WO2005089889A1

WO2005089889A1 - Apparatus for physical training

Info

Publication number: WO2005089889A1
Application number: PCT/IB2005/000592
Authority: WO
Inventors: Graham Ernest Diederiks
Original assignee: URIZZI ALESSANDRO MANTHOS PANAGIOTIS
Current assignee: URIZZI ALESSANDRO MANTHOS PANAGIOTIS
Priority date: 2004-03-10
Filing date: 2005-03-09
Publication date: 2005-09-29
Anticipated expiration: 2006-09-10
Also published as: ZA200502466B

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (10) for physical training. The apparatus includes at least one pair of striking pads (18, 26) for striking by a person's fists. Each pad is mounted on an associated elongated arm (20, 28) which is pivotally mounted on a pivotal mounting having a pivot axis spaced from the pad, the pivotal mountings of the arms of each pair of pads being about a single common pivot axis (22). Each pad is displaceable from a rest position to a struck position by pivoting of its associated arm about its pivot axis. When the pads are in their rest positions, the arms of each pair diverge from each other in a direction from the pivot axis towards their associated pads, to render both pads accessible for striking by a person standing in one place. The apparatus further includes biasing mechanisms for biasing the pads towards their rest positions.

Description

APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING

This invention relates to physical training. More particularly it relates to an apparatus for physical training.

It is expected that this invention will primarily be used in the context of contact sports such as boxing, kickboxing, martial arts, and the like. Accordingly, such applications should particularly be borne in mind when considering this specification.

According to the invention there is provided an apparatus for physical training, the apparatus including at least one pair of striking pads for striking by a person's fists, each striking pad of a said pair being mounted on an associated elongated arm which is pivotally mounted on a pivotal mounting having a pivot axis spaced from the pad, each pad being displaceable from the rest position to a struck position by pivoting of its associated arm about its pivot axis upon striking of the pad by a person's fists, and the apparatus including, for the striking pads and operatively associated therewith, respective biasing mechanisms for biasing the associated pads towards their rest positions, and for automatically returning said pads to their rest positions after they have been displaced from their rest positions towards their struck positions, the apparatus having a construction whereby: the pivotal mountings of the arms of each pair of striking pads are about a single common pivot axis; the striking pads are mounted on their respective arms and said arms are in turn mounted on their pivotal mountings such that displacement of the striking pads from their rest positions to their struck positions causes pivoting of the arms in opposite circumferential directions about the common axis; and the striking pads have rest positions in which the arms of each pad diverge from each other in a direction from the axis towards their associated pads to render both pads accessible for striking by a person standing in one place.

Accordingly, when each striking pad is displaced towards its struck position, the paid, under a biasing force from the associated biasing mechanism, automatically returns to its rest position where it can again be displaced towards its struck position; and the divergence of the arms of each pair of pads allows the person to stand more or less between the pads while striking them, in said one place, with the pads directed towards the one place. The striking pads of each pair are intended typically for exercising a punching action such as a jab or hook, one pad of the pair usually being struck with one fist, and the other pad of the paid being struck with the other fist.

Conveniently the apparatus has two pairs of striking pads, the one pair being spaced along the common axis from the other pair. In this embodiment each pair of striking pads can be regarded as constituting a matched set of striking pads, each pad of each pair having an associated arm and an associated biasing mechanism. Thus, when the common axis is uppercut, as described hereunder, the height at which punches are delivered by a person exercising can be varied. When the apparatus is operatively anchored with the common axis upright, there will be an upper pair of striking pads which will, typically, be located at a height more or less corresponding to the height of an upper part of the upper body of a person of average height, and another lower, pair of striking pads will, typically, be located at a height more or less corresponding to the height of a lower part of the upper body of a person of average height.

The apparatus may include, for each arm, a damper pivotally connected to the arm for exerting a damping force on the arm to damp the return of the associated pad by its associated biasing mechanism to its rest position. Each damper may be constructed to exert a damping force, if any, on the associated arm during displacement of the associated pad from its rest position to its struck position which is less than the damping force exerted by the damper on the arm during return of the associated pad to its rest position. Preferably the damper is constructed to exert a more or less substantial damping force on the arm during return of the pad to its rest position, and to exert as little damping force as possible or practicable on the arm during displacement of the pad from its rest position to its struck position. Each damper may comprise a piston-and-cylinder mechanism arrangement to retract in response to displacement of the associated pad from its rest position towards its struck position, and to extend in response to return of the pad towards its rest position. The apparatus may include a frame for anchoring to an anchoring structure, the arms and their associated biasing mechanisms being mounted on the frame. The frame may include a base plate for resting on an anchoring structure such as a floor, a post or pillar for projecting upwardly from the base plate, and a bracket for connection to an anchoring structure such as a wall, in a building, the base plate, post or pillar and/or the bracket supporting the remainder of the frame in an upright condition in which the common axis of the pivotal mountings of the arms is upright, typically being vertical, the two arms of each pair being pivotable so that their associated pads are displaceable in a more or less horizontal common plane.

The apparatus may include a kicking pad mounted on an associated arm which is pivotally mounted on a pivotal mounting provided on the frame and having a pivot axis which is normal to the common pivot axis, the kicking pad being displaceable from a rest position to a struck position by pivoting of the associated arm about its axis upon kicking of the kicking pad by a person's foot, the kicking pad having a biasing mechanism associated therewith which is operatively connected to the kicking pad or to the associated arm and biases the kicking pad towards its rest position for automatically returning to its rest position after it has been displaced from its rest position towards its struck position, the kicking pad having a rest position in which it is accessible to kicking away from its rest position and towards its struck position by the foot of a person standing in said one place. The apparatus may further include an uppercut pad mounted on an associated arm which is pivotally mounted on a pivotal mounting having a pivot axis which is normal to the common pivot axis, the uppercut pad being displaceable from a rest position to a struck position by pivoting of the associated arm about its axis upon delivery of an uppercut to the uppercut pad thereto by the fist of a person standing in said one position, the uppercut pad having a biasing mechanism associated therewith which is operatively connected to the uppercut pad or to the associated arm and biases the uppercut pad towards its rest position for automatically returning it to its rest position after it has been displaced from its rest position towards its struck position, the uppercut pad having a said rest position which is spaced from the pairs of striking pads in the direction of the common axis about which the arms of the striking pads are pivotable, displacement of the uppercut pad away from its rest position displacing it, at least initially, away from the striking pads in a direction which increases said spacing of the uppercut pad from the striking pads.

Preferably, the uppercut pad is located above said one position, at a level no lower than that of the uppermost pair of striking pads, when the common axis is vertical, being located for example at the level of the chin of a person of average height.

The pivot axis of each arm may be located between the ends of the arm, the associated pad being mounted on the arm on one side of the axis for example at or adjacent one end of the arm, the associated biasing mechanism being connected to the arm on the opposite side of said axis, for example at or adjacent the other end of the arm, so that each arm is in the form of a lever of the first order.

Each biasing mechanism may be resiliently stressed when the associated pad is in its rest position, the biasing mechanism being arranged so that the resilient stressing thereof increases when the associated pad is displaced from its rest position towards its struck position. More particularly, each biasing mechanism may be elongated and resiliently extensible in response to displacement of the associated pad from its rest position towards its struck position, the biasing mechanism being under tension when the associated pad is in its rest position, the tension providing the stressing and the tension of the biasing mechanism, when the pad is in its rest position, being adjustable. Conveniently the resiliently extensible elongated biasing mechanism comprises a coil spring under tension, the spring having one end thereof connected to its associated arm and the other end thereof connected to the frame. It follows from the adjustability that the force exerted by the spring on its associated arm is adjustable, and the same applies to any other adjustable biasing mechanism used instead of a coil spring.

The arms of at least one pair of striking pads, when the striking pads are in their rest positions, may diverge from each other at an inclination which is adjustable, so that the striking pads in their rest positions are spaced apart by a spacing which is adjustable. The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 shows, schematically, a three-dimensional view of an apparatus for physical training in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a detailed top plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 ; Figure 3 shows, fragmentarily, a side elevation of a detail of the apparatus of Figure 1 ; Figure 4 shows, schematically, an optional accessory for incorporation in the apparatus of Figure 1 ; Figure 5 shows a detail, on an enlarged scale, of a damper forming part of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 6 shows a detail, on an enlarged scale, of another damper forming part of the apparatus of Figures 1 and 4; Figure 7 shows a detail, on an enlarged scale, of a mounting bracket forming part of the apparatus of Figure 1 ; and Figure 8 shows a detail, corresponding to Figure 2, of a cut-away view of the apparatus of Figure 1.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, an apparatus for physical training in accordance with the invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The apparatus 10 includes a frame, generally indicated by reference numeral 12, which is anchored to a wall 14 (only part of which is shown in Figure 2) and to a base plate 16 (also only part of which is shown in Figure 1) for anchoring to the floor of a building.

The apparatus 10 includes a first matched set of striking pads, constituted by two pads which are indicated by reference numeral 18, for striking by a person of average height. Each of the striking pads 18 is mounted on the frame 12 via an elongated arm 20 of rectangular cross-sectional profile. The arms 20 are mounted on the frame 12 for pivoting about a common vertical pivot axis 22 (Figure 2), such that the striking pads 18 are displaceable between rest positions (Figures 1 and 2) and struck positions in which the respective arms 20 pivot, in a common horizontal plane, about the pivot axis 22 in arcuate directions towards the wall 14, respectively indicated by arrows 25, 27 in response to striking of the respective pads 18 by the person.

The apparatus 10 further includes elongated resiliently extensible biasing mechanisms in the form of stressed helical springs 24 under tension (not shown in Figure 1, but see Figures 2 and 8) which are mounted on the frame 12 and secured to the respective arms 20. The springs 24 bias the arms 20 to the rest positions shown in Figures 1 and 2 and, accordingly, bias the striking pads 18 to their rest positions. Thus, when the striking pads 18 have been struck by a person and, accordingly, have been displaced to their struck positions, this raises the tensions in the respective springs 24 and the pads 18 thereafter automatically return towards their rest positions, under bias from the helical tension springs 24, from where they can again be displaced towards their struck positions. Displacement of the pads 18, 26 from their rest positions to their struck positions increases the tension and resilient stressing of the springs 24, above the tension and stressing which are present when the pads 18 are in their rest positions.

As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the arms 20 diverge from each other in a direction away from the wall 14 at an angle of about 90° so that a person striking the pads 18 can be positioned more or less between their associated striking pads 18, at a position towards which the pads 18 are directed.

The pivot axis 22 is located between ends of the respective arms 20, with each of the striking pads 18 being mounted on its respective arm 20 at one end of the arm 20, on one side of the axis 22, one end of each of the helical tension springs 24 being secured to a bracket 23 at the other end of the arm 20 (see also Figure 8) and on the opposite side of said axis 22, such that each of the arms 20 is more or less in the form of a lever of the first order. The pivot axis 22 is defined by a longitudinal axis of an axle 29 shown diagrammatically, about which axle 29 the respective arms 20 are journalled by means of bearing assemblies (not shown), the bearing assemblies being arranged alongside each other on the axle 29.

The apparatus 10 further includes a second matched set of striking pads, constituted by two pads which are indicated by reference numeral 26. Each of the striking pads 26 has, like the striking pads 18, an associated arm 28 and a biasing mechanism in the form of a helical spring under tension (not shown). The arms 28, like the arms 20, are pivotally mounted on the frame 12 to pivot about the same common pivot axis 22 as the arms 20, provided by the axle 29. The second matched set of striking pads 26 and their respective associated arms 28 and biasing mechanisms are disposed essentially similarly to the first set of striking pads 18 and their respective associated arms 20 and biasing mechanisms, i.e. the helical tension springs 24. The striking pads 26 are spaced below the striking pads 18, and the axis 22 about which the arms 28 pivot is co-axial with the pivot axis 22 of the arms 20, so that both pairs of arms 20, 28 pivot about said common pivot axis 22. The arms 28 are also mounted, in similar fashion to the arms 20, on their own axle 29 which is not visible but which will hereinafter also be referred to as the axle 29. As is best seen from Figure 2, the angle at which the arms 28 diverge from each other is slightly less than 90°, but a person striking the pads 26 can also be positioned to stand in one place between the pads 26, while remaining in one place between the pads 18.

The striking pads 18 are located at a height more or less corresponding to the height of an upper part of the upper body of a person of average height, and the striking pads 26 are located at a height more or less corresponding to the height of the lower part of the upper body of a person of average height. The apparatus 10 is thus aimed at exercising a striking action such as a jab or a hook. The person 23 exercising thus strikes the striking pads 18, 26 with the person's fists optionally while wearing boxing gloves. Particularly, the person, when exercising, strikes one of the pads 18, 26 (as the case may be) of each matched pair with one fist and the other one of the pads 18, 26 with the other fist.

The frame 12 includes an upper subframe 30 associated with the first set of striking pads 18, and a lower subframe 31 associated with the second set of striking pads 26 and located below the upper subframe 30. The two subframes 30, 31 are secured together, and in turn are secured to the base plate 16 anchored to the floor of a building, by means of an upright post or pillar 33, the base plate 12 and post or pillar 33 forming part of the frame 12. The subframes 30, 31 are secured together by the post 33 and also by means of additional securing members extending between them, one of which is shown at 35 in Figure 1. The post or pillar 33 is on the opposite side of the axle 29 from the wall 14.

Each of the subframes 30, 31 is constituted by an upper plate 32 and a lower plate 34 spaced below the upper plate 32. In use, as can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the plates 32, 34, which are flat, are horizontally oriented. Ends of the arms 20, 28 remote from the pads 18, 26 are sandwiched between the upper plates 32 and the lower plates 34 of their respective associated subframes 30, 31.

As can be seen in Figure 2, each of the plates 32, 34 is provided with a plurality of cut-out apertures 36. Provision of these apertures 36 reduces the weight of the respective plates 32, 34 and the volume of material required to manufacture them.

Each of the upper plates 32 and the lower plates 34 is further provided with a slot 38 for receiving the axles 29, the slots 38 of the upper plates 32 and the lower plates 34 of the respective subframes 30, 31 being in register. Each of the axles 29 is secured to the upper- and lower plates 32, 34 of their respective subframes 30, 31. It should be noted that, in Figures 2 and 8, the axles 29 are, for ease of illustration, shown displaced somewhat towards the wall 14 from the slots 38. In fact, the axles 29 are indeed located in the slots 38.

As can be seen in Figure 8, the ends of the helical tension springs 24 remote from their ends which are secured to the brackets 23 of the arms 20, 28 are adjustable as regards the tension and stressing thereof when the pads 18, 26 are in their rest positions, and are secured to the respective subframes 30, 31. In particular, the upper plates 32 and the lower plates 34 of the respective subframes 30, 31 are provided with apertures 40 for receiving pins 39 to which said other ends of the helical tension springs 24 are secured. Each of the upper plates 32 and the lower plates 34 is provided with two series of apertures 40 so that the positions of the pins 39 relative to associated ends of the arms 20, 28 are adjustable. This permits adjustment of the tensions which the springs 24 exert on said associated ends of the arms 20, 28, when the pads 18, 26 are in their rest positions. Said adjustment thus enables adjustment of the degree to which the striking pads 18, 26 resist displacement towards their respective struck positions when they are struck by a person in the direction of arrows 25, 27. The springs 24 connected to the arms 88, 112 of Figures 3 and 4 are adjustable in similar fashion.

Displacement of the arms 20, 28 from their rest positions is in opposite circumferential directions and is limited by means of stops 46 (shown in Figure 8) in the form of pads or buffers which are secured to the subframes 30, 31. As can be seen in Figure 8, the stops 46 restrict movement of the arms 20, 28 in the direction in which the striking pads 18, 26 can be displaced towards their struck positions, i.e. displacement in opposite circumferential directions indicated by arrows 25, 27, thereby defining said struck positions.

With reference also to Figure 7, the subframes 30, 31 are anchored to the wall 14 of the building by means of mountings 50 which are connected to the subframes 30, 31 and are mounted on a mounting bracket 52. The mounting bracket 52, in turn, is secured to the wall 14. The mountings 50 are in the form of pads having shock-absorbing qualities, typically the kind of elastometric or rubber engine mountings used to mount a motor vehicle engine to a body of the motor vehicle. The bracket 52 comprises a plate 53 having a more or less elliptical central opening, bolt holes respectively near its corners for bolting it using bolts to the wall 14, and raised inverted U-profile platforms 44 projecting away from the wall 14 for connection to the mountings 50.

Naturally, although illustrated and described as including two sets of striking pads 18, 26, the apparatus can, if desired, include only a single set of striking pads 18, 26, at a suitable (e.g. intermediate) height.

With reference also to Figure 5, the arms 20, 28 are shown connected to dampers 60 in the form of piston-and-cylinder assemblies which are telescopically retractable/extensible, each comprising a cylinder 62 and a piston having a head 64 axially slidable in the cylinder 62, the piston comprising a piston head 64 and a piston rod 66 bolted to the head 64. The dampers 60 are for exerting damping forces on the arms 20, 28 to damp the return of the associated pads 18, 26 to their rest positions. The dampers 60 are located between the associated plates 32, 34 and are respectively pivotable about vertical axes provided by pivot pins 68 adjustably movable along curved slots 70 provided in the plates 32, 34. In Figure 8 the pins 68 are shown in position in their respective slots

70, while in Figure 2 they are shown alongside their slots 70, prior to insertion into the slots 70, better to illustrate the slots 70. The pins 68 are adjustable in position in the slots 70, to permit adjustment, to a limited degree, of the rest positions of the pads 18, 26, of the inclinations between the arms 20, or the arms 28, in their rest positions, and of the tensions of the springs 24 when the pads and arms are in their rest positions. The ends of the piston rods 66 remote from the piston heads 64 are shown connected to the arms 20 and are respectively pivotable relative to the arms 20 about vertical pivot axes provided by pivot pins 72 located in brackets in the form of eyes 74 provided at positions 76 adjacent the associated axle 29. The pins 72 and eyes 74 are omitted from Figure 2 and are illustrated in Figure 8; and the positions 76 are designated in Figure 2 but not in Figure 8. With reference particularly to Figure 5 the cylinder 62 and piston rod 66 are respectively shown provided with eyes 78, 80 for receiving respectively the pins 68 and 72, to which they are journalled. A rubber bellows-type spring 81 is provided in the piston rod 66 adjacent the piston head 64 and inside the cylinder 62. The piston head 64 is of a known construction whereby it comprises two axially spaced peripherally toothed flexible discs 82 arranged to collapse away from the wall of he cylinder 62 in response to forcible retraction of the assembly 60, but to remain in more or less sliding contact with the wall of the cylinder 62 at their peripheries during extension of the assembly 60. Peripheral openings defined between the teeth, between the discs 82 and the wall of the cylinder 62 permit air or gas in the cylinder 62 to bleed past the cylinder head 64 during extension of the assembly 60, in response to extension of the assembly 60 by the associated spring 24, to damp the return of the arms 20 and pads 18 to their rest positions after being struck, the rest positions being defined by the fully extended conditions of the assemblies 60 of the dampers 60. However, collapsing of the discs 82 away from the wall of the cylinder 62 means that, during the displacement of the associated pad 18, 26 from its rest position to its struck position, i.e. during forcible retraction of the assembly 60, little, if any, damping force is exerted by the assembly 60. Thus, any damping force exerted during said retraction is substantially less than the damping force exerted by the assembly 60 during extension thereof, i.e. during return of the associated pad 18, 26 to its rest position.

In more or less exactly analogous fashion, the arms 28 are respectively provided with similar dampers (not shown) of the same construction and function as the dampers 60.

Figure 3 shows, fragmentarily, a side elevation of a detail of the apparatus of Figure 1. The detail shown in Figure 3 is generally indicated by reference numeral 84. The detail 84 illustrates a further subframe 86 on which is mounted a further arm 88 having an associated uppercut pad 90 and a helical spring 24 under tension associated therewith, the uppercut pad 90 being spaced above the pads 18, 26. The arm 88 is mounted on a pivotal mounting having a pivot axis 92 normal to the common axis 22 of the arms 20, 28.

The subframe 86 is mounted on the upper plate 32 of the subframe 30, to project upwardly therefrom so that the pivot axis 92 of the arm 88 is normal to the common pivot axis 22 of the arms 20, 28, i.e. the pivot axis 92 is horizontal when the apparatus 10 is operatively anchored with the axis 22 vertical. In this embodiment, the subframe 86 is also constituted by two spaced plates, only one of which is visible and is indicated by reference numeral 94.

The uppercut pad 90 functions in similar fashion to the pads 18, 20, with the uppercut pad 90 being located more or less between (when seen from above) and somewhat above the striking pads 18 and facing downwardly such that a person standing in said one place between the pads 18, 20 can execute an uppercut on the uppercut pad

90 and displace it upwardly in a direction indicated by arrow 96, to increase its spacing above the pads 18, 26. In a fashion similar to the arms 20 and 28, the arm 88 is connected by a damper which is designated 100 in the form of a piston and cylinder assembly (see also Figure 6), to the subframe 86.

As can be seen in Figure 3, displacement of the arm 64 is also restricted by means of a stop 98, and has its rest position defined by full extension of the assembly 100.

In Figure 6 the same reference numerals are used to designate the same parts as in Figure 5, unless otherwise specified. Thus, it will be noted that the bellows- type spring 82 of Figure 5 is omitted from Figure 6, but the piston head 64 and the discs 82 of Figure 5 are retained in Figure 6. The cylinder 62 contains lubricating fluid 102 and has, running alongside it, a gas bleed pipe 104 and a lubricating fluid bleed pipe 106. Once again, the discs 82 are arranged to collapse upon retraction of the assembly 100, to allow said retraction to take place essentially against the biasing force of the coil spring connected to the arm 88, but the discs are arranged to remain in contact with the wall of the cylinder 62 during extension of the assembly, to damp said extension. Thus, damping during extension of the cylinder 100 is once again substantially greater than damping, if any, during retraction thereof.

Full extension of the assembly 100 allows the piston head 64 to urge lubricating fluid 102 along the pipe 106 to re-enter the cylinder 62 adjacent the eye 78, for the purpose of lubricating sliding of the head 68 against the wall of the cylinder. Flow of gas or air along the bleed pipe 104 supplements flow of air past the discs 82 during extension of the assembly 100, to assist in damping of said extension, which extension takes place in response to biasing by the coil spring. In use, as shown in Figures 3 and 6 the assembly 100 is inclined to the horizontal and to the vertical, and slopes upwardly, so that the fluid 102 collects in the bottom of the cylinder 62 under gravity and is in use urged upwardly along the pipe 106 by the piston head 64.

Figure 4 shows an accessory for the training apparatus in accordance with the invention of Figure 1. The accessory shown in Figure 4 is generally indicated by reference numeral 108 and is aimed at exercising a kicking action of the type encountered in kick boxing. The accessory 108 includes a frame 110 which is mounted on the base plate 16 alongside the remainder of the apparatus 10 (omitted from Figure 4 for ease of illustration). The frame 110 is, in principle, the same as the subframe 86 shown in Figure 3 and is not described further, the same reference numerals being used to designate the same part as in Figure 3, unless otherwise specified. The base plate 16 is shown installed on a building floor 111. The remainder of the apparatus 10 is mounted on the base plate 16 by the pillar or post 33.

The accessory 108 includes an arm 112 having an associated kicking pad 114 for kicking by the foot of a person and a biasing mechanism, also in the form of a helical spring 24 under tension, which biases the arm 112 towards a position in which its associated kicking pad 114 is in its rest position as shown in Figure 4, with the associated assembly 100 fully extended. As can be seen, when the kicking pad 114 is in its rest position, the arm 12 projects upwardly from the floor 111 and base plate 16, and is pivotable about a pivot axis which is horizontal and is defined by the longitudinal axis of an axle 116 on which the arm 112 is pivotally mounted, and which axle 116 is, in turn, mounted on the frame 110. The kicking pad 114 is thus displaceable in a direction indicated by arrow 118 towards its struck position, and the accessory 108 is mounted on the base plate 116 in a position in which the kicking pad 114 can be kicked by a person standing in said one place between the pads 18, 26.

The arms 88 and 112 shown in Figures 3 and 4 are pivotally secured to their respective frames 86, 108 in a fashion similar to that hereinbefore described for the arms 20, 28, the connections thereof to the associated springs 24 being on opposite sides of their pivot axes 92, 116 from the associated pads 90, 114. Although not shown as such, the tension which the associated biasing springs exert on their respective arms 88, 112 is also adjustable in a manner similar to that hereinbefore described. The apparatus 108 also includes respective stops 120, 122 for restricting displacement of the arm 112, the stop 122 assisting the assembly 100 in establishing the rest position of the pad 114.

Naturally, if desired, the uppercut pad 90 on its arm 88 and subframe 86, or the accessory 108 with its pad 114 on its arm 112 and frame 92, can respectively be detachably mounted respectively on the subframe 30 or base plate 16, as the case my be.

They can then, if desired, be detached and mounted elsewhere for use separately from the pads 18 and 26.

The invention as described and illustrated thus provides an apparatus which can advantageously be used in the context of contact sports such as boxing, kick boxing, other martial arts, and the like.

It is a particular advantage of the apparatus 10 that the pads 18, and the pads 26, because they are mounted on a common pivot axis 22, can provide a position above the base plate 16 where a person can stand and in which such person is faced by all of the pads 18, 20, and can strike any one of these pads, as desired. The pad 90 renders the apparatus even more versatile by providing for the practice of uppercuts, in addition to the practice of jabs or hooks at various heights, made possible by the pads 18, 26. The pad 114 of Figure 6 in turn makes possible the simultaneous practice of kick boxing, if appropriately placed on the base plate 16 to be accessible to a person using the pads 18, 26, 90. A further particular advantage of the invention is that it provides for damped return of the pads 18, 26, 90 to their rest positions, after being struck which is made possible by the assemblies 60 and 100.

Claims

1. An apparatus for physical training, the apparatus including at least one pair of striking pads for striking by a person's fists, each striking pad of a said pair being mounted on an associated elongated arm which is pivotally mounted on a pivotal mounting having a pivot axis spaced from the pad, each pad being displaceable from a rest position to a struck position by pivoting of its associated arm about its pivot axis upon striking of the pad by a person's fists, and the apparatus including, for the striking pads and operatively associated therewith, respective biasing mechanisms for biasing the associated pads towards their rest positions, and for automatically returning said pads to their rest positions after they have been displaced from their rest positions towards their struck positions, the apparatus having a construction which is characterised in that the pivotal mountings of the arms (20,28) of each pair of striking pads (18,26) are about a single common pivot axis (22); the striking pads (18,26) are mounted on their respective arms (20,28) and said arms are in turn mounted on their pivotal mountings (29) such that displacement of the striking pads from their rest positions to their struck positions causes pivoting of the arms in opposite circumferential directions (25,27) about the common axis; and the striking pads (18,26) have rest positions in which the arms (20,28) of each pair diverge from each other in a direction from the axis (22) towards their associated pads (18,26) to render both pads accessible for striking by a person standing in one place.

2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 , characterised in that it has two pairs of the striking pads, the one pair (18) being spaced along the common axis (22) from the other pair (26).

3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterised in that it includes, for each arm (20,28), a damper (60) pivotally connected to the arm for exerting a damping force on the arm to damp the return of the associated pad by its associated biasing mechanism to its rest position.

4. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, characterised in that each damper (60) is constructed to exert a damping force, if any, on the associated arm during displacement of the associated pad from its rest position to its struck position which is less than the damping force exerted by the damper on said arm during return of the associated pad to its rest position.

5. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, characterised in that each damper comprises a piston-and-cylinder mechanism (60) arranged to retract in response to displacement of the associated pad from its rest position towards its struck position, and to extend in response to return of the pad towards its rest position.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it includes a frame (12) for anchoring to an anchoring structure (14,111) the arms (20,28) and their associated biasing mechanisms (24) being mounted on the frame (12).

7. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, characterised in that it includes a kicking pad (114) mounted on an associated arm (112) which is pivotally mounted on a pivotal mounting (116) provided on the frame (12) and having a pivot axis which is normal to the common pivot axis (22), the kicking pad (114) being displaceable from a rest position to a struck position by pivoting of the associated arm (112) about the axis of its pivotal mounting (116) upon kicking of the kicking pad (114) by a person's foot, the kicking pad (114) having a biasing mechanism (24) associated therewith which is operatively connected to the kicking pad (114) or to the associated arm (112) and biases the kicking pad (114) towards its rest position for automatically returning it to its rest position after it has been displaced from its rest position towards its struck position, the kicking pad (114) having a rest position in which it is accessible to kicking away from its rest position and towards its struck position by the foot of a person standing in said one place.

8. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it includes an uppercut pad (90) mounted on an associated arm (88) which is pivotally mounted on a pivotal mounting having a pivot axis (92) which is normal to the common pivot axis (22), the uppercut pad (90) being displaceable from a rest position to a struck position by pivoting of the associated arm (88) about the axis (92) of its pivotal mounting upon delivery of an uppercut to the uppercut pad (90) by the fist of a person standing in said one position, the uppercut pad (90) having a biasing mechanism (24) associated therewith which is operatively connected to the uppercut pad (90) or to the associated arm (88) and biases the uppercut pad (90) towards its rest position for automatically returning it to its rest position after it has been displaced from its rest position towards its struck position, the uppercut pad (90) having a said rest position which is spaced from the pairs of striking pads (18,26) in the direction of the common axis (22) about which the arms (20,28) of the striking pads are pivotable, displacement of the uppercut pad (90) away from its rest position displacing it, at least initially, away from the striking pads (18,26) in a direction which increases said spacing of the uppercut pad (90) from the striking pads (18,26).

9. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pivot axis (22,92,116) of each arm (20,28,88,112) is located between the ends of the arm, the associated pad (18,26,90,114) being mounted on the arm on one side of the axis and the associated biasing mechanism (24) being connected to the arm on the opposite side of said axis.

10. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each biasing mechanism (24) is resiliently stressed when the associated pad

(18,26,90,114) is in its rest position, the biasing mechanism being arranged so that the resilient stressing thereof increases when the associated pad is displaced from its rest position towards its struck position.

11. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, characterised in that each biasing mechanism (24) is elongated and resiliently extensible in response to displacement of the associated pad (18,26,90,114) from its rest position towards its struck position, the biasing mechanism being under tension when the associated pad is in its rest position, the tension providing the stressing and the tension of the biasing mechanism when the associated pad is in its rest position being adjustable.

12. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the arms (20,28) of at least one pair of striking pads (18,26), when the striking pads are in their rest positions, diverge from each other at an inclination which is adjustable.