Portable runners starting block assembly
A lightweight runners starting block assembly with adjustable positions for the foot blocks and adjustable angles for the foot plates is disclosed. The longitudinal position of the foot blocks can be adjusted by selecting from a series of holes in the central tie bar. The tilt angles of the foot plates can be adjusted by selecting from one of several notches in the brace arms. The foot blocks can be easily removed from the central tie bar and folded flat so as to fit in a space 12 inches long, 12 inches wide and 6 inches high. The three parts can be stored in a small bag for convenient portability.
Continuation of previous application Ser. No. 11/189,406 by F. W. Held (Rejected)
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot Applicable
REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIXNot Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to equipment used by runners to get a secure and effective start in a sprint race. Initially, starting blocks were developed for dirt tracks with large spikes driven into the dirt to keep them from slipping. Starting blocks generally evolved into assemblies with a central rail and a moveable block attached to each side as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,615 by G. L. Moore. With the advent of synthetic track surfaces starting blocks generally used shorter spikes to avoid damaging the track surface and often provided tilt angle adjustments for each foot block as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,803 by Newton, Jr. More recently, lightweight starting blocks without a central rail or tie bar, small enough and light enough to be conveniently carried in a runners personal equipment bag have been developed for synthetic track surfaces. These are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,319 by Young and U.S. Pat. No. 6,342,029 by Richards.
Related U.S. Patent Documents:
The earlier blocks with the central rail have the disadvantage of being heavy and too large to fit into a runner's personal equipment bag, making it difficult for a runner to carry them from meet to meet or from home to workout. They also generally allow some flat surfaces to rest on the track which contributes to slippage during the start of a race. The more recent portable blocks (Richards and Young) are light and easy to carry, but have the disadvantage of being difficult to position on the track because they are two completely separate foot blocks and have to be positioned separately. Powerful sprinters often displace the back foot block when starting. Since it is not attached to the front foot block in any way, it has to be repositioned after each such start. This is a significant disadvantage when doing repeat training starts or warmup starts for a race.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis invention provides a truly lightweight portable starting block with a central tie bar. The total weight of the assembly, which includes two adjustable foot plates an a tie bar, is less than eight pounds. When disassembled and folded, it fits into a box (or space) 12 inches long, 12 inches wide and 6 inches high. When the assembled unit is in the starting position on a track, it rests entirely on the spikes located directly under the runner's feet. No part of the assembly other than the spikes under the runners feet touches the track. The direction of the starting force generated by the runner passes downward in front of the back row of spikes and behind the front row of spikes in each block. The downward component of the starting force pushes the spikes into the track surface. This spike arrangement insures the securest possible anchorage to the track and eliminates slippage.
The longitudinal separation of the foot blocks is selected by choosing from a series of holes in the tie bar when connecting the foot blocks to the tie bar. A unique arrangement of attaching the back plate of the front foot block to the front of the tie bar (See 10 of
Each foot block is easily removed from the tie bar and folded flat so that the three pieces can be stored in a small bag and easily carried in a runner's personal equipment bag from meet to meet or from home to workout.
Claims
1. A runner's starting block assembly consisting of three parts: a front foot block, a back foot block and a tie bar, having a total assembled weight of less than eight pounds.
2. A runner's starting block assembly consisting of three parts: a front foot block, a back foot block and a tie bar, which when assembled and placed on a track in a starting position, makes contact with the track only with and through the spikes located on the bottom of the foot blocks, and makes no contact with the track through any part of the tie bar (or central rail) assembly.
3. A runner's starting block assembly consisting of three parts: a front foot block, a back foot block and a tie bar, which when assembled and placed on the track in a starting position, allows the front foot block to extend beyond the front of the tie bar, thereby allowing the tie bar to be shorter than the longitudinal separation of the foot blocks.
4. A runner's starting block assembly consisting of three parts: a front foot block, a back foot block and a tie bar, which when disassembled and folded will fit into a box (or space)12 inches long, 12 inches wide and 6 inches high.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 11, 2010
Publication Date: Feb 16, 2012
Inventor: Franklin Wesley Held (Del Mar, CA)
Application Number: 12/806,346
International Classification: A63K 3/02 (20060101);