Stilt Structure

1. Field of the Invention

Stilt Structure.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Pairs of stilts have been used for many years by persons to walk in elevated positions for their amusement. However, such prior stilts have in the main been of relatively curde structure and unattractive in appearance. Also, previously available stilts required a substantial element of skill to use, as the weight of the person is distributed unevenly on the stilts, and the stilts have a tendency to pivot transversely relative to the direction of movement, and as a result falls from such stilts are not uncommon.

A major object of the present invention is to provide a pair of stilts that is attractive in appearance, are simple and easy to use, that permit the user to be mounted on the stilts in either a first or second position, and the weight of the user being so distributed on the stilts that the weight is centered relative to the supporting members of the stilts, and as a result the pair of stilts have little or no tendency to pivot transversely relative to the direction of movement when a user is supported in an elevated position on the stilts.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a pair of stilts that are adapted to be fabricated as an integral unit from rigid materials such as wood or the like, or formed by various techniques from polymerized resins that may, if desired, be reinforced with suitable fiber.

A pair of stilts that may be utilized when in laterally spaced relationship to permit a user to walk in an elevated position. Each of the stilts includes an elongate handle that has a horizontally positionable upper edge and first and second edge portions. Each stilt includes a first elongate member that extends downwardly from the first end portion of the handle, when the upper edge of the latter is horizontally disposed. A second elongate member extends upwardly from the second end portion of the handle. A step is provided that is secured to the first end of the first elongate member, with the step defining a elongate edge surface on which a foot of a user may rest, with the edge surface being normally disposed to a first longitudinal side of the first member. A third elongate member is provided that extends downwardly from the step and is substantially centered relative to the edge surface of the step on which a foot of a user rests. Due to the third member being centered relative to the edge surface of the step previously identified, there is little tendency for the pair of stilts to tend to pivot transversely relative to the direction in which the user of the stilts is traveling, and as a result a user with little experience on stilts may manipulate the same safely. The pair of stilts due to the structure thereof may be used in either first or second positions by a person. The stilts when used in the first position have a second elongate member extending upwardly rearwardly of the shoulders of the user, and the stilts when employed in a second position having the second elongate members disposed forwardly of the shoulders of the user. The first and second stilts that comprise a pair, are identical, other than in the direction in which the step extend relative to the handles. The pairs of stilts may be fabricated from any desired rigid materials, such as wood, polymerized resins, or light weight metals such as aluminum, magnesium, and the like.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of first and second stilts;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the first stilt;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the pair of first and second stilts shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a pair of the first and second stilts when employed by a user, and the stilts disposed in a first position;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the stilts with a user in a second upright position thereon, and the user grasping the forwardly off set second elongate members with his hands; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-section view of an anti-slip resilient pad that is mounted on the lower end of a third elongate member, said pad having a circumferential lower edge portion that temporarily deforms to an arcuate configuration as the pad pivots relative to the ground surface, and the pad having a central upwardly extending recess into which pebbles and small stones move when the latter are contacted by the lower surface of the pad.

The invention as may be seen in FIG. 1 includes a first stilt A and second stilt A' that are employed as pairs by a user D as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The first stilt A includes an elongate horizontally positionable handle B that has a first end portion 10 and second end portion 12, with the handle having an elongate slot 14 defined therein. The handle B has an elongate convex upper edge surface 16 that may be grasped by the hand of a user when the fingers of a user extend through the slot 14 as shown in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 1 it will be seen that a first elongate member 18 extends downwardly from the first end portion 10 of handle B. The first elongate member 18 has a longitudinally extending side 20. The second elongate member 22 extends upwardly from a second end portion 12 of the handle B.

A step C is provided that is secured to the lower end of the first elongate member 18, with the step defining a horizontal supporting surface on which a foot 26 of the user D may rest as shown in FIG. 4. The surface 24 has a first end 28 and second end 30. Tapered edge surfaces 32 and 34 extend downwardly from the supporting surface 24 and merge on their lower end into a third elongate member 36, which member has the center line 38 thereof substantially centered relative to the horizontal foot supporting surface 24 of the step C. The second stilt A' is identical in structure to the first stilt A other than the positioning of the step C' relative to the handle B'. In FIG. 1 it will be noted that the step C projects to the right relative to the handle B, while in the second stilt A' shown in FIG. 1 the step C' projects to the left relative to the handle B'. Due to this structure, the first and second stilts provide steps C and C' on which the feet 26 of the user D may rest, when the first and second stilts A and A' are disposed in laterally spaced relationship as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

In FIG. 4 it will be seen that the stilts are being used in a first position as illustrated in FIG. 1, with the second elongate members 22 and 22' being disposed rearwardly of the shoulder of the user D. In FIG. 5 the user D is employing the stilts A and A' in a second position, and in the second position the second elongate members 22 and 22' are disposed forwardly of the shoulders of the user D. Irrespective of whether the pair of stilts A and A' are used in the first position as shown in FIG. 4 or the second position shown in FIG. 5, the pair of stilts provide the same operational advantages previously identified relative to the ease with which they may be used by a user D having little or no past experience in manipulating a pair of stilts, and walking at an elevated position over a desired ground surface.

The lengths of the handles B is such as to so off set the second elongate members 22 relative to the first elongate members 18 and steps C that the user occupies an upright position on the pair of stilts A and A' irrespective of whether the user is in the first position shown in FIG. 4 or the second position illustrated in FIG. 5. In the first position shown in FIG. 4 the hands 40 of the user grasp the handles B. However, when the stilts A and A' are in the second position shown in FIG. 5 the handles B and B' extend rearwardly, and it is necessary for the user D to have his hands 40 grasp the second elongate members 22 and 22' that are forwardly disposed and adjacently situated to his chest.

To allow a user D to run, ascend inclined surfaces, descend downwardly sloping surfaces and to compete in various maneuvers when mounted on a pair of the stilts A and A', it is necessary that the stits not slip or slide relative to the surface 42 on which they are supported.

To minimize such slippage it is desirable to provide resilient pads E and E' that are of identical structure, and that engage the lower end portions of the third elongate members 36 and 36'. Inasmuch as the pads E and E' are identical only the pad E has been illustrated in FIG. 6.

The pad E is in the form of a cup that has a downwardly extending cavity 46 therein of such transverse cross-section as to snugly and frictionally engage the lower end portion of third elongate member 36. Pad E has sidewalls 48 that on their lower edges develop into a bottom 50 that has a series of progressively deeper recesses 52 extending upwardly therein. Should the pad E contact a pebble stone (not shown) the pebble or small stone will move temporarily into the recesses 52, and will not cause the pad to slip or slide on the supporting surface 42. The pad E is formed from a resilient material such as rubber or the like. When the resilient pad E pivots relative to the supporting surface 42, it will be seen that the lower adjacent sections of the side wall 48 and bottom 50 temporarily deform to the arcuate shape shown in phantom line in FIG. 6.

The use and operation of the invention as well as the structure and design thereof, has previously been explained in detail, and further description in this regard is not necessary.