CA1184216A - Portable wall mounted exercise unit - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A wheeled exercise unit is adapted to be quickly attached to a wall for performing varied weight lifting exercises. A slidable carriage is provided which is operated either by a handle or by cables to lift any selected number of weights.

Description

PORTAB~E WAIL MOUNTED EXERCISE UNIT
:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention -The present invention relates to exercise dev ces for developing and conditioning various parts of the body and, more particularly~ to a portable, compact weight lifting exercise unit.

2. Description of the Prior A_t The importance of regular exercise for building and maintaining strength and endurance canno-t be overemphasized.
The modern conveniences which we enjoy and the sedentary tasks which we increasingly perform have given us a comfo~-table lift style a-t the expense of physical fitness. Hiyhly active exercise programsJ such as runningr develop endurance of the cardiovascular system~ Muscular strength and endu~-rance is best developed through weight training.
The simplest and least expensive apparatus for weighttrainin~ is the barbell with re~ovable weights. ~Iowever, the use of the barbell alone cannot develop all areas of the body.
Hence~ additional apparatus must be employed for a compre~
hensive conditioning program. Devices developed for this purpose generally provide the user with a force resister against which muscular effort must be applied. Resistance is typically provided by a weight and pulley arrangement, or by an elastic element. These devices permit the force to be applied to the user's body from many differen~ directions in oxder to develop substantially all areas of the body.
Few of these weight training devices, howeverr can provide the user with substantially all of the exercising variants required to develop the entire body. Those that do are generally large, complex and costly machines which occupy a substantial amount of spae, and consequently are not suitable for home use. These are usually found only in health clubs and other athletic establishments. Devices specifically designed for home use, while somewhat smaller, usually rnust be permanently erected in a room or location specifically set aside Eor e~ercising. Many homes do not have sufficient space for this purpose. Xence, a need exists for a compact and versatile exercise unit which can be easily erected for use and removed for storage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
-Accordingly, it is an object of an aspect of the present invention to obviate the above noted disadvantages of the prior art by providing a simple, compact and inexpen-sive exercisi~g apparatus for perEorming a complete range of weight training exercisesn An object of an aspect of the invention is to pro vid~ such an apparatus which is readily demountable from its wall supported position and easily transportable to a place oE storage.
An object of an aspect of the invention is to provid~ such an apparat~s which can be shipped in one ox more packages of manageable size, and assembled by the consumer.
An object of an aspect of the invention is to pro-vide such an apparatus which can be used to perform a full range of exercises in a minimum amount of space.
These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by providing an exercise unit adapted to be detachably secured to a wall durlng use~ the unit having at least one liftable welght~ uprlght guide means for guiding the weight durlng lifting7 lifting means engageable by a user and operatively connec~ed to the weight fo.r ralsing and lowering the weight, and wheel means journalled on the unit adjacent the bottom of the gulde means for supporting the unit and facilitating transportation thereof when detached from the wall.

~-3-Quic~ connection and disconnec-tion from the wall is provided by lower anchor means attached to the lower portion of the unit for anchoring the lower portion of the unit to the wall by plvotal movement of the unit upwardly about the wheel means to an upright position of user and permitting detachment of the unit from the wall by pivotal movement of the unit downwardly from its upright position.
The weight or weights are supported in their lowest rest position by a platform supported by the guide means above its bottom. The space beneath the platform accommo-dates the wheel means and a lower sheave for guiding a cable for performing "low pull" exercises, and the lower anchor means. An upper sheave is provided for performing "high pull" exercises through a cable. The guide means preferably is formed in two sections which are coupled together during assembly.
Another aspect of this invention is as ~ollows:
In a wall-mounted exercise unit having at least one liftable weight, lifting means engageable by a user including a liftable carrier operatively connec-~ed to said weight for raising and lowering said weight7 and upright guide means securable to the wall for guiding said weight and said carriage during liftingr said lifting means including an upper sheave mounted near the top of said guide means adapted to guide a cable operatively connected to said carriage so that a high pulling force can be exerted on the cable from the front of the unit to lift said weight, the improvement wherei.n said cable and said upper sheave are located adjacent the wall completely behind said carriage and said guide means, and s~id guide means comprises two spaced parallel guide bars flanking said upper sheave so that the cable can extend directly out of the unit between said guide bars.

-3a-BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The novel features of the invention are set out with particularity in the appended claims, but the invention will be understood more fully and clearly from the fcllow-ing detailed description of the invention as set forth inthe accompanying drawings~ in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the exercise unit according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view thereof;
Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the upper portion of the guide means and the wall bracket therefor;
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the unit ta~en along line 4-4 of Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the unit taken along line 5~5 of Fig. 2;
Fig. 6 is an exploded view of the liftable carriage assembly of the unit;
Fig. 7 is a partial sectional view of the unit taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 2;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view, with parts removed, of the lower portion of the unit;
Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a portion of the carriage assembly of the unit, showing the interconnection of the handle with the carriage;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the unit shown in its stored position;
Fig. 11 is a partial perspective view of a modi-fied carriage assemhly and weight support rod for the unit; and Fig. 12 is a parti~l rear elevationfll view of the exercise unit in ~ccordance with the embodiment of Fig. Il.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRl~FER~ED EI~BODIMENTS
-Referring to ~igures 1 and 2, the exercise unit of the Invention generally comprises ~n upright fguide bar frame 100 for guiding w~ ts 302 lifted by a carriage and handle nssembly 200, which is also guided falong guide bar frame 100. Guide bar frame 100 is secured to a wall W or other vertical supporting surîace at the top and bottom portions of the ~it, as described in detail below.
Guide bar frame 100 comprises two parallel guide bars 102 of generally squflre cross section fabricated in upper and lower guidc bar portions 104 and 10G, respectively. Fabrication of guide bars 102 in these sl)orter sections, which are roughly one half the heigllt of the assembled unit, pcrmits the unit to be packaged and shipped in one or more cartons of mnnageable size. Upper f nd lower guidc bflr sections 104 and 106 are joined together by fl U-shaped spflccr bracket 108 wllicll spans the joints between the sections and is fastened to e~ch of the sections by bolts 110 and nuts 112. These joints are reinforced by tubular inserts (not shown) wllieh are received within guide bars sections 104 d 106 and are simultaneously bol~ed in pl&ce by bolts 110.
The upper ends of guide bflrs 102 are secured to a top braclcet 11~ (Fig. 3). Brackct 114 l~as an apertured vertical front flan~e 116 tG
wJ~ic`il gJidr b~rs 102 are bolted by bolts 118. Bracket 114 also l1aS a flat por~ion 120 exlending rearwardly from flan6e llG, arid a depending flange 122 hfl-ing f~l aperture 121 through which the top of the Imit is securcd to wall W b~ 8 stud 12G fustencd to tl)e wall, a wnsller 128 and a winr~ nut 130. The bottom ends of glJide burs 102 are ff~stcncd (~igs. 7 and 8) to tlle front flfmDcs 132 of a lowcr bruckc~ ]3~ by bolls 136 and nuts 138. Lowcr brf~cl;et 13~ llflS fl centrnl flut por~ion 1~0 nnd a depcndin~ r ear flnllge 112. Rcar nf1ngrc 142 is acinpted to bc sec~lrec to tl)e Wflll ~Y by cngn~c n~cnt ~itl1 tl~e ur)s~uIiding f flngc 1~ of a J-sllnr)cd brnckct 1~, fflstcncd to tlle wall by scrcws 148 or thc likc.
The cntirc c~;crcisc unit is sur)r~ortcd by fl r)~lir of ~'hCC?IS IS() wllicll nrc jourtlflllcd on fln a.~;]c 152 rccci~ed in apcl tUI cs 15 ~ forlncd in thc lower ~ortioIls of ~iidc l>rirs 102. Tllc wllcc`i, cnnl)le ~lle ~Init ~o 2~i be transported with e~se by merely rolling the ~it across the floor.
This is particularly advantageous in situations where the unit cannot be permanently ir~stalled. Hence, the ~it can be wheeled from a stored position in a closet or the like to its location of use. The unit is quickly and easily secured to the wall W by positioning the lower end of the unit near the wall in front of bracket 146 and rot~ting the unit upwardly so that depending flange 142 of brac~et 134 moves downwardly behind flange 144 of bracket 146. The top end of the unit is then quickly secured to stud 126 by wing nut 130. Removal for stora~e is accom plished in the reverse order.
C~rriage assembly 200 comprises a chnnnel-shaped frame 202 having a front face 204 and side membçrs 20G whicil extend rear~rardly ~long the sides of guide bars 102. Upper and lower pnirs of rollers 208 (Fi~. 4, 5 and G) are journalled on axles 210 cnrried by side members 206. Rollers 208 have reduced diameter central portions 212 which engage the front and rear surfaces of guide bars 102, and enlarged end portions 214 which engage the outboard surfaces of guide bars 102 to prevent lateral shifting of the carriage. The upper end of carriage 202 is strengthened by a stiffener bracket 213 ~vhich spans side members 20G and is secured thcreto by bolts 215, ri~ets or the like.
A handle 216 may be adjl!stably secured to carria~e 2U2 at various "starting" heights. Tilat is, the selectcd heig'lt of handle 216 is determined by the hei6i~t of the user and llis initiAl body position wl~cn performing a par~icular cxcrcisc. Bencl~ presscs, for example, ~oul;3 require a lo~er starting height than presscs performcd in a s~andin~
p~sition. Hnndle 216 comprises a gencrnll~ U-s!laped meInber 218 hnvin~
outwardly direc;ed grips 220 rotatnbly nio~lnted tl)creon. Horizontnl l)nrs or struts 222 and 224 in~crconncct tlie lc~s of U-sllaped memb~r 218 to reinforcc thc hnndle asscmbly. Strut 224 is boltcd in plJicc so tl~ut it can be remo~cd for clcarE3ncc \vhcn perrormin~r bcnch pr~sscs, nnd reinstnlled for engagcment by tll~ shou]deïs ~hcll pcrrormilig, sqll It exerciscs or by tl~c fce~ wl~cn I~crforlnilllr lcg prcsscs. Thc bot~oill portion 22G of U-sl~al)cd mcmbcr 218 is provi(lcd ~itI~ o projcr~in-;
allcrturcd tabs 228 (I`ig. !~). 1`ub.s 228 nr( rccci.~llble in slo~s 230 rorn~l~d in tl~c fl o~-~ fncc 20~'. of cMrria~c 202. Sc~crfll diff( rcn; pairs of slotr.

230 are providcd at different heights nlong carriage 202. Apertures 232 in tabs 228 are keyed, as are apertures 234 formed in side members 206 ad~acent each pair of slols 230. When tabs 228 are inserted in slots 230, apertures 232 and 234 are aligned to receive a keyed locking pin 236 which is inserted from one side of carriage 202 and extends the full width thereof to lock handle 216 in posi~ion. Preferab`y the keyways formed in apertures 234 are at the twelve o'clock and si~;
o'clock pOsitiOIlS, while the key 237 on locking pin 236 is disposed 90 degress rom the pin's handle portion 239. This arrangement r equires rotation of the locking pin 236 to effect fuU engagement, but will pre~rent inadvertent dislodging of the locking pin during use when handle portion 239 is pointing downY~ardly.
Preferably tRbs 228 are disposed at a small angle with respect to the plane of U-shaped member 218. As illustrated in Figure 1, this will permit the handle assembly 216 to extend at a slight do ~n~Ynrd angle ~Yith respect to the horizontal, or, with the handle in an inverted position, at ~ sligilt upward angle. This feature affords the user a grenter selection of starting heights.
A ~veight support platform 302 (Figs. 7 and 8) having a rectangular opening 304 is bolted to guide bars 102 by bolts 306 and nuts 308.
Platform 302 sur)ports a stack Or weights 310 having rectangulnr apcrtures 312 in which guidc bars 102 are received. ~Yeigl~ts 310 also hnvc a generall~7 centrally located circular aperture 314 adapLed to receive a weight support rod 316. Rod 316 is pinncd tl)rough a hole 317 at its uppcr end (~ig. 6) to the centr~ll box-s1)r3ped section 315 of a lirting 0 bracl;et 318 by a pin or oolt 321. Pin 321 extcnds l hrougll holes 319 in ~e front fnce 20~1 of the carriage and in brncket 3180 Br~ckct 318 is secured Lo side Inembers 206 by bol~s 320 or tllc likc. ~Yeighl rod 31G
is provided with a series of verticnll~ spRccd trnnsvcrsc holes 324 (l ig.
7~ wllicl) ure adaptcd to ~ir~ ~Yi~l) trunsvcrse bottom groovcs 32G in eacll ~ei~t 310. Selection of ~;ci~ gulll)tity is accomplisl~c(~ by posilioning a pin or rod 32P, ~)lroll(rh thc gl oove 3~'fi Or tllc botton) one of a sclcctcd stnck of wciGIl~s ~hrou"ll tllc corrcsponding npcrtlll c 32;~
in ~vci~ t rod 31~. Ilencc, elcv~lion o~ cnm~inge 202 will rnisc wci~
rod 31G, pin 32r~ und all svcigl~Ls ~llppOI tcd t~lcrcnbove. I)o~nwllr(l .

movement of weight rod 316 is limited by a recessed stop member 327 pressed9 weldedT or otherwise secured in ~ aperture 329 in platform 302~
Another arrangcment which can be used to achieve different handle starting heigilts is illustrated in Figures 11 and 12. In this embodiment~
a short c~rriage 202' with rollers 208~ bas only one pair of handlc slots 230' in which handle tabs ~28 are received and pinned by IOCT;ing pin 236 through apertures 234~. A telescoping weight rod 31G' has an uppcr rod portion 361~EI slid~ble within a lower rod portion 316'b. Lower rod portion 316'b has the usual transverse weight pin receiving holes 324'.
Upper rod portion 316'a has similarly spnced holes 325' which are ali~lnble with holes 324' in lower rod portion 316'b. The initinl heigllt of cnrriagc 202' and its one-position handle is chosen by elevating carriage 202' to the desired position, ~nd inserting R pin 323' througl~ ali~ned holes 32~' ~nd 325' to lock the telescoping rod portions relstive to one ~nothcr.
Pin 323' and llolcs 324', 325' may be keyed to prevent dislodgin~ o~ pin 323' during use of the unit.
Various types of weight lifting exercises may nlso be peformed through the use of a cabIre and pulley system which may be operatively ~onnected to carriage 202. An upper sheave 330 (Fig. 3) is pi~otab]~
ettached by a bolt 332, washer 334, and nut 33G to the flnt portion 120 of top bracket 114. A carriage sheave 338 is bolted to a [J-sh~ped bracket 340 by bolts 342 nnd nuts 344. Bracket 340 ma~T be secured to the side members 20G of carria~e 202 by a keyed locl;ing pin 34G
engage~ble in aligned keyed apcrtures 348 and 350, rcspectively, in bracket 340 nnd side meml)ers 20~. A primnry cnble 352 (Fi~ nd 2~ has one end 354 anehored to thc flat portion 120 of bracket 114 in Q keyhole slot 356 (~i~. 3), which is locked by a plu(r 35û to prevent detnchment of cable 352. Cable 352 is traincd around cnrri~ge sheu~e 338 and then around uppcr sheave 330. Tl)e oppositc end of cable 352 is pro~ ided with ~ quiclc rclease couplinG 3~0.
Any suilllhlc hnrldle or ~rip mny l~e sccured to couplinr~ 3G0 for pcrforming "high pull" weight li~ting exerciscs. Cal~lc 352 mny bc dircctcd l)ct~ ccn gl~i(le bnrs 102 so t])~lt thc plllling fs)l~cc is cxcr ~ c(lfrom a position dircctly in front of thc rxcrcise unit. Or, cnljlc 352 mey pass between either guide bar 102 and the wall W by virtue of the pivoted connection of upper sheave 330 so that the weight lifting exercises can be performed at a iocation to one side of the unit.
` "Low pull" exercises may be performed turn ng upper sheave 330 to the sidc and by using a secondary cable 362 which is attac~led to primary cable 352 at coupling 360 and is trained around a lower sheave 3G4 bolted to the flat portion 140 of lower bracket 134. C~ble 362 extends forwardly between guide bars 102 and may be connccted to an~
suitable handle or grip for performin~ the desired exercises.
A bench B (Fig. 1) may be positioned in front of the exercise unit and used in conjunction therewith for performing various exercises.
For example, a user lying on his back on the bench may perform bench presses by repeatedly raising and lowering handle 216. Or, secondnry cable 3G2 may be connected to yet another cable 364 which is attacl~Pd to a conventional bench-mounted leg lift device 366 Vi8 a bench she.qve 368 to perform leg lifts and other similar exerciscs. Preferably, thc legs at each end of bench B are foldab] e so that tlle bench can be stored compactly. With one set of legs folded, the bench can be uscd to perform sl~nt boarcl sit-ups.
When not in use, primary cable 352 is coilcd mnnually nnd reteined behind an elastic strap 370 secured to upper bracket 114 by bolts 11~
(Fig. 3). Similarly, secondary cable 362 is stored when not in use in a coiled condition benenth elastic strap 372 seculecl to thc side of co\~er C.
~ hell the exercisc wlit is not in use, but is to be left securcd to thc ~all, halldle 216 and bench B mny be stored on the unit in n substantinlly flnt confi~lration by pinnin, handle 21G throu!rh tnb npel`tU`CS
232 to guidc bars 102 through llok~s 160 (Figs. 1 and 10) w ith L~in 2~C.
The It~s of U~c bcnch nrc folded, t~ith tl~c lcgs Rt one c nd hool;ed o~ cr bar 221 of handie ~16. This reslll s in a ncnt and compnct exerci~
u nit whicl~ mfly bc e~siIy and quickly cont~rted L)nck to its opcrnti~ c configurlltion.
~ olc~ IG0 cnn nlso bc used to pin c~trri l~c 202 i~l ~n clc~n;t(d pQcition tllrougll ~oles 240 in sidc mclnl~rs 20~ itl) the cnl ~ rc in tllis elcvn~cd pOsitiOIl, bnr 22 ~ of l)undlc 21G Cnll be uscd as a cl~ nill~, - g -bar or the like.
It will be appreciated that the exercise unit of the invcntion successfully accomplishes its objectives by virtue of its simplicity, Yersatility, compactness when folded for storage, and transportability.
It is capable oi' many varied uses for exercising substsntially all p~rtions of the body. It is estirnated that at least 150 different exercises can be performed using this exercise unit.
It will be obvious to one of ordinary skill that num erous modifications may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention which is to be limited only by the appended claims.

Claims (3)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. In a wall-mounted exercise unit having at least one liftable weight, lifting means engageable by a user including a liftable carrier operatively connected to said weight for raising and lowering said weight, and upright guide means securable to the wall for guiding said weight and said carriage during lifting, said lifting means including an upper sheave mounted near the top of said guide means adapted to guide a cable operatively connected to said carriage so that a high pulsing force can be exerted on the cable from the front of the unit to lift said weight, the improvement wherein said cable and said upper sheave are located adjacent the wall completely behind said carriage and said guide means, and said guide means comprises two spaced parallel guide bars flanging said upper sheave so that the cable can extend directly out of the unit between said guide bars.

2. An exercise unit according to claim 1 wherein said upper sheave is pivotally mounted to the unit about a vertical axis to permit the cable to be pulled at various angles relative to the front of the unit.

3. An exercise unit according to claim 1 further comprising a lower sheave is mounted near the bottom of, behind and between said guide bars and is adapted to guide the cable between said guide bars so that a low pulling force can be exerted on the cable from the front of the unit to lift said weight.