US3107914A

US3107914A - Exerciser device

Info

Publication number: US3107914A
Application number: US186947A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rolla D Swisher
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-04-12
Filing date: 1962-04-12
Publication date: 1963-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 1980-10-22

Description

0a. 22, 1963 RQ WISHER" 3, 0 5 EXERCISER'DEVICE" Filed A ril 12, 1962 INVENTOR. #a/h 0. Jul/like? 4 TTORNEYJ United States Patent M 3,107,914 EXERCISER DEVICE Rolia D. Swisher, 8547 .Ie-Ne-Be Drive, Rockford, Mich. Filed Apr. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 186,947 3 Claims. (Cl. 27257) This invention relates to an exercising device intended for exercising and athletic training purposes, and is adapted to support the body of the user for rocking movement from side to side caused by alternate shifting the body weight from one foot to the other while maintaining body balance and flexing the leg muscles and waistline.

The importance of exercise is well recognized by all health experts and the public in general, and exercise of the joints of the body produces increased muscle tone, and also gracefuluess and coordination.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to design a simple, practical and relatively inexpensive exercising device for use by athletes, athletic clubs, and also for general home use to provide exercises, and in many instances for exercising and eliminating joint stifiness caused by bone breakage and certain types of sprains and bruises.

Another object of the invention is to design an exerciser or training device, the use of which will condition the users legs for skiing, and which can be used in the home or other suitable place.

A further object is to provide a training device which is usable as :an aid in teaching actual techniques used in skiing, such as balance and timing; proper weight distribution and position of the feet, as Well as simulating actual ski motions and correct transition of body during a turn.

A further object is to provide an exercising device provided with spaced apart rockers of unequal radii and curvature, and provide pivotally mounted foot plates spanning said rockers and on which the user stands while exercising.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invent-ion consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims; it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportion and minor details of construction, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a rear, end elevational view of my exerciser, the broken lines illustrating the rocking movement.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device, the broken lines showing the position of the users foot.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the exerciser.

Referring now to the drawing wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention.

The device comprises a pair of spaced apart, front and rear members 8 and 9 respectively, which are preferably, but not necessarily, tubular in shape, and these can be formed of wood, plastic, or any other desired material, the

3,107,914 Patented Oct. 22, 1963 rocker members 8 and 9 are transversely disposed, the rear rocker 8 being of greater length, height and radii than the front rocker 9, and these rockers are connected by one or more braces 10 connected to the respective rocker members by welding or in any other desired manner at a point directly adjacent the upper bars 11-11 of each rocker; spaced apart treads 12-12 span the rockers 8 and 9 and are pivotally connected to the upper bars 11 11 by means of pins 14-14, and Washers 15 are interposed between the treads 12, and the upper bars 11-41 as shown.

Horizontally spaced friction pads 16-46 are provided on the treads 1212 to prevent slippage, these treads being pivotally mounted to insure the users foot resting flat at all times regardless of the rocker movement of the device. The fact that the rear rocker member is of considerable greater radii and size than the front rocker, and further that the user stands between the front and rear rocker produces, in use, a combined rocking and pivoting movement; the one leg being bent, while the body weight is on the opposite leg, then alternating as previously described.

In practice, the exerciser is placed on a floor or level surface, and the user steps onto the treads and begins the rocking action, as indicated in broken lines inFIG. 1 of the drawing. This produces substantially the same motion as required when skiing, it is much the motion produced by standing on the pedals of a bicycle, one foot going down while the other foot goes up and vice versa. This, however, produces a combined rocking and pivotal movement, the knee action and ankle movement tending to promote body balance and control shifting of body weight.

The speed of rocking action of the exerciser is controlled by the user, and the variation in the radii of the rocker members produces a limited twist as well as the rocking motion.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that 1 have produced a very simple, practical and ingenious rocking device for exercising and athletic training purposes.

What I claim is:

l. A body supporting, exercising device of the charac- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,906,532 Echols Sept. 29, 1959

Claims

1. A BODY SUPPORTING, EXERCISING DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING; SPACED APART, FRONT AND REAR ROCKER MEMBERS OF UNEQUAL RADII AND CURVATURE CONNECTED TOGETHER IN SPACED APART RELATION, AND FOOT PLATES SPANNING SAID ROCKER MEMBERS.