US3721438A

US3721438A - Swimming exercisers

Info

Publication number: US3721438A
Application number: US00056876A
Authority: US
Inventors: K Kusmer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-07-21
Filing date: 1970-07-21
Publication date: 1973-03-20
Anticipated expiration: 1990-03-20

Abstract

A PAIR OF ROTATABLE ARMS, EQUIPPED WITH UNIVERSALLY MOUNTED HAND GRIPS, ARE MOUNTED ON TRANSVERSELY SPACED SIDE MEMBERS OF A FRAME SO THAT A USER STANDING BETWEEN THE FRAME SIDE MEMBERS AND FACING TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE FRAME MAY REVOLVE THE ARMS IN A MANNER SIMULATING ARM MOVEMENT WHEN SWIMMING. THE ARMS REVOLVE IN OBLIQUE PLANES WHICH ARE FORWARDLY CONVERGENT AND UPWARDLY DIVERGENT RELATIVE TO THE FRAME, THE FORWARD CONVERGENCE AND UPWARD DIVERGENCE OF SUCH PLANES BEING ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE. THE TRANSVERSE SPACING OF THE FRAME SIDE MEMBERS IS ALSO ADJUSTABLE, AS IS THE DISTANCE OF THE HAND GRIPS FROM THE AXES OF ROTATION OF THE ARMS. FREE REVOLVING MOVEMENT OF THE ARMS IS RESTRICTED BY FRICTIONAL BRAKE MEANS.

Description

March 20, 1973 K. c. KUSMER SWIMMING EXERCISERS Filed July 21, 1970 FIG 2 lNVENTOR KASlMIR C. KUSMER mya iual All! PIC-3.4.

United States Patent 3,721,438 SWIMMING EXERCISERS Kasimir C. Kusmer, Aurora, 11]., assignor of a fractional part interest to Paul L. Romack, Aurora, 111. Filed July 21, 1970, Ser. No. 56,876 Int. Cl. A631: 69/10 US. Cl. 272-71 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pair of rotatable arms, equipped with universally mounted hand grips, are mounted on transversely spaced side members of a frame so that a user standing between the frame side members and facing toward the front of the frame may revolve the arms in a manner simulating arm movement when swimming. The arms revolve in oblique planes which are forwardly convergent and upwardly divergent relative to the frame, the forward convergence and upward divergence of such planes being angularly adjustable. The transverse spacing of the frame side members is also adjustable, as is the distance of the hand grips from the axes of rotation of the arms. Free revolving movement of the arms is restricted by frictional brake means.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in exercising apparatus, and the principal object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus which may be effectively employed to exercise hand, arm and body movements closely related to those involved in swimming. As such, the apparatus of the invention is intended to be used out of water, that is, on land or in the home, and while its primary function is that of a simulated swimming exercise, the apparatus may also be employed for body exercising purposes in general, whenever substantial coordinated movement of the hands, arms and upper torso is considered to be beneficial.

The apparatus of the invention is simple in construction and embodies numerous adjustment features to suit different conditions of exercise and also different physical characteristics of various users. It is readily portable, collapsible for easy transportation or storage, and lends itself to economical manufacture.

With the foregoing more important object and features in view and such other objects and features which may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate like parts and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exercising apparatus of the invention, taken from the rear thereof and looking forwardly in the direction of a user;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2--2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a portion of one of the arms with the hand grip thereon.

Referring now to the accomapnying drawings in detail, the exercising apparatus of the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral .10 and comprises a frame 11 which may conveniently be made of tubular stock and which includes a pair of transversely spaced frame side members 12 and a frame front member 13, connected together by suitable collars or bearings 14 so that the transverse spacing of the side members 12 may be adjusted by swinging the side members toward or away from each other, as indicated by the arrows 15 in FIG. 1. The frame side members .12 are disposed in 3,721,438 Patented Mar. 20, 1973 ice vertical planes and are forwardly convergent as shown, their angle of forward convergence as well as their transverse spacing being adjustable by virtue of their hinged connection at the bearings 14 to the front frame member 13. Any suitable means (not shown) may be used to lock the frame side members 12 in their adjusted position.

Each of the two frame side members 12 has mounted thereon a rotatable arm 16, and inasmuch as the arrangement and mounting of these two arms on the two frame side members is the same, apart from being left-handed and right-handed, a description of one will sufiice for both.

Thus, with reference to FIGS. 24 it will be noted that each side member 12 has secured thereto a vertical tubular support 17 in which is slidably and rotatably telescoped a shaft 18, the latter being securable in an adjusted position by a wing screw 19. The upper end of the shaft 18 is pivotally connected by a horizontal clamping bolt 20 to a lug 21 at the center of a cross bar 22 which extends diametrically of and is secured to a ring 23. The cross bar 22 also carries a stub shaft 24, concentric with the ring 23, and the arm 16 is rotatably mounted on the stub shaft 24, as for example by a pin 25.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the ring and arm unit 23 and 1 6 may be raised or lowered relative to the frame side member 12 by loosening the screw 19 and sliding the shaft 18 upwardly or downwardly in the support 17, as indicated at 26. Also, the shaft may be rotated in the support, as indicated at 27. Moreover, the ring and arm unit may be tilted about the axis of the bolt 20 as indicated at 28 when the bolt 20- is loosened.

The outer end portion of the arm 16 carries an adjustable hand grip assembly 29 consisting of a mounting plate 30 with two wing nut-equipped bolts 31 extending through a longitudinal slot 32 in the arm 16, whereby the position of the hand grip assembly on the arm may be adjusted longitudinally of the arm as indicated at 33. A disc 34 is rotatably attached to the plate 30 by a pin 35 and this permits rotation of the hand grip about an axis normal to the arm 16, as indicated at 36. The hand grip member 37 itself is rockably mounted by a pin 38- between a pair of ears 39 on the disc 34, the rocking movement of the hand grip member being indicated at 40.

A frictional brake designated generally as 41 is provided to restrict free rotation of the arm 16 about the fulcrum pin 25, the brake comprising a substantially U- shaped bracket 42 which is secured to an intermediate portion of the arm 16 as at 43. One side of the bracket 42 has a curved portion 44 complemental to the outer periphery of the ring 23, while the other side of the bracket carries a roller 45 which engages the inside periphery of the ring. A bolt 46 extends through the two sides of the bracket and carries a compression spring 47, the resiliency of which is adjustable by a wing nut 48. The bracket 42 is sufiiciently flexible so that the spring 47 urges the portion 44 into frictional engagement with the ring 23, thus providing a braking action for restricting free rotation of the arm 16. As will be apparent, the frictional effect or drag of the brake may be varied by adjusting the wing nut 48.

When the apparatus is to be used, the user stands between the two frame side members 12 facing forwardly in the direction of the frame front member 13, and the side members 12 may be moved closer together or further apart as at 15, as the user may desire. The two ring and

arm units

23, 16 and 23, 16 may then be raised or lowered as at 26 to suit the users height, and they may also be rotationally adjusted as at 27 so that the planes of rotation of the arms 16 are forwardly convergent to a greater or lesser degree. Also, adjustment is made at the bolts 20 to tilt the ring and arm units as at 28, so that the planes of rotation of the arms 16 are upwardly divergent to a greater or lesser degree. Finally, the position of the hand grips 29 on the arms 16 is adjusted as at 33 to suit the length of the users arms, and the friction brakes 41 are adjusted to produce a desired amount of drag.

The user then may grasp the hand grips 29 and rotate the arms 16 as indicated at 49 and 50, while the arms are approximately 180 apart in their revolving movement, thus producing movement of the users hands, arms and upper torso in a manner very similar to swimming. The disposition of the planes of rotation of the arms 16 in forwardly convergent and upwardly divergent relation is very important in enabling the device to be properly used, particularly from the standpoint of movement of the users arms at the shoulders and it will be appreciated that as the arms 16 are rotated, the hand grip members 37 turn freely about the pins 35 and also may rock about the pins 38.

When the device is not in use, it may be easily transported or stored after removing the ring and arm units by withdrawing the shafts 18 from the supports 17, and moving the frame side members 12 toward each other into a compact form.

While in the foregoing there has been described and shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, various modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is:

1. An exercising apparatus comprising an upstanding frame including a front frame member and a pair of transversely spaced side frame members connected to opposite sides of said front frame member and extending rearwardly therefrom in mutually divergent relation, a pair of fulcrum pins mounted on the respective frame side members at a substantial elevation above the bottom of the frame, a pair of arms rotatably mounted on the respective fulcrum pins and rotatable through 360 in oblique planes which are forwardly convergent and upwardly divergent relative to the frame, and a pair of hand grips provided on the respective arms.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 together with vertically adjustable means mounting said fulcrum pins on said frame side members.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 together with means for angularly adjusting the forward convergence of the planes of rotating movement of said arms relative to said frame side members.

4. The device as defined in claim 1 together with means for angularly adjusting the upward divergence of the planes of rotating movement of said arms relative to said frame side members.

5. The device as defined in claim 1 together with means for angularly adjusting the forward convergence and upward divergence of the planes of rotating movement of said arms relative to said frame side members.

6. The device as defined in claim 1 together with means pivotally connecting said side frame members to said front frame member whereby the transverse spacing of the frame side members may be varied.

7. The device as defined in claim 1 together with means universally mounting said hand grips on said arms.

8. The device as defined in claim 1 together with means adjustably mounting said hand gri s on said arms at selected distances from said fulcrum pins.

9. The device as defined in claim 1 together with friction brake means for restricting free rotary movement of said arms.

10. The device as defined in claim -1 together with rings mounted on said frame side members concentrically with said fulcrum pins, and friction brake means provided on the arms and engaging said rings for restricting free rotary movement of the arms.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,160,722 5/1939 Cunningham 27279 R X 3,528,653 9/1970 Stuckenschneider et al.

27272 1,707,791 4/1929 Anderson 272-72 FOREIGN PATENTS 94,582 12/ l 896 Germany.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner R. T. STOUFFER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 7272, DIG 3