Balance beam with reflex mechanism

• US 5,037,086 A
• Filed: 04/30/1990
• Issued: 08/06/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Russell Brands LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American Sports International Ltd. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Strand, Vincent T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/516,808
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 272/103, 272/109, 272/64, 272/144, 272/111, 269/310, 248/560, 248/573, 248/580, 248/581, 248/624, 248/160, 5/11, 5/63, 5/65, 108/116, 108/117, 108/127, 108/144, 108/145
• US Class Current: 482/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 4/00 Balance beams

Abstract

A balance beam is disclosed which utilizes a conventional beam member with conventional support legs wherein the upper ends of the support legs are mounted in a bracket secured to the lower surface of the beam. The bracket has spaced elongated angularly disposed slots in which a transverse pin is mounted. The pin is also secured to the upper ends of the leg members. A spring mechanism is secured to the bracket and engages the upper end of the leg member to hold the pin and the upper end of the leg member in a position at the upper end of the slots. When the gymnast lands on the beam, the weight of the gymnast causes the spring mechanism to compress which permits the pin in the upper ends of the leg members to move downwardly in the slots to partially absorb the impact of the gymnast'"'"'s weight. The immediate recovery of the spring imparts some impetus to the gymnast as the gymnastic routine is continued immediately after the moment of impact. At the moment of impact, the beam moves from a first horizontal position to a slightly lower horizontal position as the pin moves downwardly in the slots as the compression spring is compressed.

Claims

1. A gymnastic device comprising:

an elongated substantially rigid body member upon which a gymnast will perform, having upper and lower surfaces,

a support means to hold the body member in an elevated substantially horizontal position, comprising spaced apart elongated rigid leg members extending from a floor support surface upwardly towards the lower surface of said body member,

a separate bracket member connecting an upper end of each leg member to the lower surface of said body member,

connection means on each of said bracket members to permit said leg members to engage said brackets at a first upper position on said brackets to support said body member in a first horizontal position, and to permit said leg member to move with respect to said brackets to a second and slightly lower horizontal position on said brackets to support said body member in a second and slightly lower horizontal position, and

resilient means on said brackets yieldingly holding said body member in said first horizontal position but permitting said body member to move towards said second and slightly lower horizontal position when said body member is impacted by the weight of a gymnast performing thereon.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said body member is a balance beam.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said leg members pivot about their point of engagement with said floor surface as said body member moves from said first horizontal position to said second and lower horizontal position.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said bracket members are U-shaped and have a top portion engaging the lower surface of said body member, and opposite parallel spaced side members extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said body member, angularly disposed parallel elongated slots having upper and lower ends in said side members, the upper ends of said leg members extending into the space between said side members, a transverse pin slidably mounted in and having opposite ends slidably mounted in said slots, said pins being connected to the upper ends of said leg members extending into the space between said side members, said pins normally dwelling in the upper ends of said slots when said body member is in said first position.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said body member is a balance beam.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein said leg members pivot about their point of engagement with said floor surface as said body member moves from said first horizontal position to said second and lower horizontal position.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said resilient means is a compression spring.

8. The device of claim 4 wherein said resilient means is a compression spring.

9. The device of claim 4 wherein said resilient means is a compression spring mounted on said bracket and operative with the upper end of the leg members extending into the space between said side members to yieldingly hold said pins in the upper ends of said slots.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein a spring pin is slidably mounted on each of said brackets, said spring pin dwelling in substantially the same plane as the upper ends of said leg members, said spring pins having upper and lower ends with said upper ends thereof normally engaging the upper ends of said leg members, a compression spring member around each of said spring pins and normally holding said spring pins into yielding engagement with said upper ends of said leg members to hold said body member in said first horizontal position.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein lock means are on said brackets and being operative with said leg members to permit said leg members to be selectively locked against movement with respect to said brackets.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said body member is a balance beam.