Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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PORTAB~E WAIL MOUNTED EXERCISE UNIT
:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
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The present invention relates to exercise dev ces for
developing and conditioning various parts of the body and,
more particularly~ to a portable, compact weight lifting
exercise unit.
2. Description of the Prior A_t
The importance of regular exercise for building and
maintaining strength and endurance canno-t be overemphasized.
The modern conveniences which we enjoy and the sedentary
tasks which we increasingly perform have given us a comfo~-
table lift style a-t the expense of physical fitness. Hiyhly
active exercise programsJ such as runningr develop endurance
of the cardiovascular system~ Muscular strength and endu~-
rance is best developed through weight training.
The simplest and least expensive apparatus for weighttrainin~ is the barbell with re~ovable weights. ~Iowever, the
use of the barbell alone cannot develop all areas of the body.
Hence~ additional apparatus must be employed for a compre~
hensive conditioning program. Devices developed for this
purpose generally provide the user with a force resister
against which muscular effort must be applied. Resistance
is typically provided by a weight and pulley arrangement, or
by an elastic element. These devices permit the force to be
applied to the user's body from many differen~ directions in
oxder to develop substantially all areas of the body.
Few of these weight training devices, howeverr can
provide the user with substantially all of the exercising
variants required to develop the entire body. Those that
do are generally large, complex and costly machines which
occupy a substantial amount of spae, and consequently
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are not suitable for home use. These are usually found only
in health clubs and other athletic establishments. Devices
specifically designed for home use, while somewhat smaller,
usually rnust be permanently erected in a room or location
specifically set aside Eor e~ercising. Many homes do not
have sufficient space for this purpose. Xence, a need exists
for a compact and versatile exercise unit which can be easily
erected for use and removed for storage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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Accordingly, it is an object of an aspect of the
present invention to obviate the above noted disadvantages
of the prior art by providing a simple, compact and inexpen-
sive exercisi~g apparatus for perEorming a complete range
of weight training exercisesn
An object of an aspect of the invention is to pro
vid~ such an apparatus which is readily demountable from
its wall supported position and easily transportable to a
place oE storage.
An object of an aspect of the invention is to
provid~ such an apparat~s which can be shipped in one ox
more packages of manageable size, and assembled by the
consumer.
An object of an aspect of the invention is to pro-
vide such an apparatus which can be used to perform a full
range of exercises in a minimum amount of space.
These and other objects of the present invention
are accomplished by providing an exercise unit adapted to
be detachably secured to a wall durlng use~ the unit having
at least one liftable welght~ uprlght guide means for
guiding the weight durlng lifting7 lifting means engageable
by a user and operatively connec~ed to the weight fo.r
ralsing and lowering the weight, and wheel means journalled
on the unit adjacent the bottom of the gulde means for
supporting the unit and facilitating transportation thereof
when detached from the wall.
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Quic~ connection and disconnec-tion from the wall is
provided by lower anchor means attached to the lower portion
of the unit for anchoring the lower portion of the unit to
the wall by plvotal movement of the unit upwardly about the
wheel means to an upright position of user and permitting
detachment of the unit from the wall by pivotal movement
of the unit downwardly from its upright position.
The weight or weights are supported in their lowest
rest position by a platform supported by the guide means
above its bottom. The space beneath the platform accommo-
dates the wheel means and a lower sheave for guiding a
cable for performing "low pull" exercises, and the lower
anchor means. An upper sheave is provided for performing
"high pull" exercises through a cable. The guide means
preferably is formed in two sections which are coupled
together during assembly.
Another aspect of this invention is as ~ollows:
In a wall-mounted exercise unit having at least one
liftable weight, lifting means engageable by a user including
a liftable carrier operatively connec-~ed to said weight for
raising and lowering said weight7 and upright guide means
securable to the wall for guiding said weight and said
carriage during liftingr said lifting means including an
upper sheave mounted near the top of said guide means
adapted to guide a cable operatively connected to said
carriage so that a high pulling force can be exerted on the
cable from the front of the unit to lift said weight, the
improvement wherei.n said cable and said upper sheave are
located adjacent the wall completely behind said carriage
and said guide means, and s~id guide means comprises two
spaced parallel guide bars flanking said upper sheave so
that the cable can extend directly out of the unit between
said guide bars.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The novel features of the invention are set out
with particularity in the appended claims, but the invention
will be understood more fully and clearly from the fcllow-
ing detailed description of the invention as set forth inthe accompanying drawings~ in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the exercise unit
according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view thereof;
Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the upper portion
of the guide means and the wall bracket therefor;
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the unit ta~en along
line 4-4 of Fig. 2,
Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the unit taken along
line 5~5 of Fig. 2;
Fig. 6 is an exploded view of the liftable
carriage assembly of the unit;
Fig. 7 is a partial sectional view of the unit
taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 2;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view, with parts removed,
of the lower portion of the unit;
Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a portion of the
carriage assembly of the unit, showing the interconnection
of the handle with the carriage;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the unit shown in
its stored position;
Fig. 11 is a partial perspective view of a modi-
fied carriage assemhly and weight support rod for the
unit; and
Fig. 12 is a parti~l rear elevationfll view of the exercise unit in
~ccordance with the embodiment of Fig. Il.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRl~FER~ED EI~BODIMENTS
-Referring to ~igures 1 and 2, the exercise unit of the Invention
generally comprises ~n upright fguide bar frame 100 for guiding w~ ts
302 lifted by a carriage and handle nssembly 200, which is also guided
falong guide bar frame 100. Guide bar frame 100 is secured to a wall
W or other vertical supporting surîace at the top and bottom portions
of the ~it, as described in detail below.
Guide bar frame 100 comprises two parallel guide bars 102 of
generally squflre cross section fabricated in upper and lower guidc bar
portions 104 and 10G, respectively. Fabrication of guide bars 102 in
these sl)orter sections, which are roughly one half the heigllt of the
assembled unit, pcrmits the unit to be packaged and shipped in one or
more cartons of mnnageable size. Upper f nd lower guidc bflr sections
104 and 106 are joined together by fl U-shaped spflccr bracket 108 wllicll
spans the joints between the sections and is fastened to e~ch of the
sections by bolts 110 and nuts 112. These joints are reinforced by tubular
inserts (not shown) wllieh are received within guide bars sections 104
d 106 and are simultaneously bol~ed in pl&ce by bolts 110.
The upper ends of guide bflrs 102 are secured to a top braclcet
11~ (Fig. 3). Brackct 114 l~as an apertured vertical front flan~e 116 tG
wJ~ic`il gJidr b~rs 102 are bolted by bolts 118. Bracket 114 also l1aS a
flat por~ion 120 exlending rearwardly from flan6e llG, arid a depending
flange 122 hfl-ing f~l aperture 121 through which the top of the Imit is
securcd to wall W b~ 8 stud 12G fustencd to tl)e wall, a wnsller 128
and a winr~ nut 130. The bottom ends of glJide burs 102 are ff~stcncd
(~igs. 7 and 8) to tlle front flfmDcs 132 of a lowcr bruckc~ ]3~ by bolls
136 and nuts 138. Lowcr brf~cl;et 13~ llflS fl centrnl flut por~ion 1~0 nnd
a depcndin~ r ear flnllge 112. Rcar nf1ngrc 142 is acinpted to bc sec~lrec
to tl)e Wflll ~Y by cngn~c n~cnt ~itl1 tl~e ur)s~uIiding f flngc 1~ of a J-
sllnr)cd brnckct 1~, fflstcncd to tlle wall by scrcws 148 or thc likc.
The cntirc c~;crcisc unit is sur)r~ortcd by fl r)~lir of ~'hCC?IS IS()
wllicll nrc jourtlflllcd on fln a.~;]c 152 rccci~ed in apcl tUI cs 15 ~ forlncd in
thc lower ~ortioIls of ~iidc l>rirs 102. Tllc wllcc`i, cnnl)le ~lle ~Init ~o
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be transported with e~se by merely rolling the ~it across the floor.
This is particularly advantageous in situations where the unit cannot be
permanently ir~stalled. Hence, the ~it can be wheeled from a stored
position in a closet or the like to its location of use. The unit is
quickly and easily secured to the wall W by positioning the lower end
of the unit near the wall in front of bracket 146 and rot~ting the unit
upwardly so that depending flange 142 of brac~et 134 moves downwardly
behind flange 144 of bracket 146. The top end of the unit is then
quickly secured to stud 126 by wing nut 130. Removal for stora~e is
accom plished in the reverse order.
C~rriage assembly 200 comprises a chnnnel-shaped frame 202
having a front face 204 and side membçrs 20G whicil extend rear~rardly
~long the sides of guide bars 102. Upper and lower pnirs of rollers 208
(Fi~. 4, 5 and G) are journalled on axles 210 cnrried by side members
206. Rollers 208 have reduced diameter central portions 212 which
engage the front and rear surfaces of guide bars 102, and enlarged end
portions 214 which engage the outboard surfaces of guide bars 102 to
prevent lateral shifting of the carriage. The upper end of carriage 202
is strengthened by a stiffener bracket 213 ~vhich spans side members
20G and is secured thcreto by bolts 215, ri~ets or the like.
A handle 216 may be adjl!stably secured to carria~e 2U2 at various
"starting" heights. Tilat is, the selectcd heig'lt of handle 216 is
determined by the hei6i~t of the user and llis initiAl body position wl~cn
performing a par~icular cxcrcisc. Bencl~ presscs, for example, ~oul;3
require a lo~er starting height than presscs performcd in a s~andin~
p~sition. Hnndle 216 comprises a gencrnll~ U-s!laped meInber 218 hnvin~
outwardly direc;ed grips 220 rotatnbly nio~lnted tl)creon. Horizontnl l)nrs
or struts 222 and 224 in~crconncct tlie lc~s of U-sllaped memb~r 218 to
reinforcc thc hnndle asscmbly. Strut 224 is boltcd in plJicc so tl~ut it
can be remo~cd for clcarE3ncc \vhcn perrormin~r bcnch pr~sscs, nnd
reinstnlled for engagcment by tll~ shou]deïs ~hcll pcrrormilig, sqll It
exerciscs or by tl~c fce~ wl~cn I~crforlnilllr lcg prcsscs. Thc bot~oill
portion 22G of U-sl~al)cd mcmbcr 218 is provi(lcd ~itI~ o projcr~in-;
allcrturcd tabs 228 (I`ig. !~). 1`ub.s 228 nr( rccci.~llble in slo~s 230 rorn~l~d
in tl~c fl o~-~ fncc 20~'. of cMrria~c 202. Sc~crfll diff( rcn; pairs of slotr.
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230 are providcd at different heights nlong carriage 202. Apertures 232
in tabs 228 are keyed, as are apertures 234 formed in side members
206 ad~acent each pair of slols 230. When tabs 228 are inserted in
slots 230, apertures 232 and 234 are aligned to receive a keyed locking
pin 236 which is inserted from one side of carriage 202 and extends
the full width thereof to lock handle 216 in posi~ion. Preferab`y the
keyways formed in apertures 234 are at the twelve o'clock and si~;
o'clock pOsitiOIlS, while the key 237 on locking pin 236 is disposed 90
degress rom the pin's handle portion 239. This arrangement r equires
rotation of the locking pin 236 to effect fuU engagement, but will
pre~rent inadvertent dislodging of the locking pin during use when handle
portion 239 is pointing downY~ardly.
Preferably tRbs 228 are disposed at a small angle with respect
to the plane of U-shaped member 218. As illustrated in Figure 1, this
will permit the handle assembly 216 to extend at a slight do ~n~Ynrd
angle ~Yith respect to the horizontal, or, with the handle in an inverted
position, at ~ sligilt upward angle. This feature affords the user a
grenter selection of starting heights.
A ~veight support platform 302 (Figs. 7 and 8) having a rectangular
opening 304 is bolted to guide bars 102 by bolts 306 and nuts 308.
Platform 302 sur)ports a stack Or weights 310 having rectangulnr apcrtures
312 in which guidc bars 102 are received. ~Yeigl~ts 310 also hnvc a
generall~7 centrally located circular aperture 314 adapLed to receive a
weight support rod 316. Rod 316 is pinncd tl)rough a hole 317 at its
uppcr end (~ig. 6) to the centr~ll box-s1)r3ped section 315 of a lirting
0 bracl;et 318 by a pin or oolt 321. Pin 321 extcnds l hrougll holes 319 in
~e front fnce 20~1 of the carriage and in brncket 3180 Br~ckct 318 is
secured Lo side Inembers 206 by bol~s 320 or tllc likc. ~Yeighl rod 31G
is provided with a series of verticnll~ spRccd trnnsvcrsc holes 324 (l ig.
7~ wllicl) ure adaptcd to ~ir~ ~Yi~l) trunsvcrse bottom groovcs 32G in
eacll ~ei~t 310. Selection of ~;ci~ gulll)tity is accomplisl~c(~ by
posilioning a pin or rod 32P, ~)lroll(rh thc gl oove 3~'fi Or tllc botton) one
of a sclcctcd stnck of wciGIl~s ~hrou"ll tllc corrcsponding npcrtlll c 32;~
in ~vci~ t rod 31~. Ilencc, elcv~lion o~ cnm~inge 202 will rnisc wci~
rod 31G, pin 32r~ und all svcigl~Ls ~llppOI tcd t~lcrcnbove. I)o~nwllr(l
.
movement of weight rod 316 is limited by a recessed stop member 327
pressed9 weldedT or otherwise secured in ~ aperture 329 in platform
302~
Another arrangcment which can be used to achieve different handle
starting heigilts is illustrated in Figures 11 and 12. In this embodiment~
a short c~rriage 202' with rollers 208~ bas only one pair of handlc slots
230' in which handle tabs ~28 are received and pinned by IOCT;ing pin
236 through apertures 234~. A telescoping weight rod 31G' has an uppcr
rod portion 361~EI slid~ble within a lower rod portion 316'b. Lower rod
portion 316'b has the usual transverse weight pin receiving holes 324'.
Upper rod portion 316'a has similarly spnced holes 325' which are ali~lnble
with holes 324' in lower rod portion 316'b. The initinl heigllt of cnrriagc
202' and its one-position handle is chosen by elevating carriage 202' to
the desired position, ~nd inserting R pin 323' througl~ ali~ned holes 32~'
~nd 325' to lock the telescoping rod portions relstive to one ~nothcr.
Pin 323' and llolcs 324', 325' may be keyed to prevent dislodgin~ o~ pin
323' during use of the unit.
Various types of weight lifting exercises may nlso be peformed
through the use of a cabIre and pulley system which may be operatively
~onnected to carriage 202. An upper sheave 330 (Fig. 3) is pi~otab]~
ettached by a bolt 332, washer 334, and nut 33G to the flnt portion
120 of top bracket 114. A carriage sheave 338 is bolted to a [J-sh~ped
bracket 340 by bolts 342 nnd nuts 344. Bracket 340 ma~T be secured
to the side members 20G of carria~e 202 by a keyed locl;ing pin 34G
engage~ble in aligned keyed apcrtures 348 and 350, rcspectively, in
bracket 340 nnd side meml)ers 20~. A primnry cnble 352 (Fi~ nd
2~ has one end 354 anehored to thc flat portion 120 of bracket 114 in
Q keyhole slot 356 (~i~. 3), which is locked by a plu(r 35û to prevent
detnchment of cable 352. Cable 352 is traincd around cnrri~ge sheu~e
338 and then around uppcr sheave 330. Tl)e oppositc end of cable 352
is pro~ ided with ~ quiclc rclease couplinG 3~0.
Any suilllhlc hnrldle or ~rip mny l~e sccured to couplinr~ 3G0 for
pcrforming "high pull" weight li~ting exerciscs. Cal~lc 352 mny bc
dircctcd l)ct~ ccn gl~i(le bnrs 102 so t])~lt thc plllling fs)l~cc is cxcr ~ c(lfrom a position dircctly in front of thc rxcrcise unit. Or, cnljlc 352
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mey pass between either guide bar 102 and the wall W by virtue of
the pivoted connection of upper sheave 330 so that the weight lifting
exercises can be performed at a iocation to one side of the unit.
` "Low pull" exercises may be performed turn ng upper sheave 330
to the sidc and by using a secondary cable 362 which is attac~led to
primary cable 352 at coupling 360 and is trained around a lower sheave
3G4 bolted to the flat portion 140 of lower bracket 134. C~ble 362
extends forwardly between guide bars 102 and may be connccted to an~
suitable handle or grip for performin~ the desired exercises.
A bench B (Fig. 1) may be positioned in front of the exercise
unit and used in conjunction therewith for performing various exercises.
For example, a user lying on his back on the bench may perform bench
presses by repeatedly raising and lowering handle 216. Or, secondnry
cable 3G2 may be connected to yet another cable 364 which is attacl~Pd
to a conventional bench-mounted leg lift device 366 Vi8 a bench she.qve
368 to perform leg lifts and other similar exerciscs. Preferably, thc
legs at each end of bench B are foldab] e so that tlle bench can be
stored compactly. With one set of legs folded, the bench can be uscd
to perform sl~nt boarcl sit-ups.
When not in use, primary cable 352 is coilcd mnnually nnd reteined
behind an elastic strap 370 secured to upper bracket 114 by bolts 11~
(Fig. 3). Similarly, secondary cable 362 is stored when not in use in
a coiled condition benenth elastic strap 372 seculecl to thc side of co\~er
C.
~ hell the exercisc wlit is not in use, but is to be left securcd
to thc ~all, halldle 216 and bench B mny be stored on the unit in n
substantinlly flnt confi~lration by pinnin, handle 21G throu!rh tnb npel`tU`CS
232 to guidc bars 102 through llok~s 160 (Figs. 1 and 10) w ith L~in 2~C.
The It~s of U~c bcnch nrc folded, t~ith tl~c lcgs Rt one c nd hool;ed o~ cr
bar 221 of handie ~16. This reslll s in a ncnt and compnct exerci~
u nit whicl~ mfly bc e~siIy and quickly cont~rted L)nck to its opcrnti~ c
configurlltion.
~ olc~ IG0 cnn nlso bc used to pin c~trri l~c 202 i~l ~n clc~n;t(d
pQcition tllrougll ~oles 240 in sidc mclnl~rs 20~ itl) the cnl ~ rc in
tllis elcvn~cd pOsitiOIl, bnr 22 ~ of l)undlc 21G Cnll be uscd as a cl~ nill~,
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bar or the like.
It will be appreciated that the exercise unit of the invcntion
successfully accomplishes its objectives by virtue of its simplicity,
Yersatility, compactness when folded for storage, and transportability.
It is capable oi' many varied uses for exercising substsntially all p~rtions
of the body. It is estirnated that at least 150 different exercises can
be performed using this exercise unit.
It will be obvious to one of ordinary skill that num erous
modifications may be made without departing from the true spirit and
scope of the invention which is to be limited only by the appended
claims.
