US3575412A

US3575412A - Skiing practice exercising device

Info

Publication number: US3575412A
Application number: US732932A
Authority: US
Inventors: John J Arsenian; George G Arsenian
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-05-29
Filing date: 1968-05-29
Publication date: 1971-04-20
Anticipated expiration: 1988-04-20

Abstract

An exerciser having a base, a rigid supporting platform with forward and rear end portions, the forward end portion of the supporting platform pivotally mounted on the base. Antifriction means are secured to the underside of the base to prevent slipping. The rear end portion of the rigid exerciser platform is mounted on a pair of floor-engaging rollers fixed to roll about an arc around the pivot axis. A braking means is associated with the rollers to regulate the body force required to rotate the rollers and the amount of brake resistance is adjustably controlled. Upstanding spaced-apart foot-retaining guides are adjustably secured to the platform and foot stops are secured to the platform adjacent the rear ends of the retaining guides.

Description

#United States Patent 3,372,930 3/1968 Sertich "I:

[72] Inventors John J. Arsenian FOREIGN PATENTS m 8 P" 444,733 2/1968 Switzerland 272/57 (horse Ammam 15620 Place 204,939 8/1959 Austria..... 272/57 West-1 Alderwood Mam", Wash: 9836 832,295 12/1938 France 272/57 [21] Appl. No. 732,932 9 [22] Filed May 29, 1968 r Przmary Exammer--Anton O. Oechsle [45] Patented Apr. 20, 19711 Attorney-Graybeal, Cole & Barnard I ABSTRACT: An exerciser having a base, a rigid supporting 54] SKIING n EXERCISING DEVICE platt'orm with forward and rear end portions, the forward end 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs. 1 portion of the supporting platform prvotally mounted on the- 1 base. Antifriction means are secured to the underside of the [52] U.S.Cl. 2 72/57 base to prevent slipping The rear end portion of the rigid [51] [In-Cl 23/04 exerciser platform is mounted on a pair of floor-engaging [50] Field of Search 272/57 (B) rollers fixed to roll about an are around the pivot axis A 56 R f cud braking means is associated with the rollers to regulate the I l e I body force required to rotate the rollers and the amount of UNITED STATES PATENTS brake resistance is adjustably controlled. Upstanding spaced- 2,455,274 11/1948 Scriver .t 272/57 apart foot-retaining guides are adjustably secured to the 3,021,137 2/ 1962 Palmer 272/57 platform and foot stops are secured to the platform adjacent the rear ends of the retaining guides.

Patented April 20, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FlG. 2

J. ARSENIAN JOHN GEORGE G. ARSENIAN INVENTORS.

I 4% M I W,

. ATTORNEYS Patented April 20, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A 2 5 4% 4 4 06. .o o o of o 222V 2 0 00000003 :V 2322 O%%@Z%%% b o o o o owgfi %o%%%% 0 0.

FIG-3 FIG 5 JOHN J. ARSENIAN GEORGE G. ARSENIAN INVENTORS A T TORNEYS SKIING PRACTICE EXERCISING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to exercising devices and more particularly to devices for exercising and practicing skiing turns in a manner that simulates actual body and leg movement for a ski turn.

2. Description of the Prior Art Various devices for exercising and for practicing turning movements employed while skiing have been heretofore utilized. For example, some of these devices are shown in the U.S. Fat. to Mautin No. 2,274,081, Denham No. 2,657,055, Palmer No. 3,021,137 and. Canadian Pat. No. 632,029. Generally the prior art devices are expensive to manufacture since they require elaborate structures to simulate actual skiing conditions. Additionally they are heavy and accordingly not easily moved or transported. At least one of such heretofore known devices requires ski boots which would make it undesirable for many people to take the time to put them on.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to a device for exercising and practicingthe turning movements employed while skiing. It embodies an exerciser platform freely, pivotally supported at its forward end portion on a floor-engaging base. The rear end portion of the platform is supported on rollers that move along an are about the pivot. Foot-retaining guides transfer the thrust of body movement by the skier standing on the platform into movement of the platform about the pivot and base. The device has the advantage of being simple, compact and light enough so that it can be readily carried by a skier. However, the construction in no way limits its versatility for simulating actual skiing turns and, in fact, can simulate bodily turning movements not heretofore possible with such a uniquely simple and compact structure. An additional feature is the provision of a braking member acting on one of the rollers for regulating the amount of force required to pivot the platform and thus is useful in simulating snow depth or other conditions tending to increase resistance to ski movement.

The invention includes among its many objects, features and advantages an ability to require the same type of bodily movement demanded in short turns or Wedels" on ski slopes. In order to move the exerciser platform correctly it is necessary to raise from a forward bent-knees position and turn or thrust the knees, feet and hips in one direction in counterrotational movement to the shoulders. This bodily action simulates the movements required for altering direction on skis. While the exerciser cannot give the sensation of forward motion it develops and exercises the proper muscles and improves balance and coordination. If a skier is absent from the slopes for a few weeks he or she can use the board for a few minutes each day and upon returning to the slopes can get back on the skis without feeling out of practice. The invention will not make a skier an expert but it will improve his or her skiing and keep the proper muscles in condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of the exercising device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the exercising device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the exercising device shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross section taken along the line M of FIG. 2 showing the pivot structure; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view taken generally in the direction of the arrows 5-5 in FIG. 3 and showing the brake features in greater detail.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The exercising device includes a generally circular floor engaging base 10 having secured to its underside a mat 12 (FIG. 3) of rubber or other friction material. The base is preferably of wood although other materials having suitable strength may be employed. Secured to the upper surface of the base by bolts 14 or other suitable fasteners is a pivot structure generally designated as 16. The pivot structure or bearing 16 includes a circular bottom support plate 17 having an upwardly extending bearing pin member 18. Bearing 16 also has an upper plate member 34 attached to the underside of platform 26 (to be more fully described hereinafter) by bolts or other appropriate means 19. Depending from plate 34 is tubular bearing housing 20 which receives ball bearing 21 and confines the ball between plate 34 and the upper end of pin 18. A bearing guide 22 is mounted on pin 18 to engage the inside surface of tubular housing 20. Thus a pivot structure for the platform relative to the base 10 is provided. Note that the housing 20 does not engage lower plate 17. The bearing or pivot structure shown and described is merely illustrative since those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of pivot means could be successfully incorporated. The pivot means described provides both vertical and horizontal thrust bearing surfaces to bear the users weight and to allow for smooth pivotal action around the vertical axis of the bearing.

To confine the movement of the platform 26 to a generally horizontal plane and to permit free rotation about pivot structure 16, the rear end portion 30 of the platform is supported by

rollers

40 and 42. As is best shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, each roller includes an axle or shaft 44 which is secured to the downwardly extending leg of an angle bracket 46. The angle bracket is secured to the underside of the rear end portion of the platform by flush bolts 48 or other suitable fasteners. As is best shown in FIG. 3, the brackets are secured to platform 26 so that the rollers rotate on a fixed axis and on an are around pivot 16. Preferably, the rollers are a conventional free rolling type having internal bearings.

For securing the skiers feet on the platform 26 a set of spaced-apart, adjustable, foot-retaining guides 50 each in the form of an angle having a flat base let 50a and an upstanding leg 50b are secured to the upper surface of the rear end portion 30. The base leg of each guide is provided with parallel slots 52 that are angularly disposed with respect to the transverse centerline of the platform to permit guides 50 to be moved relative to one another. Clamping nuts 54 are suitably threaded on upstanding studs 56 which in turn are secured to the platform and are positioned in the slots. Foot stops or abutments 58 are rigidly secured to the rear end portion of the platform adjacent the rear ends of the foot-retaining guides 50. Preferably each stop is in the form of a short strip having a forwardly directed flange (FIG. 5) 59 spaced above the upper surface of the platform. When in use it is preferable that the foot-retaining guides be adjusted such that they diverge and the skier's shoes are wedged tightly together and against the guides. In this manner the shoes will be contacting each other and thus will not necessarily contact the stops 58. In the event, however, that a child or an adult having smaller shoes is using the exercising device and there is insufficient lateral adjustment to wedge the shoes between the guides, the heels of the shoes will abut the stops to insure that the shoes are positioned properly between the guides.

As thus far described the exercising device is used by placing the base 10 and

rollers

40 and 42 on the floor. The nuts 54 are loosened and the retaining guide 50 slid away from one another. The skier then stands on the platform with his feet together and guides 50 are slid against the edges of the shoes and tightened in place by clamping nuts 54. In the preferred position the heels of the shoes will be just forward of the stops 5%. If there is not sufficient adjustment the shoes may be abutting the stops 5S. By raising from a forward bent-knees position and twisting the shoulders in one direction the skiers knees, feet and hips will rotate in a counterdirection and the feet will transfer a lateral force to produce rotational movement of the platform about pivot 16 and base 10. In addition, and in order to maintain balance on the platform, the weight must be placed on the proper foot when exercising the turn, that is, the outside foot in the turn. For instance, a right turn requires that the skiers weight be over the left foot, and conversely. This contributes to improving balance for actual skiing since the weight distribution required in actual skiing conditions is the same.

A particularly advantageous feature of the invention is the provision of a brake means 60 for simulating varying snow conditions. For example, in deep snow there is more resistance to turning the skis than in light snow. This condition can be easily simulated by increasing the resistance of the brake means. The brake means is best shown in FIG. and includes a pressure wheel 62 which is rotatably mounted on one end of a lever 64. The lever is provided with a pivot bolt or fulcrum 65 that is adjustably secured in a slot 66 provided in a downwardly depending bracket 68. Bracket 68 is in turn secured to the underside of the rear end portion 30 of the platform 26. The free end portion of the lever is twisted to be in parallelism with the underside of the platform and is spring biased away from the underside of the platform by a coil spring 70. The coil spring circumscribes a downwardly depending threaded pin 72 that is secured to the platform and on which is screwed a wing nut 74. As is readily seen in FIG. 5, tightening of the wing nut 74 against the spring will pivot the pressure wheel 62 into tighter engagement with the roller 42.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred form, it is understood that various modifications and changes in the structural detail shown and discussed may be made without departing from the principles thereof and within the scope of the invention as determined by the following claims.

We claim:

1. An exercising device, comprising:

a. a floor engaging base,

b. a substantially flat and rigid exerciser platform having forward and rear end portions,

c. pivot means interconnecting said base and the forward end of said platform is pivotal spaced-apart relationship so that said platform pivots in a generally horizontal plane relative to said base,

d. floor-engaging roller means secured to the underside of the rear end portion of said platform and positioned so as to traverse an arcuate path around said pivot means,

e. spaced-apart foot-retaining guides adjustably secured on said platform generally on the rear end portion thereof for permitting the user to transfer lateral force of the feet to pivotal movement of said platform around said pivot means; and

f. brake means on said roller means to increase lateral force required to pivot said platform.

2. The exercising device of claim 1 and wherein said floor engaging roller means are fixedly secured in position on said platform.

3. The exercising device according to claim 2, and further including foot stops rigidly secured to the upper surface of the rear end portion of said platform adjacent the rear ends of said foot-retaining guides.

4. The exercising device of claim 3 wherein said brake means include a pressure wheel mounted on a lever arm for engagement with said roller means.

5. An exercising device, comprising:

a. a floor engaging base,

b. a substantially flat and rigid exercise platform having forward and rear end portions,

c. pivot means interconnecting said base and the forward end of said platform,

d. floor-engaging roller means secured to the underside of the rear end portion of said platform,

e. spaced-apart foot-retaining guides adjustably secured on said platform generally on the rear end portion thereof,

and f. brake means on said roller means to increase lateral force required to pivot said platform.

6. The exercising device of claim 5 and wherein said floorengaging roller means are fixedly secured in position on said platform.

7. The exercising device according to claim 6, and further including foot stops rigidly secured to the upper surface of the rear end portion of said platform adjacent the rear ends of said foot-retaining guides.

8. The exercising device of claim 7 wherein said brake means include a pressure wheel mounted on a lever arm for engagement with said roller means.

Claims

1. An exercising device, comprising: a. a floor engaging base, b. a substantially flat and rigid exerciser platform having forward and rear end portions, c. pivot means interconnecting said base and the forward end of said platform is pivotal spaced-apart relationship so that said platform pivots in a generally horizontal plane relative to said base, d. floor-engaging roller means secured to the underside of the rear end portion of said platform and positioned so as to traverse an arcuate path around said pivot means, e. spaced-apart foot-retaining guides adjustably secured on said platforM generally on the rear end portion thereof for permitting the user to transfer lateral force of the feet to pivotal movement of said platform around said pivot means; and f. brake means on said roller means to increase lateral force required to pivot said platform.

5. An exercising device, comprising: a. a floor engaging base, b. a substantially flat and rigid exercise platform having forward and rear end portions, c. pivot means interconnecting said base and the forward end of said platform, d. floor-engaging roller means secured to the underside of the rear end portion of said platform, e. spaced-apart foot-retaining guides adjustably secured on said platform generally on the rear end portion thereof, and f. brake means on said roller means to increase lateral force required to pivot said platform.

6. The exercising device of claim 5 and wherein said floor-engaging roller means are fixedly secured in position on said platform.