Claims
- 1. Trampoline apparatus for use in connection with tumbling and the like, the apparatus including elongated laterally spaced side members extending longitudinally of the apparatus and defining a trampoline-like bed frame but open at its opposite ends, a trampoline-like bed but narrower relative to its length of flexible material extending longitudinally of the apparatus disposed between the frame side members, the length of the bed being substantially 3 times or more its width to provide directional rebound characteristics, the bed having a pair of bed side edges along and spaced from the frame side members and first and second opposite bed ends unenclosed by the respective opposite ends of the frame, a plurality of elongated and resiliently extendable members interconnecting the bed side edges and the frame side members to effectively resiliently suspend the bed in tension therebetween, the resilient members most adjacent the open ends of the bed providing a greater tension on the side edges of the bed than is provided by the resilient members along the remainder of the bed side edges effective so that a performer running along a floor or the like and then jumping onto the first end of the bed is rebounded therefrom onto and then off the second end of the bed and onto the floor or the like, and means for supporting the frame and bed in overlying spaced relation above a floor or the like.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the supporting means maintain the portion of the bed adjacent the first bed end thereof in a position inclined upwardly toward the remainder of the bed.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the supporting means maintain the remainder of the bed in a substantially horizontal position with respect to a floor or the like.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the respective ends of the side members terminate longitudinally beyond the end edges of the first and second bed ends, soem of the resilient members disposed at the lengths of the bed side edges adjacent their intersections with the bed end edges being angled from the bed side edges outwardly toward the ends of the side members.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the supporting means also maintain the side members in spaced relation against the tension and resiliency of the bed and are out of the path of a performer jumping onto the rebounding from the bed as aforesaid.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the supporting means include a plurality of supporting assemblies spaced at longitudinal intervals along the side members, each supporting assembly having portions depending from the side members and transverse portions interconnecting the lower ends of the depending portions.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6 including means delineating a mounting area on the inclined bed portion, a dismount area on the horizontal bed portion, and a foul area therebetween, the foul area including contiguous portions of the inclined and horizontal bed portions.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the side members along each side of the bed comprise a pair of rails articulated with respect to each other about a common transverse axis separating said inclined and horizontal bed portions, whereupon the two bed portions can be folded one upon the other.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8 including protective padding overlying each side member and the resilient members connected thereto.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 449,243, filed Mar. 8, 1974, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1,248,909 |
Oct 1971 |
UK |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
449243 |
Mar 1974 |
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