Patent Publication Number: US-6033345-A

Title: Vaulting horse training pad

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A gymnastic vaulting horse is comprised of an elongated elevated substantially stiff padded body mounted on a supporting stand. Gymnasts run towards the vaulting horse, place their hands on the top of the body and perform a variety of vaulting performances. 
     There is some risk of injury in teaching the vaulting exercises, particularly to younger children. To successfully complete a vault, a child may have to make over 2,000 attempts in the learning process to safely complete the vault. That is the equivalent of 20 vaults a day during three days a week for a period of eight to ten months. Various miscalculations on the part of the student gymnasts can result in injury wherein the body of the gymnast is hurled into the horse body or the supporting stand. Undercutting the body with the hands or overcutting the body with the hands can also result in serious injuries. 
     It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a training pad for vaulting horses which will insure the safety of the student gymnast while training for and practicing the vaulting exercise. 
     These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The training pad for a gymnastic vaulting horse has a first elongated pad with a vertical height substantially equal to the height of the body of the vaulting horse. A second elongated pad has a vertical height substantially equal to the combined height of the body and the supporting stand of the vaulting horse. 
     An elongated flexible blanket has its opposite sides connected to the first and second pads and is adapted to engage and span the lateral width of the top of the body of the vaulting horse. Straps are secured to the pad for attachment of the pad to the body of the vaulting horse. The length of the pad is slightly less than the length of the body of the vaulting horse. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a conventional vaulting horse; 
     FIG. 1 is an enlarged scale perspective view of the pad of this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a reduced and elevational view of the pad; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof; 
     FIG. 4A is a side elevational view as seen from the right-hand side of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 4B is a side elevational view as seen from the left-hand side of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view at an enlarged scale taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 but showing the pad mounted on a vaulting horse; and 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged scale top plan view thereof. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A conventional vaulting horse 10 is shown in FIG. 1A and is comprised of an elongated stiffly padded body 12 having a cover 13 comprised of naugahyde or the like. The body 12 has a top portion 14, opposite ends 16, a bottom portion 18 and opposite sides 20. 
     A support stand 22 has vertical adjustable legs 24 which have foot portions 26 on the lower ends thereof. 
     The training pad 28 of this invention is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. A first pad 30 is oppositely disposed to a second pad 32 with a flexible blanket 34 spanning the distance therebetween and secured to each of the pads. Specifically, pad 30 has a vinyl cover 35 defining a flat bottom 36 and opposite ends 37. Sloping top surface 38 extends downwardly and outwardly from the blanket 34. Pad 30 has an outer vertical side 39 and an inner vertical side 40. The pad 30 is substantially filled with a polyurethane foam 42 which has a top layer 44 comprised of a firmer polyethylene foam. (FIG. 6). The layer of foam 44 is approximately 2 inches thick. 
     Pad 32 has a vinyl cover 45 which defines a flat bottom 46 and a sloping top 48 which extends downwardly and outwardly from the blanket 34. Pad 32 has ends 50 and an outer vertical side 52 with an inner vertical side 54. The numeral 56 designates the polyurethane foam in pad 32 which has an upper layer 52 of a stiffer polyethylene foam 58. (FIG. 6). The foam 56 and 58 are identical to the foam 42 and 44, respectively, in pad 30. 
     The blanket 34 is flexible and is also comprised of naugahyde or the like and should be of the same material as the cover 13 of the vaulting horse 10. This permits the student to become accustomed to the feel of the material of the body 12 even though the training pad 28 extends over the body 12. Blanket 34 has opposite ends 62 and side edges 64 which are stitched to the inner sides 40 and 54 respectively of pads 30 and 32. (FIG. 6). Blanket 34 has a parabolic top 60 which conforms to the parabolic top 14 of the body 12 of vaulting horse 10 (FIG. 6). 
     A pair of strap segments 66 are stitched to or otherwise secured to the inner side 40 of pad 30. Similarly, a pair of strap segments 68 are sewn or otherwise secured to the inner side 54 of pad 52. A Velcro segment 70 is stitched to or otherwise secured to the lower end of strap segment 68. Similarly, a D-hook 72 is secured to the lower ends of strap segment 66 (FIG. 5). 
     FIG. 6 shows how the pad 28 is secured to the body 12 of vaulting horse 10. This is accomplished by placing the blanket 34 over the top portion 14 of body 12 which allows the inner sides 40 and 54 of pads 30 and 32 to engage the side 16 of body 12. The weight of each of the pads causes them to bear against the sides 16 of the body 12. The strap segments 66 and 68 at opposite ends of the pad 28 are secured together in conventional manner by threading the lower end of strap segment 68 through the D-hook 72 on strap segment 66. The strap segment 68 is folded upon itself and held in a retaining position by use of the Velcro patch 70 (FIG. 6). 
     The training pad 28 is obviously easily affixed to the vaulting horse 10 and affords protection to the gymnast during the teaching and the practicing of the vaulting exercise. If necessary, the pad 28 can be turned end for end so that the position of the pads 30 and 32 can be interchanged between the opposite sides 16 of the body 12. 
     The denser and stiffer layers of foam 44 and 56 prevent each of the pads 30 and 32 from becoming substantially deformed if the hands of the gymnast engage the top portions 38 and 48 of the pads 30 and 32. 
     It is seen from the foregoing that the process of teaching and practicing the vaulting exercise on a vaulting horse is much safer by reason of the training pad 28 of this invention.