ROWING ERGOMETER

ERGOMETRE POUR RAMEUR

English Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure
The crouch, pull and finish positions of rowing in the ergometer of this
invention are provided by a sliding seat that can be rocked sideways to
develop balancing skills in the user and by stationary foot rests that can be
raised or lowered in relation to a support frame. They can be tilted forward
or backward or relocated. The ergometer has a handlebar in the shape of a
yoke so that the user may pull it in more closely to his chest. Rotating
resistance to the handlebar pull is a pressure roller contact on a bicycle
wheel tire.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege
is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A horizontally extending main frame supporting stationary foot rests and
a sliding seat, an auxiliary frame cantilevered on the main frame and
upwardly inclined therefrom, a pressure loaded bicycle wheel mounted in
said auxiliary frame, a handlebar connected pull chain rotatably engag-
ing one of a plurality of sprockets on the axis of the bicycle wheel,
said pull chain having an elastic portion at an opposite end that is
anchored to the main frame.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the combined length of the chain and
the elastic portion enables the user to slide his seat back approxi-
mately half the distance traversed by the handlebar in his hand pull.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure loading for the bicycle
wheel is an adjustable roller that bears directly on the bicycle wheel
tire to provide resistance to the handlebar pull of the user.
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Description

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This invention relates to a rowing ergometer for cardiovascular and muscular
fitness.
The crouch, pull and finish positions of rowing are simulated on a light
frame that has a handlebar pull against rotating resistance and a sliding
seat for the user.
The rotating resistance herein is in the form of a bicycle wheel with a
pressure roller that bears directly on the bicycle wheel tire. Its loading
can be varied.
A chain is trained from a fixed point on the frame around any one of a plu-
rality of sprockets on the bicycle wheel axis. From the sprocket wrap-around
the free end of the chain is connected to an elastic cord and thence to the
handlebar that the user pulls. He starts his pull from a forward crouch
position and finishes the pull in a full extension of his legs in a rearward
position. In so doing he has stretched the elastic portion of the drive to
produce a flywheel effect in the bicycle wheel. At the same time the user
has slid his seat back on its support frame approximately half -the distance
traversed by the handlebar in his hand pull. His leg thrust is against
stationary foot rests that are subject to adjustment according to the indi-
vidual user.
Further features of construction of this invention relate to the seat, the
foot rests, the handlebar and the frame assembly.
The seat can be rocked sideways on its track to develop balanciny skills in
the user.
The foot rests can be tilted forward and backward. They can be raised or
lowered or moved to a new location forwardly or rearwardly.
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The pulling handle or handlebar is in the shape of a yoke. This permits the
user to pull the handlebar more closely in to his chest in the finish
position.
The frame has a main horizontal section supporting the foot rests and the
slidable seat. An inclined frame is sleeved over the front end of the hori-
zontal section and mounts the bicycle wheel, the instrument post and the
resistance roller. It should be noted that this latter section is canti-
levered onto the main section and that ground supports are provided on the
main section.
In further description of the invention reference is made to the accompanying
drawing wherein,
Figure 1 is an isometric view of the ergometer.
As shown in Figure 1, a main frame 1 is supported on leg members 2~2. At the
front end of the main frame is an auxiliary frame 3 that is upwardly inclined
and cantilevered in relation to the main frame. The auxiliary frame supports
a bicycle wheel 4 between spaced side rails. Rearwardly of the hicycle wheel
and adjacent thereto a vertically disposed instrument post 5 has a bracing
strut 6 betweer, it and the axis of the wheel. An adjustable pressure roller
7 at the top of the instrument post engages the tread surface of the bicycle
wheel tire. An instrument panel 8 at the top of the post faces the user.
The main frame, which is horizontally disposed, has a pair of inclined
adjustable foot rests 9,9 that are stationary in use of the ergometer. The
movement of sliding seat 10 is controlled by the us~r. The handlebar 11 has
the effect of joining the user with the machine as it is pulled against the
rotating resistance of the loaded bicycle wheel.
A chain portion 12 is connected to the handlebar and has a wrap around one of
a plurality of sprockets on the wheel axis. It then passes under a vertical

pulley 13 and around a horizontal pulley 14. From here, an elastic cable
extension 15 is anohored forwardly at 16.
It is thus seen that the ergometer of the present invention is adaptable to
any user.