Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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~KATEBOARD AXL~ MOU~TING APPA~ATU8
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a skateboard axle mounting
apparatus. More particularly, this invention pertains to an
apparatus for mounting a friction-reducing accessory, such as a
snow ski, ice-runner or a roller/belt assembly t:o a conventional
skateboard truck.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Several devices are known in the prior art for adapting
skateboards for use with slidable accessories, such as snow skis.
For example, United States patent No. 4,161,323 granted to
Wetteland on July 17, 1979 discloses a snow ski apparatus that
can be removably attached to a standard skateboard truck. The
apparatus includes a fore-ski and a rear-ski section which may
be connected respectively to the front axle and the rear axle of
a skateboard. The ski sections of the resulting ski board can
be manipulated by the user in substantially the same manner as
the rollers of an ordinary roller skateboard.
European patent No. 0,063,179 dated October 27, 1982
reveals a skateboard having four separate skis or runners
attachable to standard skateboard axles. United States patent
No. 4,225,145 granted to Carr on September 30, 1980 discloses a
modified skateboard having ski runners attachable to the
pivotable truck of a conventional skateboard. United States
patent No. 4,138,128 and French patent Nos. 2405-722, 2~20-984
and 2423-243 also disclose various apparatuses for attaching
slidable ski runners and the like to a standard skateboard frame.
The above noted references have several apparent
disadvantages or shortcomings. Most of the prior devices require
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extensive customized installation. Thus, once installed, these
devices can be used only for a relatively limited function, such
as snow skiing.
In recent years skateboards of varying axle length have
become available which are designed for specific purposes, such
as slalom racing or trick skateboarding. However, several of the
existing devices which the inventor is aware of are designed for
use only with skateboard axles of a predetermined axle length.
This greatly limits the adaptability of su~h devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subjec-t invention allows the user to easily
interchange various accessories by attaching them in a standard
manner to a conventional skateboard truck. For example, a
skateboard can be easily adapted for use on various terrains
such as snow, ice, dirt and grass-covered slopes. The present
invention incorporates an ad~ustable skateboard mounting
mechanism which is designed to accommodate axles of variable
length and which is constructed to better withstand lateral
stress than prior devices.
In accordance with the invention, a skateboard axle
mounting apparatus is provided having a base, a support element
attached to the base for s~curely receiving a skateboard axle,
and a mounting bracket for attaching the base to a friction-
reducing accessory, such as a snow ski or a roller/belt assembly.
The support element preferably includes a guide located
on the base and a pair of vertical end plates adapted to slidably
cooperate with the guide. In one embodiment the guide is an
elongate block which mates with corresponding slots in the
vertical end plates. In alternative embodiments the guide may
comprise a slot or a groove in the base which cooperates with a
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fastener or mating protrusion extending downwardly from the end
p~ates.
The end plates preferably have bore holes Eor receiving the
skateboard axle. ~dvantageo~sly, ~he bore holes may be fitted
with sealed roller bearings.
The support element may further incorporate an anchor
block mounted on the guide for supporting the pivotable truck of
a conventional skateboard. An anchor stud may also be provided
for securing the anchor block tG each of the vertical end plates
when the axle mounting apparatus is assembled. Fasteners are
provided for adjustably fastening the skateboard axle and the
anchor stud to the end plates.
Preferably the base also includes a graduated scale
for adjustably aligning the end plates at the appropriate
position on the guide.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a
skateboard axle mounting apparatus for attaching a ground
engaging accessory to a skateboard axle is provided which
comprises (a) a planar base plate; (b) a guide block extending
transversely across the width of the base plate, the guide block
having an upper surface, a lower surface and diverging walls
extending from the lower surface to the upper surface, thereby
providing the guide block with a dove-tail shaped cross-section,
the lower surface of the guide block being secured to an upper
surface of the base plate; (c) an anchor block attached to the
upper surface of the guide block, the anchor block having an
anchor stud extending transversely from the opposite sides
thereof; (d) a pair of vertical end plates, each end plate having
an upper bore hole adapted to receive a respective end of the
skateboard axle, a lower bore hole adapted to receive a respect-
ive end of the anchor stud, and a dove-tail shaped slot adapted
to slidably receive a respective end of the guide block; (e)
fastener means for releasably fastening the end plate to a
respective end of the skateboard axle and the anchor stud; and
(f) mounting means for releasably securing the ground engaging
accessory to the base plate.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the
5 invention/
Figure 1 is a partially exploded, perspective view of
the skateboard axle mounting apparatus in conjunction with a
conventional skateboard truck and a section of a snow ski.
Figure 2 is a partially exploded, per~pective view of
the sXateboard axle mounting apparatus of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a partially exploded, perspective view of
an alternative embodiment of the skateboard mounting apparatus
which incorporates a slotted guide means.
Figure 4 is a side elevation view of the skateboard
axle mounting apparatus assembled to attach a roller/belt
assembly to a conventional skateboard frame.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the skateboard axle
mounting apparatus assembled to attach a roller/belt assembly to
a conventional skateboard frame
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to Figure 1, the front end of a standard
skateboard is shown with its forward pair of roller wheels
removed. Skateboard axle 10 is attached to platfQrm 12 by means
of pivotable truck 14. Truck 14 is designed to cause the
skateboard to turn to one side or the other when pressure is
applied unevenly to the wheels, or other mounted accessories,
thus allowing the user to steer the board by leaning his weight
to one side or the other.
The present invention is directed to a skateboard axle
mounting apparatus generally designated 16 for attaching
skateboard truck 14 to a friction-reducing assembly, such as a
snow ski 18. Axle mounting apparatus 16 includes a base 20, a
guide means 22 attached to base 20, an anchor means 24 attached
to guide means 22 and a pair of vertical end plates 26, 28 which
may be adjustably secured to guide means 22 and anchor means 24
as discussed below.
As shown in Figure 1, axle mounting apparatus 16 may
also include a pair of mounting brackets 30 and 32 for securing
base 20 to snow ski 18 or the like. Alternat-vely, base 20 may
be mounted on snow ski 18 directly. Base 20 is a solid plate
having a plurality of bore holes 34 for use in attaching base 20
to underlying brackets 30, 32 or directly to ski 18. Although
base 20 is depicted as being rectangular in the drawings, it may
be of any suitable shape and dimension.
Guide means 22 is preferably secured to the upper
surface of base 20 along its lateral axis. As shown in Figures
1 and 2, guide means 22 may be a elongate, dovetail-shaped block
which is designed to articulate with mating slots 36 in vertical
end plates 26, 28. Guide means 22 thereby restricts vertical and
longitudinal movement of end plates 26, 28 after they have been
slidably fitted onto guide means 22. In other embodiments, guide
means 22 may be T-shaped, cylindrical or some other geometric
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shape which can articulate with end plates 26, 28 in a similar
manner~
In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, guide means 22 may
comprise one or more slots 59 located on base 20. Slots 59 are
designed to receive fasteners ~0 which extend downwardly from end
plates 26,28. Alternatively, guide means 22 may comprise one or
more notched grooves on base 20 for mating with corresponding
protrusions projecting downwardly from end plates 26, 28.
Anchor means 24 is secured to the upper, middle surface
of guide means 22. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, anchor means 24
includes a solid anchor block 36 attachable to guide means 22 and
a threaded anchor stud 38 extending outwardly from ~ither side
of anchor block 36 along the lateral axis of base 20.
End plates 26, 28 are preferably solid plates having
bore holes 40 and ~2 therethrough for receiving skateboard axle
10 and anchor stud 38 respectively. Bore holes 40 are fitted
with sealed roller bearings to permit free rotation of axle 18
in end plates 26, 28. In the embodiment shown in Fiyures 1 and
2, end plates 26, 28 also include slots 36 for slidably mating
with guide means 22 as discussed aboveO
As shown in Figure 2, anchor stud 38 may be maintained in
bore hole 42 of end plates 26, 28 by means of lock washers 4~ and
nuts 46. Similarly, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, skateboard axle
10 may be maintained in bore hole 40 of end plates 26, 28 by axle
nuts 48 which conventionally fasten the roller wheels of the
skateboard to axle 10.
Base 20 includes a graduated scale 52 for use in
aligning end plates 26, 28 on guide means 22. End plates 26,2~
include alignment markings 54,56 to enable accurate alignment on
graduated scale 52. Thus each end plate 26, 28 may be accurately
off-set relative to skateboard platform 12 to suit the preference
of the user.
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In use, mounting brackets 30, 32 are attached at the
desired location on a friction-reducing accessory, such as snow
ski 18. Base 20 is then secured to mounting hrackets ~0, 32 such
as by inserting suitable fasteners through bore holes 34 in base
20.
The skateboard is prepared for attachment to axle
mounting apparatus 16 by removing the roller wheels from
skateboard axle 10. As shown in Figure 1, truck 14 is placed
above the upper surface of anchor block 36. End plates 26 and
28 are then slidably fitted on to guide means 22; axle 10 and
anchor stud 38 are concurrently inserted into bore holes ~o and
42 respectively. Graduated scale 52 and alignment markings 54,56
may be used to align end plates 26 and 28 at the desired location
on guide means 22. Nuts 46 and 48 can then be tightened to
rigidly secure end plates 26 and 28 to anchor stud 38 and axle
10 respectively, thereby providing lateral support for axle
mounting apparatus 16.
The rear skateboard axle is similarly attached to ski 18 to
complete the mounting operation.
once skateboard axle mounting apparatus 16 is assembled
as aforesaid, the skateboard can then be manipulated by the user
for its intended purpose, such as snow skiing. The design of
apparatus 16 permits skateboard truck 14 to pivot fully so that
the assembled apparatus may be readily steered in the same manner
as a conventional roller skateboard. Since apparatus 16 is
capable of withstanding a high degree of lateral stress when
properly assembled, it provides the user with greater stability
and maneuverability khan prior devices.
Axle mounting apparatus 1~ is also very versatile. It
may be readily detached from snow ski 18 and used with other
friction-reducing accessories, such as ice-runners or roller/belt
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assemblies. Moreover, apparatus 16 may also be conveniently used
with other skateboard frames of variable axle length.
Figure 4 shows the present invention in use with a conven-
tional skateboard frame (including axle 10, platform 12 and truck
14) and roller/belt assembly 58. Roller/belt assembly 58 permits
the skateboard to be used on uneven terrain such as dirt or
grass-covered slopes. Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the
present invention in use with a skateboard frame and a pair of
roller/~elt assemblies 58.
The present invention may be adapted for a wide variety
of similar uses. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art
in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and
modifications are possible in the practice of this invention
without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly,
the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with
the substance defined by the following claims.
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