Occupant propelled tread vehicle

Claim 2

An amusement device in the nature of a self-complete, user powered vehicle comprising a plurality of parallel slats arranged in spaced edge-to-edge relation in a closed flat loop configuration, said slats having inner faces forming the internal surface of said loop and outer faces forming the outer surface of said loop, and hinge means provided between facing edges of said slats for permitting relative pivotal movement of adjacent slats inwardly with respect to said loop but preventing substantial relative pivotal movement of said slats in a reverse direction outwardly of said loop beyond a position in which said slats are in substantial coplanar orientation, said slats being of sufficient number and size to form a loop of adequate size to permit a user to assume a position of use fully within the confines of said internal surface of said loop or to be supported on the upper external surface of said loop.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein said hinge means comprises lug members extending outwardly from one edge of each slat and slots extending inwardly from the opposite edge of each slat, each of said lug members extending into an aligned slot on the facing edge of an adjacent slat, and pivot pin means extending through said lug members and adjacent portions of said opposite edge.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 2 wherein the outer edge extent of said lug members comprises a lug abutment surface oriented substantially perpendicularly with respect to the inner and outer faces of said slats, and extending inwardly from said outer face toward said inner face a distance less than half the thickness of said slats, a slot abutment surface defining the inner extent of said slots oriented substantially perpendicular with respect to the inner and the outer face surfaces of said slats and against which the lug abutment surface is engaged when adjacent slats are in substantially parallel relation and a canted clearance surface extending from the inner extent of said lug abutment surface diverging away from said slot abutment surface to the inner face of said slat so as to permit pivotal movement of adjacent slats with respect to each other relatively inwardly with respect to said loop so that said loop is capable of supporting the weight of a user standing on the upper surface of said loop when the loop is in a generally oval configuration such as when supported on a flat floor or other similar supporting surface.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 3 additionally including an internal roller-sled positioned on and engaging only that portion of the interior of said loop extending between the end portions of said loop along the bottom portion of said loop, roller means mounted on said sled supporting said sled on the inner faces of the slats forming the bottom portion of the loop for permitting said roller-sled to move with respect to said loop as said flattened loop traverses a supporting surface.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 4 additionally including guide members on said roller-sled overlying the edges of said loop for preventing transverse movement of said roller-sled with respect to said loop.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 5 additionally including release bolt latch means for normally maintaining said pivot pin means in position while permitting removal of said pivot pin means for removal or replacement of said slats to vary the size of said loop.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 6 wherein said latch means includes a radially extending lock pin adjacent one end of said pivot pin means, spring means biassing said pivot pin means outwardly in an axial direction from said loop, a retaining lug provided adjacent said lock pin for engaging said lock pin and preventing axial movement of said pivot pin means when said lock pin is aligned with said retaining lug, said pivot pin means being rotatable about its axis to position said lock pin away from said retaining lug to permit the removal of said pivot pin means from said loop.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 1 wherein said loop is a composite loop comprising first and second side-by-side aligned loop portions, a slide bearing means provided between and connecting said aligned loop portions for permitting a user on the interior of said loop to exert force in one direction on one of said loop portions and another direction on the other of said loop portions to effect relative movement of said loop portions to provide a steering effect for said composite loop.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 8 wherein said slide bearing means comprises a low-friction loop of plastic material positioned between said first and second loop portions and which in cross-section unitarily comprises first and second retainer members received in slots provided in the facing end edges of the slats of said first and second loop portions, respectively, a connector web of less thickness than said retainer members extending between said retainer members, an edge spacer web section extending inwardly from said connector web and an internal cap plate oriented generally perpendicularly to said edge spacer web section and extending transversely over the adjacent inner faces of adjacent slats of both of said loop portions.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 8 wherein said hinge means comprises lug members extending outwardly from one edge of each slat and slots extending inwardly from the opposite edge of each slat, each of said lug members extending into an aligned slot on the facing edge of an adjacent slat, and pivot pin means extending through said lug members and adjacent portions of said opposite edge.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 10 wherein said slide bearing means comprises a low-friction loop of plastic material positioned between said first and second loop portions and which in cross-section unitarily comprises first and second retainer members received in slots provided in the facing end edges of the slats of said first loop portion, a connector web of less thickness than said retainer members extending between said retainer members, an edge spacer web section extending inwardly from said connector web and an internal cap plate oriented generally perpendicularly to said edge spacer web section and extending transversely over the adjacent inner faces of adjacent slats of both of said loop portions.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 10 wherein the outer edge extent of said lug members comprises a lug abutment surface oriented substantially perpendicularly with respect to the inner and outer faces of said slats, and extending inwardly from said outer face toward said inner face a distance less than half the thickness of said slats, a slot abutment surface defining the inner extent of said slots oriented substantially perpendicular with respect to the inner and the outer face surfaces of said slats and against which the lug abutment surface is engaged when adjacent slats are in substantially parallel relation and a canted clearance surface extending from the inner extent of said lug abutment surface diverging away from said slot abutment surface to the inner face of said slat so as to permit pivotal movement of adjacent slats with respect to each other relatively inwardly with respect to said loop so that said loop is capable of supporting the weight of a user standing on the upper surface of said loop when the loop is in a generally oval configuration such as when supported on a flat floor or other similar supporting surface.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 12 wherein said slide bearing means comprises a low-friction loop of plastic material positioned between said first and second loop portions and which in cross-section unitarily comprises first and second retainer members received in slots provided in the facing end edges of the slats of said first loop portion, a connector web of less thickness than said retainer members extending between said retainer members, an edge spacer web section extending inwardly from said connector web and an internal cap plate oriented generally perpendicularly to said edge spacer web section and extending transversely over the adjacent inner faces of adjacent slats of both of said loop portions.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 12 additionally including release bolt latch means for normally maintaining said pivot pin means in position while permitting removal of said pivot pin means for removal or addition of said slats to vary the size of said loop, said release bolt latch means including a radially extending lock pin adjacent one end of said pivot pin means, spring means biassing said pivot pin means outwardly in an axial direction from said loop, a retaining lug provided adjacent said lock pin for engaging said lock pin and preventing axial movement of said pivot pin means when said lock pin is aligned with said retaining lug, said pivot pin means being rotatable about its axis to position said lock pin away from said retaining lug to permit the removal of said pivot pin means from said loop.

Claim 16

A ridable user powered amusement type device comprising a closed relatively flexible free-standing loop means of flattened oval configuration having an upper linear flight and a lower linear flight and an inner face and an outer face, said loop means including means forming a part thereof for independently maintaining said upper linear flight spaced above said lower linear flight by an amount sufficient to permit a user to assume a position of use fully within the confines of said inner surface and a roller-sled including a support panel extending adjacent the lower linear flight for supporting a user of the device on the interior of said loop and rollers mounted on said support panel to roll along said inner face portion of the lower flight to effect movement of said loop along said supporting surface.

Claim 17

A ridable user powered amusement type device comprising a closed relatively flexible free-standing loop means of flattened oval configuration having an upper linear flight and a lower linear flight and an inner face and an outer face, said loop means including means forming a part thereof for independently maintaining said upper linear flight spaced above said lower linear flight by an amount sufficient to permit a user to assume a position of use fully within the confines of said inner surface and a roller-sled including a support panel extending adjacent the lower linear flight for supporting a user of the device on the interior of said loop and rollers mounted on said support panel to roll along said inner face portion of the lower flight to effect movement of said loop along said supporting surface.

Claim 18

The invention of claim 15 additionally including retaining means overlapping the sides of said loop means for maintaining said roller-sled within the confines of said loop means.