Physical-exercising apparatus

Application filed July 1, 1926.

This invention relates to apparatus for use in physical exercise and the principal object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is compact and which may be 5 used for a great variety of forms of physical exercise. A further object of tlie invention is to· provide an apparatus comprising a large number of devices which may be folded or otherwise moved into an out-of-the10 way position, or which may be moved into different positions and utilized in different’ manners in varied forms of exercise.

The apparatus o-f my invention comprises essentially a support preferably formed as 15 a cabinet or casing and a plurality of exercising elements or devices mounted or placed thereon or therein in such manner that they may be moved into retracted or compact position on or within the support or cabinet so 20 as to require minimum space when not in use, or may be moved into different positions with respect to the support or cabinet and to each other for exercising purposes as hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawings illustrate apparatus according to my invention and referring thereto:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a physical exercising apparatus with the front doors of 0 the cabinet opened.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on bine 2—2 in Fig. 1, showing certain of the parts in position for use.

Fig. 3 is a. view similar to Fig. 2 showing 35 the position of the various elements or devices within the cabinet when not in use.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the love parallel bars of the apparatus, showing the manner of placing a fabric covering thereon as here40 in after described.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5—5 in Fig. 1 showing parts of the apparatus in position for use.

Fig. 6 is an inside view of the central por45 tion of the front door of the cabinet.

Fig. 7 is an outside view of the same.

Fig. 8 is a detailed sectional view of one of the lifting weights.

Fig. 9 shows the use of the lifting weights .50 to form a bar-bell.

The apparatus comprises a supporting means preferably formed as a.cabinet or casing having a rear member or back 1. side members 2 and 3, bottom 4, and top 5. When 2⁵ all of the elements of the apparatus are in

Serial No. 119,365.

position within the cabinet, that is when not in use, the front of such cabinet is closed by means of upper doors 6 and lower doors 7, hingedly mounted at the sides of the cabinet and by means of a removable flat member or GO doer portion 8 (see Fig. 3). Said removable door portion is rabbeted at its upper and lower edges as indicated at 9 and 10 to engage similarly rabbeted portions on the doors 6 and 7 and is held in position by latch means 65 12 at its sides and by means of arms 13 which are mounted on the inside of said door portion adjacent the lower edge thereof and project below the same so as to extend inside the lower doors 7. to

At the front edge of each side wall 2 and 3 are provided a plurality of vertically spaced opposing notches or recesses 15 adapted to receive the ends of horizontal exercising bars or rack bars 16, said recesses and the 75 ends of bars 16 being preferably square or of other non-circulai· shape, or being otherwise formed so as to prevent turning of said bars in said recesses. A retaining strip 17 is hingedly mounted as at 18 at the front edge, so of each side wall 2 and 3 and extends over the notches or recesses 15 so as to hold the bars 16 in whatever notches they may be placed. Suitable means such as hooks 19 may be provided for releasably holding said re- 85 taining strips in retaining position. By releasing said hooks however .said strips may be swung outwardly to the position indicated in dotted lines at 17' in Fig. 5, so as to permit the bars 16 to be withdrawn from 90 notches 15 and thus permit said bars to be moved into any desired notches for adjustment of the height thereof. Any desired number of the rack bars 16 may be provided, but I prefer to provide at least two of such 95 bars.

A pair of supporting arms 21 and 22 are hingedly mounted as at 23 and 24 at the respective sides of the supporting means or casing near the top thereof, the hinges 23 100 and 24 being off-set, as shown, so that arm 22 folds inwardly directly against the back wall' 1. of the casing as. indicated in dotted lines at 22' in Fig. 5,. and the arm 21 rests, when turned inwardly, against and in front 105 of the arm 22 as indicated in dotted lines at 21'. The arms 21 and 22 when turned outwardly for use may be brought against the side Avails of the casing as stops but I prefer to provide stop means 26 at these UQ £2

1,646,818 points. The arms 21 and 22 are so placed that when one of the horizontal bars 16 is in place in the upper-most recesses 15 it serves as a support for said supporting arms 5 21 ancl 22 as shown in Fig. 2. Said supporting arms 21 and 22 are further supported by means of the hinges 23 and 24 and also by virtue of the fact that the inner encl of arm 21 rests against block 27 and the inner JO encl of arm 22 rests against the rear Avail 1 of the casing. Supporting brackets 29 and 30 are removably mounted at the outer ends of arms 21 and 22, for example by means of rings 31 secured to said brackets ancl adapt15 ed to slide over the rounded end portions of arms 21 and 22. Blocks 32 are also secured to brackets 29 and 30 and extend within rings 31, said blocks having their lower faces shaped to conform to the upper faces of 20 arms 21. and 22 so as to provide a firm fit thereon. The outer portions of brackets 29 ancl 30 are provided with sleeve portions 33 adapted to receive a horizontal turning bar as indicated at 34 in Fig. 5. Horizontal 25 turning bar 34 is provided with a suitable pin bolt 44 at one, encl attached by. a small chain 58 to bar 34, which may be plugged into hole 39 in .the sleeve portion of one. of the brackets 29 or 30, so as to make it fast 30 and prevent the bar from turning in the sleeve or loop of brackets 29 ancl 30.

The removable wall portion 8 is. adapted to be placed in the horizontal position shown in Fig. 2 so as to serve as a- punching bag 35 platform. For this purpose two supporting strips 36 may be mounted inside of side Avails 2 and 3 and may be provided with a plurality of horizontal openings 37 extending in a direction from front to rear,of the in apparatus so as to receive the ends of the arms 13 Avhen the member 8 is placed in the positiort shoAvn in Fig. 2. said arms being of such shape ancl size as to fit snugly in openings 37.: There are preferably a plu45 rality of openings 37 provided in each supporting strip 36. so as to provide for adjustment of the meniber_: 8 to different heights. The member 8 is further supported by means of adjusting bolts 38, Avhose up50 per and loAver ends are reversely threaded so as to engage respectively in threaded • openings 39 in sleeve portions 33 and in threaded recesses in fittings 41 mounted on the .member 8. The intermediate portion of 55 each adjusting bolt 38 is suitably formed so as to permit turning thereof by hand in mounting the member 8 in the position shoAvn. Iif order to provide for adjusting of the member 8 to different heights Avhen 60 used as a punching bag platform a number of adjusting bolts 38 of different lengths may be provided so that bolts of different lengths may be used depending upon which of the openings 37 are used for supporting the arms 13. A suitable fitting. 42 is mounted on the bottom of member 8, which is the inside of said member when in position as a part of the door of the cabinet, for receiving the supporting cord of a punching bag indicated at 43.... To

Two parallel bars 45 and 46 are hingedly mounted on the rear Avail 1 of the cabinet so as to swing in vertical planes either into horizontal position in front of the cabinet as shown in Fig. 2 or in vertical position T5 within the cabinet and against the rear wall of the same as. shown in Fig. 3. Said parallel bars are so placed that when one of the horizontal exercising bars 16 is in position within a suitable pair of notches or re- so cesses 15 it serves as a support for said parallel bars, which, rest upon it as at 48. Said parallel bars are further supported by the hinges 47 and by virtue of the fact that the inner ends of said bars rest against the rear 85 Avail of the cabinet Avhen the bars are in horizontal position. When said bars are placed in horizontal position they may be used as Ioav parallel bars upon which a number of beneficial exercises may be performed. 60 Said bars are preferably rounded at their outer ends and top edges as shown for this purpose. Suitable means such as hooks 80 and eyes 81 may be provided for holding bars 45 and 46 in. vertical or folded posi- 95 tion.

Tavo lifting weights 50 of suitable shape and size and formed preferably of metal such as iron or steel are also placed within the cabinet and normally rest upon the bot- 10« tom 4 thereof ancl in the two rear corners of the cabinet as shoAvn in Fig. 5. Cords 51 are suitably secured to weights 50 and extend up over pulleys 52 which are so positioned that the weights 50, when lifted off of 105 the bottom of the cabinet, hang in the corners thereof ancl rest lightly against the rear Avail 1 and side Avails 2 and 3 Avhicli hence serve as guides for said weights. After passing through pulleys 52 the cords 51 ex- 110 tend doAvnAvardly and are connected.by releasable connecting means such as hooks and eyes 53 to other cords 54 Avhich pass through pulleys 55 and 56 and are provided at their ends Avith loops or handles 57 so as to per- 115 mit grasping of said cords.in the hands.for lifting up of the weights. A particularly advantageous method of lifting the weights is provided for by means of a small travelling platform or member 60 Avhich is pro- 120 vided with Avheels 61 travelling upon the parallel bars 45 and 46 aforesaid as rails. By sitting upon the travelling platform 60, resting the feet against bar 48, and alternately pulling and releasing cords 54 at the 125 loops or handles 57, the Aveights 50 may be raised and lowered while at the same time the travelling platform 60 slides back and forth upon the parallel bars 45 arid 46 in much the same manner as in. the roAving 130

1,646,818 a w „ _momt.

. ¹⁰ approximate very closely that obtained by actual rowing.

Another round bar 63 may be provided whose ends are also round and are preferably provided with metal caps 64 adapted co fit within any suitable pair of opposing recesses 15 so as to permit turning of said

H) bar 63. The cords 54 may be disconnected iiom cords 51 by means of hook and eye means 53 and the cords 51 may then be connected to hooks 65 on bar 63. When so connetted bar 63 may be'grasped in the hands tt and turned in either direction so as to wrap the cords 51 around said bar and lift weights aO, thus providing a wrist and forearm exercise. It will be seen that the bar 63 may be mounted at various heights so as to brine· it at the most convenient level for graspin” in the hands, depending upon the height of the user.

The weights 50 are preferably detachably ~ secured to cord 51. For this purpose each 9¹’ weights may be provided as shown in Fig. 8, with a vertical central opening having a smaller portion 67 at the upper end and a larger portion 68 at the lower end, between which is provided shoulder 70. The '< coids 51 may be connected to connecting members 66. which extend throuo-h the smaller portions 67 of the openings in said weights and project into the enlarged por,.- Ji?¹¹⁸,^{68 in the lowe}F Portions of said weights.

^J lhe lower ends of connecting members 66 aie. provided with pivoted catch, members 69 11111011 may be.swung at right angles to said connecting members as shown in Fio·. 8 so as to engage shoulders 70 and thus·cause said 40 connecting members to lift the weights or may be swung .into position lengthwise of the connecting members 66 so as to permit said connecting members to be withdrawn through the openings 67 of said weights, lhe recesses 68 may be internally threaded so as^to fit the threaded ends of a bar or pipe 11 of suitable size as shown in Fio- 9 to form a bar-bell. ^&’

A fa bn c cover 72 may be placed over the parallel bars 45 and 46 if desired, so that when rue horizontal turning bar 34 is in position said fabric cover will serve as a protection m case of a fall from the bar. Fabric ⁽>orei· A when placed over parallel bars 45 and 46 will also serve as a bed or table on which the operators body can be reposed while operating some of the pulling devices with his feet and legs.

lhe rear ivall 1 of the cabinet may also be utilized for hanging or otherwise mounting any desired exercising implements or apparatus such as dumb-bells 73, indian clubs (i, and elastic exerciser 75. Any loose attachments or connecting devices, such as turning bar 34, adjusting bolts 38, pipe 71, in any suitable manner within the cabinet when not in use.

The cabinet or casing may be built against the wall of a room, or may be “built-in” so 70 tliiu the front thereof is flush with the wall. Or the casing may be mounted on rollers so as to permit the same to be moved to any desired position, or it may be mounted in a closet, or other, space so as to swing out- 75 wardly into position into a room to supplant and act as a door (closet or otherwise) in v Inch it is to be used; in much the same way as disappearing beds are commonly mounted, f urthermore in some cases the various exer- 80 cising elements or devices may be mounted on fixed supporting means, which do not rorm an actual casing. For example a portion of the wall of a room may serve as the rear wall or supporting member of the apparatus and lateral supporting members or walls mav be provided in front of the wall of the room and may be so formed as to serve the same functions as the side walls of the above described cabinet. . '