CA1184217A - 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 WALL MOUNTED EXERCISE UNIT
B~CXGRO~ND OF THE INVENTION
l. Field of the Inven-tion _ me present invention relates to exercise devices for developing and conditioning various parts of the body and, more particularly7 to a portable~ compact weight lifting exercise unit.

2. Description of the Prior Art The importance of regular exercise for building and maintaining strength and endurance cannot be overemphasized.
The modern conveniences which we enjoy and the sedentary tasks which we increasingly perfor~ have given us a comfor-table lift style at the expense of physical fitness. Highly active exercise programs, such as running~ develop endurance of the cardiovascular system. Muscu~ar strength and endu-rance is best developed through weight traininy.
The simplest and least expensive apparatus for weighttrainin~ is the barbell with removable weights. However, 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. 'rhese devices permit the force to be applied to the user's body from many different directions in order to develop substantially all areas of the body.
Few of these weight training devices~ however, can provide the user with substantially all of the e~ercising variants required to develop the entire body. Those that do are generally large, complex and costly machines which occupy a substantial amount of space~ and consequen~ly 2~7 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 must be p~rmanently erected in a room or location specifically set aside for exercising. Many homes do not have sufficient space for -~his purpose. Hence, a ne~ e~ists for a compact and versatile e~ercise unit which can be easily erected for use and removed for storage.
SUMM~RY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly~ it is an object of an aspect of the present invention to obviate the above noted disadvantages of ~he prior art by providing a simple, compact and inexpen-sive exercisin~ apparatus for performing a complete range of weight training exercises.
An object of an aspect of the invention is to pro-~ide such an apparatus which is readily demountable from its wall supported position and easily transportable to a place of storage.
An object of an aspect of the invention is to provide such an apparat~s which can be shipped in one or more packages of manageable siæe, 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 ~y providing an exercise unit adapted to be detachably secu~ed to a wall during use, the unit having at least one liftable weightJ upright guide means for guiding the weight during lifting, lifting means engageable by a user and operatively connected to the weight for raising and lowering the weight 7 and wheel means journalled on the unit adjacent the bottom of the guide means for supporting the unit and facilitating transpvrtation thereof when detached from the wall.

~-3 Quick connection and disconnection from the wall is provided by lower anchor means attached to the lower portion of the unit ~or anchoring the lower portion of the unit to the wall by pivotal movement of the unit upwardly about t~e wheel means to an uprigh~ position of use, and permitting detachment of the ~nit from the wall by pivotal movement of the ~nit downwardly from its upright position.
The weight or weights are supported in their lowest rest posit.ion by a plat~orm supported by the yuide 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 p~ll" exercises, and the lower anchor means~ ~n upper sheave is provided for performing "high pull" exercises through à cable. The guide means preferably is formed in two sections which are coupled together during assembly.
Another aspect of this invention is as follows:
In an exercising unit having at least one liftable weight~ lifting means engageable by a user including a liftable carriage operatively connected to said weight for raising and lowering said weight, and upright guide means for guiding said weight and said carriage during lifting, said carriage being moveable between a lowermost starting position and an uppermost position adjacent the top of said guide means~ said lifting means including handle means having a horizontal bar portion, the improvement comprising lock means on the upper portion of said guide means for securin~ said carriage in an elevated position ~lear the top of said guide means and at or near its uppermost position so that said horizontal bar portion of said handle means can se used in an overhead chinning bar or the like.

-3a-BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The novel features of the invention are set out with particularity in the appended claLms, but the invention will be understood more fully and clearly from the fcllow-ing detailed description of the invention as set forth lnthe accompanying drawings~ in which:
Fig. 1 is a pexspective view of the exercise unit according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a reax elevational view thereoE;
Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the upper portion of the ~uide means and the wall brac~et therefor;
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the unit taken 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. 9 is an exploded view of a portion of the carriage assembly of he 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 carrlage assembly and weight support rod for the unit; and Fig. 12 is a partial rear elevational view of the exercise unit in ~ccordAnce with thc embodiment of Fig. 11.
DETAlLED OESCRIPTION OF THE PR~FERRED E1~5BODIMENTS
Referring to Figures 1 Emd 2, the exercise tmit of the invention generaLly comprises ~n upright guide bar frsme 100 îor guiding weigllts 3Q2 liftcd by a carrîage and handle assembly 200, which is also guidcd ~long guide bar frame 100. C3uide bar frarne 100 is secured to a wall W or other verti~l supporting surface at the top and bottom portions of the unit, r~s described in detail below.
Guide bar frame 100 comerises two parallel guide bars 102 of generally square cross section fabricated in upper and lower guide bar portions 104 ~nd 10G, respectively. Fabric~tion of guide bars 102 in these sl~orter sections, which are roughly one half the heigllt of the assembled unit, permits the unit to be packaged an~ shipped in one or A?!~more cartons of managenble size. Upper flnd lower guidc b~r sections 104 and 106 are joined together by a U-shap~d spacer bracket 108 ~I)icll spans the joints between the sections and is fastelled to encll of the sections by bolts 110 and nuts 112. These joints are reinforced by tubuIar inserts (not shown) which ~re received within guide bars sections 104 and 10G and are simultnneously bolted in pl&ce by bolts 110.
The uppcr ends of guide bars 102 are secured to a top ~raclcet 114 (Fig. 3). Brackct 114 has an apertured vertical front flange 116 to wl~icl~ idc ~rs 102 are bolted by bolts 118. Bracket 114 nlso hns a flat portion 120 extending re~rwardly from flrln6e llG, and a depcndin r ~an~e 122 havi~g an aperture 12 ~ througrh which the top of the lmit is securcd to wall W b~ a stud 12G astencd to tllc wall, a wrlsllel 128 ~nd Q Wil)g nut 130. The bottom ends of gltide burs 102 are f&stcrlcd (Figs. 7 and 8) to the front flml6es 132 of ~lowcr brucl;ct l3~ hy bol~s 136 and nuts 13S. Lowcr bracl~et 13~ as a central flat portioll 110 nnd dcpcndin~ r car flnnDe 1~12. ~e~r flall~,c 142 ;s a~lnpted to ~c secllred to the wall ~Y b~ ngr~c mcrlt ~illl tl~e ttpstall(3ing llnngc 1~4 o~ a J-shapcd brncl;ct l~'G fnstcned tc- tllc wnll by scrc- s 148 or thc likc.
Thc cntire e~;crcisc unit is supportcd by n pair of whccls ]5(~
wl~ic!~ nrc jollrn.lllcd on nn n~lc 152 rccci~ed in rlpcrtules 154 forlncd in tllc lower ~ortiolls of ~1i(3C l~irs 102. T3~c wllcc], cllnl)]e ille Ullit to - 5 ~

be tr~nsported with ense by merely rolling the unit ncross the floor.
This is p~rticularly advantageous in situations where the unit cannot be permanently installed. Hence, the unit can be wheeled from a stored positio;l ir,l a clc1set or the like to its location of use. The unit is quickly and easily secured to the wr~l W by positioning the lower end of the ~it near ~he wnll in front of bracket 146 and rotating the unit upwardly so that depending flr~ge 142 of bracket 134 moves downwsrdly behind fl~nge 144 of bracket 146. The top end of ~he unit is then quickly secured to stud 126 by wing nut 130. Removnl for stora~e is nccom plished in the reverse order.
Carria~e nssembly 200 comprises a channel-shnpe~ frame 202 having a front fnce 204 and side membçrs 206 which extend rear~nrdly along the sides of guide bars 102. Upper and lower pairs of rollers 203 tFigs. 4, 5 and 6) are journalled on Qxles 210 carried by side rnembers 20G~ Rollers 208 have reduced diameter central portions 212 which engnge tlle front and rear surfnces OI guide bars 102, and enlarged end portions 214 which engnge- the outboard surfaces of guide bars 102 to prevent lateral shifting of the carrinE~e. The upper end of curriage 202 is strengthened hy a stiffener bracket 213 ~hich spans side members 20G and is secured thcreto by bolts 215, ri\~ets or the like.
A hnndle 216 may be adjl!stably secured to carriage 202 at vario~s "st~rting" hei~rhts. That is, the se~ect~d hci~ht of handle 21~ is determined by the hei~,ht of the user and his initial body positio~ hcn performing a particular cxercise. Bench presscs, for exnmple, ~ould require a low~ er stnrting heigllt thun presscs performcd in fl slnndillg, position. Hnndle 216 compriscs a g~ncrally U-shnped member 218 ha~in~
outwardly direc;ed grips 220 rotatubly niollntcd thcl eon. Horizont~] l~nl s ,or struts 222 and 224 inScrconnccS tlle lc~s of U-shnpe~ memL~r 218 to reinforcc thc hnndle asscmbly. StrUt 224 iS bolSc(l in I~IUCC SO tl~ut it can be remo~cd for clcnrnncc \Yhcn performin~ bcn-ll presscs, flnd reinsSnlletl for engngcment by ~he sllouldcls ~hcn pcrforming sql~ lt exerciscs or by tl~c fcet w1~cn pcl formil)lr lc~r prcsscs. Thc bottoill portioll 22~ of U-sl)n~ d mcmL)cr 218 is pro~ided ~ith t~o proje(~tinn;
a~crturcù tnl)s 223 (I`i[~. ~1). Tnl~s 228 111~(~ rcc c i~nble in slots 230 form-~d in thc front facc 20~. oî cnrriugc 202. Sc~crul diffcren. I~irs of slotc.

230 ure providcd at different heights along carriage 202. Apertures 232 in tabs 22~ are keyed, as nre apertures 234 formed in side members 206 ad~aeent eaeh pair of slots 230. When tabs 228 aee inserted in slots 230, apertures 23~ and 234 are RligTled to receive q keyed loeking pin 236 which is inserted from one side of earriage 202 and extends the full width thereof to loel< handle 216 in position. Preferabl~ the keyways formed in apertures 234 are ~t the twelve o'clock and si~;
o'eloek positions, while the key 237 on loeking pin 236 is disposed 90 degress from the pin's handle portion 239. This arrangement reqllires rotation of the loeking pin 236 to effeet full engagement, but will prevent inadvertent dislod;~ing of the loeking pin during use when l)andle portion 239 is pointing downY~ardly.
Preferably tabs 228 Are diisposed at a small angle with respect to the plane of U-shaped member 218. ~s illustrated in Fig~ire 1, this will permit the handle assembly 216 to extend at a slight do vn~Yard angle ~vith respeet to the horizontal~ or, with the handle in an inverted po?sitioll, at R Sligllt upward angle. This feature affords the user a greater seleetion of starting heights.
A weight support platform 302 (Fig~s. 7 arid 8) havin,~ a reetanc~ulRI
opening 304 is bolted to i,~uide bars 102 by bolts 306 and nuts 308.
Platform 302 supports a stack Or weic~hts 310 having rectangul~r apertures 312 in whieh ~iidc b~rs 102 are reeeived. Weigl)ts 310 also have Q
generall~ eentrally loeated eireular aperture 314 adap~ed to receive Q
weight support rod 316. Rod 316 is pinncd t})rough a hole 317 a~ ils uppcr end (~iDn 6) to the ee1ltrLIl box-sl)f3ped section 315 of a lif~in,,~
braekee 318 by a pin or bolt 321. Pin 321 extcnds through holes 31~ in the front fnee 201 of the earria"~e and in brackct 318. Brackct 318 is seeured to side Inembcrs 206 b~ bolts 320 or thc likc. I,Yeigllt rod 31G
is provided with a scries of vertienll!?? spaccd trullsvei'sc hol~s 324 (l i~.
7) whicll are adapted to alir~n \vi~ll trRnsvcrse bottoln groovcs 32~ in esell wei?r~ht 310. Selection Or wci?~ q~lalltity is accomplisllc(~ ??
posiliollillE?~ 8 pin or rod 32~?, ~t~roll(?~l~ thc ~roove 3"fi of tllc l~o~ton~ one of a sclcetcd stack of wci ~ts ~l~rouDIl tlle eorrcspondin,, apcrtlll c 32 in wcigllt rod 31G. l~enee, elcvll~ioll of cnl rin~e 202 will rnisc \~ci~
rod 3!G, pin 32R und u]l wci~hts sllL-r~or tcd thcrcnbove. I)own~YI~r movement 4f weight rod 316 is limited by ~ recessed stop member 327 pressed, welded, or otherwise secured in an aperture 329 in platform 302.
Another arrnngement which can be used to achieve different handle starting heights is iillustrated in Figures 11 and 12. In this em bod,m ent, a short carriage 202 with rollers 208 has only one pair of handlc slots 230 in which handle tabs 228 are received and piMed by locking pin 236 through apertures 234. A tel~coping weight rod 31G has an uppcr rod portion 361 a slidable within a lower rod portion 316 b. Lower rod portion 316 b has the usual transverse weigllt pin receiving holes 324 .
Upper rod portion 316 ~ has similarly spaced holcs 325 which are alignMble with hol~i 324 in lower rod portion 316 t). The initial height of carriage 202 and its one-position handle is chosen by elevating carriage 202 to the desired position, nnd inserting a pin 323 through ali~ned holes 32~
and 325 to loc1c the tel~icopin~ rod portions relative to one another.
Pin 323 and l~oles 324, 325 may be keyed to prevent dislodging of pin 323 during use of the unit.
Various types of weight lifting exercises may also be peformcd through the use of a cab.e and pulley system which may be operatively connected to carriage 202. An upper sheave 330 (Fig. 3) is pi~otab]y ~ttached by a bolt 332, washer 334, and nut 33~ to the flat portion 120 of top bracket 114. A carriage slleave 338 is bolted to a U-shaped bracket 340 by bolts 342 and nuts 344. Braclcet 340 may be secured to the side members 20G of csrringe 202 by a keyed 1OC~ 1g pin 3~6 engageable in ali~ned keyed apcrtures 348 and 3509 rcspectively, in br~cket 340 and side meml)ers 20~. A primary cable 352 (Figs. 1 and ~3 2) has one end 354 anchored to thc flat portion 120 of bracket 114 in keyl1ole slot 356 (~ig. 3), which is locked by a plu ~ 35~ to prevent detachment of cable 352. Cable 352 is traincd around cnrri~ge she~ e 338 ~nd thcn around uppcr sheave 330. The oppositc end of cnble 352 is pro~ided ~ith ~ quick rclease couplin~ 3f0.
Any suitJ~hlc hnndle or ~rip mny l~e sccured to co~splinrg 3G0 foi pcrforming high pull wcig11t lifting exerciscs. Ca~lc 352 mny bc dircctcd Llct~cc11 ~si 1e bars 102 so tllLll. thc pll~ f )rcc is cxcrlc d from n position dircclly in fron~ Or the cxc1 cise unit. Or, ca1~c 3r,2 2~t~

may 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 exereises ean be performed ~t a location to one side of the unit.
"Low pull" exereises m~y be performed turning upper sheave 330 to the side and by using a secondary eable 362 whieh is attached to primary eable 352 at coupling 360 and is trained around a lower sheave 364 bolted to the nat portion 140 of lower braeket 1340 C~ble 3fi2 extends forwardly between guide b~rs 102 ~nd may be eonnceted to nny suitsble handle Ol grip for performing the desired exercises.
A bench B (Fig. 1) may be positioned in front of the exercise ~it and used in conjunetion therewith for performing various exercises.
For example, a user lying on his baek on the bench may perform bench presses by repeatedly raising and lowering hundle 216. Or, secondnry eable 3G2 may be eonnected to yet another cable 364 which is attached to a eonventional beneh-mounted leg llft device 366 via a bench sheave 368 to perform leg lif~s and other similu exereiscs. Preferably, thc legs at eaeh end of beneh B are foldable so thut the bench can be stored comp~ctly. ~Tith one set of legrs folded, the bench can be uscd to perform slant board sit-ups.
When not in use, primary cable 352 is coiled m~nually nnd reteined behind an elastie strap 370 secured to upper bracket 114 b~ bol~s 11~
(Fig. 31. Similnrly, secondary cable 362 is stored when not in use in a eoUed condition benenth elnstic strap 372 seculed to the sid~e of co~er C.
Whell the exercisc wlit is not in use, but is to be left securcd to the ~all, l~ndle 216 Qnd bench B may be stored on thc unit in n substantiully flo.t eonfi~Jration by pinnil)F handle 2111 throu~h tnb npertllrcs232 to guidr bars 10 ' througll holcs 160 ~Figs. 1 and 10) ~Jith ~in 2~C.
The les of Ulc bench nrc folded, ~itll thc k~rs nt one cnd hool;ed o~ cr b~r 22~ of handie 216. This r~slll s in a ncn~ and eompnct e~;erci~ç
unit which mfl~ be edsily end qllickly con~r rted back lo i~s Opcl etivr confi~rl3rntioll0 Holcs 1~0 ~nn nlso bc uscd to pln cnrrieGc 202 ill an clcv~;t r d pOSitiOIl thrOUrr~ O~ 240 in side Incll~Lcrs 20(;. ~ith ~)le clu~ ,rc in Ulis elcvlllcd position, bnr 22-1 of hulldlc 21G Cnl- be uscd us r~ cllinllil~

2~
g bar or the like.
It will be appreciated that the exercise unit of the invcntion successfully accomplishes its o~jectives by virtue of its simplicity, Yersatility1 compactness when folded for storage, and transportability.
It is capable of many varied uses for exercising substantially all portions of the body. It is estimated 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 modification~s 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 (2)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. In an exercising unit having at least one liftable weight, lifting means engageable by a user including a liftable carriage operatively connected to said weight for raising and lowering said weight, and upright guide means for guiding said weight and said carriage during lifting, said carriage being moveable between a lowermost starting position and an uppermost position adjacent the top of said guide means, said lifting means including handle means having a horizontal bar portion, the improvement comprising lock means on the upper portion of said guide means for securing said carriage in an elevated position near the top of said guide means and at or near its uppermost position so that said horizontal bar portion of said handle means can be used on an overhead chinning bar or the like.

2. An exercise unit according to claim 1 wherein said lock means comprises aligned apertures in said carriage and said guide means, and a lock pin receivable in said apertures to immobilize said carriage.