Exercise and massaging apparatus

Claim 2

An exercise and massaging apparatus comprising: a support structure; motive means coupled to said structure for being operated by a person; a massaging belt for being worn by the person, said belt having two ends, and means coupling said motive means to said ends for causing said belt when worn and encircling a body portion to undergo cyclic side-to-side oscillating motion responsive to the operation of said motive means, whereby to cause substantially no tightening and slackening of said belt during such motion.

Claim 3

An exercise and massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said massaging belt having massaging elements for rolling contact with the person.

Claim 4

An exercise and massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said massaging elements being made of resilient material.

Claim 5

An exercise and massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 3, said massaging elements being fluid filled and including venting means to ambient for discharging fluid to ambient responsive to pressure between said elements and the body portion of the person engaged by said belt and for being recharged upon the cessation of such pressure.

Claim 6

An exercise and massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said motive means including pedal means providing rotating motion and means for converting the rotating motion to reciprocating motion.

Claim 7

An exercise and massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 5, and said means coupling including flexible cable means.

Claim 8

An exercise and massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said motive means including a pivoted lever mounted for undergoing pivotal motion.

Claim 9

An exercise and massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said support structure being stationary and including a seat for use by the person operating said motive means.

Claim 10

An exercise and massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 8, said means coupling including linkage means coupled to said motive means, and flexible cable means connecting said linkage means to said respective belt ends for causing the speed of said oscillating motion of said belt to be commensurate with the speed of operating said motive means.

Claim 11

An exercise and massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, and including means for causing the excursion of said oscillating motion to be adjustable.

Claim 12

An exercise and massaging apparatus comprising: a support structure; motive means coupled to said structure for being operated by a person; a massaging belt having massaging elements for engaging a body portion of the person operating said motive means when said belt is worn by the person and the ends of the belt are brought toward each other, and means coupling said motive means to at least one end of said belt for causing certain of said elements to undergo side-by-side oscillating bodily motion relative to said body portion responsive to the operation of said motive means, whereby to cause substantially no tightening or slackening of said belt during such motion.

Claim 13

An exercise and massaging apparatus comprising: a support structure; motive means coupled to said structure for being operated by a person; a massaging belt having massaging elements for engaging a body portion of the person operating said motive means when said belt is worn by the person and the ends of the belt are brought toward each other, and means coupling said motive means to at least one end of said belt for causing certain of said elements to undergo side-by-side oscillating bodily motion relative to said body portion responsive to the operation of said motive means, whereby to cause substantially no tightening or slackening of said belt during such motion.

Claim 14

An exercise and massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 11, said massaging elements being shaped for rolling motion relative to said body portion.

Claim 15

An exercise and massaging apparatus comprising: a support structure; motive means coupled to said structure for being operated by a person; a massaging belt having massaging elements for engaging a body portion of the person operating said motive means when said belt is worn by the person and the ends of the belt are brought toward each other, and means coupling one end of said structure and coupling the other end of said belt to said motive means for causing certain of said elements to undergo side-to-side oscillating motion relative to the body portion engaged responsive to the operation of said motive means.

Claim 16

An exercise and massaging apparatus comprising: a support structure; motive means coupled to said structure for being operated by a person; a massaging belt having massaging elements for engaging a body portion of the person operating said motive means when said belt is worn by the person and the ends of the belt are brought toward each other, and means coupling one end of said structure and coupling the other end of said belt to said motive means for causing certain of said elements to undergo side-to-side oscillating motion relative to the body portion engaged responsive to the operation of said motive means.

Claim 17

An exercise and massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 13, said one end being resiliently coupled to said structure.

Claim 18

An exercise and massaging apparatus comprising: a support structure; a seat mounted to said support structure for supporting a person using said apparatus; motive means coupled to said structure and providing reciprocating motion; a massaging belt having massaging elements for being worn by the person; coupling means coupling said motive means to said belt for causing at least one of the belt ends to cyclically undergo side-to-side oscillating motion responsive to the operation of said motive means, whereby to cause substantially no tightening or slackening of said belt during such oscillating motion; means cooperatively associated with said belt and said coupling means for adjusting the engagement pressure between said elements and the body portion of the person, and further means provided on said motive means for adjusting the excursion of the motion of said one belt end.

Claim 19

An exercise and massaging apparatus comprising: a support structure; a seat mounted to said support structure for supporting a person using said apparatus; motive means coupled to said structure and providing reciprocating motion; a massaging belt having massaging elements for being worn by the person; coupling means coupling said motive means to said belt for causing at least one of the belt ends to cyclically undergo side-to-side oscillating motion responsive to the operation of said motive means, whereby to cause substantially no tightening or slackening of said belt during such oscillating motion; means cooperatively associated with said belt and said coupling means for adjusting the engagement pressure between said elements and the body portion of the person, and further means provided on said motive means for adjusting the excursion of the motion of said one belt end.

Claim 20

An exercise and massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 15, said structure being in the form simulating a stationary bicycle frame.

Claim 21

An exercise and massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 15, said coupling means including flexible cable means.

Claim 22

An exercise and massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 15, said motive means comprising a set of foot pedals coupled to drive a pair of 180* spaced links.

Claim 23

An exercise and massaging apparatus as set forth in claim 15, said motive means including variable speed means.

Claim 24

An exercise and massaging apparatus comprising: a support structure; motive means coupled to said structure and providing reciprocating motion responsive to the expenditure of muscle power; a massaging belt having massaging elements for being worn by the person expending muscle power, and means coupling said reciprocating motion to said massaging belt for causing the ends of said belt to cyclically undergo side-to-side oscillating motion commensurate with the speed of operation of said motive means, there occurring substantially no tightening or slackening of said belt during said oscillating motion.

Claim 25

An exercise and massaging apparatus comprising: a support structure; motive means coupled to said structure and providing reciprocating motion responsive to the expenditure of muscle power; a massaging belt having massaging elements for being worn by the person expending muscle power, and means coupling said reciprocating motion to said massaging belt for causing the ends of said belt to cyclically undergo side-to-side oscillating motion commensurate with the speed of operation of said motive means, there occurring substantially no tightening or slackening of said belt during said oscillating motion.

Claim 26

An exercise and massaging apparatus comprising: a support structure; motive means coupled to said structure and providing reciprocating motion; a massaging belt having massaging elements for engaging a body portion of a person desirous to receive a massage, and means coupling said motive means to said massaging belt for causing at least one of the ends of the belt to cyclically undergo side-to-side oscillating motion responsive to the operation of said motive means, there occurring substantially no tightening or slackening of said belt during said oscillating motion.

Claim 27

An exercise and massaging apparatus comprising: a support structure; motive means coupled to said structure and providing reciprocating motion; a massaging belt having massaging elements for engaging a body portion of a person desirous to receive a massage, and means coupling said motive means to said massaging belt for causing at least one of the ends of the belt to cyclically undergo side-to-side oscillating motion responsive to the operation of said motive means, there occurring substantially no tightening or slackening of said belt during said oscillating motion.