Balance beam

• US 5,885,189 A
• Filed: 10/31/1997
• Issued: 03/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Russell Brands LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American Sports International Ltd. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Squibb, Neal C., Lane, Mark R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YU, JUSTINE ROMANG
• Application Number:
  US08/961,479
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 482/38, 482/39, 482/41, 482/34, 482/35, 482/36, 482/23, 108/117, 108/118, 108/116, 248/560
• US Class Current: 482/38
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0063 Shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 4/00 Balance beams

Abstract

A balance beam has an elongated beam member having opposite ends, a center portion, a top and a bottom, with legs on the bottom thereof adjacent the ends. Each leg has an upper and a lower end. A resilient support assembly is mounted within the elongated beam adjacent the ends thereof with each support assembly having a depending clevis extending downwardly therefrom with each clevis being pivotally secured to one of the upper ends of the legs. The legs extend downwardly and outwardly from the support assembly in the plane of the beam member so that the lower ends thereof dwell substantially under the ends of the beam member. Elongated links are pivotally secured by their ends to one end of the beam and one end of each of the legs to hold the beam member in an erected elevated horizontal position. Each leg has an upper portion that extends downwardly and outwardly from the clevis, and a lower portion that extends downwardly and outwardly from the upper portion, with the upper and lower portions having center axes forming an obtuse angle with respect to each other. The resilient support assembly is positioned within the beam and has two end blocks rigidly secured to the beam. An intermediate block is slidably mounted between the end blocks and is associated with the clevis. The resilient element is located between the intermediate block and the end block nearest the center portion of the beam member so that when a vertical force is applied downwardly on the top of the beam, the resilient element will yieldingly resist the sliding of the intermediate block towards the center portion. The legs on the beam are vertically adjustable and have an assist spring interposed between telescoping portions of the legs to assist the lifting of the beam during the height adjustment process.

Claims

1. A balance beam, comprising,

an elongated beam member having opposite ends, a center portion, a top and a bottom,

legs on the bottom of said beam member adjacent the ends thereof,

each leg having an upper end and a lower end,

a pair of resilient support assemblies mounted within said elongated beam adjacent the ends thereof and each having a depending clevis extending downwardly therefrom with each clevis being pivotally secured to one of the upper ends of said legs, each of said support assemblies having two end blocks rigidly secured to said beam member, an intermediate block sidably mounted between said end blocks and associated with said clevis, and a resilient element being located between said intermediate block and the end block nearest the center portion of said beam member so that when a vertical force is applied downwardly on the top of said beam, said resilient element will yieldingly resist the sliding of said intermediate block towards said center portion,

said legs extending downwardly and outwardly from said support assembly in a vertical plane of said beam member so that the lower ends of said legs dwell substantially under the ends of the beam member, and

elongated links pivotally secured by their ends to one end of said beam and to one or each of said legs to hold said beam member in an erected elevated horizontal position.

2. The beam of claim 1 wherein each leg has an upper portion that extends downwardly and outwardly from the clevis, and a lower portion that extends downwardly and outwardly from said upper portion, with said upper and lower portions having center axes forming an obtuse angle with respect to each other.

3. The beam of claim 1 wherein said legs are length adjustable.

4. The beam of claim 1 wherein beam member is slightly resilient, and said support assembly has said resilient element which permits the upper ends of said legs to move resiliently horizontally towards said center portion when said beam member is loaded and deflected by the weight of a gymnast.

5. The beam of claim 1 wherein said endblocks are rigidly secured to a base plate which is rigidly secured to the bottom of said beam, with said plate having an opening therein through which said clevis extends.

6. The beam of claim 1 wherein the deflection of said beam in a downwardly direction caused by a person performing therefrom will cause the upper ends of said legs to move horizontally toward said center portion.

7. The beam of claim 1 wherein said legs are hollow, a floor engaging member has a rigid hollow tube slidable in said legs, registerable apertures in said legs and said hollow tube, a pin extending through a pair of registerable apertures to hold said legs in a selected elevation, and a releasable lock bolt extending through an aperture in said leg to bind said hollow tube within said leg.

8. The beam of claim 7 wherein a sleeve is located within said hollow tube to limit the degree of penetration of said pin through said pair of registering apertures.

9. The beam of claim 8 wherein an elongated coiled assist spring extends from the bottom of each spring to an upper closed end of said sleeve, said spring being in a compressed condition at all times to exert an upper force on said beam member through said leg member to facilitate the height adjustment of said leg when said pin is penetrating other pairs of registering apertures.