US3887179A - Log rolling apparatus with adjustable friction structure - Google Patents

Abstract

Game equipment employing a horizontal frame adapted to rest upon a suitable horizontal surface and a horizontally elongated roller rotatably disposed in the frame somewhat above the surface. A spongy hollow horizontal cylindrical sleeve is disposed about the roller, the sleeve having an outer surface which resembles the bark of a tree and which is roughened to enable the feet of the players to contact the sleeve surface in a non slip manner. Structure is provided for adjusting the rotational friction of the roller in the frame to adjust the force required to rotate the roller.

Description

United States Patent 1 Klepper et al.

[ 1 June 3, 1975 1 1 LOG ROLLING APPARATUS WITH ADJUSTABLE FRICTION STRUCTURE [76] Inventors: John T. Klepper; George Morse,

both of 3303 Quinlan St., Yorktown Heights, NY. 10591 22 Filed: on. 19, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 408,121

[52] US. Cl. 272/1 E; 272/D1G. 3 [51] Int. Cl A63b 23/06 [58] Field of Search 272/] B, 60 R, 64, 73,

272/D1G. 3, DIG. 4; 64/30 R, 30 C; 188/711, 83, 166; 193/35 A Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant ExaminerR. T. Stouffer [57] ABSTRACT Game equipment employing a horizontal frame adapted to rest upon a suitable horizontal surface and a horizontally elongated roller rotatably disposed in the frame somewhat above the surface. A spongy hollow horizontal cylindrical sleeve is disposed about the roller, the sleeve having an outer surface which resembles the bark of a tree and which is roughened to enable the feet of the players to contact the sleeve surface in a non slip manner. Structure is provided for adjusting the rotational friction of the roller in the frame to adjust the force required to rotate the roller.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures LOG ROLLING APPARATUS WITH ADJUSTABLE FRICTION STRUCTURE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My invention is directed toward a game which is to be played to simulate the sport of log rolling as performed by lumber jacks in the water, but can be played in a safe manner by unskilled players on dry land.

The game is played using equipment which employs a horizontal frame resting upon a suitable horizontal surface and, if necessary, anchored in place. An elongated horizontal roller is rotatably disposed in the frame somewhat above the surface. A spongy hollow horizontal cylindrical sleeve is disposed about the roller. The sleeve has an outer surface which resembles the bark of a tree and which is roughened to enable the feet of the players to contact the sleeve surface in a non-skid manner.

When used in a game the equipment can be used by two players who together stand on the cylinder and spin it with their feet until one player is thrown off. The other player, of course, wins.

Means are provided to adjust the rotational frictio of the roller in the frame to adjust the force required to rotate the frame and thus adjust the force required to be exerted by the players to rotate the roller. This adjusts the difficulty of the game. I

One player alone can use the equipment in challenging his own manual dexterity and balancing skills.

The equipment can be used as a therapeutic device to enhance and rehabilitate foot and leg impairments through exercise and also as a directed program to improve equilibrium.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an end view thereof; and FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show different detail views thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS axle against the inside of the thread ofend member 12,

this end being in bearing 26.

The other end of the axle extends out of the thread ofend member 10. Aknob 22 can be rotated to causewasher 24,pin 38 and washer 27 to move axially back and forth along the axle toward and away fromend member 10. Acoil spring 28 disposed on the axle is disposed betweenwasher 24,pin 28, washer 27 and athick disc 30 having a central hole through which the axle extends.

The adjacent end of the roller has recesses 32 forbrass bearing washer 34 which is a cone shaped friction disc with flat portion drilled and centered on 18 with upwardly curved upper end to act as a friction surface.

Twowashers 24 and 27 are drilled with five equally spacedholes 37 to allowpins 38 to connect them through matching concentric holes inmember 10. Clutchadjustment 22 Works againstwashers 24 and 27 forcing disc 3 andfriction disc 34 against friction washer 36 controllingroller 16.Disc 30 is permanently secured to the small end ofdisc 34 and both are keyed loosely with three keys spaced apart aroundaxle 18 allowing for lateral motion but no circular motion of the friction disc.

The roller is covered by a hollowcylindrical spongy sleeve 38 having a roughouter surface 40 resembling bark and adapted to provide a non-skid surface.

The roller freely rotates but the adjustment of the knob enables the rotational friction to be varied as described above.

The game can then be used as previously described.

While we have described our invention with particular reference to the drawings, such is not to be considered as limiting its actual scope.

Having thus described this invention, what is asserted as new is:

l. A game comprising:

a horizontal frame adapted to rest upon a suitable horizontal surface;

a horizontally elongated roller rotatably disposed about the frame somewhat above the surface, the roller having a horizontal axle;

a spongy hollow horizontal cylindrical sleeve disposed around the roller, the sleeve having an outer surface which resembles the bark of a tree and is roughened to enable the feet of the players to contact the sleeve surface in a non-slip manner; and

means to adjust the rotational friction of the roller in the frame to adjust the force required to rotate the roller, the rotational friction adjustment means including a disc having a hole through which one end of the axle extends, spring loaded manually operable means to move the disc along the axle toward or away from one end of the frame and a plurality of arms secured at one end to the disc and having opposite ends engaging suitable supports disposed in the one roller end, the arms and supports being symmetrically disposed about the axle.

Claims (1)

1. A game comprising: a horizontal frame adapted to rest upon a suitable horizontal surface; a horizontally elongated roller rotatably disposed about the frame somewhat above the surface, the roller having a horizontal axle; a spongy hollow horizontal cylindrical sleeve disposed around the roller, the sleeve having an outer surface which resembles the bark of a tree and is roughened to enable the feet of the players to contact the sleeve surface in a non-slip manner; and means to adjust the rotational friction of the roller in the frame to adjust the force required to rotate the roller, the rotational friction adjustment means including a disc having a hole through which one end of the axle extends, spring loaded manually operable means to move the disc along the axle toward or away from one end of the frame and a plurality of arms secured at one end to the disc and having opposite ends engaging suitable supports disposed in the one roller end, the arms and supports being symmetrically disposed about the axle.

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