US3528656A

US3528656A - Elastic type exercising device

Info

Publication number: US3528656A
Application number: US726491A
Authority: US
Inventors: Karl-Theodor Haanen
Original assignee: KARL THEODOR HAANEN
Current assignee: KARL THEODOR HAANEN
Priority date: 1967-09-14
Filing date: 1968-05-03
Publication date: 1970-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 1987-09-15
Also published as: FR1580653A; GB1175335A

Description

Se t. 15, 1970 KARL-THEODOR HAANEN 3,523,655

ELASTIC TYPE EXERGISING DEVICE Filed May 5, 1968 F 3 l?? {e /6, 2 59 I I l I f/VVE/VTO/Q:

United States Patent ELASTIC TYPE EXERCISING DEVICE Karl-Theodor Haanen, 6a Altenberger Weg, Solingen, Germany Filed May 3, 1968, Ser. No. 726,491 Claims priority, application Germany, Sept. 14, 1967, Sch 41,307

Int. Cl. A63b 21/02 US. Cl. 272-82 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An exercising apparatus which comprises a pair of handles and a plurality of elastic ropes extending between and connected to said handles by means of U- shaped fastening elements. Each fastening element consists of a web portion, two defiectable stepped shanks projecting from the web portion, and hook-shaped catch members integrally formed with the free ends of the shanks. Each handle has a plurality of apertures for the reception therein of the fastening elements such that the catch members of the latter bear against the side of the handles remote from the ropes, whereas the web portion of each fastening element bears against the side of the handle which faces the ropes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an expander or exercising apparatus which comprises two frame-like handles, a plurality of ropes extending between and connected at their opposite ends to said handles by means of stepped fastening elements which allow assembling and disassembling the expander in an easy and reliable manner.

In conventional expanders, the individual ropes are fastened to the frame-like handles by means of conical helical springs which, on the one hand, receive the ends of the ropes and, on the other hand, have a hook engageable in lugs provided on the handles. While the conventional fastening elements serve their intended purposes within certain inherent limitations, they can only provide a slack connection between the ropes and the handles in order to allow the ropes to be easily detached from the lugs on the handles. Such easy removal of the ropes from the handles is necessary particularly because the strength of the expander must be variable by varying the number of ropes without the necessity of having to apply much force. The known connection between the ropes and the handles, however, is not quite satisfactory as unintentional removal of one or more ropes may occur during exercise which may lead to serious injuries to the user of the expander. Further, the fastening element will expand when being subjected to increased loads, and this will result in an increase in diameter of the end of the spring adjacent the hook. This entails the danger that the rope will be released from the fastening element which may likewise cause serious injuries to the user. Due to the slack connection between the ropes and the handles disturbing rattling noise permanently occurs during exercise. Furthermore, in the case when the end of the fastening element has a burr, the rope may be easily damaged. Several proposals have already been made in the art to provide a safe connection between the ropes and the handles of an expander. According to one of said prior art proposals, a sleeve is screwed onto the free end of the hook and is screwed back into the lug after the hook has been nested to the lug of the handle so that the hook cannot detach from the lug. However, as experience has shown, this type of locking means is unsatisfactory as screwing the sleeve is frequently omitted. In another prior art proposal, the straight wire end of the fastening ele- "ice ment is provided with a ball which can be suspended in the handle. To this end, one of the transverse arms of each of the frame-shaped handles is provided with an axial bore for the reception of the balls of the individual fastening elements as well as with openings and slide and guide slots for the introduction of the balls. Such a ball suspension ensures a safe connection between the ropes and the handles while rattling noise still occurs during exercise. Production of the handle, however, is so complicated and therefore so expensive that provision of such handles results in excessive manufacturing costs of the expander. The same applies to fastening means which require the provision of separate securing equipment on the handle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the present invention to provide a fastening element which provides an easily detachable positive connection between elastic rubber ropes and a holding member, for instance the handles of an expander, and which allows the use of a handle made in one piece from plastics material.

To attain this object, the present invention provides an expander which comprises a plurality of elastic ropes; a substantially U-shaped fastening element secured to each end of said ropes and consisting of a web portion, two deflectable shanks projecting from said web portion, and hook-shaped catch members integrally formed with the free ends of the shanks; a pair of handles having a plurality of apertures for the reception of the fastening elements such that the catch members of the latter bear against the side of the handles remote from the ropes, whereas the web portion of each fastening element bears against the side of the handle which faces the ropes.

Accodring to another feature of the present invention, the apertures in the handles and the shanks of the fastening elements may each comprise a stepped portion for cooperation with each other on the side of the handle facing the ropes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of one end of an expander according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken on the line IIII of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is an end view of one expander handle seen in the direction of the arrow A of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the reference numeral 1 indicates the elastic rubber ropes of an expander or exercising apparatus. Each end of the ropes carries a substantially U-shaped fastening element 2 by being passed through a hole in the web of said fastening element 2 and held in position by means of a ring 3 tightly engaging the circumference of the rope I and bearing against the inner surface of the web of the fastening element 2. The shanks of the fastening element 2 are resilient and adapted to be deflected towards each other and formed at their free ends with laterally projecting hook-like catch members 4. Further, behind a straight portion adjacent the web the shanks of the fastening element 2 have a smaller width, thus providing stepped shoulders 5. The reference numeral 6 indicates a framelike handle of the expander, which is made in one piece from plastics material. The handle 6 has a foot or connecting base portion 7 which is provided with equidistantly spaced apertures 8 opening into recesses 9 provided in the narrow outer face of the foot or connecting base portion 7 and having a wider cross section than the apertures 8. The recesses 9 are adapted to receive the straight portion of the fastening elements 2. Further, the narrow inner face of the foot or connecting base portion 7 of the handle 6 has inclined surfaces 10 located opposite each other in the area of each aperture 8 and sloping towards the wall of each aperture 8. These inclined surfaces 10 provide supports for the hook-like catch members 4 of the shanks of the fastening elements 2.

The fastening elements 2 preferably are made of acetal resin as this material ensures maximum and permanent flexibility.

To connect the ropes 1 to the handles 6 of the expander, the fastening elements 2 are introduced into the apertures 8 whereby their shanks are automatically deflected towards each other until the catch members 4 of the shanks have passed the apertures 8. At this instant, the shanks relax and their catch members 4 come to rest against the inclined surfaces of the handles 6. Moreover, as the stepped shoulders 5 of the shanks of the fastening elements 2 bear against the stepped portion 9a located at the bottom of the recesses 9 in the foot or connecting base portion 7 of the handles 6, the fastening elements 2 and, consequently, the ropes 1 are locked against displacement in both directions and the ropes are securely connected to the handles 6 in a simple manner.

To detach the ropes 1 from the handles 6, it will be merely necessary to tension the shanks of the fastening elements 2 by laterally pressing with the fingers against the catch members 4 until the fastening elements 2 can be removed from the apertures 8 of the handles 6 without being obstructed by the catch members 4.

The present invention is not restricted to exercising apparatus comprising elastic rubber ropes but also covers exercising apparatus which make use of steel springs.

Although the fastening element according to the invention is shown and described in connection with an expander, it is noted that it may also be used in any similar structure requiring fastening means allowing fast and easy detachment.

What is claimed is:

1. An exercising apparatus comprising:

(a) means removably connecting a plurality of elastic ropes to at least one handle member,

(b) said connecting means including a fastening element secured to a free end of each of the ropes, (0) each said fastening element including a web portion, two deflectable free ended shanks projecting from the web portion to form a substantially U- shaped cross-section, stepped shoulders located along said shanks and catch means located at the free ends of said shanks,

(d) each said handle member including a connecting base portion having a plurality of apertures to receive each fastening element,

(e) each said aperture having a structural configuration including a stepped portion to cooperate with the stepped shoulders of the fastening element and an edge portion which cooperates with the catch means to secure the fastening element to the connecting base portion.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said catch means includes a hook shaped catch member integrally formed with the free ends of the shanks.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein each said aperture includes a narrow portion through which the catch members are moved in a direction parallel to the axis of the fastening element.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein each said fastening element is rotatably secured when in a locked position with respect to the aperture in the connecting base portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1904 Roberts 272-82 3/1960 McIntosh 27282 US. Cl. X.R. 24215