A tug-of war apparatus

Abstract

A Tug-of-war apparatus for competition and training including at least one frame section supporting a horizontal movable surface including a continuous running belt mounted between rollers on the frame section; at least one stationary upright support means attached to the front of the frame section; at least one pulling rope extending substantially horizontally from the stationary support means; weighing means for determining the weight of the users on the movable surface; and means for determining the distance the movable surface has moved. One of the rollers includes a drive shaft.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A Tug-of-war apparatus for competition and training comprising;
 at least one frame section supporting a horizontal movable surface comprising a continuous running belt mounted between rollers on the frame section;   at least one stationary upright support means attached to the front of the frame section;   at least one pulling rope extending substantially horizontally from the stationary support means;   weighing means for determining the weight of the users on the movable surface; and   means for determining the distance the movable surface has moved;   wherein the frame section comprises a solid under-belt support directly beneath the movable surface to support the users on the movable surface and the apparatus is capable of supporting up to 8 users at any one time.   
     
     
         27 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein one of the rollers comprises a drive shaft. 
     
     
         28 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 27 , comprising a digital tachometer connected to the drive shaft to determine the distance the movable surface has moved. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus as claimed  claim 26 , wherein the weighing means are attached to the under-belt support. 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the stationary upright support means comprises adjustment means for adjusting the height of the pulling rope. 
     
     
         31 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the movable surface moves in a forward direction as the user on the movable surface moves backwards holding onto the pulling rope. 
     
     
         32 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the stationary upright support means comprises a recording and communication device and display means, the recording device comprising means for inputting and storing data, a fingerprint scanner, means for recording and confirming the identity of the users wherein the recorded information is displayed on the display means. 
     
     
         33 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the weighing means communicates the weight of the users to the recording and communication device. 
     
     
         34 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the apparatus comprises a competition mode and a training mode. 
     
     
         35 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein in competition mode the drive shaft on a roller supporting one movable surface is connected to the drive shaft on a roller supporting a second movable surface, wherein one Tug-of-war team stands on one movable surface and the opposing team stands on the second movable surface. 
     
     
         36 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the drive shafts are connected by means of a hydraulic system and/or a crown and pinion mechanism. 
     
     
         37 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein when one of the movable surfaces moves in a forward direction the other movable surface moves in a backward direction. 
     
     
         38 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the frame section and the movable surface comprise markings to indicate the starting position and determine the distance the running belt has moved. 
     
     
         39 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 38 , wherein for training mode a resistance is applied to impair the rotation of the drive shaft on the roller supporting the movable surface and wherein the recording means records the performance of the users in training and compares the performance with the effort relative to a predetermined standard of reference. 
     
     
         40 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the continuous running belt comprises a non-slip resistance surface. 
     
     
         41 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the frame section comprises several detachable sections which may be dismantled for transport and storage. 
     
     
         42 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 26 , comprising an upper support means to support a user on the movable surface wherein the upper support means extends from the stationary support means above the movable surface, the upper support means comprising means for the user to hold onto or a harness to support the user. 
     
     
         43 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 26 , comprising a communication means between apparatus' in different locations wherein the pulling force of the users on one apparatus results in a counter pulling force being applied by the users on a second apparatus so that a tug-of-war competition or training practice may be carried out between athletes located remotely from each other. 
     
     
         44 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 43 , wherein the communication means is connected to the drive shaft on the apparatus. 
     
     
         45 . A method for holding a Tug-of-war competition comprising an apparatus as claimed in claim  1  wherein the drive shaft on one of the rollers supporting one movable surface is connected to the drive shaft on one of the rollers supporting a second movable surface, one Tug-of-war team stands on one movable surface and the opposing team stands on the other movable surface and as the contestants pull on the pulling rope the movable surface of the winning team moves in a forward direction causing the movable surface of the losing team to move in a backward direction.