GB2160785A

GB2160785A - Exercise bench

Info

Publication number: GB2160785A
Application number: GB08516026A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Nicholas Bell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-06-26
Filing date: 1985-06-25
Publication date: 1986-01-02
Also published as: GB8416251D0; GB8516026D0

Abstract

The bench 10 comprises a support 18 having connected thereto means for exercising body muscles by exertion on or against tension. Pivotally connected at or near one end of the bench is a lever arm 20 which includes one or more of rests for the feet 28, rests for the knees and hand grips 30, the lever arm being movable against tension means 22 such as a spring. The lever arm may be fixed at different positions to provide a fixed rest to assist with some exercises. Spring biassed bench press means 40 may be provided. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Exercise bench This invention concerns exercise benches of the type used mainly in gymnasiums and sometimes in the home for keeping fit by way of muscle exercise.

According to this invention there is provided an exercise bench comprising a bench having - connected thereto means for exercising body muscles by exertion on or against tension.

In a preferred embodiment a bench has pivotally connected at or near one end thereof a lever arm which includes one or more of rest means for the feet, rest means for the knees and hand grips, the lever arm being movable against tension means.

The lever arm may also be fixed at different positions to provide a fixed rest to assist with some exercises. The preferred tension means comprises a spring compressable within a pair of telescoped tubes closed at their remote ends.

In some cases said rest means and hand grips may be the same but preferably the lever arm has a fixed rest at one end and/or a movable rest that can be secured at any desired position on the lever arm.

The movable rest may also be constrained to return to a rest position so that exercises can be carried out by pulling or pushing against the movable rest. For this feature the movable rest may be connected to one or each end of the lever arm by means of one or more springs.

For arm exercises a hand grip may be connected to the lever arm by means of say wire or rope.

Preferably the connection is to the lower end of the lever arm.

Fixed hand grips may be provided on each side of the bench.

The exercise bench of the invention may also include bench press apparatus. That apparatus preferably comprises a pair of tubular columns one each side of the bench into which are inserted the arms of a generally square cornered U-shaped member. The lower end of each arm is then connected to the base of its respective column by a spring, so that exercises can be carried out by pushing upwards against the cross bar of the Ushaped member.

The bench itself may be made of tubular mental, such as of square or round section and its seat may be of solid material such as wooden boards or of padded material.

The exercise bench of the invention can in its preferred form be used for a variety of muscle exercises including arm, leg and body muscles.

This invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa side view of a first embodiment of an exercise bench; Figure 2 is an end view of the exercise bench of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows detail of part of the bench of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows detail of another part of the bench of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a side view of a second embodiment of an exercise bench; Figure 6 is a plan view of the exercise bench of Figure 5; Figure 7 is an end view of the exercise bench of FigureS; Figure 8 shows detail of one part of the exercise bench of Figure 5; and Figure 9 shows an accessory for the exercise bench of Figure 5.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, an exercise bench 10 has a tubular metal frame 12 generally comprising two side frames 14joined by cross members 16. The bench 10 has a padded seat 18 supported on the frame 12.

Pivotally mounted on a cross member (not shown) at one end of the frame 12 is a lever arm 20.

Below the pivot point the lever arm is connected by tension means 22 to the underside of the frame 12.

The tension means 22 comprises telescoped tubular members 24, 25 being connected internally by a spring 26 attached to the remote ends of each tube 24,25.

The lever arm can lie flat with the bench when the tension means is disconnected. At its lower end, the lever arm 20 has a foot rest 28. Also slidable along or within the lever arm is a cross shaped member 30 acting either as a foot or knee rest that can be secured in any desired position along the arm 20.

The arms of the cross aligned with the lever arm so are connected by springs 31 to the ends of the lever arm 20.

For arm exercises a hand grip 35 of the handle bar type can be connected by a cord 36 to a ring 34 on the lower end of the lever arm.

The bench side frames 14 each have a fixed hand grip 37 thereon.

Near the other end of the bench 10 is provided bench press apparatus 40 comprising an inverted generally square U-shaped member 42 the depending limbs 43 of which are inserted into tubular column 45. The ends of the limbs 43 are connected by springs 46 to the base of each column 45 so that exercises involving upwards force on cross bar 50 of the U-shaped member 42 can be carried out.

Turning to Figures 5 to 9, a second embodiment of an exercise bench of the invention is shown that is basically similar to the bench of Figures 1 to 4 but has variations that mainly will be described below.

An exercise bench 100 has a tubular framework that comprises side frames 102 of stretched inverted Ushape but with ground engaging feet 104 extending outwards. The feet 104 have their ends covered by rubber or plastics cups 106 and the framework carries a bench 105. The side frames 102 are connected by two inverted U-shaped members 108 and 109 between the legs of the side frames and by a third U-shaped member 110 between the horizontal parts of the side frames near the forward end of the exercise bench.

The connecting member 108 is angled rearwardly and provides a connection point for spring 112 that at its other end is connected to lever arm 114. The lever arm 114 is connected to the horizontal connecting member 110 by a pivoting connection 116. The connection 116 comprises a pair of spaced plates 120 on the member 110 that sandwich a plate 122 extending from the lever arm 114 with a pivot pin 126 passing through them. In addition for securing the lever arm 114 in different positions the plates 120 have a series of holes l28therethrough and the plate 122 has a single hole 130. When the appropriate holes 128 are lined up with the hole 130 a pin 132 can be inserted to hold the lever arm 114 in the desired position.

The lever arm 114 comprises a cylindrical tube 134 having two opposing longitudinal slots 136. At one end the arm 114 is connected to the spring 112 and the pivoting connection 116 is beyond the midpoint of the lever arm relative to the spring connection. On the opposite side of the lever arm to the spring connection is a ring 140to which a handle bar type grip 142 can be connected via cord or wire 144 (see Figure 9). Also at that end of the lever arm is a cross bar 146 that serves usually as a foot rest.

Slidable within the lever arm 114 is a block 148 that has arms 150 extending therefrom through the longitudinal slots 136. The arms 150 are provided with hand grips 152 but can also serve as foot or knee rests. The arms 150 can be locked in any desired position but for some exercises are free to be moved against springs 154 each connected to one end of the block 148 and to the corresponding end of the lever arm. For connection the springs have hooked ends 156 and the block and the ends of the lever arm tube have loops 158 onto which the hooks 156 fasten.

The side frames 102 each have a hand grip assembly 160 slidabletherealong butsecurable in different positions by means of pins through respective holes in the assembly and athe side frame (not shown). As with the exercise bench of Figures 1 to 4, bench press apparatus 170 is also provided and is of generally the same construction.

Variations include that the apparatus 170 is movable to different positions along the side frames using the same method as for hand grips 160. In addition the bench press apparatus 170 has a cross bar 172 that extends beyond the sides thereof so that weights may be added to them. Forward facing hand grips 174 are also provided.

Thus the present invention can provide in a compact arrangement an exercise bench comprising a multifunction lever arm, a bench press facility and an arm exercise facility.

Claims

1. An exercise bench comprising a bench having connected thereto means for exercising body muscles by exertion on or against tension.

2. An exercise bench in claim 1 having pivotally connected at or near one end thereof a lever arm which includes one or more of rest means for the feet, rest means for the knees and hand grips, the lever arm being movable against tension means.

3. An exercise bench as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lever arm is fixable at different positions to provide a fixed rest to assist with some exercises.

4. An exercise bench as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the tension means comprises a spring compressable within a pair of telescoped tubes closed at their remote ends.

5. An exercise bench as claimed in claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein said rest means and hand grips are the same.

6. An exercise bench as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the lever arm has a fixed rest at one end and/or a movable rest that can be secured at any desired position on the lever arm.

7. An exercise bench as claimed in claim 6, wherein the movable rest is constrained to return to a rest position so that exercises can be carried out by pulling or pushing against the movable rest.

8. An exercise bench as claimed in claim 7, wherein the movable rest is connected to one or each end of the lever arm by means of one or more springs.

9. An exercise bench as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 8 having a hand grip connected to the lever arm by means of a wire or rope.

10. An exercise bench as claimed in claim 9, wherein the hand grip is connected to the lower end of the lever arm.

11. An exercise bench as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 having hand grips on each side thereof.

12. An exercise bench as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 further comprising bench press apparatus.

13. An exercise bench as claimed in claim 12, wherein the bench press apparatus comprises a pair of tubular columns one each side of the bench into which are inserted arms of a generally square cornered U-shaped member, the lower end of each arm being connected to the base of its respective columns by a spring.

14. An exercise bench substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and an illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 or Figures 5 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.