US2252868A - Exercising device - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 19, 1941. c. W. SENN 2,252,868

EXERCISING DEVICE Filed Dec. 11, 1959 s Sheets-Shea; 1

INVENTOR.

BY I cZar/ es7%%nn I Aug. 19, 1941. Q w SENN 2,252,868

EXERCISING DEVICE Filed Dec. 11, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Czar/es)? enn/ Patented Aug. 19, 1941 2,252,863 EXERCISING DEVICE Charles W. Senn, Wildwood, N. .L, assignor of three-eighths to John Gruninger, 2nd., Wildwood, N. J.

Application necember 11, 1939, Serial No. 308,526

9 Claims.

Thi invention relates to exercising devices, having for its principal object the provision of a novel machine or device for exercising and developing the muscles of the human body, improving the health, and in general invigorating the muscular and nervous system of the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel exercising device which is adapted to be conveniently secured to the wall, flooror ceiling of a room, and which may be adjusted to the requirements of users, young or old, and of diiferentstages of physical development.

A further object is to provide an exercising device of the kind indicated with novel, adjustable, friction-applying means for graduating the force requisite for manipulating the device.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel exercising device of a design and construction suitable for gymnasiums, health and physical culture institutions, and wherever the development of a strong and rugged physique is a desideratum.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings two forms thereof which are at present preferred 'by me, since the same have been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and that the invention is not limitedto the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

With these and other objects not specifically referred to, the invention consists in certain novel parts, arrangements and combinations which will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings whereini Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of the invention with a portion of the operating handles broken away, and showing the device attached to means which permits its adjustment to the desired height or position;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one of the friction shoes or members removed from the assembly;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the member shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the device, partly in section, with parts broken away for clearer illustration, and showing the apparatus adjustably connected to a suitable support;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, elevational detail view, showing one of the coacting friction members and a portion of the socket which receives one of the operating handles;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, elevational, detail view of the centrally-located, friction-adjusting drum;

Fig. 7 is an end view of the member shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a plan View, similar to Figure 1, depicting a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view, partly in elevation, with parts broken, as taken on the line and as viewed in the direction of the arrows 99 of Fig. 8; and showing the modified form of the invention adjustably connected to a suitable support.

The device described hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, is designed and adapted to bring into play the majority of the principal muscles of the body and par ticularly those muscles which ordinarily are not called into action, this desideratum being achieved by the wide range of movements permitted by the apparatus and the various heights at which these movements can be performed. Furthermore, since the force or energy required to operate the device can he graduated from the pressure of a few ounces to a force equal to or greater than any which could be applied by the strongest man, it will be appreciated that the apparatus lends itself to the physical development of persons of all ages and of both sexes.

Referring now to the drawings wherein similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views of the preferred form of the invention letter A-designates an exercising device embodying the invention.

The exercising device comprises a ring lil composed of wood, metal or other suitable material, the outer edge or periphery of which is provided with an annular groove I I accommodating a pair of substantially similar friction shoes [2, l3, as hereinafter described more fully. The annular groove or the friction shoes may have, if desired, suitable friction or brake lining (not shown) secured thereto.

The annular member or ring H] has fastened to one of its lateral faces, in any suitable manner, a plate or strap M which is bent at its centre to provide a depressed portion, as at l5, through which a spring pressed plunger or pin lfiis protruded. The pin I B is adapted to be selectively inserted in any one of a series of pockets l1 arranged radially and in spaced relation in the circular periphery of a friction-adjusting drum or member 11.

The plate [4 of the device or assembly A is I8, I9 diverging from and integrally formed with a friction shoe 2| provided with oppositely-directed projections 22, 23. The friction shoe 2|, which is formed of metal or other suitable material, is normally secured in adjusted position against the face of a support or retainer member 24 by means of a set-screw 25 (Fig. 4).

The opposite sides of the support 24 are suitablybent and folded, as at 26, to provide longitudinally-extending guiding recesses or slideways 21, 28 that slidably accommodate the projections 22 23 of the shoe 2|, the bottom of which .is juxtaposed against the central portion of the said support 24. The support or retainer member 24 is fastened to a wall 29 or any other suitable support by screws 3|. As best shown in Fig. 4, it

will be apparent that by loosening the set-screw I 25, the shoe 2! and the entire assembly or device A secured thereto may be slid longitudinally of the support 24 and in a vertical plane, and then substantially wedge-shape in cross-section, as at 32 (Fig. 4) and arcuately curved, as at 33 (Figs. 1 and 3) in order to smoothly fit into the V- shaped, annular groove ll of the ring l0. Each of the'shoes l2, I3, is formed with an integral offset 34". of a cylindrical member 34 which has a threaded bore or pocket 35 adapted to receive one of the adjacent threaded stems 36 or 31 that are formed integrally with and project from each of the concave opposite faces 38, 39, respectively of the friction-adjusting drum I? referredto above.

By inspection of Fig. 6, it will be seen that a'portion of the stem 36 is provided with a lefthand thread while a portion of the stem 31 has a right-hand thread, these threaded portions serving, as described more fully in ensuing paragraphs, to simultaneously move the diametricallyoppositeshoes l2, l3 towards or away from the ring l3 in order to increase or decrease the fric tion and/or the force required to operate same.

As best shown in Fig. 4, it will be observed that each stem 35 or 3'! has a smooth, unthreaded portion 35' which isfreely rotatable in a pas sagewayprovided in the enlarged head or disc 46 of a friction member 4| formed with an integral radially-projecting socket 42, the said socket accommodating an operating handle 42' adapted to be threadedly engaged therein.

, Each of the concave faces 38, 39 of the friction drum I1 is coactingly engaged by a convex surface 43 formed on the face of each friction head 40 which is further provided with an enlarged pocket 44 communicating with the passageway 43', the pocket 44, as best shown in Fig. 4, being adapted to rotatably receive the cylindrical member or portion 34 of each shoe |2 or l3.

, The function and mode of operation of the exercising device A has been in large measure indicated above, but may be summarized as follows: K Assuming the retainer member or support 24, which may extend from the floor to the ceiling, if desiredyto be secured to a suitable support or wall 29, as indicated generally in Fig. 4, the

operator, preparatory to using the apparatus,

will initially raise or lower the assembly A to the height desired by loosening the set-screw 25. thus permitting the slidable adjustment of the shoe 2| and attached parts in the vertical recesses or slideways 21, 28. Ihe set-screw 25 is then tightened and the assembly A accordinglyflxed in position for manipulation. The friction drum I! is now temporarily released by withdrawal of the pin It from the adjacent pocket I? and turned to obtain the desired degree of friction both between the coasting surfaces of the shoes l2, 3 and the V-shaped groove II in the ring l3, and between the concavo-convex juxtaposed surfaces of the friction drum l1 and the adjacent friction heads 4|), it being observed that rotation of the said drum and its oppositelydirected stems or studs 36, 31 in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the left in Fig. 1, will simultaneously cause the arcuate shoes l2, IE to move towards each other, thus increasing their friction against the ring Hi. This inward movement last described, will, at the same time, cause the inner ends of the cylindrical members or portions 34 to press against the bottoms of the pockets 44, thereby causing the friction heads 43 to simultaneously move into closer contact with the juxtaposed concave faces 38, 39 of the friction drum H. The pin I6 is then returned to the nearest pocket I'l', thereby locking the drum l1 against rotation and making the apparatus ready for use. f

While actually using the apparatus, it is to be noted that the two manipulating handles ,42, which are grasped by the operators hands, may be independently turned about the axis of the friction drum H, the hub portion or friction head 43 meanwhile turning on the outer periphery of the cylindrical member 34; In addition to this, the friction shoes l2, l3 attached to the stems of the friction drum and the associated parts of the latter, may be bodily revolved about the normally fixed ring Hi and. about anaxis coincident with the axis of the pin l5, the stem of which latter remains in the adjacent pocket of the now stationary drum. and in a plane normal thereto. 7

It will therefore be evident that the manipulating handles may be swung in two different planes, each normal to the other, and that, if desired, exercising movements made in connection with the device may simultaneously combine movements in both of said planes, thereby giving the widest latitude in bringing into play the various muscles of the body. The individual operating the apparatus will, of course, regulate the same to suit his own taste and requirements, and. perform such movements as, it is felt, will develop and/or invigorate the desired muscles and organs of the body.

In Figures 8 and 9, a modified form of exercising device embodying the invention is de-- of a pair of diametrically opposite and similar friction shoes 54, 55. The ring-engaging portion of each of the similar friction shoes 54, 55 is of an arcuate configuration, as at 55, in order to smoothly fit against and accommodate the rib.

52 of the ring 5|. I

The shoes 54, 55 .are formed as an integral part of similar cylindrical members 51, 58 respectively, each having an outer annular flange 51, 58 against which the outer ends ofhubs or sleeves 58; 6 areada pted to-be engaged. The members 5158 are each provided with a threaded pocket 61 which receives areduced, outer threaded" portion, formed on each of" a pair of studs 63, 64 projecting from opposite sides of a friction-adjusting drum 65; each of these differentially-threaded studs also having an' enlarged threaded portion, as at 66, which has less threads per unit of lengththan the threaded portion 62. The differential threads on the stud 63, it will be observed, are both left-hand threads, while the differenti'althreads on the stud 6.4 are both right-hand threads, for a purpose which will appear hereinafter.

The hubs 59, 60, which rotate freely on the peripheries of the members 51, 58, are formed with radially-projecting, tubular sockets 61, 68 adapted to receive operating handles (not shown), and are further provided with unitary friction heads or discs H, 12' having outer, concave faces, as at 13, normally infrictional engagement with convex faces 14 of, coacting friction discs 15, 18, integrally formed on hubs or sleeves I1, 18 mounted on the enlarged left-hand and right-hand threaded portions of the oppos'itely-directed studs 613, 64. The last-mentioned hubs 11, 18 may be partly accommodated in shallow pockets 19, 8| formed in the opposite sides of the friction-adjusting drum 65 and from which the doubly-threaded studs 63, 64 protrude.

The outer edges of the friction discs 15, 16 may have notched projections 15, Hi in which a locking bar 82 is normally engaged with a view to preventing rotation of the said friction discs 15, 18 while the friction-adjusting drum B is being turned to regulate the degree of friction desired and the consequent pressure or force required to operate the handles 69. The locking bar 82 is fastened to a spring-biased stud 83 protruded through aligned holes in a bracket member, designatedgenerally at 84 and secured to a pair of arms 85, 86 which are welded or otherwise suitably fastened to opposite sides of the ring 5|. A friction shoe 81, similar to the friction shoe 2| of the first form of the invention, is secured to the bracket 84 and is adapted to be slidably and adjustably confined in a support or retainer member 88 suitably anchored to an adjacent wall or other supporting structure,

The function and operation of the modified form of the invention B is substantially similar to the other form of the invention. In the instant form B, however, it will be noted that when the friction-adjusting drum 65 is turned, the left and right hand double threads on the differentially threaded studs 63, 64 will simultaneously move both the friction discs 15, 16 and also the cylindrical members 51, 58 having the friction shoes 54, 55. The coarser threads 68 of the enlargedportions of the studs 63, 64, it will be obvious, will advance the friction discs 15, 16 at a rate somewhat faster than the movement communicated to the members 51, 58 and their attached friction shoes 54, 55 which latter, as noted above, are operatively engaged with the friction rib 53 of the ring 5|.

The net result of the above procedure will be an increase of friction of the outer shoes 54, 55 against the rib 53 and a slightly greater increase of friction of the friction discs 15, 16 against the coacting friction discs "H, 12. By withdrawing the locking bar 82 from the notched projections 16 of the discs 15, 16, the latter may turn with the friction-adjusting drum 65, thereby permitting the independent movement and/or adjustment ofthe outer shoe-carrying members 51, 58 relative to the friction rib 53, and

at the same time increasing or decreasing the pressure or friction between the adjacent concavo- convex faces 73, 14 of their respective discs, independently of the adjustment afforded by the enlarged threaded portions 65,

It is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the accompanying claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention; and it will be further understood that each and every novel feature and combination present in or possessed by the mechanism herein disclosed, forms a part of the invention included in this application.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An exercising device of the character described, comprising, in combination, a support, an assembly connected. to the support and capable of angular and translational movement relatively thereto, friction-applying instrumentalities connected to the assembly and to the support, and a pair of manually and independently operable means connected to the instrumentalities, said manually operable means being angularly and simultaneously movable in opposite directions about a plurality of different axes.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support, means connected to the support and having a friction surface, other means frictionally engaged with the friction surface and rotatable about its axis, a pair of manually operable instrumentalities independently movable about portions of said last mentioned means, and a friction regulating member having a threaded connection with the said other means, i

said member having friction surfaces engaged by the instrumentalities.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support, means connected to the support and having a friction surface, a second means frictionally engaged with the friction surface and rotatable about its axis, a pair of manually operable instrumentalities turnably connected to the said second means and adapted to rotate them in a plane normal to the plane of rotation of the instrumentalities, and a friction regulating member threadedly connected to the second means and having oppositely directed friction surfaces, said friction surfaces being en gaged by coacting friction surfaces arranged on the manually operable instrumentalities.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support, means connected to the support and having a friction surface, a second means frictionally engaged with the friction surface and rotatable about the axis thereof, a pair of manually operable instrumentalities turnably connected to the said second means and adapted to rotate them in a plane normal to the plane of rotation of the instrumentalities, a friction regulating member having oppositely directed friction surfaces, each of said surfaces being engaged by a coacting friction surface arranged on either of the instrumentalities, and a threaded extension projecting axially from each of the friction surfaces of the regulating member, said extensions being operatively engaged with portions of the said second means.

5. In'a device of the character described, the combination of a support, means connected to the support and having a friction surface, a second means frictionally engaged with the said friction surface and rotatable about'the axis thereof, a pair of manually operable instrumentalities independently swingable in the same direction and in opposite directions about the longitudinal axis of the said second means but adapted to revolve with them as a unit about their axis of rotation when desired, a friction regulating member operatively connected to the second means and having friction surfaces engaged by coacting friction surfaces on the manually operable instrumentalities; whereby when the regulating member is turned, a simultaneous adjustmentof the instrumentalities and of the second means is obtained.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support, an assembly connected to the support andcapable of angular and translational movement relative thereto, a pair of manually operable instrumentalities independently movable in the same direction and in opposite directions about a plurality of different axes and revolvable as a unit about the axis of rotation of the assembly, friction-applying means revolvable with the instrumentalities about the said axis of rotation, other friction-applying means forming an integral part of each of said instrumentalities, and a friction regulating member arranged between the instrumentalities and adapted to simultaneously adjust all of the friction-applying means.

'7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support, an annular friction surface adjustably connected to the support, friction-applyingmeans revolvably arranged on the annular friction surface, a pair of manually operable instrumentalities independently rotatable on portions of the friction-applying means, and a friction-regulating member arranged between the pair of instrumentalities and having friction surfaces engaged with coacting friction-applying surfaces on the instrumentalities, said member having a threaded connection with the firstmentioned friction-applying means; whereby when the member is turned, a simultaneous adjustment of all the friction-applying means is obtained.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support, an annular member connectible to the support at different heights thereof, a friction surface arranged on the outer periphery of said member, a pair of frictionapplying shoes engaged with the friction surface, a manually operable friction-applying member rotatable on cylindrical portions of either of said shoes, a friction-regulating drum arranged between the shoes and the friction-applying members and normally juxtaposed against said members, and means connected to the support for locking the drum in desired position.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support an annular member connectible to, the support at various heights thereof, a friction surface arranged on the inner periphery of the annular membena pair of friction-applying shoes engaged with the friction surface, a pair of friction discs rotatable on inner cylindrical portions of the shoes, an operating handle integrally formed with each of said discs, a second pair of friction discs coactingly engaged with the first-mentioned friction discs, and a friction-regulating member arranged between the last-mentioned pair of discs and hav-. ing a differentially threaded spindle projecting axially from each of its opposite sides, said spindle being threadedly engaged with the cylindrical portions of the shoes and with the second pair of friction discs. 7

CHARLES W. SENN.

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