Patent Publication Number: US-4095817-A

Title: Wheelie skateboard

Description:
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of this invention to provide an improved skateboard which facilitates the operator to practice a wheelie maneuver and, at the same time, substantially diminish the danger of a spill while the operator is doing a wheelie maneuver or the like. 
     Still, a further object of this invention is to provide a wheelie skateboard that is an improvement of the skateboard of U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,454, as well as over all other prior art, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,630,540 and 2,253,012. 
     Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a wheelie skateboard with an inclined upwardly extending kicktail section and wheel means depending from the kicktail section to facilitate wheelie maneuvers of the operator. 
     Still a further object of this invention is to provide an extra set of wheel means and an extended inclined kicktail section on an otherwise conventional skateboard. 
     A still further object of this invention is to provide a wheelie skateboard on which the operator may ride in a conventional manner on the normal spaced apart wheels supporting the front and rear sections of an otherwise normal skateboard platfrom, or may perform a substantially straight ahead wheelie maneuver by shifting his weight from the otherwise normal skateboard platform to an upwardly inclined kicktail section extending from the rear end of the otherwise normal skateboard platform to thereby be supported by the rear wheels of the otherwise normal skateboard platform and the wheels under the kicktail section now rolling on the riding surface. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly stated, this invention comprehends a skateboard constructed to assist a person in developing and enhancing balance and athletic skills with an accompanying diminished danger of tumbling from the skateboard and becoming injured, by adding an upwardly inclined rear kicktail section extending rearwardly from the normal platform, the kicktail extension having wheel means coupled to its bottom, and extending rearwardly therefrom, so that the skateboard is ridden conventionally on its usual front and rear wheels, or it may be maneuvered in a wheelie action by tilting the wheelie skateboard so that it will roll on its second conventional wheels and the kicktail wheel rolling on the wheels supporting surface. 
     This wheelie skateboard is characterized by an elongated platform normally extending in substantially a single plane and an upwardly inclined kicktail section integrally extending from the rear of the normal single plane platform section and smoothly merging therewith. Wheels are conventionally coupled to and positioned beneath the forward end section and the rearward end section of the single plane elongated platform section, and, in addition, another set of wheels are similarly secured on the bottom of the kicktail section, the operator riding either on the wheels beneath the elongated single plane normal platform section, or on the rear wheels of the single plane normal platform section and the wheels of the kicktail section. 
     To alter the skateboard from its normal traveling position and prepare it for a wheelie maneuver, for example, the operator shifts his weight and slides his foot rearwardly so that the skateboard is then supported on the kicktail wheels and the rear wheels of the single plane normal platform section. To maneuver the skateboard 10, the operator first slides his foot and shifts his weight forward onto the conventionally single plane normal platform section. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     With the above and other objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the wheelie skateboard; 
     FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the form in FIG. 1, having two wheels in the rear inclined or kicktail section; 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a wheelie skateboard 10 constructed with a flat elongated normal single plane platform 12 having a forward end section 14, a longitudinal center line section 16 and a rear end section 18. Extending upwardly from the rear end 20 of rear section 18 is an inclined kicktail section 22. 
     A pair of conventional skateboard wheels 24 journaled on a common axle 26 are mounted at 28 and extend forwardly from a bracket 30 secured to and supporting the bottom of forward skateboard section 14, the forward direction of travel being shown by the arrow 32. Another pair of wheels 34 on a common axle 36 are mounted at 38 to extend rearwardly from a bracket 40 secured to and supporting the bottom of the rearward skateboard section 18. 
     A third similar pair of wheels 42 journaled on a similar common axle 44 is mounted at 46 to bracket 48 secured to and depending from the bottom of upwardly extending inclined kicktail section 22. 
     OPERATION OF THE INVENTION 
     In operation, the operator may stand on the flat elongated normal single plane platform 12 and operate this skateboard 10 in the conventional manner of any skateboard with the forward wheels 24 and the rearward wheels 34 providing the rolling support as usual. To activate the skateboard 10 for a wheelie maneuver, the operator shifts his feet to place one foot on the kicktail section 22, and then controllably shifts his weight from the foot still on the flat elongated normal single platform section 12 to the foot on the kicktail section 22, thus causing the platform section 12 to rise upwardly as the kicktail section descends to bring its wheels 42 into supporting rolling contact with the surface on which the skateboard is riding for safe straight ahead travel. To maneuver the skateboard 10, the operator first shifts his weight onto the single plane platform section 12. 
     ABSTRACT OF THE DRAWING 
     In the drawing, like numbers refer to like parts, and for the purpose of explication, set forth below are the numbered parts of the improved WHEELIE SKATEBOARD of this invention. 
     10 wheelie skateboard 
     12 flat elongated normal single plane platform 
     14 forward end section 
     16 longitudinal center line section 
     18 rear end section 
     20 rear end of 18 
     22 upwardly rearwardly extending inclined kicktail section 
     ≧forward wheels 
     26 common axle for 24 
     28 forwardly extending swivel mounting 
     30 forward bracket 
     32 arrow showing direction of travel 
     34 rear wheels 
     36 axle for 34 
     38 rearwardly extending wheel mounting 
     40 rear bracket under 18 
     42 third pair of wheels, under 22 
     44 axle for 42 
     46 mounting for 44 
     48 bracket under 22 
     Although this invention has been described in detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting since the invention may be variously embodied.