Push Pull Rotatable Wheel Type Exercising Device

Abstract

To surmount a resistance a flywheel mass and a pulling member are mounted at one end of a shaft which is journaled in a housing of a gymnastics apparatus. The pulling or drawing member includes a rope which can be wound or unwound from the shaft. The rope has one of its ends fixed to the shaft end while the other end of the rope is attached to the housing and the main portion of the rope is guided over guide rollers housed in an independent handle which is pulled by a user.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a gymnastics apparatus comprising a housing and a shaft rotatably journaled therein and carrying a flywheel mass, on the shaft of which a drawing member can be wound and unwound.

In a gymnastics apparatus of this type it is necessary to surmount a resistance, due to the inertia of the flywheel mass, so that the drawing member reeled on the shaft can be unwound. The same resistance must be surmounted when in the subsequent winding operation of the drawing member the rotating flywheel mass is to be subjected to breaking action. An apparatus of the type mentioned above has for example been disclosed by way of the U.S. Pat. No. 770,994 wherein two flywheel masses were mounted in a frame-type housing, each flywheel housing, each flywheel mass having a respective drawing member engaging the associated shaft and equipped with handles at their free ends. In this indicated prior patent the apparatus is either mounted to the wall or to the floor.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a gymnastics apparatus of the initially mentioned type, which apparatus is of essentially lighter design without affecting the required force needed for operating said apparatus. Furthermore, such an apparatus is to be rendered absolutely safe when operated, that is recurrent defects of the apparatus due to premature wear and tear of the drawing member engaging the shaft are prevented from arising. The same holds true for the reeling up of the drawing member onto the shaft. The flywheel mass is arranged at one end of the shaft and a drawing member, a rope, engaging with one of its ends the shaft end opposite to the flywheel mass while the other end of the rope is attached within the housing to the housing wall and the main portion of the rope is guided over one or several deflection rollers positioned on the handle being independent of the housing. A particular advantage is obtained by resiliently connecting the rope end attached to the housing wall to its fixing or mounting point. According to an additional aspect of the invention the shaft diameter is to measure 10 mm at the most and, also, the ratio of length of rope to length of shaft is to be maintained such that the entire length of rope capable to be wound can be reeled up onto the shaft in a maximum of three layers. A collar is to be provided at each of the ends of the shaft which collar comprises a groove at its crossing to the shaft diameter to allow for an automatic return of the rope after a winding layer has been completed. The rope is to be composed according to yet another feature of the invention of intertwined fibres covered with a layer of synthetic material having the simplified chemical formula: ##SPC1##

A construction presenting particular training advantages utilises a housing provided with one or several stirrup-type grips or handles to receive the hand or foot of the person doing training exercises. Locating a buffer of rubber between both of the passage openings for the rope has the advantage that the handle cannot hit the housing too hard. The passage openings for the rope are provided with a lining which reduces friction and carries off or dissipates well the frictional heat. In the area of the flywheel mass the housing may be provided with an oblong hole in order to permit that when the rope has been completely unwound a flywheel mass at rest can be easily made to rotate. To assure particular safe mounting preventing premature wear and tear of the rope on the shaft the corresponding end of the rope is to be provided with a knot and maintained in a countersunk opening of a bore passing over the entire length of the shaft, the rope being guided if possible twice around the shaft immediately at the crossing of the shaft to the collar so as to form a loop just before passing into the area of the general reel or winding. In this way the deflection point of the rope at the shaft end is set back a bit from the edge of the shaft bore and wearing down is thus prevented at this location. In addition, it is possible to couple the shaft via a gear to the flywheel mass. The flywheel mass itself, however, is to be mounted on the shaft in a manner so as to be easily replaceable and/or mounted in the housing so that it can be readily supplemented.

The apparatus as developed according to the invention presents the advantage that the force that need be applied for moving the flywheel mass is at least doubled or, on the other hand, that the apparatus may be of much lighter and smaller construction due to a smaller flywheel mass when used with the same amount of force, thus permitting it to be taken along on a trip or to be used easily in the gymnasium for daily exercises or training. Using a plurality of rollers will even be more effective. Even mailing or shipping the apparatus according to the invention will present no difficulties due to its low weight. The resilient mounting of one of the rope ends on the housing assures that the rotating flywheel mass will no longer generate a sudden jerk during reel up when the rope, which has been unwound by the application of muscular force, is rewound after having reached the point of reversal. The sequence of movements of each training phase is smoother and is not interrupted by a jerk. Releasing or letting go the handle inadvertently will have an effect that the resilient mounting of the rope on the housing carrying the flywheel mass will provide for elastic braking. Thus extensive protection against damage is furnished to the housing and the rope. These measures are, additionally, supplemented by the provision of a resilient buffer between the passage openings for the rope ends. By having maximum dimension of but 10 mm for the diameter of the shaft it is assured that the force and energy to be applied during training is quite large and there is no necessity to add one or two more reflexion rollers at the handles. Consequently the exercising runs can be performed at a speed in keeping with the muscular physiology. The dilimitation of the layers wound onto the shaft does not essentially diminish the force to be applied during training. The provision of the collars at the shaft ends prevents chafing at the housing walls and/or the flywheel mass. The grooves on the shaft ends assure a better reversal of rewind or reeling up. Providing the rope in the aforementioned manner and arrangement in conjunction with the other measures described will increase the durability of the rope many times over when compared to prior art arrangements. Chafing action of the drawing member at the fixing or mounting point is entirely obviated when the rope forms a loop at the shaft collar immediately adjacent to the rim of the passage opening after having been passed through the passage bore. In this way no movement of the rope will arise at the edge or the rim of the passage opening and, additionally, the reversal point of the rope will be spaced a small portion from the passage bore. Particular advantages accrue also when attaching a handle at the housing whereby the range of exercises to be performed is extended. The apparatus will become independent of the wall and floor so that such exercises can be performed where the muscles of the arm are made to counteract those of the leg or both arms and/or both legs are brought into play against each other. Increasing the range of training exercises means for the apparatus a quite general improvement in its usefulness since it will have more universal application. The facility when exchanging or replacing the flywheel mass or supplementing it by several mass discs arranged adjacent one another permits stepping up the muscular activity or performance so that this apparatus can be suitably employed by various strong athletes as well as for improving the training work performed by but a single person over the whole training period or programme, leading to economising on the purchase of additional heavy apparatus.

The foregoing and additional object and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein one embodiment according to the invention is presented and explained. In the drawings

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of the gymnastics apparatus,

FIG. 2 is a view as seen from below of the apparatus of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the shaft presented at a larger scale.

Referring to the drawing and to FIG. 1 in particular, shown therein is a shaft 4 rotatably journaled in ball bearings 3 and located in a cylindrical housing 1 comprised of two mirrow-like identical parts made e.g. of synthetic material and a stirrup-like grip 2 at its rear part, with one end of the shaft having a flywheel mass 5 mounted thereon and the other end 4 of the shaft opposite to the flywheel mass 5 having a rope 6 attached thereto. In the housing cover 7 there are provided passage openings 9a and 9b lined with ceramic nozzles 8 through which said rope is passed and which is attached at its other end via a buffing and draw spring 12 to the housing. The flywheel mass 5 revolves in close proximity adjacent to the front wall 10 of the housing which is provided with an oblong hole 11 so that the flywheel mass 5 can be made to revolve when the rope 6 has been completely unwound from the shaft 4. A handle 13 being completely independent of the housing 1 is provided with a deflexion roller 14 around which the central portion of the rope 6 is guided. The shaft 4 is provided at its ends with rollers 4a and 4b with the transition from collar to shaft being concave or groove-like such as at 15. The prolongation of the shaft at 4a is square-shaped to receive the flywheel mass 5. A terminating bolt or screw 16 carrying the bearing neck 16a of the shaft for receiving the ball bearing as well the collar 16b engages the square part 4c. The collar 4b at the opposite side is provided with bore 17 having a countersunk rim 17a to receive a knot 6a of rope 6. The rope is, as can best be seen from FIG. 3, provided with two loops immediately adjacent to the bore 17 so as to provide a little space between the deflexion point and the bore 17. In this way it is assured that the rope 6 will not chafe at the edge of said bore.

When the flywheel mass 5 is revolving the rope 6 will be reeled up or wound onto the shaft 4 antagonistic to the force applied to handle 13. In the performance of a bodily exercise such as when training the arm and leg muscles the handle 13 will be seized with the one hand and the stirrup-type grip 2 with the other hand. It is then attempted to reel the rope 6 down from the shaft contrary to the acceration inertia of flywheel mass 5, this requiring the application of bodily force corresponding to the respective size of the flywheel mass and the angular velocity.

The apparatus may also be equipped with a second handle so that, for instance, the deflexion roller 14 is located between both of the handles in order to permit surmounting the centrifugal force of the flywheel mass 5 with both hands. When the person performing the exercises is lying on his back, holding the stirrup-type grip with both hands and applying force or acting on one or several of the handles 13 with his legs the muscles in the legs will be subjected to the exercise and undergo training. Likewise, it is possible to introduce a foot into the opening of the stirrup-type grip so as to wind and unwind the rope over one or two handles using one or both hands, allowing for example exercises of the trunk to be performed by surmounting the centrifugal force of the flywheel mass 5.

There are additional modalities of application when the apparatus is equipped with a second shaft engaged by a second drawing member actuating a flywheel mass located on said second shaft. The apparatus may be constructed in a manner to be immobile or stationary, i.e. mounted on a support, for example, when only exercises relating to moving the arms and trunk are to be performed or it may be mobile and portable.

Claims

I claim:

1. A gymnastic apparatus comprising a closed housing, a shaft journaled in said housing, a single weighted mass means mounted on the shaft which offers resistance to rotation by an exerciser, said shaft having a traction rope wound thereon, said mass means being mounted on said shaft at one end thereof, said shaft having a maximum diameter of 0.455 inches, the traction rope engaging with one of its ends the opposite end of the shaft, the other end of the rope being attached to the housing, an independent housing having mounted therein a handle for gripping and pulling during an exercise, said independent housing having at least one roller, said rope being guided over said at least one roller, said shaft being provided at one of it's ends with a collar which is larger in diameter than the shaft, and the transition from the shaft to the collar being substantially concave.

2. A gymnastics apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rope attached to the housing is resiliently mounted.

3. A gymnastics apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the length of said rope to the length of the shaft is such that the entire length of the rope can be wound around the shaft in three layers at the maximum.

4. A gymnastics apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rope is composed of intertwined fibers and covered with a layer composed of a synthetic material.

5. A gymnastics apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with one at least stirrup-type grips capable to be received by a limb of an operator.

6. A gymnastics apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with two opening passages for the rope with an elastic buffer located therebetween.

7. A gymnastics apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the opening passages are provided with a lining for diminishing friction between the housing and the rope and for dissipating the frictional heat.

8. A gymnastics apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the lining is composed of polished brass with a cover of chromium.

9. A gymnastics apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing is provided in the area of the flywheel mass with an oblong hole.

10. A gymnastics apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rope is passed through a bore traversing the shaft and extends around the shaft with at least one loop, and wherein the end of the rope is held by means of a knot in a counter-sunk portion of the collar.

11. A gymnastics apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shaft is square shaped to receive the flywheel mass.