Exercise device

Dec. 18, 1962

3,069,162

C. J. SAMUEL

EXERCISE DEVICE

<img file="US3069162A_D0001.tif" />

United States Patent Office

3,069,162

Patented Dec. 18, 1962

3,069,162

EXERCISE DEVICE

Chester J. Samuel, Detroit, Mich. (378-D N. Poinciana Blvd., Miami Springs, Fla.)

Filed Aug. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 46,411 1 Claim. (Cl. 272—79)

This invention relates to an improved exercise device for two people which is employed to exercise the entire body, and is subject to year around use. For example, it may be used as a home, playground, beach or water exercising device for general fitness, it has buoyancy for use in swimming instruction or as a safety device, or it may serve as a life-saving device when required.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a multipurpose exercise and tug game device usable also as a swimming instruction and life-saving device consisting of a central inflatable ball which is resilient when inflated including a pair of spinner ropes each telescoped or threaded through a plurality of loops or grommets fixed on opposite sides of the resilient inflated ball, and a preferably buoyant pull bar disposed in spaced relationship to the opposite axial ends of the ball to which the ends of the spinner ropes are secured, all arranged to spin the resilient ball in opposite directions by alternately pulling and letting-up on the pull on each of the said pull bars, the said resilient ball being adjustable along the spinner ropes so that the exercise device may be made more or less difficult for either of the two players of the game of tug to maintain the ball in spinning motion.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal elevational view of an exercise or tug game device embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is an axial end elevational view of the resilient ball element of the exercise or tug game device taken on the line 2—2 of FIG. 1 showing the said resilient ball element depressed on opposite sides thereof as the result of the application of a heavy pull on the pull bars and the twisting of the spinner ropes responsive to the spinning of the resilient ball element.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of a central loop fixed to the inflatable ball preferably employed to telescopingly secure the spinner ropes to the said ball.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4—4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view part in section and part in elevation taken on the line 5—5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a view part in section and part in elevation similar to FIG. 5 except that an end loop is show.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the multi-purpose exercise device disclosed for the purpose of illustrating the invention consists of an inflatable ball 10 preferably inflated to a firm resiliency and having a plurality of loop assemblies 11 and 110 fixed on opposite sides thereof. Each of a pair of pull ropes 12 is threaded through one loop 17 of the central loop assembly 11 and two loops 19 of the end loop assemblies 110 thereby disposing one pull rope 12 on each of opposite sides of the ball 10. The said pair of pull ropes 12 are connected to a pair of pull bars 13 through laterally spaced apertures 14 therein. Thus, the said pull ropes 12 are telescoped in lateral spaced relationship on opposite sides of the inflated resilient ball 10 with pull bars 13 fixed on the ends of the pull ropes 12. As indicated in FIG. 1, the pull ropes 12 may be of a single piece of rope which is telescoped through and looped across the outside of one pull bar 13 while the otherwise free ends of pull ropes 12 extend through and across the outside of the other pull bar 13, and are knotted at 14.

By alternate pulling and easing-up on the pull bars 13, the inflated resilient ball 10 is caused to spin, and, if the ball is slid to off-center position between the pull bars 13, the spinning and maintaining of the ball spinning is made more difficult for one of the two parties using it as an exerciser, and is made relatively easier for the other. The ball 10 is inflated relatively hard yet sufficiently soft to be resilient so that the spinning thereof can be maintained more readily than otherwise. The said ball 10 deflects as illustrated in FIG. 2 under pressure of the pull ropes 12 as the pull ropes become twisted and stressed during the spinning of the said ball.

While the said inflatable ball 10 is preferably formed of a tough plastic, it of course can be made of other material, or it can consist of an outer casing with an inflatable bladder as in basketball construction. If of plastic, a suitable mouth valve 15 is preferably molded in one side or end of the inflatable ball 10. Since such mouth valves as the valve 15 are well known in the art of inflatable ball construction, the said valve need not be described in detail herein.

Each loop assembly 11 is formed of a plastic patch 16 to which a loop element 17 is cemented or otherwise fixed. The plastic patch 16 of each loop element 11 is likewise cemented or otherwise fixed to the inflatable plastic ball 10. The loop assemblies 110 are of similar construction as the loop assemblies 11 and are formed of a plastic patch 18 to which a loop element 19 is cemented or otherwise fixed; however, the loop element 19 of each loop assembly 110 is flared at the end thereof nearest the pull bars 13 so as to permit the pull rope 12 telescoped therethrough in a manner to readily slide axially with respect thereto, and to prevent undue stress on the loop assemblies 110 when the pull ropes 12 are twisted and the inflatable ball deflects as hereinbefore described. The pull ropes 12 may be of smooth plastic or of other fibrous twisted construction having a relatively smooth surface, and should be of the proper diameter to slide relatively freely through the loops 17 and 19 of the loop assemblies 10 and 110 respectively.

In mounting the loop assemblies 11 and 110 on opposite sides of the inflatable ball 10, it is preferable that the loop assemblies 110 be spaced at each end of the ball 10 on a circumferential distance X of approximately onethird the diameter D of the said inflatable ball 10. It has been found that this location and relationship of the loop assemblies 110 at each end of the inflatable ball 10 provides superior playing qualities to the exercise device, making it difficult but not impossible to maintain it in play, and at the same time providing greater exercise to the users than with a like exercise device that may employ only side loop assemblies 11.

To give an example of a preferable exercise device, but not in the way of limitation, it has been found that the diameter D of the inflatable ball 10 should be preferably in the neighborhood of 16 to 22 inches, and that the pull ropes should be approximately 10 to 14 feet long.

An exercise device embodying the invention is equally adapted for land and water use, and may be employed additionally as a swimming instructing buoy by sliding the pull ropes 12 through the loops 17 and 19 of the loop assemblies 11 and 110 respectively until one pull bar 13 is disposed adjacent one end of the inflated ball 10, and at the same time knotting the pull ropes 12 adjacent the other end of the inflated ball 10.

In either the normal generally central position of the inflated ball 10 on the pull ropes 12, or when positioned as described for use as a swimming instructing buoy, an exercise device embodying the invention may be employed effectively as a life-saving buoy.

3,069,162

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described herein, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made in the size, shape, detail and arrangement of the various elements of the invention, all within the scope of the appended 5 claim.