U.S. patent application number 09/777463 was filed with the patent office on 2002-08-08 for shoulder press exercise machine.
Invention is credited to Carter, Kenneth E..
Application Number | 20020107117 09/777463 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25110324 |
Filed Date | 2002-08-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020107117 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Carter, Kenneth E. |
August 8, 2002 |
Shoulder press exercise machine
Abstract
An exercise machine suitable for performing a shoulder press has
a support frame with a seat mounted on the front portion thereof. A
pair of similar lever members are pivotally supported by means of
sleeve bearings on axles mounted on the rear portion of the support
member. The lever members and their support bearings are located at
a level below the top of the seat. The axles are angled away from
the central axis of the support member and run parallel to the base
of the support member. The lever members are positioned in opposing
relationship with the rear portions thereof substantially parallel
to each other and with the forward portions extending angularly
away from each other in the forward direction. Handles are mounted
on the forward ends of the levers. Removable weights are mounted on
each of the levers proximate to the handles. The angulation of the
support axles is such as to effect a converging and rotating motion
of the exerciser's arms when the levers are drawn upwardly over the
exerciser's head.
Inventors: |
Carter, Kenneth E.;
(Claremont, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
EDWARD A. SOKOLSKI
3836 CARSON STREET, STE. 105
TORRANCE
CA
90503
US
|
Family ID: |
25110324 |
Appl. No.: |
09/777463 |
Filed: |
February 5, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/100 ;
482/97 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 23/03541 20130101;
A63B 21/4047 20151001; A63B 23/1263 20130101; A63B 2208/0233
20130101; A63B 21/08 20130101; A63B 21/4035 20151001; A63B 21/0615
20130101; A63B 23/12 20130101; A63B 23/1209 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/100 ;
482/97 |
International
Class: |
A63B 021/08; A63B
021/062 |
Claims
I claim:
1. An exercise machine for use by an exerciser in performing a
shoulder press comprising: a support frame having rear and forward
portions and a base portion which rests on a support surface; a
seat mounted on the forward portion of said support frame, the top
of said seat extending above said support frame; a pair of
longitudinally oriented opposing lever arms which extend from the
rear portion of the support frame to a position forward of the back
of the seat; a weight removably mounted on each of said lever arms;
a handle mounted on the forward end of each of said lever arms; and
a pivotal support for pivotally supporting each of the ends of the
lever arm rear portions for rotation on the support frame about
predetermined axes.
2. The machine of claim wherein the pivotal support is positioned
approximately at the shoulder level of the exerciser when seated in
said seat.
3. The exercise machine of claim 1 wherein said pivotal supports
each comprises an axle mounted on the rear portion of said frame
and a sleeve rotatably supported on the axle, said sleeves each
being attached to an end of an associated one of said lever arms,
said axles extending angularly away from each other at an angle of
60-90 degrees.
4. The machine of claim 3 wherein the axles extend away from each
other at an angle of approximately 70 degrees.
5. The machine of claims 1 and 3 wherein the lever arms have rear
portions which are substantially parallel to each other and forward
portions which run angularly away from each other to positions
forward of the back of the seat.
6. The machine of claim 3 wherein the rotation axes of said pivotal
supports are substantially parallel to the base of said frame.
7. The machine of claims 1 and 3 wherein said frame has forward and
rear vertical bars and a top bar running between the top portions
of said forward and rear vertical bars, the central axis of said
frame corresponding to the central axes of said bars.
8. An exercise machine for use by an exerciser in performing a
shoulder press comprising: a support frame having rear and forward
portions, said frame including a rear base bar running across the
rear of the base thereof, a rear vertical bar running upwardly from
the center portion of said rear base bar, a forward vertical bar
running upwardly, a fore-aft base bar running between said forward
and rear vertical bars, an angulated bar running between each of
the opposite end portions of said rear base bar and the top of said
rear vertical bar, and a fore-aft top bar running between the top
portions of said rear and forward vertical bars; a seat mounted on
said forward vertical bar, the top of said seat extending above
said support frame; a pair of horizontally oriented opposing lever
arms having rear portions which are substantially parallel to each
other and having forward portions which run angularly away from
each other and extend forward of the back of said seat; a handle
mounted on the forward end of each of said lever arms: a pivotal
support for supporting each of the ends of the rear portions of
said lever arms on said support frame, said pivotal supports each
comprising an axle supported on the rear end of said frame and a
sleeve rotatably supported on said axle, said sleeves each being
attached to the end of an associated one of said lever arms, said
axles extending angularly away from each other and away from the
central axis of said rear vertical bar, said axles running
substantially parallel to the base of said frame; and a weight
removably mounted on each of said lever arms.
9. The machine of claim 8 wherein the pivotal supports are
positoned at approximately the same level as the exerciser's
shoulders with the exerciser seated in said seat.
10. The machine of claim 8 wherein said axles extend away from each
other at an angle of 60-90 degrees.
11. The machine of claim 10 wherein said axles extend away from
each other at an angle of substantially 70 degrees.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to exercise machines and more
particularly to a shoulder press exercise machine having a forward
seat and liftable weighted lever arms pivotally supported to the
rear of the seat.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Experience has indicated that in an exercise involving the
lifting of weights above one's head that a converging of the
exercisers' arms directly over his or her head is the natural and
best way of performing this exercise. This type of exercise with
the exerciser seated is generally referred to as a shoulder
press.
[0005] Various prior art such exercisers for performing such a
shoulder or military press exercise are described in the prior art
including U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,089 issued Sep. 10, 1996 to Jones and
U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,896 issued Oct. 26, 1999 to Giannelli et al. In
both of these patents, the handles used by the exerciser are
attached to weighted levers which are connected to pivots to the
rear of the exerciser seat at a location above the seat with the
pivot axes tilting downwardly towards the centerline of the device.
This makes for a device having overall dimensions which extend from
its base to a point above the top of the seat. Further, the pivots
and levers of these devices are somewhat complicated and bulky in
design. The device of the present invention has a simpler and more
compact lever and pivotal support mechanism than prior art devices
which is to the rear of the seat and beneath the top of such
seat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The device of the present invention has a support frame for
supporting a seat on a floor in a stable upright position. The
frame has an elongated bar extending from the rear to the front
thereof. A seat for the exerciser is supported on the front or
forward end of the bar while pivotal supports for lever arms are
mounted on the rear end of the bar. The pivotal supports are
located below the top of the seat, preferably at the level of the
exerciser's shoulders, and are formed by axles which are angled
rearwardly away from the bar and run parallel to the base of the
support frame(and the floor on which the frame is supported). The
lever arms are attached to sleeves which are rotatably fitted onto
the axles and form sleeve bearings therewith.
[0007] The pair of lever arms are positioned opposite each other,
the rear portions thereof running substantially parallel to each
other and the front portions extending angularly away from each in
the forward direction past the seat. Handles for use by the
exerciser are mounted on the a forward ends of the lever arms.
Weights are removably supported on each of the lever arms in
proximity to the handles. The exerciser, while seated in the seat
provided, pushes the handles upwardly in an arc to a position over
his or her head, the arms being carried by the levers to a
converging and rotated position.
[0008] It is therefore an objection of this invention to provide a
shoulder exercise machine of simpler, more economical, and more
compact construction.
[0009] It is a further object of this invention to provide a
shoulder exerciser in which the arms of the user converge in a bio
mechanically correct manner.
[0010] Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the
following description taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a preferred embodiment
of the invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is front top elevational view illustrating the use of
the preferred embodiment of the invention by an exerciser;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a front elevational view illustration the use of
the preferred embodiment of the invention by an exerciser; and
[0014] FIG. 4 is in an exploded view of the preferred
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Referring now to the Figures, a preferred embodiment of the
invention is illustrated.
[0016] Support frame 11 has a rear base cross bar 11a running
across the rear thereof and a base bar 11b at right angles to bar
11a which runs forwardly therefrom. A rear vertical bar 11c runs
upwardly from the center of base cross bar 11a. A pair of curved
and angulated bars 11d run on opposite sides of vertical bar 11c
between the top portion of bar 11c and the opposite end portions of
base bar 11b, respectively. A forward vertical bar 11e runs
upwardly from the forward portion of bar 11b and provides a support
for seat 12. The central axes of vertical bars 11c and 11e are
along the central plane A-A of the support frame. A top bar 11f
runs between seat 12 and the top portion of rear vertical bar 11c.
The frame rests firmly on the floor 13 with bar 11b being along the
central vertical plane A-A of the frame.
[0017] A pair of opposing lever arms 14 and 15 have rear parallel
portions 14a and 15a and forward portions 14b and 15b which run
angularly away from each other as well as bar 11f and plane A-A.
Handle portions 14c and 15c are formed on the extreme ends of each
of the lever arms and have handles 16 and 17 formed thereon
respectively for use by the exerciser in raising and lowering the
lever arms. Weights 18 and 19 are removably supported on bars 20
and 21, respectively, which are attached to bar portions 14b and
15b respectively. Extra weights 22 of different values which can be
used to replace weights 18 and 19 are supported on bars 23 which
extend from frame 11.
[0018] The rear ends of lever arms 14 and 15 are pivotally
supported on pivotal bearings 25 and 26 formed by pivot axles 25a
and 26a which extend from the upper rear portion of frame 11 and
bearing sleeves 25b and 26b. The pivot axes B of bearings 25 and 26
are parallel to the base of frame 11 and run angularly away from
plane A-A at an angle of 30-45 degrees with 35 degrees being
optimum for best exercising.
[0019] Thus, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the exerciser grasps
handles 16 and 17 and raises his or her arms upwardly, lever arms
14 and 15 pivot upwardly on their respective pivotal bearings 25
and 26 in a manner such that the arms and hands converge together
in a rotating manner towards the extreme upward position.
[0020] While the invention has been described and illustrated in
detail it is to be understand that this is intended by way of
illustration and example only, the scope of the invention being
limited by the terms of the following claims.
* * * * *