US1673774A - Gyral wheel - Google Patents

Description

Snowdon A. MOORE GYRAL WHEEL 2 Sheets-Sheet June 12, 17928.

Original Filed Aug. 22. 1922 June 12, 192s.` 1,673,774

A. MOORE GYHAL WHE E L original Filed Aug. 22. 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2 nvahtoc Wm@ @51, a@ @1W www Patented .lune 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARLINGTON MoORE,oE NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSTGNOR To MOORE INVENTIONS cORroRA- TION, OE WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A OORPORATION OE MASSACHUSETTS.

` 'GYRAL WHEEL.

Application filled August 22, 1922, SerialNo. 586,637. Renewed May 27, 1927.

My invention relates to what I prefer to call a gyral Wheel to be used for sport and exercise, principally by children.

According to my invention a wheel or rim: is provided with anopen center, and a circular track is provided therein. An open framework is mounted to turn in the. wheel, as upon rollers, and said frame is provided with a footsupport or -footsupports and a `handle or handles, so that they user may support his weight within the frame, and, holding to thehandle or handles, may-propel himself together with the wheel, as' by pushing with one foot upon the roadway or by alternately throwing his weight backward and forward, or in other ways. When the user .is in erect position, the de- Avice is usually so held that the upper part of the wheel passes overthe users shoulder, f but when coasting thet user may stoop so that the upper part of the wheel passes over his head. I' The device may be used by two persons standing with one foot each upon the footsupport, each holding to a handle upon oppositesides of the frame, and may b e used forv sport and exercise in a great variety of ways.

Embodiments of the invention, Selected for the purpose of illustration only, and not for limitation, are shown in the accompanying drawing. Fig. 1 is a side view.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line 2 2, y

Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the broken line 3 3, Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are crosssectional detail views showing modified forms of track and roller constructions. Fig. 6 illustrates the device with a user in starting position about to shove off. Figs. 7 and 8 are views showing the device with the user throwing his weight back and forward respectively. Fig. 9 illustrates the coasting position, the user Crouching within the Wheel, and Fig. 10 is a rear view showing how the upper part of the wheel passes over the shoulder of the user when the latter is in erect position.

The open center wheel is designated generally by reference numeral 10, and While the diameter of the opening in the center may be substantially smaller than the diameter of the wheel, it is preferably made asv large as possible, the wheel comprising merely a rim which maybe provided on the Outside with a tire or other wearing surface,

vtrack for the rollers to run in.

and on the inside with a' track for the frame rollers to run in.

Inthe vform shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the wheel rim is made of double channel section comprising an outer portion 11 having a rounded groove for the reception of the, rubber or other tire 12, andan inner channel 13 provided with ak groove 14 for receiving the frame rollers and providing a The frame, which is adapted to turn within the open Space in the wheel, may be yof various forms. l have shown a frame-15 of substantially L-form comprising the. lusual upi'ight portion 16 to which the handles' 17 are secured, and the portion 18 preferably at right angles thereto having a depressed center' portion 19 to which the footsupport 20 is secured'. The frame is made of anysuitable material, as, for example, from Iwelded pipe or tubing as in the manner of the ordinary bicycle frame, and is preferablyv suitably bracedV .as by means of the angle brace 21, which is shown as being .provided with footrests 22, 22.

Frame 15 is provided with rollers 23 to run in the track 14. 'In the form shown there are three of these rollers, one at each of the outer ends of the frame members 16 and 18, andthe other one at the intersection of these members. The rollers are preferably Of the ball bearing type as shown in Fig. 3, but plain rollers may be used as shown in Fig. 4.

In the modified form of Fig. 4, the rubber Or other Separate tire is dispensed with and the metal frame 10a runs directly on the roadway, the rollers 24 running in the grooved track 14a.

The rim 10b of the modified form illustrated in Fig. 5 is made flat on its inner side as shown at 25, and the rollers 26 are provided with flanges 27, 27 in order to keep the rollers in place within the Wheel, and various other formations of rollers and tracks may be resorted to, if desired.

The handles 17 are preferably provided with downwardly extending portions 28 to enable the user to hold on to the handles when hanging out to one side, as, for example, in turning corners and the like. The footsupport 2O is preferably bolted on the frame member 19, as shown at 29, Fig. 2, to afford a frictional mounting for the foot support 20, so that same, while normally assuming the position shown in Fig. 2, may be turned to one side or the other in use against ,the frictional Aresistanceroi' its boltedup mounting, to enable the support to .be

`the frame totake 4up different positions lin the Wheel flOoasathefsame is rocked therein.

' vVhile the iframe is Aordinarily held in :slightly tilted .position so'as to cause the upper portion voi fthe AWheel to pass -over the 'shoulderof the luser standing in verectA po- --si,t1on,:.as when striking the ground with his footlor otherwise effecting propulsionotthe apparatus; when coasting 4 the user -may Vtake a stooping positiornso thatftlie Wheel stands upright, -ithe `upper `portion passing iover the users'head. 'Theltwo sidesiof the apparatus beingpreierably identical, the deviceis Well adapted Afor =usefbyltwo persons,one on one :sideandkone on fthe fother,'and having the right and left foot respectively on the footsupport 20. The uses .referred to are, of course, l:by :Way of .eXampleanereil-y, and'it Will he .obvious that the device may be made use of for purposes of .exercise and .sport in a great variety off different ways. Y l

'I claim: e

1. In a device of the class described, a Wheel With an open center, a circular track Within the zwheehna substantially L-shaped frame provided With rollers to run in said itrack, one of the Imembers of the :le-shaped 'frame Shaving a irootsupport irictionally A and pivotal'ly zmounted lthereon `rsol that fit is adapted to be #turned from rAside-tofsidea the other member Lo'f fthe frame being provided With a handle, landa brace `connecting the tvvo membersof ithe .iframe fand the yfootres't fon fthe brace Y y2. ln a ldevice of ithe class `described, fa

Wheel having fan open center. Aand fhavingsa circular-track Vin itsopen interior, `a--siibstanitially Leshaped-frameii'n said :Wheeliand provided 'vvith -a pluralityof rollers Tunning in said ftrack, a Io'otiest. having a Apiv'oted frictional jmountingfonthe ilovverimember offsaid V frame, a pair-of handles on the Lot-'her memibenoit' said iframe, fabrace:connectingitheitwo `frame fmembers, :and a -rpair of ootrests one -onieach-fisideof 'said brace. v

lIn :testimony whereof, ,EI vhave Asigned im name hereto.

\ ARLINGTON MOORE.

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