disposed in parallel relation one above the other and extending between said first and second surfaces, and
• means for pivotally connecting said arms to both of said vertical surfaces so that said first vertical surface is supported on said arms for vertical movement relative to said second vertical surface while maintaining said parallel relation between said first and second surfaces,
• a ratchet and pawl arrangement connected between one of said arms and one of said vertical surfaces so that said first vertical surface is freely movable upward relative to said second vertical surface in response to a vertical lifting force applied to said first vertical surface and is held in a selected vertical position when the vertical lifting force applied to said first vertical surface is removed,
• said ratchet including a plurality of ratchet teeth and connected to and movable with said one arm for pivotal movement relative to said first vertical surface,
• said pawl being pivotally connected to said first vertical surface and disposed for engagement with said ratchet teeth to hold said first vertical surface in a selected vertical position when said vertical lifting force is removed,
• means biasing said pawl toward selective engagement with said ratchet teeth depending upon the vertical position of said first vertical surface relative to said second vertical surface,
• a bell crank lever pivotally connected to said first vertical surface and operatively associated with said ratchet and pawl arrangement,
• means for connecting said bell crank lever to said pawl, pivotal movement of said bell crank operative to move said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet teeth,
• a contact point on said first vertical surface for receiving said vertical lifting force, and
• vertical manipulating means for applying said vertical lifting force at said contact point without positive disengagement of said pawl from said ratchet and for causing pivotal movement of said bell crank to positively disengage said pawl from said ratchet while said vertical manipulating means remains in engagement with said contact point.