Weight Usable In A Barbell Assembly

Abstract

A weight adapted for mounting on a bar has a circular shape and a centrally disposed, axially aligned bore formed therein, and includes walls defining a radial slot extending from the bore to the periphery of the weight with the walls defining the slot being disposed at an angle with respect to the axis of the bore. The radial slot in the weight allows the weight to be mounted on a barbell and demounted therefrom without removing a collar or other weight retaining device by passing the barbell through the canted slot of the weight and then aligning the barbell with the axially aligned bore of the weight.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a weight. The use of bars with and weights for exercising is known throughout the world. However, the known devices require the removal of collars at either end of the bar in order to add weights to the barbell by passing the bar through a centrally disposed bore in the weight. Similarly, removal of weights from the bar requires removal of the collar from the bar followed by pulling the weight axially off the bar. In the past, considerable time and effect was required to loosen and demount the collar in order to add or to substract weights from the bar. More recently, snap-action type locking devices have been utilized to decrease the amount of effort required to loosen the collar prior to removal of the collar. However, even with these improvements, the collar must be removed from the bar and the weight slipped on or off the end of the bar.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention, therefore, is the provision of a weight adapted for mounting on a bar of a barbell adjacent the ends thereof.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a weight adapted for mounting on a bar, in which the weight can be added to or subtracted from a bar without the necessity of removing a collar or other weight retaining device from the bar.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when the same is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a barbell weight having a centrally disposed, axially aligned bore and a substantially radial slot formed therein whereby the weight is mountable on a barbell by passing the barbell through the slot formed in the weight. The walls defining the radial slot extend from the bore to the periphery of the weight and are disposed at an angle with respect to the axis of the bore. In the use of the weight, the weight can be mounted on or demounted from the barbell by canting the weight with respect to the axis of the barbell and passing the barbell through the radial slot in the weight. In mounting the weight on a barbell, upon the barbell reaching the bore of the weight, the weight is cammed along the junction between the walls defining the slot and the bore into axial alignment with the barbell, thus seating the bore of the weight about the barbell. The mounted weight is retained on the barbell providing a force longitudinally to the axis of the barbell to prevent the canting of the weight by being cammed by the barbell passing through the junction between the bore and the walls defining the radial slot. By providing the longitudinal force, the weight cannot accidentally slip or fall from the barbell in use or upon other movement as the passage of the barbell through the canted, radial slot is prevented by the surface formed at the junction of the radial slot and the bore. The weight can also be retained on the barbell by gravity by providing at least one portion of greater density than the density of the remainder of the weight near the periphery of the weight adjacent the slot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view showing weights of the present invention mounted on a barbell.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of two weights and one end of the barbell shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of a weight as described herein, on a reduced scale, taken substantially on line 3--3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of one end of the barbell assembly shown in FIG. 1 with a first weight mounted on the barbell, and with a second weight being partially mounted on the barbell and with the fully mounted position of the weight being shown in broken lines, the slots of the weights being horizontally disposed.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 5--5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one end of the barbell shown in FIG. 1, having three weights mounted thereon, the slots of the weights being horizontally disposed.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the barbell and weights shown in FIG. 6, with the weights being rotated approximately 90.degree. and with one weight being partially demounted from the barbell.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the barbell shown in FIG. 1 with a weight in accordance with the present invention lying in a demounted position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the particular construction shown in the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates, generally a weight adapted for mounting on a bar, hereinafter referred to as a barbell, in accordance with the present invention. Weight 10 is generally circular in shape and has a centrally disposed, axially aligned bore 11 formed therein. Weight 10 further has walls 12 which define a radial slot extending from bore 11 to the periphery of weight 10. Walls 12 are disposed at an angle with respect to the axis of bore 11 of weight 10 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. Preferably walls 12 defining the radial slot are disposed at an angle greater than 0 degrees and less than 90.degree. from the axis of bore 11. Walls 12 are preferably spaced apart at least a distance substantially equal to the diameter of bore 11 and are substantially parallel, although walls 12 may be divergent from their junction with bore 11 to the periphery of weight 10. Weight 10 preferably has spaced radial protuberances 13 on the substantially planar surfaces thereof. Protuberances 13 are designed for interengagement with surfaces having substantially identical protuberances, such as other weights 10. Preferably, protuberances 13 form a castellated surface capable of meshing with substantially identical castellated surfaces.

An assembly is formed of one or more weights 10 with a barbell indicated generally by numeral 15. Barbell 15 includes a rod 16 having a hollow interior. Rod 16 can be of any desired shape and preferably is circular in cross-section and has a circular bore as its hollow interior. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, rod 16 comprises two concentric tubular members 16a and 16b, wherein member 16a is a rod freely rotatable about member 16b and flanges 17. Flanges 17 are each secured to rod 16b by means of at least one bolt or screw 18 and each has a central bore formed therethrough.

Barbell 15 further includes a pair of bar members 19, each being adapted to have a plurality of weights 10 mounted thereon. Each of bar members 19 are partially, telescopingly insertable into rod 16 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Each of the bar members 19 has a flange 21 affixed to one end thereof. Flange 21 preferably has a knob portion 22 adapted for gripping for manual rotation of the bar member 19 to which the flange is affixed. Knob portion 22 is secured to flange 21 by means of a screw 23.

Each of bar members 19 is provided with locking means affixed thereto for retaining the bar member within the hollow interior of rod 16 and for retarding movement of the bar member axially of rod 16. In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the locking means comprises a camming member 24 which is eccentrically journalled on the end of bar member 19 opposed from the end thereof bearing flange 21. Camming member 24 is rotatable about threaded stud 26 and is held thereon by means of a pair of nuts 27 threaded onto the end of stud 26. Bar member 19 can be formed of a suitable material such as steel, and can be either solid or tubular. Stud 26 can be affixed to bar member 19, particularly if the latter is tubular, by affixing stud 26 to a solid bar portion 28, inserting bar portion 28 into the end of bar member 19, and crimping or deforming bar member 19 against bar portion 28, as at 29. Bar portion 28 may have an annular depression 31 to facilitate crimping bar member 19 thereagainst.

Preferably, the cross-sectional dimensions of camming member 24 are substantially equal to the cross-sectional dimensions of bar member 19 to which it is affixed to enable insertion of camming member 24 and the adjacent end of bar member 19 into the hollow interior of rod 16 when camming member 24 is aligned with bar members 19. Following insertion, camming member 24 is lockingly engagable with the interior of rod 16, by friction, in response to rotation of bar member 19 in either direction with respect to rod 16. Thus, the largest cross-sectional dimension of bar member 19 and camming member 24 should be slightly smaller than the cross-sectional dimensions of the hollow interior of rod 16 to permit bar member 19 and camming member 24 to be inserted into rod 16 while permitting the locking engagement of camming member 24 to the interior of rod 16 by friction as bar member 19 is rotated.

As barbell 15 forms an exercising device assembly in combination with one or more weights 10, it is preferred to have the outer periphery of bar member 19 correspond in configuration and be slightly smaller than bore 11 and the radial slot formed by walls 12.

Weight 10 is mounted on bar member 19 of barbell 15 by passing bar member 19 through the slot defined by walls 12 and seating bar member 19 in bore 11. Similarly, weight 10 is removed from barbell 15 by causing bar member 19 to pass through the slot defined by walls 12 from bore 11 past the periphery of weight 10.

In the mounted condition, weight 10 is clamped between flanges 17 and 21 to resist accidental demounting of weight 10 from barbell 15 upon use or other movement of the combination. Weight 10 is particularly resistant to accidental demounting from barbell 15 due to the radial slot defined by walls 12 being disposed at an angle to bore 11. Thus, when bore 11 is seated about bar member 19, weight 10 cannot be removed from bar member 19 unless weight 10 is angled and withdrawn slightly from bar member 19 to align bar member 19 with the slot defined by walls 12. Only a relatively small longitudinal force is required to prevent the canting or angling of weight 10 thereby effectively preventing the accidental demounting of weight 10. Barbell 15, and its locking means provided by camming member 24 frictionally engaging the hollow interior of rod 16,has been found to effectively provide the longitudinal force required to prevent accidental demounting.

Although resistance to accidental demounting of weight 10 from barbell 15 is provided by the clamping action between flanges 17 and 21 of barbell 15, a positive weight retaining action and prohibition of rotation of the weights on barbell 15 is provided by having spaced radial protuberances 32 formed on the outwardly facing surfaces of flanges 17. Protuberances 32 are substantially identical to and are adapted to mesh and interengage with the radial protuberances 13 formed on weight 10. By providing mating protuberances 13 and 32, weight 10 is held in locking and anti-rotational engagement upon the clamping of weight 10 between flanges 17 and 21. Preferably, protuberances 32 and also protuberances 13 form castellated mating surface portions capable of interengaging in anti-rotational relationship. Since both substantially planar surfaces of weight 10 have protuberances 13 formed thereon, additional weights 10 can be held in anti-rotational locked arrangement by having the protuberances 13 on each subsequent weight interengage the protuberances 13 on each preceding weight. In this manner, a plurality of weights 10 are mountable on barbell 15 in anti-rotational relationship and are protected against accidental demounting by the interengagement of their respective protuberances 13, the interengagement of the protuberances 13 formed on one substantially planar surface of one of the weights 10 with the protuberances 32 formed on flange 17, and the clamping action on the weights between flanges 17 and 21 due to bar member 19 being inserted into rod 16 to the fullest extent permitted by the presence of the weights 10 and by being lockingly engaged with the interior of rod 16.

Additional resistance to the demounting of weight 10 from barbell 15 is provided by having the density of weight 10 vary so that portions of greater density are placed near the periphery of the weight adjacent to or in proximity of the radial slot defined by walls 12. The portions of greater density will seek a downward orientation on barbell 15 due to the force of gravity, maintaining the radial slot in vertical downward-facing orientation. Thus, under the majority of conditions, weight 10 will be held on barbell 15 by gravity even where the clamping action on the action of mating protuberances 13 or 13 and 32 are temporarily suspended, such as during the mounting or demounting operations. The portions of greater gravity can be provided, for example, by boring holes in weight 10 adjacent the walls 12 defining the slot and filing these holes, such as by casting, with material of greater density, such as lead, than the density of the material comprising the remainder of weight 10, which may generally comprise, steel, concrete, iron, and the like. The operation of mounting or demounting a weight 10 with respect to barbell 15 is illustrated in FIG. 4. To prepare barbell 15 for either mounting or demounting of a weight, such as weight 10b, knob portion 22 of flange 21 is rotated in a direction opposite to the direction utilized in locking bar member 19 to rod 16 to cause camming member 24 to release its frictional hold on the interior of rod 16. Bar member 19 is then axially withdrawn from rod 16, for example, by pulling knob portion 22 away from flange 17. Bar member 19 need only be axially withdrawn from rod 16 a distance to provide release of protuberances 13 of weight 10b from engagement with protuberances 32 on flange 17 and from engagement with protuberances 13 on other weights, such as weight 10a and to permit canting or angling of weight 10b to align the slot formed by walls 12 with the axis of bar member 19. Barbell 15 is now prepared for mounting or demounting of weights. In demounting, weight 10b is pulled from bar member 19 at the periphery of weight 10b at a point diametrically opposed to the slot formed by walls 12. Upon the initial pulling of the weight 10b, the weight is cammed along the junction of walls 12 with bore 11 of the weights causing weight 10b to be canted from its mounted position 10b' to the position shown in FIG. 4 with the walls 12 of the weight being aligned with the axis of bar member 19. Continued pulling of the weight causes bar member 19 to pass through the slot formed by walls 12. After bar member 19 has cleared the open end of the slot formed by walls 12, the weight 10b is fully demounted. Where weight 10b is mounted between two weights, 10a and 10c, as shown in FIG. 6, bar member 19 need be axially withdrawn from rod 16 only to the extent necessary to permit disengaging of protuberances 13 on weight 10b from the protuberances on each of weights 10a and 10c and to permit the canting or angling of weight 10b as shown in FIG. 7. In mounting a weight such as weight 10b, the operation is reversed in that bar member 19 is again withdrawn from rod 16 to the extent described, the weight 10b is aligned with bar member 19 so that the slot formed by walls 12 is in axial alignment with the bar member and the weight is applied to the bar member by passing the bar member through the slot as illustrated in FIG. 7. Upon reaching the interior end of the slot, weight 10b is cammed along the surface of the junction between the radial slot formed by walls 12 and the bore 11 to axially align weight 10b with bar member 19. Thereafter the bar member is inserted into rod 16 to the fullest extent permissible by the presence of weight 10b and other weights, the protuberances of the weights are interengaged and the protuberances 13 of weight 10c is interengaged with protuberances 32 of flange 17, followed by the locking of bar member 19 to rod 16 by rotating bar member 19 in either direction, for example, by the manual rotation of knob 22. In this manner, weight 10b can be readily mounted or demounted on bar member 19 without the removal of a collar or other weight retaining device from barbell 15, and upon completion of the mounting is securely held in non-rotational engagement on the bar member whereby accidental demounting is prevented.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art; hence, I do not wish to be limited to the specific embodiments shown and described or uses mentioned but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of my invention being limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A weight adapted for mounting on a barbell, said weight having a circular shape, substantially planar surfaces, and a centrally disposed, axially aligned bore formed therein, said weight having walls defining a radial slot extending from said bore formed therein to the periphery of said weight, the plane formed by each of said walls defining said slot, when extended, intersecting the axis of said bore of said weight at an angle.

2. The barbell weight of claim 1 wherein said planes formed by said walls defining said slot are disposed at an angle greater than 0.degree. and less than 90.degree. from the axis of said bore formed in said weight.

3. The weight of claim 1 wherein said planes formed by said walls defining said slot are spaced apart at least a distance substantially equal to the diameter of said bore formed in said weight.

4. The weight of claim 1 wherein said walls defining said slot are substantially parallel.

5. The weight of claim 1 further having spaced, radial protuberances on the substantially planar surfaces thereof, said protuberances being adapted for interengagement with surfaces having substantially identical protuberances.

6. The barbell weight of claim 5 wherein said protuberances form a castellated surface.