U.S. patent number 3,659,844 [Application Number 05/064,500] was granted by the patent office on 1972-05-02 for exercises propelled and body supporting spring biased platform.
Invention is credited to Alfred B. Cummins.
United States Patent |
3,659,844 |
Cummins |
May 2, 1972 |
EXERCISES PROPELLED AND BODY SUPPORTING SPRING BIASED PLATFORM
Abstract
A machine for exercising the human body muscle system has a
platform on which the user rests and which is mounted to swivel
about a vertical pivot and at the same time to rock or "see-saw"
about a central horizontal pivot. The swiveling friction is
controlled to some extent by bearing collars. The rocking action is
resisted by springs. The rocking load may be increased by attaching
weights to the platform. A handle-bar support is provided in
position to be grasped by a user standing on the platform. Parallel
handrails on opposite sides of the platform are adjustable to
various positions.
Inventors: |
Cummins; Alfred B. (Chagrin
Falls, OH) |
Family
ID: |
22056410 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/064,500 |
Filed: |
August 17, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/130;
273/DIG.8; 482/23; 482/41; 482/106; 482/133 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B
22/14 (20130101); A63B 22/16 (20130101); A63B
21/023 (20130101); A63B 21/225 (20130101); A63B
21/227 (20130101); Y10S 273/08 (20130101); A63B
2208/0228 (20130101); A63B 21/055 (20130101); A63B
2208/0204 (20130101); A63B 2071/027 (20130101); A63B
21/0421 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
22/00 (20060101); A63B 22/16 (20060101); A63B
22/14 (20060101); A63B 21/00 (20060101); A63B
21/02 (20060101); A63B 21/22 (20060101); A63B
21/055 (20060101); A63b 021/22 (); A63b
021/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;272/63,57A,57B,83R,82,570,81,DIG.3,33R,70.3,70.4,58,30 ;273/187R
;128/25R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
455,140 |
|
Feb 1950 |
|
IT |
|
385,085 |
|
May 1965 |
|
CH |
|
Primary Examiner: Pinkham; Richard C.
Assistant Examiner: Browne; William R.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a physical exercise machine, a base adapted to rest upon a
floor, a swivel socket fixed to said base, a swivel post received
in said socket, said swivel post being freely rotatable in said
socket about the vertical axis of said post, a platform having a
single horizontal pivot connection between its under side and the
upper end of said post and near the center of said platform, said
platform having an area sufficient for a person to stand upon and
within stepping distance of said floor, and spring means attached
to said base and engaging said platform radially outwardly from
said pivot in position to be stressed by oscillation of said
platform about said pivot and normally holding said platform
substantially level.
2. A physical exercise machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said
spring means is in two parts respectively located on opposite sides
of said pivot connection.
3. A physical exercise machine as defined in claim 1, including a
swivel bracket fixed to the upper end of said post, said horizontal
pivot connection of said platform mounted on said bracket, and said
spring means being directly connected to said bracket.
4. A physical exercise machine as defined in claim 3, wherein said
spring means comprises two helical springs connected between said
bracket and points on said platform on opposite sides of said pivot
connection.
5. A physical exercise machine as defined in claim 1, including at
least one quickly removable weight mounted on said platform.
6. A physical exercise machine as defined in claim 1, including a
support mounted near said base and extending to a level where it is
in position to be grasped by a hand of a user standing on said
platform.
7. A physical exercise machine as defined in claim 6, wherein said
support is rigid with said base and terminates in handle-bars at
its upper end, said handle-bars having a height-adjustable
connection with said support.
8. A physical exercise machine as defined in claim 1, including at
least one handrail support mounted near said base and extending
approximately to the level of a user's hips standing on said
platform.
9. A physical exercise machine as defined in claim 8, wherein said
handrails comprises two handrail supports mounted on said base and
spaced at opposite ends of said platform in parallel
relationship.
10. A physical exercise machine as defined in claim 9, including
removable bar holders mounted on said handrails in position to
support a bar bell.
11. A physical exercise machine as defined in claim 9, wherein each
of said handrails is of generally inverted U-shape and each
handrail includes two vertical portions connected across the tops
by a horizontal portion offset laterally from the plane of said
vertical portions so that when said offset portions are turned
toward each other a user may stand between them.
12. A physical exercise machine as defined in claim 11, including a
mounting for said vertical portions permitting said offset portions
to be selectively positioned toward each other and away from each
other.
13. A physical exercise machine as defined in claim 12, including
means for varying the heights of said horizontal portions.
14. A physical exercise machine as defined in claim 1, including at
least one foot support comprising a horizontal rail mounted on said
base a few inches above a floor in position to hold beneath it a
foot of a person seated on said platform.
Description
This invention relates to a leg builder and muscle conditioner
which may be used to build up the entire muscle system of a user,
or to rebuild or rehabilitate part of the human muscle system after
an operation, an injury or the like. It is also useful in learning
muscle coordination in connection with dancing, skiing, or other
body activities.
An object of the present invention is to provide a maximum range of
drills for arms, legs and trunk muscles, wherein the muscles are
used as a system, in that, when emphasizing rocking or swiveling on
the machine of this invention, the other tendency of this
invention, swiveling or rocking of the platform, respectively,
requires continuous muscular correction and control for balanced
performance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an exercise
machine of the type described which is strong and sturdy, yet
simple to build and easy to maintain.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from
the accompanying drawings and description and the essential
features of which are set forth in the appended claims.
IN THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of this
invention;
FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the same taken from the left and
toward the rear of FIG. 1 looking toward the handle-bar
support;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the machine; while
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing parallel handrail
supports,
FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing bar bell attached to parallel
handrails.
As shown in the drawings, this novel exercise machine comprises a
base 10 adapted to rest upon a floor or other supporting surface.
This base includes a central swivel socket 11 which may be a
section of pipe or tubing having a vertically extending central
cylindrical bore 11a and closed at the lower end by a floor plate
11b. Means is provided for holding this swivel socket in vertical
position and is here shown as four inclined legs 12 rigidly welded
to the socket 11 and extending outwardly in a plurality of
directions to firmly support the machine on a floor or other
supporting surface. Preferably, each of these legs 12 has at its
outer end a plastic shoe 12a to prevent slipping of the machine on
the floor surface.
Snugly received in the bore 11a of the swivel socket 11 is a swivel
post 13 which is adapted to rotate about its vertical axis so as to
provide the swiveling action of this machine hereinafter discussed.
Rigidly attached to the upper end of the post 13 is a swivel
bracket 14 which comprises a central hub 14a which is threaded or
welded to the post 13. Extending laterally on opposite sides of the
hub are bracket flanges 14b for a purpose later described. Integral
with the bracket 14 are a pair of parallel ears 14c which lie
between and inside of a pair of ears 15a rigidly secured to the
platform 15. A pin 16 passes through the pairs of ears 15a and 14c
to provide a horizontal pivot for the platform 15.
Spring means is provided to resist the rocking action of platform
15 about its horizontal pivot 16. Preferably this takes the form of
spring means held by the base and engaging the platform radially
outwardly on each side of the pivot 16. A preferred form of this
spring means comprises two helical springs 17, each of which is
held in one of the flanges 14b of the swivel bracket and which has
its outer end secured in any suitable manner at 17a to the lower
surface of the platform 15. The drawing shows the outer ends of the
springs bolted to the platform, but other means might be used.
The post 13 is held in its desired vertical position in the bore
11a by means of an annular collar 18 which is engaged between the
bracket hub 14a and the top of the swivel socket 11. In the
swiveling action of this machine which involves rotation or
oscillation in a horizontal plane of the platform 15 about the
vertical post 13, the hub 14a rotates relative to the collar 18.
Here a certain amount of control of the swiveling action may be
provided either by modifying friction surfaces between 14a and 18
under varying friction conditions including lubrication of such
engaging surfaces where the friction would be cut to a minimum.
Means is provided for increasing the load encountered when rocking
the platform 15 about its pivot 16. This is illustrated in FIGS. 2
and 3 wherein a weight 19, such as a bar bell weight, is secured by
a bolt 20 fastened near the outer end of the platform 15. It will
be understood that one or more weights may be attached either at
the bolt 20 at the right-hand end of FIG. 2 or the bolt 20a at the
left-hand end thereof, such weights normally adding 10, 15, 20
pounds, or more to each end of the platform, if desired. It will
also be recognized that the bolts 20 and 20a aid the user in
knowing when his foot approaches the outer end of the platform so
that he may use that as a stop. It should be understood that collar
18 may be of varying heights or a plurality of collars may be used
at this point to regulate the height of the platform 15 above the
supporting floor.
In some cases, a supporting stand is necessary to aid the user of
this exercise device. Such a support must be mounted near the base
10 and should extend to a level to be grasped by the hand of the
user standing on the platform 15. The drawings show such a stand 21
having a generally horizontal arm 21a rigidly secured, as by
welding, near the bottom of the swivel socket 11. Where the arm 21a
is clear of the outer end of platform 15, it turns upwardly at 21b
and becomes a generally vertical bar at 21c which preferably has
mounted at its upper end a pair of handle-bars 22 having a central
post 22a which is slidable in the hollow upper end of 21c and may
be held in adjusted positions by a set screw 23, or in any other
suitable manner. It will be understood that the handle-bars 22 will
be adjusted to a height easily grasped by a person standing on
platform 15. The support stand 21 is braced against sideward sway
by two opposed inclined legs 24 rigidly secured to the portion 21b
of the stand and extending down to the floor and preferably
provided with plastic shoes 24a where the floor is engaged. The
support stand 21 may not be used when one is practicing to maintain
his balance during the various rocking and swiveling movement which
are possible with this machine which might be the case in training
for skiing, gymnastics, dancing and the like. However, the stand 21
is very useful when the user is trying to put heavy strain on his
leg, thigh and torso muscles since this machine provides the
opportunity to place great strain on all of these muscles while
grasping the handle-bar support 22.
Preferably, a non-skid surface is provided on the upper face of
platform 15 as indicated at 25. This could be a sheet of rubber,
although I prefer a coating of polyurethane plastic floor enamel in
which some sand is embedded.
In the use of this machine, a person stands on the upper surface of
platform 15 with one leg on each side of the horizontal pivot 16.
The user normally limbers up or gets the feel of the machine by
testing the rocking action of the platform about the horizontal
pivot 16 thereby tilting the platform as shown in the dot-dash line
of FIG. 2 whereby the platform is tilted preferably to a 5.degree.
or 10.degree. angle from the horizontal inclined in either
direction about the pivot 16 in a see-saw action. The rocking
action need not be limited to 10.degree. , although this is usually
sufficient to get the maximum use of the machine. The user also
becomes adjusted to the "push-pull" twist of the platform as the
swiveling action takes place by the rotation of swivel post 13 in
the swivel socket 11. One should recognize that all push-pull
twists are threatened by rocking and all rocking action is
threatened by swiveling in the direction of the arrows shown in
FIG. 3. Obviously, the user may subject his body muscles to greater
tension by grasping the handle-bars and pushing the rocking and
swiveling movement of this machine to the maximum point of his
muscle resistance.
FIG 4 shows a handrail support for the user of the apparatus of
this invention. All of the parts of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 performing the
same functions in FIG. 4 have been given the same reference
numerals. The change here shown comprises joining the outer ends of
the inclined base members 12 by frame members 26, thus enclosing a
rectangle. At each of the corners of the rectangle is mounted a
vertical hollow post 27 rigid with the base. One or two handrails
supports 28 is provided in the post 27. Preferably two of these
supports are provided as shown in FIG. 4 on opposite sides of the
exercise apparatus. Each of the supports is of generally inverted
U-shape comprising parallel vertical portions 28a connected across
the tops by a horizontal portion 28. Preferably, the portion 28b is
offset laterally from the plane of the vertical portions 28a by
bent portions 28c. This lateral offset is preferably between the
order of about 10 inches to 13 or 14 inches. The vertical portions
28a are telescoped into the vertical posts 27 and held in adjusted
position by set screws 29, or by other suitable means. Thus, it is
possible to arrange the two handrails with the offset portions 28b
facing towards each other as shown in full lines in FIG. 4, or
alternatively, facing away from each other as shown in dot-dash
lines in FIG. 4. When the handrails face towards each other, the
space between the horizontal portions 28b is sufficient to permit
the body of a user to stand between them and preferably between
about 18 to 20 inches. The height of the handrail portions 28b may
be adjusted by using the set screws 29 as will be apparent. With
the handrail portions 28b as shown in full lines in FIG. 4, one has
the well-known "parallel bar" arrangement useful with the body
torso above the base; or the bars may be grasped by a user sitting
on platform 15.
FIG. 4 shows a counterweight 19 held in position by bolt 20 as
previously described but also shows at the opposite end of the
platform 15 another counterweight 19' held in position by the bolt
28a. Some users desire a differential between these two weights and
in one use of the apparatus by adult football players, one of the
weights is 10 pounds and the other is 20 pounds.
The design of the exercise machine of this invention affords
infinite variety of exercise application by combinations of foot,
hand and body positions for persons of various sizes, physiques and
needs. The attainable positions are amplified by the controlled
rotary and rocking movement of the machine's platform.
Exercise of different muscle groups is accomplished by the variety
of positions the individual is able to assume, under control, with
placement of the feet, the hands and the body.
The handrails 28b with their varies potential positions provide
multiple functions by providing support for balance and have
sufficient horizontal length for comfortable and varied hand
positions to aid exercises. They also provide support for modified
chinning (pull-ups), and dipping (push-ups), as well as support for
a prosthetic seat-sling and aid, when needed, for situps and body
curls. If the individual desires to use a medium weight bar bell 31
(FIG. 4A), the handrails, when properly fitted with removable
bar-holders 32, can hold the bar for such exercises as presses and
squats, as well as a convenient holding location for changing and
adjusting the bar bell's weights.
The broad sturdy platform 15 allows a great variety of positions
for the feet and with its pivoting and dipping potential allows
varied involvement of leg, trunk and shoulder girdle
musculature.
The rails 30 on either side near the base of the unit, rigidly
connected to posts 27 about 3 inches above the adjacent frame
member 26, provide firm purchase for the feet while the user is
seated on the platform performing sit-ups and body curls and also
anchorage stations for the prosthetic seat-sling.
Varieties of trunk, leg, shoulder girdle and hip girdle exercises
may be practiced on this machine for strength, flexibility and
muscle toning, as follows:
Basic position: Standing on platform with feet together, hands
opposite on rails near hips. From this position feet may be moved
apart or staggered while hands may be moved forward, backward or
staggered at different widths to provide desired musculature
involvement. The body, too, may vary from upright to forward or
backward positions to aid and amplify exercises.
The platform may be rotated and feet pumped at the same time or in
separate motions during exercises to attain total muscle
involvement. The speed of platform rotation as well as the amount
and method of rotation add considerable latitude to the type of
exercise desired, ranging from extremely mild to quite
vigorous.
Using the platform as a seat with feet under the side rails,
controlled extended sit-ups and body curls of a very vigorous or
mild nature may be performed.
Seated on the platform the handrails may be grasped for inclined or
modified pull-ups, and while standing on the platform the handrails
may be grasped for support for performance of modified or inclined
dips or push-ups.
Additional apparatus may be attached to platform 15 for aiding the
user to stand, sit or recline in various positions while exercising
with this invention.
* * * * *