US3423105A

US3423105A - Moving toy and exercising device

Info

Publication number: US3423105A
Application number: US573290A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fritz Kerstholt; Gerdi Kerstholt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-08-24
Filing date: 1966-08-18
Publication date: 1969-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 1986-01-21
Also published as: DE1578596B1; FR1504563A; GB1139689A

Description

Jan. 21, 1969' F. KERSTHOLT ET AL 3,423,105

. MOVING TOY AND EXERCISING DEVICE Filed Aug. 18, 1966 Sheet 01 2 i 13 5 f6 2 I5 3 5 3 FT 2 l0 2 J 5 g 6 6 55 MIVENTOR [FRITZ EIRSTHOLT GERDI KERSTHOLT A TTC RNEY.

Jan. 21, 1969 F. KERSTHOLT ETAL 3,423,105

MOVING TOY AND EXERCISING DEVICE Sheet Filed Aug. 18, 1966 //v VENTOR GERDI KERSTHOLT Y FRITZ MRSTHOLT A TTORNE Y.

United States Patent 3,423,105 MOVING TOY AND EXERCISING DEVICE Fritz Kerstholt and Gerdi Kersthoit, both of Braunfelser Str. 180, Philippstein, Germany Filed Aug. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 573,290

Claims priority, application Germany, Aug. 24, 1965,

K 52,057; June 18, 1966, K 59,532 US. Cl. 280218 7 Claims Int. Cl. B6Zm 29/00 ABSTRACT OF THE DISQLOSURE A toy and exercising device for moving a person cornprising a supporting body having two rigid leg pairs pivotally secured thereto, said leg pairs each having a lever and a spring means associated therewith, each said lever and spring means acting independently of the other, and adjustable blocking means for the leg pairs whereby locomotion can be effected by alternatingly spreading and pulling together the leg pairs. The leg pairs may terminate in any suitable surface engaging means such as wheels or runners.

The invention relates to a toy and exercising device capable of transporting a person, provided with two pairs of legs which are rigid in themselves and are rotatably mounted on the body of the device. These leg pairs can be spread apart and pulled together by the oscillatory force exerted by the person using the device, or by the force of a spring. When movement of the leg pairs in one direction is prevented or blocked, the device'will travel in the other direction during the alternate contracting and spreading of the legs.

In summary, the toy and exercising device of this invention comprises a supporting body with two rigid leg pairs having one end pivotly mounted, respectively, on opposite ends of the supporting body. A pair of wheels are mounted on the other ends of each leg pair. At least one tension adjustable spring means extends from each leg pair in the direction of the supporting body adjacent the other leg pair, one end of the spring means being attached to a lever means fastened at the leg pair and positioned for increasing the respective lever arm when the spring tension is increased by outward pivotal movement of the respective leg pair. The other end of the spring means is attached to the supporting body. The device is provided with an adjustable blocking means adjacent the wheels for preventing movement of the wheels along the ground in a predetermined direction, whereby locomotion can be effected by alternatingly spreading and pulling together the leg pairs due to the oscillating force exerted by a person using the device and the force of the spring means.

Similar devices have been previously known. In one of the known devices a spring is extended between the leg pairs to pull back the rear leg pair when the user displaces his weight along the axis of the device and stands on foot rests adjacent the front leg pair. In another known device, the foot rests, attached in the manner of stirrups, are connected via a lever system with the rear legs in such a manner that these rear legs are pulled forward when the user places his weight upon the foot rests. A spring engages between the leg pairs and assists in pulling the rear legs forward.

All known devices have the disadvantage that they are operated by a vigorous weight displacement by the user along the axis of the device, and the longitudinal axis of the device assumes an oblique angle with respect to ground during operation, creating an insecure feeling in the operator.

Patented Jan. 21, 1969 It is the object of this invention to provide an oscillating locomotive toy or exercise device which is not subject to the above limitations and difficulties. It is another object of this invention to provide a device as aforesaid which does not require forward or rearward weight displacement for operation and which does not tilt or assume an oblique angle during operation, causing insecurity in the operator.

The device of this invention is operated by slight, vertical swinging motions of the person using the device, and its supporting body remains in an approximately parallel position with respect to ground during operation. Moreover, the construction of this novel device is inexpensive.

Therefore, the invention is a toy and exercising device. It is distinguished by the fact that two springs are provided which can be adjusted with respect to their tension; one end of each of these springs engages a respective leg pair via a lever and the other end engages the supporting body. The levers are attached to the leg pairs in such a manner that the lever arm effective upon the leg pair is lengthened when the spring pertaining thereto is tensioned. Furthermore, the pair of wheels of at least one leg pair is pivotable about an axis at right angles to the axis of the wheel pair, and stabilizing means are provided for maintaining the position of this pivotal axis independent of the respective angular position of the leg pairs with respect to the ground. According to a further feature of the invention, the wheel pairs at both leg pairs are controllable. In this connection, the wheel pairs can both be steered manually, or the front wheels are manually controlled, while the rear wheels are steered by rope pulleys originating at the foot rests.

One particular advantage of the novel device is the device swings gently because it has no bearing surfaces or stops for the leg pairs. It is operated solely by vertical motions of the user, slight oscillatory movements being sufficient. Moreover, the device has a relatively large seat area, i.e., it is possible to sit along the axis of the body of the device more toward the front or more to the rear. The function of the device thus is almost independent of the seating positions of the user. If the device is provided with double steering, i.e., with means for exerting control upon the pivoting of the front and rear wheels axes independently of each other, it is possible to execute driving patterns which cannot be executed with the conventional devices. Thus, the device can, for example, be turned within an extremely small area. It is even possible to ride it in an approximately right angle, the device always maintaining its vertical position in space.

Embodiments for the novel device are illustrated in the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of the inventron.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the device of FIG. 1 in partial section, and

FIG. 3 is a side view of an alternate embodiment of the invention.

The device shown in FIG. 1 comprises essentially a supporting body 1, as well as two

leg pairs

2 and 3 pivotly mounted to the supporting body. The supporting body is fashioned from two elongated tubular bodies connected with each other by crosstie rods. Each pair of legs is provided with a pair of wheels 5 at its free end. These wheels are provided with blocking brackets 6 which automatically act upon the rolling surfaces of the wheels. These blocking or brake brackets are preferably placed into their operating position by hand and are selectively effective, when the wheels are turning, in the clockwise direction as shown in FIG. 1 or in the counterclockwise direction when the blocking brackets are in the opposite position; they can also be rendered ineffective. In the former case, the device, when actuated, moves forward or backward; in the latter case, it remains stationary while executing the rocking motion. At each of the leg pairs, a lever 7 is provided cooperating with respectively one spring 8 attached to the supporting body. The position of the lever at the leg pair is such that, when the Spring is tensioned, the effective lever arm increases. The springs can be biased by means of spindles 9 and can thus be adjusted to the weight of the person using the device.

The pair of wheels of the leg pair illustrated on the right-hand side is rotatably mounted about an upright axis 11 at right angles to its own horizontal axis 10. The axle 11 is guided in a further horizontal axle 19 which, in turn, is rotatably mounted to the ends of the leg pair. A support 13 is jointedly connected at the pivot axle 11 or the axle 19, by means of a flexible joint such as a ball joint 12, and extends to the supporting body 1 via a ball joint 14. By means of this support 13, the upright axle 11 is always maintained approximately in its vertical position in space, this being independent of the angle formed by the leg pair with the ground. The axle 19 can be provided with a swiveling bolster for guiding the wheel axle 10.

A gripping handle 15 is attached which is rotatably mounted at the supporting body for steering the device; by transmitting the rotatory motions of this handle, via rope pulleys 16, the wheel axle 10 is pivoted. The device is provided with an upholstered seat 17, as well as supports 18 for the users feet; these supports can be mounted to the supporting body 1 in a rigid or movable manner.

By vertical swinging motions of the person using the device, the leg pairs are alternately spread apart and pulled together and the device is made to function. Depending upon the position of the blocking brackets 6, a locomotion is executed, or the device rocks in one place.

It is also possible to equip the device with a steerable set of wheels on each leg pair. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the gripping handle 20 can be made of two parts, a pivotable shaft 21 and a sleeve 22, respectively, the sleeve having a recess permitting movement of the inner handle about a vertical axis. Each sleeve shell-

handle combination

21, 21' and 22, 22 is rotatably mounted with respect to the other so that it is possible, for example, to steer the rear wheel pair with the right hand and the pair of front wheels with the left hand so that both steering operations are independent of each other.

It is likewise possible to effect the steering motions of the front wheels by directly turning the guide braces of the front leg pair, while effecting the steering motions for the rear wheels via pulleys from the foot rests. However, for such an operation, the guide brace must be connected to the pivot axle or to the axle corresponding the axle 19 by means of a universal joint. An example of this arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 3. The guide brace 23, connected with the pivot axle 11 via a fiexible joint such as a universal joint 24, is rotatably mounted in a bus-hing 25. This bushing is mounted on the supporting body 1 so that it is rotatable about an axis at right angles to its longitudinal axis. The brace is provided with two pins 27 serving as stops for the longitudinal movements of the brace in the bushing. Two springs 26 rest on the bushing, on the one hand, and on the pins 27, on the other hand. When the legs 2 are spread, the brace 23 is displaced upwardly in the bushing. This displacement is compensated for when the legs are pulled together by means of the spring above the bushing.

It is also possible to construct the device in such a manner that a parallelogram is formed by the guide brace in combination with the leg pair 2, the pivot axle 11, as well as the section of the supporting body defined by the bearing points for the leg pair and theupper joint of the guide brace. In this case, the upper joint of the guide brace can be constructed as a simple knuckle joint. The

guide brace carries at its upper end a manual lever or grip 15, as a steering member.

It will often be desirable to fashion the device as an imitation of an animal, for example a horse. In this case, it is possible to fasten the head, as well as the tail of the animal imitation directly to respectively one guide brace, or at the upper joint of the guide brace. This is shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3. When actuating the device, movements very similar to the motions of a genuine animal are obtained with the supporting body being the body of the animal.

Because of the considerable speed achievable with this device, it is advantageous to provide a brake.

For use in the wintertime, the wheels can be provided with skids 30. Drag pins 31 of a conventional type move the device in the desired direction on the skids.

Alternatively, the lever for the tension spring engaging the leg pair can be provided by constructing the rod structure of the legs accordingly. It is also possible to mount both leg pairs on a common axle at the sup-porting body. Also, one of the leg pairs can be replaced by a single leg.

We claim:

1. A toy and exercising device for moving a person comprising a supporting body, said supporting body having a front end portion and a rear end portion, two rigid leg pairs pivotly secured at end thereof to said supporting body, one said leg pair to said front end portion and the other said leg pair to said rear end portion, a pair of wheels mounted on the other end of each said leg pair, said leg pairs each having an independent biasing means, said biasing means comprising a lever fixedly carried by each of said leg pairs, and at least one independent spring means associated with each of said levers, one said spring means extending between said front end leg pairs lever and said rear end portion of said supporting body, and the other said spring means extending between said rear end leg pairs lever and said front end portion of said supporting body, said biasing means when said spring is tensioned increases the effective lever arm of said lever, each said lever arm and spring means acting independently of the other, and adjustable blocking means adjacent the wheels for preventing movement of the wheels along the ground in a predetermined direction, whereby locomotion can be effected by alternatingly spreading and pulling together the leg pairs due to the oscillating force exerted by a person using the device and the force of the spring means.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one pair of the wheels is mounted on a first axle pivotly carried by the respective leg pair by a second axle means having an axis at right angles to the first axle, and stabilizing means, the stabilizing means extending between and being attached to the second axle means and the support body for maintaining the angular position of the second axle means with respect to the ground during pivotal movement of the respective leg pair.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the stabilizing means comprises a guide brace attached to the support body through a flexible joint and attached to the second axle means through a flexible joint.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the stabilizing means comprises a guide brace attached to the second axle means through a flexible joint and slidingly attached to the support body through a slide mounting, the guide brace being supported in the slide mounting by springs.

'5. The device of claim 2 including steering means connected to the first axle for pivoting the first axle around the second axle means, thereby turning the respective wheels.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein both pairs of the wheels are mounted on respective first and third axles pivotly carried by the respective leg pairs by second and fourth respective axle means having axles at right angles to the respective first and third axles, first and second stabilizing means, the stabilizing means extending between and being attached to the second and fourth axle 3,023,026 2/1962 Grieder 280-218 means, respectively. 3,096,990 7/1963 Thoren 2801.182

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said spring means includes means for adjusting the tension thereof. FOREIGN PATENTS 5 1,310,553 10/1962 France. References CIted 410,664 3/1925 Germany. UNITED STATES PATENTS BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

1,449088 12/1922 Kroher MILTON L. SMITH, Assistant Examiner.

2,379,492 6/1945 Sebel 2801.182

2,759,736 8/1956 Block 2801.182 10 US. Cl. X.R.

2,802,671 8/1957 Skoggard 2801.182 281.8 2