U.S. patent number 3,911,907 [Application Number 05/495,145] was granted by the patent office on 1975-10-14 for planetary exercising machine.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Dan E. Sangaree. Invention is credited to Roy V. Smith, Jr..
United States Patent |
3,911,907 |
Smith, Jr. |
October 14, 1975 |
Planetary exercising machine
Abstract
A user's legs and lower torso are strenuously exercised by the
continuous oscillatory movement of foot-supporting platforms on
which the subject stands while grasping a hand rail for stability
and safety. The foot-supporting platforms are carried on and
movable with an oscillating main turntable which is supported above
a stationary base carrying the power drive for the oscillating
components. The machine is useful in rehabilitating stroke or other
paralytic victims. The foot-supporting platforms are oscillate in
unison relative to the turntable while the turntable is oscillated
relative to the base.
Inventors: |
Smith, Jr.; Roy V.
(Apalachicola, FL) |
Assignee: |
Sangaree; Dan E. (Fort Myers,
FL)
|
Family
ID: |
23967431 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/495,145 |
Filed: |
August 6, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/1; 601/5;
601/27; 601/34; 482/147 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61H
1/02 (20130101); A63B 23/03533 (20130101); A63B
2208/02 (20130101); A61H 2001/0203 (20130101); A61H
2203/0406 (20130101); A63B 2023/003 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61H
1/02 (20060101); A61H 001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;272/57R,57A,57B,57D
;35/29R,29C,29D ;128/25R,49,48,24R
;74/25,27,63,66,426,665F,665GC,67,70 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Apley; Richard J.
Assistant Examiner: Browne; William R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Weaver; D. Paul
Claims
I claim:
1. An exercising machine comprising a base, a vertical axis
horizontal turntable journaled on said base for oscillatory
movement, a pair of spaced horizontal vertical axis footrest
platforms journaled on said turntable for independent rotation
relative thereto, and power drive means connected with the
turntable and said footrest platforms and causing the latter to
oscillate in unison relative to the turntable while the turntable
is oscillated relative to said base, said power drive means
comprising a drive motor on said base, a vertical axis crank shaft
coupled to the drive motor and driven thereby and having a pair of
opposing eccentrics, and an adjustable drive linkage coupled with
said turntable and said footrest platforms and including a pair of
rods coupled to said crank shaft eccentrics and operated thereby in
an out-of-phase mode.
2. An exercising machine as defined by claim 1, and upstanding
support shafts for said turntable and foot rest platforms, said
linkage including crank arms on each of said shafts, an
intermediate linkage portion connecting the crank arms on the
shafts of the foot rest platforms, one rod of said pair of rods
coupled to the intermediate linkage portion and the other rod of
the pair of rods coupled to the crank arm on the shaft of the
turntable.
3. An exercising machine as defined by claim 2, and said
intermediate linkage portion comprising a bell crank freely
rotatably mounted on the shaft of the turntable, a tie rod means
interconnecting the crank arms on the shafts of the foot rest
platforms and being connected to one arm of said bell crank, and
the other arm of said bell crank coupled to said one rod of said
pair.
4. An exercising machine as defined by claim 3, and each arm of
said bell crank and each of said crank arms having a series of
adjustment openings formed therein.
5. A machine for exercising the legs and lower torso of a standing
subject comprising a relatively stationary base, an elevated hand
rail on the base at a convenient height to be grasped by a standing
subject, a substantially horizontal oscillatory turntable on the
base, a pair of laterally spaced oscillatory footrest platforms
bodily mounted on the turntable and movable with the turntable
during oscillation of the latter, and power drive means common to
said turntable and footrest platforms and operatively coupled with
the turntable and footrest platforms in such a way that the power
drive means simultaneously causes oscillation of the turntable and
simultaneous oscillation of the footrest platforms on and relative
to the turntable while the footrest platforms are moving bodily
with the turntable.
6. A machine as defined in claim 5, and said turntable and footrest
platforms spaced somewhat above said base, and said power drive
means for the turntable and footrest platforms mounted on the base
below said turntable.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Exercising machines for the legs and torso are known in the prior
art and some examples of the patented prior art are contained in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 745,154; 3,374,782; 3,384,369 and 3,441,271.
The objective of this invention is to improve upon the prior art by
the provision of an exercising machine which will exercise more
effectively and strenuously the ankles, legs and thighs of stroke
victims and the like with complete safety to the user. The machine
possesses an improved mode of operation in comparison to the prior
art inasmuch as the user's two legs are simultaneously subjected to
cyclic twisting in two directions, while simultaneously the entire
lower torso is twisted cyclically at a different rate and in a
different cycle from the legs. All of this exercising motion is
produced by a simplified, sturdy and compact power drive mechanism
which has a wide range of adjustability. Due to available
adjustments, the degree of twisting imparted by the machine to an
individual's leg or legs may be regulated to meet particular needs.
While the exercise therapy is taking place, the subject stabilizes
himself by grasping a convenient hand rail near waist level with
one or two hands. The oscillatory foot rest platforms are recessed
for further safety and stability and to assure a firm twisting
action on the legs without slippage. The driving mechanism is
extremely simple and economical and provision is made for
lubrication.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent
during the course of the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exercising machine embodying the
present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof.
FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the machine.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged horizontal cross section taken on line 4--4
of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line
5--5 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a foot rest platform.
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a power drive linkage
embodied in the machine.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 8--8 of FIG.
4.
FIG. 9 is a partly diagrammatic perspective view of a crank shaft
and gear driving means.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged vertical section through a sealed drive box
taken on line 10--10 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 11 is a horizontal section taken on line 11--11 of FIG.
10.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals
designate like parts and considering FIGS. 1 through 3 initially,
the exercising machine comprises a broad horizontal base plate 20
on which the oscillatory turntable 21 and individual leg exercising
foot rest platforms 22 and 23 are mounted centrally in a unit, as
will be fully described. A power drive mechanism for the
oscillatory elements 21, 22 and 23 is secured to the base 20, below
turntable 21 and includes a variable speed drive motor 24, a drive
or transmission box 25 and an associated adjustable drive linkage
26 having components directly coupled to turntable 21 and foot rest
platforms 22 and 23. The final component of the simplified
power-driven exerciser consists of a sturdy horizontal U-shaped
hand rail 27 spaced above the base 20 and supported by three
vertical standards 28 whose lower ends are firmly secured to the
base 20 by brackets 29. A control switch 30 for the electric drive
motor 24 is conveniently located at the forward side of hand rail
27 in ready reach of the user of the machine. The hand rail 27 is
preferably disposed about 3 feet above the elevation of turntable
21, the latter being about 1 foot above the base 20. These
dimensions, while generally preferred, are not critical.
Continuing to refer to all of the drawing figures, a turntable
shaft support housing 31 is disposed at the center of the machine
base 20 and rises therefrom and is securely bolted to the base as
at 32. The housing 31 contains a pair of spaced bearings 33 and 34
for the rotational support of a vertical turntable shaft 35 which
extends well above the top of the housing 31 and is attached at its
top through a plate or flange 36 to the bottom of relatively large
circular turntable 21.
At diametrically spaced locations on the turntable 21, a pair of
vertical axis guide sleeves 37 for vertical foot rest platform
drive shafts 38 are secured as at 39 to the bottom of turntable 21,
FIG. 5. The guide sleeves 37 contain spaced bearings 40 and 41 for
the pair of drive shafts 38, whose upper ends are attached through
flanges 42 to the bottoms of foot rest platforms 22 and 23. The
guide sleeves 37 like the housing 31 are equipped with lubrication
fittings 43.
The foot rest platforms 22 and 23 are preferably circular, as
shown, and embody dual position foot-receiving shallow recesses 44
in their upper sides so that the user's feet are firmly implanted
and will not slip relative to the oscillating platforms. The
recesses 44 are produced by contoured insert sections 45 of plywood
or the like formed separately from the platforms 22 and 23 and
attached thereto as shown in FIG. 5.
The power drive means for the exercising machine includes the
aforementioned motor 24 mounted near one side of the base 20 and
coupled through a generally diagonal shaft 46 and flexible coupling
47 with the drive box 25, the latter being bolted at 48 to the base
20 near one corner thereof.
The drive box 25, FIG. 10, contains and supports a vertical axis
crank shaft 49 held rotatably in two spaced bearings 50 and 51 at
the bottom and top of the drive box. The crank shaft has two
diametrically opposed cranks or eccentrics 52 within an upper dry
chamber 53 of the drive box 25. A lower oil-filled chamber 54 is
separated from the dry chamber by a sealed divider 55 and keyed to
the crank shaft 49 within the oil-filled chamber is a worm gear 56
meshing with a worm 57 attached to the drive shaft 46. The worm 57
is fully enclosed within an extension 58 of the drive box or
housing 25.
Attached to the two opposed eccentrics 52 of crank shaft 49 are
push rods 59 and 60 employed in the operation of the turntable 21
and the two foot rest platforms, respectively. The rods 59 and 60
are preferably equipped with needle bearings at their connections
with crank shaft eccentrics 52. A downturned terminal end 61 of
push rod 59 is received in a selected one of several adjustment
openings 62 in a lower crank arm 63, which crank arm is firmly
clamped at 64 to turntable shaft 35. By selecting a different
opening 62, the degree of oscillation of turntable 21 may be
adjusted as the crank shaft 49 revolves. Similarly, the rod 60 has
a terminal end 65 adjustably connected to one arm 66 of a bell
crank having a second generally right angular arm 67 rigid
therewith. The arms 66 and 67 have adjustment openings 68, as
shown. The bell crank composed of arms 66 and 67 has a hub 69
freely journaled for rotation on the shaft 35 and this hub bears
slidably on a hub portion 70 of crank arm 63.
The crank arm 67 is pivotally coupled adjustably at 71 with a
shiftable drive rod 72 for two additional horizontally swingable
crank arms 73, one of which is firmly clamped to each of the
vertical foot rest platform drive shafts 38. Each arm 73 has plural
adjustment openings 74 therein for the selective reception of
terminal ends 75 of drive rod 72. Through the medium of the rod 72
and the two crank arms 73 pivoted thereto, movement of the bell
crank arm 67 will impart simultaneous oscillatory movement to the
two shafts 38 and to the foot rest platforms 22 and 23 secured
thereto. The individual oscillation strokes of the two foot rest
platforms may be adjusted by the selection of different ones of the
openings 74 for coupling with the drive rod 72.
In light of the foregoing description, the operation of the
exercising machine may be briefly summarized as follows.
With the subject planting his feet in the recesses 44, the motor
switch 30 is turned on and the hand rail 27 is grasped for security
and stability. The drive motor 24 and associated gearing will
produce continuous rotation of crank shaft 49 in a selected
direction. The opposed eccentrics 52 will simultaneously
reciprocate the two push rods 59 and 60. The lower push rod 59
through its associated crank arm 63 will produce oscillatory
movement of the turntable 21 to an extent regulated by the
adjustment openings 62. Simultaneously, in an out of phase mode,
due to the arrangement of the eccentrics 52, the upper push rod 60
and the bell crank composed of arms 66 and 67 and the drive rod 72
will produce oscillation of the arms 73, shafts 38 and foot rest
platforms 22 and 23. The foot rest platforms 22 and 23 will
oscillate in unison and in the same directions but will be out of
phase with and therefore turning oppositely to the movement of
turntable 21, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1. As a result of
this unique action, the two legs of the subject will be subjected
to a twisting exercise simultaneously while the torso is being
turned or twisted oppositely to the direction of movement of the
legs. As previously stated, the extent of movement can be adjusted
through a considerable range. The exercise is strenuous and
benefits the ankles, calves and thighs without danger of straining
the limbs beyond safe limits. The entire apparatus is characterized
by its simplicity and compactness. The drive linkage shown in FIG.
4 is located safely between the base 20 and the large turntable 21.
The many advantages of the machine should be apparent to those
skilled in the art without further description herein.
It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith
shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the
same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement
of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of
the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.
* * * * *