US552971A - Appabatus - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(N0 Model) E. SANDOW. EXBRGISING APPARATUS.

2 Sheets-Sheet, 2.

(No Model.)

E. SANDOW. BXERCISING APPARATUS.

Patented Jan. 14, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

EUGENE SANDOXV, OF KUNIGSB'ERG, GERMANY.

EXERCISING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,971, dated January 14, 1896.

Application filed November 13, 1893. Serial No. 490,803. (No model.) Patented in England November 12, 1892,170. 20,479.

To to wiwnt it may conceive.-

Be it known that I, EUGENE SANDOW, a citizen of Germany, and a resident of the city of Konigsberg, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Exercising Apparatus, (for which I have obtained British Patent No. 20,470, dated November 12, 1802,) of which the following is a full, clear, and. exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of my invention is to assist in the development of the muscles of the legs, and particularly those of the inner and outer sides of the thigh. The customary movements of the legs while walking, running, jumping, rowing, and riding bicycles are forward and backward. Consequently the lateral movements for bringing into play those comparatively dormant muscles of the inner and outer sides of the thigh are greatly neglected. These thigh-muscles greatly supplement and reinforce the principal muscles, and it is the perfecting of the whole leg, therefore, that I have in view by the introduction and use of my improvements.

My apparatus is simple and cheap in con struction, and is made so that it can be easily knocked down and transported from place to place when desired.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, reference .being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view of the apparatus, illustrating one manner of its use. Fig. 2 is aview similar to Fig. 1, showing another way of using the same. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing yet another way of using it, and Fig. i is a side elevation of a modification of my apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a base-board '01- platform which is about five or six feet in length, more or less, and rising from near opposite ends thereof are two corresponding posts or standards B B. These standards B are, preferably, secured to said base-board by screwing their lower screwthreaded ends into the sockets a a, which latter have their flanged lower edges secured to said board A.

The standards B are supplied with ferrules Z), in the dome-shaped upper ends of which is secured an eye c. About midway their length these ferrules l) are pro vided with lateral oifsets, interiorly screwthreaded to receive the screw-threaded ends of the horizontal brace C. At a short distance below the ferrules h the standards are provided with sleeves (Z, in the extremities of a lateral offset of each of which an eye D is socured, as shown.

For convenience in taking the apparatus apart and also in setting it up I prefer to construct the brace C of two members, the meeting ends of which are screw-threaded and connected together by means of a turnbuckle E, or similar device. A short distance from each of the ends of the brace thus joined I secure a clip E, the lower part of which is looped so as to form an eye, substantially as shown in the drawings.

In conjunction with the frame hereinbcfore described I provide straps g g, which are padded on their inner surfaces and are adapted to be secured around the lower or upper portion of'the leg, just below or above the knee, and which are provided with staples or rings g projecting from their outer surfaces.

G represents elastic cables or ropes, which are preferably made of soft rubber incased in soft-rubber hose and provided at each end with rings 72 secured in or to their ends, as shown. If desired, snap-hooks could be substituted for the rings just referred to. The rings of these cables are connected by means of S-shaped hooks 7.1 to the staples g of the straps g, and to the eye a or the eye D, or the clip E, respectively, as may be desired.

The cables F, which are adapted to be secured at one end to the eyes a, are preferably slightly longer than the cables G, which are intended to be connected to the eye D.

In operation my apparatus is used substantially as shown in the drawings.

In Fig. 1 the operator is shown sitting opposite the center of the brace C, with his knees under said brace and his feet placed as near together as possible and resting on the base board. The straps g are secured to the legs just above the knees, which are spread apart, and the shorter cables G are coupled to the straps and to the eyes D on the standards. The exercise is obtained by moving the knees toward each other and then slowly back to their original position again. This movement is repeated until the operator has completed his exercise. If one cable coupled to each leg is not enough, two or more may be used.

In Fig. 2 the longer cables are connected to the eye 0 of each standard. One strap is coupled to the leg above the knee and the other strap to the other leg below the knee. The original position of the operator is about the same as that shown in Fig. 1, except that the tension of the cables draws the knees together instead of apart. The exercise is due to the eifort required to spread the knees apart and then to let them come slowly together again.

In Fig. 3 the cables are connected to the eyes of the clips E and the straps are made into stirrups, which are attached to the pendent ends of the cables so that the feet can be conveniently placed therein. The legs are then moved in any direction desired-vertically, downwardly, or laterally-so as to stretch the cables and obtain the necessary exercise.

In all three of the exercises above explained, the operator grasps the brace with his hands and thus sustains himself as well as obtains a hold which will enable him to put more power into the exercise.

I do not wish to be confined to the exact construction of my improved apparatus as hereinbefore described, because it is obvious changes may be made therein, which would accomplish the same result without departing from the spirit of my invention. For example, in Fig. i I show a modified construction of my inventionwhich would probably answer the purpose as well as the invention hereinbefore described. In this construction the brace K is solid, and its ends are pivotally connected to the ferrules m m on the top of the standards M M, instead of screwed into the same, as hereinbefore described. The standards M are simply inserted into the sockets m m, and are prevented from being withdrawn therefrom by a lateral pin 0. In

every other respect the apparatus is the same as that hereinbefore described, having the same or corresponding eye-clips for attaching the cables, and being operated in the same manner.

WVhile I prefer to employ all of the eyes and clips hereinbefore referred to, yet it is apparent that some of them maybe dispensed with and the remaining ones only used.

What I claim is 1. The combination with two stationary standards having eyes secured thereto, and a brace connecting the upper portions of said standards, of straps attach able to the person. and elastic cables provided with devices for connection to said straps and said standards. substantially as described.

2. The combination with two stationary standards havin g eyes secured thereto at their upper ends, and other eyes at a point below the same, and a brace connecting the upper portions of said standards, of straps attachable to the person, and elastic cables provided with devices for connection with said straps and either set of eyes, substantially as described.

3. The combination of two stationary standards having eyes secured, respectively, to their upperends and at a point a suitable distance below the same, abrace connecting the upper portions of said standards, clips secured to said brace, straps attachable to the person, and elastic cables provided with devices for connection with either set of eyes. or the clips on the brace, substantially as described.

4:. The combination with two stationary standards, of a brace composed of two members united by a turn-buckle, straps attachable to the person, and elastic cables for connecting said straps to said standards, substantially as described.

EUGENE SANDOW. \Vitnesses F. ZIEGFELD, J 1:, MARTINus SIEVE'KING.

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