US1969247A - Exerciser - Google Patents

Description

1934- I F. E. WOLCOTT 1,969,247

EXERCISER Filed July 3, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I g- 19348 F. E. WOLCOTT EXERCISER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 5, 1929 21 INVENTO FRA KE.

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ATTORN V.

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Patented Aug. 7, 1934 UNITED STATES- PATENT o FicE EXERCISER I Frank E. Wolcott, West Hartford, Conn. Application my 3, 1929,. serial No. 375,634 4 Claims. (01. iza-cs) My invention relates to exercisers. I

It has for its object to provide an improved exerciser. Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved exerciser unit and improved supporting means cooperating therewith whereby all necessity for providing a separate exerciser stand or table, constituting an additional piece of furniture, is eliminated. A further object is to provide an improved exerciser having supporting means adapted to be conveniently supported in any usual doorway, such, for example, as a closet doorway, and also adapted when not in use to be conveniently and compactly disposed out of the wayjinside the door, as for example, inside the closet. A still further object of my invention is to provide an improved exerciser adaptedto be manufactured at small These and other objects and advantages of my improved construction will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown for purposes of illustration one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved exerciser in' use when positioned in a doorway;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the device when in use in a doorway;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device shownin inoperative position;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the exerciser in Fig. 1

when the same is not in use;

Fig. 6 is'a partial sectional view of one end ofthe exerciser unit;

Fig. 7 is a similar view of a modified construction wherein the whole end of the motor is enclosed, and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modified construction wherein-posts other than those in a door-frame are used.

In this illustrative construction I have shown an exerciser unit, generally indicated at 1, of the motor type, andincluding at each end of its motor shaft 2 improved exerciser operating elements 3, hereinafter described, carryinig a usual belt 4; the unit 1 being also mounted on an improved support 5 supportedadjustably in an improved .manner relative to. suitable'improved supports 6 and 7 on a door frame 8.-

Referring more particularly to the exerciser unit, it will be noted that the members 3, which are fixed to the endsof themotor shafts 2, are

in'the form' of rotatable cups having rounded belt deflecting flanges 9 of any suitable length extending closeto the ends'lOof the motor and forming a shroud partially or wholly, as shown in Fig. 7, enclosing the shaft and the usual connections carried on the motor ends. It will also be noted that these members 3 are provided with a series of threaded apertures 11, 12, and 13, disposed on a fiat end surface thereof and parallel to the motor'shaft2 and spaced from the axis of the latter by different distances, the aperture 11 being closestto the shaft, the aperture 12 next closest to the same, and the aperture 13 most remote from the shaft. In these apertures is selectively disposed a readily removable screw 'or-crank pin 14 herein having. areduced portion To threaded into the same and also'preferably carrying on its belt'receiving portion or shank and between the latter and its slotted head 15, a sleeve 16 tending to'reduce the wear on the belt end. Thus it will beevident that with each end .7 of the motor shaft equipped with one of these members 3, and with the screws'li displaced at 180 from one another as illustrated, it is made possible to obtain the desired degree ofbeltmovement and to vary the same as desired through 30 changing the pins 14 to different sets of apertures 11, 12, 13; Moreover, during the use. of the device the portions 9 act not only to balance the motor eflectively but also as deflectors for the belt, in such man'neras .to prevent the .latter 35 from dangerous engagement with any part on the motor during operation,jsuch, for example, as the end bolts on the ends of the. motor. It will also be noted that they obviate all necessity for the 'provision'of any supplementary shroud or shield carried by the motor, and that these rotating members, which are ordinarily highly polished, produce a very. attractive device.

In my improved construction, this exerciser unit is also mounted in an improved manner. Herein, it is carried on a base 1'7 preferably cupped, as at 18, to receive the round bottom'of the motor casing, and on its opposite side seated on the support 5. It will also be noted that a pair of bolts19, disposed at 60 to one another, isextended throughcountersunk apertures 20 in the support 5 and through thebase 17 and into the motor casing, in such manner that these two bolts actto hold the parts "together securely. Attention is, moreover, directed tothe fact that .in order to provide for the adjustment of the use, i. e. on one edge with its oppositely disposed enlarged flat surfaces in upright planes, as shown in Figs 1, while its supporting means 6 and '7 at its ends are so connected to the doorway 8 as to support the member 5 against the opposite side of the doorway 8 from the motor unit 1 and strap 4. Thus, it will be evident that it is not only made possible to put the device into use without any necessity for providing any separate stand or table, as heretoforeprovided, but that the arrangement isalso such that full advantage is taken of the stable abutment provided bythe doorway, the pull on the belt 4 acting to bring,

the support 5 firmly against the-latter. I find in practice that the best results are obtained whenthis member 5 is slightly resilient, and ,that ai, wooden member 5 has, in addition-to this desired .The. supporting means 6 and 'lassociated with the support 5 are alsov of improved construction. Herein, the support 6 is in the form of a U member formed of a single metal strap. -Its .body is also herein, as preferably,'centrally attachedrto the door frame by a suitably washeredswiveling member 24, herein a screw having its head .mov-

able at will into a recess 24 in the -member 5.

The armsof-this'supportfi are also slotted, as at 25,and extend laterally vacross the'upper and lower edges of one end of the support 5. These slotted arms herein. alsoreceive in-their slots vertical'pins 26 preferably-suitably set in an end strap 27 carried on that end of the member 5. The support 7, on the otherhand, comprisesa strap of'suitable material adapted to receive-the opposite end of the support 5 from. above and support the latter as illustrated in Fig; l.- This support '7 is also adapted to be; attachedto. the door frame Bby any. suitable means, such, for example, as screws-28 beneath the same. Thus, it will be evident that when the device. isinf use and pressure is exerted-against the, belt 4. in ;a

usual manner, the supportfi-will be held in-the .desired position by the supporting means 6 and '7,

while the pull'on the belt'will cause-the support 5 to press the rubber buttons 23 againstthe opposite sides of the door frame;

When. the device has been used, my improved construction also makes it possible for it.to be compactly disposed out of the way in'such man- .ner as to allow fullruseofthe door and-of the closet between exercising periods. Herein, it will be noted that due to the swivel 24, the aperture 24, and the slot and pin connection 25, it is made possible for the support 5 to be liftedupoutof the support 7 and then turnedabout; the pins 26 .as it turns about the swivel 2.4, in such manner as to bring it into'the depending position illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein it isvertically'disposed parallel to one side of the door-frame with its lower end against a rubber buttony29 on the door frame and with-the-unit 1 projecting inward rather than outward, as when in use. :Thus, it

will be noted that whenever desired the device may be conveniently taken down and disposed out of the way without removing its support '6,-

and that it is also then ready to be again placed quickly in position whenever desired by simply lifting the lower end of the support 5 and swinging and turning the same until it drops into the support 7 in the position illustrated in Fig. 1.

As a result of my improved construction, it is possible for the pins 14 to be adjusted prior to use in the apertures 11, 12, 13, in such manner as to vary the amount of vibration to be obtained as desired. Further, by reason. of the-rotating combined deflecting, balancing and shrouding membersB, all danger of the belt being caught -on the motor frame is obviated, at the same time that the motor is properly balanced and all necessity for providing additional and expensive stationary shrouding is obviated. My improved construction also makes unnecessary all stands held 'bythe weightof the operator, or tables or frames requiring a rigid connection to the floor or wall,

instead being usable in any doorway. It is also possible to place. the support15 and itssupporting means 6 and 7 in anydesired elevation in a doorway when itis desired to use the belt on different parts of the body-- Further, through the 7 use of the supplementary holes 22 .and the independently- ;adjustable supporting means 6 and 7, it is possibleto adapt the deviceto use in door ways of different width. In this connection,, attention is'also directed to" the fact that the sup.- port'5 may, when desired, beturned-end for end in order to adapt it to different conditions, while by using a wooden support 5, inaddition to the advantages of resiliency and light weight, it is also made possible under extreme conditions'for theuser to. adjust the necessary buttons23 and shorten the member5 as desired, without inany wayinterferring withthe rest of the device. The unit' 1 in suchcases, and wheneverdesired for other-reasons, may also be adjusted into the sup plementary holes 21, 22', which also adapt it to cc;- cupy, a substantially-central, position in doorways .ofdifferent width orfor convenient use where for some reason a central position is not desirable.

It will further be noted that when it is in its inoperative position the 'device is disposed close to the door frame in such a position as to .make .it especially adapted to mounting inside doors such as closet doors and without interference with the articles hung inthe closet, the support 5 being close to the door frame and the unit 1 ordinarily beingbelow the articles in the-:closet and disposed so close to the door frame as in no way to interfere with access to thearticles hung above it. Attention is also directed to the fact that through my improved construction it is made possible to produce an exerciser apparatus which, while adapted to' perform all'of the functions of a: table or stand mounted exerciser, has vgalso additional possible adjustments and advantages notfound'therein and which is further adapted to be manufacturedand sold at a substantially lower figure, in such manner as substantially. to increase the possible field of use of such devices.

It will; of course, be understood that otherexer cisermeans'than abelt'may be substituted if desired. These and other advantages of myimproved construction will, however, be clearly. apparent. to those skilled in the art. 7 j In Fig. 8 I have illustrated a constructionwherein the members 8, instead of being part ofadoor frame, are in the form of separate upstanding posts 30, herein suitably braced and attached at their-lower ends, as at 31, this construction not being preferred, for-reasons above noted, but being usable under certain conditions where desired What I claim as new and desire to secure by I Letters Patent is:

1. An exerciser unit comprisinga motor-and rotating motor shrouding members at the ends of said motor, said members carrying crank pins. 2. An'exerciser unit comprising a motor and rotating motor shrouding members at the ends of said motor, said members carrying crank pins, and said shrouding members having external deflecting surfaces.

3. An exerciser unit comprising a motor and rotating motor shrouding members at the ends of said motor, said members carrying crank pins, and said shrouding members each having a series of apertures for selectively receiving its pin.

4. An exerciser unit comprising a motor and motor shrouding members at the ends of said motor, said members carrying crank pins, and each shrouding member having a series of apertures for selectively receiving its pin and disposed parallel to the motor shaft at different distances therefrom.

FRANK E. WOLCO'IT.

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