U.S. patent number 3,768,808 [Application Number 05/156,374] was granted by the patent office on 1973-10-30 for spring or frictional push pull type exercising device.
Invention is credited to Franco Ugo Passera.
United States Patent |
3,768,808 |
Passera |
October 30, 1973 |
SPRING OR FRICTIONAL PUSH PULL TYPE EXERCISING DEVICE
Abstract
A portable physical training device which can be assembled or
disassembled having a base member and pairs of elongated bars
oriented in a generally upright position. The pairs of bars are
interchangeably connectable to the base member. The upper ends of
the bars receive the feet. The bars of one pair are mounted near
their bottom ends for pivotal movement against an adjustable
friction resistance. The bars of a second pair are mounted at their
bases where there are located adjustable springs to vary the
friction resistance to vertical straight-line movements of the
bars. In a third pair, tension springs are used to resist directly
vertical movements of the bars.
Inventors: |
Passera; Franco Ugo (Lecce,
IT) |
Family
ID: |
11274765 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/156,374 |
Filed: |
June 24, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/114; 482/79;
482/130 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B
22/0061 (20130101); A63B 21/012 (20130101); A63B
21/04 (20130101); A63B 21/00069 (20130101); A63B
21/015 (20130101); A63B 21/023 (20130101); A63B
22/0056 (20130101); A63B 23/03533 (20130101); A63B
21/0428 (20130101); A63B 2210/50 (20130101); A63B
2208/0228 (20130101); A63B 23/0488 (20130101); A63B
21/055 (20130101); A63B 2071/026 (20130101); A63B
2208/0238 (20130101); A63B 23/08 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
21/012 (20060101); A63B 21/02 (20060101); A63B
21/04 (20060101); A63B 21/015 (20060101); A63B
23/04 (20060101); A63B 21/055 (20060101); A63B
23/035 (20060101); A63B 23/08 (20060101); A63b
023/04 (); A63b 021/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;272/79R,79B,DIG.3,73,81,82,83R,3R ;128/25B,25R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Pinkham; Richard C.
Assistant Examiner: Browne; William R.
Claims
I claim:
1. A portable physical training apparatus of the kit or readily
assemblable and disassemblable type having a plurality of
components adapted for assembly together, comprising a base member
adapted for floor mounting or the like, a pair of generally
elongated bars each substantially unarticulated between opposite
first and second ends thereof, means at first ends of the bars for
individually mounting the bars in vertically extending relation
relative to said base member, attachment means at the upper end of
said base member for cooperating with said first ends of the bars
for holding said bars in generally upstanding relation in the
assembled condition of the apparatus, and engagement means at
second ends of said bars opposite said first ends for engagement
with the feet of a user, with means at least partially carried by
said bars facilitating movement of at least said engagement means
and said second ends of said bars relative to said base member in
the assembled condition of the apparatus for their movement in
response to forces applied by a user, and resistance means at least
partially carried by said bars for yieldingly resisting movement of
the bars relative to said base member upon the application of
forces by a user, wherein said bars, in the assembled condition of
the apparatus, are disposed for movement of their said second ends
independently of each other, wherein said means facilitating
movement comprise each said bar being of longitudinally extensible
telescopic construction, wherein said resistance means comprises
extension spring means for resisting movements of the bars.
2. A portable physical training apparatus of the kit or readily
assemblable and disassemblable type having a plurality of
components adapted for assembly together, comprising a base member
adapted for floor mounting or the like, a pair of generally
elongated bars each substantially unarticulated between opposite
first and second ends thereof, means at first ends of the bars for
individually mounting the bars in vertically extending relation
relative to said base member, attachment means at the upper end of
said base member for cooperating with said first ends of the bars
for holding said bars in generally upstanding relation in the
assembled condition of the apparatus, and engagement means at
second ends of said bars opposite said first ends for engagement
with the feet of a user, with means at least partially carried by
said bars facilitating movement of at least said engagement means
and said second ends of said bars relative to said base member in
the assembled condition of the apparatus for their movement in
response to forces applied by a user, and resistance means at least
partially carried by said bars for yieldingly resisting movement of
the bars relative to said base member upon the application of
forces by a user, wherein said bars, in the assembled condition of
the apparatus, are disposed for movement of their said second ends
independently of each other, wherein said means facilitating
movement comprise each said bar being of longitudinally extensible
telescopic construction, wherein said resistance means comprises
friction means for frictionally resisting movements of the
bars.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said friction type resistance
means comprises leaf springs, and wherein said telescopic
construction of each said bar comprises a member mounted against
longitudinal movement and a member mounted for longitudinal
movement, with said leaf springs being disposed therebetween, and
including adjustment means for said leaf springs for adjusting the
amount of friction resistance applied thereby.
4. A physical training apparatus of the type adapted for ready
assembly and disassembly, having a plurality of separate and
optional functions comprising a base member, plural attachment
means at an upper end of the base member for attachment of first
ends of optionally selected ones of a plurality of movable bar
members to the base member for holding the movable bar members in
generally upstanding positions in the assembled condition of
selected elements of the apparatus, a plurality of bar members,
each adapted for optional attachment to one of said plural
attachment means, foot engagement means at second ends of said bar
members, with moving means carried by the bar members facilitating
movement of at least said second ends thereof relative to the base
member in the assembled condition of the apparatus in response to
application of force by a user, resistance means at least partially
carried by said bar members for yieldingly resisting the movement
of said second ends thereof relative to the base member, in
response to the application of force by a user, in the assembled
condition of the apparatus, with said bar members and said
attachment means and said moving means together comprising means
facilitating optional movement of the feet of a user in two
generally horizontal directions each perpendicular to the other,
and in one vertical direction.
Description
This invention relates to a portable physical training device for
activation or reactivation of the muscles of the human body.
Physical training devices are already known, but they do not meet
all practical requirements as they only permit to carry out a
single exercise and not different types of exercises which are
necessary to provide the beneficial results indicated above.
Further, the known devices are not very practical to use and not
very suitable to achieve the desired effects.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a portable
physical training device which eliminates the aforementioned
disadvantages, is of simple construction, can be easily and rapidly
used and transported, occupies very little space, and is provided
with adjusting means for varying the force required to carry out a
given exercise.
The portable physical training device according to the invention
substantially comprises a base member, bars connectable to and
extending upwardly from the base member and adapted to perform
perpendicular oscillating movements, further bars adapted to
perform lifting and lowering movements relative to the base member,
means pivotally connected to said bars for engagement and
connection to the feet of a training person, adjustable friction
means for varying the amount of the force required to move the
oscillating bars, and resilient traction or friction means
determining the force required to move said bars adapted to carry
out lifting and lowering movements.
Preferably the base member has the form of a suitcase in which all
the bars and the means for engagement and connection to the foot of
the training person can be accommodated after use of the training
device.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by
way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing the physical training
device according to the invention in position of use with a
training person shown in the initial phase of a bending and
stretching exercise with the legs in the bent position;
FIG. 2 is a similar view showing the training person in the final
phase of the bending and stretching exercise with the legs in the
stretched position;
FIG. 3 is a front view of the device with a training person shown
in the initial phase of an adduction and abduction exercise with
the legs in the adduced position;
FIG. 4 is a front view of the device showing the training person in
the final phase of the exercise of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a side view of the device with a training person shown in
the initial phase of an exercise comprising lifting and lowering of
the legs, the legs being aligned and stretched in this phase;
FIG. 6 is a side view of the device showing the training person in
the final phase of the exercise of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a bar of the physical training
device adapted to perform oscillating movements relative to an
articulated joint connected to its lower end;
FIG. 8 is a rear elevational view of the bar of FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a transverse section on a larger scale showing the bar
and its connection means, the section being taken on the line
IX--IX in FIG. 7;
FIG. 10 is a transverse section of the bar, taken along the line
X--X in FIG. 7;
FIG. 11 is a transverse section of the bar, taken along the line
XI--XI in FIG. 7;
FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of a first embodiment of a bar
adapted to perform lifting and lowering movements relative to a
prismatic guide member connected to a base member;
FIG. 13 is a rear elevational view of the bar of FIG. 12;
FIG. 14 is a transverse section of the bar, taken along the line
XIV--XIV in FIG. 12;
FIG. 15 is a longitudinal section and part view on a larger scale
of the bar with its means for engaging and connection to the foot
of the training person;
FIG. 16 is a lateral elevational view of another embodiment of the
bar of FIG. 12;
FIG. 17 is a part longitudinal section, on a larger scale, of the
bar of FIG. 16 and its associated prismatic guide member, the
section being taken along the line XVII--XVII in FIG. 16;
FIG. 18 is a top plan view of the base member of the physical
training device;
FIG. 19 is a transverse section of the base member of the device,
the section being taken along the line XIX--XIX in FIG. 18;
FIG. 20 is a part longitudinal section, on a larger scale, showing
the mounting means at the lower ends of the prismatic guide members
of the bars performing lifting and lowering movements, and
FIG. 21 is a part longitudinal section of the base member of the
physical training device.
The portable physical training device shown in FIGS. 1 to 21
comprises a base member 1 (FIG. 18) in the form of a container
adapted to be carried like a suitcase. On its upper surface the
base member 1 is provided with a first pair of seats 2 and 2a for
receiving support members 3 of articulated joints 4 (FIGS. 7 and 8)
connected to the lower ends of bars 5 adapted to perform
oscillating movements, and a second pair of seats 6 and 6a arranged
perpendicularly to the first pair of seats 2 and 2a, respectively,
for receiving either the support members 3 of the articulated
joints 4 connected to the lower ends of the bars 5 performing
oscillating movements, or the lower ends of prismatic tubular guide
members 7 of bars 8 (FIGS. 12, 13, 16) adapted to perform lifting
and lowering movements.
The base member 1 may be loaded by ballast, for example, a cast
iron plate, to stabilize it during use of the physical training
device. The bars 5 (FIGS. 7 and 8) adapted to perform oscillating
movements relative to the articulated joints 4 connected to their
lower ends are preferably hollow and may be made, for example, of
stainless steel. At its lower end each of the bars 5 is provided
with a resilient fork 9 between the arms of which the articulated
joint generally indicated by 4 is pivotally and frictionally
mounted. At its upper end each bar 5 receives in a prismatic
coupling bayonets 10 or 10a of a removable bracket 11 carrying an
articulated joint for connection to the means engaging and securing
the foot of the training person to the device when the training
person wants to carry out a bending and stretching exercise or an
adduction and abduction exercise.
A clamping screw 12 permits the bayonets 10 and 10a to be firmly
locked on the upper end of the hollow bar 5. The removable bracket
11 is provided with a lower flat abutment surface 13 from which the
two perpendicular bayonets 10 and 10a project. The abutment surface
13 serves as an abutment for limiting the path of movement of the
bayonets 10 and 10a relative to the hollow bar 5. At its upper
portion the removable bracket 11 carries a plate 14 which on its
two surfaces is provided with seats for receiving coatings 15 and
16 of friction material (FIG. 9). Pivotally mounted on the plate 14
is the means for engaging and connection to the foot of the
training person, this means essentially comprising a sheet metal
sole 17 to which two Z-shaped plates 18, likewise of sheet metal,
are welded. One end of the Z-shaped plates 18 is welded to a
U-shaped member 19 which embraces the foot of the training person
to support it laterally and downwardly. Said foot engaging and
connection means is further provided with preferably removable pads
20 for protecting the foot and with belts 21 for securing the foot
thereto.
As mentioned above, the means for engaging and connection to the
foot of the training person are detachable from the bar 5 and may
be placed into the interior of the base member 1 together with the
members 3, 5 and 7,8. Thus the entire device may be easily
transported in the suitcase formed by the base member 1.
In its upper portion the plate 14 is provided with an adjusting
screw forming an adjustable abutment for said foot engaging and
connection means. The ends 18a of the Z-shaped plates 18 adjacent
the sheet metal sole 17 have a circular profile and flank the two
surfaces of the plate 14 of the removable bracket 11 in the manner
of a resilient fork between the two arms of which the plate 14 is
pivotally mounted. The plate may be clamped on the friction
coatings 15 and 16 by turning a knob 22 threaded on a bolt 23
extending through the plate 14, friction coatings 15, 16, and ends
18a of Z-shaped plates 18. In this manner an articulated joint is
obtained whose degree of clamping can be varied as desired by the
training person.
A similar oscillating articulated friction joint is provided at the
lower end of each bar 5. In fact, the support member 3 of the
articulated joint in its upper portion is provided with a plate 24
of circular profile on the lateral surface of which there are
provided seats for housing coatings 25 and 26 of friction material
(FIG. 11). This plate 24 of circular profile is inserted between
the two arms of the resilient fork 9 at the lower end of the bar 5
and then these two arms are clamped against the friction coatings
25 and 26 by turning a screw knob 27 threaded on a through bolt 28
thus providing an articulated joint whose extent of clamping can be
varied as desired by the training person. The arms or blades of the
resilient fork 9 advantageously have the form of discs 29 and 30 of
the same contour as the plate 24 to ensure a better clamping
effect. Further, the plate 24 may be provided with a lug 31 on its
periphery, as shown in FIG. 7, to act as an abutment in limiting
the path of movement of each oscillating bar 5. Near the upper end
of the support member 3 of the articulated friction joint 4 this
support member 3 is provided with a shoulder 32 serving as an
abutment for limiting the extent of insertion of the support member
3 in the base member 1 by abutting on the upper surface of the
latter.
The bars shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 are designed to perform lifting
and lowering movements relative to the base member 1 and
substantially comprise a bar 8 slidably mounted on a prismatic
tubular guide member 7 rigidly connected to the base member 1 and
extending upwardly therefrom. Thus, the members 7 and 8 are
kinematically coupled and such kinematic coupling permits them to
be moved one relative to the other. In a first embodiment of this
coupling this relative movement is restrained by the elastic
reaction of helical springs and in another embodiment of such
coupling this relative movement is restrained by the friction
generated by clamping at least one blade spring against the bar
8.
Means for engaging and connection to the foot of the training
person are pivotally mounted on the upper end of each bar 8 and
this means is substantially the same as that decribed with
reference to FIGS. 7 to 9 except that in this case the pivotal
connection is obtained by means of a plain pivot 33, as shown in
FIGS. 12 to 16, instead of an articulated friction joint.
The aforementioned first embodiment of the kinematic coupling is
illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13 wherein the prismatic guide members
7 are each provided with a pair of opposed pins 34 and 34a located
near their lower ends. The lower ends of a pair of helical springs
35 and 35a are attached to the pins 34 and 34a, respectively, and
the upper ends of these helical springs 35 and 35a are attached to
the two ends of the pivot 33 of the upper articulated joint so that
the two helical springs 35 and 35a provide an elastic force of
resistance to the lifting or lowering movement of the bars 8. This
embodiment is particularly suitable for making lifting exercises of
the kind illustrated schematically in FIGS. 5 and 6.
The second embodiment of the kinematic coupling is shown in greater
detail in FIGS. 16 and 17. In this embodiment resistance to
relative movement of the members 7 and 8 is produced by friction.
For this purpose a pair of blade springs 36 accommodated in
appropriate elongated recesses in the guide member 7, as shown in
FIG. 17, are urged against two adjacent opposite surfaces of the
bar 8. The resistance exerted by the blade springs 36 to the
relative movement of the members 7 and 8 is adjustable by means of
a pressure screw 37 in accordance with the requirements of the
training person.
As in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, an abutment shoulder
38 is provided at the end of the prismatic guide member 7 and abuts
on the upper surface of the base member 1 to limit the downward
movement of the guide member 7. Additionally, a through hole 39 is
provided in the guide member 7 near its lower end to permit the
latter to be locked in the base member 1 by means of a setscrew 40
(FIG. 20) to prevent the guide member 7 from being detached from
the base member 1 during the lifting exercise.
The simple and practical operation of the physical training device
is as follows: For carrying out bending and stretching exercises
the oscillating bars 5 are inserted in the seats 6 and 6a of the
base member 1, then the training person sits down on a chair in
front of the training device, places his feet in the feet engaging
and connection means of the device, and tightens the belts 21. Then
the training person may start his exercises after having regulated
the degree of clamping of the articulated joints as required.
For carrying out adduction and abduction exercises the oscillating
bars 5 are still inserted in the seats 2 and 2a but the foot
engaging and connection means are turned through 90.degree. and the
bayonets 10 at the upper ends of the hollow bars 5 are replaced by
the bayonets 10a. Then the device is ready for carrying out
adduction and abduction exercises as described above.
For carrying out lifting and lowering exercises the prismatic guide
members 7 of the bars 8 are inserted in the seats 6 and 6a of the
base member 1 and the setscrews 40 are tightened. With the
aforedescribed first embodiment of the kinematic coupling between
the members 7 and 8 with the use of the helical springs 35 and 35a,
the training device is then ready for use, whereas with the second
embodiment of said coupling shown in FIG. 17, the pressure screws
37 have to be regulated first according to the requirements of the
training person before exercises can be started.
Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described
in detail herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it
is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this
precise embodiment and that various changes and modifications may
be effected therein without departing from the scope or spirit of
the invention.
* * * * *