US399942A - Coin-controlled strength-tester - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 sneethsne t 1.

G. SOEDING.

COIN CONTROLLED STRENGTH TESTER. No. 399,942. Patented Mar. 19, 1889.

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G. SOEDING.

COIN CONTROLLED STRENGTH TESTER. v No. 399,942. Patented Mar. 19,1889.

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N. PETERS, Phowumc m hu. Walhingium I) t UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAV SOEDING, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

" COIN-CONTROLLED STRENGTH-TESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,942, dated March 19, 1889. Application filed October 15, 1888. $erial No. 288,150. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV SOEDING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in COlIl-COH- trolled Strengtlr'lesters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to that class of apparatus designated as strength-testers, or dynamometers, and has for itsobject the provision of a construction whereby a single machine will serve to register the amount of pounds pressure persons can exert by hand, either in pulling, pushing, or gripping, each of these ends being attained independently of each other and without in any way changing the arrangement of its mechanism to accommodate it to either of the aboveenumerated functions, the operation of the machine being dependent upon the dropping of a coin of a certain predetermined denomination into a suitable receptacle therefor provided.

As heretofore constructed, machines of this class have been all provided with circular scales or dials with hands or pointers operating in conjunction therewith for registering the strength of muscular power exerted by the operator on the handles thereof. My in vention provides a registering device in the form of an upright tube or pipe with the figures arranged one above another, instead of in a circle, and the scale being in full viewof the operator, so that he can see how far he has forced the indicator, and in view of this feature can ascertain accurately the very utmost of his strength.

In gripping devices as heretofore constructed there have been provided stationary handles or bars with movable handles, &c., arranged relatively thereto, the stationary hair dles serving as abrace to rest the palm of the hand against, and the movable one being grasped by the fingers and a pulling action being imposed upon the said handle. lliiyinvention provides two movable handles, one within the other, and being actuated each by the other, but moving in opposite directions, so that if one be drawn outwardly the other will be forced inwardly. Therefore, if both be grasped by the hand, the inner handle by the fingers and the outer by the thumb and palm, a perfect gripping effect will result.

My invention therefore consists in the combi nation, in a strength-tester or dynamometer, of two movable handles, one within the other and moving in opposite directions, with mechanism of peculiar construction for disclosing the amount of muscular power exert-ed in the act of pulling, pushing, and gripping; also, in the peculiar arrangement and combination of parts, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention complete. Fig. 2 is a rear view with door removed, the upper and lower parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a front view, partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a detail of pulling and pushing racks and pinion. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the coin-actuated lever, enlarged. Fig. 6 is a detail of modification of registering device.

A is the inclosing-case, in the form of akeg or small barrel, and mounted on a stand, B, which stand is bolted or otherwise secured to the floor by means of its enlarged or flaring base. As will be noted, this case or barrel is formed with a bung-hole opening, a, for the reception of the lower end of the stand-pipe or indicator-tube O. Opposite the hole a, and cast integral with barrel A, is an elongated boss, a, which is screwed or otherwisesecured in the base or stand B.

D is the pulling-handle, of stirrup form, and secured on the end of a square spring-encircled red, (I, this red passing through an opening in the head of the case A, and terminating at its inner end in :rack cl. This rack d engages with pinion 6, cast with the grooved wheel E, and is supported by the upright E, in which it slides.

Midway between the ends of the rod (Z is a collar, (1 provided with a shoulder, (1 on its upper edge for engagement with the end or head f of the locking-bar F. The collar (1 is bolted to the rod (1 and receives the impact of one end of the helical spring G, the other end pressing against the inner side of the barrelhead a When handle D is drawn outwardly, or the handle I pressed inwardly, the effect is the rotation of the wheel E and the pinion e.

In the groove of the wheel E runs a cord or belt, h, which passes over idler h, thence over pulley 0, near the top of stand-pipe O, and down to the indicator H, where it is fastened to an eye on one end of the indicator, the other end of the cord being similarly secured. This indicator is in the form of a straight piece of metal with eyes or loops in each end,

and in the face or front of the metallic piece is screwed or otherwise secured a finger or pointer, h for registering with the figures on the plate 0' and indicating the amount of pounds pressure exerted on the handles.

When, as above remarked, the rod d is moved outwardly against resistance of the helical spring G, the wheel E will rotate, thereby causing the belt h, with the indicator H, to rise toward the top of the pipe 0, thus correctly registering with the figures on the front thereof and immediately dropping to its normal position, when the pulling action is re leased, owing to the reverse action of the spring G. The wheel E, as shown, is secured on a shaft, 6, which shaft is journaled in bosses e on the inner sides of the case on screws passing through said case and into the ends of said shaft. The handle I, which is of U form, passes through openings in the head of the case A, bending upwardly and terminating in racks 2', which engage with pinions K on bosses lo.

Branching out from each side of the collar d is an arm, 61, which extends for a short distance toward the sides of the casing A, then dropping downwardly a short distance and again bendingtoward the rear of the appara tus and terminating in racks d which engage with pinions K on the opposite sides from that of racks 'i, so that, as will be readily observed, any movement of handles D will, through pinions K, actuate handle I in the reverse direction, and vice versa. At the same time the registering device will be operated by means of the wheel E and the pinion c and the belt h, thus attaining the desired end and aifording a perfect gripping action. This arrangement will also permit the independent operation of either of the handles D and I, the registering mechanism operating in either case.

L is the coin-actuated lever, fulcrumed on a pin, Z, in hanger Z. As will be observed, this lever is pivoted near its rear end, so that the weight of a single coin imposed upon its opposite end will depress said end, causing its rear end to rise and carry with it, through the medium of a connecting-bar, f, the locking-bar F, which locking-bar is pivoted on a pin, f, in a boss or lug, f This raising of the locking-bar will permit of the pulling out of the handle D for any distance, and when the pulling action ceases said handle with its bar (Z will be forced back by the spring Gto its normal position. The beveled edge of the head f of the lever F permits collar (1 to slide easily to the rear of said head f, thereby automatically locking itself.

As shown in Fig. 5, the end of the lever L which receives the coin is formed with an enlarged flat portion, M, in which is a circular opening, on, of slightly smaller diameter than that of a coin, preferably a five-cent piece, so that a coin, after being dropped into the slot n and passing through conveyer N, will rest edgewise in this circular opening It will also be noted that the lower end, it, of the conveyer N extends through the circular opening and for a short distance below the same, thus slightly tilting the coin and holding it so until the lever L has begun to drop, and by the time the lever L has completed its downward movement the coin will have assumed a flat position on the part M. Thus it will be in position to be easily displaced, which displacement is accomplished through the medium of a bent wire, d, which is secured to the rod d and strikes against the pin f in the end of the lever L, thus jarring said lever and causing the coin to fall into the bottom of the case or barrel A, from whence it can be removed at will by removing the back or door O,which is held in place by lugs or otherwise. This door may be of any desired form, and need not be further described.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings I have shown. a modification of the registering device, in which I have substituted a toothed wheel, P, with a pinion, p, to engage with the rack d on the pulling-bar cl. This construction can be used in place of the hereinbefore-described cord and pulleys. The perpendicular rack-harp has at its upper end a pointer, 71?, for registering purposes. If found desirable, I may place a spiral. spring on each of the arms 2' of handle I, instead of the single spring G on the pull-bar d, thus employing a pair of springs instead of one spring, The bar cZ would in that event operate in the same manner and.

as effectually as in the first instance, only that this bar would be indirectly acted upon by the springs.

The hereinbefore-described construction affords a device perfectly adapted for the purposes for which it is intended, needing no attention whatever and being always ready for use, there being no manipulation of any of its parts necessary previous to such use. IVhen either of the handles have been re leased, the indicator will immediately drop to zero-point and the bars assume their normal position and automatically lock themselves and cannot be withdrawn or otherwise operated until a coin is placed in the slot, as described.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

i. In a coin-controlled strength-tester, the combination of the two movable handles, one

within the other and moving in opposite directions in a parallel plane, a helical spring resisting the movement of the handles, apair of gear-Wheels, racks connected With the handles and transmitting their motion to the Wheels, a registering device, and intermediate mechanism controlling the registering device, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a coin-controlled strength-tester, the combination of the movable handles, one Within the other, a helical spring resisting the movement of the handles, a registering device consisting of a straight vertical scale and a verticallymoving pointer, the gear-Wheels and mechanism intermediate the gear-Wheels and the register, and racks connected With the said handles, whereby the amount of muscular strength exerted on said handles is indicated, as and for the purpose set forth.

In a coin-controlled strength-tester, the combination, with the handle D and the handle I, having the rack t' and the pinion K, of the grooved Wheel E and the shaft c, the pinion e on said shaft, the idler h, the pulley c, the cord h, and the indicator H 7L2, all combined for operation substantially as described.

4. In a coin-controlled strength-tester, the combination, With the handle D, having the spring-encircled rod (1, the rack (:Z, the arms (1 and the racks d thereon, the handle I, having the racks 1i thereon, the pinions K and e, and the conveyer N, of the bent Wire d, secured in the rod (Z, the pin f, the lever L, pivoted on the pin f and the receiver M on said lever L, whereby the Wire d striking the pin f will jar the coin off the receiver, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a coin-controlled strength-tester, the combination, with the handle D, having the spring-encircled rod (1, the racks d, the arms d, and the racks (1 the handle I, having the racks t', and the pinions K and e, engaged by said racks, of the coin-lever L, provided with the ring M, the coin-conveyer N, the said conveyer and ring operating to change the coin from a perpendicular to a horizontal position on said ring, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a coin-controlled strength-tester, the combination, with the case A, of the handles D and I, the rod d, the helical spring G on said rod, the collar (1 carrying the forked arms (F, the racks d 1', and d, shaft 9 journaled in the bosses e and carrying the pinion e, and the Wheel E, the cord h, the idler h, the pulley c, the indicator H 7L the pipe C, the conveyer N, the lever L, the ring M, the hanger Z, the locking-bar F, having the head f, the barf, the Wire 01, the pin f, and the upright E, all combined and arranged for operation substantially as described.

Signed this 11th day of October, A. D. 1888, at the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

' GUSTAV SOEDING.

Witnesses:

THOMAS W. LEDGER, R. DALE SPARHAWK.

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