WO2001010509A1

WO2001010509A1 - Stilts

Info

Publication number: WO2001010509A1
Application number: PCT/GB2000/003063
Authority: WO
Inventors: Barry Worker
Original assignee: Barry Worker
Priority date: 1999-08-10
Filing date: 2000-08-08
Publication date: 2001-02-15
Also published as: GB9918714D0; GB0013945D0; AU6457900A; GB2352982A

Abstract

The stilts include poles (1) with foot supports (2) slidably mounted on the poles. The lower end of each foot support is bell mouthed to receive a resilient ring (3) which is compressed onto the pole under the weight of a walker, thereby locking the foot supports in any desired position along the poles.

Description

STILTS

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to walking stilts.

BACKGROUND

Known walking stilts comprise a pair of poles with foot supports attached. By standing on the foot supports a person can, with practice, walk elevated from the ground.

The present invention seeks to provide a new and inventive form of walking stilts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention proposes a pair of walking stilts comprising poles and respective foot supports, in which the height of the foot supports can be adjusted by means of a pair of relatively slidable members, and one or more locking elements are inserted between opposing mutually inclined surfaces of said members to resist such sliding movement when the weight of a user is applied to the foot supports.

Preferably, one of the relatively inclined surfaces is part-conical and the opposing surface is cylindrical. A single ring-like locking element may be inserted between each pair of opposing surfaces.

For maximum grip, the or each locking element is preferably formed of or includes resilient material in contact with the opposing surfaces.

The foot supports may be fixed adjacent to the lower end of the poles with foot members slidably inserted into the poles to allow adjustment of the walking height. In such cases the relatively slidable members would be formed by the poles and the foot members. However, in a preferred arrangement the relatively slidable members comprise the foot supports and the poles. The poles are preferably slidably received in apertures in the foot supports. Preferably the lower end of each aperture is formed with a recess for receiving the locking element or elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description and the accompanying drawings referred to therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to illustrate how the invention may be put into practice. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a general view of one of a pair of walking stilts in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an axial section through the stilt of Fig. 1 shown in an assembled condition;

Figures 3 to 5 are general views showing the pair of stilts in use; and

Figure 6 is a general view of an alternative form of locking ring, partially sectioned, for use with the stilts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The walking stilts comprise a pair of poles 1 each provided with a foot support 2 and a locking ring 3. The poles 1 may be of wood or metal tube and are of round cross section. Each foot support 2 has a cylindrical body 4 which is slidably received on the pole 1 with only a small intervening space. The central aperture of the body 4 has a bell-mouthed bottom end forming a part-conical upwardly-converging recess 5. An plate-like arm 6 projects from the cylindrical section 4 in an axial plane to carry a foot plate 7 upon which a walker stands in use.

The locking ring 3 is of round cross-section and is formed of a resilient elastomeric material such as natural or synthetic rubber. The diameter of the ring is such that it lightly grips the pole 1 and is easily movable along the pole. When the ring is adjusted to the required walking height from the bottom end of the pole the foot support 2 is slid down the pole until the ring 3 enters the recess 5 as shown in Fig. 2. Downward pressure on the foot supports caused by the weight of a walker causes the rings 3 to be compressed inwardly by the converging internal surfaces of the recesses 5 so that the rings grip the pole 1. Increasing the downward pressure on the foot supports causes an increased grip on the poles so that, in a downward direction, the foot supports are locked to the poles.

A novice walker will probably wish to start with the foot supports near the ground as shown in Fig. 3. As a walker gains skill and confidence they can progressively increase the walking height by sliding the foot supports 2 up the poles clear of the rings 3 and then adjusting the rings 3 to any desired height. Thus, the foot supports can easily and quickly be locked at different heights as in Fig.s 4 and 5, without having to release screws or catches.

The locking rings 3 are not necessarily of circular cross-section. The could for example be of tapered section, as shown in Fig. 6.

It will be appreciated that the features disclosed herein may be present in any feasible combination. Whilst the above description lays emphasis on those areas which, in combination, are believed to be new, protection is claimed for any inventive combination of the features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A pair of walking stilts comprising poles (1 ) and respective foot supports (2), characterised in that the height of the foot supports can be adjusted by means of a pair of relatively slidable members (1 , 4), and one or more locking elements (3) are inserted between opposing mutually inclined surfaces of said members to resist such sliding movement when the weight of a user is applied to the foot supports.

2. A pair of walking stilts according to Claim 1 , in which one of the relatively inclined surfaces (5) is part-conical and the opposing surface is cylindrical.

3. A pair of stilts according to Claim 1 , in which a single ring-like locking element (3) is inserted between each pair of opposing surfaces.

4. A pair of walking stilts according to Claim 1 , in which the or each locking element (3) is formed of or includes resilient material in contact with the opposing surfaces.

5. A pair of walking stilts according to Claim 1 , in which the relatively slidable members comprise the foot supports (2) and the poles (1 ).

6. A pair of walking stilts according to Claim 5, in which the poles are slidably received in apertures in the foot supports.

7. A pair of walking stilts according to Claim 6, in which in the lower end of each aperture is formed with a recess (5) for receiving the locking element or elements (3).