GB2160431A - Exercise machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine has a flywheel 23 which is arranged to be driven through a dog clutch by manually pulling on a cord 39 which thereby moves a friction plate 24 of the dog clutch out of contact from the flywheel 23. Such action disengages the drive from a sprocket 21 driven by a crank wheel attached to a pair of pedals, and upon releasing the cord a pawl rides over a ratchet and a striker member on the cord actuates the dog clutch to move the friction plate into contact with the flywheel so that drive between the flywheel and the crank wheel is then engaged. Thus a user is able to initiate rotation of the flywheel by pulling on the cord and thereafter to maintain rotation of the flywheel by a pedalling action. The leverages of the foot pedals about the axis of the crank wheel (6) is variable (Fig. 1). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Exercise machine This invention relates to an exercise machine.

A known exercise machine utilises pedals in which a bicycling action is employed by a user and the pedals of the machine are connected by way of a chain to an inertial mass such as a flywheel. It will, however, be realised that, by utilising only a bicycling action, only those limbs of a user below the hips will be exercised.

The present invention seeks to provide an exercise machine to enable a user to increase and strengthen movement both above and below the hips.

According to this invention, there is provided an exercise machine including manual means arranged to predeterminedly apply energy to an energy store through a first drive means, said energy store also being arranged to be predeterminedly acted upon through a second drive means by at least one rotatable foot pedal, and release means arranged to remove coupling between the first drive means and the energy store when said second drive means is coupled to the energy store and vice versa.

By utilising a manual means the top part of the users body is exercised and upon release of the manual means the part of a users body below the hips is subsequently exercised by a bicycling action of the foot pedal.

Preferably, the energy store is a flywheel and, advantageously, the first drive means is a cord arranged to rotate the flywheel, one end of the cord being attached to a spring to provide a rest position of said cord and the other end of said cord being arranged to be pulled against the tension of said spring to rotate the flywheel, whereby upon release of said cord the release means is activated to decouple the first drive means and connect the second drive means to the flywheel, the cord returning to the rest position under tension of said spring.

Conveniently, the second drive means comprises two foot pedals arranged to produce a bicycling action of a users legs, said pedals each being connected to a crank means including a crank wheel, and an endless belt connected between said crank wheel and said energy store through the intermediary of said release means.

Advantageously, the crank means comprises said crank wheel, a pair of spaced longitudinal members both pivoted at the crank wheel on respective sides of the axis thereof and pivoted at the remote ends of said members to a respective said foot pedal, and securing means for securing the angular relationship of said members with respect to said crank wheel from an angle at which a straight line passes through the longitudinal axis of both pedals and the axes of the crank wheel at which no rotation of the crank is possible by the pedals (i.e. the force required to turn the crank wheels is infinite), to an angle at which the longitudinal axis of the members is parallel with the axis through the crank wheel at which the effort to rotate the crank wheel is less.

Conveniently, the crank wheel is toothed, a toothed sprocket is connected to the flywheel and the endless belt is a chain for cooperating with the crank wheel and sprocket.

Preferably, the release means comprises a dog clutch having a friction plate for predeterminedly engaging the flywheel and a pawl and ratchet for predeterminedly permitting the cord to rotate the flywheel so that when the cord is pulled the pawl drives the ratchet to rotate the flywheel and the action of pulling on the cord is arranged to move the friction plate out of contact with the flywheel so that drive to the crank wheel is removed and upon releasing the cord the pawl rides over the ratchet and a striker member on the cord actuates the dog clutch to move the friction plate into contact with the flywheel whereby drive between the flywheel and the crank wheel is produced.

In a preferred embodiment, stability for the machine is provided by a folding arm on each longitudinal side ofthe machine, said arms each having a locking device for locking the associated arm in a raised, non-use, position or a lowered, ground engaging, use position.

Advantageously, the foot pedals each include a platform for accommodating the whole of the users foot, said platform being provided with a rear wall around the heel portion thereof to prevent a users foot moving rearwardly, and an adjustable strap around the instep and toe portions respectively of the platform for securing a users foot on the platform.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows a plan view of the exercise machine in accordance with the invention, and Figure 2 shows a vertical cross section along double arrow-headed lines 2-2 of Figure 1.

In the Figures like reference numerals denote like parts.

The exercise machine shown in the Figures 1 and 2 has a longitudinal axis and equispaced on each side of the longitudinal axis are frame plate members 1 which are spaced apart by spacers 2, 3.

The spacers 2 also support and adjustably separate plates 4 provided on each side of the longitudinal axis and the plates 4 support cone bearings 5 such that movement of the members 4 with respect to the longitudinal axis tightens or slackens the cone bearings 5 and the bearings 5 are adjusted so that slack therein is just removed. The cone bearings 5 are connected to a toothed crank wheel 6 and diametrically situated in a concentric aperture in the crank wheel is a crank formed by a pair of spaced longitudinal members 7 which are pivoted on the crank wheel at the longitudinal axis and equispaced on each side of the rotational axis of the crank wheel. At the remote ends of the members 7 they are pivotally connected to respective foot pedal assemblies 8.

The foot pedal assemblies 8 each have an Lshaped block 9 machined to pivotally support the remote ends of the members 7 and respective forward and rearward ends of the blocks 9 are machined to threadably and securably engage a rotatable foot pedal 10. The foot pedal 10, in the currently preferred embodiment includes a bicycle pedal 11 to which a platform 12 is secured, although it will be realised that the pedal 11 may be eliminated and the platform 12 be directly rotatably mounted to the block 9. The platform 12 is provided with a rear wall 13 around the heel portion of the platform to prevent a users foot moving rearwardly and adjustable straps 14, 15 are secured to the platform for wrapping around the instep and toe portions respectively of a users foot.The blocks 9 are each provided with an arcuate adjustment siot 16 and a different one of the members 7 is predeterminedly secured to a respective one of the blocks 9 by a bolt passing through the slot 16 and having a securing wing nut 17.

The arrangement of the crank and pedals is such that the amount of effort required by a user to pedal the machine can be varied by adjusting the angular position of the members 7 by releasing and securing the wing nut 17. Thus, in the position shown in Figure 1 with the longitudinal axis through the bearing of each pedal being in line and extending through the rotational axis of the crank wheel an infinite rotational force is required to turn the crank and such a position of the pedals would, in practice, of course, not be employed.However, by releasing the wing nut 17 and moving the pedals so that the longitudinal axis of the members 7 is parallel with the rotational axis through the crank wheel the effort required to rotate the crank wheel is least and it will be noted that the arrangement of the parallel members 7 in forming a pantograph type arrangement is able to provide an infinitely variable adjustment of necessary effort from maximum to minimum.

The crank wheel 6 is connected to a rotatable toothed sprocket 21 by a chain 22 and the sprocket 21 is arranged to be predeterminedly connected to a flywheel 23 through the intermediary of a dog clutch having a friction plate 24.

Mounted on the rotation axis of the sprocket 21 and flywheel 23,the dog clutch isfurtherformed by a fixed dog 25 and a movable dog 26 mounted on an axle 27 carrying the sprocket 21 and clutch plate 24.

Journal bearings 28 are provided at the extreme ends of the axle 27 and thrust races 29 are provided for actuation of the friction plate 24 against the flywheel 23.

Mounted on the dog clutch axis and connected to rotate dog 26 is a three arm arrangement comprising a clutch plate separator arm 30, a striker plate 31 and a pulley arm 32 the remoter end of which supports a rotatable pulley 33. The three arm arrangement forms an over centre rotatable toggle which is biassed by a spring 34 connected at one end to the axle for the pulley 33 and at the other end thereof to a bracket 35 secured to the lower (as viewed in Figure 1) plate 1. A striker for the plate 31 is formed by a reciprocal L-shaped rod 36 which is supported on the lower plate 1 by a bracket 37 and stops 38 are provided above and below the bracket 37 to limit the upper and lower reciprocating movements of the rod 36. The upper end ofthe rod 36 has a hole therein through which a cord 39 passes, the cord having a handle 40.An abuttment member 41 is secured to the cord 39 for engagement with the rod 36.

The cord 39 is passed between two rotatably mounted pulleys 42 on the longitudinal axis of the machine and after passing through the hole in the rod 36 the cord passes round pulley 33, thence around a further horizontally mounted pulley 43. So as to redirect motion of the cord 39, the cord is passed around a vertically pivoted pulley 44 which directs the cord transversely across the machine whereupon the cord is again redirected upwardly by a pulley 45. The cord subsequently passes around a free wheel arrangementformed bya pawl and ratchet located inside a pulley 46 whereupon the cord is again directed downwardly and after passing around a pulley 47 located on a common spindle with the pulley 45 so the cord is again directed transversely of the machine to be taken around a further vertically mounted pulley 48.The cord subsequently passes around a further vertically mounted pulley 49 which is attached by a bracket 50 to a tension spring 51,the remote end 52 of which is fixedly secured to the plates 1. After passing around the pulley 49 the cord is fixedly secured to a spindle 53 which carries at the outer ends thereof wheels 54 for transporting the machine. Secured to the lower plate 1 (as viewed in Figure 1) is a Z-shaped clutch separator clip 55, the distance between the parallel arms of the Z-clip being sufficient to enable the arm 30 to move thereinto. The arm 30 is arranged to have a relatively long length so as to provide a counter weight to the action of the spring 34.

Located forwardly of the pedals on each side of the machine is an arm 60 pivoted to rotate about an axle 61. Also connected to rotate with the arm 60 is a locking arm 62 connected at one end to the axle 61 and a further locking arm 63 is connected to the end of the arm 60 remote from the machine. A clamp 64 is located about the arms 62, 63 and is secured to the arm 62 but enables the arm 63 to slide therethrough, said arm 63 being locked in position by a thumb screw 65. In Figure 1, the upper arm 60 is shown in a lowered position and the lower arm 60 is shown in a raised position. An extending carrying handle 70 is provided for pulling or pushing the exercise machine and using the wheels 54. A foot 72 is provided at the remote end of the plates 1 from the wheels 54 for preventing the machine from moving when in use.

In operation, a user straps their feet onto the platforms 12 and to exercise the upper part of the body, or if the users legs are weak, so the user pulls upon the cord 39 by using handle 40. The cord 39 moves the three arm arrangement to the position shown in broken lines at which point the pivotal axis of pulley 33 is moved just past a line extending between the rotational axis of the axle 27 and the connection point of the spring 34 on the bracket 35.

In rotating clockwise (as shown in Figure 2) the three arm arrangement rotates the dog 26 into engagement with the dog 25 and the arm 30 moves under the clutch separator clip 55 and in so doing the clutch friction plate 24 is withdrawn from contact with the flywheel 23. The action of pulling on the cord 39 also causes the striker rod 36 to be lifted since the cord is arranged to be in frictional engagement in the hole in the rod through which the cord passes.

The chain 22 drive between the flywheel 23 and crank wheel 26 is, thus, removed and by virtue of the pawl actuating the ratchet within the pulley 46 so the flywheel is rotated by further pulling on the cord 39 against the tension of spring 51. Thus, by pulling on the cord 39 exercise of the upper part of a users body is facilitated.

Upon release of the cord 39 it is retracted by spring 51 to the rest position shown in Figure 2 so that the pawl within the pulley 46 rides over its associated ratchet and the abutment member 41 strikes the rod 36 thereby pushing it downwardly whereby the lower end of the rod 36 hits the striker plate 31 causing it to rotate anti-clockwise. Since the striker plate 31 is also connected to arm 32 so the pulley 33 is returned to the position shown in solid lines and the dog 26 is rotated into disengagement with dog 25. Because arm 30 is moved out of abuttment with the separator clip 55 so the dogs throw the clutch 24 into engagement with the flywheel 23 and drive between the flywheel 23, sprocket 21 and crank wheel 6 is enabled. It will be realised that the energy stored in the flywheel by rotation effected by pulling on cord 39 assists turning of the crank 6 by the pedals 10. It has been found that even if a user was unable to start rotation of the flywheel by the pedals the user is able to maintain rotation of the ffywheel once it has been set in motion by pulling on the cord 39.

The right hand pulley 42 (as shown in Figure 2) is provided so that the cord may be pulled by movement in the direction as shown in broken lines 71 so that if a user is unable for some reason to pull on the cord an attendant may provide the initial injection of energy to the flywheel.

It will, therefore, be realised that the exercise machine above described utilises two distinct drive means each arranged to drive a flywheel and when a particular one of the drive means is engaged to other drive means is disengaged.

Claims (10)

1. An exercise machine including manual means arranged to predeterminedly apply energy to an energy store through a first drive means, said energy store also being arranged to be predeterminedly acted upon through a second drive means by at least one rotatable foot pedal, and release means arranged to remove coupling between the first drive means and the energy store when said second drive means is coupled to the energy store and vice versa.

2. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the energy store is a flywheel.

3. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first drive means is a cord arranged to rotate the flywheel, one end of the cord being attached to a spring to provide a rest position of said cord and the other end of said cord being arranged to be pulled against the tension of said spring to rotate the flywheel, whereby upon release of said cord the release means is activated to decouple the first drive means and connect the second drive means to the flywheel, the cord returning to the rest position under tension of said spring.

4. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein the second drive means comprises two foot pedals arranged to produce a bicycling action of a users legs, said pedals each being connected to a crank means including a crank wheel, and an endless belt connected between said crank wheel and said energy store through the intermediary of said release means.

5. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein the crank means comprises said crank wheel, a pair of spaced longitudinal members both pivoted at the crank wheel on respective sides of the axis thereof and pivoted at the remote ends of said members to a respective said foot pedal, and securing means for securing the angular relationship of said members with respect to said crank wheel from an angle at which a straight line passes through the longitudinal axis of both pedals and the axes of the crank wheel at which no rotation of the crank is possible by the pedals to an angle at which the longitudinal axis of the members is parallel with the axis through the crank wheel at which the effort to rotate the crank wheel is least.

6. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein the crank wheel is toothed, a toothed sprocket is connected to the flywheel and the endless belt is a chain for cooperating with the crank wheel and sprocket.

7. An exercise machine as claimed in any of claims 2-6 wherein the release means comprises a dog clutch having a friction plate for predeterminedly engaging the flywheel and a pawl and ratchet for predeterminedly permitting the cord to rotate the flywheel so that when the cord is pulled the pawl drives the ratchet to rotate the flywheel and the action of pulling on the cord is arranged to move the friction plate out of contact with the flywheel so that drive to the crank wheel is removed and upon releasing the cord the pawl rides over the ratchet and a striker member on the cord actuates the dog clutch to move the friction plate into contact with the flywheel whereby drive between the flywheel and the crank wheel is produced.

8. An exercise machine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein stability for the machine is provided by a folding arm on each longitudinal side of the machine, said arms each having a locking device for locking the associated arm in a raised, non-use, position or a lowered, ground engaging, use position.

9. A exercise machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein the foot pedals each include a platform for accommodating the whole of the users foot, said platform being provided with a rear wall around the heel portion thereof to prevent a users foot moving rearwardly, and an adjustable strap around the instep and toe portions respectively of the platform for securing a users foot on the platform.

10. An exercise machine substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.