Patented Sept. 16, 1969

A jumping device having an upright shaft with a lower ground engaging end and blade means carried at its upper end and blade means carried at its upper end. A reciprocal foot driven, spring loaded-tubular member mounted on the shaft rotates the shaft as the device is propelled in a series of jumps so that the blades rotate to produce a lift when the device is airborne. The rotating blades produce a gliding descent.

This invention relates to amusement devices and more specifically a jumping device having blade means for producing a gliding descent between jumps.

Jumping devices of the Pogo stick class usually comprise an elongated upright support having a lower end adapted to engage the ground and a spring carried at the upper end to which are fastened a pair of foot pedals. By holding the upright support in the hands, and pushing down on the foot pedals with the feet, the user can propel himself in a series of short jumps.

The length and height of the jumps that can be achieved by devices of the prior art of this class have been limited by the quantity of energy that can be stored in the spring when the device is engaged with the ground and which rebound the operator into the air.

It is the broad purpose of the present invention to provide a jumping device having a rotatable blade means which enable the device through auto-rotation to achieve a gliding descent between jumps thereby providing a greater airborne travel between adjacent contacts with the ground.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention, which will be subsequently described in greater detail, takes the form of an upright shaft having a ground engaging wheel pivotally connected to its lower end and a pair of lateral blades mounted at its upper end for rotation in a place which is generally perpendicular to the axis of the upright member. A cylindrical member is mounted on the shaft for reciprocal movement in a downward driving stroke and an upward rebound stroke. A helical spring housed within the cylindrical member has its upper end fixed to the upper end of the cylindrical member and its lower end fixed to the shaft. A pair of lateral for supports are connected to the cylindrical member to enable the user to push downwardly on the cylindrical member so that when the shaft is in contact with the ground, the spring is compressed. At the end of the downward driving stroke, the spring releases its energy so that the cylindrical member and the shaft rebound upwardly to lift the device off the ground.

The cylindrical member is connected to the shaft by helical thread means arranged such that axial movement of the cylindrical member with respect to the shaft rotates the shaft. As the cylindrical member is driven in a downward stroke, the shaft rotates in a first direction and then rotates in a reverse direction as the cylindrical member returns in a rebound stroke. Thus, the shaft rotates in alternate directions.

A uni-directional clutch carried at the upper end of the shaft provides a connection between the rotation of the shaft and the blades. The clutch couples the shaft in a driving relationship to the blades as the shaft rotates in its first direction and disengages the shaft and the blades when the shaft rotates in the reverse direction so that the blades are intermittently driven in a common direction.

Handle means carried on a shaft are connected through a motion transmitting linkage to the blades can be tilted with respect to the shaft when the device is airborne to provide an optimum angle of attack with respect to the prevailing wind. By tilting the blades, the direction in which the device advances during its gliding descent can be controlled.

The device is normally operated by successively pushing downwardly on the cylindrical member until the blades are rotating sufficiently to develop an aerodynamic lift. The user then allows the device to lift off the ground under the combined forces of the aerodynamic lift and the rebound action of the spring. Upon recontact with the ground, the blades are given additional rotation through the weight of the operator descending on the cylindrical member and driving the shaft in a driving stroke. When the device is airborne, the rotating blades control the decent of the device and the user so that a gliding movement is achieved. Substantial flights can be achieved by descending a hill or tilting the so that the angle of attack is such that the device is airborne for a substantial portion of the hill. The pivotable wheel can be replaced by a ski member during the wintertime to provide a year around amusement device.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a jumping device having blade means for controlling the rate of descent from an airborne position.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an amusement device of the Pogo stick class having upright interconnected members including a cylindrical foot operated member mounted on an upright shaft with spring means compressed by a downward force applied to the foot operated member and which rebounds to lift the device into the air and with blade means control the descent of the airborne device.

It is a further object of he present invention to provide a jumping device comprising an upright shaft having a longitudinal axis and a lower end adapted to engage the ground, a reciprocal member mounted on the shaft with a foot support for producing a downward force, means interconnecting the reciprocal member and the shaft so that the downward movement of the reciprocal member and the shaft so that the downward movement of the reciprocal member relative to the shaft rotates the shaft about its longitudinal axis, spring means interconnecting the reciprocal member and the shaft for storing rebound energy during the downward movement of the reciprocal member and for releasing the rebound energy in the form of an upward rebound force on the device sufficient to produce a lifting force, blade means mounted on the shaft and operable upon rotation to produce a lifting force and clutch means coupling the rotation of the shaft to the blade means so that the rate of descent of the device from an airborne position can be controlled by the blade means.

Still further objects and advantages of the present invention will readily become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains upon reference to the following description.

The description refers to the accompanying drawing in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view generally indicating the manner in which the user operates a jumping device illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the preferred jumping device of FIG. 1:

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the blade mounting means of the preferred device;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view as seen along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged elevational sectional view of the upper end of the reciprocal cylindrical member of the preferred device; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the lower end of the foot operated cylindrical member.

FIG. 1 and 2 illustrate the preferred jumping device as comprising an elongated vertical shaft 10 having a ground engaging wheel means 12 carried at its lower end, and blade means 14 mounted at its upper end. Drive means 16 mounted on the shaft 10 provide means for rotating the blade means 14 as well as developing a rebound force from a pushing effort applied by the user 18.

The wheel means 12 are preferably pivotably attached to the lower end of the shaft 10 and prevent the device from digging into the ground as it re-establishes contact with the ground between each jump. Shaft 10 is rotatably connected to the clevis (unnumbered) which supports the ground wheel so that the shaft can rotate about its own longitudinal axis and relative to the clevis. It is to be understood that the wheel means 12 could be replaced by a ski-type element to permit the device to be used during the wintertime.

The shaft 10 as can best be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, has an upper helical threaded section 20 and a lower helical section 22 which are vertically spaced from one another.

The pushing mechanism 16 comprises a cylindrical drive member 24 having an upper end member 26 formed with a helical 28 which meshes with the helical threads 20. A lower end member 30 closes off the lower end of the cylindrical drive member 24 and has a helical bore 32 which is in sliding engagement with the lower helical threads 22.

A pair of lateral foot supports 34 are fixed adjacent the lower end of the cylindrical drive member 24 and provide means for applying a downward pumping force on the drive member 24.

It is to be understood that the cylindrical member 24 and the shaft 10 are axially movable with respect to one another. When the cylindrical member 24 is driven downwardly by a force applied to the foot supports 34, the helical sections 20 and 22 on the shaft 10 and the complementary helical bores 28 and 32 of the end members rotate the shaft 10 about its longitudinal axis. When the drive member 24 is returned upwardly in a rebound stroke, the helical threaded sections rotate the shaft 10 in a reverse direction.

A helical compression spring 36 is housed within the drive member 24 with its upper end fixed to an upper keeper 38 carried by the end member 26 and its lower end fixed to a lower keeper 40 which is fixed to the shaft 10. Thus, it can be seen that as the drive member 24 is reciprocated in upward and downward directions, the spring member 36 alternately becomes compressed and extended. By driving the drive member 24 downwardly, and with the wheel means 12 engaged with the ground, the spring element 36 is compressed until the drive member reaches its extreme downward position. At the end of its downward stroke, the spring 36 releases its energy in the form of a upward rebound force.

As best seen in FIG. 2, a helical spring 42 disposed around the lower end of the shaft 10 and above the wheel means 12 provides means for absorbing the shock as the pusher mechanism approaches its lower most position.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the blade means 14 comprises a pair of laterally mounted blades 44 having a hub 46. The upper end of the shaft 10 is narrowed as at 48 and has a threaded section 50 for receiving the hub 46 and engaging a hub-retaining nut 52 and a washer 54.

A collar 56 is seated on an annular shoulder 58 defined by the narrow end 48 and has a pair of laterally extending support section 60. An annularly shaped flat retainer member 62 having downwardly depending ears 64 is pivotally attached to the lateral supporting sections 60 by pins 66. Thus, it can be seen that the retainer section 62 and the collar 56 rotate together about the longitudinal axis of the shaft 10, however, the retainer 62 is pivotal relative to the collar 56 abut an axis transverse to the shaft 10. The hub 46 supporting the blades 44 is slidably seated on the retainer 62.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, one-way clutch means 68 for coupling the rotation of the shaft 10 to the blades 44 comprising a ring shaped coupling member 70 having a pair of diametrically arranged lugs 72 supported by the hub 46. The lugs 72 interconnect the coupling section 70 and the hub 46 so that they rotate together about the longitudinal axis of the shaft 10.

The narrowed section 48 of the shaft 10 has a transverse slot 74 for retaining a plate shaped coupling member 76 which is laterally slidably disposed in the slot 74. The coupling section 70 preferably has annularly spaced, radially directed surfaces 78 connected by cam surfaces 80. As viewed in FIG. 4, when the narrowed section 48 of the shaft 10 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the coupling section 76 engages one of the abutment surfaces 78 to drive the coupling section 70 and the blade hub 46 in a clockwise direction. When the rotation of the shaft 10 is referred so that the narrowed section 48 rotates in a counterclockwise direction, the outer edges of the coupling section 76 slide on the cam surfaces 80 of the coupling 70 so that the hub 46 continues to rotate in a clockwise direction while the shaft 10 is rotating in a counterclockwise direction. Thus, it can be seen that the clutch 68 provides means for intermittently driving the blade means for intermittently driving the blade means 14 in a single direction by providing an intermittent driving connection with the shaft 10.

It is to be understood that the blades 44 are of the type that produce an aerodynamic lift upon rotation. By rotating blades 44 at a suitable rate, an upward lift can be developed which through the blade mounting means produces an upward force acting on the shaft 10 and its associated components.

The retainer 62 provides means for tilting the blade hub 46 at a selected angle of attack with respect to the wind when the device is airborne, while maintaining the shaft 10 in a generally vertical attitude. A pair of laterally directed handles 82 are rotatably mounted to a annular member 84 which is rotatably mounted to the shaft 10.

A yoke 86 s carried by the handles 82 and has an outer end 88 pivotally attached to the lower end of a link member 90. The upper end of the link member 90 is pivotally attached to a laterally extending portion 92 of the retainer plate 60. Thus, by rotating the handles 82 about their longitudinal axis, the link 90 can be raised or lowered which in turn pivots the retainer 62 and the blade hub 46 to a selected angle in order to change the direction of forward advance of the device while it is airborne.

In operation, the user normally commences to rotate the blade means 14 by shifting his weight on the foot support 34 in an up and down manner so that the drive member 24 commences to rotate the shaft 10. As the shaft 10 rotates in alternate directions, the blade means 14 start to rotate in a single direction which in turn develops an aerodynamic lift. After a sufficient lift has been developed, the user allows the device to lift off the ground by the combined forces of the upward rebound action of the spring 36, and the lift of the blades 44. When the device is airborne, the blade means 14 provides a gliding descent. Upon re-contact with the ground, the blades are given additional rotation by means of the weight of the user descending on the foot support 34 so that drive shaft imparts additional rotation to the blade means 14 as well as compressing the spring element 36 to provide additional lift in the form of rebound energy. The directional lift in the form of rebound energy. The directional control of the device is achieved by shifting the operator's weight to tilt the plane of rotation of the blade, and also by rotating the handles 82 to vary the angle between the plane of rotation of the blade and the support shaft 10.

Although I have described but one preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and revisions can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A jumping device, comprising:

(a) an upright shaft having a longitudinal axis and a lower end adapted to engage the ground;

(b) a reciprocal member mounted on said shaft and having a foot support for producing a downward force;

(c) means interconnection said reciprocal member and said shaft so that axial movement of said reciprocal member relative to said shaft rotates said shaft about its longitudinal axis;

(d) a spring connecting said shaft and said reciprocal member when said shaft is engaged with the ground and to produce an upward rebound force on said reciprocal member upon termination of the downward movement of said reciprocal member;

(e) blade means mounted on said shaft and operable upon rotation to produce a lifting force on said shaft; and

(f) means drivably coupling said shaft to said blade means for rotation so that said device can be airborne by a jumping motion with said blade means influencing the rate of descent of the device.

2. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said shaft rotates in alternate directions as said reciprocal member moves in alternate axial directions.

3. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said reciprocal member comprises a cylindrical section coaxially mounted on said shaft and including helical gear means interconnecting said reciprocal member and said shaft so that when said reciprocal member moves in a downward stroke, said shaft rotates in a firs direction and when said reciprocal member rebounds upwardly, said shaft rotates in a second direction, opposite to said first direction.

4. The device as defined in claim 3, wherein said coupled means comprises a clutch having an engaged condition wherein said blade means are connected to said shaft for coacting rotation and a disengaged condition wherein said blade means are disconnected from said shaft and independently rotatable.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said clutch is in said engaged condition when said shaft is rotating in said first direction and disengaged when said shaft is rotating in said first direction and disengaged when said shaft is rotating in said direction, so that said blade means are intermittently driven in a common direction.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, including a wheel member pivotally carried at the lower end of said shaft.

7. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said mounting means permits the plane of rotation of said blade to be tilted with respect to said shaft when said device is airborne to influence its direction of descent.

8. The device as defined in claim 7, including handle means mounted on said shaft for movement between positions corresponding to the relative position of the plane of rotation of said blade means and said shaft, and linkage means connecting said handle means and said blade means.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reciprocal member comprises a cylindrical section coaxially mounted on said shaft and including helical gear means interconnecting said reciprocal member and said shaft so that when said reciprocal member moves downwardly relative to said shaft, said rotates in a first direction, and when said reciprocal member moves upwardly relative to said shaft, said shaft rotates in a first direction, and when said reciprocal member moves upwardly relative to said shaft, said shaft rotates in a second direction, opposite said firs direction, and said coupling means comprises a clutch operable to drivingly connect said shaft to said blade means when said shaft is rotating in said first direction and to disconnect said shaft is rotating in said second direction so that said blade means rotates independently of said shaft, and including blade mounting means permitting the plane of rotation of said blade means to be tilted with respect to said shaft when said devices is airborne to influence its direction of descent.