GB2241902A - Excercise machine - Google Patents

Abstract

An exercising machine comprises a stand carrying a pair of seat members 13 hinged to the stand at adjacent edges. The seat members may be pivoted from the horizontal to the vertical. Elastic bands 23 are looped around pulleys (17, 19), 21 on frame. The looping is such that the bands double back on themselves at least once, thereby reducing the space required for operation of the machine. Handles may be engaged with any one or more of the bands to be gripped by the hands or ankles. By changing the inclination of the seats and the choice of elastic bands a large variety of exercises may be performed in sitting or prone positions. <IMAGE>

Description

"EXERCISING MACHINES" BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION THIS invention relates to exercising machines of the kind in which a person exerts himself against a resilient resistance such as that caused bv an elastic band.

Known machines of the kind in question tends to occupy a fair amount of space in use and when stored away. Also since many of them rely on movable carriages and the like the attitudes which a person can adopt during exercises are rather limited.

It would be an advantage to have a device which could increase the number of attitudes that can be adopted as well as decrease the space required by the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides an exercising machine comprising a stand, a pair of seats connected to the stand at adjacent edges for independent pivotal movement relative to the stand between horizontal and upright orientations, an arrangement of pulleys mounted on the stand beneath the seats and one or more flexible elastic elements looped around the pulleys and providing two free ends to which handles can be attached to enable a user supported by the seats to exercise by engaging the handles and stretching the band against the resilience thereof.

In the interests of space conservation, each band is preferably so looped that it doubles back on itself at least once to limit the space that is occupied by the machine and required for stretching of the band. In the preferred embodiment. the machine has first and second ends and each band passes around first, second, third fourth and fifth pulleys, the first, third and fifth pulleys being mounted to the frame towards the first end and the second and fourth pulleys being mounted to the frame towards the second end.The first and fifth pulleys may be located in corresponding positions but on opposite sides of the machine, the second and fourth pulleys may also be located in corresponding positions but on opposite sides of the machine, and the third pulley Inlay be located ccslirally oil the machine.

To increase the range of possible exercises, the first and fifth pulleys are capable of swivelling movement relative to the beam whereby they can serve to change the direction of the band.

In this specification, the term "handle" is used in a broad sense to include elements that can be grasped in the hand of a user as well as elements that can be attached to other parts of the user's body, such as his ankles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of an exercising machine according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a top view of the machine of Figure 1 with the seats removed; Figure 3 shows an underplan view of the machine of Figure 1, again with the seats removed; Figure 4 shows a side view of the machine of the preceding Figures and illustrates the trestle in a folded condition Figure 5 shows a side view of a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 shows a top view of the machine of Figure 5 with the relevant elastic band unstretched; Figure 7 shows another top view of the machine of Figure 5 with the elastic band now fully stretched; and Figures 8 to 12 illustrate a few of the wide variety of exercises that can be performed on the machine of Figures 5 to 7.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS The machine illustrated in Figure 1 has a stand in the form of a trestle which has an inverted channel shaped spine 10 supported on folding legs 11 and transverse floor feet 12. The legs 11 are tubular and are hinged to the spine 10 and they can fold into the position shown in Figure 4.

The spine 10 carries a pair of seats 13 which are pivoted at their adjacent edges to the spine 10. Each seat 13 is attached to a stay 30 which can slide up and down in a channel formed in the relevant leg 11 with a latch 31 serving to detain the stay in any one of a number of different positions so that the inclination of each seat 13 may be adjusted from horizontal to vertical. The stays 30 engage pivotally in slots 32 on the seats and are detachable from the slots to enable the trestle to be folded into the Figure 4 position.

At one end, the spine 10 carries a transverse beam 16 which serves as a pulley support. Three deflecting pulleys 17 are connected on each side of the beam 16 so that they can rotate freely. At the other end, inside the spine 10, there are doubling back or reversing pulleys 19 mounted on a pair of parallel shafts 20. Oppositely disposed, there are anchor pulleys 21 mounted on a single shaft 22.

The machine includes three rubber bands 23 carrying stops 35 at their ends. Each stop 35 is formed with an eye for the purpose explained below. Each band 23 extends from a pulley 17 on one side, around a pulley 19 on the same side, around a pulley 22, around a pulley 19 on the other side, and finally around a pulley 17 on the other side. The stops 35 are unable to pass the pulleys 17.

Handles 24 can be hooked to the eyes at the stops 35 of a selected single rubber band 23, or simultaneously to a selection of rubber bands. The bands 23 are chosen to be progressively stronger so that an exercising person can progress from working with a light resistance to a heavier resistance and so that different resistances can be chosen for different exercises.

Figure 3 shows the handles connected to the eyes at the ends of a single band 23, with that band stretched to its maximum extent. If the distance between the shafts 19 and 21 is, say, 800mm, the distance between the shaft 21 and the handles 24 will be of the order of 1600mm. This means that a machine occupying a length of just over 800mm can be used to exercise in an area having a length of about 1600mm.

The range of pivotal movement of the seats 13 allows an exercising person to occupy a number of attitudes and positions with the legs pressed against the floor or against either one of the floor rests 12 or with the legs stretched upwardly.

Reference may be made to Figures 8 to 12 which depict a variety of possible exercises that can be performed on the second embodiment of the invention, but which can equally well be performed on the present embodiment.

Figures 5 to 7 illustrate the second, preferred embodiment and like numerals are used to designate like components. In this case, the stand 40 has no horizontal spine corresponding to the spine 10 of the first embodiment. Instead, the stand, made of moulded plastics material, has inclined frame members 42, 44, 46 and 48 and horizontal members 50 and 52 carrying stabilising feet 54 and 56. The frame members 44 and 46 form an apex 58 to which the seats 13 are pivoted at their adjacent edges about an axis 60.

The broken lines in Figure 5 indicate the range of pivotal movement of the seats 13. In their lowest, i.e. horizontal position, the seats 13 rest on the upper ends of the inclined frame members 42 and 48. The members 42 and 48 are of hollow construction and accommodate stays 30. As in the previous embodiment, the stays 30 can be locked at a desired degree of extension by means of latches 31 and their ends engage the seats at slots (not shown) formed in the seats.

The horizontal beam 16 in this case is supported by a bracket 60 which is formed integrally with the inclined frame member 42. As in the previous embodiment, the beam 16 carries the pulleys 17 around which the bands 23 pass. The two groups of pulleys 19 are carried on the shafts 20 which extend between brackets 62 and 64 formed integrally with the inclined frame member 48. The single group of pulleys 21 are carried on the shaft 22 which extends between brackets 66 and 68 formed integrally with the inclined frame member 42.

As before, each band passes around a pulley 17 on one side, around a pulley 19 on the same side, around a pulley 2i, around a pulley 19 on the other side and finally around a pulley 17 on that other side. Stops 35 with eyes 70 are provided at each end of each band, the stops being too large to pass the pulleys 17. Figures 5 to 7 show a handle 24 hooked to each end of a single band, but it will be appreciated that the handles can be hooked to any chosen two or three bands 23. Once again, the individual bands and their combinations offer a range of different resistances to the person exercising on the machine.

This embodiment works in the same way as the first embodiment and provides the user with a wide selection of exercises, some of which are illustrated in Figures 8 to 12. In Figures 8 and 10, the user has inclined one seat 13 to an angle of approximately 45C to the horizontal and the other seat 13 to a far shallower angle.

The seats in this configuration enable the user to sit comfortably as illustrated.

Figure 8 shows the user performing a "curl" exercise designed to work the bicep muscles. As illustrated, the user grasps the handles, with the desired choice of bands 23 hooked up, and repeatedly bends his arms at the elbows.

In Figure 9, the user has arranged both seats 13 at a horizontal inclination to form a horizontal bench. He sits straight-legged on the bench as illustrated and performs a rowing exercise designed to work the arm and shoulder muscles.

In Figure 10, the user is illustrated performing a neck press exercise, repeatedly extending his arms vertically upwardly, from a position behind his neck, against the resistance of the chosen bands 23.

In Figure 11 the seats 13 are both horizontal as in Figure 9. The user lies face down on the horizontal bench which is formed and rests his forearms on the floor beyond the end of the machine. In this case, handles in the form of ankle straps are hooked to the chosen bands 23, and the user works his thigh and buttock muscles by repeatedly bending his legs at the knees as illustrated.

In Figure 12, the seats 13 are both at a small inclination to the horizontal. The user rests his upper body on the seats and attaches ankle straps the same as those used in the Figure 11 exercise. He can perform a cycling exercise by appropriate movement of his legs. Alternatively he can work his leg muscles by alternately retracting and extending his legs.

Figures 8 to 12 illustrate only a few of the exercises which are possible on the machine of Figures 5 to 7. It is believed that the range of different exercises which are possible will enable the user to work virtually every muscle of his body.

It should be noted that the pulleys 17 are, in both embodiments, rotatable about axles 90. This means that the pulleys can serve as direction changing pulleys and that exercises can be performed by stretching the bands to the side as well as in the longitudinal direction of the machine. For instance, a user seated on the machine with the seats in the Figure 8 position can work his upper body muscles by raising his arms to the side as opposed to merely stretching and relaxing the bands in the fore-and-aft direction.

A further distinction between the machine of the first and second embodiments is the fact that, in the second embodiment, the stand cannot be folded up. Whereas the stand of the first machine is made largely of aluminium, that of the second machine is of plastics, both for lightness and to reduce costs.

It will be appreciated that with the seats inclined as, for instance, in Figures 8, 10 and 12, the user applies a reaction force to the relevant seat. The seats thus stabilise the user as he exercises.

Claims (10)

1.

An exercising machine comprising a stand, a pair of seats connected to the stand at adjacent edges for independent pivotal movement relative to the stand between horizontal and upright orientations, an arrangement of pulleys mounted on the stand beneath the seats and one or more flexible elastic elements looped around the pulleys and providing two free ends to which handles can be attached to enable a user supported by the seats to exercise by engaging the handles and stretching the band against the resilience thereof.

2.

An exercising machine according to claim 1 wherein each band is so looped that it doubles back on itself at least once to limit the space that is occupied by the machine and required for stretching of the band.

3.

An exercising machine according to claim 2 wherein the machine has first and second ends and wherein each band passes around first, second, third, fourth and fifth pulleys, the first, third and fifth pulleys being mounted to the frame towards the first end and the second and fourth pulleys being mounted to the frame towards the second end.

4.

An exercising machine according to claim 3 wherein the first and fifth pulleys are located in corresponding positions but on opposite sides of the machine, wherein the second and fourth pulleys are also located in corresponding positions but on opposite sides of the machine, and wherein the third pulley is located centrally on the machine.

5.

An exercising machine according to claim 4 wherein the first and fifth pulleys are mounted towards opposite ends of a beam carried by the stand.

6.

An exercising machine according to claim 5 wherein the first and fifth pulleys are capable of swivelling movement relative to the beam whereby they can serve to change the direction of the band.

7.

An exercising machine according to any one of the preceding claims and comprising a plurality of elastic bands offering different resistances.

8.

An exercising machine according to claim 7 wherein the ends of any combination of bands are attachable simultaneously to the handles.

9.

An exercising machine according to claim 8 wherein each band has its own first, second, third, fourth and fifth pulleys and wherein the second pulleys, the third pulleys and the fourth pulleys are mounted on respective single shafts.

10.

An exercising machine substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 or 5 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.