Stilts

Abstract

A nonflaccid brace for construction stilts is disclosed. In one embodiment, the brace is employed as a lower leg brace. In another embodiment, the brace is employed as an ankle brace. In another embodiment, the brace is employed with one or more nonflaccid closures. An ankle brace for construction stilts is disclosed. In one embodiment, the ankle brace is positioned across the foot pad from the upright carrying the leg brace. A quick connect coupling for stilts is disclosed. The coupling can be employed to close the leg brace, the ankle brace, and/or the foot straps of the stilts.

1 . A leg brace element for a stilt, 
 said leg brace element comprising    a nonflaccid body defining    a generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface for supporting a stilt user's leg, and    a passage spaced apart from the generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface for receiving a leg support of the stilt,    wherein    the generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface is positioned around a longitudinal axis, and the passage is generally parallel to said longitudinal axis,    wherein    the leg brace element comprises a first portion and a second portion,    the first portion being a generally saddle-shaped structure having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining the generally cylindrical inside surface,    the second portion protruding from the outer surface of the first portion and being longitudinally elongated and defining the passage    wherein    the second portion is positioned between a first half of the outer surface of the first portion and a second half of the outer surface of the first portion    wherein    the outer surface of the first portion has an upper end and a lower end, and the second portion comprises    an upper ear element protruding from the upper end of the outer surface of the first portion,    a lower ear element protruding from the lower end of the outer surface of the first portion, and    a tubular element extending between the upper ear element and the lower ear element and defining a portion of the passage.    
   
   
       2 . A leg brace element for a stilt as in  claim 1  wherein 
 an upper end of the passage is closed by a portion of the upper ear element.    
   
   
       3 . A leg brace element for a stilt as in  claim 1  wherein 
 the tubular element is spaced apart from the outer surface of the first portion to define a location for receipt of a user safety strap between the tubular element and the outer surface of the first portion, and further comprising, in combination, a layer of cushioning positioned on the generally cylindrical inside surface.    
   
   
       4 . A leg brace element for a stilt as in  claim 1  further comprising, in combination, 
 a floor platform,    a shoe platform,    a pair of substantially vertically mounted supports pivotally connecting said floor platform and said shoe platform in a parallelogram configuration, said vertical supports spring-biased so as to urge said vertical supports and said platforms toward a rectangular configuration, and    a leg support mounted to one of said vertically mounted supports and extending upwardly above said shoe platform, said leg support having an upper end section,    wherein the upper end section of said leg support is retained in the passage of the leg brace element in superposition with respect to the shoe platform.    
   
   
       5 . A combination as in  claim 4  wherein the leg brace element comprises a lower leg brace element, said combination further comprising, 
 an ankle brace element positioned on the leg support between the lower leg brace element and the shoe platform.    
   
   
       6 . A combination as in  claim 5  wherein the ankle brace element comprises 
 a nonflaccid body defining    a generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface for supporting a stilt user's ankle, and    a passage spaced apart from the generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface receiving a leg support of the stilt,    wherein    the generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface is positioned around a longitudinal axis, and the passage is generally parallel to said longitudinal axis.    
   
   
       7 . A leg brace element for a stilt as in  claim 1 , further comprising, in combination, 
 a nonflaccid arcuate closure having a first lateral end and a second lateral end,    a hinge connecting the first lateral end of the arcuate closure with a first lateral end of the first portion of the leg brace element, and    a fastener assembly connecting the second lateral end of the arcuate closure with a second lateral end of the first portion of the leg brace element.    
   
   
       8 . A leg brace element for a stilt as in  claim 7  wherein 
 an inner surface of the nonflaccid arcuate closure defines a generally cylindrical surface, and the fastener assembly comprises    an arcuate toothed rack protruding from an outer surface of the nonflaccid arcuate closure,    a drag link extending from the second lateral end of the first portion of the leg brace element for engaging a tooth on the arcuate toothed rack, and    a lever arm mounted on an outside surface of the leg brace element near the second end for retracting the drag link.    
   
   
       9 . A leg brace element for a stilt as in  claim 8  further comprising, in combination, 
 a floor platform,    a shoe platform,    a pair of substantially vertically mounted supports pivotally connecting said floor platform and said shoe platform in a parallelogram configuration, said vertical supports spring-biased so as to urge said vertical supports and said platforms towards a rectangular configuration, and    a leg support mounted to one of said vertically mounted supports and extending upwardly above said shoe platform, said leg support having an upper end section,    wherein the upper end section of said leg support is retained in the passage of the leg brace element in superposition with respect to the shoe platform.    
   
   
       10 . Apparatus comprising 
 a floor platform,    a shoe platform,    a pair of substantially vertically mounted supports pivotally connecting said floor platform and said shoe platform in a parallelogram configuration, said vertical supports spring-biased so as to urge said vertical supports and said platforms towards a rectangular configuration, and    a leg support mounted to one of said vertically mounted supports and extending upwardly above said shoe platform, said leg support having an upper end section,    a lower leg brace positioned on the upper end section of said leg support in superposition with respect to the shoe platform, and    an ankle brace positioned on the leg support between the lower leg brace and the shoe platform in superposition with respect to the shoe platform.    
   
   
       11 . Apparatus as in  claim 10  wherein 
 the ankle brace element comprises    a nonflaccid body defining    a generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface for supporting a stilt user's ankle, and    a passage spaced apart from the generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface receiving    a leg support of the stilt,    wherein    the generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface is positioned around a longitudinal axis, and the passage is generally parallel to said longitudinal axis.    
   
   
       12 . Apparatus as in  claim 11  wherein the lower leg brace comprises a nonflaccid body defining 
 a generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface for supporting a stilt user's leg, and    a passage spaced apart from the generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface for receiving    a leg support of the stilt.    
   
   
       13 . A leg brace element for a stilt, 
 said leg brace element comprising    a first nonflaccid body, a second nonflaccid body, a hinge, and a fastener assembly,    said first nonflaccid body having a first lateral end and a second lateral end and defining    a generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface for supporting a stilt user's leg and a passage spaced apart from the generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface for receiving a leg support of the stilt,    said second nonflaccid body forming    a nonflaccid arcuate closure having a first lateral end and a second lateral end,    wherein the hinge connects the first lateral end of the arcuate closure with the first lateral end of the first nonflaccid body, and    the fastener assembly connects the second lateral end of the arcuate closure with the second lateral end of the first nonflaccid body.    
   
   
       14 . Apparatus comprising 
 a floor platform,    a shoe platform,    a pair of substantially vertically mounted supports pivotally connecting said floor platform and said shoe platform in a parallelogram configuration, said vertical supports spring-biased so as to urge said vertical supports and said platforms towards a rectangular configuration, and    a leg support mounted to one of said vertically mounted supports and extending upwardly above said shoe platform, said leg support having an upper end section,    a lower leg brace positioned on the upper end section of said leg support in superposition with respect to the shoe platform, and    an ankle brace element positioned across the shoe platform from the leg support.    
   
   
       15 . Apparatus as in  claim 14  wherein 
 the ankle brace element comprises    an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion including a concave arcuate surface facing the leg support, the lower portion being secured to the shoe platform and including an upright post connected to the upper portion.    
   
   
       16 . Apparatus as in  claim 15  wherein the upper portion of the ankle brace element is connected to the lower portion of the ankle brace element with a sliding joint, wherein the ankle brace element further includes means for immobilizing the sliding joint.  
   
   
       17 . Apparatus comprising 
 a first band end portion    a second band end portion    a cross-piece element carried on the first band end portion,    a buckle carried on the second band end portion, said buckle including a drag link for engaging the cross piece element and a lever arm for actuating the drag link.    
   
   
       18 . Apparatus as in  claim 17  wherein 
 the first band end portion is carried on a first saddle body,    the second band end portion is carried on a second saddle body, and    actuation of the lever arm when the drag link is engaged with the cross-piece element pulls the saddle bodies towards each other.    
   
   
       19 . Apparatus as in  claim 17  further comprising 
 an elongated foot plate having a top side, a first lateral side and a second lateral side,    wherein the first band end portion comes up from the first lateral side of the foot plate,    wherein the second band end portion comes up from the second lateral side of the foot plate,    the first band end portion is formed from a nonflaccid material and is attached to the first lateral side of the foot plate with a hinge connection, and    the second band end portion is formed from a nonflaccid material and is attached to the second lateral side of the foot plate with a hinge connection,    and the first band end portion and the second band end portion arch over the top side of the foot plate when the drag link is engaged with the cross piece.    
   
   
       20 . A buckle comprising 
 an elongated base plate having a pair of spaced apart parallel ears extending normally therefrom and a tang extending generally normally therefrom at a location spaced apart from the ears, said tang being positioned in a plane generally normal to the planes of the ears, said tang having a “C” shaped bend near an upper end thereof facing generally towards the ears,    a lever arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the lever arm being pivotally connected to the ears of the base plate, said lever arm having a length which is greater than a distance between the ears and the tang on the base plate and having an inside cross piece positioned to ride over an outer surface of the “C” shaped bend of the tang and snap the lever arm into a locked position in which the elongated base plate and the lever arm are generally parallel, a portion of the “C” shaped bend of the tang protruding above an upper surface of the lever arm to permit the tang to be manually moved and the lever arm to be unlocked, and    a drag link having a first end and a second end, the first end of the drag link being pivotally connected to the lever arm at a location between the first end of the lever arm and the cross piece.    
   
   
       21 . A buckle as in  claim 20  wherein the first end of the lever arm is formed from a pair of generally parallel legs which extend to the cross piece and the first end of the drag link is sized to be received between the legs.  
   
   
       22 . A buckle as in  claim 20  wherein the base plate is stamped sheet metal and the tang is urged towards the cross piece of the lever arm when the lever arm is in the locked position.  
   
   
       23 . A buckle as in  claim 20  wherein the drag link carries a wire loop.  
   
   
       24 . A lower leg brace element for a stilt, said lower leg brace element comprising 
 a first nonflaccid body defining a generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface for supporting lateral area on a stilt user's lower leg, and a passage spaced apart from the generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface for receiving a leg support of the stilt,    a second nonflaccid body defining a generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface for supporting a posterior area on a stilt user's lower leg,    a first hinge connecting the first nonflaccid body and the second nonflaccid body,    a third nonflaccid body defining a generally semi-cylindrical concave inside surface for supporting an anterior area on a stilt user's lower leg, and    a second hinge connecting the first nonflaccid body to the third nonflaccid body.    
   
   
       25 . A lower leg brace element as in  claim 24  further comprising 
 a fastening assembly for bridging a gap between the second nonflaccid body and the third nonflaccid body and completing encirclement of a user's lower leg with the brace element.    
   
   
       26 . A lower leg brace element as in  claim 24  further comprising 
 a padded liner positioned across the concave surfaces of each of the first nonflaccid body, the second nonflaccid body, and the third nonflaccid body which biases the brace element towards an open position.    
   
   
       27 . A lower leg brace element as in  claim 24  wherein each of the nonflaccid bodies spans an angle in the range of 45 degrees to 120 degrees.  
   
   
       28 . Apparatus comprising 
 a floor platform,    a shoe platform,    a pair of substantially vertically mounted supports pivotally connecting said floor platform and said shoe platform in a parallelogram configuration, said vertical supports spring-biased so as to urge said vertical supports and said platforms towards a rectangular configuration, and    a leg support mounted to one of said vertically mounted supports and extending upwardly above said shoe platform, said leg support having an upper end section,    a lower leg brace positioned on the leg support in superposition with respect to the shoe platform, and    an ankle brace positioned between the lower leg brace and the shoe platform.