US3465653A

US3465653A - Means providing a sliding surface

Info

Publication number: US3465653A
Application number: US676181A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alwin Schipper
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-10-20
Filing date: 1967-10-18
Publication date: 1969-09-09
Anticipated expiration: 1986-09-09
Also published as: NL6714057A; FR1552962A; GB1181899A; DE1578933A1; SE308683B; CH467087A; AT273765B; BE705388A

Description

Sept. 9, 1969 A. SCHIPPER 3,465,653

MEANS PROVIDING A SLIDING SURFACE Filed 001.. 18, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Alwin Sc hlpper ATTORNEYS p 1969 A. SCHIPPER 3,465,653

MEANS PROVIDING A SLIDING SURFACE Filed Oct. 18, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HIHWI HHlHH H FIG.5.

mmvrqx. Alwin Schnpper BYM 2Z7:

ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent U.S. Cl. 94-7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bed which provides a surface on which objects may slide, in a generally preferred direction, e.g., for use on a ski-slope. The bed is comprised of a number of structural elements arranged in a series of rows, the rows being interconnected one behind the other to form a flexible mat. The structural elements abut each other side-by-side within the rows, and the line of abutment so formed is staggered from row to row. The structural elements are comb-like articles having a number of elastically deformable teeth extending upwardly from a base. The elements also include tubular lugs which extend in the preferred direction from the base through which wires may be passed to interconnect rows of elements.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to a bed made of elastic material which provides a surface on which objects such as skis or sleds may slide. The surface is made up of a number of structural elements having upwardly extending elastically deformable teeth. The structural elements are connected together in a series of rows by means of wires in such a way that the lines separating side-by-side abutting elements are staggered with respect to each other from row to row.

One of the prior art beds which provides a sliding surface serves as a ski mat and is made of rectangular plates having a side dimension ratio of approximately 2:1. The surfaces of the plates are provided with pins which extend upwardly and which are arranged in a number of rows, one behind the other. On the lower side of each plate there is a keyhole-shaped groove running near to and parallel to each narrow side. Each plate thus forms a structural element which can be bound into a mat with wires disposed in the grooves running transverse to the sliding direction. The structural elements are arranged checkerboard fashion with corners of neighboring elements abutting each other so that, between every four elements, there is an empty space the size of a single structural element. Since the width of the narrow side of each structural element is larger than half the width of a normal ski, this type of a sliding bed, which is constructed as a discontinuous surface, is not especially suited for skiing, tobogganing and other types of sports. The gaps or open spaces in the mat can sometimes lead to serious injury during a crash or fall. They also increase the danger of accidents themselves since they increase the chance that the plates be torn away from the supporting wires.

Larger structural elements manufactured of rubber and provided with upwardly extending pins are also known in the art. These elements are designed to be arranged directly in contact with each other in rows, forming a continuous surface. These rubber plate-shaped elements, however, must be laid or glued onto a special foundation, such as a platform of wood. The installation of such a sliding bed is therefore relatively costly and requires considerable time. The elasticity of such a sliding bed is determined only by the material employed and by the pins.

Patented Sept. 9, 1969 "ice It is also known to provide ski jumps with a surface, on the jump slope portions as well as the chutes, comprised of brush-like structural elementsthat is, bristles joined together at one edge-nailed on a foundation like shingles on a roof. Each structural element is displaced with respect to other structural elements so that the gaps between elements are covered; the bristles of each element thus lie flat on the foundation and lean in the preferred direction of sliding. This mat does have good sliding properties in the direction in which the bristles point; however, whether with skiing or bobsledding, it does not permit the sliding object to satisfactorily steer. Such a mat may also cause serious injury during a fall at those places where the bristles have been bent or displaced to expose the bristle end joints and/or the nails in the brushes below.

Beds for providing a sliding surface for skiing have also been made of brush-shaped strips, having metal zigzag or wave-shaped moldings with a U-type configuration. The bristles here stand vertical on the foundation and there is a considerable distance between the metal moldings. As with the sliding beds described above, serious injury can result with this arrangement when persons accidentally fall.

Summary of the invention One object of the present invention, therefore, is to design a bed for providing a sliding surface in a given preferred direction which has good sliding properties in the preferred direction, yet upon which changes of direction may be undertaken as desired.

Another object of the present invention is to design a bed for providing a sliding surface, for example, for skiing or tobogganing upon which a person may fall without danger of injury.

Another object of the present invention is to design a bed for providing a sliding surface comprised of structural elements which make the bed easy to manufacture, transport and install.

These and other objects which will become apparent in the discussion that follows are achieved, according to the present invention, by making the bed for providing a sliding surface out of comb-like structural elements having a plurality of upwardly extending elastically deformable teeth with tubular lugs extending in the preferred sliding direction connected at the base of the teeth. In this way, the structural elements can be arranged abutting each other side-by-side to form rows, and the rows can be arranged one behind the other so that the lines of abutment are staggered from row to row. The structural elements in this configuration are held together by means of wires which pass through the tubular lugs which may also serve as spacers between the individual rows of elements. This bed as so constructed achieves good sliding properties since the teeth of the individual structural elements are made to lean away from the vertical in the preferred sliding direction. Because the teeth elastically deform beneath an object, leaving the teeth not supporting weight higher than those beneath the object, an object sliding over the teeth forms a kind of groove. This arrangement makes it possible, for example, when skiing, to execute Christies and stem turns for an instantaneous change of direction. No injuries can occur in case of a fall since first, the teeth project all the way to the base making a soft mat, and second, the base includes no projecting parts.

An additional particular advantage of the bed according to the present invention is that once the structural elements are arranged in rows, they form a kind of carpet which can be easily roller and so transported. When this bed is brought to the place where it is to be used it can, for example, be simply attached at the top of the slope.

After unrolling the bed down the slope it is ready for use without any further means of attachment.

The comb-like construction of the individual structural elements affords an especially high elasticity and flexibility since not only the teeth but also the base of the element which joins the teeth yields under a load. The tubular lugs which guide the wire and the wire itself are also flexible permitting movement of the structural element as a whole relative to the neighboring elements.

Because the bed according to the present invention is continuous, it further eliminates injuries which might occur with the checkerboard-type mat. There is no danger that the individual structural elements be torn from this bed, even under high loads, since the lugs or spacers completely surround the supporting wire. By using the lugs as spacers between the rows, the distance between rows can be matched to the corresponding load requirement by proper selection of the lug length. The higher the load the shorter can be made the row-to-row distance.

Especially When the comb teeth are bent in a preferred sliding direction, the sliding bed according to the present invention can also find use in medicine. The bed may be used, for example, for massage-type treatment of parts of the body over which it is made to slide.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a face view of a section of the sliding bed according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front view of a section of a structural element of the sliding bed according to the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of two structural elements arranged and connected one behind the other. One of the structural elements is shown in cross section.

FIGURE 4 is a side view of another embodiment of a structural element of the sliding bed according to the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a bottom view of two larger constructional sliding bed units joined together, each unit being comprised of a number of individual structural elements.

FIGURE 6 is a face view of two rows of structural elements illustrating how the line of abutment between two srtuctural elements is displaced from row to row.

Description of the preferred embodiments Turning now to the drawings, and FIGURE 2 in particular, there is shown a section of the comb-like structural element, according to the present invention, consisting of the teeth 1 connected together by means of a strip 2 serving as a base. A number of tubular lugs 3 running in the preferred sliding direction are constructed, for example, as bushings, and are molded onto the base 2, as may best be seen in FIGURES 3 and 4. These lugs lie directly on a foundation, such as the ground, not shown. The lugs 3 serve as practical spacers between the structural elements arranged in rows, one rowbehind the other.

The teeth may be arranged so as to angle in the preferred sliding direction. It is practical to make the teeth project in the foundation or ground plane a distance greater than the length of the tubular spacers 3. This insures that the teeth 1 of structural elements connected together in rows, one row behind the other, with connecting wires 4 overlaps, like shingles on a roof, as shown in FIGURE 3.

The connecting wires 4 which are passed through the tubular spacers 3 provide a strong simple connection between the individual structural elements. The wires also insure a softness and flexibility of the bed as a whole; they permit the bed to be rolled like a carpet for shipping and, at the place where the bed is to be placed in use, to be easily unrolled for installation.

As is illustrated in FIGURE 4, the teeth 1 are preferably made thicker or reinforced with ribs at their lower extremities. They are constructed in the form of a thin wedge 9 tapering towards the tip, a shape that exhibits a 4 special elastic deformability and protects against accidents.

FIGURE 1 shows a number of structural elements, according to the present invention, arranged side by side in rows, one row behind the other so that the teeth 1 of one row overlap the teeth of the previous row. Consecutive rows are laterally displaced so that gaps between individual teeth are covered. The teeth 1 point in the preferred sliding direction which is marked by the arrow 6. The boundary lines 5 are drawn continuously along the top of the teeth to better illustrate the roofing shingle-like overlapping as well as the lateral displacement of the teeth. These boundary lines 5 are in no way intended to represent elements connecting the individual teeth, however. Rather, each tooth is completely independent of its neighboring teeth and, therefore, elastically deformable.

The preferred sliding direction given by the arrow 6 is the main direction of travel of objects sliding over the bed. When the bed is used, for example, in sports such as skiing, tobogganing and bobsledding, this direction should be aimed down the slope. The designation of the preferred sliding direction should not be understood to place any limitation on the use of the mat since, in theory, it is possible even to slide in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow, although the sliding properties, in such a case, would be considerably worsened. In directions which deviate from the direction of the arrow 6 less than toward the left or toward the right, however, the change in the sliding properties is only slight. Within this angular range it is possible to execute all the usual skiing turns and figures including the wedel.

FIGURE 6 is a view, similar to the view of FIGURE 1, which illustrates how the individual structural elements are arranged and connected together in rows, by means of the wires 4, so as to abut other elements side by side. The lines of abutment in a given row are displaced with respect to the lines of abutment of the rows in front of, and behind, the given row as shown.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a sliding bed composed of a number of individual structural elements joined together by means of wires 4. The ends of the wires 4 are bent into eyelets 8 through which a transversely running wire 7 is passed forming a complete unit of construction. The length and width of this unit of construction can be arbitrarily chosen to suit the purpose for which the sliding bed is employed.

It is also possible to assemble beds which are too large to be easily rolled and transported from a number of similar constructional units linked together at the place of installation. In this case the tubular lugs 3 can be connected close together so as to form a completely uniform, unbroken surface. FIGURE 5 illustrates one way in which such a connection can be accomplished.

The structural elements according to the present invention can be made of any suitable elastically deformable material such as plastic. The tubular lugs 3 may be designed, as with the embodiments described above, to serve as spacers between the individual rows of structural elements.

The sliding bed, according to the present invention, is not limited in its purpose to sports, such as skiing and tobogganing. It may also be employed, for example, as a sliding chute or may serve to transport objects, such as boxes, containers, etc. No additional elements, such as plates or the like, are required when the bed is used for sliding.

It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes, and adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bed providing a surface on which objects may slide in a generally preferred direction, said bed comprising, in combination:

(a) a plurality of structural elements arranged in a plurality of rows which extend transverse to said preferred direction, each row incorporating a plurality of said elements, the latter abutting each other in end-to-end relationship and the rows of elements being arranged with the abutting of elements being staggered fro-m row to row, each element being comblike and having a base strip and a plurality of up wardly extending elastically deformable elongated teeth constituting said surface;

(b) said elements having tubular lugs which extend in said preferred direction and between consecutive rows of base strips, and

(c) wires connecting said rows of elements together and extending through said tubular lugs.

2. The bed defined in claim 1 wherein said teeth are parallel.

3. The bed defined in claim 1 wherein said teeth are inclined from the vertical toward said preferred direction.

4. The bed defined in claim 1 wherein said tubular lugs an integral serve as spacers between said rows of elements.

5. The bed defined in claim 1 wherein the ends of said wires connecting said rows of elements together are provided with eyelets and said bed further comprises a connecting member extending transverse to said preferred direction for connecting said eyelets together.

6. The bed defined in claim 5 wherein said eyelets are formed of said wire.

7. The bed defined in claim 1 wherein said teeth are tapered such that they become thinner in the direction 5 of their upwardly extending ends.

8. The bed defined in claim 1 wherein said teeth are reinforced, said reinforcement extending downwardly to the base of said teeth.

9. The bed defined in claim 1 wherein said teeth are 10 dimensioned broader in the direction transverse to said preferred direction than in said preferred direction.

10. The bed defined in claim 1 wherein said structural elements are made of an elastically deformable plastic.

15 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,526,267 2/1925 Dessau. 1,766,073 6/1930 Hartzler 941.5 20 2,082,563 6/1937 Bauer 94-7 2,174,716 10/1939 Bethell. 2,327,640 8/1943 Hendry 94-11 JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.