On September 1, 1936, Alvie Sandberg received U.S. Patent No. D101090 on a Basketball Goal:

A week later, on September 8, 1936, Alvie received a utility patent, U.S. Patent No. 2,053,635, on the same invention. The improvement shown in both of his patents is attaching the net of the basketball goal underneath the rim. Previously, nets were tied directly to the rim.