Here at Airedale Springs, we’ve been specialist spring manufacturers for a long time now, and we’ve seen some fairly imaginative uses for springs over the years. It’s easy to miss the importance of these little devices, which is why we’ve often spoken about the vital role they can play in areas like architecture. Today we thought we’d examine a few of the more eccentric uses that springs have been put to, and how these inimitable creations have been used to make and break more than a few world records.
Speed
Springs are a tricky one when it comes to speed – spring loaded stilts make it possible to reach an appreciable speed of about 20 mph, but maintaining that speed requires incredible training and endurance. The fastest mile on spring-loaded stilts may not seem impressive at 7 minutes and 13 seconds, but we’d advise any detractors to get out there and try it first!
Similarly, the 400 metre record on spring-loaded stilts may seem fairly underwhelming at 1 minute and 32.78 seconds, but once you’ve tried doing a flat-out sprint with springs tied to your feet you’ll soon see why it’s a challenge!
Height
Height is an area where springs start to show their power a little more appreciably. As you’d no doubt expect, by using springs a human can jump far higher than they normally could. The average vertical jump distance for men is about 22”; on 17th September 2008, Wu Jialong jumped 2.71 metres, about a metre higher than the average male height, using spring-loaded stilts.
Acrobatics
One area where springs seem to have found some true fanatics is in acrobatics, where people make use of the extra height and bounce allowed by spring-loaded stilts to make some fairly impressive aerial manoeuvres.
One of the most impressive of these is the case of the longest somersault using spring-loaded stilts; Jesus Villa somersaulted 6.19 metres over a Dodge Neon Sedan. Given that the car is 1.7 metres long, it seems fairly clear that he could have jumped 2 or even 3 if he’d had a mind to.
At Airedale Springs we love to see the imaginative uses that people put springs to. It’s a clear reminder that springs have their place in all areas of society, from the tallest buildings to the smallest devices. To find out more about the incredibly wide range of products that we supply, simply get in touch using the details on our contact page, or call us now on 01535 643456.