Amusement devices – Surface for wheeled or gliding vehicle – For foot-attached gliding vehicle
Patent
1990-05-16
1993-02-09
Chilcot, Jr., Richard E.
Amusement devices
Surface for wheeled or gliding vehicle
For foot-attached gliding vehicle
472 90, A63C 1910
Patent
active
051849801
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to sports apparatus.
This invention has particular but not exclusive application to sports apparatus for the production of slopes for skiing, and for illustrative purposes reference will be made to such application. However, it is to be understood that this invention could be used in other applications, such as roller skating. Hereinafter the term skiing and analogous terms is to be taken as a general reference to snow or non-snow surface skiing as well as skating.
Skiing is a popular sport in most countries where snow-covered slopes are available. It is highly seasonal, and can only be practiced at certain times of year and in specific locations, generally locations which are remote from centres of population. On occasions when natural snow cover is inadequate, resorts are forced to generate artifical snow, and this process becomes quite expensive when long slopes must be treated.
The present invention aims to alleviate the above disadvantages and to provide sports apparatus which will be reliable and efficient in use. Other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter become apparent.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention in one aspect resides broadly in sports apparatus including: a movable skiing assembly having an upper skiing surface including a skiing portion inclined to the horizontal: support means for movably supporting said skiing assembly, and drive means for moving said skiing assembly relative to said support means. The movable skiing assembly may be an inclined endless conveyor such as a belt conveyor covered with a synthetic skiing surface.
The skiing surface may be formed of a low-friction medium such as snow, whereby a skier may ski down said operational skiing zone against the movement of said skiing surface at a selected speed to provide the desired relative movement between the skier and the skiing surface.
Preferably, the supporting surface is in the form of a disc or annulus (hereinafter called a disc) rotatable about an inclined axis and supporting a skiing medium. The disc may be in the form of a flat ring formed of a flexible material or flexible structure. Of course, if desired, other forms of disc, such as a rigid disc mounted on or rotatable about an inclined shaft, may be used if desired. The disc may be formed from a plurality of rigid segments joined by flexible joints along adjacent edges such that circumferential flexibility is provided for the disc. The flexible joints may be in the form of flexural or rotational pivots, or may be in the form of linkages. The linkages may be formed such that adjacent rigid segments pivot at 0 selected height above their upper surfaces such that cracking of the snow layer at the flexible joint is minimised.
The support means may be in the form of rollers attached to the disc and running on rails mounted beneath the disc, and the disc drive means may take the form of friction drive from drive wheels mounted beneath the disc. Of course, other forms of support means, such as gas bearings or magnetic levitation, may be used if desired, and other forms of disc drive means, such as gears or direct-drive linear motors may also be used. For example, the disc may be supported directly on a contoured solid earth mound, and it may be elevated thereabove by the support means. Alternatively the skiing medium may be directly supported on the mound or other support and be driven to slide around the support. If desired, the support means may be height adjustable such that the shape of the disc may be altered.
Preferably, the upper surface of the disc is formed into a complex shape such that the operational portion is of substantially constant or skiable slope and constitutes as large a portion of the overall surface of the disc as is practicable whereby the portion of the disc which may be utilised for skiing may be maximised, and the remainder of the disc is formed into a return portion whereby the surface of the rotating disc may pass between the end and the start of the operational portion. Of
REFERENCES:
patent: 318025 (1885-05-01), Pusey
patent: 318026 (1885-05-01), Pusey
patent: 3815901 (1974-06-01), Wiig
patent: 4148477 (1979-04-01), Larson
patent: 4976422 (1990-12-01), Shimamurh
Chilcot Jr. Richard E.
Schindler Edwin D.
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