US3713653A

US3713653A - Exercising device with rotatable handbar and pivotal turntable

Info

Publication number: US3713653A
Application number: US00085686A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Romans
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-10-30
Filing date: 1970-10-30
Publication date: 1973-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 1990-01-30

Abstract

An exercising device for use by an exerciser includes a turntable for supporting the exerciser and a frame for supporting the turntable about a pivot point. The turntable has an outer peripheral edge which is positionable to contact a fixed member lying in a plane disposed from the pivot point. The pivotal support of the frame allows the peripheral edge of the turntable to have a rolling contact with the fixed member. The exercising device also includes a handbar including a pair of handbar members, each of which may be gripped by the hands of the exerciser. The handbar device also includes means for connecting the handbar members and means for adjusting the positions of the handbar members with respect to each other. The frame rotatably receives the handbar members and constrains movement of the handbar members to a fixed circular path. The handbar device is rotatable about an axis so that the handbar members move in a fixed circular path when rotated by the hands of the exerciser. The frame is collapsible so that the exercising device may be stored or shipped in a compact configuration.

Description

United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,713,653

Romans 1 1 Jan. 30, 1973 541 EXERCISING DEVICE WITH 173,440 2 1935 ROTATABLE HANDBAR AND PIVOTAL TURNTABLE [76] Inventor: John F. Romans, 7521 Valley Villas Drive, Cleveland, Ohio 44130 [22] Filed: Oct. 30, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 85,686

[52] U.S. Cl ..272/57 R, 272/57 A, 272/67 [51] Int. Cl. ..A63b 23/00 [58] Field of Search ....272/57 R, 57 A, 57 D, 60, 67, 272/68, 79 R, 80

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,975,382 10/1934 Wrobley ..272/57 R 2,126,443 8/1938 2,469,301 5/1949 2,714,007 7/1955 2,862,710 12/1958 2,906,532 9/1959 3,062,543 11/1962 3,228,683 1/1966 3,428,312 2/1969 3,516,661 6/1970 3,588,102 6/1971 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 425,573 5/1967 Switzerland ..272/57 A Switzerland ..272/57 R Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Richard J. Apley Attorney-Yount and Tarolli [57] ABSTRACT An exercising device for use by an exerciser includes a turntable for supporting the exerciser and a frame for supporting the turntable about a pivot point. The turntable has an outer peripheral edge which is positionable to contact a fixed member lying in a plane disposed from the pivot point. The pivotal support of the frame allows the peripheral edge of the turntable to have a rolling contact with the fixed member. The exercising device also includes a handbar including a pair of handbar members, each of which may be gripped by the hands of the exerciser. The handbar device also includes means for connecting the handbar members and means for adjusting the positions of the handbar members with respect to each other. The frame rotatably receives the handbar members and constrains movement of the handbar members to a fixed circular path. The handbar device is rotatable about an axis so that the handbar members move in a fixed circular path when rotated by the hands of the exerciser. The frame is collapsible so that the exercising device may be stored or shipped in a compact configuration.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJANBO I973 3 7 l 3, 653 SHEET 10F 2 ATTORNEYS PAIENIEDJAHO 1975 3.713.653

' SHEET 2 0F 2 M/VE/VTOR JOHN E PUMA/V5 EXERCISING DEVICE WITH ROTATABLE HANDBAR AND PIVOTAL TURNTABLE The present invention relates to an exercising device, and more particularly to an exercising device having a turntable pivotally mounted about a point and a handbar device rotatable in a fixed path.

Exercising devices having movable platforms are known. These platforms of the prior art are rotatable about an axis or rocked on a surface which restricts the movement thereof to rotation about and axis. Such restriction in the movement of the platform prohibits the number of exercises and movements an exerciser may perform when standing on the platform. Exercising devices utilizing a handbar are also known. One such device is shown in Hanson US. Pat. No. 3,516,661, which shows a single free bar having angularly adjustable ends or grips. Such a bar is not mounted for rotation about a fixed axis, but is rather manipulated in the air by the user in the manner he chooses. As such, this exerciser handbar of the prior art does not follow a fixed path or force the exerciser to perform predetermined gyrations which flex his body to exercise particular areas thereof.

One problem with such prior art exercising devices is that these exercising devices are not sufficiently versatile so as to allow the exerciser to stimulate the various combinations of muscles in his body. In addition, certain prior art devices are not adjustable so as to be used by people of various sizes. In addition, many of the prior art devices are difficult, if not impractical, to break down into a compact size so that the device may be stored or moved from one location to the other with maximum ease.

The exercising device of the present invention is constructed so that the exerciser may stimulate various combinations of muscles in his body by a variety of different exercises. The exercising device of the present invention includes a turntable on which the exercisers feet may be positioned and a handbar device associated with the turntable.

The turntable is pivotally supported for universal pivotal movement about a pivot point. The turntable is constructed so as to wobble about the pivot point due to the action subjected to it by the exerciser. With the exercisers feet positioned on the turntable, the exerciser may lean in any direction and cause a pivoting of the turntable so that the periphery of the turntable engages a fixed member. The exerciser may then cause a continuous rolling of the periphery of the turntable on the fixed member by a continuous leaning or rolling action. Of course, the turntable, due to its construction, allows a wide variety of exercises.

The handbar device which is associated with the turntable includes a pair of handbar members which may be gripped by the hands of the exerciser. The handbar members are supported for rotation about an axis by a frame which constrains movement of the handbar members to a fixed circular path. The handbar members extend at an angle to the axis of rotation and as the handbar members are rotated through the fixed circular path, the exerciser is forced to flex his wrists, arms and shoulders. The handbar members are adjustable relative to each other in order to be used for different exercises.

When the turntable and handbar device are used in conjunction with each other, various desired movements and body speeds will duplicate exercises in walking, jogging, running, swimming, dancing, rowing and cycling. Motions provided by this invention will exercise the feet, arches, ankles, calves, thighs, knees, hips, waist, abdomen, back, chest, shoulders, neck, arms, elbows, wrists, the grip of the hands, and many other functions of the body. In addition, utilization of the exercising device of the present invention will increase the coordination between various parts of the exercisers body.

The exercising device of the present invention is capable of being adjustable so as to be used by people of various sizes. In addition, the exercising device of the present invention is capable of being broken down into a compact size so that it may be stored or shipped to another location with relative ease.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved exercising device which is capable of being used to simulate various exercises.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved exercising device which is adjustable so as to be used by people of various sizes.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved exercising device which is capable of being broken down to a compact size so that it may be readily stored or shipped to another location.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved exercising device for use by an exerciser comprising a turntable which supports the feet of the exerciser and is pivotally supported by a frame about a point and in which the turntable has an outer peripheral edge which rolls on the fixed member as the turntable is moved by the exerciser leaning in various directions.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved exercising device comprising a handbar device with a pair of handbar members which may be gripped by the hands of the exerciser and are rotatably mounted on a frame so that the handbar members rotate in a fixed path when moved by the exerciser and wherein the position of the handbar members may be adjusted with respect to the axis of rotation of the handbar device.

Further objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the exercising device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the exercising device shown in FIG. 1 and taken along line 2-2 thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the exercising device as shown in FIG. 1 and taken along line 3--3 thereof;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a second embodiment of the exercising device of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top view of a turntable for the exercising device of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the turntable shown in FIG. 5 and taken along line 6-6 thereof.

The present invention provides a new and improved exercising device including a turntable pivotally mounted on a frame about a pivot point and a handbar device rotatably mounted in the frame. The exercising device of the present invention is versatile since many different exercises may be simulated by the use thereof. In addition, many combinations of exercises may be performed by the exerciser using the device of the present invention to exercise many parts of the body. The exercising device of the present invention is adjustable so as to be used by people of various sizes. The exercising device of the present invention may also be broken down so that it is compact in size and may be readily stored or shipped to different locations. The present invention may be applied to exercising devices of a wide variety of constructions and designs and for purposes of illustration is described in the drawings as applied to an exercising device 10, as shown in FIG. 1.

The exercising device of the present invention includes a turntable, generally indicated at 12, on which the feet of an exerciser are positionable. A frame 14 pivotally supports the turntable 12 about the pivot point 16 so that the exerciser may move the turntable in many different directions by shifting his weight without movement of his feet relative to the turntable The turntable 12 has an outer peripheral edge 18 positionable to contact a member 20 of the frame 14. It should be understood that the member 20 may be any fixed member with respect to the frame 14. The member 20 limits the pivotal movement of the turntable 12 about the pivot point 16 when any portion of the outer peripheral edge 18 of the turntable 12 engages the member 20. The exerciser, when standing on the turntable 12, may induce limited motion of the turntable such as oscillating, rotating, pivoting, orbitting, or a teeter-tottering action by shifting his weight as will be hereinafter'more fully described.

The exercising device 10 also includes a handbar device, generally indicated at 22. The handbar device 22 includes a pair of

handbar members

24, 26, each of which may be gripped by the hands of the exerciser. The

handbar members

24, 26 are connected together by a tubular member 28. Adjusting means, generally indicated at 30, are provided for adjusting the angular positions of the

handbar members

24, 26 with respect to each other. The frame 14 rotatably receives the handbar device 22 so that the

handbar members

24, 26 rotate about the rotational axis 31 and thereby constrains movement of the

handbar members

24, 26 to a fixed circular path indicated in phantom at 32. Thus, when thehandbar

members

24, 26 are rotated by the hands of the exerciser about the axis 31, they move in the fixed circular path 32.

It will be apparent from the detailed description of the exercising device of the present invention hereinbelow that the exercising device 10 of the present invention is versatile and allows various exercises to be simulated so that many areas of the body may be exercised. The turntable 12 serves as a platform for the feet of the user who can cause the turntable to roll on its peripheral edge and thereby wobble about the pivot point 16 by shifting his weight and without turning his body. The exerciser may also oscillate, rotate, pivot, orbit or teeter-totter on the turntable 12 to exercise various parts of his body.

The

handbar members

24, 26 of the handbar device 22 may be adjusted with respect to each other about their rotational axis 31. The portion of the

handbar members

24, 26 which are gripped by the exerciser are at an angle relative to the exercisers body. This angularity changes as the handbar device is rotated which requires the exerciser to flex his wrists and body to retain his grip.

Through the combined use of the turntable l2 and handbar device 22, the exerciser may use the exercising device 10 to simulate many exercises, suchas walking, jogging, running, swimming, dancing, rowing, cycling. These motions performed by the exerciser will exercise many part of his body, such as the feet, arches, ankles, calves, thighs, knees, hips, waist, abdomen, back, chest, shoulders, neck, arms, elbows, wrists, the grip of his hands, etc., as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In order to provide a turntable 12 which moves in a manner as hereinabove described, the frame 14 includes the base member 20 to which the pivot member 34 is secured by any conventional means, such as the threaded fasteners 36, as seen in FIG. 2. The pivotal member 34 has a portion 38 thereof having a generally spherical surface generated about the pivot point 16 which is disposed from the plane 40 defined by the member 20.

In order to pivotally mount the turntable 12 about the pivot point 16, a mounting member 42 is secured to the turntable 12 by any conventional means, such as threaded fasteners 33 which threadedly engage the turntable 12. The member 42 has an internal surface 46, as seen in FIG. 2, which is generally spherical in configuration and complementary with the spherical surface 38 of the pivotal member 34. Member 42 is centrally located with respect to the turntable 12 so that the turntable may uniformly rotate and pivot about the pivot point 16. The peripheral edge 18 of the turntable 12 has a generally circular configuration and has an upper surface 48 on which the exerciser places his feet and a lower surface 50 to which the member 42 is attached. The turntable 12 is supported by the member 34 by positioning the turntable 12 thereon so that the surface 38 is adjacent to the complementary spherical surface 46 of the member 42.

When the turntable 12 is supported in the manner hereinabove described, the exerciser may, by shifting his weight, move the turntable in many various manners. The primary motion from an exercising standpoint which'could be induced in the turntable 12would be to wobble the turntable 12 about the pivot point 16 so that at least one point on the peripheral edge 18 thereof contacts the surface 40 of the member 20 at all times during the exercise. As the exerciser leans or shifts his weight, adjacent points on the periphery of the turntable 12 will move into contact with the surface 40 of the member 20. Two

such positions

52, 54 of the turntable are shown in the drawings. In the position 54, shown in FIG. 3, a portion 56 of the turntable 12 is in contact with the surface 40. The portion 56 is merely illustrative and other points on the periphery of the turntable 12 come into contact with the surface 40 successively as the turntable is wobbled. Such motion of the turntable 12 may also be understood by viewing an axis which is perpendicular to the turntable 12 and passes through the pivot point 16. Such an axis would, on movement of the turntable in the manner described above, generate a cone having an apex at the pivot point 16, even though the turntable 12 does not rotate about the axis.

The turntable 12 is also free to pivot about any horizontal axis passing through the pivot point 16. Two pivotal axes and movement of the turntable 12 thereabout are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 for purposes of illustration. If the exerciser were standing on the turntable 12 facing the handbar device 22, he could pivot or rock back and forth about a horizontal axis passing through the pivotal point 16 and between the positions shown in phantom in FIG. 2 by properly shifting his weight. Such pivotal movement would be limited by the contact of the peripheral edge 18 with the surface 40. Correspondingly, if the exerciser were in the same position in FIG. 3, he could rock from side to side by shifting his weight and the turntable 12 would rock between the positions shown in phantom in FIG. 3. Thus, it is apparent from the above description that the exerciser may utilize the exercising device of the present invention to simulate many different exercises and exercise many different muscles of his body by properly shifting his weight and moving his body.

In order for the exercising device 10 of the present invention to be capable of being broken down into a compact size so that it may be readily shipped to different locations or stored, the member 42 secured to the turntable 12 allows the turntable 12 to be readily removed from the frame 14 by simply lifting the turntable from the pivotal member 34.

The handbar device 22 is rotatably received by the frame 14 so that it may be gripped by the hands of the exerciser and rotated about a fixed circular path. The portion of the frame 14 which supports the handbar device 22 includes a flange member 56 secured to the base member 20 by any conventional means, such as the threaded fasteners 58 as shown in FIG. 2. The flange member 56 has a central opening 60 which receives a tubular member 62 therein. The tubular member 62 and the flange member 56 have complementary openings therethrough which receive the pin member 64, as seen in FIG. 1. The pin member 64 may be removed from the complementary openings of the tubular member 62 and flange member 56 so that the frame assembly 14 may be readily disassembled.

The tubular member 62 has a tubular extension 66 connected thereto so that the handbar device 22 may be rotatably mounted at a height which is convenient to the exerciser. To effect such a connection, the tubular extension 66 has a reduced potion 68, as seen in FIG. 2, which is received in the tubular opening of the tube 62. A pin member 69 is provided through a common opening in the tube 62 and tubular extension 66, as seen in FIG. 2. The pin member 69 may be readily inserted or removed from the complementary openings so that the tubular member 62 may be readily disassembled from its tubular extension 66.

To allow the handbar mounting member 74 to be adjustably mounted on the extension 66, the tubular extension has a plurality of openings 70 extending therethrough, as seen in FIG. 2. The handbar mounting member 74 has an opening 76 therein, as seen in FIG. 2, adapted to slidably receive the tubular extension 66. A pin 72 may be inserted through the

complementary openings

75, 70 in the member 74 and tubular extension 66, respectively, when the openings are in alignment. In such a manner, the height of the axis of rotation of the handbar device 22 is positioned by properly positioning the member 74 adjacent to the proper opening in the tubular extension 66 so that the proper height of the handbar device 22 is obtained. Dependent on the height of the individual using the exercising device 10 of the present invention, the height of the handbar device 22 may be adjusted to compensate for people of various sizes.

In addition, it may be clearly seen in FIG. 2 that the rotational axis of the handbar device 22 may be repositioned by rotating the member 74 about the axis of the tubular member 66 from the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 2 to the position 82 shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2. Such a repositioning of the handbar device 22 may be used to compensate for individuals of various sizes and exercise different muscles on different people.

The handbar device includes a pair of handbar mem'

bers

24, 26 which include the portions 84 thereon to be gripped by the hands of the exerciser. Since the

handbar members

24, 26 are at an angle to the axis of rotation 31 of the handbar device 22, it is necessary for the exerciser to flex his body to retain his grip and thereby various muscles are exercised. It should be understood that the gripping portions 84 on the

handbar members

24, 26 rotate relative to the

members

24, 26 on which they are mounted.

The

handbar members

24, 26 may be adjusted with respect to each other about their axes of rotation 31. The pin 86 of the adjusting means 30 may be retracted from its position connecting the common openings between the member 28 and the handbar member 24. When the pin 86 is in such a retracted position, the handbar member 24 may be rotated to a position shown at 88 so that the

handbar members

24, 26 are in different angular potions with respect to each other. The complementary openings between the member 28 and the handbar member 24 are then aligned and the pin 86 reinserted through the hole so that the handbar member 24 is secured in the position indicated in dotted lines at 88. It should be understood that a similar operation could occur to reposition the handbar member 26 to the dotted position 90 shown in FIG. 1.

When one

handbar member

24, 26 is adjusted to its dotted line position with the other remaining in its full line position, the

handbar members

24, 26 extend in opposite directions from the axis 23. When so positioned and rotated about the axis 23, the arms of the exerciser will move through the fixed path, but will be out of phase. This results in exercise of the shoulders and back muscles. Also, this action causes flexing of the wrists, exercising muscles in the wrist and forearms.

Accordingly, by repositioning the

handbar members

24, 26 angularly with respect to each other, the exerciser can exercise different muscles of his body and flex his body in a different manner than when the

handbar members

24, 26 are in the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1. It should also be understood that the position of the

handbar members

24, 26 with respect to each other may be adjusted in any manner, and the handbar members may be positioned at any number of degrees out of phase with each other.

A second representative embodiment of the handbar device as shown in FIGS. 4-6, and due to the similarity in design with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, common reference numerals will be used in the description thereof with the suffix a appended thereto.

The handbar device 22a functions in a manner similar to that described in connected with the handbar device 22 of FIG. 1, with the exception that it provides additional versatility by enabling adjustment of the gripping angle or the angle which the gripping portions 84a make with the axis of rotation 31a. By varying this gripping angle, the exercising functions may be varied. By increasing the gripping angle, the wrists of the exerciser are required to be flexed to a greater degree than when the gripping angle is smaller.

The angular position of the handgrip portions 84a is adjusted by providing

handbar members

24a and 26a with a pivotal connection to a centrally located rotational member 88. The member 88 is rotatably received by the frame 140, as described hereinabove in connection with the handbar device 22. Each of the

ends

90, 92 of the member 88 have an opening therein adapted to be positioned adjacent to a complementary opening in the respective ends of the

handbar members

24a, 26a.

Threaded fasteners are inserted through the respective openings in the

ends

90, 92 so that upon tightening thereof the

handbar members

24a, 26a are secured to their respective ends of the member 88. When the threaded fasteners are loosened the

handbar members

24a, 26a may be repositioned to establish a new gripping angle and the threaded fasteners may then be tightened to fix the new gripping angle.

The handgrip portions 84a may be in any position with respect to the rotational axis 31a and the members 24a, 260 may be oppositely positioned. For example, the handbar member 24a may be in the position shown in FIG. 4 in solid lines and the handbar member 260 in the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4.

A second representative embodiment of the turntable is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and due to its similarity in design with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and for ease of description, common reference numerals will be used in connection with the description thereof, with the suffix b appended thereto.

The turntable 12b is mounted on the member b in a manner as hereinabove described. The turntable 12b has a slot 96 therein adapted to slidably receive the pin 98 therein. The pin 98 is preferably removably secured to the member 20b. As shown in the drawings, the pin 98 is secured to the member 20b by welding and extends vertically from the surface 40. The turntable 12b is positioned so that the slot 96 receives the pin 98 therein to prohibit rotation of the turntable 12b with respect to the member 20b or the ground.

As the turntable 12b is wobbled in the manner such that its peripheral edge 18b contacts the surface 40, no rotation of the turntable 12b with respect to the ground will occur. It should be understood that the pin 98 is simply used to prohibit rotation of the turntable 12b with respect to the ground, if such is desired.

It should be apparent from the above description that the present invention provides an exercising device which is versatile and allows simulation of many various exercises which exercise many various parts of the b ast I claim is:

1. An exercising device for use by an exerciser comprising a turntable for supporting the feet of the exerciser, a frame means for pivotally supporting said turntable for universal pivotal movement about a point, said turnable having an outer peripheral edge dimensioned to be positionable to have a continuous rolling contact with a fixed member lying in a plane disposed from said point, said continuous rolling contact being induced by leaning of the exerciser thereby creating a wobbling action of the turntable, a handbar device including a pair of handbar members each of which may be gripped by the hands of the exerciser, means for connecting said handbar members, and means for adjusting the positions of said handbar members with respect to each other, said frame means rotatably receiving said handbar device and constraining movement of said handbar members to a fixed circular path, said handbar members being rotatable about an axis such that said handbar members move in the fixed circular path when rotated by the hands of the exerciser.

2. An exercising device for use by an exerciser as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame means includes a plurality of frame members and means for detachably connecting said frame members to disassemble said frame members to compact dimensions for storage or shipping.

3. An exercising device for use by an exerciser as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame means includes means for adjusting the position of the axis of rotation of said handbar device with respect to said turntable.