US3524643A

US3524643A - Apparatus for foot and ankle exercise

Info

Publication number: US3524643A
Application number: US755049A
Authority: US
Inventors: Willard D Hazelitt Sr
Original assignee: WILLARD D HAZELITT SR
Current assignee: WILLARD D HAZELITT SR
Priority date: 1968-08-26
Filing date: 1968-08-26
Publication date: 1970-08-18
Anticipated expiration: 1987-08-18

Description

Aug. 18, 1970 W. D. HAZELITT, SR

APPARATUS FOR FOOT AND ANKLE EXERCISE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 26, 1968 hizznml/Zozzurz: @5322, BY Su -Z M ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,524,643 APPARATUS FOR FOOT AND ANKLE EXERCISE Willard D. Hazelitt, Sr., Rte. 3, Box 131A, Leavenworth, Kans. 66048 Filed Aug. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 755,049 Int. Cl. A63b 23/04 US. Cl. 272-83 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A spring biased foot exercising device with associated shoulder rests. The exercising device is detachably connected to a bed and in the normal operating position is transverse the bed so that the users feet will engage the foot pedals while the users shoulders will engage the shoulder rests.

The invention relates to exercising equipment and particularly to such equipment for use in exercising the legs, ankles and feet of the body.

A further object is to describe exercising equipment which can be used in combination with any available household bed.

A still further object is to provide exercising equipment which can be used by persons of differing size that requires minimum adjustment which anyone can do with little skill or effort.

A still further object is to provide exercising equipment which can be used by persons who possess different degrees of physical strength as well as 'by persons who have either temporarily or permanently suffered the loss or the use of a part or all of the foot, ankle or leg.

Another object of this invention is to provide exercising equipment which will occupy very little space and which will be inexpensive to manufacture, simple to attach to a bed and effective in operation.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be completely and concisely disclosed and described in the following specifications, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the exercising equipment according to this invention attached to a bed and its method of use by a person in a completely prone position with legs extended;

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 but showing a person with his legs retracted;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view approximately on the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view approximately on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a foot pedal assembly and strap-down means in accordance with this invention.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the reference numeral denotes a part of the apparatus embodying my invention which I shall refer to as the foot pedal assembly. Reference numeral 11 denotes the shoulder-rest portion of the inventive apparatus. The foot pedal assembly comprises an elongated upright member 12 approximately about the length of the width of a bed having attached thereto in any suitable manner at about right angles two plates 13 to support foot pedals 14. Support plate 13 is constructed to a size slightly larger than foot pedal 14 which in turn is preferably slightly larger than a persons foot. Near the free end of plate 13 on each side thereof there are attached upright mounting brackets 15 provided with openings through which is placed spring pin 16 having circumferential grooves provided near each end 10- 3,524,643 Patented Aug. 18, 1970 washer 17. At one end of foot pedal 14 secured to each side thereof extending rearwardly there are provided between brackets 15 extensions 18 having openings therein through which spring pin 16 is inserted providing a means whereby foot pedal 14 is pivotally mounted. Torsion coil spring 19 is fitted on spring pin 16 between the extensions 18 with one of its ends 20 resting on plate 13 and its other end 21 culminating on the underside of foot pedal 14. Spring 19 is so arranged on pin 16 to cause foot pedal 14 to stand essentially upright when tension on spring 19 is relaxed. Depressing foot pedal 14 downwardly causes tension on spring 19 which in turn causes resistance to pressure exerted by the foot.

Toe strap 22 is provided with loops 23 transversely of its ends through which guide rods 24 slidably receive strap 22 for adjustment to fit various size feet. The guide rods 24 located on each side of foot pedal 14 at their ends are secured thereto by any suitable means. Toward the heel-end of the pedal a heel engaging strap 25 is provided with loops 26 at each end to slip over tapered pins 27 frictionally engaged in suitable openings in plate 14.

To secure the foot pedal assembly to a bed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, I provided two pairs of tie-down straps 28, one pair for each foot pedal plate 13. One end of strap 28 inserted through arch 29 suitably secured to plate 13 is provided with a loop 30 through which a pin 31 is inserted and which extends beyond each end of said loop and has a length greater than the distance between the uprights 32 of arch 29 thereby securing said strap end from pulling through said arch. The other end of strap 28 is threaded through two

slots

33 and 34 in a bed frame clamp 35 and held down neatly under strap loop 26'. Bed frame clamp 35 is of J-shaped design the longer arm of which contains

belt slots

33 and 34 and the smaller arm 37 adapted to hook on the frame 37' of the bed or springs.

The foot pedal assembly 10 may be easily attached to a bed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. With the clamp ends 37 placed under the bed or springs frame the straps 28 are pulled taught slightly depressing mattress and springs and the belt ends secured under belt loops 26'. The tension of the depressed mattress and springs aids in securing the assembly in its desired fixed position. By the aid of this simple adjustment forward or rearward of the assembly it will accommodate long or short persons or persons who desire to exercise with their legs extended or retracted as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The shoulder rest 11 comprises a longitudinal plate 38 extending the greater width of the bed provided with a series of openings 39 extending from the center toward the ends thereof. A pair of hollow rods 40 are rigidly attached to plate 38 by inserting one end 41 of the rod into opening 42 and threadably engaging said end of rod with self-tapping screw 43 inserted through the opposite end of opening in plate 38. Sleeve 44 is threadebly or slidably (illustrated) engaged at one end with rod 40 and adjustably secured thereto with locknut 45. The other end 46 of sleeve 44 is externally threaded to threadably engage arcuate shoulder brace best illustrated in FIG. 4. For added comfort shoulder brace 47 may be padded as at 48 with any suitably resilient material. Furthermore, one may pad plate 38 as at 49 and upsight member 12 as at 50 to protect against marring the ends of the bed.

To set up my exerciser one adjusts the distances between rods 40 suitably and comfortably to fit the shoulders of the user. Next the sleeves 44 are adjusted so that the head of the user will be at a safe distance from and not touching the end of the bed when his shoulders are engaged in the braces 47. It will be noted that braces 47 are oriented with respect to the top of the bed so that one end thereof rests on the surface of the bed. The foot pedal 3 assembly 10 is then suitably positioned as desired as for example in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The user next reclines on the bed placing his shoulders in the braces and slips the toes of his feet underneath the toe straps 22 positioning his heels against the heel strap 25. He is now properly positioned to exercise the muscles and joints below the knees especially about the calf, ankle and foot. If preferred one can move synchronously first one foot forwardly and downwardly then the next, alternately, or just one foot or both feet together rhythmically. It is to be noted that when the legs are completely extended the ankles permit the feet to move forwardly and downwardly only a limited distance and the closer to the body the legs are drawn in, the more the feet can move eventually causing the pedal to depress to a position parallel to the plate 13.

It is therefore possible to adjust my exerciser to limit the degree of movement of the lower leg and feet joints and muscles. As desired or required adjustments may be made permitting increased ankle movement resulting in increased exercise by placing the foot pedal assembly closer to the torso.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. Exercising apparatus comprising two elongated members adapted to engage the respective ends of a bed, one of said members comprising a board, means for adjustably securing said board to a bed at various lengthwise positions along the lower end thereof, said board having attached thereto a pair of foot pedals adapted to be engaged by the feet of the user, and a pair of arcuate shoulder rests carried by the other of said bed engaging members, said other bed engaging member being adapted to be placed against the head piece of a bed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said shoulder rests are adjustably attached to fit various width shoulders.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said shoulder rests are longitudinally adjustable to fit both longvand short statured persons.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,607,168 11/1926 Murphy. I 1 2,340,666 2/1944 Johanson 272 5s GEORGE J. MARLO, Primary Examiner i W. R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 27258