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US 5,209,709 AGranted
Slidable hinge vaulting board
OwnerWaldorf C. Eyman, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vaulting device for use by a gymnast in vaulting comprising a top member connected to a base member, via a rigid control member and a movable pivot, with a plurality of resilient members positioned between the base member and the top member to bias the base member away from the top member. When the top member is compressed toward the base member, the control arm and the movable pivot combine with one another to cause the top member to move longitudinally relative to the base member during compression and expansion strokes of the vaulting device.
Claims20
A device, for use by a gymnast in vaulting, comprising:
- a base member defining a longitudinal axis;
- a top member being located adjacent said base member with resilient springs extending substantially perpendicularly from said base member and directly interconnecting a first end of said top member and a first end of said base member for biasing the first end of said top member away from a first end of said base member;
- means for retaining a second end of said top member adjacent a second end of said base member and for allowing said top member to pivot toward said base member and to slide along said axis relative to said base member during compression and expansion strokes of said device;
- and
- control means interconnecting said base member with said top member for controlling the relative sliding movement between said top member and said base member during the compression and the expansion strokes of said device.
2 more elements
A device, for use by a gymnast in vaulting, comprising:
- a base member defining a longitudinal axis;
- a top member being located adjacent said base member with resilient means connected to said top member and said base member for biasing said top member away from said base member;
- and
- slidable guide and pivot means connecting said top member to said base member for allowing said top member to pivot toward said base member and to slide along said axis relative to said base member during compression and expansion strokes of said device,
- wherein said slidable guide and pivot means comprises a rigid control arm and a slidable pivot,
- said control arm being pivotally attached to an inwardly facing surface of said top member and pivotally attached to an inwardly facing surface of said base member;
- said slidable pivot comprising a first member rigidly attached adjacent a transverse edge of one of said top and base members and a second member slidably connected adjacent a transverse edge of the other of said to and base members,
- said first member comprises a pivot support member securely fastened to an inwardly facing surface of a top member and containing three pivot extensions extending perpendicularly away from said top member, each pivot extension has a transverse pivot hole therein, and
- said second member is a slidable block having an aperture therein for receiving a said pivot extension and a means for connecting the pivot extension to the slidable block and allowing the pivot extension to pivot relative to the slidable block.
6 more elements
A device, for use by a gymnast in vaulting, comprising:
- a base member defining a longitudinal axis;
- a top member located adjacent said base member with resilient springs extending substantially perpendicularly from said base member and directly interconnecting said top member with said base member for biasing said top member away from said base member;
- a control arm pivotably attached to an inwardly facing surface of said top member and pivotably attached to a inwardly facing surface of said base member and slidably pivot means interconnecting a traverse edge of said top member and said base member for allowing a sliding and pivoting movement whereby said control arm and said pivot means allow said top member to pivot toward said base member as well as slide longitudinally along said axis relative to said base member during compression and expansion strokes of said device.
A method of operating a vaulting device to work in two planes comprising the steps of:
- providing a base member defining a longitudinal axis;
- locating a top member adjacent said base member;
- directly interconnecting a first end portion of said top member and a first end portion of said base member together with resilient springs, extending substantially perpendicularly from said base member, for biasing the first end portion of said top member away from said base member;
- securing a second end of said top member to a second end of said base member by means for allowing said top member to pivot toward said base member as well as to slide longitudinally along the axis relative to said base member during compression and expansion strokes of said device;
- interconnecting said base member with said top member by control means for controlling the relative sliding movement between said top member and said base member during the compression and the expansion strokes of said device;
- depressing said top member toward said base member against said bias of said resilient springs with said control means causing said top member to slide longitudinally along said axis relative to said base member;
- and
- allowing said top member to be biased away from said base member by said resilient springs and using the biasing energy to enhance a vaulters ability to tumble in flight when using the device.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.