U.S. patent number 3,797,824 [Application Number 05/129,780] was granted by the patent office on 1974-03-19 for exercise machine.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Burlington-Cornwall Industries Incorporated. Invention is credited to Glen R. Osbourne.
United States Patent |
3,797,824 |
Osbourne |
March 19, 1974 |
EXERCISE MACHINE
Abstract
An exercise machine having a stand to support a board containing
tracks and angular tracks along which double wheel grips may be
rolled. One end of the board is moveable up and down the stand to
give different angles of slant, thus requiring different degrees of
difficulty in performing the exercise. There are stops that may be
placed on the tracks to require different degrees of difficulty in
performing the exercises at the different angles of slant of the
board.
Inventors: |
Osbourne; Glen R. (Burlington,
IA) |
Assignee: |
Burlington-Cornwall Industries
Incorporated (Burlington, IA)
|
Family
ID: |
22441563 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/129,780 |
Filed: |
March 31, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/132 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B
21/0622 (20151001); A63B 22/205 (20130101); A63B
22/203 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
22/00 (20060101); A63B 22/20 (20060101); A63b
023/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;272/57R,57J,58,60,79R,80-84,72 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Oechsle; Anton O.
Assistant Examiner: Apley; Richard J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Metz; Wm. T.
Claims
I claim:
1. An exercise machine comprised of a stand, a structure having a
pair of parallel tracks and a pair of angular tracks located
thereon, a pair of double wheel grips moveable along the pair of
parallel tracks and along the pair of angular tracks, means
coupling one end of the structure to the stand for vertical
movement therealong to permit different degrees of difficulty for a
person moving the double wheel grips along the parallel tracks and
along the angular tracks, a toe grip located on the other end of
the structure, the pair of parallel tracks located near the center
of the structure and running from near the end of the structure
coupled to the stand toward the toe grip, the pair of angular
tracks located one on each side of the pair of parallel tracks and
running at an angle of approximately 55 degrees with the parallel
tracks from near the center of the structure and the parallel
tracks toward the end of the structure coupled to the stand.
2. The exercise machine of claim 1, a plurality of stops placed on
the parallel tracks and the angular tracks to vary the distance the
double wheel grips may be moved along the parallel tacks and the
angular tracks, an adjustment means on the parallel tracks and the
angular tracks for variably locating the stops.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to exercise machines and more particularly
to an exercise machine designed to develop strength in the upper
torso of the human body with emphasis on the shoulder, chest and
adominal regions.
Background of the Invention
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore exercise machines have not used the body weight to
practice simulated weight training. The machines used heretofore
have had weights attached thereto and have been used in such ways
that the weights could slip and fall and be dangerous and no degree
of safety was built into the machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The exercise machine herein described provides a means to develop
exceptional strength in all of the upper torso which may be
maintained without expensive, awkward or cumbersome equipment.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an
exercise machine to develop strength, which strength is easily
maintained without expensive, awkward or cumbersome equipment.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an exercise
machine which will develop exceptional strength in all of the upper
torso with emphasis on the shoulder, chest and adominal region.
It is the further object of this invention to provide an exercise
machine which will develop strength in the upper torso
exceptionally fast.
It is the further object of this invention to provide an exercise
machine which deelops strength safely in that no heavy weights or
heavy equipment is involved.
It is the further object of this invention to provide an exercise
machine wherein body weight is used in place of weight equipment to
practice simulated weight training.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will become
apparent from the following drawings, description and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exercise machine inclined at an
angle on a stand showing the tracks and the double wheel grips
movable thereon.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the board on which the tracks are
located.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the exercise machine showing a
person doing the exercise for strengthening the chest muscles.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the exercise machine showing a
person doing the exercise for strengthening the adominal
muscles.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the exercise machine showing a
person doing the exercise for strengthening the shoulder
muscles.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings the exercise machine has a stand 1
which holds a board 2. The board 2 has located thereon a pair of
tracks 3 and a pair of tracks 4. Stops 5 may be placed on the
tracks 3 and 4 by placing them in the holes 6 in the tracks 3 and
4. The stops 5 have pegs, unshown, which fit into the holes 6 to
hold them in place. Double wheel grips 7 roll along either side of
the tracks 3 and 4. The exercise machine is used at various angles
of slant by placing a rod 8 in various holes 9 in the stand 1. The
lower one end of the board 2 is placed on the stand 1, the more
difficult the degree of the exercise. At each angle of slant of the
board 2 it is also possible to increase or decrease the difficulty
of the exercise by use of the stops 5.
FIG. 3 shows the exercise machine as used for the exercise to
strengthen the chest muscles. The tracks 4 make an angle of
approximately 55 degrees with the tracks 3. This angle has been
determined to be the optimum angle for strengthening the chest
muscles. Following is a description of the sequence of exercises to
go through, using the exercise machine to strengthen the muscles.
The stops 5 are placed in the holes 6 in tracks 4 nearest the
center of the board 2 as shown in FIG. 2. The board 2 has a toe
piece 10 upon which the person using the exercise machine places
his feet. The board 2 is placed in its most upright position by
placing the rod 8 in the uppermost holes 9 in the stand 1. Support
pieces 12 are fastened to the bottom of the board 2. Notches 11 in
the support pieces 12 fit over the rod 8. The person using the
exercise machine then begins exercising by assuming a position with
the double wheel grips 7 nearest the center of the board 2 on the
tracks 4. The double wheel grips 7 are then moved outward until
they reach the stops 5 and then back to the starting position. This
exercise is repeated a number of times at intervals. The further
towards the outer extremity of board 2 on tracks 4 the stops 5 are
placed, the more difficult the exercise. When the person using the
exercise machine is able to perform the exercise for strengthening
the chest muscles with the board 2 in its most upright position as
described with the stops 5 at the outer extremity of the tracks 4,
he may then go on to the next degree of difficulty for this
exercise. To obtain this degree of difficulty the board 2 is
lowered to the next position by changing the rod 8 to the next
lower holes 9 in the stand 1 and the same procedure is commenced
over again using the innermost holes 6 in tracks 4 for the stops 5
for the exercise and as the strength is increased, moving to the
outermost holes 6. The final degree of difficulty for this exercise
is to have the board 2 in a horizontal position and have the stops
5 in the outermost holes 6 in the tracks 4. Eventually, after this
final degree of difficulty of exercising with the exercising
machine is reached, the person may then use the double wheel grips
7 on the floor without the use of the exercise machine.
As shown in FIG. 4 the next exercise that can be performed on the
exercise machine is the exercise for the strengthening adominal
muscles which again is performed by starting with the board 2 in
its most upright position, having the rod 8 in the uppermost holes
9 in the stand 1. The notches 11 in the support pieces 12 fit over
the rod 8 and the stops 5 are placed in the holes 6 nearest the
center of the tracks 3. The person using the exercise machine
starts with the double wheel grips 7 near the center of the tracks
3 and moves the double wheel grips 7 forward away from him and
upward along the tracks 3. The stops 5 are moved progressively from
the center to the upper extremity of the tracks 3 as the board 2
remains in the most upright position. When the person using the
exercise machine is able to perform the exercise for strengthening
the adominal muscles with the board 2 in its most upright position
as described with the stops 5 at the uppermost extremity of the
tracks 3, he may then go on to the next degree of difficulty for
this exercise. To obtain this degree of difficulty the rod 8 is
then lowered to the next lower holes 9 in the stand 1 and the board
2 is at less of an incline with a horizontal position and the
exercise is again done by putting the stops 5 in the holes 6
nearest the center of the tracks 3 and then moving upward and
downward along the tracks 3 on the double wheel grips 7. The final
degree of difficulty for this exercise is to have the board 2
placed in a horizontal position and start with the double wheel
grips 7 near the center of the tracks 3 and be able to move them to
the far extremity of the tracks 3 and back to the starting
position. Progression toward this final degree of difficulty may be
made as the strength of the person using the exercise machine
increases. Eventually, when the person using the exercise machine
can do this exercise in a horizontal position on the board 2, he
may move from the board 2 and use the floor or any other horizontal
surface to perform this exercise. It is to be noted in performing
this exercise if the work load is put on the feet an adominal
exercise is obtained, but if the hands and arms are mainly used
another form of chest exercise is obtained.
The exercise as shown in FIG. 5 is a shoulder exercise and again
the progression is from the most upright position of the board 2 on
the stand 1. This again is obtained by putting the rod 8 in the
uppermost holes 9 of the stand 1 and placing the notches 11 in the
support pieces 12 over the rod 8. The person using the exercise
machine starts with the double wheel grips 7 near the center of the
tracks 3 and then moves the double wheel grips 7 toward him and
downward along the tracks 3 as far as the stops 5 permit. The stops
5 are placed progressively further down the tracks 3 until the
person using the exercise machine is able to do the exercise with
the board 2 in the most upright position and the stops 5 at the
furthest extremity down the tracks 3. The board 2 is then moved to
the next lower position by moving the rod 8 to the next lower holes
9 in the stand 1 and so on as described in the previous exercises.
Upon being able to do this exercise in the most horizontal position
of the board 2 and the outermost position of the stops 5, the
person using the exercise machine may discontinue the exercise on
the board 2 and do this exercise on the floor or other horizontal
surface.
By use of the exercise machine it is possible, doing the exercise
shown and described regarding FIG. 3, to strengthen mainly one set
of muscles, that being the chest muscles, by using the exercise
machine doing the exercise described regarding FIG. 4 to strengthen
mainly the adominal muscles and by using the exercise machine doing
the exercise described regarding FIG. 5 to strengthen mainly the
shoulder muscles. Thus, the exercise machine is designed to
strengthen different sets of muscles at the selection of the person
using the machine. Of course, most people will want to use the
exercise machine to strengthen all three sets of upper torso
muscles, that is, the chest, adominal and shoulder muscles. In so
doing the progression rate may be made similar for each
exercise.
A further use of the exercise machine could be to use only one
double wheel grip 7 on one of the tracks 3 on the board 2 and have
the person using the exercise machine stand sieways to the board 2
in the most upright position. The exercise thus performed would be
to move the one double wheel grip 7 up and down the track 3 being
used, thus strengthening the said muscles.
The numbers placed by the holes 6 as shown in FIG. 2 are used to
keep a record of the rate of progression.
Further exercises could be conceived to be performed with the
exercise machine.
* * * * *