Bearing and support
First Claim
1. A bearing support for use by the gymnast comprising a structural member provided for embracing its user, said structural member being resilient in content and having upper and lower edges, a series of keepers provided spacedly around the proximate upper and lower edges of said structural member, a pair of races, one of each race being held by the keepers associated with the upper and lower member edges, at least a pair of bearings operatively associated with the races of said support, each bearing composing a pair of rotatable members, each pair of members being rotatable about a common axis and capable of simultaneously turning in opposite directions, a shaft having the members rotatably mounted thereon and providing a common axis about which the said members turn, bearing means arranged intermediate the rotatable members and their shaft to facilitate the turning of said members therearound, and padding provided upon the inner surface of the structural member of the support, said padding furnishing cushioning of the gymnast from the operative components of said structural member.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a bearing and support for use either as a bearing, per se, or as a bearinged support for other items and incorporating the bearing of this invention; the bearing includes at least a pair of rotatable members that rotate or counter-rotate about a common axis, a shaft supporting the rotatable members for rotation about its common axis; roller, ball, sleeve, or other forms of bearings disposed between the rotatable members and the shaft to facilitate the rotation of the members therearound; a structural member incorporating a series of keepers upon its upper and lower edges and which retain races or tracks, and being disposed for having one of the rotatable members associated thereon to provide a bearing suspended support for holding other items, or the body of a person. The bearinged support may be of a circular or of a nonannular design, to carry both radial and thrust loads, thereby increasing its various uses, which include, among other concepts, the application of the support for use in conjunction with gymnastic equipment, such as to provide safety during usage of the horizontal bar, balance beam, the trampoline, or even during tumbling, and in addition, the support has usage for facilitating the plight of the invalid. Furthermore, the invention can be used as a bearing to support both radial and thrust loads, can be used in cams, machinery, dollies, manufacturing transfer machines, conveyors, and safety equipment, among other items. A crossarm for movement along a track provides the overhead structure for holding the bearinged support at a variable or fixed disposition therebelow, as during use of the support for one of the aforesaid purposes. The structural member and its races of the support are separable, being held together by means of an adjustable bridging member, thereby advancing the state of the art by allowing the opening up of the bearing races and wrapping the assembly around the shaft, body or load, and by use of the adjustable bridge draw the assembly and load into continuous contact through a tightening and locking the bridge.
-
Citations
31 Claims
- 1. A bearing support for use by the gymnast comprising a structural member provided for embracing its user, said structural member being resilient in content and having upper and lower edges, a series of keepers provided spacedly around the proximate upper and lower edges of said structural member, a pair of races, one of each race being held by the keepers associated with the upper and lower member edges, at least a pair of bearings operatively associated with the races of said support, each bearing composing a pair of rotatable members, each pair of members being rotatable about a common axis and capable of simultaneously turning in opposite directions, a shaft having the members rotatably mounted thereon and providing a common axis about which the said members turn, bearing means arranged intermediate the rotatable members and their shaft to facilitate the turning of said members therearound, and padding provided upon the inner surface of the structural member of the support, said padding furnishing cushioning of the gymnast from the operative components of said structural member.
- 8. A bearing support for use for holding an item comprising a structural member provided for embracing said item, said structural member being resilient in content and having upper and lower edges, a series of keepers provided spacedly around the proximate upper and lower edges of said structural member, a pair of races, one of each race being held by the keepers associated with the upper and lower member edges, at least a pair of bearings operatively associated with the races of said support, each bearing comprising a pair of rotatable members, each pair of members being rotatable about a common axis and capable of simultaneously turning in opposite directions, a shaft having the members rotatably mounted thereon and providing the common axis about which the said members turn, bearing means arranged intermediate the rotable members and their shaft to facilitate the turning of said members therearound, said structural member being separable to allow its installation upon the item, fastening means operatively associated with said member to secure its separate ends together as during usage, said fastening means includes a bridging member, said bridging member securing to one separate end of the said structural member, the other end of the structural member being slidably and removably insertable within the bridging member when the support is secured, said briding member including race embracing members, the upper and lower races at one end being retained by the embracing members, the other ends of the races being aligned for snug insertion and adjustable securement within their race embracing members, and a fastener holding the said removable races securely within their bridging member.
- 21. A bearinged support for use for holding a gymnast comprising a structural member provided for embracing the gymnast, said structural member being resilient in content and having upper and lower edges, a series of keepers provided spacedly around the proximate upper and lower edges of said structural member, a pair of races, one of each race being held by the keepers associated with the upper and lower member edges, at least a pair of bearings operatively associated with the races of said support, each bearing comprising a pair of rotatable members, each pair of members being rotatable about a common axis and capable of simultaneously turning in opposite directions, a shaft having the members rotatably mounted thereon and providing the common axis about which the said members turn, bearing means arranged intermediate the rotatable members and their shaft to facilitate the turning of said members therearound, said structural member is separable to allow its installation upon the gymnast, fastening means operatively associated with said member to secure its separate ends together as during usage, said support being designed for use by the gymnast while functioning upon a horizontal bar, a cable operatively connected with each bearing and extending angularly away therefrom for connection proximate an end of the said horizontal bar, whereby the gymnast is allowed to maneuver through a variety of motion with respect to said bar and to maintain a reachable distance from the same in the event that a hand grip is lost.
- 25. A bearinged support for use for holding a gymnast comprising a structural member provided for embracing said gymnast, said structural member being resilient in content, and having upper and lower edges, a series of keepers provided spacedly around the proximate upper and lower edges of said structural member, a pair of races, one of each race being held by the keepers associated with the upper and lower member edges, at least a pair of bearings operatively associated with the races of said support, each bearing comprising a pair of rotatable members, each pair of members being rotatable about a common axis and capable of simultaneously turning in opposite directions, a shaft having the members rotatably mounted thereon and providing a common axis about which the said members turn, bearing means arranged intermediate the rotatable members and their shaft to facilitate the turning of said members therearound, said structural member is separable to allow its installation upon the gymnast, fastening means operatively associated with said member to secure its separate ends together as during usage, said support being designed for use by the gymnast while tumbling, a supported track suspended above the area of tumbling activity, a crossarm roller mounted for movement along said track, a series of cables, one of each cable operatively associated with a support bearing and extending angularly away therefrom for connection with the crossarm, whereby the gymnast is allowed to maneuver through a variety of tumbling motions with freedom from experiencing a fall.
Specification