Abstract:
A cylindrical peg adapted for side mounting on each axle of a bicycle to extend laterally outward therefrom for riding a rail when participating in the stunt of grinding. The peg includes a rotatable cover to effect a rolling mode on the rail and optionally may include a detent to convert the cover from a rolling mode to a fixed mode by securing the cover against rotation.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The field of art to which the invention relates comprises the art of bicycle accessories for use in performing bicycle stunts. 
     1. Background of the Invention 
     The stunt of “grinding” is commonly practiced by both adolescents and adults on bicycles. For performing this stunt, a cylindrical peg is secured laterally extending from each of the wheel axles a short distance of about five to six inches. With the bicycle in motion, the rider directs the bicycle so as to ride the pegs up onto an elongated rail of generally circular configuration. After traversing the length of the rail the bicycle leaves the rail and returns to the ground. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The stunt of grinding with a bicycle has been known and participated in at least since about 1993. A choice of fixed pegs are mounted individually to extend laterally on the front and rear axles of the bicycle. Performing this stunt involves riding the bicycle along an above ground elongated cylindrical rail. Since the pegs are non-rotatable, they slide along the rail. The sliding action of such pegs limits both speed and distance, while contributing to excessive wear on both the peg and rail. Typically, such pegs have been constructed of hard metal, such as 52100 chrome moly steel, enabling them to endure much of the imposed wear forces. 
     A ready solution to overcome the foregoing limitations has not heretofore been known. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide novel peg apparatus for bicycles when a person is contemplating participation in the stunt of grinding. 
     It is the further object of the invention to effect the previous object with pegs capable of providing enhanced speed and distance than available heretofore for performing the stunt of grinding. 
     It is a still further object of the invention to effect the foregoing objects with a peg construction that affords peg rotation and reduced surface wear in the course of grinding. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to improved peg apparatus for adaptation of a bicycle to the stunt of grinding. More specifically, the invention relates to novel peg construction for use on bicycles so as to afford enhanced grinding performance and reduced wear as compared to such pegs of the prior art. 
     For achieving the foregoing, the pegs hereof are constructed as a cylindrical unit with the pegs adapted for axle mounting as before. Each peg via a central hub mounts onto the bicycle frame while an outer cover surface includes an annular arcuate recess to receive a cylindrical rail on which grinding is to be conducted. Beyond the recess, the cover surface is knurled for traction. 
     The unit is supported about each axle of the bicycle while the cover is supported at both ends by ball bearings for rotation about the central hub. The bearings are pressed in place onto the central hub that concentrically receives the axle and are secured in place via retaining rings. The pegs may also include the optional feature of converting the roller pegs to fixed pegs on site by means of a manually actuated detent assembly longitudinally located within a bore of the hub off set from the center line of the axle. 
     In accordance herewith, the peg construction of the invention affords distinct advantages in the form of enhanced operating performance and reduced wear in the stunt of grinding as compared to peg constructions presently known. 
     The above noted features and advantages of the invention as well as other superior aspects thereof will be further appreciated by those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description which follows in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a person participating in the stunt of grinding; 
     FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of a mounted peg construction as utilized in the prior art; 
     FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of a mounted peg construction in accordance with the invention hereof, 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the peg of FIG. 3 illustrating mounting of the peg onto an axle of the bicycle; 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal view of the optional detent utilized therein; 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 are front and rear oriented perspective views respectively of the pegs of the invention; and 
     FIGS. 8 and 9 are views similar to FIGS. 6 and 7 with the exterior cylindrical covers removed. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the description which follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and in certain views, proportions may have been exaggerated for purpose of clarity. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a boy riding a bicycle  10  on which a fixed, non-rotatable peg  12  is laterally connected to both the front and rear axles of the bicycle. As thereshown, the pegs in performance of the stunt, are each positioned so as to commonly engage an elongated rectilinear rail  14  of circular cross section. 
     The roller peg  15  of the invention, that can be best seen in FIGS. 3-9, is likewise cylindrical and is comprised of a tubular cover  16  of aluminum composition supported via bearings  18  and  20  positioned about a central axle or hub  22 . The hub is of generally solid metal construction such as chrome moly steel. At its inboard end hub  22  includes a concentrically threaded bore  24  adapted to receive an extension of threaded wheel axle  26  for mounting the peg against existing bicycle fork or frame  28 . A jam nut  30  contiguously behind frame  28  bears against bearing  32  and aids in the support of peg  15  in a cantilevered relation. 
     Stainless steel retainer ring  21  serves to maintain cover  16  in place while stainless steel retainer ring  27  serves to maintain the position of ball bearings  18 . 
     Optionally included for converting the roller peg hereof on site between a roller peg wherein cover  16  is able to rotate relative to hub  22  to a fixed peg in which cover  16  is prevented from rotation is a detent  38  received longitudinally in hub bore  40  and counter-bore  42 . For effecting the fixed peg mode, the distal end  52  of detent  38  extends into cover aperture  44  whereas for operating the peg as a rolling peg, the detent is displaced within bore  40  clear of aperture  44  as will be understood. 
     Detent  38  is formed of 4340 tool steel and is comprised of an inward threaded shaft end  46  joined to a threaded shaft extension  48 . The latter extension, in turn, is joined to an enlarged threaded shaft extension  50  from which there extends a reduced diameter stub  52 . Detent  38  is secured, as best seen in FIG. 4, by shaft portions  46  and  50  being threaded into bores  40  and  42  respectively. A stainless steel spring  56  is coiled about shafts  46  and  48  and is maintained compressed between hub shoulder  58  and detent shoulder  60 . A screw driver slot recess  54  at the distal end of stub  52  enables threaded displacement of the detent inwardly or outwardly thereat relative to cover aperture  44 . 
     In operation, a peg  15  is headed onto both front and rear bicycle axles  26  until tight in place. With detent  38  located as shown in FIG.  4  and stub  52  penetrating inward of cover aperture  44 , cover  16  is prevented from incurring any rolling motion such that the peg operates as a fixed or stationary roller for operating over rail  14  in a manner of the prior art. To convert the peg into the rolling rotational mode, a screw driver (not shown) is inserted in slot  54  to threadedly displace the detent  38  rearwardly at least until stub  52  clears the interior face of the cover behind the opening to aperture  44 . With the roller peg in its rotational mode, the stub  52  of the detent is preferably located within and behind the end face of hub  22  thereat. This therefore allows cover  16  to move in a rotational manner about the hub and provide the spinning motion of the cover. Arcuate recess  34  in the cover surface forms a radial undercut in the cover and functions as a guide for the rail during the grinding action. Reversing the position of detent  38  for stub  52  to penetrate inward of aperture  44  reverts operation of the peg to a fixed or stationary mode. A pair of oppositely located balance slots  62  and  64  in cover  16  provide for stationary positioning of the roller cover when used in the fixed mode. Optionally, detent  38  can be omitted whereby the peg  15  continuously operates in the roller mode. 
     By the above description there is disclosed a novel peg apparatus adapted for mounting onto bicycle axles when participation in the stunt of grinding is contemplated. Unlike the prior art devices that are continously fixed without providing any roller action, the device hereof enjoys the virtue of providing either fixed or roller action as preferred by the user. The roller action, as mentioned supra, affords enhanced operating performance in terms of user satisfaction by readily affording increased travel distance and speed not attainable in a comparable situation with a fixed or stationary peg. The virtues hereof should be readily apparent to those persons participating in the stunt of grinding by affording enhanced results that the participant can readily enjoy and appreciate. 
     Since many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the drawings and specification shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.