GB2204502A

GB2204502A - Support frames for karate boards

Info

Publication number: GB2204502A
Application number: GB08710507A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Timothy Warwick Ward; Peter Bird
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-05-02
Filing date: 1987-05-02
Publication date: 1988-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 2007-05-02
Also published as: GB2204502B; GB8710507D0

Abstract

A frame has spaced support rails (19, 20) carried on respective pairs of legs (10 to 13), locating devices (22, 26) being slidably mounted in two of the legs, the devices having abutment surfaces (23, 24, 25) to hold one or more boards (18) on one support rail (19). Preferably, a strap (27) is provided to hold the or each board (18) against the other rail (20). The boards (18) may have a jointed timber construction and be intended for use in karate. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: "Support Frame" Description of Invention The present invention relates to a frame suitable for supporting a board which is to be used in karate. One of the activities in the sport of karate is fracturing a board by a blow of the hand. For this purpose, the board is required to be supported with a space beneath the board and one object of the present invention is provide a convenient support for the board.

According to the invention there is provided a frame comprising a base, legs which extend upwardly from the base and have at the same height mutually spaced support means presenting upwardly facing support surfaces on which a flat board can rest with the board horizontal and comprising locating means having abutment surfaces lying above the level of the support surfaces and facing respectively horizontally and downwards for engaging a marginal portion of a board, when the board is resting on the support means.

It will be understood that references herein to the directions in which support surfaces and abutment surfaces face and are spaced apart refer to the frame standing on a horizontal floor with the base lowermost. The locating means may serve to control the position of the board both prior to fracture and during fracture of the board. Thus, when the board is placed on the frame, it can be pushed against horizontally facing abutment surfaces of the locating means and during fracturing of the board by a blow, when portions of the board may tend to rise, upward movement of the board is controlled by engagement of the board with downwardly facing surfaces of the locating means.

The locating means is preferably movable relative to the base to accommodate boards of different thicknesses or stacks of boards resting on the support surfaces.

The support means are preferably in the form of a pair of rectilinear, mutually parallel rails. The locating means may be disposed adjacent to one of the rails whilst there is provided for holding a board down on to the other of the rails an adjustable holding means. The holding means conveniently has the form of a strap.

There is also provided in accordance with the invention a combination comprising a frame embodying the invention and one or more boards supported on the frame.

An example of a frame embodying the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows a frame supporting a stack of boards, the stack being partly broken away for the purpose of illustration.

The frame illustrated in the drawing comprises four legs 10 to 13 which extend upwardly from a base. In the example illustrated, the base comprises two separately formed limbs 14 and 15 which are spaced from each other.

Each of the limbs 14 and 15 is rectilinear, is disposed horizontally and rests on a horizontal floor. The legs 10 and II extend vertically upwardly from opposite ends of the limb 14 whilst the legs 12 and 13 extend vertically upwardly from opposite ends of the limb 15. The leg 10 is connected directly to the leg 12 by a horizontal brace 16 and the leg I I is connected directly to the leg 13 by a horizontal brace 17. It will be understood that the base may have alternative forms. For example, the base may comprise lower end portions of the legs which rest directly on the ground or may comprise respective feet, one for each leg. Furthermore, the frame may comprise a number of legs other than four. For example, a single, panel-like leg may be substituted for the legs 10 and 12 and the brace 16 whilst a further leg is substituted for the legs II and 13 and the brace 17.Such panel-like legs may rest directly on the floor or on a separately formed base.

Support means is provided for supporting a flat board horizontally or, as illustrated in the drawing, a stack 18 of boards. In the example illustrated, the support means comprises a tubular rail 19 extending between and secured to upper end portions of the legs 10 and 12 and a tubular rail 20 extending between and secured to upper end portions of the legs II and 13. The rails present respective upwardly facing support surfaces, one of which is shown at 21. In the example illustrated, the rails 19 and 20 are rectilinear and of generally cylindrical form, so that the support surfaces are convexly curved.

When the frame stands dn a horizontal floor, a common, horizontal plane is tangential to the support surfaces of the rails 19 and 20. In the example illustrated, the height of this plane above the floor is fixed. However, it would be within the scope of the invention to provide adjustable legs for supporting the rails 19 and 20 at a selected height above the floor.

The frame further comprises locating means for defining a predetermined position of the stack of boards 18 on the frame. Each of the legs 10 to 13 is of hollow, tubular form and the locating means comprises a slider 22 slidably mounted in the leg 10 for movement longitudinally of the leg between a lowered position, in which the slider protrudes only a short distance above the upper end of the leg, and a raised position in which the slider protrudes further from the leg. The position of the slider relative to the leg can be adjusted steplessly. The slider is preferably trapped in the leg by the rail 19 so that the slider cannot be removed entirely from the leg.

The slider 22 presents a first, vertical abutment surface 23 which faces generally in a direction towards the leg 12 and a second, vertical abutment surface 24 which faces generally towards the leg II. The surfaces 23 and 24 are transverse to one another and are preferably mutually perpendicular. The slider 22 further comprises a cover portion 25 disposed at an upper end of the slider and presenting downwardly a substantially flat abutment surface which spans between the abutment surfaces 23 and 24. The slider thus defines a covered corner in which a corner portion of the stack 18 can be received.

There is mounted in the leg 12 a slider 26 which is identical with the slider 22 and presents respective abutment surfaces facing towards the leg 10, towards the leg 13 and downwardly. The cover portions of the sliders overlie respective end portions of the rail 19 and the vertical abutment surfaces of the sliders lie adjacent to the rail. As shown in the drawing, a board or stack of boards which is to be supported on the stand can be received between the sliders 22 and 26 with the board or stack in contact with the three abutment surfaces of the slider 22 and in contact with the three abutment surfaces of the slider 26. The abutment surfaces thereby define a predetermined position for a board having appropriate dimensions. It will be understood that the boards to be supported on the stand may have dimensions which avoid a close fit of the board between the abutment surfaces so that the board can be introduced easily between those surfaces and there may be small clearances between one or more of the abutment surfaces and a board or stack of boards resting on the support surfaces 21.

The sliders 22 and 26 may be arranged to co-operate with their respective legs in such a manner that longitudinal sliding is opposed, for example by friction between the sliders and the legs.

Holding means is provided for holding a board or stack of boards in contact with the support surface of the rail 20. In the example illustrated, the holding means is an adjustable strap 27, opposite end portions of which can be fastened to respective ones of the legs II and 13. At least one and preferably both end portions of the strap are steplessly adjustable on the corresponding leg so that an intermediate portion of the strap can be held tight and in firm contact with the stack 18. The intermediate portion of the strap is positioned to overlie the support surface 21 of the rail 20 and trap the stack between the strap and the rail. The fastener sold under the trade mark Velcro is suitable for fastening the strap to the legs.

The boards of the stack 18 illustrated in the drawing each comprise a joint which extends from one margin of the board to an opposite margin along a line which is parallel to the rails 19 and 20 and lies midway between these rails. It will be noted that there is a clear space below the stack in the vicinity of the joint. When a downward blow is struck centrally on the stack, the boards are separated at the joints, portions of the boards immediately adjacent to the joints moving downwardly. This tends to throw marginal portions of the boards adjacent to the rails 19 and 20 upwardly but upward movement of the marginal portions of the boards is restrained by the locating means and the holding means.

Means is provided for anchoring the base of the frame to the floor.

Suitable anchoring devices may be engaged directly with the limbs 14 and 15.

Alternatively, as shown in the drawing, there may be associated with each of the limbs 14 and 15 a respective foot 28 which is releasably secured to the limb concerned, underlies that limb and is itself secured to the floor.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:

I. A frame comprising a base, legs which extend upwardly from the base and have at the same height mutually spaced support means presenting upwardly facing support surfaces on which a flat board which can rest with the board horizontal and comprising locating means having abutment surfaces lying above the level of the support surfaces and facing respectively horizontally and downwards for engaging a marginal portion of a board, when the board rests on the support means.
2. A frame according to Claim I wherein the locating means has abutment surfaces which face towards each other and are spaced apart horizontally by a gop in which a marginal portion of the board can be received.
3. A frame according to Claim 2 wherein a further one of said abutment surfaces is adiacent to and is transverse to at least one of the abutment surfaces which face towards each other.
4. A frame according to Claim 3 wherein the or one of the downwardly facing abutment surfaces spans between the mutually adjacent, transverse abutment surfaces.
5. A frame according to any preceding Claim wherein the locating means is movable relative to the base to vary the separation between the or each downwardly facing abutment surface and the level of the support surfaces.
6. A frame according to any preceding Claim wherein the or at least one of the downwardly facing abutment surfaces overlies a respective one of the support surfaces.
7. A frame according to any preceding Claim wherein the locating means is adjacent to one of said support surfaces and wherein there is provided holding means for holding down on another of said support surfaces a board, when that board rests on the support surfaces.
8. A frame according to Claim 7 wherein the holding means is adjustable to accommodate the boards of different thicknesses.
9. A frame according to any preceding Claim wherein the support means is in the form of a pair of rectilinear, mutually parallel rails.
10. In combination, a frame according to any preceding Claim and a board resting on the support surfaces.
11. A combination according to Claim 10 in which the board is a timber board.
12. A combination according to Claim 10 in which the board is a jointed board.
13. A frame substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
14. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawing.