GB2026330A - Training apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Physical training apparatus for sports or health purposes has all the pivot lever arms 4 for the various training units mounted on a common transverse shaft or axis 2 located in the apparatus frame, which desirably is a rectangular box frame with the common shaft or axis mounted near ground level parallel to the shorter sides of the rectangle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Training apparatus The invention relates to a training apparatus for sports and rehabilitation (i.e. physiotherapy) purposes, with a fixedly arranged main supporting frame and movable members mounted on the frame and operable by the user undergoing training against spring action, which movable members are connected by transmission means with respective lever arms pivotally mounted in the frame, wherein a setting spindle with nut is mounted on each lever arm so as to run in its longitudinal direction and has at least one tension spring producing the spring action engaging its setting nut, while the other end of the spring is secured to the frame.

Such a training apparatus is already known, for instance from German Published Patent Specification 2 002 962. Such training apparatus serves in modern sports, in rehabilitation and in physiotherapy to exercise the most varied forms of movement of the human body. For this purpose, the most varied movable members are connected to the training apparatus and can be moved by the user undergoing training against the spring action, which is adjustable by means of the setting spindles and setting nuts. As far as possible, such apparatus should be suited to individual movements and bodily actions, in order to simulate such movements. Such an apparatus should have the greatest possible adaptability to various kinds of movement and is therefore provided with the most varied forms of movement stations.In the known training apparatus of the kind already mentioned, the lever arms are mounted in accordance with the positions of the movement stations and thus the movement members are mounted at the most varied places on the main supporting frame, which must have relatively large dimensions, in order to accommodate the lever arms at the most varied positions and with the most varied pivotal movements and pivotal planes and thus to be able to pivot the tension springs at the respective desired different locations. Because of this very different mounting arrangement and pivoting of the lever arms, and thus the most varied positioning and pivoting of the tension springs, the known training apparatus requires a relatively large main supporting frame, occupying a very considerable space.In order to pivot and guide the various lever arms and tension springs at the various places on the main supporting frame, bearings, supports and the like are provided, so that altogether a relatively large and thus heavy total apparatus is given, which is also relatively expensive and complicated to construct. Storage, transport, assembly and also installation in various training establishments thus involve corresponding expense and need corresponding space.

Therefore, such a known training apparatus is only suitable for use in large training centres or in large training buildings or places.

The invention is based on the purpose of providing a training apparatus of the kind mentioned initially, which is simple and compact in its construction and which therefore, on the one hand, can be simpler and cheaper in manufacture and, on the other, facilitates storage, transport and construction as well as handling, so that the training apparatus is suitable in addition for use in small rooms and for private purposes. Moreover, it also achieves the purpose that the training apparatus meets present requirements with regard to the number of pivot lever arms and therefore the movement stations can be enlarged or increased or made smaller in accordance with a modular assembly principle.

This is achieved in accordance with the invention essentially in that all the lever arms are pivotally mounted beside one another on a common shaft or axis mounted in the frame and the setting spindles, setting nuts and tension springs of the individual lever arms are mounted and/or engage with the lever arms alternately on opposite sides in the axial direction. This ensures that all the lever arms are combined on a common axis and all the pivotal planes run by one another. The main supporting frame can thus be constructed along these parallel pivotal planes and this common axis and can be substantially smaller and more compact. The various setting spindles, setting nuts and tension springs arranged on different sides of the lever arms likewise permit a very compact arrangement of these linkage planes with one another, which can lead to a relatively small main supporting frame.Also, at the top, the dimensions of the supporting frame can be substantially reduced because of the arrangement using a common shaft or axis. In known manner, the linkage lever arms can be connected with their movement members via flexible tension members, which in turn can be guided via various pivot rollers arranged in the frame, so that no restriction is necessary with regard to the arrangement and use of the most varied movement members and movement stations. Thus, a very considerable saving in space is consequently given, as well as a very considerable reduction in weight, so that storage, transport and above all assembly of the training apparatus are considerably simplified and facilitated.

The mounting of the pivot lever arms on the common axis provides in a simple way for installation and assembly of the lever arms with their associated component parts and thus for reduction or enlargement of the apparatus by the various movement stations, so that in accordance with a modular assembly principle, the apparatus can easily be made bigger or smaller. In this connection, it is particularly advantageous if, in the further development of the invention, the common shaft is removably mounted in the frame near ground level. Mounting of the shaft near ground level provides a particularly shallow construction of the main supporting frame.

The removability of the common shaft makes it possible in a simple way to remove lever arms from the frame or instal additional ones.

A constructional form particularly suitable for use also in small rooms and in private houses is given, according to a further feature of the invention, if the frame is constructed as a kind of longitudinally-extending lower rectangle of angle members (L-profile elements) and the common shaft is mounted in the lowest level of the frame so as to run parallel to the shorter sides. In order to be able to mount simply the most varied forms of movement stations on such a frame, in particular, according to a further feature of the invention, perpendicularly-running reception tubes are mounted on the frame for detachably supporting carrier elements for training units.Thus, the most varied training elements or units can either be mounted in connection with movement members or also separately for enlarging the apparatus on the frame by simple additions, e.g. the various benches or boards for supporting the person who is training, horizontal bars, hanging beams, hooks and so on.

Further features, details and advantages of the invention are given in the claims and the subsequent description of embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the drawings.

These show: Figure 1-a side view of the training apparatus according to the invention, in which only the parts essential for explaining the invention are shown; Figure 2-a plan view of the training apparatus according to Fig. 1, wherein for simplicity illustration of the separate component parts has been shown diagrammatically as far as possible.

The training apparatus includes first, according to the drawings, a supporting and mounting frame 1, which is made as a kind of longitudinally-extending lower rectangular box-frame of profiled elements or angle members. In the lower part or level 1 a of the frame 1, a common spindle or shaft 2, for detachably mounting the lever arms which are stiil to be described, is mounted so that its axis runs parallel to the shorter sides. For this purpose, in the lower level 1 a of the frame, approximately central supporting flanges 1 b are provided, wherein for detachability the common shaft 2 is preferably insertable and lockable, as diagrammatically illustrated by the release and lock lever 3.

On the common shaft 2, in all 5 pivot lever arms 4 are pivotally mounted. These pivot lever arms 4 each include, as illustrated in Fig. 1 and as indicated only diagrammatically in Fig. 2 for simplifying the illustration, a setting spindle 5 which is mounted in the longitudinal direction of the associated lever arm 4. On each setting spindle 5 in accordance with Fig. 1, a setting nut 6 is adjustably arranged. Pivot levers or handles 5a provide for rotation of the setting spindles 5.

At least one tension spring 7 is connected at one end to each setting nut 6. The other end of each respective tension spring 7 is connected to the lower level 1 a of the frame 1.

As shown particularly in Fig. 2, the arrange ment of the lever arms 4 with the setting spindles 5, the setting nuts 6 and the tension springs 7 is organised so that the setting spindles, setting nuts and tension springs of the separate lever arms 4 are mounted on and/or engage with the pivot lever arms alternately on opposite sides in the axial direction. As shown clearly in the drawings, a very compact and thus closely-adjacent arrangement of the lever arms and the associated component parts 5, 6 and 7 is thus attained, wherein all pivot planes run parallel to one another, namely parallel to the longer sides of the main supporting frame 1.

In the drawing, to illustrate and explain the considerable adaptability of the training apparatus to various purposes of use, several movement stations are shown largely diagrammatically, namely a yoke 8 of an otherwise not shown movement member for pressing, a supporting fork 9, a bench or board 10 with a movement member 11 intended for pressing, a bench 1 2 with associated movement member 13, a further bench 14 for arm and leg work, a rowing device 1 5 with associated movement member 16, a further bench 1 7 with movement members 18 at either side, a hanging member 19, a movement member 20 as well as a horizontal bar 21. The various movement members are pivotally mounted in a suitable and known way in the frame or can be connected directly via flexible tension members with the various associated pivot levers. Such tension members are indicated purely diagrammatically at 22, wherein such tension members 22 are suitably guided to the extent necessary via pivot rollers on the frame 1, as is known with other training apparatus.

On the frame 1 at suitable positions, vertically running receptor tubes 23 for the detachable insertion of support elements for training units are arranged, as indicated for example in Fig. 1 for the hanging fork 9 and the hanging bar 1 9 and in Fig. 2 for the various positions.

Claims (5)

1. A training device for sports and physiotherapeutic rehabilitation purposes, with a fixedly arranged main supporting frame and adjustable movement members for training against spring action mounted on this frame, which are connected by transmission means with pivot lever arms pivotally mounted in the frame, wherein on each pivot lever arm a setting spindle running in its longitudinal direction is mounted and has a setting nut which engages at least one tension spring producing the spring action, the other end of which is secured to the frame, wherein all the pivot lever arms are pivotally mounted beside one another on a common shaft or axis mounted in the frame and setting spindles, setting nuts and tension springs of the individual lever arms are mounted and/or engage with the respective lever arms alternately on opposite sides in the axial direction.

2. A training apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the common shaft is detachably mounted at ground level in the frame.

3. A training apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the frame is constructed as a longitudinally-extending lower box-frame of profiled elements and the common shaft is pivotally mounted in the lower level of the frame parallel to the shorter sides.

4. A training apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein receptor tubes running perpendicularly to the frame are arranged for the detachable mounting of support elements for training elements.

5. A training apparatus according to claim 1, substantially as described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.