US3390855A - Adjustable supports for gymnastic apparatus - Google Patents

Description

July 2. 1968 L. SOLIN 3,390,855

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTS FOR GYMNASTIC APPARATUS Filed April 15, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l l/Vl/E'NTUR Lawrence Solin Sparrow and Sparrow ATTORNEYS.

2 Sheets-$heet 2 I nwslvmn. Lawrence Solin by Sparrow and Sparrow ATTORNEYS.

July 2, 1968 1.. SOLIN ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTS FOR GYMNASTIC APPARATUS 7 Filed April 15. 1966 a B E U pm. M

United States Patent 3,390,855 ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTS FOR GYMNASTIC APPARATUS Lawrence Solin, 16 Dell Drive, Eastchester, NY. 10709 Filed Apr. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 542,864 Claims. (Cl. 248188.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Adjustable post-s on gymnastic apparatus with slidingly fitted telescoping members in the posts; a separate sleeve between the post and the telescoping member with safety fingers holding the telescoping member in the desired position and a screw nut forcing the fingers into the holding position.

Background of the invention This invention relates to gymnastic apparatus in general, and to adjustable supports therefor, in particular.

Gymnastic apparatus are usually made adjustable in height to accommodate various heights of users, or with relation to certain exercises for which the apparatus may be used. Various important requirements have to be met concerning the means for adjusting the height of the apparatus. These requirements comprise not only the actual parts and members for the adjustment, but also the safety devices for holding the supports in the adjusted height. Such devices usually consisted of pins or screws which had to be positioned in holes in the supports or of external split clamps or the like. These means were not always too safe. This invention intends to improve this situation.

This invention pertains to such means and consists in such novel features, constructions, arrangements, combinations of parts and improvements as may be shown and described in connection with the apparatus herein disclosed by way of example only and as illustrative of a preferred embodiment. The invention pertains more specifically to simple means for permitting an easy operation of the height adjustment by which the safety of the adjusted height is automatically enforced.

Summary Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom or may be learned by practicing the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

It is an object of the present invention to provide novel means for adjusting the height of gymnastic apparatus.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means for safely locking the supports of the gymnastic apparatus after they have been adjusted.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide means for making the height adjustments easily, quickly and conveniently.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means for carrying out such height adjustments which are simple, sturdy and reliable to use.

Various further and more specific purposes, features and advantages will clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification and illustrate merely by way of example one embodiment of the device of the invention. In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but such names are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit. Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings, in which:

3,390,855 Patented July 2, 1968 "ice FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are perspective views of various types of gymnastic equipment with adjustable supports accordingto the invention;

FIG. 4 shows height-adjustable supports incorporated in the various equipment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is an axial section of one of the adjustable supports shown in FIG. 4, partly broken away;

FIG. 6 is a view of the inner locking sleeve of the height-adjusting mechanism;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the sleeve shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a detail section of the axial section shown in FIG. 5, broken away, in an enlarged scale; and

FIG. 9 is another detail section, broken away, of the locking device in an enlarged scale.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment by which the invention may be realized, and its application, there is shown in FIG. 1 parallel bars apparatus 11, in FIG. 2 balancing beam 12 and in FIG. 3 a vaulting horse apparatus 13, all of which are well-known gymnastic apparatus. Common to all these apparatus are height-adjustable supports 15 mounted on bases 14. Obviously, these supports have to be made in such a manner that they hold and support firmly and sturdily the apparatus in desired position so that these apparatus may be safely used. FIG. 5 shows in axial section one of these adjustable supports. Mounted on base 14 in a sturdy socket 16 is a stationary tubular part or member 17 made preferably of steel or other strong metallic material, which is held in socket 16 by a plurality of set screws 18. The upper end 19 of tubular member 17 is externally threaded. A sleeve 20 is fitted into upper end 19, and a telescoping tubing or tubular member 21 slidingly fits in the inner bore 22 of sleeve 20. Telescoping tubing 21 supports the gymnastic bars, beams, etc.

Tubular member 21 is provided with a plurality of notch-like circular grooves 23, spaced in regular increments, into which grooves a plurality of pawls 24 may be engaged. Pawls 24 are hingedly attached to the upper ring-shaped part 25 of sleeve 20 so that they point upwardly from sleeve 20. The pawls 24 can swing inwardly and outwardly about a pin 26 which serves as a hinge. Each pawl 24 has a groove 27 on the outside of the lower end thereof, and a spiral tension garter spring 28 is laid around sleeve 20, engaging grooves 27 of all pawls 24. Garter spring 28 urges the upper ends 29 of the pawls 24 outwardly. A set screw 30 is located on sleeve 20, which engages a corresponding notch 31 on upper end 19 of tubular member 17, in order to prevent sleeve 20 from rotating. Sleeve 20 further has a ring-shaped abutment 32 by which it rests firmly on top of upper end 19 of member 17.

Fitted over tubular member 17 and telescoping tubular member 21 is a sleeve-like nut 33 which is internally threaded on its lower end 34 for engaging threaded upper end 19 of member 17. Sleeve-like nut 33 has a recessed bore 35 accommodating the free movements of pawls 24. The upper part of bore 35 is substantially in the shape of a tapered cone 36. By screwing nut 33 downwardly, tapered cone 36 will engage upper ends 29 of pawls 24, forcing them inwardly against the tension of garter spring 28 for firmly engaging upper ends 29 of pawls 24 into circular grooves 23. This is illustrated in detail in FIG. 8.

On the outside of sleeve-like nut 33 is a recess 27 in which a handle 38 is hingedly connected by a pin 39, so that handle 38 may be swung outwardly for facilitating the operation of nut 33.

The operation is quite simply and conveniently performed. By unscewing nut 33 counterclockwise, pawls 24 become free, garter spring 28 pulls ends 29 of pawls 24 outwardly out of groove 23, thus setting telescoping member 23 free to be moved upwardly or downwardly, as the case may be. When the desired height of the equipment has been attained, merely screwing nut 33 down clockwise will cause upper ends 29 of pawls 24 to engage corresponding groove 23, firmly and safely securing member 17 in the new position at the same time.

From the foregoing it is evident that there has been provided herein a height-adjustable support for gymnastic apparatus having a base 14, sockets 16 mounted on base 14 and a stationary tubular member 17 held in each one of the sockets 16, member 17 having an externally threaded upper end 19, provision of a sleeve 20 fitted into said upper end of member 17, a ring-shaped abutment 25 on sleeve 20, abutment 25 resting on top of said upper end of member 17, a telescoping tubular member 21 slidingly fitted into sleeve 20, member 21 having a plurality of notch-like ring-shaped grooves 23 spaced apart in regular increments, a plurality of upwardly directed springloaded pawls 24 hingedly attached to sleeve 20, pawls 24 having upper ends for engaging the notch-like grooves 23 of member 21, a sleeve-like nut 33 fitted over telescoping tubular member 21, nut 33 having an internally threaded lower end 34 threadingly engaging said externally threaded upper end of said stationary tubular member 17, nut 33 having an internal tapered or conical recess 36, pawls 24 being engaged by recess 36 for urging said upper ends of pawls 24 into seating position in one of the grooves 23 of member 21, and means, such as handle 38 swingingly mounted on nut 33, for rotating the nut.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a certain preferred example which gives satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the principle of the invention, that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

I claim:

1. In height-adjustable support for gymnasic apparatus having a base, sockets mounted on said base and a stationary tubular member held in each one of said sockets, said member having an externally-threaded upper end: a sleeve fitted into said upper end of said member, said sleeve having first means supported on said upper end, a telescoping tubular member slidingly fitted into said sleeve, said telescoping tubular member having a plurality of notches, second means on said sleeve for engaging said notches, and a sleeve-like nut encompassing said telescoping tubular member, said nut adapted to threadingly engage said upper end, and said nut having an internal substantially cone-shaped recess, said second means being urged by said recess into engagement with said notches upon rotation of said nut.

2. In height-adjustable support for gymnastic apparatus according to claim 1, and spring means on said sleeve, said spring means being arranged for retracting said second means out of said engagement with said notches upon counter-rotation of said nut.

3. In height-adjustable support having a base, a socket mounted on said base and a stationary tubular member held in said socket, said member having an extemallythreaded upper end: a sleeve fitted into said upper end of said member, an annular abutment on said sleeve, said abutment being disposed over said upper end of said member, a telescoping tubular member slidingly engaging said sleeve, said telescoping tubular member having a plurality of notched grooves spaced apart in regular increments, a plurality of upwardly-directed spring-loaded pawls hingedly attached to said sleeve, the upper ends of said pawls being adapted for engaging said grooves, an internally-threaded nut fitted over said telescoping tubular member engaging the threads of said stationary tubular member, said nut having a substantially tapered recess, said pawls being engaged by said recess for urging said pawls into seating position in one of said grooves, and means for rotating said nut.

4. In height-adjustable support according to claim 3, and wherein said notched grooves are ring-shaped, said nut is intemally-threaded at its lower end and engages the said externally-threaded upper end of the stationary tubular member, and said tapered recess is conical.

5. In height-adjustable support according to claim 3, and wherein said means for rotating said nut comprises a handle swingably mounted on said nut.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 768,452 8/1904 Hennessy 28758 X 1,041,701 10/1912 Thornley 248-408 X 1,327,611 1/1920 Burns 28758 1,357,825 11/1920 Shaw 248-408 2,804,278 8/1957 Jewett 248411 X 2,902,592 9/1959 Cole 248-411 X CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner.

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