US3559487A

US3559487A - Indian arm wrestling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3559487A
Application number: US863750A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank Parlato
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-09-29
Filing date: 1969-09-29
Publication date: 1971-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 1988-02-02

Abstract

A STRENGTH TESTING AND EXERCISING APPARATUS FOR THE HAND AND FOREARM OF A PERSON CONSISTING OF A BASE HAVING LEGS TO ELEVATE THE SAME ABOVE A SUPPORTING SURFACE. THE BASE IS PROVIDED WITH A ROW OF OPENINGS SELECTIVELY RECEIVING A SHANK AND OPPOSITE THE INNERMOST OPENING OF THE ROW THERE IS PROVIDED AN ABUTMENT PLATE HAVING ON ITS FORWARD EDGE AN ARCUATE RECESS. A REMOVABLE UPSTANDING ING HAND HELD LEVER IN THE FORM OF A BAR HAS ITS LOWER END ROUNDED TO FIT IN THE ARCUATE RECESS AND ENGAGES THE UPPER SIDE OF THE BASE ENCOMPASSED BY THE RECESS. A STRETCHABLE TENSION CABLE IS CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THE SHANK AND AT ITS OTHER END TO THE HAND HELD LEVER. THE

CABLE PASSES THROUGH SUITABLE GUIDE MEANS AT EACH END OF THE BASE AND EXTENDS ALONG THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BASE. THE DEGREE OF FORCE REQUIRED TO SWING THE HAND HELD LEVER DOWN TOWARDS THE UPPER SIDE OF THE BASE IS DEPENDENT ON THE SELECTED OPENING INTO WHICH THE SHANK IS INSERTED AND THE ANGLE THE LEVER MAKES IN RELATION TO THE BASE MOUNTING A REMOVABLE SWINGABLE UPSTANDING HAND TO BRING THE LEVER DOWN, THE ANGLE BEING THE SMALLEST WHEN THE SHANK IS LOCATED IN THE OUTERMOST OPENING WHICH IS CLOSEST TO THE FORWARD EDGE OF THE BASE.

Description

A Feb'. 2, .197.1 F. PARLATO y INDIAN ARM WRESTLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 29, 1969 Tl y if f 9% M ,n ,4 em e i o vrL W NW n f WK W E m v @p/ Z7 72 y? ff (7 /o Z .l f W au //V f LY f7 ABSTRACT l? THE DISCLOSURE A strength `testing and exercising apparatus for the hand and forearm of a person consisting of a base having legs toelevate the same above a supporting surface. The base Ais provided with a row of openings selectively receiving a shank 'and opposite the innermost opening of the row there is' provided an abutment plate having on its .forward edgeY an arcuate recess. A removable upstanding hand held lever lin the for'm of a bar has its lower end rounded to't in the arcuate recess and engages the upper side of the base encompassed by the recess.v A stretchable tension cable is connected 'at one end to the shank and at its other end to the hand held lever. The cable 'passes through suitable guide means at each `end of the base and extends along theunderside of the base'. The degree of force required lto swing the hand held lever down towards the upper vside of the base is dependent on the selected-openingl into 'which the'- shank is insertedand the angle the'lcver makes linrrelation to the base'mou'nt'ing ia removable swingable" upstanding hand to bring the lever down, the angle being thesmallest when the shank is located in the outermostopenig which is closest tothe forwardedge of the base.A

This invention relates to; an Indian arm Wrestling device Claims and primarily toanlapparatusfor testingthemstrength'as wellasfexercisi'ngthe hand and forearm of afperson.

The primary object of this vinventionisZto'provile a base y.mountingia removable swingable.up'standing|` hand heldleverfulcrumed in relation to the baseto whichhand held'lever there'lisconnected `one end. of a stretchable flexibletension cable, the" extentof-stretch in thetension cable being dependent .on the extent of movement of the hand held lever, notrequiring ygreater force-'concurrent with greater-movement vof the hand held lever (toA move the same toits down'position. l

Another object of this` invention relates-.to providing a row-,of longitudinal spaced'openings inthe base 'selectively receiving a shank-.to'which the other end lofh the further'object of this ,inventionis tolprovideV guide means at each end of the base through which the cable passes.1 jv LT1 4Still` another V-object -of, this invention' relates to providing an abutment plate at one end portion .of the base opposite the row of openings the forward edge of the abutment plate havingan'arcuate vrecess and to Seaton the uppersurface of the base encompassed by the arcuate recess suchas to fulcrum therein.

Yety anotherobject of this invention isto form the shank with an eye to `which'the other'end ofthe-tension cable is, secured and in providing an opening in the `hand held lever in` which the first mentioned end of the vcable is secured. y e l Another object ofthe invention relates to forming the tension'k cable'of braided vnylon cord. Y v

A further object of the invention consists in having the guide means constituting staplesand/or'recesses` in the front and rearedges of the' base.

VStill another object' of the vinventionis tof provide indicia on the upper sidc'of the base identifying -eachlof ice the openings to indicate the degree of strength required to move the hand held lever down when the shank is placed in a selector opening.

Y Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, :my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated (in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawing are illustrated only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the strength testing and exercising apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2 2, FIG. l with the parts shown in operative relation.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the wrist and forearm strength testing and exercising apparatus 10 according to my invention is seen to comprise a Hat elongated rectangular base 12 which may be formed of wood, metal or plastic material or any combination thereof. On the underside 13 of the base 12 and at each cornet` thereof there is provided a short leg 14 preferably of rubber such that the base underside 13 is maintained in spaced relation to a supporting surface 15 which for example may -be a table top, counter, etc. The leg 14 is secured to the underside 13 of the base 12 in any desired manner.

Mounted on the upper side 16 of the base 12 is an abutment plate 18 which may be of the same material of the base 12 and permanently secured thereto in any desired manner. The abutment plate 18 is of the same width as the base 12, see FIG. l, and of a length such that its rear edge 19 is in vertical alignment with the rear edge 20 of the base 12, and its front edge 21 is disposed rearwardly 'of the transverse center 0f the elongated rectangular base 12. The base 12 has a forward edge 22 opposite and parallel to rear edge 20. In other words the abutment plate 18 is preferably less than half the length of the base 12. To insure rigidity of the apparatus both the base 12 and abutment plate 18 are made of substantial thickness. The front edge 21 of the abutment plate 18 is provided with a central substantial semi-circular notch or recess 23 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Viewing FIG. l it is seen that'the side 25 of the base 12 of the strength testing and exercising apparatus 10 in operation faces the person using the same. There is provided in the base y12 adjacent side 25 thereof a longitudinal row of

spacedvertical openings

26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33 parallel to side 25, each opening extending completely through the base 12 as seen in FIG. 2. A shank 35 having an eye 36 is selectively placed in any one of the openings and .is of a length substantially equal to the thickness of base 12. The forward edge 22 is provided with a vertical guide recess 40 in longitudinal alignment with the row of openings 26-33. A similar vertical guide recess 41 is provided in the combined rear edges 19, 20 of the abutment plate 18 and base 12, respectively, see FIG.

2, the recess 41 being located at the longitudinal center of the base 12 and abutment plate 18, as seen in FIG. 1. Provided at the upper end of each of the guide recesses 4041 are

staples

44, 45 respectively, the same being driven into the top edge corner of the front edge 22 and the rear edge 19 ofthe base 12 and abutment plate 118, respectively.

A stretchable cable 48 preferably of braided nylon threads is tied at one end as at 49 or otherwise secured, to the eye 36 of shank 35 and is passed through staple -44 and recess 40 to extend along the bottom surface 13 of the base 12, the cable 48 then passing upwardly through recess 41 and staple 45 to have its other end secured to a `hand held lever 50.

The hand held lever 50 is a solid bar of wood or other suitable material of any desired length and diameter and has its lower end rounded as at 51. The diameter of lever 50 and the semicircular recess 23 in the abutment plate 18 is such that the rounded lower terminal end 51 will lie below the top surface of the abutment plate 18 when the hand held lever 50 is placed in operative position in the recess 23, as seen in FIG. 2. Spaced above the rounded end 51 of the hand held lever 50 is a transverse opening 52 with a forwardly positioned countersunk enlarged opening 53. The other end of cable 48 extends through lever opening 52 and is knotted as at 54, the knot lying within the counter-sunk opening 52.

On the upper surface 16 of the base 12, each of the openings 26 to 33, inclusive are identified by appropriate indicia. Thus:

opening 26 is indicated as weak opening 27 is indicated as must drink more milk opening 28 is indicated as sign of improvement opening 29 is indicated as arm developing opening 30 is indicated as definitely improving opening 3-1 is indicated as getting stronger opening 32 is indicated as very strong opening 33 is indicated as muscle man.

With the shank 35, for example, placed in opening 26, the length of cable 48 is such as to permit positioning of the hand held lever 50 in its operative position, i.e., with the rounded end S1 in recess 23. In this position of the shank 35 in opening 26, the hand held lever 50 (with the cable 48 fairly taut) will assume an acute angle that is preferably of at least 30 degrees. Thus, it is seen that in the exercising or strength testing action it will not require much strength or force in the hand or forearm to move the hand held lever 50 in the direction of the arrow 56, to the left (viewing FIG. 2) to an approximately parallel position relative to the top of base 12. This movement of the hand held lever 50 will cause a slight stretching of the cable 48 within the range of a weak force. The lower terminal end 51 of the hand held lever 50 in recess 23 provides a iixed fulcrum for the lever. It is to be understood that the apparatus is placed on a table or other suitable supporting surface such as to permit placement of the elbow of the person using the apparatus in a position directly opposite the fulcruming end of the lever 50 with the hand 57 of the person grasping the upper end of lever 50 as seen in FIG. 2.

As the shank 35 is progressively placed in the openings approaching the last opening 33 the angle of the hand held lever 50 as indicated by the dotted lines of arrow 56 will increase, thereby requiring a greater distance for the hand held lever 50 to move to its down position with a corresponding requirement of greater force to stretch the cable 48 to permit this amount of movement. With constant practice and exercising, the strength of the hand and forearm or the entire arm will progressively increase as will be readily apparent.

If desired the recesses 40, 41 may be dispensed with and the corner edges of the

end sides

20, 19 and 22 may be beveled or even rounded as at 58 to avoid cutting action on the cable 4'8. It will be noted that the cable `48 extends along the bottom of the base 12 at an angle between

staples

44, 45.

In lieu of a stretchable cable, such as the braided nylon cable 48, the same may be replaced by a coiled tension spring or the combination of a tension spring and non-stretchable llexible cable in which the latter case the spring may lie beneath the base 12.

What I claim is:

1. A strength testing and exercising apparatus for the hand and fore-arm of a person comprising:

(a) an elongated flat base having a front edge and a rear edge,

(b) depending legs on the underside of said base to elevate the same ,from a supporting surface,

(c) an abutment plate mounted on the rear end portion of said base,

(d) an upstanding hand held lever removably fulcrumed on said abutment plate,

(e) a shank element selectively fixedly positionable at one of a plurality of longitudinally spaced stations on said base on the remaining portion of said base forwardly of said abutment plate, and

(f) flexible tension means connected at one end to a point on the lower portion of said lever and extending from said connection point around said rear edge and 'beneath said base, and having its other end connected to said selectively positioned shank element.

whereby with said shank element xedly positioned at a selected station and said hand held lever grasped in the hand of a person with the elbow opposite said lever and resting on the supporting surface, a force applied by the hand to the hand held lever will swing the same in a direction towards the shank element and downwardly towards the upper surface of the base to apply tension to the exible stretchable tension means, the amount of force required to bring the hand held lever down to the base being least as to the selected station of the shank element further removed from the fulcrum point of the hand held lever and greatest at the selected station closest to said fulcrum point.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

(a) said base is of elongated rectangular form,

(b) said abutment plate is securely mounted on the upper side of said base and having its rear edge in vertical alignment with the rear edge of said base,

(c) an arcuate recess in the front edge of said abutment plate, and

(d) said hand held lever being a bar element having its lower end rounded for seating engagement on the upper surface of said base positioned within said arcuate recess to provide the fulcrum thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

(a) said stretchable pull resisting exible tension means comprises a flexible cable,

(b) said shank element having an eye at its upper end to which one end of said cable is secured, (c) there being an opening in the lower portion of the hand held lever through which the other end of the exible cable passes for connection to said lever, and

(d) said plurality of spaced stations comprising a longitudinal row of spaced vertical openings each of a size to receive said shank element.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

(a) said longitudinal row of openings is located adjacent one longitudinal side of said base,

(b) said arcuate recess providing the fulcrum for said hand held lever being in the longitudinal center of said base, and

(c) said iiexible tension cable being taut when the shank element is in any one of said openings and said hand held lever is in its operative position within the arcuate recess, and

(d) the angle of said hand held lever with relation to the top surface of said base being acute or smallest when the shank element is in the selected opening closest to the front edge of the vbase and furthest removed from the lever fulcrum and greatest when the shank element is in the selected opening closest to said lever fulcrum,

whereby the force required to move the hand held lever to its down position is directly proportional to the angular movement through which the lever must move.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, including (a) a guide means for the flexible tension cable positioned on the front edge of said base in longitudinal alignment with said row of openings, and

(b) a guide means for the exible tension cable posh tioned on the rear edge of said abutment plate in the longitudinal center thereof,

whereby both said guide means are laterally offset.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

(a) each said guide means comprises a staple through which said exble tension cable passes.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

(a) a vertical recess in the front edge of said base and the combined and aligned rear edge of said abutment plate and base, and

(b) said recesses being in vertical alignment with their associated staples.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

(a) said stretchable exible tension cable is formed of braided nylon cord,

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

(a) the upper and lower transverse edge corners of the front edge of the |base and the rear edge of the References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/ 1957 Ugartechea 272-67 9/1969 Feinberg 273-1 RICHARD C. QUEISSER, Primary Examiner 15 I. I. WHALEN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 272 67, 79