Athlete's long jump pit

A landing pit assembly for absorbing the momentum of a jumping athlete having a substantial horizontal velocity vector, comprising:

• elongate, stationary, soft pad means extending horizontally in the direction of said horizontal velocity vector for deforming on impact of said athlete, the deformation thereby produced moving horizontally within said pad means to absorb the horizontal momemtum of said athlete;
• thin lightweight, horizontally movable sheet means, having a lower surface for sliding on the upper surface of said pad means, and an upper surface contiguous with said lower surface for being impacted by said athlete for permitting said athlete to slide on said pad means after landing thereon, said sheet means weighing substantially less than said athlete and being deformable by the impact of said athlete thereon, the deformation thereby produced being stationary relative said sheet means;
• the horizontal movement of said sheet means and the deformation therein imparting the horizontal movement to the deformation in said pad means for controllably absorbing a substantial portion of said athlete's horizontal momentum in a manner which closely simulates the momentum-absorbing properties of a loose sand landing pit by protecting said athlete from injuries which would result from landing on a landing element that is too hard or too soft, or that slides too easily or not easily enough;
• and
• said assembly including means to enable recording of the impact position of said athlete.

A landing pit assembly for absorbing the horizontal and vertical momentum of a long jumper, comprising:

• a foam cushion;
• thin, lightweight sheet means on said cushion and separate and dissimilar from said cushion for sliding horizontally on impact by said jumper, said sheet means being directly impacted by said jumper;
• said foam cushion controllably absorbing energy from said movable sheet means to controllably absorb the horizontal momentum of said long jumper on said impact, said energy absorbing means decelerating said jumper for protecting said long jumper from injuries;
• and
• means to enable recording of the impact position of the jumper.

A landing pit assembly for long jumpers and like athletes, comprising:

• flat, stationary cushioning means, for deforming on impact of said athlete, the deformation thereby produced moving horizontally within said cushioning means;
• thin, lightweight, horizontally movable sheet means, having a lower surface slidably positioned on top of said cushioning means and separate and dissimilar therefrom, and an upper surface for engagement with said athlete, said sheet means being deformable on impact by said athlete, the deformation thereby produced being stationary relative said sheet means;
• the horizontal movement of said sheet means and the deformation therein imparting a directly underlying horizontal movement of the deformation in said stationary cushioning means, said movement of said cushioning means deformation absorbing a substantial portion of the horizontal momentum of said athlete;
• and
• means to enable recording of the impact position of the athlete.

A landing pit for athletic competition in the long jump or other event wherein a long jumper is trying to jump a horizontal distance which is much greater than the vertical distance of the jump, comprising:

• large, elongate, flat cushioning for deforming on impact of said horizontally moving jumper to absorb the horizontal momentum of said jumper;
• thin lightweight, horizontally movable sheet means having a lower surface for sliding easily on said cushion means, and an upper surface for being engaged by said long jumper to permit him to slide horizontally along the top of said cushioning means when he lands thereon, said sheet means being smaller in area than said cushion means;
• and
• elastic means attached to an edge of said sheet means for restraining sliding motion of said sheet means relative said cushion means and thereby partially absorbing the momentum of said long jumper.