GB2092013A - Skipping rope - Google Patents

Abstract

The skipping rope provides an improved swivelling action with much reduced friction between the rope and handles and has a rigid eye 12 with a threaded boss 13 inserted into the interior of each end of the rope, the eye being pivotally mounted on a projection on its corresponding handle comprising a low friction sleeve 15, two pairs 16, 17 of washers and a cap washer 18. The eye rotates readily on the sleeve without impediment, permitting speeds of up to 10 skips per second. The rope may comprise a length of hollow plastics material which can be cut to any required length and refitted by the user to suit his own height. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Skipping rope This invention relates to a skipping rope.

As is well known, a skipping rope usually comprises a pair of handles positioned one at each end of a "rope".

For the purposes of this specification, the term "rope" is intended to inciude rope, string, leather strip and any other suitable elongate and flexible material for use in skipping.

Traditional skipping ropes have wooden handles, and the rope is secured to each handle by being taken through an opening in one end of the handle, and then knotted to prevent withdrawal from the handle. While this type of skipping rope has proved generally satisfactory for many years, attempts have been made to improve the "swivel" action where the rope is joined to the handle.

In one arrangement, the rope end is taken through a collar which forms the inner race of a ball bearing which is mounted in the end of the handle. The rope end is knotted behind the collar, and the collar is able to rotate within the handle end in order to improve the swivelling action between each handle and the rope. However, there still tend to occur chafing between the rope and the handle, which causes wear of the rope and also slows down the rotation of the rope. Further, it is not an easy task for the customer to alter the length of rope, or to install a fresh rope, in view of the manner by which the rope end is secured within the handle.

In further arrangement, which is favoured for boxers, the "rope" comprises a narrow leather strip which is formed with a loop at each end. The loop is taken around a spindle on the end of a handle, and is held in position on the spindle between two large washers.

This arrangement suffers from the disadvantage that the length of the leather strip cannot readily be adjusted by the customer, so that the suppliers are required to stock different ranges of skipping rope to suit different heights of customer. Also, there tends to develop chafing between the strip and the washers which bears the strip and also slows it down.

Bearing in mind the increasing popularity of so-called speed-skipping, as well as the requirements of other users, there has developed a need to provide a skipping rope which (a) has improved swivelling action between the rope and handle, (b) mimises friction between the rope and handle and (c) provides easy adjustment by the customer of the length of the rope.

According to the invention there is provided a skipping rope comprising a length of elongate fiexible material, referred to hereinafter as a "rope", and a pair of handles provided one at each end of the rope; in which each rope end has a rigid eye which is pivotally mounted on a projection provided on a corresponding handle.

To enable the length of rope.to be adjusted to meet customer requirements, it is preferred that the rope comprises a length of hollow plastics material which can be cut to any required length, and each eye has a threaded boss which is rotated into the interior of the corresponding end of the rope.

The projection provided on each handle may comprise a low friction sleeve on which the eye rotates, and a pair of small washers (of diameter up to 1 + times the diameter of the sleeve) provided one at each end of the sleeve. The projection may be mounted on a handle end by a threaded fastener such as a screw, taken through the sleeve and the washers and into the end of the handle. In order to mask the head end of the screw, a cap washer may be provided in which the head of the screw is seated, the cap washer having a closable lid for covering the head of the screw.

One embodiment of skipping rope according to the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing.

The skipping rope comprises a length of hollow plastics material 10 having a handle at each end. Only a single handle 11 is shown at one end of the rope 10, but is should be understood that a similar handle 11, or another handle, will be provided at the other end of the rope.

The rope 10, being made of plastics material, can readily be cut to any required length, and a rigid eye 12 having a threaded boss 1 3 is inserted into the interior of the end 1 4 of the rope 10. The eye 1 2 is pivotally mounted on a projection provided on one end of the handle 11, and comprised by a low friction sleeve 1 5, a pair of small diameter washers 1 6 provided one at each end of the sleeve 15, a pair of larger washers 17 and a cap washer 18.

The projection is mounted releasably on the end of the handle 11 by means of a threaded fastener in the form of screw 1 9 which is taken through the washers and the sleeve and into the end of the handle 11. The cap washer 1 8 forms a seating for the head 20 of the screw 19, and the head 20 is masked by a closable lid 21 which snap fits into the washer 18.

It has been found in tests that a skipping rope as illustrated in the drawing can operate very satisfactorily and at high speeds e.g. up to 10 skips per second. The rigid eye 1 2 rotates very readily on the sleeve 15, and its rotation is not impeded in any way. Further, the arrangement of the sleeve and the washers do not impede the rotation of the rope 10, neither is there any significant amount of chafing during rotation. In particular, as will be seen in the drawing, each washer 1 6 has a bevelled edge 1 6 a which provides smooth engagement with the eye 12, and allows the washer, on occasion, to engage wholly or partiy within the eye 1 2 in order to improve the rotation of the eye.

Claims (11)

1. A skipping rope which has improved swivelling action between the rope and handles.

2. A skipping rope as claimed in Claim 1 which minimises friction between rope and handles.

3. A skipping rope as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 which provides easy adjustment by the customer of the length of the rope.

4. A skipping rope comprising each rope end has a rigid eye which is pivotally mounted on a projection provided on a corresponding handle to produce the effect declared in Claims 1, 2 and 3.

5. A skipping rope as claimed in Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, which can be easily adjusted in length to meet customer requirements.

6. A skipping rope, comprising a length of hollow material and eye, with threaded boss at either end which is rotated into the interior of the corresponding end of the rope, which can be cut to any required length and easily refitted by the customer

7. A skipping rope, as claimed in Claim 4 wherein a projection provided on each handle comprises a low friction sleeve on which the eye rotates and a pair of small washers provided one at each end of the sleeve.

8. A skipping rope, as claimed in any preceding claim whereby the projection is mounted on a handle end by a threaded fastener such as a screw taken through the sleeve and washers and into the end of the handle.

9. A skipping rope as claimed in Claim 7 wherein a cap washer, in order to mask the head end of the screw is provided in which the head end of the screw is seated, the cap washer having a closable lid for covering the head of the screw.

10. A skipping rope, substantiaily as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing.

11. A skipping rope as claimed in any preceding claim in combination with a rope, preferably hollow, suitable for use therewith, wherein the rope comprises of either manmade or natural fibres.