US174499A - Improvement in gymnastic apparatus - Google Patents

Description

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H. C. BRIGGS.

' emmsncmmmws. v I N 174,499 Patented March 7,1876.

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NJETERS PHDTO-LJTHOGMPNH. WASH NGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM O. BRIGGS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ON E-HALF HIS RIGHT TO CHARLES C. SPENCER, OF EAST SAGINAW, MIOHIGA N.

, IMPROVEMENT m GYMNASTIC APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 174,499, dated March 7, 1876; application filed November 6, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM G. Dawes, of the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gymnastic Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,- which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification:

Figure 1. is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 show the frame when closed. Fig. 5 is the revolving apparatus. Fig. 6 shows the sleeve in which the rod 0 revolves. Fig. 7 is a section of the ladder.

The object of my invention is to combine in a cheap, portable, and serviceable form various mechanical devices for physical culture and amusement.

I make a frame of four pieces of timber, A, A A A", joined at their tops by hinges, a a and cut in a shape to allow their feet to separate widely in one direction, as in Fig. 1, to support the action of the swing, and not too widely in the other, as in Fig. 2, to form a proper support for the horizontal bars. Their feet are fastened securely by bolts or otherwise To the side of each piece forming the end of the frame I attach strips B B which hold the horizontal bars K in place. By the pins k k in the holes I) b the bar is secured at any desired height. To the top part of one piece of the frame A a sleeve, 0 is fastened in which the rod 0 revolves. This rod has four arms, D, at its lower end, which are hooked at their ends, and on each a rope, d, is suspended, forming a roundabout or revolving swing. For the ordinary swing the ropes d d are placed over the short bars k k which prevent the rod (J from turning and keep the double seat H always in a horizontal position. The seat is attached to the ropes ((1 cl by the ropes d 01 hooked into the eyelets d. When the seat is not used two of the ropes are attached by their eyelets to the pins d", and the other two can be used with the rings F for the hand'swing, or for v the trapeze G. The ladder I is so construct ed that its sides may be used for parallel bars by removing all the rounds i 2', except one i at each end. It is used as a horizontal ladder by being placed across or strapped to the under side of the bars K, and as an inclined ladder, k by strapping one end to the short bar k N is a board with a cleat, n, on its under side, which is used as a seesaw; a transverse groove in the cleat prevents it from slipping on the bar. M shows the same in motion. This board placed across the bars K, or, when the ladder is in the inclined position, placed under one round of the ladder and over the bar K, forms a spring-board. f and g are hooks by which the rings and trapeze are attached to the ropes. d is a small cord attached to the bars 10 for the purpose of propelling the swing. It may be used from either or both seats of the swing. h h are the pins by which the ropes d are fastened to the seat H. E is the stantially as described.

2. In combination with the supportingframe specified, the revolving apparatus (3 D, substantially as described.

3. The ladder I joined at the ends and provided with the removable pins, substantially as setforth. v

4. An exercising machine, consisting of the roundabout, the ordinary swing, the

hand-swing, the trapeze, the horizontal bar, parallel bars, horizontal and inclined ladder, the seesaw, and the spring-board, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially as herein described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HIRAM' O. BRIGGS.

Witnesses J. T. OoLDwELL, EDWIN BURT.

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