Speed rope and handle assembly
Jump rope assembly comprising a rope, a handle at one end of the rope, an axially extending axle mounted in bearings within the handle for rotation about its axis, a gimbal head affixed to the axle at one end of the handle including a ring with a circular opening having an axis perpendicular to the axis of the axle, and a spherical ball of greater diameter than the opening pivotally seated against one side of the ring, with an end portion of the rope passing freely through the opening and being attached to the ball in a manner permitting the ball to pivot freely with respect to the axis of the opening as the gimbal head rotates about the axis of the axle.
1. A jump rope assembly comprising: a rope, a handle at one end of the rope, an axle mounted in the handle for rotation about its axis, a gimbal head which is affixed to the axle at one end of the handle and includes a ring having a circular shank of generally circular cross section and a circular opening with a convexly curved side wall and an axis generally perpendicular to the axis of the axle, and a spherical ball of greater diameter than the opening which is positioned to one side of the ring and pivotally seated against the convexly curved side wall, with an end portion of the rope passing freely through the opening and through a diametric bore in the ball, a second bore in the ball that intersects the diametric bore, a set screw that is threadedly mounted in an insert in the second bore for engagement with the rope to secure the rope to the ball at any point along its length, with ball being free to pivot freely with respect to the axis of the opening as the gimbal head rotates about the axis of the axle.
2. The jump rope assembly of claim 1 wherein the insert is made of brass.
3. The jump rope assembly of claim 1 wherein the gimbal head and the ball are each fabricated of a material selected from the group consisting of metal and plastic.
4. The jump rope assembly of claim 1 wherein the ball is fabricated of a material selected from the group consisting of acetal materials, lubricous thermoplastics, low friction polymers, thermo-set resins, polycarbonates, polished metals, chromed metals, cryogenically treated metals, steel, aluminum, brass, composite materials, graphite, carbon, and glass.
5. The jump rope assembly of claim 1 wherein the rope comprises a wire cable.
6. The jump rope assembly of claim 5 further comprising a polymer coating on the wire cable.
7. The jump rope assembly of claim 6 wherein the wire is galvanized steel, and the coating is a polyamide material.
8. The jump rope assembly of claim 1 wherein a second handle assembly having the structure set forth in claim 1 is attached to a second end of the rope.
9. A jump rope handle assembly comprising: an elongated body having a circular side wall with axially elongated, radially extending ribs on the inner side of the wall spaced peripherally about the wall, an axle mounted in axially aligned bearings mounted in sockets formed by aligned notches in the end portions of the ribs for rotation about its axis, a gimbal head affixed to the axle at one end of the body including a ring having a circular opening with an axis perpendicular to the axis of the axle, a spherical ball of greater diameter than the opening pivotally seated against one side of the ring, with the ball being free to pivot with respect to the axis of the opening as the gimbal head rotates about the axis of the axle, a diametric bore in the ball for receiving a rope that passes through the opening, and means for securing the rope to the ball.
10. The handle assembly of claim 9 wherein the axle is retained in the bearings by the gimbal head at one end of the axle, an enlarged head at the other end of the axle, and a spacer disposed coaxially of the axle between the bearings.
11. The handle assembly of claim 9 wherein the means for securing the rope to the ball comprises a set screw mounted in a radial bore that intersects the diametric bore in which the rope is received.
12. A jump rope handle assembly comprising: an elongated body having a circular side wall with axially elongated, radially extending ribs on the inner side of the wall, an axle mounted for rotation about its axis in bearings that include axially spaced, circumferentially extending ribs on the axle which engage bearing surfaces on the ribs on the inner side of the wall, a gimbal head affixed to the axle at one end of the body including a ring having a circular opening with an axis perpendicular to the axis of the axle, a spherical ball of greater diameter than the opening pivotally seated against one side of the ring, with the ball being free to pivot with respect to the axis of the opening as the gimbal head rotates about the axis of the axle, a diametric bore in the ball for receiving a rope that passes through the opening, and means for securing the rope to the ball.
13. The handle assembly of claim 9 wherein the gimbal head and the axle are formed as an unitary structure.