US2464341A - Coasting device - Google Patents

Description

March 15, 1949. H, L QSTLUND 2,464,341

COASTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 20, 1945 FIG. 3 7 '1 l l W I I I l INVENTOR.

L v HENNING OSTLUND ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 15, 949

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COASTING DEVICE Henning I. .0stlund. Minneapolis, Minn. Application December 20, 1945, Serial No. 636,097

5 Claims.

This invention relates to coasting devices and is particularly adapted for coasting down snowy slopes.

It is an object of the invention to provide a coasting device which is generally symmetrical in shape and is characterized by a body portion having a smooth relatively wide snow contacting bottom surface, and wherein the bottom surface has a side wall extending upwardly therefrom and merging therewith on a gradual curve.

More specifically it is an object of the invention to provide a generally circular body having a downwardly convex relatively broad snow engaging surface and a generally circular side wall extending upwardly therefrom and meeting the bottom on a gradual curve and wherein hand holds are provided for the occupant of the device.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a coasting device which is of generally circular shape and which is so designed that its motion in coasting down the hill is not controlled by runners or other directional steering mechanism.

The above and other objects of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the views, and, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device with a portion of the rim broken away;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof with part of the side wall and bottom broken away; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevational View of the side wall.

The coasting device includes a body A having a bottom 4 which, as best shown in Figure 2, is generally concavo-convex with the convex surface on the under side. Extending upwardly from the edges of the bottom 4 which is generally circular in shape is a side wall 5 which, as shown at 6, merges with the bottom 4 on a gradual curve. It is preferred that the side wall be vertical or approximately so.

The body A is preferably formed of a relatively stiff material such as sheet steel which may be pressed or spun out of a single piece of metal. The upper edge of the bottom 4 is rolled as at I about a wire 8. The rolling of the side wall about the wire 8 imparts considerable strength thereto and also eliminates any sharp edges which might cause injury.

At spaced points around the side wall 5 and toward the top thereof are pairs of apertures 9 and through these apertures are threaded a suitable hand hold element such as a rope Ill. As

shown best in Figure 1, the rope H1 is threaded through the openings 9 in such a manner that said rope forms a number of chords of a circle defined by the side wall 5, thereby providing a plurality of rope portions which may be gripped by the hands of the occupant at points inwardly of said side wall 5 so that the hands are protected from injury in the event of a collision between the coasting device and some other object.

In practice the user ordinarily sits himself in the body A with his legs doubled in front of him and grasps the rope ID at two approximately opposite points. The convex under surface of the bottom 4 and the gradual curve 6 where the bottom meets the side wall 5 permits the device to coast or slide readily over the snow. The occupant may to some extent control the direction of travel by shifting his weight to one side or the other, but in view of the fact that there is no positive steering mechanism a unique and thrilling ride will result. Due to the fact that in most cases the weight will not be evenly distributed laterally there will be slightly more drag at one side than the other and the device will have a tendency to spin around as it travels downhill. The occupant is close to the ground and in the event of a tumble he will be very unlikely to receive any injury. For that reason it is a device which can be used with particular advantage by children.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, arrangement, details and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is: I

1. A coasting device comprising, a generally circular body of sheet material having a continuous smooth convex bottom, and a side wall extending upwardly from said bottom and merging therewith on a gradual curve, said structure producing various oscillatory or spinning actions during coasting.

2. A coasting device comprising, a generally circular body of sheet material having a smooth bottom, said bottom having a continuous, unbroken, slightly convex lower surface, and a continuous side wall extending upwardly from and merging with said bottom on a gradual curve.

3. A coasting device comprising, a generally circular body of sheet material of a diameter to accommodate a rider in sitting position with his legs doubled in front of him having a smooth bottom, said bottom having a slight convex lower surface, a side wall extending upwardly from and merging with said bottom on a gradual curve and a plurality of spaced hand-holds mounted within the geometric confines of said side wall.

4. A coasting device comprising, a body of sheet material having a smooth circular bottom with a convex lower surface, a circular side wall extending upwardly from and merging with the edge of said bottom on a gradual curve, and a hand hold secured to said side wall and having a portion thereof forming a chord of the circle described by said side wall.

5. A coasting device adapted in travel to produce unpredetermined oscillatory movements comprising a shallow, circular body of sheet material of a diameter to accommodate a rider in.

sitting position with his legs doubled in front of him, said body having a continuous, slightly con- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Prickman Oct. 29, 1940 Number

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