U.S. patent number 3,618,942 [Application Number 05/025,784] was granted by the patent office on 1971-11-09 for an elastic push-pull batting practice type exercise device.
Invention is credited to Robert H. Bates, Wesley Klipstein.
United States Patent |
3,618,942 |
Bates , et al. |
November 9, 1971 |
AN ELASTIC PUSH-PULL BATTING PRACTICE TYPE EXERCISE DEVICE
Abstract
A device for exercising and strengthening the wrists. The device
consists of a bat or club, an anchor board which is securely
fastened to a wall or column, and a length of a strong elastic rope
or band which is attached at one end to any one of a number of
points on the anchor board and at the other end to any one of a
number of points on the bat or club.
Inventors: |
Bates; Robert H. (Akron,
OH), Klipstein; Wesley (Akron, OH) |
Family
ID: |
21828039 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/025,784 |
Filed: |
April 6, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/129; 473/55;
473/457; 473/229 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B
21/04 (20130101); A63B 69/0002 (20130101); A63B
21/0552 (20130101); A63B 21/0557 (20130101); A63B
2208/0204 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
21/02 (20060101); A63B 21/04 (20060101); A63B
69/00 (20060101); A63b 023/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/186A,191R,26R,26B,29R,67,72,73R,63R,35,54R,40
;272/79R,82,83R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Pinkham; Richard C.
Assistant Examiner: Browne; William R.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An exercise device for conditioning and strengthening the
wrists, comprising:
a club having a body portion and a handle portion;
an elastic tether;
anchoring means for securing one end of said tether;
said body portion of said club being provided with a means for
securing the opposite end of said tether to the club, said means
comprising a plurality of eyebolts at spaced locations along said
club for varying the attachment location of said opposite end of
said tether to said club, providing varying resistances to the
swinging movements of the club during a batting practice by a
user.
2. The exercise device according to claim 1 wherein said anchoring
means includes means for securing said tether end at any one of a
plurality of vertically spaced positions.
3. The exercise device according to claim 2 wherein said anchoring
means includes a board having a plurality of eyebolts at vertically
spaced locations thereon.
4. The exercise device according to claim 1 wherein said tether
comprises a length of rubber rope having snap fasteners at both
ends.
Description
This invention relates to an improved wrist and arm exercise
device.
Numerous exercise devices for strengthening the wrist have been
known but these devices have normally been limited to exercising in
connection with a particular sport or activity. Many of the prior
art exercising devices have also been of complicated construction,
increasing the cost of the device, and creating many potentials for
defects.
It is the primary object of our invention to provide an exercise
device which may be used to develop and strengthen the wrists,
hand, and forearms and arms which is capable of providing the
proper development thereof in relation to a number of different
sporting activities. It is also an object of the present invention
to provide a wrist exercising device which is of simple, durable
and therefore inexpensive and trouble free construction. A further
object of the invention is the provision of a wrist exercising
device which is suitable for use either in gymnasiums or private
homes, and which is adjustable in several manners to provide
exercises of different natures for strengthening different
muscles.
In accordance with the principles of our invention, the above
objectives are accomplished by providing an exercise device in the
form of a bat, or club which is attached to the bat or club at
anyone of a plurality of fixed supports by a rubber or other
elastic rope and anchored to an upright device at any one of a
plurality of fixed supports to vary the direction of tension of the
elastic rope for muscle exercise by movement of the bat or
club.
The above and other objects and advantages to the invention will
become apparent upon consideration of the following specification
and the accompanying drawing wherein there is shown a preferred
embodiment of the invention.
In the drawing:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the use of the device of our
invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a first embodiment of the
exercise bat of the device of our invention;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3--3 of FIG.
2;
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the second embodiment of the
exercise bat or club;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the lines 5--5 of FIG.
4;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the rope retaining
clips and the method of securing the rope thereto;
FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the anchor
board used with the exercise bat of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a further modification of the
anchor board;
FIG. 9 is a plan view of the anchor of FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the use of the exercise club
of FIG. 4;
FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of a third embodiment of the
exercise club, this embodiment simulating a bowling ball;
FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 11;
and
FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the use of the embodiment of
FIG. 11.
As will be seen from FIG. 1, the exercise device of our invention
consists, essentially, of a bat or club 10, an anchor board 12
which is secured to a wall or other support, and a resilient tether
or rope 14 which may be attached to the club 10 at any of a number
of points and to the anchor board 12 at any of a number of points.
The bat 10, which may be formed of any suitable material such as
wood, plastic, or metal, has a body portion 16 usually of square
cross section and a tapered and rounded handle portion 18 which
terminates in an enlarged flanged or ball-like end 20. Attachment
points for the tether 14 are provided by means of eyebolts 22-26 at
spaced intervals along one side of the body portion 16 and by an
eyebolt 28 in the end of the body portion 16 of the club 10. The
anchor board 12 consists of a rectangular board 30 which is rigidly
secured of a wall by suitable screws or bolts 32. Eyebolts 34-42
are provided in spaced vertical relation along the board 30 to
provide attachment points for the tether 14. The tether 14 may be
formed of a length of rubber rope 44 which is threaded at each end
through the eye 46 of a conventional snap hook 48. The end 50 of
the rope 44 is doubled back to lie parallel with the rope 44 and is
tightly clamped thereto by a metal clip 52 or other rope securing
means.
The exercise device described above is employed as follows:
One end of the tether 14 is snapped onto one of the eyebolts 22-28
of the bat 10, a beginner normally using the eyebolt 22 closest to
the handle 18 and progressing to the successively more remote
eyebolts as the strength of his wrists increases. The opposite end
of the tether 14 is snapped onto one of the eyebolts 34-42 of the
anchor board, the particular eyebolt chosen being determined by the
particular sports activity for which the wrists are being
strengthened. For example, when using the device as an exerciser in
connection with baseball, the tether 14 is snapped onto the ring 36
so that the tension is applied along an upward angle, as shown in
FIG. 1. When the device is being used for golf exercise, the tether
14 would be fastened to one of the eyebolts 40 or 42 at the lower
end of the anchor board 12. Naturally the person using the device
takes a position adjacent the board 30 so he can swing the bat away
from such anchor board.
To develop strong wrists and forearms, the user moves the club 10
through the natural arc through which, for example, a baseball bat
would be swung. When he has swung the club 10 sufficiently to
elongate the tether 14 approximately 20 to 30 inches, he holds the
club 10 stationary, the stretched tether 14 applying tension to the
wrist and arm which is resisted by the muscles.
FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a modification of the club or bat which is
especially suitable for tennis exercises. In this embodiment, the
club has a body portion 54 usually of square cross section and a
handle portion 56 of octagonal cross section. The club of FIG. 4 is
shorter than the club of FIG. 2 and also usually would be lighter
in weight. Eyebolts 58-64 are provided along one side and the end
of the body portion 54 of the club and are used in the same manner
as the eyebolts of the previously described embodiment. The
octagonal shape of the handle 56 allows the user to grip the club
in a manner similar to the grip used on a tennis racket and thus
allows the natural feel to be maintained.
The embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 may be used to simulate the various
tennis strokes such as forehand, backhand, etc. As shown in FIG.
10, the forehand swing is simulated by attaching one end of the
tether 14 to one of the eyebolts 58-64 of the club and attaching
the other end of the tether to one of the upper eyebolts 34, 36 of
the anchor board 12. The club is held in a generally vertical
position and moved through a natural forehand swing away from the
anchor board until the tether 14 is stretched sufficiently to apply
tension to the user's wrist, arm and shoulder muscles. Other tennis
swings may be practiced by using appropriate attachment points for
the tether and by holding the club in a manner duplicating the
position of a tennis racket.
Where it is impractical to permanently anchor the board 12 to a
wall, the modified embodiment of this board shown in FIG. 7 may be
used. In this embodiment, a rectangular board 66 having a plurality
of eyebolts 68 at vertically spaced intervals along its length is
clamped to a column or other structural member 70 by means of
U-bolts or other clamps 72. The board of this embodiment is used in
the same manner as is the anchor board 12 of the previously
described embodiment. Or, the eyebolts 68 could be directly secured
to the column or post 70, as in FIG. 8.
FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate another modification of the anchor board.
This modification is especially suitable for wrist exercise by
golfers. In this embodiment there is provided a vertical post 74
which may be a wooden post or a length of pipe partly embedded in
the ground. Eyebolts 76 and 78 are provided along one side of and
secured to the post 74 to provide anchor points for the tether 14.
A pair of C-shaped spring clips may be provided on the opposite
side of the column or post 74 for holding the exercise club when
the same is not in use.
FIGS. 11-13 illustrate a third embodiment of our invention which is
used to practice delivery of a bowling ball. In this embodiment,
the club consists of a disc 82 which has a surface 84 which
simulates a portion of a bowling ball and is provided with thumb
and finger holes 86 and 88 to permit the disc 82 to be grasped like
a bowling ball. An eye 90 is attached to one edge of the disc 82.
As is shown in FIG. 12, this embodiment is used by attaching the
tether to the eye 90 and to one of the lower eyebolts 38-42 of the
anchor board 12. The user grasps the disc by the holes 86 and 88,
stands facing away from the anchor board 12 and swings the disc 82
through an arc simulating the delivery of a bowling ball. When the
tether has stretched sufficiently to tension the wrist and arm, the
user holds the disc 82 stationary for a short period of time and
then releases it and repeats the exercise.
It will be understood that changes and additions may be made to the
embodiments of our invention described herein without departing
from the spirit of the invention. For example, the handle portion
18 or 56 of the club may be provided with a leather or rubber
wrapping to provide a comfortable and nonslippery surface. Also,
the tether 14 may be made of other materials than the rubber rope
44. It is contemplated that this tether 14 may be made of coil
springs attached to the eyes 46 of the clips 48 and to one another
by a length of flexible rope or chain. In such an arrangement, a
rubber tubing is provided to cover the chain and the springs.
Naturally for any exercise action the user adjusts his position so
that the tether can be fully or partly relaxed and then the bat or
article is moved to tension the tether and provide the desired
exercise action for one's arms, wrists, etc. The weight of the club
or article being grasped may simulate the weight of the club or
article used in the sport being practiced. As these and other
changes maybe made in the described embodiments of the invention,
reference should be had to the accompanying claims in determining
the true scope of the invention.
* * * * *