Portable ballet bar with adjustable bracing means

• US 4,126,307 A
• Filed: 06/15/1977
• Issued: 11/21/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William F. Stevenson
• Original Assignee: William F. Stevenson
• Inventors: Stevenson, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkham, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Browne, William R.
• Application Number:
  US05/806,740
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 272/109, 272/62, 272/63, 272/DIG. 4, 272/93, 272/112, 248/206 R, 248/363, 362/397
• US Class Current: 482/39
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 1/00 Horizontal bars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/055 used for fixing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/25 Suction cups involved

Abstract

A support structure for assisting an exercising dancer in maintaining her balance has vertical legs which support a horizontal rail. The legs are telescopic and adjustable as to length. Suction cups are pivotally mounted on bracing members which are adjustable lengthwise and circumferentially of the legs. The cups can be clamped to surfaces disposed at an angle to the floor on which the legs rests, or to a surface parallel to the floor, and thus lend support to the rail.

Claims

1. A support structure comprising:

a hand rail;

a pair of upright legs connectable to said hand rail to support said rail above a first support surface;

a pair of bracing members carried by said pair of legs, respectively, each of said bracing members including an inner extremity means and an outer extremity means, said inner extremity means being rotatable about and adjustably movable along the length of the associated one of said pair of legs whereby said inner extremity means is adapted for in the direction of any one of a variety of second positioning so as to orient said outer extremity means support surfaces located at different distances and angular orientations relative to a first support surface; and

a suction cup pivotally mounted on each of said bracing members for releasably engaging the selected second support surface whereby said pair of bracing members provide constraint against lateral tipping of said pair of legs.

2. A support structure comprising:

a horizontal hand rail;

a pair of elongated, upright legs connectable to said hand rail to support said hand rail a suitable distance above a floor;

a pair of bracing members associated with said pair of legs, respectively, each having an inner extremity and an outer extremity, each said inner extremity being formed into a ring means for encircling the associated one of said legs; and

a suction cup pivotally secured to said outer extremity of each said bracing member for releasably engaging a wall or other support surface, said ring means of each of said pair of bracing members being longitudinally slidable along the length of the associated one of said pair of legs whereby, upon engagement of said wall by each said suction cup, longitudinal slidable movement of each said ring means tends to wedge each said ring means against the associated one of said legs and prevent further relative movement therebetween in any direction.

3. A support structure as claimed in claim 2, in which said hand rail has longitudinally spaced threaded members, and each of said pair of legs has a correspondingly threaded upper end for engaging one of said threaded members.

4. A support structure as claimed in claim 2, in which the lower end of each of said pair of legs is fitted with an anti-skid pad.