GB2156229A

GB2156229A - Device for performing exercises

Info

Publication number: GB2156229A
Application number: GB08429803A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul W Hait
Original assignee: PYROMID Inc
Current assignee: PYROMID Inc
Priority date: 1984-03-26
Filing date: 1984-11-26
Publication date: 1985-10-09
Also published as: GB8429803D0; GB2156229B

Abstract

A pole 12, filled with heavy material 18, has afoot 16, a handle 14 and a cylindrical padded sleeve 25. At least one weight 30, 35, which is releasably locked to the pole 12 and slidinable there along, is provided, the or each weight comprising a female section 36, a male section 37 and an annular spring 38. Screwing the sections 36 and 37 together forces the spring 38 into locking engagement on the pole. The pole is separable into two sections 51, 52 for ease of portability. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for performing exercises The present invention relates in general to devices for performing exercises, and more particularly to a device for performing exercises having a pole with weights adjustably slidable along the pole.

In the U.S. patent to Sachs petal., No.605,747, issued on June 14, 1898, for Exercising Apparatus, there is disclosed a device for performing exercises comprising a pole. At the top of the pole is a knob like handle. At the bottom of the pole is a foot for engaging a foot pad. Weights are detachably fixed to the pole intermediate the ends thereof.

In the U.S. patent to Dantolan, No. 2,528,213, issued on October 1950, for Bar Bell, there is disclosed an exercising device comprising a rod.

Weights slide along the rod.

The present invention consists of a device for performing exercises comprising a pole. At one end of the pole is a foot pad. At the opposite end of the pole is a suitable handle. Intermediate the ends of the pole is at least one weight that is adjustably slidable along the pole. Each weight is releasably secured to the rod by threaded sections rotatable about the axis of the pole.

A feature of the present invention is the support given to an operator by the pole during the performance of the exercises.

Another feature of the present invention is the construction of the handle for the distribution of the force applied by an operator during the performance of exercises.

Another feature of the present invention-is the addition of heavy material in an axial opening of the pole for adding weight to the device for performing exercises.

Another feature of the present invention is the employment of a padded sleeve slidable along the pole.

Another feature of the present invention is the sectional disassembling of the device of the present invention for facilitating the carrying thereof in luggage, and for facilitating the shipping, packing and transporting thereof.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is an elevational view of the device of the present invention for performing exercises.

Figure 2 is an axial sectional view of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the-device shown in Figure 1 taken along line 3--3 of Figure 2 to illustrate the construction of a pole and a padded sleeve slidable axially along the pole.

Figure 4 is an enlarged axial sectional view of the device shown in Figure 1 taken along line 4--4 of Figure 1 to illustrate an arrangement for releasably retaining a slidable weight in position along the pole.

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the device shown in Figure 1 taken along line 55 of Figure 1 to illustrate a plug for retaining heavy material in the axial opening of the pole.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of an operator using the device of the present invention for leg lifting exercises.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of an operator using the device of the present invention for arm exercises.

Figure 8 its a diagrammatic illustration of an operator using the device of the present invention for bending exercises.

Description of the preferred embodiment Illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is a device for performing exercises. The device 10 comprises a pole 12. The pole 12 is a hollow pole and has an axial opening 1 2a therethrough. In the exemplary embodiment, the pole 12 is a stainless steel tube.

At the top of the pole 12 is fixed a spherical handle or knob 14 (Figure 2) which is mounted on the pole 12. The knob 14 is in the form of a suitable plastic material, rubber, wood or the like. In the preferred embodiment, the knob 14 is a solid spherical member made of wood. By virture of the spherical configuration of the knob 14, improved distribution of the force applied by an operator is achieved.

At the bottom of the pole 12 is a suitable plastic or rubber foot 16 for engaging any suitable supporting surface in a yieldable manner. In the exemplary embodiment, the foot 16 is made of rubber and has a flat, closed end at the cylindrical end portion thereof resembling a rubber tip commonly found on the end of a cane or a crutch. The axial opening 1 2a (Figure 2) contains heavy material 18, such as lead shot, a lead rod, sand of the like. At each end of the pole 12 is a suitable plug 20 (Figures 2 and 5). Each plug 20 is made of an expansible rubber material.

The rubber plugs 20 seal the tubular pole 12 to retain the heavy material 18 therein. At the top end of the pole 12, the plug 20 has a threaded male member 21, which is received in threaded engagement by a threaded sleeve 22 fixedly secured within the knob 14. At the bottom end of the pole 12, a bushing in threaded engagement with a nut and bolt 23 is inserted into the plug 20.

A padded sleeve 25 (Figures 2 and 3) surrounds the pole 12 intermediate the ends thereof. The fit between the padded sleeve 25 and the pole 12 is such that the padded sleeve 25 will remain in a fixed position along the pole 12 until a sufficient force is manually applied thereagainst by an operatorto move the padded sleeve 25 along the pole 12 in the axial direction. The sleeve 25 is made of suitable foam plastic or rubber material. Encircling the sleeve 25 is a suitable cylindrical fabric cover 25a.

The padded sleeve 25 is adaptable to rest on portions of the body of an operator during exercises and is padded for the comfort of the operator.

Mounted on the pole 12 for sliding movement therealong are a plurality of weights, such as weights 30 and 35 (Figures 1 and 2). Each weight 30 and 35 is releasably locked to the pole 12 and is adjustably slidable along the pole 12 in the axial direction.

Each weight 30 and 35 (Figure 2) includes a female section 36, a male section 37 and an annular spring 38. The female section 36 has an annular configuration. Formed in the female section 36 is an axial opening 39 surrounded by a threaded wall 40.

A shoulder 41 defines one end of the axial opening 39. An annular groove 42 contiguous to the shoulder 41 surrounds the axial opening 39 adjacent the threaded wall 40. An annular groove 42 contiguous to the shoulder 41 and adjacent the threaded wall 40 seats the annular spring 38. The spring 38 is a compression spring and is preferably made of steel.

The male section 37 has an annular configuration and a threaded axial extending projection 45. A central opening 46 extends through the male section 37 including the threaded projection 45. The end of the threaded projection 45 provides a shoulder 47. The annular spring 38 seats in the groove 42 and abuts against the shoulder 41. The pole 12 is received by the axial openings of the female section 36 and the male section 37.

To lock the weight 30 or the weight 35 to the pole 12, the threaded projection 45 of the male section 37 is received by the axial opening 39 in threaded engagement with the wall 40. The male section 37 is rotated until the shoulder 47 of the threaded projection urges the annular spring 38 to decrease its outer diameter to grip the wall of the tube 51 in locking engagement. Nowthe weight is releasably secured to the pole 12.

For sliding the weight 30 or 35 axially along the pole 12 to a selected location, the male section 37 is rotated about the axis of the pole until the annular spring 38 is relieved of end pressure and increases its outer diameter under its yieldable action for releasing the gripping engagement with the inner wall of the female section 36.

In the use of the device 10 (Figures 6--8), an operator grips the handle 14 with both hands and places the foot 16 on a supporting surface. During the leg lifting exercises (Figure 6), the operator lifts the legs alternately while being supported by the pole 12.

For arm exercises (Figure 7), the operator grips the handle 14 with both hands and places the foot 16 on a supporting surface. While standing substantially erect, the pole 12 is moved at the handle 14 toward and away from the operator by flexing and extending the arms of the operator. The foot 16 pivots about a fixed location on the supporting surface.

For waist bending exercises (Figure 8), the operator grips the handle 14 with both hands and places the foot 16 on a supporting surface. The operator moves the handle 14 so that the pole 12 moves through various angles relative to the supporting surface by bending the body of the operator at the waist.

By selecting various locations along the pole 12 for the weights 30 and 35, an operator can vary the application of applied force exerted by the operator in performing various exercises.

The pole 12 may be divided into a plurality of endto-end sections, such as sections 51 and 52. At the juxtaposed ends of the sections 51 and 52 is a suitable plug 53 that retains the heavy material within the section 51. Projecting from the plug 53 is a suitable threaded member 54. The threaded member 54 is received in threaded engagement by a cylindrical block 55. The block 55 is seated in the section 52 and retains the heavy material 18 in the section 52. The plug 53 is made of suitable metallic material, such as steel, and the block 55 is made of suitable metallic material, such as steel.

When the sections 51 and 52 are secured together in end-to-end relation by the threaded member 54 and the block 55, the pole 12 forms a unitary structure separable for facilitating the carrying thereof in luggage, and for facilitating the shipping, packing and transporting thereof. To assemble the sections 51 and 52 to form the pole 12, the sections 51 and 52 are aligned axially with the section 51 above the section 52. The threaded member 54 is threaded into the cylindrical block 55 and the sleeve 25a is placed around the portion of the pole 12 to surround the juxtaposed ends of the sections 51 and 52.

Claims

1. A device for performing exercises comprising: (a) a pole; (b) a handle at one end of the pole for manual gripping by an operator; (c) a foot at the other end of the pole for engaging a supporting surface; and (d) at least one weight having an opening therethrough to receive the pole for sliding movement along the pole in the axial direction of the pole, the weight including locking means interengaging the weight and the pole for releasably locking the weight to the pole for holding the weight in a fixed axial position on the pole, the locking means comprising threaded sections rotatable about the axis of the pole.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the locking means comprises a yieldable annular member engageable by said threaded sections to control the locking engagement between the weight and the pole.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 including a padded sleeve mounted on the pole for sliding movement therealong in the axial direction of the pole.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the handle is spherical and is fixed to said one end of said pole.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3 wherein the pole is formed with an axial opening and heavy material is disposed in said axial opening.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein at least one plug is disposed in the axial opening to retain the heavy material therein.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6 wherein the plug is disposed at one end of the axial opening in the pole and a handle is attached to the plug.

8. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the pole comprises a plurality of separable axially aligned sections having confronting ends, means at said confronting ends for detachably securing said separable sections to each other.

9. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pole comprises a plurality of separable axially aligned tubular sections having confronting ends and containing heavy material, means being provided at said confronting ends for detachably securing said separable sections to each other and to form separable plugs for retaining the heavy material in the tubular sections.

10. A device for performing exercises substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.