GB1569538A - Skipping ropes - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO SKIPPING ROPES (71) We, JOSEPH FRANCIS VERMIGLIO, British Nationality of 63 Melling Way, Old Hall Street, Kirby, Merseyside, and ALEX ANDER CHESHIRE, British Nationality of, 516 Pensby Road, Thingwall, Wirral, Merseyside, formely of 67 Bidston Road, Anfield, Liverpool, Merseyside, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to so-called skipping ropes and is particularly applicable to skipping ropes for use in onerous conditions e.g. by athletes, such as boxers, during training.

Conventional skipping ropes. in which the rope enters the handle axially, are generally unsatisfactory for such conditions and fail after a relatively short time, either by breaking of the rope due to flexing and twisting adjacent the handle or, where the rone is securel to a ball bearing in the handle, excessive wear of the bearing due to the axial loading.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate or at least mitigate these problems.

According to the present invention there is provided a skipping rope comprising a length of leather. hemp, nylon or other suitable flexible material (hereinafter referred to for convenience as "rope") having at each end a loop secured to a handle for rotation of the loop in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the handle.

The handle may comprise an elongate member having a portion to serve as a hand grip and a further portion, preferably inte gral therewith, having a circumferential groove to receive the loop. Especially where the grooved portion is integral with the handle, the loop may readily be formed by looping the rope itself around the groove and securing its end say by a suitable clip or crimping member.

The base of the groove may be radiussed to provide a bearing surface particularly where the loop is of a circular section.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a handle for a skipping rope and Figures 2 and 3 are fragmentary detail views illustrating how the rope is secured to the handle.

Referring to the drawings, a skipping rope handle 10 has a handgrip portion 11 having a spherical end 12 and at its other end an integral enlarged portion 13 defined by circumferential recess or groove 14, the bottom of which is radiussed at 15 to form a bearing surface for a loop 16 formed at the end of the rope 17. It will be appreciated that similar handles are provided at each end of the rope. It has been found that where the rope is leather it is sufficient merely to form the end of the rope into a loop around the bottom of the groove and secure its end by a crimping clip 18.

It will be appreciated that the above described embodiment is cheap and easy to make yet may be modified in various ways within the scope of the invention. For example the endmost portion 19 of the handle might be separable from the handgrip at the grooved portion to allow the loop to be formed before fitting it onto the handle, the separable end portion 19 being then fastened to the handgrip in any convenient way, such as a snap or screwed connection to secure the loop in position. It is also envisaged that the loop may comprise a metal or other ring or thimble to, or around, which the rope end is secured.

Whilst the handles may readily be turned in wood and are especially comfortable in use, it is envisaged that they could conveniently be moulded in synthetic plastics material, again with integral or separable end portions.

When skipping ropes embodying the invention are in use the handles can be held generally stationary relative to the body of the user and extending outwards from his sides. The loops, and hence the rope, rotate freely with little or no undue flexing, even at the high speeds of skipping attained by trained athletes, and so are relatively reliable and long lasting.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A skipping rope wherein the rope has at each end a loop secured to a handle for rotation of the loop in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the handle.

2. A skipping rope as claimed in claim 1. wherein each handle comprises an elongate member having a portion serving as a hand grip and a further portion defining a circumferential groove to receive the loop.

3. A skipping rope as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bottom of the groove is of curved section to provide a bearing surface for the loop.

4. A skipping rope as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the further portion is integral with the first-mentioned portion.

5. A skipping rope as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherem the circumferential groove is defined between separable portions of the handle.

6. A skipping rope as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the loop comprises the end portion of the rope looped around the groove.

7. A skipping rope as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the end portion of the rope is secured to or around a ring or thimble in the groove.

8. A skipping rope as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the rope is made of leather.

9. A skipping rope substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. use, it is envisaged that they could conveniently be moulded in synthetic plastics material, again with integral or separable end portions. When skipping ropes embodying the invention are in use the handles can be held generally stationary relative to the body of the user and extending outwards from his sides. The loops, and hence the rope, rotate freely with little or no undue flexing, even at the high speeds of skipping attained by trained athletes, and so are relatively reliable and long lasting. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A skipping rope wherein the rope has at each end a loop secured to a handle for rotation of the loop in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the handle.

2. A skipping rope as claimed in claim 1. wherein each handle comprises an elongate member having a portion serving as a hand grip and a further portion defining a circumferential groove to receive the loop.

3. A skipping rope as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bottom of the groove is of curved section to provide a bearing surface for the loop.

4. A skipping rope as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the further portion is integral with the first-mentioned portion.

5. A skipping rope as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherem the circumferential groove is defined between separable portions of the handle.

6. A skipping rope as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the loop comprises the end portion of the rope looped around the groove.

7. A skipping rope as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the end portion of the rope is secured to or around a ring or thimble in the groove.

8. A skipping rope as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the rope is made of leather.

9. A skipping rope substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.