GB1588973A - Exercising apparatus - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO EXERCISING APPARATUS (71) We, DENNTS CASTLE (MACHIN ERY) LIMITED, a British Company of 8 Benson Avenue, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to an exercising apparatus for exercising manual grip and the wrists.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved exercising apparatus.

According to the present invention we provide an exercising apparatus for exercis mg manual grip and the wrists comprising a pair of manually gripable and deformable sleeves rotatably mounted on a shaft, each sleeve being radially deformable only in a region intermediate its ends whereby the frictional resistance to rotation of the sleeve relative to the shaft may be increased when the sleeve is manually deformed in said region.

The sleeves may be provided with integral parts adjacent their ends which prevent the sleeves from being radially deformed adjacent their ends and the sleeves may each be provided with a slot which extends over at least a central region of the sleeve, the regions of the sleeves adjacent their ends being circumferentially continuous.

Alternatively, spacer means may be provided adjacent the ends of the sleeves to prevent the sleeves from being radially deformed adjacent their ends.

In this case a slot may extend throughout the entire length of each sleeve and the spacer means engage in each respective slot adjacent the end thereof. Each spacer means may comprise a coil spring.

The shaft may be provided with a central flange located between the sleeves and/or end discs to retain the sleeves on the shaft.

The sleeves may be made of polypropylene, and the shaft of nylon and the sleeves may be provided with external ribs to improve grip.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a side elevation, partly in section, of an exercising apparatus embodying the invention.

Referring to the drawing there is shown an exercising apparatus comprising a shaft 10 in the form of a tube of nylon.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft are two sleeves 11 made of polypropylene. Each sleeve is initially moulded to a diameter slightly greater than that of the shaft 10 and is provided with an axially extending slot 12.

Over a short period of time the polypropylene of the sleeve deforms and the sleeve tends to take up a diameter less than that of the shaft 10. In order to control the extent of frictional engagement between the sleeves 11 and the shaft 10 spacers 13 in the form of coiled wire are engaged in the slot 12 of each sleeve adjacent the ends thereof.

If desired, however, the sleeves may be moulded so that the slot extends only over a central region of the sleeve the plastics material extending around the whole circumference of the sleeve in the region shown occupied by the spacers 13 in the figure. In this case, the circumferentially continuous parts comprise integral parts of the sleeves.

An annular disc 14 of polypropylene is assembled onto the shaft as a press fit between the sleeves 11 and end caps 15 are engaged in the ends of the tube 10 and retain annular discs 16 which serve to maintain the sleeves in position on the tube.

The exerciser may be used in a number of ways, for example, one sleeve may be held in one hand and the other sleeve in the other hand with the palms facing downwardly and thumbs facing each other and the users arms being held straight and approximately horizontal to the ground with the user standing upright. The arms are kept straight and the sleeves are rotated in opposite directions by moving the wrists only. The harder the sleeves are gripped the greater will be the frictional resistance to rotation of the sleeves and hence the user can adjust the effort required to perform the exercise.

The sleeves 11 are preferably provided with axially extending ribs at circumferen tially spaced positions around each sleeve so as to facilitate gripping of the exerciser.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An exercising apparatus for exercising manual grip and the wrists comprising a pair of manually gripable and deformable sleeves rotatably mounted on a shaft, each sleeve being radially deformable only in a region intermediate its ends whereby the frictional resistance to rotation of the sleeve relative to the shaft may be increased when the sleeve is manually deformed in said region.

2. An apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the sleeves are provided with integral parts adjacent their ends which prevent the sleeves from being radially deformed adjacent their ends.

3. An apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the sleeves are each provided with a slot which extends over at least a central region of the sleeve, the regions of the sleeves adjacent their ends being circumferentially continuous.

4. An apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein spacer means are provided adjacent the ends of the sleeves to prevent the sleeves from being radially deformed adjacent their ends.

5. An apparatus according to Claim 4 wherein a slot extends throughout the entire length of each sleeve and the spacer means engage in each respective slot adjacent the end thereof.

6. An apparatus according to Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein each spacer means comprises a coil spring.

7. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the shaft is provided with a central flange located between the sleeves.

8. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the shaft is provided with end discs to retain the sleeves on the shaft.

9. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the sleeves are made of polypropylene.

10. An apparatus according to any one of Claims l to 9 wherein the shaft is made of nylon.

11. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the sleeves are provided with external ribs to improve grip.

12. An apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (12)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. tially spaced positions around each sleeve so as to facilitate gripping of the exerciser. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An exercising apparatus for exercising manual grip and the wrists comprising a pair of manually gripable and deformable sleeves rotatably mounted on a shaft, each sleeve being radially deformable only in a region intermediate its ends whereby the frictional resistance to rotation of the sleeve relative to the shaft may be increased when the sleeve is manually deformed in said region.

2. An apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the sleeves are provided with integral parts adjacent their ends which prevent the sleeves from being radially deformed adjacent their ends.

3. An apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the sleeves are each provided with a slot which extends over at least a central region of the sleeve, the regions of the sleeves adjacent their ends being circumferentially continuous.

4. An apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein spacer means are provided adjacent the ends of the sleeves to prevent the sleeves from being radially deformed adjacent their ends.

5. An apparatus according to Claim 4 wherein a slot extends throughout the entire length of each sleeve and the spacer means engage in each respective slot adjacent the end thereof.

6. An apparatus according to Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein each spacer means comprises a coil spring.

7. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the shaft is provided with a central flange located between the sleeves.

8. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the shaft is provided with end discs to retain the sleeves on the shaft.

9. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the sleeves are made of polypropylene.

10. An apparatus according to any one of Claims l to 9 wherein the shaft is made of nylon.

11. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the sleeves are provided with external ribs to improve grip.

12. An apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.