Friction type ergometer apparatus

Claim 2

An ergometer apparatus comprising: a flywheel; means operatively connected to said flywheel for rotating said flywheel in one direction, said means being actuated by muscle power; a peripheral surface operatively associated with said flywheel for simultaneous rotation therewith; and, brake means for braking the rotation of said flywheel while a user is applying a force in order to resist rotation of said flywheel, said brake means including: a substantially stationary brake string extending in the peripheral direction of said peripheral surface and in frictional engagement therewith; means for providing in the rear end of said brake string, with regard to the direction of rotation of said peripheral surface, a load force S that is sufficiently large to prevent the string from rotating with the peripheral surface; and means for automatically providing a varying load force s on the forward end of said string in response to changes in coefficient of friction of said peripheral surface, said force s equals the value S · e - μα where μ is the coefficient of friction between the peripheral surface and the string and α is the arc of contact therebetween, so that the rotation of said peripheral surface is braked by a frictional braking force F = S - s where F has a substantially constant value, during a user's exertion on said means operatively connected to said flywheel, regardless of any variance in the coefficient of friction.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for providing said force s to said forward end of said brake string provides such force in such a manner as to permit reading of said loading force s.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said force s acting on said forward end of the brake string is provided by a heavy, flexible element suspended in a U-form, one end of said flexible element being secured to said string and the other end to a rigid member of the apparatus, whereby the length of said flexible element between said string and the lowermost point of the U will provide a measurement of said force s and thereby an indication of the additional force to be exerted on said rear end of said string.

Claim 5

Ergometer apparatus comprising: a flywheel; a reciprocating actuating means reciprocated by muscle power of a user in a forward direction and a return direction; a force transmission means operatively coupling said actuating means during movement in its forward direction, the direction in which the flywheel rotates, to said flywheel for rotating said flywheel only in the forward direction; and brake means for applying a constant braking force to the rotation of said flywheel; said transmission means including a rotatable wheel coupled to said flywheel by a free wheel gear, said rotatable wheel having a peripheral engagement surface in engagement with said actuating means, said peripheral engagement surface extending in several adjacent turns, said turns successively receiving the actuating means during reciprocation of said reciprocating actuating means, said turns being arranged at varying radial distances from the rotational axis of said rotatable wheel, such distances being selected in accordance with a desired speed pattern, representative of a series of desired speeds, for each forward stroke of said reciprocating actuating means so that when said actuating means is moved in accordance with such desired speed pattern then said rotatable wheel rotates with an approximately uniform rotational movement, and said free wheel gear permitting movement of said actuating means in its return direction without affecting the rotation of said flywheel.

Claim 6

Ergometer apparatus comprising: a flywheel; a reciprocating actuating means reciprocated by muscle power of a user in a forward direction and a return direction; a force transmission means operatively coupling said actuating means during movement in its forward direction, the direction in which the flywheel rotates, to said flywheel for rotating said flywheel only in the forward direction; and brake means for applying a constant braking force to the rotation of said flywheel; said transmission means including a rotatable wheel coupled to said flywheel by a free wheel gear, said rotatable wheel having a peripheral engagement surface in engagement with said actuating means, said peripheral engagement surface extending in several adjacent turns, said turns successively receiving the actuating means during reciprocation of said reciprocating actuating means, said turns being arranged at varying radial distances from the rotational axis of said rotatable wheel, such distances being selected in accordance with a desired speed pattern, representative of a series of desired speeds, for each forward stroke of said reciprocating actuating means so that when said actuating means is moved in accordance with such desired speed pattern then said rotatable wheel rotates with an approximately uniform rotational movement, and said free wheel gear permitting movement of said actuating means in its return direction without affecting the rotation of said flywheel.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein: said rotatable wheel is a pulley; said engagement surface is a grooved surface; said reciprocating actuating means includes an elongated handle rod extending transversely to the rotational axis of said pulley on both sides thereof; and further comprising coupling means engaging said grooved surface and including a first wire extending from one end of said handle rod to a position in said grooved surface intermediate the ends thereof and following said grooved surface to one end where said first wire is secured to said pulley, and a second wire extending from the other end of said handle rod to said intermediate position and following said grooved surface to the other end of said grooved surface where said second wire is secured to said pulley.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said transmission means includes a gear having a stepwise or continuously adjustable gear ratio, said gear being provided between and connecting said pulley and said flywheel.