GB1604931A - Exercise machines - Google Patents

Exercise machines Download PDF

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Publication number
GB1604931A
GB1604931A GB549978A GB549978A GB1604931A GB 1604931 A GB1604931 A GB 1604931A GB 549978 A GB549978 A GB 549978A GB 549978 A GB549978 A GB 549978A GB 1604931 A GB1604931 A GB 1604931A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
handle
guides
machine
foot
tape
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
GB549978A
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Inventec Licensing BV
Original Assignee
Inventec Licensing BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Inventec Licensing BV filed Critical Inventec Licensing BV
Priority to GB549978A priority Critical patent/GB1604931A/en
Priority to GB7832506A priority patent/GB2028669B/en
Priority to GB7832501A priority patent/GB2014052A/en
Priority to FR7903237A priority patent/FR2416700A1/en
Priority to SE7901125A priority patent/SE440602B/en
Priority to US06/010,615 priority patent/US4284272A/en
Priority to CA000321154A priority patent/CA1134405A/en
Priority to AU44131/79A priority patent/AU4413179A/en
Priority to DE19792904967 priority patent/DE2904967A1/en
Publication of GB1604931A publication Critical patent/GB1604931A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B21/00—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
    • A63B21/012—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices using frictional force-resisters
    • A63B21/018—Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices using frictional force-resisters including a rope or other flexible element moving relative to the surface of elements
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B22/00—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements
    • A63B22/0076—Rowing machines for conditioning the cardio-vascular system
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B22/00—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements
    • A63B22/0076—Rowing machines for conditioning the cardio-vascular system
    • A63B2022/0082—Rowing machines for conditioning the cardio-vascular system with pivoting handlebars
    • A63B2022/0084—Rowing machines for conditioning the cardio-vascular system with pivoting handlebars pivoting about a horizontal axis
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B22/00—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements
    • A63B22/0087—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with a seat or torso support moving during the exercise, e.g. reformers
    • A63B22/0089—Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements with a seat or torso support moving during the exercise, e.g. reformers a counterforce being provided to the support

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
  • Cardiology (AREA)
  • Vascular Medicine (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Biophysics (AREA)
  • Orthopedic Medicine & Surgery (AREA)
  • Orthopedics, Nursing, And Contraception (AREA)

Description

(54) EXERCISE MACHINES (71) We INVENTEC LICENSING B.V., a Netherlands Company of Lomboklaan 31, 3956 De Leersum, Netherlands, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to exercise machines, and more particularly to exercise machines which allow a user to simulate the action of rowing a boat.
According to the present invention, an exercise machine comprises a frame, a foot-rest and a seat both mounted on the said frame, in such a way that the said seat is movable generally horizontally relative to the foot-rest, towards and away from the foot rest, a handle which is mounted at or near the upper end of a stem bar connected at its lower end to the frame of the machine, to be movable relative to the foot rest, a flexible elongate friction element connected to the handle to exert thereon a force tending to move the handle with at least a component of movement in a direction of movement of the seat towards the foot rest, tensioning means arranged to act on the flexible friction element in a point or zone of action, to maintain a tension in the part of the friction element adjacent the point or zone of action, and guiding means which guide the flexible friction element, the arrangement being such that movements of the handle result in reciprocating movements of at least a portion of the flexible friction element in the general direction of its own length, and that any movements of the handle which result in movement of the flexible friction element against the said tension maintained by the said tensioning means also result in frictional sliding of the friction element around at least one guiding element which forms at least part of the guiding means.Thus, with such a machine, a user may simulate rowing by sitting on the seat, straightening his legs to push against the foot rest, and thereby moving the seat away from the foot-rest, and bending his arms to move the handle in the same general direction as the seat; during this movement, the tension exerted by the tensioning means is augmented by the friction between the friction element and the guiding element or elements. The user then returns to his original position; during this movement, which corresponds to the recovery stroke in rowing a boat, the friction on the friction element opposes the effect of the tensioning means, so that only a comparatively small force acts on the handle; this small force acts in the direction to assist the return movement. Thus, during the return movement, the user's muscles are not under any substantial load.
It may also be noted that the line of action of the force exerted by the user on the handle is well above the level of the seat and foot-rest, so that the action of the machine is a fairly close simulation of a rowing action.
The movement of the seat away from the foot-rest is simply the result of the user straightening his legs, as mentioned above. Various methods may be used to ensure that the seat returns towards the foot-rest; for example, a return spring may be used, or the foot-rest may be provided with toe-straps or toe clips, so that the bending of the user's legs can produce the return movement. Preferably, however, the seat is arranged to move along a part of the frame of the machine, which part runs downhill towards the foot-rest.
In a machine embodying the invention, the tensioning means is preferably an elastic device, such as a piece of shock cord (i.e., rubber strands in a woven casing). It would also be possible to arrange that the flexible friction element is linked to the seat as well as to the handle, in such a way that the force exerted on the handle by the user acts, after being frictionally attenuated by the guiding means, to help to move the seat away from the foot-rest. In this case, it might be possible to dispense completely with the elastic device, so that the reaction exerted on the flexible friction element by the seat is a substitute for the tension exerted by the elastic device.Alternatively, an elastic device might still be used, to connect the flexible friction element to the seat; this would allow a certain amount of variation in the relative amplitudes of movement of the seat and the handle.
The guiding means may be made adjustable, to vary the force exerted by the flexible friction element on the handle. For example, if the guiding means comprises a series of guides arranged to constrain the friction element to follow an undulating path, at least some of the guides might be movable in the general direction of the height of the undulations, to vary the angle of wrap of the friction element around the guides.
The invention may be carried into practice in various ways, but one specific embodiment, will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an exercise machine embodying the invention; Figure 2 is an underside plan view of the machine of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken on the line III-III of Figure 2; The exercise machine shown in the drawings consists essentially of a frame 10, a seat 12, and a pivoted handle 14 which can be moved against a resisting force. When the machine is in use, the user sits on the seat 12, with his feet on foot-rests 16 which form part of the frame 10, and grasps two hand-grips 18 which form part of the handle 14.The seat 12 is slidable along the frame 10, so that by straightening his legs and bending his arms and thereby pulling the handle 14, the user can simulate the action of rowing a boat, with each stroke of the handle being accompanied by a movement of the seat 12 along the frame 10. After each stroke, the user returns to his previous position; the mechanism which provides the resistance to movement of the handle 14 assists the return movement of the handle, while the return movement of the seat 12 is assisted by the fact that the frame is slightly inclined, so that the seat runs downhill during the return stroke. The construction of the exercise machine will now be described in greater detail.
The frame 10 consists of a central longitudinal spine 20, whose cross-section is that of a channel having its free edges turned in towards one another, to form an incomplete fourth side, which faces downwards. The spine 20 is supported on the ground by two cross-members 22, one near each end, which are bolted to the underside of the spine; a spacer 24 is interposed between the spine 20 and the rear one of the two cross-members 22, to lift the rear of the spine above the level of the front thereof, and thereby provide the inclination of the frame 10 mentioned above. Plastics feet are fitted to the ends of the cross-members 22. A pair of upstanding brackets 30 are attached to the sides of the spine 20, at its front end, and carry at their upper ends a transverse tubular member 32 whose two free ends form the foot-rests 16.A ribbed rubber sleeve is fitted over each end of the transverse member 32 to form the actual foot-rest; the sleeve gives a large diameter, more comfortable surface for the user's feet.
The seat 12 consists simply of a board provided on its upper surface with padding, and having attached to its underside a pair of brackets 26 between which extend three transverse shafts each carrying a pair of rotatable flanged rollers 28. Two of these pairs of rollers run on the upper surface of the spine 20, while the remaining pair run underneath the spine, to keep the seat captive on the frame 10.
The pivoted handle 14 has one end forked, as shown at 31, and the arms of the fork lie one on each side of the spine 20, and are pivoted to the spine by a transverse pivot shaft 33 passing through the spine and through both arms of the fork. The other end of the handle is provided with a transverse handlebar 34, whose ends are fitted with rubber sleeves to form the hand-grips 18. The handlebar 34 is connected to the rest of the handle 14 by a block 36 having bores to receive the handlebar and the main part of the handle. The handlebar 34 is freely rotatable in its bore, while the block 36 is clamped to the main part of the handle by means of a thumb screw 38. By slackening the thumbscrew, the handlebar 34 may be adjusted to a position closer to the pivot shaft 33, if this is required for any reason.
The mechanism which provides the resistance to rearwards movement of the handle 14 is largely housed within the spine 20, and includes a tape 40 of nylon webbing, which emerges from the front end of the spine 20, and is deflected around a guide 42 and then attached to the handle 14. The mechanism is so arranged that, as the handle 14 is moved rearwards, pulling the tape 40 out of the spine 20, the tension in the tape opposing movement of the handle is considerable while when the handle is moved forwards again, the part of the tape attached to the handle 14 is under only a slight tension, sufficient to return the handle to its forward position in the absence of other forces.
From its attachment to the handle 14, the tape 40 passes around the guide 42, as mentioned above, and then passes around a further guide 44 which deflects the tape into a horizontal direction, within the spine 20. The tape then follows a serpentine path around a series of four further guides 46, also mounted within the spine 20. Finally, the end of the tape remote from the handle 14 is attached to the bight of a loop of shock cord 48, whose two ends are attached to an anchor block 50 inserted into the rear end of the spine 20.
The guides 42, 44 and 46 are all stationary; the guides 44 and 46 are simple cylindrical guides which are fixed between the side walls of the spine 20, while the guide 42 is basically a dumb-bell shape, with one quadrant of its section cut away to allow it to be mounted on the front top edge of the spine 20; this cutting away does not affect those parts of the surface over which the tape 40 slides.
In operation, the shock cord 48 maintains a tension T1 on the part of the tape to the rear of the guides 46 which is dependent only on the extent to which the shock cord has been stretched. If the handle 14 is being moved rearwards, the friction which occurs as the tape 40 slides around the guides 42, 44 and 46 means that the tension T2 in the part of the tape attached to the handle 14 is greater than the tension T1; the theoretical relationship between the two tensions is given by the formula
Where 11 is the coefficient of friction between the tape 40 and the various guides, and e is the total angle of wrap of the tape around the stationary guides.Conversely, when the handle is being allowed to return forwards to its starting position, the friction will mean that the tension T2 is less than T1; the theoretical relationship is then given by the formula
In a typical case, T1 might take a value of about 10 lbf, while e0 might be about 10. This would give a value for T2 of 100 lbf, while the handle is being pulled backwards by the user; the work done by the user against this force is dissipated as heat by the friction between the tape 40 and the various guides. Conversely, when the handle 14 is moving forwards, T2 would drop to about 1 lbf, which is a sufficiently small value that the handle 14 does not return violently to its starting position, and that the user's muscles are not under any substantial load during the return stroke.
If it is desired to adjust the ratio of the two values ofT2, some or all of the guides around which the tape 40 passes may be made adjustable in position, to vary the value of the angle of wrap 0. For example, the two of the guides 46 whose lower portions are in contact with the tape 40 might be vertically adjustable in position. This adjustment could be controlled by a knob mounted on top of the spine 20, above the guides 46.
WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An exercise machine comprising a frame, a foot-rest and a seat both mounted on the frame, in such a way that the seat is movable generally horizontally relative to the foot-rest, towards and away from the foot-rest, a handle which is mounted at or near the upper end of a stem bar connected at its lower end to the frame of the machine to be movable relative to the foot-rest, a flexible elongate friction element connected to the handle to exert thereon a force tending to move the handle with at least a component of movement in the direction of movement of the seat. towards the foot-rest, tensioning means arranged to act on the flexible friction element in a point or zone of action, to maintain a tension in the part of the friction element adjacent the point or zone of action, and guiding means which guide the flexible friction element, the arrangement being such that movements of the handle result in reciprocating movements of at least a portion of the flexible friction element in the general direction of its own length, and that any movements of the handle which result in movement of the flexible friction element against the said tension maintained by the said tensioning means also result in frictional sliding of the friction element around at least one guiding element which forms at least part of the guiding means.
2. A machine as claimed in Claim 1, in which the seat is guided for movement along a part of the frame of the machine, which part runs downhill towards the foot-rest.
3. A machine as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, which includes a resilient return device arranged to bias the seat towards the foot-rest.
4. A machine as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 or Claim 3, in which the foot-rest is provided with toe-retaining means.
5. A machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the tensioning means comprises an elastic device.
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (10)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. series of four further guides 46, also mounted within the spine 20. Finally, the end of the tape remote from the handle 14 is attached to the bight of a loop of shock cord 48, whose two ends are attached to an anchor block 50 inserted into the rear end of the spine 20. The guides 42, 44 and 46 are all stationary; the guides 44 and 46 are simple cylindrical guides which are fixed between the side walls of the spine 20, while the guide 42 is basically a dumb-bell shape, with one quadrant of its section cut away to allow it to be mounted on the front top edge of the spine 20; this cutting away does not affect those parts of the surface over which the tape 40 slides. In operation, the shock cord 48 maintains a tension T1 on the part of the tape to the rear of the guides 46 which is dependent only on the extent to which the shock cord has been stretched. If the handle 14 is being moved rearwards, the friction which occurs as the tape 40 slides around the guides 42, 44 and 46 means that the tension T2 in the part of the tape attached to the handle 14 is greater than the tension T1; the theoretical relationship between the two tensions is given by the formula Where 11 is the coefficient of friction between the tape 40 and the various guides, and e is the total angle of wrap of the tape around the stationary guides.Conversely, when the handle is being allowed to return forwards to its starting position, the friction will mean that the tension T2 is less than T1; the theoretical relationship is then given by the formula In a typical case, T1 might take a value of about 10 lbf, while e0 might be about 10. This would give a value for T2 of 100 lbf, while the handle is being pulled backwards by the user; the work done by the user against this force is dissipated as heat by the friction between the tape 40 and the various guides. Conversely, when the handle 14 is moving forwards, T2 would drop to about 1 lbf, which is a sufficiently small value that the handle 14 does not return violently to its starting position, and that the user's muscles are not under any substantial load during the return stroke. If it is desired to adjust the ratio of the two values ofT2, some or all of the guides around which the tape 40 passes may be made adjustable in position, to vary the value of the angle of wrap 0. For example, the two of the guides 46 whose lower portions are in contact with the tape 40 might be vertically adjustable in position. This adjustment could be controlled by a knob mounted on top of the spine 20, above the guides 46. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:
1. An exercise machine comprising a frame, a foot-rest and a seat both mounted on the frame, in such a way that the seat is movable generally horizontally relative to the foot-rest, towards and away from the foot-rest, a handle which is mounted at or near the upper end of a stem bar connected at its lower end to the frame of the machine to be movable relative to the foot-rest, a flexible elongate friction element connected to the handle to exert thereon a force tending to move the handle with at least a component of movement in the direction of movement of the seat. towards the foot-rest, tensioning means arranged to act on the flexible friction element in a point or zone of action, to maintain a tension in the part of the friction element adjacent the point or zone of action, and guiding means which guide the flexible friction element, the arrangement being such that movements of the handle result in reciprocating movements of at least a portion of the flexible friction element in the general direction of its own length, and that any movements of the handle which result in movement of the flexible friction element against the said tension maintained by the said tensioning means also result in frictional sliding of the friction element around at least one guiding element which forms at least part of the guiding means.
2. A machine as claimed in Claim 1, in which the seat is guided for movement along a part of the frame of the machine, which part runs downhill towards the foot-rest.
3. A machine as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, which includes a resilient return device arranged to bias the seat towards the foot-rest.
4. A machine as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 or Claim 3, in which the foot-rest is provided with toe-retaining means.
5. A machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the tensioning means comprises an elastic device.
6. A machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the tensioning means
comprises a connection of the flexible friction element to the seat, in such a way that tension in the friction element tends to move the seat away from the foot-rest.
7. A machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the guiding means is adjustable to vary the force exerted by the flexible friction element on the handle.
8. A machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the guiding means comprises a series of guides arranged to constrain the friction element to follow an undulating path.
9. A machine as claimed in Claims 7 and 8, in which at least some of the guides are movable in the general direction of the height of the undulations.
10. An exercise machine substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB549978A 1978-02-10 1978-02-10 Exercise machines Expired GB1604931A (en)

Priority Applications (9)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB549978A GB1604931A (en) 1978-02-10 1978-02-10 Exercise machines
GB7832506A GB2028669B (en) 1978-02-10 1978-08-07 Exercising equipment
GB7832501A GB2014052A (en) 1978-02-10 1978-08-07 Exercising equipment
FR7903237A FR2416700A1 (en) 1978-02-10 1979-02-08 IMPROVEMENTS FOR EXERCISERS
SE7901125A SE440602B (en) 1978-02-10 1979-02-08 MOTION DEVICE FOR SIMULATION OF RED
US06/010,615 US4284272A (en) 1978-02-10 1979-02-09 Exercise machines
CA000321154A CA1134405A (en) 1978-02-10 1979-02-09 Exercising equipment
AU44131/79A AU4413179A (en) 1978-02-10 1979-02-09 Exercise machines
DE19792904967 DE2904967A1 (en) 1978-02-10 1979-02-09 HOME TRAINER

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB549978A GB1604931A (en) 1978-02-10 1978-02-10 Exercise machines

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB1604931A true GB1604931A (en) 1981-12-16

Family

ID=9797360

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB549978A Expired GB1604931A (en) 1978-02-10 1978-02-10 Exercise machines

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB1604931A (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4762363A (en) * 1985-05-14 1988-08-09 Hart Victor R Exercise chair

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4762363A (en) * 1985-05-14 1988-08-09 Hart Victor R Exercise chair

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PS Patent sealed
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee