Athletic training apparatus

Abstract

An athletic training apparatus (10) comprises an elongated bar (16) supported at each end by a sleeve (18) secured to a corner of a triangular stand (20) which includes slots (24) so that the apparatus can be mounted on the wall, by means of support plates (22), or used as a free standing unit on the floor. The apparatus (10) is adapted for convenient assembly and disassembly to facilitate transportation and storage.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to a training apparatus, and more particularly to a compact athletic training device for use by gymnasts, dancers and the like which can be adjustably mounted on the wall or set on the floor in free standing fashion and which is adapted for quick assembly and disassembly to facilitate shipment and storage.

BACKGROUND ART

Various devices have been available heretofore for use by gymnasts, dancers and athletes to aid in training. The devices of the prior art, however, have tended to be relatively expensive and of heavy and bulky construction which does not lend itself to convenient adjustment or storage. The prior devices are typically adapted either for permanent or semi-permanent mounting on a wall or for positioning on a floor, but not for both. Moreover, although some of the prior devices have been constructed in a way which allows shipment in a knocked down fashion for final assembly by the initial user, the prior training devices have not been adapted for simple assembly and disassembly between uses to facilitate storage and/or transportation.

There is thus a need for an improved athletic training apparatus of inexpensive, compact construction which can be used either on a wall, in conjunction with a suitable wall mounting, or on the floor as a free standing unit, and which is conveniently adapted for assembly as well as disassembly in order to facilitate shipment and storage of the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises an improved athletic training apparatus which overcomes the foregoing and other difficulities associated with the prior art. In accordance with the invention, there is provided a training apparatus for use by gymnasts, dancers and the like which can be used either as a wall mounted or as a free standing floor unit. The apparatus, which is adapated for convenient assembly as well as disassembly, comprises a straight bar of generally circular cross section supported at opposite ends in sleeves attached to generally triangular stands. Screws or other suitable fasteners are utilized for positive connection of the bar to the supporting sleeves/stands. The base of each stand preferably includes a pair of spaced apart keyhole slots adapted to receive upset studs on associated mounting plates by which the apparatus can be secured to the wall. The stands are preferably coated with rubber or other resilient material for safety purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

A better understanding of the invention can be had by reference to the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying Drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a training apparatus incorporating the invention shown mounted on a wall;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 2--2 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a training apparatus incorporating the invention shown positioned on the floor;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the invention;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are enlarged sectional views taken along lines 5--5 and 6--6, respectively, of FIG. 3 in direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 7 is a partial end view of a modification of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the Drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate like or corresponding elements throughout the views, and particuarly referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a training apparatus 10 incorporating the invention mounted on a wall 12 having load bearing studs 14 located behind the wall. In most basic terms, the apparatus 10 comprises an elongated bar 16 supported at the ends and extending between a pair of spaced apart sleeves 18, each of which is secured to the apex of a generally triangular stand 20. Each stand 20 of apparatus 10 is supported for vertical adjustment on a plate 22 secured to wall 12, preferably through the wall and into a hidden upright 14.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the base of each triangular stand 20 includes a pair of spaced apart slots 24 of keyhole configurations which are adapted to receive upset members 26 on the associated mounting plate 22. That is, each slot 24 includes a wide bottom end portion, through which the end of an upset member 26 is laterally received, as well as a relatively narrow upper end portion which provides constraint against downward and outward movement relative to the wall 12. A steel strip about three feet long, one inch wide and one eighth inch thick and be used for each mounting plate 22, for example. The upset members 26 can be formed as integral extensions of each mounting plate 22, and in the preferred embodiment, each mounting plate includes several pairs of upset members to provide vertical adjustability. The mounting plates 22 are secured to wall 12 by means of suitable fasteners 28, which preferably extend through the wall and into the studs 14 behind the wall. It will thus be apparent the support plates 22 are permanently affixed to the wall 12 and that the training apparatus 10 can be mounted thereon in any one of several pre-selected vertical positions or removed therefrom as desired.

Further constructional details of the training apparatus 10 are shown in FIGS. 3-7. The apparatus 10 can be mounted on wall, as discussed herebefore, or utilized as a free standing unit on a floor. This flexibility is a significant feature of the invention as is the feature that the training apparatus 10 is adapated for convenient assembly as well as disassembly to facilitate transportation and/or storage between use. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the training apparatus 10 disconnected from mounting plates 22 and positioned on the floor 30 as a free standing unit. When positioned on the floor, one training apparatus 10 can be used for a variety of exercises including handstands and the like. Of course, a pair of training apparatus 10 can be used if desired.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate constructional details of the apparatus 10. The bar 16 is of generally circular cross section, of either solid or hollow construction, and is preferably about one and three quarters inches in diameter to facilitate gripping. Bar 16 can be of any suitable length, but is preferably about 58 inches long so that stands 20 can be positioned over the support studs of an inside wall, which are typically on 24 inch centers, or on the studs of an outside wall, which are typically on 16 inch centers. Sleeves 18 can be of any suitable length such as five inches. At each end of the bar 16 is secured to its corresponding sleeve 18 by means of at least one and preferably two releasable fasteners 32 which take the form of screws as illustrated. A slip fit between bar 16 and sleeves 18 together with positive connection by means of fasteners 32 facilitates simple assembly and take down of apparatus 10 with no more than a screwdriver, and this comprises another significant feature of the invention.

The support stands 20 are preferably triangular for purposes of stability, with each sleeve 18 being welded or otherwise suitable secured to a corner of its associated support stand so that the plane of the stand is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of bar 16. As illustrated, each support stand 20 takes the form of an isosceles triangle with the base being at least as long and preferably longer in length than the other two sides for enhanced stability particularly when the apparatus 10 is used as free standing unit on the floor 30/ The support stands 20 are shown as being constructed from channel stock, however, and will be understood that suitable tubular or bar stock could also be used.

In the preferred embodiment, each support stand 20 includes a coating 34 of rubber or other resilient materials for safety purposes. The coating 34 can be applied, for example, by dipping or spraying the stands 20 with a suitable material, such as S&R plastic coating from Sinclair and Rush, Inc. of St. Louis, Missouri.

FIG. 7 illustrates a modification of the training apparatus 10 wherein each sleeve 18 is of non-circular oval cross sectional configuration to receive the corresponding end of the bar 16 which is shown as tubular. The non-circular configurations of the ends of bar 16 and the sleeves 18 prevent relative rotation while a stop 36 serves to limit outward longitudinal movement of the bar relative to each support stand 20. The arrangement shown in FIG. 7 thus facilitates a snug interference fit between the bar 16 and support stands 20 such as that the use of fasteners 32 is optional.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention comprises an improved athletic training device having several advantages over the prior art. The device herein can be used either as a wall mounted unit, in conjunction with suitable support plates, or as a free standing floor unit. The training device of the invention is of inexpensive construction and is adapted for convenient assembly and disassembly to facilitate storage and transportation. Other advantages will be evident to those skilled in the art.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying Drawing and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is intended to embrace any alternatives, modifications, and re-arrangements and/or substitutions of elements falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. Athletic training apparatus, comprising:

a straight bar of predetermined length having a longitudinal axis and opposite ends;

a pair of sleeves, one sleeve for longitudinally receiving each end of said bar;

a pair of generally triangular stands, each stand being rigidly secured at one corner to a sleeve in generally perpendicular relationship with said sleeve;

means for releasably securing said bar to each sleeve;

each sleeve being substantially longer than the thickness of the associated stand; and

means on each stand for detachably connecting the apparatus to a vertical surface.

2. The training apparatus oc claim 1, wherein said releasable securing means comprises at least one screw interconnecting each sleeve and corresponding end of said bar.

3. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein said releasable securing means comprises an end stop secured to each sleeve to limit outward translation of said bar relative to said sleeves, with said sleeves and at least the ends of said bar being of complementary non-circular cross sectional configurations to prevent rotation of said bar within said sleeves.

4. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein each stand includes two sides of substantially equal lengths and a base having a length at least as great as the individual lengths of the two sides, with the associated sleeve being secured to the corner at the junction between the two sides of each stand.

5. The training apparatus of claim 1, further including;

a coating of resilient material on each stand.

6. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detachable connecting means comprises a pair of spaced apart slots of keyhole configuration on each stand, and further including:

an elongated mounting plate associated with each stand;

at least one pair of longitudinally spaced apart upset members secured to each mounting plate and adapted for receipt by the slots in the associated stand; and

means for securing said mounting plates to the vertical surface in laterally spaced apart relationship.

7. Athletic training apparatus, which comprises:

a straight elongated bar of generally circular cross sectional configuration having opposite ends;

a pair of hollow sleeves, each sleeve being dimensioned to snugly receive an end of said bar;

a pair of stands of triangular configuration, each stand having an apex joined by adjacent sides to a base with a sleeve being rigidly secured to the apex of each stand in generally perpendicular relationship with said stand;

the base of each stand being at least as long as each adjacent side;

each sleeve being substantially longer than the thickness of the associated stand;

a plurality of fasteners, at least one fastener for releasably interconnecting each sleeve and corresponding end of said bar;

a coating of resilient material on at least the base of each stand; and

means on each stand for detachably connecting the apparatus to a vertical surface.

8. The training apparatus of claim 7, wherein said sleeves and at least the ends of said bar are of noncircular cross sectional configuration to prevent rotation of said bar within said sleeves.

9. The training apparatus of claim 7, wherein the detachable connecting means comprises a pair of spaced apart slots of keyhole configuration on each stand, and further including:

an elongated mounting plate associated with each stand;

at least one pair of longitudinally spaced apart upset members secured to each mounting plate and adapted for receipt by the slots in the associated stand; and

means for securing said mounting plates to the vertical surface in laterally spaced apart relationship.