US2348747A

US2348747A - Mechanical exercising horse

Info

Publication number: US2348747A
Application number: US497986A
Authority: US
Inventors: Newinan Charles
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1943-08-09
Filing date: 1943-08-09
Publication date: 1944-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 1961-05-16

Description

y 1944- I c. NEWMAN 2,348,747

MECHANI CAL EXERC IS ING HORSE Filed Aug. 9. 1943 Patented May 16, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,343,747 I MEGHANlGAL nxsnoismonoasn. Charles'Newi'nan, Elizabeth, N. J.

Application. Auguste, 1943, SeriaLNc. 497,986-

8v Claims.

This inventionqrelates: generally to the class of: exercising devices'and pertainsparticularly to novel improvements in mechanical exercising horses,

A principal object-ofithe present invention is to provide-amechanicalhorse or a mechanical device by means of Whi'ch exercisesmay be taken which will simulatefthe-various movements performed in the riding ofahorse;

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanical horse exerciser or exercising horse, which isso constructed that desirable exercising movements can be readily "given to the arms, legs and torso, suchasareactually received when riding a horse either'a'ta walk, trot, cant'er or run, the device-being" so constructed and arranged that it may be used by children or adults without danger to theuser;

Still another object ofthe'in-vention' is to provide a mechanicallexercising horse which is-operated by'muscular'mov'ement' of the legs, arms and body generally rather than by'a mechanical means sothatthe user of the device can increase or decrease-the tempo of activity at will and is notrequired to respond to movements imparted to the exerciser by a motor or other mechanical means such as is employed in other types of mechanical exercising horses.

The present device is designed primarily for the use of children" and another important object ofthe invention is to provide a 'device'which'is so designedthat it will not only'give desirable exercise to all muscles of th'eb'ody but will require a certain degree of skillo'r "judgment'in its use" and will not'only enable a child to develop such-skill and'judgment but will also assist the childin the development 'ofcoordi'nation of the muscles of the arms, legs and other parts of the body.

The invention will be' best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken'in association with the accompanying drawing with theunderstandin'gtha't the invention is not to be considered as confined to the particular showing of the drawing but maybe changed or modified 'within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of the mechanical exerciser;

Figure 2 is a side elevation with parts in section; and

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the draw exerciser.

ing the numeral I generally designates the base or body'of the present-device'whichisin the form of aboard or'plank ofsufii'cientlengthiand width to provide a steady non-tiltable support for the Extending longitudinally ofthe top of thebase l is a bar'or rib 2 at the forward end of which there; is secured the upstanding post 3 which is perpendicular to the bar2 and which is firmly attached thereto by a bracing angle iron 4 and by a dowel pin 5 inserted from the front ofthe post 3 and into the end of the bar'2 as shown.

As. an additional bracing meansthere is provided' the obliquely extending tie rod' 6', the upper endof which extends through and issecured in the post 3'whi1e thelower end extends downwardly through the bar 2 and through the baseboard I.

The back face of the post' 3 at the top thereof is provided with a suitablerecess toreceive, as-at 1, an end of a vertically-disposed steel leaf spring 8 which is firmly fixed to the post'3 as indicated at 9.

The-numeral It! generally designates a simultation of the head of the horse with a neck portion ll, of fiat form and having a vertical rear edge face which is positioned'ag'ainst theiorward face of the fiat neck spring 8 at the top of the latter, and secured thereto by screws or other suitable securing means H2.

The width or thickness of the neck portion II is increased adjacent the upper end of'the spring 8, by the application of the plates or blocks E3 to the'opposite side of'the ne'ck'l l and extend ing transversely through these blocks and the neck is a handle bar l4, upon each end of which is a hand grip or knob I5. While the handle bar has been described as extending through the parts I! and I3 it will, of course, be understood that this'may be made up of two separate bar members having their end'ssecured in the'plates l3 if desired.

Upon the base I at each side of the rib 2 there is secured a stirrup block I 6. Upon the top of each stirrup block 16 is secured horizontally, a substantially U-shaped spring, which is formed of suitably broad flat springl metal. This spring stirrup is generally indicatedby the'numeral I! and, as shown, one side or leg I8 thereof lies upon the top of a block l6 so that the loop IQ of the spring extends beyond the rear edge of the block. This looped portion of the spring is shaped to hang or bend downwardly partly across the rear edge of the block as indicated at 20, thereby giving the top leg 2| of the spring a somewhat wider or greater range of movement than would be the case if the loop were placed directly upon the top of the block.

At the forward end of the top portion 2| of each stirrup spring I! there is fixed a wood foot piece or tread 22, across the top of which is secured loosely to receive the toe of the rider, a leather or canvas strap 23.

In practice the stirrup blocks and stirrups will be mounted upon the base board I, with the left stirrup slightly in advance of the right one. By this arrangement the user of the exerciser is able to maintain a better balance than would be the case if the stirrups were disposed on a line extending straight across or perpendicular to the bar 2 of the device.

In the operation or use of the exerciser the operator or rider stands with his feet each upon a stirrup block 22 with the toe engaged beneath the adjacent strap 23 and leans forward in a riding position, holding the handle bars at the sides of the neck. He then moves or swings his body up and down, flexing or bending the legs at the knees while at the same time pushing and pulling the horses head back and forth or toward and away from himself. This operation puts the foot or stirrup springs and the horses head or foresection of the exerciser into oscillating motion as a result of which the operator or rider automatically moves himself up and down in'a manner very similar to that followed in riding a trotting or running horse.

While the use'of flat metal springs or spring leaves in the foresection of the exerciser and in the stirrups, is preferred it will be apparent that compression or coil springs may effectively be employed and therefore it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific type of spring shown.

In order to facilitate the moving of the exer-' ciser from place to place, there may be attached to the front of the post 3 a handle strap 24, of leather, fabric or other suitable material. By the use of this strap the device can be slid over the floor from place to place.

It will be seen from the foregoing that there is provided in the present invention a single but strong and durable exercising device, by the use of which there may be obtained all of the sensations of riding a living horse together with the muscle exercise attendant upon such activity.

I claim:

1. An exercising device comprising a base, a pair of spring supported stirrups mounted upon said base, a vertically extending resiliently supported body upon the base and disposed in a plane passing between said stirrups, and hand grips carriedby the resiliently supported body to be grasped while standing upon said stirrups.

2. A mechanical exerciser of the character stated, comprising a base, a pair of stirrups, spring means supporting each stirrup upon the base for up and down movements, an elongated spring member-disposedvertically with respect to and supported upon the base in a plane passing between said stirrups, and means carried by and upon the upper end of said spring member forming hand grips.

3. A mechanical exerciser as set forth in claim 2 wherein said spring supported stirrups are arranged one in advance of the other.

4. A mechanical exercising horse, comprising a base, an upstanding post secured to said base upon the longitudinal center thereof, a head, a vertically disposed spring attached at one end to said post and having its other end connected with said head, said spring being designed to oscillate in the direction of the length of the base, means connected with the head forming hand grips, and resilient vertically movable stirrups secured to the base at opposite sides of the longitudinal center thereof.

5. An exerciser as set forth in claim 4 in which each of said stirrups comprises a substantially U-shaped leaf spring disposed parallel to the longitudinal center of the base and having its open side directed forwardly and with one leg secured to the base, a foot block secured to the free end of the other leg of each ofsaid 'U -shaped springs, and a toe strap disposed'across each foot block.

6. A mechanical exerciser as set forth in' claim 4, in which each of said stirrups comprises a stirrup block mounted upon the base, a substantially U-shaped leaf spring disposed horizontally and having one leg secured to the topof the stirrup block, the closed or looped portion of each U-shaped spring being extended rearwardly beyond the rear edge of the underlying stirrup block and bent downwardly toward the base, and a foot block secured upon the top of the other and upper leg of each of the U-shaped springs.

7. A mechanical exerciser as set forth in claim 4, in which each of said stirrups comprises a stirrup block mounted upon the base, a substantially U-shaped leaf spring disposed horizontally and having one leg secured to the top of the stirrup block, the closed or looped portion of each U-shaped spring being extended rearwardly beyond the rear edge of the underlying block and bent downwardly toward the base, and a foot block secured upon the top of the otherand upper leg of each of the U-shaped springs, said stirrups being arranged with one in advance of the other.

8. A mechanical exercising horse, comprising a base plate, a bar secured to the top of and extending longitudinally of said base plate, a post secured to one end of and extending vertically from said bar, a leaf spring secured at one end of the said post and extending ,vertically, a horses head simulating unit secured to the upper end of the leaf spring atthe side thereof remote from the base, 'means forming hand grips at opposite sides of said unit, and a pair of stirrups supported upon the base, one upon each side of said bar and each of said stirrups comprising a horizontally disposed substantially U-shaped leaf spring having its looped end directed towards the rear-of the base and substantially parelleling said bar, and each, of said U-shaped springs supporting a foot block upon the upper side thereof and at the end re mote from the said looped end.

CHARLES NEWMAN. I