Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1 This invention relates to exercise apparatus and more
particularly to new and improved arm exercise apparatus.
Arm exercise apparatus has been provided heretofore such as
that disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,428,311 issued to T. J.
Mitchell on February 16, 1969. This prior art device does not
adequately challenge certain of the arm muscles.
The inside of the forearm includes a group of flexor muscles
and the outside of the foremarm includes an extensor, or
brachioradlalis, group of muscles. ~ccordingly, it is an object
of the present invention to provide new and novel arm building
apparatus for building arm muscles, particularly forearm muscles.
The U.S. Patent No. 4,373,717 issued to Lloyd J. Lambert, Jr.
on February 15, 1983, discloses a wrist curl machine including a
plurality of weights which are vertically moved by a chain and
sprocket wheel assembly coupled to a rotatable hand grip. This
prior art machine is li~ited as it will lift the weight in only
one direction of handle rotation. Accordingly, it is an object of
the present invention to provide arm exercise apparatus of the
type described including a weight which is vertically moved in
response to rot~tion of a handle, coupled to the weight, when the
handle rotates about its axis in either direction.
Various other weight lifting apparatus has been provided
heretofore which do not contemplate the instant invention such as
that illustrated in the following patents: U.S. Patent No.
25 4,411,424, issued to R.V. Barnett on October 25, 1983; U.S. Patent
No. 4,423,862 issued to J. P. Hewitt on January 3, 1984; U.S.
Patent No. 4,570,925 issued to R. W. Kock on February 18, 1986,
and U.S. Patent No. 4,657,246 issued to A.Salyer on April 14,
1987.
It is another ob~ect of the present invention to provide ar~
exercise apparatus of the type described which includes lift
weights that are upwardly displased in response to rotation of a
hand grip in either direction of rotation about its axis.
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Yet another object of the present invention is to provide
arm exercise apparatus of the type described including a new and
novel cable and sheeve assembly coupling a rotatable hand grip
and a vertically moveable lift weight.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide
arm exercise apparatus of the t~pe described including a pair of
cables for alternately vertically moving a lift weight when the
handle is alternatel~ rotated in opposite directions and
mechanism for maintaining each of the cables taut when the other
of the cables is vertically moving the lift weight.
Another object of the present invention is to provide arm
exercise apparatus of the type described including an adjustable
handle which allows, in one position of adjustment, the users
hand to move from a pronated position to a supinated position
and in a reverse positio~ of inclination facilitates movement of
the users hand from the pronated position to the supinated
position.
It is an object of the present invention to provide arm
exercise apparatus for exercising the flexor group of muscles
when the handle is rotated in one direction and for exercising
the extensor group of arm muscles when the handle is rotated in
the opposite direction.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art as the
description thereof proceeds.
According to this invention there is provided arm exercise
apparatus comprising: a frame; at least one lift weight;
mechanism for vertically moving the lift weight on the frame
between a lowered rest position and an elevated position
comprising draft mechanism mounted on the frame for rotation
about an axis in either direction; and a hand grip on the
mechanism for rotating the draft mechanism in either direction
about the axis; and coupling line mechanism connected between
the draft mechanism and the lift weight for raising the lift
weight between the lowered and elevated positions when the draft
mechanism rotates about its axis in either direction, said draft
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mechanism comprising a cylindrical member turnable about said
axis, and said line mechanism comprising first and second lines,
one end of each of which is secured to the cylindrical member
thereby to provide said connection o~ the line mechanism to the
draft mechanism, wi~h the first line being wrapped around the
cylindrical member and the second line being unwrapped from
around the cylindrical member when the draft mechanism is turned
in one direction about said axis, and with the second line being
wrapped around the cylindrical member and the first member being
unwrapped from around the cylindrical member when the draft
mechanism is turned in an opposite direction about said axis.
The invention may be more readily understood by referring
to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of apparatus
constructed according to the present invention, part of the lift
weight being broken away to more clearly illustrate the guide
rods and a sheave mounting clevis, parts being illustrated in
chain lines in an adjusted elevated position, when the handle is
rotated in one direction;
Figure 2 is an end elevational view, taken along the line
2-2 of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a side elevational view, similar to Figure 1,
but illustrating the parts in an adjusted elevated position when
the handle is oppositely rotated;
Figure 4 is a sectional end view, taken along the line 4-4
of Figure 3; and
Figure 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the handle, taken
along the line 5-5 of Figure 2.
Arm exercise apparatus, generally designated 10~
constructed according to the present invention, includes a
frame, generally designated 12, having top and bottom frame
members 14 and 16 spanned by vertical end frame members 18 and
20. A plurality of stacked lift weights, generally designated
21, are provided and include spaced apart apertures 22, which
are received on a pair of vertical guide rods 24 fixed to the
bottom frame bar 16. Shock absorbers 26, mounted on each guide
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rod 24, are disposed between the lowermost lift weight 21 and
the frame bar 16 to isolate the frame, protect the lift weights,
and reduce vibration in the event the lift weights 21 are
inadvertently dropped.
Apparatus, generally designated 30, is provided for
vertically moving the weights 21 between the lowered position,
illustrated in solid lines in Figure 1, and the raised position
illustrated in chain lines in Figure 1. The lift apparatus 30
includes a shaft 32 mounted in bearings 34 which are fixed to
the upper frame bar 14. A handle, generally desiynated 36, is
provided for manually rotating the shaft 32. The handle 36 is
detachably mounted on the shaft 32 and includes a clevis mount
38 having a base 40, which is parallel to a vertical plane
perpendicular to the axis a of the shaft 32, and a pair of
spaced apart legs 42 pivotally mounted on the base 40 via pins
44.
The handle base 40 includes a stub shaft 41 detachably
received within a hollow sleeve 43 and detachably secured
thereto via a transverse pin 39. The sleeve 43 is fixed to one
end 32a of shaft 32. When the pin 39 is removed, the shaft 41
and handle 42 are axially separable to allow the user to
rotationally reposition the handle 36 on the shaft 32 in any
selected rotational position.
The shaft rotating handle 36 includes a hand grip 4S
mounted on the handle legs 42 in any selected one of a plurality
of different positions, such as that illustrated in solid lines
and chain lines in Figure 5, via detachable pins 48 received in
vertically aligned openings 49 and 50 provided in the ends of
hand grip 45 and the legs 42, respectively.
Fixed to th~ opposite end of the drive shaft 32 is a drive
cylinder 52. A pair of weight lifting cables, generally
designated 54 and 56, are coupled at ends 55 and 57,
respectively, to the cylinder 52.
The opposite ends 58 and 60 of lines 54 and 56,
respectively, are anchored to the uppermost weight 21 via pins
62. The weight lifting cables 54 and 56 are trained around an
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idler sheave or pulley 66 rotatably mounted on a clevis mount 68
fixed to the upper end of a rod 70 that is received in aligned
central apertures 72 provided in the weights 21. The sheave
mounting rod 70 includes a plurality of vertically spaced
apertures 74 which recei~e a removable coupling pin 76. The
operator can insert the coupling pin 76 beneath any selected one
of the weights 21 such that any selected number of the weights
21 can be coupled to the rod 70.
Apparatus, generally designated 80, is provided for
maintaining the cables 54 and 56 taut when not being operatively
used to lift the weights 21 and includes a pair of idler sheeves
or pulleys 82 and 84 rotatably mounted on pivot arms 85 and 86
respectively via pivot pins 88. The pivot arms 85 and 86 are
. swingably mounted on the end frame bars 18 and 20 via pivot pins
90. A pair of springs 92 and 94 are coupled between the
upstanding frame end bars 18 and 20 and the pivot arms 85 and
86, respectively, for urging the pulley wheels 82 and 84
upwardly to the raised positions, illustrated in chain lines in
Figure 1, but allowing the pulley wheels 82 and 84 to move to
the lowered positions illustrated in solid lines in Figure 1.
It will be assumed that the weight coupling pin 76 is
positioned in the aperture 74 of the lift rod 70, as illustrated
in Figures 1 and 3, such that only the upper five most weights
21 are coupled to the lift .rod 70. It will further be assumed
that the position of the hand grip 45 is in the position as
illustrated in chain lines in Figure 5.
The user will first grip the hand grip 45 with the right
hand supinated and will rotate the shaft 32 and cylinder 52
about the axis a in the direction of the arrow X. When this
occurs, the cable 56, which is trained around the sheeves or
pulleys 66 and 82, will be maintained taut and the vertical run
56a will tend to upwardly move in the direction of the arrow X'
as the vertical run 56a of the cable 56 is wrapped around the
cylindrical member 52. This will force the pulley 66, clevis 68
and lift rod 70 upwardly thus lifting the weights 21 from the
rest position, illustrated in solid lines in Figure 1 to the
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elevated position, illustrated in chain lines in Figure 1.
As this occurs, the vertical run 54a of the cable 54 is
unwrapped from around the cylindrical member 52, and the tension
on cable 54 is thus removed. The spring 94 will then force the
s idler pulley 84 upwardly from the lowered position, illustrated
in solid lines in Figure 1, to the raised position, illustrated
in chain lines in Figure 1, to maintain the cable 54 taut. The
user will then rotate his right hand in the opposite direction
from the pronated position to the supinated position and the
parts will return to the start positions illustrated in solid
lines in Figure 1. The weights 21 will exert a muscle building
force on the user's forearm as the weights are raised as well as
when they are lowered.
With the hand grip remaining in the position illustrated in
chain lines in Figure 5, the user can then grasp the hand grip
45 with his left hand in the pronated position and move it in
the direction of the arrow X to the supinated position, in which
case the parts will again move to the positions illustrated in
chain lines in E`igure 1. The uSer will then reversely rotate
the hand grip 45 to the start position.
With the hand grip 45 in the opposite position, illustrated
in solid lines in Figure 5, the user will grasp the hand grip 45
with the left hand in the supinated position and will rotate the
shaft 32 and the cylinder 52 in the opposite direction,
represented by the arrow Y. This will maintain the cable 54
taut and move the cable run portion 54a upwardly in the
direction of the arrow Y' as the vertical run 54a of the cable
54 is wrapped around the cylindrical member 52. This will again
force the central sheave or pulley 66 upwardly and thus, via the
pin 76, move the weights 21 upwardly from the start positions,
illustrated in solid lines in Figure 1, to the elevated
positions illustrated in solid lines in Figure 3.
When this occurs, the vertical run 56a of the cable 56 is
unwrapped from around the cylindrical member 52, and the tension
is thus removed from line 56 so that the spring 92 will force
the arm 85 and pulley 82 upwardly to the position illustrated in
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solid lines in Figure 3 to maintain the line 56 taut. The user
can then return the weights 22 to the positions illustrated in
Figure 1. With the handle remaining in the position illustrated
in Figure 5, the user can then grasp the hand grip 45 with the
5 right hand in the pronated position and move the shaft 32 and
cylinder 52 in the direction of the arrow Y such tha~ ~he parts
will move to the positions illustrated in Figure 3~
It can thus be seen that by adjusting the position of hand
grip bar 45, the user can exercise both the extensor and flexor
muscles of either arm depending on the direction of shaft
rotation.
The user can repeat the operation as many times as desired.
It is to be understood that the drawings and descriptive
matter are in all cases to be interpreted as merely illustrative
of the principles of the invention, rather than as limiting the
same in any way, since it is contemplated that various changes
may be made in various elements to achieve like results without
departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the
appended claims.
