Sept. 18,1928.
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M. H. WINKLER
TEN YARD‘ LINE
Filed July 12, 1927
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1,684,566
1,684,566
Patented Sept. 18, 1928. _
' UNITED, STATES PATENT ‘OFFICE;
MOSES H. WINKLER, or MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI,
TEN-YARD LINE.
Application ?led. July 12, 1927. Serial N0. 205,112.
This invention has reference to n ensuring ed to be supported in upright position by hav
- devices used in football games, consisting of
what is known as a ‘.‘ten yard line”, and its
objects are to easily determine the exact 10
cat-ion of the ball; to obtain a precise knowl
edge of distance so necessary under the cir
cumst-ances, to aid in the measuring. off of a
penalty, to facilitate the duties vof a hnesman,
and, to insure proper placement or replace
‘ment of the ball.
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ing its pointed end thrust into the ground‘in
the customary manner.
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The tape case 2 may be of any suitable
weather proof material and is suitably fas~
tenedto pole 1 by a bolt or screw 7. ‘Any con
ventional tape reel may be employed in this
vconnection ‘but for the purposes of the inven
tion the tape 3 ismarked on its upper side in
feet and inches, as seen at 8, and on its lower
side in yards, as seen at 9. - The tape is adapt
Heretofore, it hasbeen customary for a ten
yard line to consist merely of two uprights ed to unroll from the casev through opening
connected by a chain, cord, or rope, etc.,'w1th 10 and its free end is provided‘ with a ring 11
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no provision for obtaining any exaetness-as for ‘engagement with the snap hook 5 of the
regards the intermediate‘distances. birch has pole 1“. lVhen not in use the tape is with
led to ugly situations arising in the midst of drawn into the case by turning the reel ha-n- <
the confusion prevalent during a foot-ball
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game, makes the official the sole Judge of de
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During the progress of a game, the ten yard
termining distance, and has been the cause‘of line is positioned on one side of the playing
much dissatisfaction on the part of players, ?eld and is brought into useimmediately upon
officials, and spectators alike. However, by the?rst play or“down” ;one of the polesbeing
having at hand the means for measuring re
placed in parallel alignment with thevfootball ‘
quired distances such unpleasantness may be and the other‘ at a point ten yards distant
avoided and the exact distance determlned.
from the ball in advancerof the latter. The
WVith the above and further objects in view‘, tape, having been previously connected to
the invention consists in the novel arrange pole 1a, is therefore stretched to its intended
ment, construction, and combination of parts length and the arrangement is such that the
hereinafter described, and as illustrated in line measures exactly ten yards from point of
_ - pole to point of
As is generally known,
Figure 1 is an elevation of a ten yard line it is the primarypole.‘
object
of the attacking team,
constructed in accordance with the lnven or that team having possession of the ball, to
advance the same ten yards or from pole to
.Figure 2, a detail view illustrating the man pole in an allotted number of “downs” against
ner of a?ixing the measuring tape to one of the resistance of the opposing or resisting
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the accompanying drawing, wherein:
tion,
the poles, and
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team. Not infrequently, the'advancement or
Figure 3, a detail view of the measuring set back of the ball is due to a penalty in?ict
tape showing fragmentary portions of the ed on either team as prescribed for in the
tape in top and bottom plan.
Figure 4 is a detail view on. an enlarged
scale of the lower portion of one of the poles.
The ten yard line consists of two standards
or poles, such as indicated at 1 and 1a respec
tively. . Both are preferably of the same
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rules governing the game and in measuring
off the distance required in either case the re
sult has heretofore been obtained by the ofli
cial merely pacing off the distance, which is at
best but an approximate measurement. Since
suchppenalties are usually in the nature of a
structure, length, and material with the ex loss or gain in distance and may have an
ception that pole 1 1s cut away above 1ts important bearing on the outcome of the
lower end to accommodate the circular case 2 game, an exact determination of the ‘distance
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in which is housed the measuring tape 3, while is desirable. Moreover, it is necessary after
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pole 1a is cut away, as shown at 4, to provide each “quarter” or period into which the time
a notch in which is anchored a conventlonal of play is divided to changethe location of
snap hook 5. The snap hook is anchored, in the ball from one part ofthe field to another
the notclnvas seen in Figure 5, by one or more and to so place it in its new location that its
staples 16 driven into the pole 1‘“*, as shown, position relative to the ?eld of play corre
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and having the ring 17 of the snap hook loose sponds to its formerposition. This too has‘
ly engaged therewith. Each pole has a point resulted in but mere guess .work‘in determin-v
ed metal tip 6 secured by tacks 18 or other ing the new location due to a lack of proper
means about its lower extremity, and is adapt measuring instruments. With the present in
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1,684,566
vention, however, guess work is eliminated said ease and adapted to uprpll thepefrom,
and exact measurements are determined by and a fastener anchored lrn the notch of the
the tape which can be readily detached from second pole and adapted to engage the free
pole 1a; the latter being left in its position end of the tape for detziohably securing ‘the
as a marker to prevent error as to the original I latter to said second
po e.
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location of the ten‘ yard line. The special ‘ 2-,, If; a ten yard line for football games,
markings on the tape permit measurements to a pole having a ground-penetrating end and a
be made in yards and feet, and fractions, cut out. above seidend, a tape case fastened
thereof.
to the pole Within the cut out thereof, and a '
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i‘ The line poles 1 and 1‘1 may be marked with ‘ tape within the said ease and adaptedfto un- '
colors, as shown-at 15. ‘ a
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3. In a ten yard" line ior .‘feothall games
By providing a tape so mounted between
line poles as hereinbefore set forth, all guess oomprising two poles, web of which is point
, work on the part of o?ieials is done away with ed at one ‘end ‘whereby itis adapted to be sup
roll
therefrom.
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ported in upright sition by having ibS
pointed
end thrust into‘ the grenade tape
assured without the need of other than the ten
' andexaetness, when necessary, will elways‘be
yardiline.
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.line, ‘a tape reel ‘for, said line mounted on one
Les edjaeent. ‘its grounde ‘ aging '7
end, an means on the other pole a jacent
Having thus described ‘the invention, what of said
I claim asmy invention is v:‘ t
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51; A ten yard line for foot ball games oom
thedgmund-engaging endior
and
prising two poles havingpointed ends, one of ho'l ing the free end of the tape line. ‘ ‘ ‘
said poles having a cutout above its pointed I In testimony whereoai I have e?ixed ‘my
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end and the‘ other pole havinga notch above ‘signature. ‘
its pointed end, a tape ease fastened in‘the
25 anyone ofv the ?rst pole, a tape within‘ the
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Moses n. .wmmm