Exercising machine

Nov. 6, 1934.

a

T. WILLIAMS ET AL 1,979,783

EXERCISING MACHINE

Filed Sept. 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1

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Nov. 6, 1934.

1,979,783

T. WILLIAMS ET AL

EXERCISING MACHINE

Filed Sept. 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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Patented Nov. 6, 1934

1,979,783

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

1,979,783

EXERCISING MACHINE

Theodore Williams, Syracuse, and Herman Casler,

Canastota, N. Y,

Application September 20, 1932, Serial No. 634,060

Claims. (Cl. 272—72)

Our invention relates to exercising machines, and more particularly to that type of machine in which the operator simulates the movements of a person, rowing a boat, one of the objects 5 being to provide a simple and compact structure which can be used in the home as well as in the gymnasium, the apparatus being designed to develop all of these muscles that would ordinarily . be used in rowing.

Another object of the invention is to provide an exercising machine of simple and economical construction which can be readily folded into compact form for storage or shipment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a 15 tension element composed of a plurality or rubber bands whereby the tension of the said element may be varied to suit the strength of the operator by adding to or decreasing the number of bands.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the description proceeds, it being understood that various changes in the embodiment of the invention illustrated may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing 28 from the spirit of the invention.

Tn the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the exercising machine ready for use;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the exercis30 ing machine in knockdown position;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3—3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4—4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view showing the exercising machine used for leg and body exercises; and

Figure 6 is a view showing the exercising machine used for arm and back and leg exercise.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 40 denotes a ladder like frame work comprising preferably wooden side rails or members 2 and 2' connected together at intervals by preferably round spacing and bracing rods 3, preferably three in number, one at each end and one inter45 mediate the ends of the rails. A plurality of spaced boards or strips 4 connected at their opposite ends to the top edges of the rails adjacent the front ends thereof provide a platform 4' for supporting the operator when exercising in the 50 manner illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings.

Leg members 5 pivotally attached to the rear ends of the rails 2 and 2', by means of bolts or similar pivots 6, support the frame 1 in a forwardly inclined position for a purpose presently 65 described, see Figure 1. In this position the rear spacing rod 3 serves as a stop to limit movement nf the legs. These legs can be folded forwardly and upwardly to a position parallel to and within the confines of the rails, the depth of the latter being the same as that of the legs for this pur- 60 pose. When the legs are thus folded the apparatus will of course assume a horizontal position. A rest or abutment 7 for the feet is pivotally mounted in the front end of the frame. Thus a pair of upwardly and forwardly disposed mem- 65 bers 8 are secured to opposite rails 2 and 2' by bolts 9 or other suitable pivots, and these members are connected together by a cross strip 10. The foot rest 7, like the legs 5, can be readily folded inwardly between the side rails for con- 70 venience in shipping and storing, and. preferably the members 8 are of the same width as the side rails. The forward spacing rod 3 serves as a stop for the foot rest in either of its positions. One end of legs 5 and one end of members 8 are 75 beveled or cut on an angle, as at 11 and 12 respectively, to the longitudinal axis of the said legs and members to permit adjustment and to insure engagement with the spacing bars or stops 3 when the legs 5 and members 8 are in 80' folded position.

A wheeled carriage or seat 13 removably mounted for sliding movement on the upper edges of the rails 2—2', includes a pair of longitudinally disposed housings 14 and 14' of inverted 85 U-shape, in which wheels 15, rotatably mounted on axles 16 are housed. Spaced strips or boards 17 connecting the housings together provide the necessary seating surface for the operator when simulating rowing. It should be 90 noted that the lower edges of the sides or flanges of housing 14 are flush with or slightly above the top of rail 2 whereas the sides or flanges of housing 14' extend below the top of rail 2' and in sliding engagement with the sides of this rail. 95 The carriage is thus kept in alinement with the rails and at the same time danger of binding, due to the warping of the wooden rails is reduced to a minimum. The length of the housings 14, 14' of the carriage 13 and the width of the seat- 100 ing surface of the latter is less than the distance between the rails 2 and 2' whereby the carriage may be removed and placed between and in nested relation with respect to the rails preparatory to packing the apparatus for storage 105 or shipment.

The carriage 13 is connected to the platform 4' by means of a resistance element 18 composed of a plurality of individual loosely arranged endless elastic rubber bands 19. Thus adjacent hq

1,979.783 strips or boards 4 and 17 of the platform 4' and the seat or camage 13 respectively are provided with grooves 20 and 21 in their upper faces in which rods 22 and 23 are snugly received. The 5 bands 19 are looped at opposite ends around these rods and extend beneath the strips in which the rods are mounted and consequently when the bands are under tension the rods are pulled tightly to their seats in the grooves. The 10 tension of the element 18 as a whole may be varied to suit the strength of the operator by merely increasing or decreasing the number of individual bands 19 employed. This adjustment can be quickly made due to the ready removals bility of rods 22 and 23. The form of resistance element and attachment means employed also permits of the carriage or seat being removed from the rails and inserted therebetween without the necessity of disconnecting the seat from 2o the platform.

A second resistance element 24, also composed of a plurality of loosely arranged rubber bands 25 is connected at opposite ends in any suitable manner, such as that employed with resistance 25 element 18, to a foot rest or abutment 7 and a pull handle 26. It will of course be understood that the tension of element 24 can be varied by adding to or decreasing the number of bands 25. Heretofore machines have been provided 30 with coil springs in the rear of the machine to which are attached cords which lead forward and pass around spools or pulley wheels located in the foot-board and thence backward to the operating handle, with the result that a 50 lb. 35 Puh on the handle exerts a backward stress of 100 lbs. on the foot rest. According to my invention the resisting members in the form of elastic rubber bands attached directly to the footrest and to the operating handle, whereby a 50 40 lb. pull on the handle produces a backward stress of only 50 lbs. on the foot rest, makes it possible to attach the foot-rest to the frame by pivot support, and there is no backward movement of the foot-rest due to the stress of the elastic rub45 ber bands when the operator is exercising as would be in the case of the first mentioned type of spring hook up; for the reason that there must be an equal opposing force transmitted to the foot rest by the operator’s feet.

θ’¹³· ^aPP^aratus is capable of use for many forms of exercise. For instance the operator while standing upon the platform 4' facing toward the front of the machine bends forwardly from the hips, grasps the pull handle 26 and then 55 resumes an erect position, or the operator may, - while standing on the platform and facing the rear of the machine, grasp the puli handle with the hands behind the back as shown in Figure 6. The principal method of use, however is for the ₆₀ operator to occupy the sliding seat or carriage with the feet braced against the foot rest or abutment and with the hands gripping the pull handle, in which position the ordinary rowing movements may be followed. It will be understood that in all exercises which involve movement of the seat against the tension of member 18, the legs 5 will be in extended or Figure 1 position. As the frame is thus caused to assume a forwardly inclined position the seat can be ^{readily moved} forwardly to normal position under the weight of the operator, the pulling leg action of the latter and the pull of resistance element 18.