Variable exercise apparatus

Claim 2

An exercise apparatus comprising a frame having a pair of spaced upright stanchions, a carriage supported by each of said stanchions for substantially vertical positioning, a telescoping arm carried on each of said carriages for movement therewith and having an end pivotably secured thereto, a cable running along each of said arms, pulley means on said arms supporting said cables for longitudinal movement relative to said arms, a manually engageable handle on the end of each of said cables adjacent to the distal end of the associated one of said arms, and weight means on the other end of said cables for resisting pulling of said cables toward said distal end of said arms.

Claim 3

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and wherein each of said weight means comprises a plurality of individual weights, and means for selectively securing a desired number of said individual weights to said cable.

Claim 4

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and wherein a seat is mounted on said frame between and below said carriages.

Claim 5

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 3 and wherein said frame has an upright portion providing said stanchions, and a horizontal portion supporting said seat.

Claim 6

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 4 and wherein said seat is adjustably positionable along said horizontal portion of said frame for varying the spacing between said seat and said stanchions.

Claim 7

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 5 and wherein a seat back is supported between said seat and said upright portion of said frame whereby adjustment of said spacing between said seat and said stanchions adjusts the tilt of said seat back accordingly.

Claim 8

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 3 and wherein a seat back is provided at said seat, and said seat back is formed for tilting adjustment.

Claim 9

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 3 and wherein said frame is free standing, and said upright and horizontal portions are hinged together for holding the frame for storage.

Claim 10

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and wherein locking means is provided for securing said arms in a plurality of desired angular positions relative to said carriages, said locking means comprising, a first member secured to each of said arms at said end pivotally secured to said carriage, a second member secured to each of said carriages, said first and second members being formed with a plurality of openings sequentially registerable upon pivotal movement of said arms, and a pin removably engageable in aligned openings in said first and second members.

Claim 11

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and wherein cable length adjusting means is provided for compensating for said positioning of said carriages, said last named means comprising a first drum windingly receiving the end of the section of cable having its other end attached to said handle, a second drum windingly receiving the end of the section of cable having its other end operatively connected to said weight means, a shaft supporting said first and second drums for independent coaxial rotation with said first drum secured to said shaft and said second drum journalled thereon, normally engaged clutch means having a connection to said first and second drums, a control device for selectively disengaging said clutch means, and spring means biased to rotate said shaft in a direction to wind said first named secton of cable on said first drum.

Claim 12

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 10 and wherein said clutch means is a manually operable sprag clutch.

Claim 13

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and wherein counterbalance means is provided on said frame and is connected to said carriages for facilitating said vertical positioning of said carriages.

Claim 14

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 12 and wherein said variable resistance is provided by a device interposed in each of said cables between said carriages and said resistance means and operable to impose increasing resistance to pulling of said cables along said arms as they are being pulled, said device comprising a first spool windingly receiving the end of the section of cable having its other end operatively connected to said handle, a second spool windingly receiving the end of the section of cable having its other end connected to said weight means, a shaft carrying said first and second spools for joint coaxial rotation, and said second spool being of conical configuration having a spiral cable receiving groove.

Claim 15

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and wherein variable resistance means is interposed in each of said cables between said carriages and said weight means for imposing increasing resistance to pulling of said cables in the direction of said handles, said variable resistance means comprising a first spool windingly receiving the end of the section of cable having its other end operatively connected to said handle, a second spool windingly receiving the end of the section of cable having its other end connected to said weight means, a shaft carrying said first and second spools for joint coaxial rotation, and said second spool being of conical configuration having a spiral cable receiving groove.

Claim 16

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said pulley means includes a pair of egress pulleys at the distal end of each of said arms mounted on a supporting pulley block, and a tubular member mounted on said distal end of each of said arms rotatably supporting said pulley block and having said cable passing therethrough whereby said egress pulley block automatically rotates to operative position upon pulling of said cable from said arm.

Claim 17

An exercise apparatus, comprising manually engageable handle means, cable means connected to said handle means, arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means and formed for resisting pulling of said cable means from said arm means, support means carrying said arm means for relative movement and for adjusting the positions of said cable means and said handle means relative to said support means, locking means on said arm means and said support means formed for releasably securing said arm means in the desired position, said arm means having an end pivoted on each other for swinging lateral displacement of the distal end of said arm means to desired positions, said locking means being formed for releaseably securing said arm means against further lateral displacement.

Claim 18

An exercise apparatus, comprising manually engageable handle means, cable means connected to said handle means, arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means and formed for resisting pulling of said cable means from said arm means, support means carrying said arm means for relative movement and for adjusting the positions of said cable means and said handle means relative to said support means, locking means on said arm means and said support means formed for releasably securing said arm means in the desired position, said arm means having an end pivoted on each other for swinging lateral displacement of the distal end of said arm means to desired positions, said locking means being formed for releaseably securing said arm means against further lateral displacement.

Claim 19

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 16 and wherein said arm means is extendable and retractable in length.

Claim 20

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 16 and wherein said arm means comprises telescoping sections.

Claim 21

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 16 and wherein said arm means comprises a pair of arms carried on said support means in horizontally spaced relation.

Claim 22

An exercise apparatus, comprising manually engageable handle means, cable means connected to said handle means, arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means and formed for resisting pulling of said cable means from said arm means, support means carrying said arm means for relative movement and for adjusting the positions of said cable means and said handle means relative to each other, said arm means being moveable vertically on said support means for selective adjustment of the height of said arm means, height control means formed for releaseably securing said arm means at desired heights along said support means, said support means being formed with an upright stanchion, and a carriage supporting said arm means and moveable vertically along said stanchion, said arm means having an inner end pivoted on said carriage for swinging lateral displacement of the distal end of said arm means to desired positions.

Claim 23

An exercise apparatus, comprising manually engageable handle means, cable means connected to said handle means, arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means and formed for resisting pulling of said cable means from said arm means, support means carrying said arm means for relative movement and for adjusting the positions of said cable means and said handle means relative to each other, said arm means being moveable vertically on said support means for selective adjustment of the height of said arm means, height control means formed for releaseably securing said arm means at desired heights along said support means, said support means being formed with an upright stanchion, and a carriage supporting said arm means and moveable vertically along said stanchion, said arm means having an inner end pivoted on said carriage for swinging lateral displacement of the distal end of said arm means to desired positions.

Claim 24

An exercise apparatus, comprising a pair of manually engageable handle means, cable means connected to said handle means, arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means and formed for resisting pulling of said cable means from said arm means, support means carrying said arm means for relative movement for adjusting the position of said cable means and said hand means relative to said support means, locking means on said arm means and said support means formed for releasably securing said arm means in the desired position, said arm means having an end pivoted on said support means for swinging lateral displacement of distal end of said arm means to desired positions, said locking means being formed for releasably securing said arm means against further lateral displacement, said locking means comprising first and second members secured to said arm means and said support means with one of said members having a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings around the center of pivot of said arm means and the other of said members having an opening selectively registrable with said first named openings, and a removable pin engageable in registered openings.

Claim 25

An exercise apparatus, comprising a pair of manually engageable handle means, cable means connected to said handle means, arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means and formed for resisting pulling of said cable means from said arm means, support means carrying said arm means for relative movement for adjusting the position of said cable means and said hand means relative to said support means, locking means on said arm means and said support means formed for releasably securing said arm means in the desired position, said arm means having an end pivoted on said support means for swinging lateral displacement of distal end of said arm means to desired positions, said locking means being formed for releasably securing said arm means against further lateral displacement, said locking means comprising first and second members secured to said arm means and said support means with one of said members having a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings around the center of pivot of said arm means and the other of said members having an opening selectively registrable with said first named openings, and a removable pin engageable in registered openings.

Claim 26

An exercise apparatus, comprising manually engageable handle means, cable means connected to said handle means, arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means means and formed for resisting pulling of said cable means from said arm means, support means carrying said arm means for relative movement for adjusting the position of said cable means and said handle means relative to said support means, said arm means being movable vertically with said support means for selective adjustment of the height of said arm means, height control means formed for releasably securing said arm means at desired heights along said support means, said support means being formed with an upright stanchion, a carriage means supporting said arm means and movable vertically along said stanchion, said arm means having an inner end pivoted on said carriage for swinging lateral displacement of the distal end of said arm means to desired positions, locking means on said arm means and said carriage for releasably securing said arm means in a desired position, said arm means being extendable and retractable so as to provide a desired length thereof and comprising telescoping sections having registrable openings formed longitudinally along said telescoping sections, a pin selectively engageable in registered openings for locking said arm means in desired extended and retracted positions, pulley means for supporting said cable means carried at said pivoted end and on said distal end of said arm means, said pulley means on said distal end on said arm means being formed for movement to any desired position within the volumetric area between concentric cylindrical sections defined by the arcs described by said distal end of said arms when swung with such arm means in fully extended and fully retracted condition at all heights of said carriage along said stanchion.

Claim 27

An exercise apparatus, comprising manually engageable handle means, cable means connected to said handle means, arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means means and formed for resisting pulling of said cable means from said arm means, support means carrying said arm means for relative movement for adjusting the position of said cable means and said handle means relative to said support means, said arm means being movable vertically with said support means for selective adjustment of the height of said arm means, height control means formed for releasably securing said arm means at desired heights along said support means, said support means being formed with an upright stanchion, a carriage means supporting said arm means and movable vertically along said stanchion, said arm means having an inner end pivoted on said carriage for swinging lateral displacement of the distal end of said arm means to desired positions, locking means on said arm means and said carriage for releasably securing said arm means in a desired position, said arm means being extendable and retractable so as to provide a desired length thereof and comprising telescoping sections having registrable openings formed longitudinally along said telescoping sections, a pin selectively engageable in registered openings for locking said arm means in desired extended and retracted positions, pulley means for supporting said cable means carried at said pivoted end and on said distal end of said arm means, said pulley means on said distal end on said arm means being formed for movement to any desired position within the volumetric area between concentric cylindrical sections defined by the arcs described by said distal end of said arms when swung with such arm means in fully extended and fully retracted condition at all heights of said carriage along said stanchion.

Claim 28

An exercise apparatus, comprising manually engageable handle means, cable means connected to said handle means, arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means and formed for resisting pulling of said cable means from each of arm means, support means carrying said arm means for relative movement for adjusting the position of said cable means and said handle means relative to said support means, locking means on said arm means and said support means formed for releasably securing said arm means in a desired position, said arm means having an end pivoted on said support means for swinging lateral displacement of the distal end of said arm means to desired positions, said locking means being formed for releasably securing said arm means against lateral displacement, said resistance means comprising a weight of adjustable mass resisting of pulling of said cable means from said arms in accordance with the influence of gravity, said apparatus further comprising cable length adjustment means formed for readjusting the effective length of said cable means upon said vertical movement of said arm means whereby said handle means is maintained at a normal position a desired distance from said arm means.

Claim 29

An exercise apparatus, comprising manually engageable handle means, cable means connected to said handle means, arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means and formed for resisting pulling of said cable means from each of arm means, support means carrying said arm means for relative movement for adjusting the position of said cable means and said handle means relative to said support means, locking means on said arm means and said support means formed for releasably securing said arm means in a desired position, said arm means having an end pivoted on said support means for swinging lateral displacement of the distal end of said arm means to desired positions, said locking means being formed for releasably securing said arm means against lateral displacement, said resistance means comprising a weight of adjustable mass resisting of pulling of said cable means from said arms in accordance with the influence of gravity, said apparatus further comprising cable length adjustment means formed for readjusting the effective length of said cable means upon said vertical movement of said arm means whereby said handle means is maintained at a normal position a desired distance from said arm means.

Claim 30

An exercise apparatus, comprising a pair of manually engageable handle means, cable means connected to said handle means, first and second horizontally spaced arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from each of said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means and formed for resistance pulling of said cable means from said arm means, support means carrying said arm means for vertical movement and for independently adjusting the heights of said cable means and said handle means relative to each other, said first and second arm means each having an end pivoted on said support means for swinging lateral displacement of the distal end of each of said arm means to desired positions, locking means on said arm means and said support means formed for releasably securing said arm means at the desired heights and lateral positions, each of said arm means being formed to be extendable and retractable in length, and arm length determining means mounted on each of said arm means and formed for selectively locking each of said arm means in desired extended and retracted positions.

Claim 31

An exercise apparatus, comprising a pair of manually engageable handle means, cable means connected to said handle means, first and second horizontally spaced arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from each of said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means and formed for resistance pulling of said cable means from said arm means, support means carrying said arm means for vertical movement and for independently adjusting the heights of said cable means and said handle means relative to each other, said first and second arm means each having an end pivoted on said support means for swinging lateral displacement of the distal end of each of said arm means to desired positions, locking means on said arm means and said support means formed for releasably securing said arm means at the desired heights and lateral positions, each of said arm means being formed to be extendable and retractable in length, and arm length determining means mounted on each of said arm means and formed for selectively locking each of said arm means in desired extended and retracted positions.

Claim 32

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 24 and wherein said first and second means each comprises telescoping sections, and wherein said arm length determining means comprises a pin removably engageable in registerable openings formed longitudinally along said telescoping sections.

Claim 33

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 25 and wherein pulley means for supporting said cable means is carried on both said pivoted end and said distal end of said arm means.

Claim 34

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 26 and wherein said pulley means on said distal end of said arm means is movable to any desired position within the area between the concentric arcs described by said distal end of said arm means horizontally with said arm means fully extended and fully retracted.

Claim 35

An exercise apparatus, comprising a supporting frame, a pair of horizontally spaced arm means pivotably supported by said frame for independent swinging movement in a generally horizontal plane, lock means on said frame and said arm means formed for releasably locking said arm means in any one of a plurality of angular positions, cable means passing along said arm means to the distal ends thereof, handle means at the end of said cable means adjacent to said distal ends of said arm means, resistance means connected to said cable means and formed for resisting pulling of said cable means from the distal ends of said arm means, said frame having a vertically extending section carrying said arm means and a horizontally extending section, a body support means movable along said horizontally extending section of said frame to desired positions, and another lock means formed for securing said body support to said frame at the desired position.

Claim 36

An exercise apparatus, comprising a supporting frame, a pair of horizontally spaced arm means pivotably supported by said frame for independent swinging movement in a generally horizontal plane, lock means on said frame and said arm means formed for releasably locking said arm means in any one of a plurality of angular positions, cable means passing along said arm means to the distal ends thereof, handle means at the end of said cable means adjacent to said distal ends of said arm means, resistance means connected to said cable means and formed for resisting pulling of said cable means from the distal ends of said arm means, said frame having a vertically extending section carrying said arm means and a horizontally extending section, a body support means movable along said horizontally extending section of said frame to desired positions, and another lock means formed for securing said body support to said frame at the desired position.

Claim 37

An exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 28 and wherein said another lock means comprises a pin removably mounted in aligned openings formed in said body support and along said horizontally extending section of said frame.

Claim 38

An exercise apparatus, comprising a supporting frame, a pair of horizontally spaced arms pivotably supported by said frame for independent swinging movement in a generally horizontal plane, lock means on said frame and said arms formed for releasably locking said arms in any one of a plurality of angular positions, cable means passing along said arms to the distal ends thereof, handle means at one end of said cable means adjacent to said distal ends of said arms, resistance means connected to said cable means and formed for resisting pulling of said cable means from the distal ends of said arms, carriage means mounted on said frame for varying the vertical position of said arms, said arms being individually mounted on said carriage means, and counterbalance means carried on said frame and connected to said carriages for facilitating the vertical movement of said carriages.

Claim 39

An exercise apparatus, comprising a supporting frame, a pair of horizontally spaced arms pivotably supported by said frame for independent swinging movement in a generally horizontal plane, lock means on said frame and said arms formed for releasably locking said arms in any one of a plurality of angular positions, cable means passing along said arms to the distal ends thereof, handle means at one end of said cable means adjacent to said distal ends of said arms, resistance means connected to said cable means and formed for resisting pulling of said cable means from the distal ends of said arms, carriage means mounted on said frame for varying the vertical position of said arms, said arms being individually mounted on said carriage means, and counterbalance means carried on said frame and connected to said carriages for facilitating the vertical movement of said carriages.

Claim 40

An exercise apparatus as described in claim 30 and wherein said counterbalance means comprises a loop formed from an elongated flexible member entrained over pulleys at the upper and lower portions of said frame, said carriage means being vertically slidable on said frame and being attached to said loop for movement therewith, and a counterweight secured to said loop on the side thereof opposite to the side connected to said carriage means.

Claim 41

An exercise apparatus, comprising manually engageable handle means including a plurality of handles, cable means including a plurality of handles connected to said handle means, arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means and formed for resisting pulling of said cable means from said arm means, support means carrying said arm means for relative vertical and lateral movement for adjusting the position of said cable means and said handle means relative to said support means, means for releasably securing said arm means in the desired position, said resistance means being formed to provide variable resistance to pulling of said cable means from said arm means, said resistance means including a rotatable means interposed along the path of said cable means and operable to cause increasing resistance to pulling of two of said plurality of cables along said arms, said rotatable means comprising a first spool windingly received on one end of one cable of said plurality of cables, the opposite end of said one cable of said plurality of cables being operatively connected to one of said handles, weight means providing resistance to pulling of said handles, a second spool windingly receiving one end of another of said plurality of cables having its opposite end connected to said weight means, a shaft carrying said first and second spools for joint coaxial rotation, and said second spool being of conical configuration having a spiral cable receiving groove.

Claim 42

An exercise apparatus, comprising manually engageable handle means including a plurality of handles, cable means including a plurality of handles connected to said handle means, arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means and formed for resisting pulling of said cable means from said arm means, support means carrying said arm means for relative vertical and lateral movement for adjusting the position of said cable means and said handle means relative to said support means, means for releasably securing said arm means in the desired position, said resistance means being formed to provide variable resistance to pulling of said cable means from said arm means, said resistance means including a rotatable means interposed along the path of said cable means and operable to cause increasing resistance to pulling of two of said plurality of cables along said arms, said rotatable means comprising a first spool windingly received on one end of one cable of said plurality of cables, the opposite end of said one cable of said plurality of cables being operatively connected to one of said handles, weight means providing resistance to pulling of said handles, a second spool windingly receiving one end of another of said plurality of cables having its opposite end connected to said weight means, a shaft carrying said first and second spools for joint coaxial rotation, and said second spool being of conical configuration having a spiral cable receiving groove.

Claim 43

An exercise apparatus, comprising a pair of manually engageable handle means, cable means connected to said handle means, first and second horizontally spaced arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from each of said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means and formed for resistance pulling of said cable means from said arm means, support means carrying said arm means for vertical movement and for independently adjusting the heights of said cable means relative to each other and to said support means, said first and second arms means each having an end pivoted on said support means for swinging lateral displacement of the distal end of each of said arm means to desired positions, locking means on said arm means and said support means formed for releasably securing said arm means at the desired heights and lateral positions, each of said arm means being formed to be extendable and retractable in length, and said first and second arm means each being formed of telescoping sections.

Claim 44

An exercise apparatus, comprising a pair of manually engageable handle means, cable means connected to said handle means, first and second horizontally spaced arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from each of said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means and formed for resistance pulling of said cable means from said arm means, support means carrying said arm means for vertical movement and for independently adjusting the heights of said cable means relative to each other and to said support means, said first and second arms means each having an end pivoted on said support means for swinging lateral displacement of the distal end of each of said arm means to desired positions, locking means on said arm means and said support means formed for releasably securing said arm means at the desired heights and lateral positions, each of said arm means being formed to be extendable and retractable in length, and said first and second arm means each being formed of telescoping sections.

Claim 45

An exercise apparatus, comprising a pair of manually engageable handle means, cable means connected to said handle means, first and second horizontally spaced arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from each of said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means and formed for resistance pulling of said cable means from said arm means, support means carrying said arm means for vertical movement and for independently adjusting the heights of said cable means and said handle means relative to each other, said first and second arms means each having an end pivoted on said support means for swinging lateral displacement of the distal end of each of said arm means to desired positions, said first and second arm means each being extendable and retractable in length and having an end pivoted on said support means for swinging lateral displacement of the distal end of each of said arm means to desired positions, and locking means on said arm means and on said support means formed for releasably securing said arm means at the desired height and lateral positions.

Claim 46

An exercise apparatus, comprising a pair of manually engageable handle means, cable means connected to said handle means, first and second horizontally spaced arm means supporting said cable means whereby pulling on said handle means draws said cable means from each of said arm means, resistance means operatively connected to said cable means and formed for resistance pulling of said cable means from said arm means, support means carrying said arm means for vertical movement and for independently adjusting the heights of said cable means and said handle means relative to each other, said first and second arms means each having an end pivoted on said support means for swinging lateral displacement of the distal end of each of said arm means to desired positions, said first and second arm means each being extendable and retractable in length and having an end pivoted on said support means for swinging lateral displacement of the distal end of each of said arm means to desired positions, and locking means on said arm means and on said support means formed for releasably securing said arm means at the desired height and lateral positions.