Abstract:
The present invention is a tap barre practice and exercise device that has a horizontally fixed barre with at two arms for gripping attached to a substantially straight vertical support, which is in turn attached to a base which sits on a flat surface and allows the device to be free-standing. The height of the barre can be raised or lowered vertically as needed, and the vertical support can have a seat, and optionally the seat can pivot around the vertical support and be locked in one of two positions. The barre substantially aligns vertically with the base, so that a user can support his torso by gripping or leaning on the barre and have his center of gravity located over the base, thereby providing a stable, free-standing device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The field of the invention relates to a tap dance barre practice and exercise device. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Current methods used to teach advanced tap steps include grasping a ballet barre while demonstrating steps for one foot at a time. Another method, similar to that with the barre, is done while gripping the back of a folding chair. These methods limit range of motion which, in turn, hinders teaching. Additionally, students tend to hunch over to keep their balance, because it is extremely difficult to support oneself upright (not hunched) grasping a surface in front of the torso. Applicant&#39;s free-standing tap barre device provides support on two sides of the student&#39;s torso, and permits extended lateral leg movement in essentially all directions. Tap students can keep their ankles loose and properly execute specific tap sounds. The optional portable wooden board also enhances the students&#39; ability to hear the steps they are practicing, further enhancing their tap skills. Additionally, the tap barre device allows the students to practice advanced tap steps slowly while maintaining the proper upright posture necessary to execute them correctly. This device aids intermediate tap dancers to advance, and it helps instructors demonstrate advanced movements to students, such as “wings” and “pullbacks,” two steps that require that both feet be airborne simultaneously. 
         [0003]    The present invention is a device that has a horizontally fixed barre that may be curved for gripping attached to vertical support, which is in turn attached to a base which sits on a flat surface, such as a floor, and allows the device to be free-standing. It is critical that the barre be fixed horizontally for tap dance practice. If the barre rotated horizontally, it would cause the dancer to lose balance and possibly fall. Only a barre that is fixed horizontally can be used according to the present invention for practicing tap dance steps. Optionally the height of the barre can be raised or lowered vertically as needed. Further optionally, the vertical support can have a seat, and optionally the seat can pivot around the vertical support. The fixed barre substantially aligns vertically with the base, so that a user can support his torso by gripping or leaning on the barre, and the device remains balanced and free-standing. The device is designed to have the user&#39;s center of gravity located over the base, providing stability. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,604 (DuPont) discloses a device having a straddle seat chair and a stand with a post supporting an upwardly directed handle bar used to grip while sitting or standing and exercising the legs. The seat has a forward ledge, and the post is positioned in a base. FIG. 3 of DuPont discloses a seated user gripping the handle bar and practicing tap dancing. FIG. 4 of DuPont discloses a standing user with an extended arm gripping with one hand the handle bar while practicing tap dancing to the side of the device. The handle bar has an adjustable clamp  18  which allows the handle to be adjusted vertically and horizontally. U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,604 fails to disclose the present invention having a horizontally fixed barre which extends over the base, thereby providing a stable, free-standing device when used. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,608 discloses an exercise device having a base with a support rod extending from the base. A chair is placed atop the support rod and a swingable means is formed by a main arm, an auxiliary arm, a handle and at least one bearing. The device is used for exercise by having the user sit in the fixed seat, grasp the handle and swing the swingable means to exercise. This patent fails to disclose the present invention having a horizontally fixed barre which extends over the base, thereby providing a stable, free-standing device when used. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,559,881 discloses an exercise device having a base, a central shaft and an auxiliary shaft rotatably attached to the base with handles at the top of the shaft and leg rails at the bottom of the shaft. The device is used by placing a chair next to the device to seat the user, who places his hands on the handles and his feet on the leg rails and rotates the shafts by pushing and pulling the handles and leg rails. Neither this patent nor any permissible combination of the above patents teaches or suggests the present invention. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention is a tap barre practice and exercise device that has a horizontally fixed barre that may be curved with at least one arm for gripping attached to a substantially straight vertical support, which is in turn attached to a base which sits on a flat surface and allows the device to be free-standing. Preferably, the barre has at least two arms. Optionally, the height of the barre can be raised or lowered vertically as needed. Further optionally, the vertical support can have a seat, and optionally the seat can pivot around the vertical support and be locked in one of two positions. The horizontally fixed barre substantially aligns vertically with the base, so that a user can support his torso by gripping or leaning on the barre and have his center of gravity located over the base, thereby providing a stable, free-standing device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The novel features believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a side perspective elevated view of the tap barre practice and exercise device of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side perspective elevated view of the tap barre practice and exercise device of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side perspective elevated view of the barre portion of the practice and exercise device of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a side perspective elevated view of the base portion of the practice and exercise device of the present invention; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a side perspective elevated view of the tap barre practice and exercise device of the present invention with the optional tap board over the base. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    One embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in  FIG. 1 . The tap barre device  1  is broadly disclosed in four components, the barre  10 , the vertical support  20 , the seat  30  and the base  40 . The barre  10  is approximately horizontal and may be curved tubing having at least one arm, and preferably two or more arms  12 . The barre  10  material can be a strong metal such as steel or aluminum, a composite or polymeric material. The material must have sufficient strength to bear the weight of the user without bending or breaking. Preferably, 1.25 inch o.d. steel pipe is used for construction. The curved shape provides optionally removable gripping surfaces  14  that can sustain the user&#39;s weight on two sides of the torso, rather than on one side of the torso. As shown in  FIG. 3 , approximately mid-way along the curve of the barre  10  is a shaft  16  that extends downward and is designed to engage by insertion with the barre end  26  of the vertical support  20 . The shaft  16  has a bullet catch  18  that is used to engage one of the openings  22  in the vertical support  20  and adjust the vertical height of the barre  10 . The bullet catch  18  also works to fix the barre  10  horizontally, so that it does not rotate around the shaft  16 . Other forms of engagement with the openings  22  are also contemplated in this invention, including bolts, pins or locks. Preferably, there are about 5 openings  22  spaced to give an adjustment range of about 4 inches. 
         [0015]    The vertical support  20  is essentially straight and vertical and extends from the barre end  26  to the base end  28 , and must be strong enough to bear the weight of the user without bending or breaking. Preferably, two inch o.d. steel pipe is used for the vertical support  20 , and is of sufficiently large diameter that the shaft  16  can be inserted into the vertical bar  20 . Near the barre end  26  of the vertical support  20  are spaced openings  22  that engage with the bullet catch  18  of the shaft  16  of the barre  10 . Near the base end  28  of the vertical support  20  is a bullet catch  29  which is used to engage an opening  46  in the upright  48  of the base  40 . When the bullet catch  29  is engaged with the opening  46  of the base  40 , the vertical support  20  is horizontally locked and cannot rotate. Optionally, the seat  30  is attached to the vertical support  20  by resting on a fixed collar  24 , which may be fixed by welding or other mechanical means, such as bolts or bullet catches, to support the removable seat  30 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the seat  30  is installed by sliding over and down the vertical support  20  and resting on the fixed collar  24 . Optionally, the seat  30  is able to rotate around the vertical support  20  and can be pivoted to the opposite side of the support  20 , away from the barre  10 , as is shown in  FIG. 2 . Optionally, the seat  30  can be locked in one of two positions using a bullet catch, a bolt or other locking means (not shown). Optionally, the seat can be raised with the addition of removable collars (not shown) that are installed in a fashion similar to that of the seat  30 . 
         [0016]    The base end  28  of the vertical support  20  is insertable into the upright  48  of the base  40 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the upright  48  is essentially vertical and is attached to the at least two legs  50  of the base  40 , which are essentially horizontal and rest on the floor. Optionally the legs  50  are curved and are aligned with the vertical support  20  to provide support essentially vertically under the barre  10 . The location of the legs  50  is critical to the stability of the tap barre device  1 , as it allows the weight of the user to be directly supported by the base  40 . The bullet catches  18  and  29  when engaged with the vertical support  20  and the base  40  allow the barre  10  to be substantially vertically aligned with the base  40 . Optionally, the base has reinforcing  42  along the curve of the legs  50  to further stabilize it and to prevent bending of the base as the barre  10  is used. Further optionally, there is at least one wheel  44  attached to the upright  48  which engages the floor when the vertical support  20  is tipped, allowing the device  1  to be moved by rolling rather than by lifting or dragging. Preferably, there are two or more wheels  44 . 
         [0017]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the seat  30  is constructed of any suitable strong and durable material, such as metal, wood or plastic. Preferably, the seat is made of ½ inch plywood  38 , which is padded and covered with materials well-known in the art (not shown). The plywood seat rests on a sheet metal support  36  which is welded to a metal pipe collar  34  and reinforced with a sheet metal gusset  32 . The collar  34  is of sufficient diameter to fit over the vertical support  20 , and rest on the fixed collar  24 . 
         [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the optional tap board  52  rests on at least two pads  54  and is used as surface to practice tap dancing. The pads are used to raise the board  52  equal to or above the height of the legs  50  of the base  40  to stabilize the board  52 . Preferably there are four or more pads. The pads can be from about ½ inch to 1 inch high and made of rigid foam to absorb shock when used. Part of the process of learning tap dancing is listening to and making the appropriate tap sounds. A tap board  52  helps with that process. Any commercially available tap board can be used. Preferably, the tap board  52  is made of three layers of ¼ inch hardwood, with grain patterns perpendicular to each other for reinforcement, glued together and finished. Most preferably, 6 blocks are placed around the perimeter of the bottom of the tap board  52 . 
         [0019]    The tap barre device  1  can be assembled as follows:
       1. The base  40  is moved to the desired location.   2. The base end  28  of the vertical support  20  is inserted into the upright  48  of the base  40 . The bullet catch  29  on the vertical support  20  engages with the opening  46  of the base.   3. The collar  34  of the seat  30  is slid down the vertical support  20  and rests on the fixed collar  24 .   4. The shaft  16  of the barre  10  is inserted into the barre end  26  of the vertical support  20 . The bullet catch  18  of the barre  10  engages with one of the spaced openings  22  on the vertical support  20 , horizontally fixing the barre.       
 
         [0024]    Optionally, the tap barre device  1  can be used without the chair  30 , and that step of the assembly can be eliminated. Optionally, the height of the chair can be raised by adding removable collars before installing the seat  30 . Optionally, the steps outlined above can be reversed or interchanged. There is no criticality in order of assembly, except that the chair must be installed before barre end  26  of the vertical support  20  is covered. 
         [0025]    The tap barre device  1  can be disassembled by reversing the above steps and removing the parts. This allows the device to be stored or transported easily. 
         [0026]    The assembled tap barre device  1  can easily be moved by tipping the vertical support  20  back onto the optional wheels  44  and rolling the device to the desired location. 
         [0027]    To use the tap barre device  1 , a user can face the vertical support  20  and place his hands or forearms on the grips  14 , thereby supporting himself and moving his feet to practice steps. Alternatively, the user can have his back to the vertical support  20 , facing outward, place his hands or forearms on the grips  14 , and practice steps. During these two exercises, either the seat  30  is not installed, or it is rotated away from the barre side of the tap barre device  1 . Another method of use involves sitting on the seat  30  while resting the arms on the barre and practicing the steps while seated. The seat  30  is positioned on the barre side of the device when using this method. In any of the above methods may or may not use the tap board  52 . 
         [0028]    While the invention has been described with respect to a certain specific embodiment, it will be appreciated that many modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended, therefore, by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.