US3186710A - Adjustable stilt - Google Patents

Description

June 1, 1965 L.A.$T.PETER ADJ US TABLE S T ILT Filed Sept. 23, 1963 M24 x. fi yf ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,186,710 ADJUSTABLE STILT Lawrence A. St. Fetter, Box 315, Hubbell, Mich. Filed Sept. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 310,694 Claims. (Q1. 272-701) This invention relates to stilt for use as one of a pair of stilts primarily by children, and has for its primary object to provide a stilt having a readily adjustable foot rest or foot support which may be positioned at different elevations.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a stilt of extremely simple construction including a foot rest which may be supported at different elevations relative to a supporting standard or staff and wherein said foot rest will be retained by gravity and leverage in its different adjusted positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stilt wherein neither the foot rest nor standard includes any movable parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stilt which is extremely strong and durable yet very light in weight.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of the improved stilt;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational veiw, partly broken away and partly in section, of a portion of the stilt;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view partly in vertical section and partly in elevation and showing the foot support or step in a released position;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are horizontal sectional views taken substantially along planes as indicated by the lines 4-4 and 55, respectively, of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 66 of FIGURE 1.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the stilt its entirety and comprising the invention is designated 7 generally 8 and includes an elongated rigid standard or staff 9 which is preferably formed of a light weight but rigid metal tubing. A conventional rubber cap 10 engages over the lower end of the staff 9 and a corresponding cap 11 is preferably fitted over the upper end of the staff.

A plurality, preferably three rigid pins 12, 13 and 14 are carried by the standard 9 and disposed in longitudinally spaced relation to one another. Said pins are disposed nearer the lower than the upper end of the standard 9 and the lowermost pin 12 is preferably disposed about a foot above the bottom portion of the cap 10. Each of said pin includes a rigid body portion 15 which extends diametrically through and is secured in the standard 9, in any conventional manner. Each body 15 is of a length greater than the outer diameter of the standard 9 and has exposed end portions 16 which project outwardly the same distance from the exterior of the standard 9. Each end portion 16 terminates in a somewhat enlarged head 17, which heads are thus spaced from the exterior of the standard 9. V

The stilt 8 includes a foot support or rest 18 which is preferably formed from a single sheet of a relatively hea gauge metal and which is composed of corresponding spaced substantially parallel sides 19 and 20 and a top portion 21. The top portion 21, constituting the foot engaging or tread portion, is preferably of arcuate upwardly bowed cross section and is provided near one end "ice thereof with an opening 22 which is elongated in a direction lengthwise of said top portion 21. The opening 22 includes an enlarged substantially circular intermediate portion 23 and corresponding restricted end portions 24.

The sides 19 and 20 have back edges 25, located adjacent the opening 22, which extend downwardly and slope inwardly at a slight angle relative to the axis of the standard 9 and front edges 26 which are inclined downwardly and inwardly from the top portion 21 at a greater angle to the axis of the standard 9. The back edges 25 and front edges 26 merge with bottom edges 27 of said sides 19 and 29. Each of the sides 19 and 20 has an angular notch, designated generally 28, which is disposed near the bottom edge 27 thereof and which includes a bottom portion 29 which is disposed substantially parallel to the bottom edge 27 and which opens through the back edge 25, and an upright inner portion 313, which is disposed at approximately a right angle to the portion 29 and which extends upwardly from the inner end thereof. The sides 19 and 20 may be provided with triangular shaped openings 31 which are disposed above the notches 28 and nearer the front edge 26 than the rear edges 25. The openings 31 function to reduce the weight of the step 18 without materially affecting the strength or rigidity of said step.

The spacing between the inner surfaces of the sides 19 and 20 is greater than the diameter of the standard 9, as seen in FIGURES 5 and 6, and the spacing between the exterior surfaces of said sides is slightly less than the spacing between the heads 17 of each of the pins, as seen in FIGURES 4 and 5.

of the cap '19 or 11 to said end and with the standard being accommodated in the enlarged intermediate portion 23 of the opening 22 which has a diameter slightly greater than the outer diameter of said standard, as best seen in FIGURE 4. The pins 12, 13 and 14 are all disposed parallel to one another. The over-all length of the opening 22 is slightly greater than the over-all length of each pin and the restricted ends 24 of said openings are of a width slightly greater than the diameters of the heads 17, so that the support 18 can be turned on the staff 9 to position the opening 22 parallel to the pins 12, 13 and 14, and when thus disposed the support 18 can be moved lengthwise of the standard 9 and so that any one of the pins can be passed through the opening 22. It will be understood that the heads 17 and end portions 16 of such pins will actually pass through end portions 24 of the opening. Assuming that the support 18 has thus been applied to the standard 9 and is positioned with the opening 22 thereof betweenthe pins 12 and 13, the enlarged portion 23 is of sufiicient size to permit the support 18 to be rocked relative to the standard 9 to its inclined position of FIGURE 3. Assuming that the notch portions 29 are at approximately the level of the lowermost pin 12, the support 18 in its tilted position of FIG- URE 3 can be rotated in either direction through an arc of to position the sides 19 and 20 in planes substantially perpendicular to the axis of the pin 12, as seen in FIGURE 3, after which the support 18 can be rocked downwardly or clockwise. When the support 18 is thus moved, the notches 28 of the two sides 19 and 20 will move into positions straddling the standard 9 and the end portions 16 of the pin 12 will be received in the bottom notch portions 29. When said pin portions 16 reach the inner ends of the notch portions 29, the support 18 can be released to drop downwardly so that the pin ends 16 will be received in the upright inner notch portions 30, as illustrated 'in FIGURES 1, 2 and 5. The

width of the notch portions 29 and 30 are less than the' diameters of the heads 17 so that the heads 17 of the pin 12 will be disposed externally of the sides 19 and 20 and The step or support 18 can beapplied to either end of the standard 9 before application V 3,1se,71o

straddling parts of the notch. portions 3% The weight of the support 18 will retain the support by gravity on the pin 12, as seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, and the tendency of the support 18 to rock clockwise as seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 will additionally retain the support on the pin 12 by a leverage action.

It will be readily apparent that the support 18 can be lifted slightly, then rocked counterclockwise as seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 to its position of FIGURE 3, after which the support 18 can be rotated 90 relative to the standard 9 in either direction for moving the support upwardly to above the pin 13 or above the pin 14, after which said support can be engaged with either the pin 13 M14 in the aforedescribed manner.

It will, be understood that two of the. stilts S will be utilized as a pair and with the foot supports or rests 18 of both stilts supported at the same elevation extending inwardly from the two standards 9 to provide foot rests for the two feetof the user. Themanner of walking on stilts is well-known and will not be described.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the function or scope of the invention as hereinafter de fined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A stilt comprising an elongated substantially upright standard, a foot support comprising an elongated top portion and spaced apart substantially parallel side Walls de-.

pending from said top portion, said top portion having an opening adjacent one end thereof turnably and slidably en gaging said standard, aligned projections'extending outwardly in opposite directions from said standard, said side walls having corresponding angular notches each including a bottom portion, said bottom portions opening through complementary edges of said side walls for receiving said projections when said foot support is rocked relatively to the standard in a direction for moving the top portion thereof from an inclined position toward a horizontal 4% position relative to the standard, and said notches including upwardly extending inner portions in which said projections are received when said support is displaced down- Wardly relatively to the standard for attaching the foot support to the standard.

2. A stilt as in claim 1, said projections constituting ends of a pin secured diametrically through the standard, said standard having additional pins supported thereby in longitudinally spaced relation to one another for selectively supporting the foot support at diilerent elevations on the standard, and said opening having restricted aligned end. portions through which said pin ends are movable when the foot support is adjusted longitudinally of the standard.

3. A stilt as in claim 2, each of said pin ends terminating in a head spaced from the standard, said heads straddling said sides when the pin ends are in engagement with the notches.

4. A stilt comprising a substantially upright rigid standard, a foot support including an elongated top portion having an opening adjacent one end thereof through which said standard is received for sliding, rotary and rocking movement of said foot support relative to asid standard, said top portion constituting a foot engaging or tread portion of the foot support, said foot support having depending substantially parallel side Walls provided with complementary outwardly opening angular notches, and longitudinally spaced pins extending through and projecting from said standard and having portions selectively engageable in said notches for supporting said foot support at diiferent elevations on the standard.

5. A stilt as in claim 4, said opening of the tread portion and said notches being disposed relative to one another, and to the standard such that the foot support is urged by gravity and leverage toward a position for locking the ends of one of said pins in said notches.

No references cited.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 4. A STILT COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT RIGID STANDARD, A FOOT SUPPORT INCLUDING AN ELONGATED TOP PORTION HAVING AN OPENING ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF THROUGH WHICH SAID STANDARD IS RECEIVED FOR SLIDING, ROTARY AND ROCKING MOVEMENT OF SAID FOOT SUPPORT RELATIVE TO SAID STANDARD, SAID TOP PORTION CONSTITUTING A FOOT ENGAGING OR TREAD PORTION OF THE FOOT SUPPORT, SAID FOOT SUPPORT HAVING DEPENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL SIDE WALLS PROVIDED WITH COMPLEMENTARY OUTWARDLY OPENING ANGULAR NOTCHES, AND LONGITUDINALLY SPACED PINS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID PRO-

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