GB2110548A - Exercising apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a first lever arm 10, having at one end a support bar 13 which rests on the ground, and is pivotally connected at the opposed end to a second lever arm 15. The second lever arm 15 carries at its lower end a wheel 16 and at its upper end a handlebar 17. A footrest 19 is mounted on the first lever arm intermediate its ends. A user stands on the footrest 19, astride the second lever arm 15, and by raising and lowering the handlebar 17 against the weight of his body swings the first lever arm up and down about the support bar 13 thus raising and lowering himself with respect to the ground. Springs and/or weights may be provided. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Exercising apparatus The invention relates to exercising apparatus.

There are many known forms of exercising apparatus where the user of the apparatus exercises certain muscles of the body, and generally improves physical fitness, by working against a resisting force provided by springs or weights. For example, the apparatus may take the form of a "rowing machine" in which the user pulls on pivoted spring-loaded lever arms. Other forms of apparatus involve pulling on cables which pass over pulley wheels and carry weights which are raised as the cable is pulled.

While such forms of apparatus can be effective for exercising particular muscles of the body, they may not exercise more than a few individual muscles, and greater benefit would be given to the user if the apparatus were to exercise muscles over a greater area of the body. Furthermore, due to the use of springs or weights for providing the required resistance to the user's effort, these known forms of apparatus tend to be complex and/or heavy, as well as being susceptible to mechanical failure with extensive use.

The present invention sets out to provide a form of exercising apparatus which may be simple in construction, light in weight and transportable and yet which can provide general exercise for almost all the large muscle groups of the body.

According to the invention there is provided exercising apparatus comprising a first movable member having a support for a part of the body of the use so that at least part of the weight of the user acts downwardly on the support, a second movable member for displacement by the user, and means interconnecting the first and second movable members so that displacement of the second member in one sense effects movement of the first member in a manner to raise said support, whereby the force applied to the second movable member is opposed, at least in part, by the weight of the user acting on the support.

Since it is the weight of the user's own body which provides the resistance to his muscular effort, the apparatus itself does not require to provide any means such as weights or springs to provide such resistance. This means that the apparatus can be simple in construction and light in weight. The apparatus is also, to a certain extent, self-adjusting in that a heavier, and thus probably stronger, user must apply a larger force to operate the apparatus than a lighter and thus probably weaker, user, The first movable member may comprise a lever arm pivotable about a first axis which, in use of the apparatus, remains stationary, said support being mounted on the lever arm at a location spaced from said first axis.

The second movable member may be connected to the first lever arm at a point spaced from said stationary axis, so that displacement of the second movable member swings the first lever arm about said axis.

The second movable member may comprise a second lever arm pivotally connected, intermediate its ends, to said first lever arm for pivotal movement relatively thereto about a second pivot axis, part of the second lever arm, spaced from said second axis, having means for constraining that part to move towards and away from the aforesaid stationary axis. Said means constraining the part of the second lever arm to move towards and away from the stationary axis may comprise a wheel rotatably mounted on the second lever arm so as to roll along a surface which, in use, is fixed in relation to said stationary axis. Thus, in operation of the apparatus the two lever arms close and open with a scissors action.

Preferably a further part of the second lever arm has mounted thereon a handle to enable a user to displace the second lever arm. Preferably the handle is located on the opposite side of the said second pivot axis to said wheel.

The aforesaid support for part of the body of the user may comprise a footrest mounted on said first movable member.

Preferably the support and/or handle are adjustable longitudinally of the respective lever arms on which they are mounted.

The following is a more detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of exercising apparatus according to the invention, seen from the rear and one side, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the apparatus in use, in the starting position, and Figure 3 is a similar view showing the apparatus in another position.

Referring to Figure 1 , the apparatus comprises a first lever arm 10 which is formed from two spaced parallel bars 11 interconnected by tubular spacers 1 2. Secured across the lower end of the lever arm 10 is a circular cross-section bar 1 3 which, in use of the apparatus, rests on the floor and provides a stationary pivot axis. The upper end of the first lever arm 10 is connected by a pivot pin 14 intermediate the ends of a second lever arm 1 5. The upper ends of the bars 11 constituting the first lever arm 10 straddle the lever arm 1 5.The lower end of the lever arm 1 5 carries a rubber- or plastics-tyred wheel 1 6 and the upper end of the lever arm carries a handlebar 1 7. Stop members, in the form of resilient rollers 18, are mounted on the lever arm 1 5 adjacent the upper end of the lever arm 10 so as to limit the relative pivotal movement between the two lever arms.

A further roller stop member 22 is mounted between the bars 11 above the spacers 1 2.

A footrest 1 9 is mounted intermediate the ends of the lever arm 10 and comprises a shaft 20 which passes through one of the tubular spacers 12 and carries, on each side of the lever arm 10, a rubber block 21.

In use, the apparatus is first disposed with both lever arms 10, 1 5 resting flat on the ground, the wheel being at its maximum distance from the bar 13, as shown in Figure 2. The user (facing to the left with respect to the figure) places his feet on the footrest 1 9, straddling the lever arm 1 5, and grasps the handlebar 17, which is spaced above the ground due to the angled bends in the lever arm 1 5. The user then starts in a crouched rowing position and by pulling on the handlebar 1 7 and pushing on the footrest 1 9 causes'both lever arms to swing upwardly, the pivot 1 4 rising above the ground and the wheel 16 running along the ground towards the bar 13, which remains stationary.During this movement the user's position becomes more upright and the handlebar 17 is drawn into his chest, as shown in Figure 3.

During this movement also, the upward swinging movement of the lever arm 10 raises the footrest 1 9 above the ground, thus raising the centre of gravity of the user. Consequently the effort supplied by the user to the handlebar 1 7 has the effect of raising his body above the ground and thus provides the resistance to operation of the apparatus.

The user then reduces the force applied to the handlebar 1 7 so that the apparatus can collapse in a controlled fashion back onto the ground, the wheel 1 6 moving away from the stationary bar 13. The action is then repeated cyclicaliy. It is found that the action required to operate the apparatus brings into play almost all the large muscle groups of the body, giving them strength and flexibility as well as increasing the general fitness of the user.

The handlebar 1 7 and footrest 19 are adjustable in position so that the apparatus may be adjusted for different sizes of user and/or for different degrees of effort in operating the apparatus. Thus, the handlebar 1 7 is mounted on a cranked arm 23 which is slideable within the upper end of the lever arm 1 5, and may be secured in a desired position by means of a pin 24 which is selectively engageable with holes in the arm 23.

The footrest 1 9 may be adjusted by removing one of the rubber blocks 21 from one end thereof and passing the shaft 20 through a higher or lower tubular spacer 12, whereafter the block is replaced.

To prevent slipping of the bar 13 on the floor, the ends of the bar are provided with ferrules 25 of rubber or similar material to provide a grip between the bar and the floor.

Although, as previously mentioned, a major advantage of the apparatus is that it does not require the use of springs or weights to provide the resistance to the user's effort, it will be appreciated that, if desired, such springs and weights could be added to the apparatus described to increase the resistance beyond that provided by the user's weight alone. Weights could be mounted at any convenient location on either of the lever arms 10 or 15, and springs could be connected between the two lever arms in such manner that the springs are stressed as the apparatus is drawn towards the upright position.

Claims (11)

1. Exercising apparatus comprising a first movable member having a support for a part of the body of the user so that at least part of the weight of the user acts downwardly on the support, a second movable member for displacement by the user, and means interconnecting the first and second movable members so that displacement of the second member in one sense effects movement of the first member in a manner to raise said support, whereby the force applied to the second movable member is opposed, at least in part, by weight of the user acting on the support.

2. Exercising apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first movable member comprises a lever arm pivotable about a first axis which, in use of the apparatus, remains stationary, said support being mounted on the lever arm at a location spaced from said first axis.

3. Exercising apparatus according to claim 2.

wherein the second movable member is connected to the first lever arm at a point spaced from said stationary axis, so that displacement of the second movable member swings the first lever arm about said axis.

4. Exercising apparatus according to claim 3.

wherein the second movable member comprises a second lever arm pivotally connected, intermediate its ends, to said first lever arm for pivotal movement relatively thereto about a second pivot axis, part of the second lever arm, spaced from said second axis, having means for constraining that part to move towards and away from the aforesaid stationary axis.

5. Exercising apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said means constraining the part of the second lever arm to move towards and away from the stationary axis comprises a wheel rotatably mounted on the second lever arm so as to roll along a surface which, in use, is fixed in relation to said stationary axis.

6. Exercising apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a further part of the second lever arm has mounted thereon a handle to enable a user to displace the second lever arm.

7. Exercising apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the handle is located on the opposite side of the said second pivot axis to said wheel.

8. Exercising apparatus according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the handle is adjustable longitudinally of the second lever arm.

9. Exercising apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the support for part of the body of the user comprises a footrest mounted on said first movable member.

10. Exercising apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the support is adjustable with respect to the movable member on which it is mounted.

11. Exercising apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.