Untitled record

Application filed February 10,1892. Serial No. 420,938. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, William Madsen, of Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful 5 Improvements in Exercising Apparatus, of which I do declare the following to be a full, clear,«and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

io My invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention, the particular form of apparatus shown in this figure being especially designed for strengthening more particularly the abdominal muscles.

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, the saddle being shown in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation illustrating how mv apparatus may be applied for strengthening the muscles of the legs and feet. Fig. 4 is a further modified form of the apparatus, designed more particularly for correcting deformities Of the ankles. Fig. 5 is a detaifside view of part of the spindle.

Referring to the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, A designates a pedestal, from which rises an adjustable spindle B, carrying at its upper end a spider-frame C, the arms of which are connected to the bearing-base D. This 35 bearing-base D is perforated to receive a nut E, the flange e of which is suitably fastened to the bearing-base, and through this nut passes a screw-spindle F, the upper end of which is furnished with a ball / over which sets the socket G, the ball and socket being held together by a perforated plate <7, fastened to the socket G. The socket G is secured to the under side of the rolling plate II, to the upper face of which is secured a bear45 ing-plate K, that is provided with a seat or perforation k to receive the pivot-pin I, projecting from the pivot-plate L, that is attached to the under side of the saddle M. The bearing-plate K is preferably formed with an up50 wardly-extending flange k', upon which the under face of the pivot-plate L will be supported. The saddle M may be of any convenient shape, but is preferably formed as shown—that is to say, with the front and rear elevated portions—to more securely seat the 55 user during the exercising operation.

When the apparatus is designed for developing the body-muscles, and more particularly the abdominal muscles, it will preferably be placed between vertical bars 0, that 60 can be conveniently grasped by the user in order not only to better steady himself and direct the rolling movement of the apparatus, but also to enable him to maintain the upper portion of the body in somewhat rigid 65 position, with the chest thrown well forward, so that by shifting the lower portion of the body a rolling movement of the plate H upon the bearing-base is effected, thus bringing into play more particularly the various ab- 70 dominal muscles. Inasmuch as the saddle and the rolling plate H are sustained by the ball-and-socket support above described, it is manifest that an easy rolling movement of the plate II upon the bearing-base D can be 75 secured, and by adjusting the spindle F upward or downward within the socket E (its position' being secured by the lock-nut F') the degree of inclination of the rolling plate IT, and consequently of the saddle M, can be 80 varied, as desired, with a corresponding variation in the work thrown upon the muscles. Inasmuch as the rolling movement of the plate II upon the base D is dependent upon the user of the apparatus, it is manifest 85 that the muscles to be developed will be better called in play than would be possible if the rolling movement of the plate were effected by extraneous force. Moreover, the user is enabled with an apparatus such as I 90 have above described and which is dependent upon his own movements to vary the direction of the rolling movement ancl modify it, as may be desired.

My object in mounting the saddle M inpiv- 95 otal fashion upon the rolling plate H is to compensate for the rotative or slowly-advancing movement due to the fact that the rolling plate II is operating at an angle to the bearing-base D; but manifestly when the sad- 100 die is thus pivotally sustained upon the rolling plate II the user may maintain a uniform frontage, notwithstanding the rotative or slowly-advancing movement of the rolling plate H, since the pivotal relation of the sad- 105 die to the rolling plate permits a slight slip of

478,166 these parts with respect to each other to compensate for the rotating or advancing movement of the rolling plate.

In the modified embodiment of my inven5 tion illustrated in Fig. 3 the mechanism will be the same as that hereinbefore described, with the exception that instead of a saddle M a foot-plate N will be employed, the footplate illustrated in such view of the drawings io having a flat upper surface. In the use of this form of the invention, which is especially designed for developing the muscles of the feet and legs, the user will place his feet squarely upon the upper face of the 15 foot-plate N, and by imparting a rolling movement to this plate and to the rolling plate II beneath it strains will be thrown upon the muscles of the legsand feet as the position of the foot-plate is shifted, thereby effectively 20 serving to bring such muscles into play. The foot-plate N is provided upon its under side with a pivot-plate L, the same as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and in like manner supported upon a rest-plate K, that is secured 25 to the rolling plate II. I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate in detail the ball-andsocket mechanism for sustaining the rolling plate nor to illustrate in full the bearing-base D, as these parts will be. identical with the 30 construction hereinbefore described.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4 the parts are the same in construction as hereinbefore described with the exception that the foot-plate N' has a 35 conical upper surface. This form of the invention is more especially designed for use where there is a tendency toward weak an kies, and in practice the user will place his feet upon opposite sides of the cone and will then 40 impart a rolling movementto the rolling plate II and the foot-plate Ν', thereby bringing into play the various muscles of the feet and legs, particularly the muscles of the ankle, by reason of the peculiar position in which 45 the feet are sustained on account of the shape of the foot-plate. The spindle B, besides being vertically adjustable, isbj^T preference also constructed in such manner that the bearingbase can be tipped or inclined at an angle, 50 the purpose of such construction being to enablecertain muscles to be subjected to greater exercise or strain than others. In the drawings I have shown the spindle B as formed of sections, the abutting ends of which are pro55 vided with notched faces b, held together by adjusting-bolt b', and it is obvious that by this means the adjustment of the bearingplate D to any desired angle can be readily effected. When the bearing-plate is thus ad60 justed, the lock-nut b² upon the lower end of The screw-spindle B will beset tightly against the nut through which the screw-spindle passes, thereby holding this spindle securely against rotation.

It will be seen that in the several modified forms of my invention above illustrated a rest is provided whereon the weight of the user of the apparatus will be exerted—that is to say, in the construction shown in Fig. 1 the saddle constitutes a rest to sustain the entire 70 body of the user, and in Figs. 3 and 4 the foot-plates constitute rests for sustaining the user’s feet.