Portable taping stool

United States Patent

HU 3,554,191

<td> 172]</td><td> Inventor</td><td> Robert E. Barnes</td>

<td> [21]</td><td> Appl. No.</td><td> Tri-B Industries, East Border at 1st, Monroe Citv, Mo. 63456 789,218</td>

<td> [22]</td><td> Filed</td><td> Jan. 6,1969</td>

<td> [45]</td><td> Patented</td><td> Jan. 12,1971</td>

[54] PORTABLE TAPING STOOL

Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl....................................................... 128/82,

297/433,297/439,248/170

[51] Int. Cl.........................................................A61f 13/00,

A61f 15/00

[50] FieldofSearch............................ 128/82,83,

1; 297/438,439,423,429,433,427, 17; 5/327; 248/( Inquired), 170—171

[56] References Cited

UNITED STATES PATENTS

755,043 3/1904 Pikeetal...................... 248/171

1,296,722 3/1919 Washburn.................... 128/82

2,209,650 7/1940 Garcia.......................... 248/171X

2,633,896 4/1953 Thompson.................... 297/438X

2,860,688 11/1958 Edge............................ 297/424

FOREIGN PATENTS

1,129,228 9/1956 France......................... 297/439

1,315,510 12/1962 France......................... 297/438

Primary Examiner—William E. Kamm Assistant Examiner—Ronald L. Frinks Attorney—Schmidt, Johnson, Hovey, Williams &amp; Chase

ABSTRACT: A taping stool for athletes which is strong enough to support the weight of a person seated thereon yet is lightweight and foldable for portability. The invention comprises a main support member having a platform thereon for supporting a person in a seated position, along with pivotal structure extending laterally from the main support member to hold the leg of a person outstretched in a convenient position for taping. Brace means carried by the main support may be shifted to a position engaging the leg support member to hold the same in its extended position. Foldable leg means cooperate with the main support member to form a self-supporting base for the taping stool. The leg support member, the brace means and the foldable leg means are all pivotally connected to the main support member and are movable from a normal collapsed position adjacent the main support member into extended positions for supporting a person seated on the stool with his leg in an elevated position.

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PATENTED JAN 121971 3,554,191

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ATTORNEYS

3,554, · · .

PORTABLE TAPING STOOL

This invention relates to a novel collapsible taping stool which facilitates the taping of athletes’ legs prior to participation in athletic events.

While it is not uncommon for the host or home team at an athletic event to have taping tables and other facilities for .their players, this equipment is frequently, if not always, absent from the visitors’ dressing room. The problem is espe' cially acute at the high school· level but is present to some degree at all levels of sports activities. The problem has increased in magnitude in recent years as a result of the fact that both coaches and physicians have recognized the need to tape the ankles of virtually all participants in every kind of athletic event as a protective measure. Because of the lack of facilities to expedite the taping of athletes’ ankles, this has become a very laborious task for coaches and trainers, especially visiting teams, when they find it necessary to tape the legs of practically every member of the squad before each athletic event.

Another hardship caused by the lack of facilities for taping the legs of athletes has been the fact that the athletes are frequently forced to sit on the ground or a cold concrete floor in an uncomfortable position while their coaches and trainers must also assume an equally uncomfortable stooped position during the taping process.

The present invention provides a portable taping stool having a main support member which carries a suitable platform for supporting a person in a seated position spaced above the floor or ground. Leg support means in the form of pivotal structure is movable from a normal position adjacent the main support member to an extended position for supporting the leg of a person seated on the platform in an elevated position. Foldable means on the main support member cooperates with the latter to form a self-supporting base for the stool, and brace means on the support member is movable into disposition underlying the pivotal structure to hold it in leg supporting position. The foldable means and the brace means are also pivotally joined to the main support member and may be collapsed against it for easy storage and transportation of the stool.

It is an object of this invention to eliminate the need for visiting athletic teams to rely on their host to provide facilities for the taping of athletes’ legs by providing an easily portable, collapsible stool which will hold the leg of a person seated thereon in a convenient position for taping and thus reduce the time and effort required to tape the ankles of a large number of athletes of varying sizes. ,

Another object of this invention is to avoid the problem of athletes having to be seated on the floor while having their legs taped, in the absence of appropriate tables, etc., by providing a portable stool which will hold the leg of a person seated thereon in a convenient position for taping.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a taping stool which is portable yet is also strong enough to support the weight of a large athlete.

Another object of the invention is to provide a taping stool which may be folded in a compact unit for easy transportation and storage by a visiting athletic team and which can be carried along with their usual baggage and equipment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a taping stool for athletes which may be adjusted as necessary so athletes of various heights and different; leg lengths may be accommodated.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a portable taping stool wherein the weight of a person seated on the stool is carried largely by a single main support thus minimizing the size requirements of the remaining‘components of the assembly to keep its weight low.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a taping stool according to the present invention and illustrating the same in its extended position supporting the leg Of a person seated on the platform;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the taping stool in its folded or collapsed condition for transportation or storage;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and ⁶⁵

191

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

In the drawing, numeral 10 broadly designates a taping stool according to the present invention’ shown in its normal extended position with a person 12 seated thereon: Taping stool 10 includes a main tubular support nfe'mber 14 cbmprised of a pair of stretches 16 and 18 presenting an obtuse angle therebetween, and a plate 20 joined to the upper end of stretch 16 in perpendicular relationship thereto: Padded seat or platform 22 is secured to plate¹20 bya pair of bolts 24, as can best be seen in FIG. 2. fl· ·

Foldable means in the nature of auxiliary, legs 26 and 28 are pivotally joined to main support member 14 by means of bracket structure 30 and fasteners 32 located adjacent the upper part of stretch 18. Legs 26 and 28 are movable from normal collapsed positions adjacent main support member 14 as shown in FIG. 2 into extended disposition for cooperating with the main support member to maintain the latter in a substantially upright position as shown in FIG. 1. Links 34 and 36 are pivotally joined to the lower ends of legs 26 and 28 respectively and are movable from a normal collapsed position adjacent the foldable means as shown in FIG. 2 into an extended position releasably engaging corresponding extremities of Ubracket 38 on main support member 14 to (permit locking of legs 26 and 28 in their extended disposition as shown in FIG1. As shown in FIG. 4, legs 26 and 28 when extended cooperate with main support member 14 to form a triangular base for taping stool 10 with the weight of a person seated on the platform being carried largely by main support member 14. This feature permits use of legs 26 and 28 of substantially smaller diameter than member 14 to increase , the portability of my invention.

Pivotal structure 40 joined to main support member 14 by ears 42 secured to the underside of plate 20 is movable from a folded position substantially alongside the main support member to a location projecting outwardly therefrom for supporting the leg 44 of a person seated on platform 22 to facilitate taping of his ankle and lower leg as at 46. Structure 40 preferably includes a first elongated sleeve member 48 having a pair of opposed, aligned openings 50 therein and a second elongated member 52 telescoped within member 48 and having a series of openings 54 spaced along the length of the tubular member and selectively alignable with openings 50. A connector 56 on the end of retainer chain 70 is removably inserted into openings 50 and 54 which are aligned.

A brace 60 is pivotally joined to the lower end of main support member 14 by U-bracket 62 and fastener 64. Brace 6θ normally lies alongside main support member 14 when the taping stool is in its collapsed position, and is movable into a position engaging pivotal structure 40 for holding the structure in its leg-supporting position. A laterally extending yoke 66 is provided on pivotal structure 40 intermediate its ends and is adapted to removably receive one end of brace 60 when the pivotal structure is in its leg-supporting position. Removable coupling means in the form of a pull pin 58 on retainer chain 72 is provided for releasably locking brace 60 to yoke 66 as can best be seen in FIG. 3.

A transversely arcuate leg-cradling platform 68 is provided on pivotal structure 40 at the end thereof remote from the platform 22 in disposition to receive the leg 44 of a person 12 seated on platform 22. Leather strap 74 which is secured to main support member 14 by fastener 76 serves to hold taping stool 10 in its folded or collapsed position as illustrated in FIG. 2.

When stool 10 is to be used for taping of athletes’ legs, strap 74 is unfastened and foldable legs 26 and 28 moved into the extended disposition thereof as links 34 and 36 are likewise moved into their extended positions engaging the bracket 38 on main support member.

Pivotal structure 40 joined to main support member 14 at is swung from its folded position substantially alongside the main support member as shown in FIG. 2 to a location projecting outwardly therefrom as illustrated in FIG. 1. Brace 60 is moved from its normal position substantially alongside the

3,554,191 main support member into underlying engagement with laterally extending yoke 66 on pivotal structure 40 for the purpose of holding the structure in its leg supporting position. Coupling means 58 is inserted through aligned openings 59 and 61 in yoke 66 and brace 60, respectively, to lock the brace to structure 40. An athlete may then be seated on platform 22 with his leg 44 held by arcuate plate 68 as shown in FIG. 1. Taping of his ankle and lower leg, as illustrated at 46, may then be accomplished by another person who may stand in a substantially upright position.

Member 48 of pivotal structure 40 is slidable on member 52 and may be moved into any one of a plurality of positions for accommodating the leg 44 of the person seated on platform 22. Connector 56 is inserted into aligned openings 50 and 54 of members 48 and 52 to releasably lock them in selected relationship. Arcuate plate 68 is provided on the end of pivotal structure 40 remote from platform 22 in order to have a comfortable leg rest. It is desirable to have member 48 properly adjusted along the length of member 52 such that arcuate plate 68 will engage the person’s leg 44 at his lower calf immediately above the area to be taped. This position is comfortable to a person seated on the platform and at the same time allows sufficient working room for the taper to efficiently wrap tape around the ankle and lower leg of the athlete.

Although stool 10 is shown as being of a size for taping of ankles while the taper is in a standing position, it is contemplated that a somewhat shorter version also be provided so that the person performing the taping operation may be seated while taping. In this case, the main member 14 and brace 60 would be proportionately shorter than shown, but structure 40 remains essentially the same.