Exercise machine

Claim 2

A protable exercise machine including: an elongate frame: a foot rest rigidly connected to one end of said frame; a seat slidable longitudinally along said frame; energy absorber means rigidly supported by said frame at a position intermediate said seat and said foot rest; levers positioned on each lateral side of said frame and respectively connected to said energy absorber means; said energy absorber means comprising: a closed cylinder rigidly supported on said frame with a longitudinal axis of said cylinder extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of said frame; a vane rotatable within said cylinder about an axis coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said cylinder, and providing a stub shaft extending exteriorly of said cylinder through an end wall of said cylinder; partition wall means positioned internally of said cylinder and extending radially thereof, said partition wall means providing a closed chamber at each opposite side of said vane; a one-way valve means interconnecting one of said closed chambers with the other of said closed chambers; adjustable bleed valve means interconnecting said closed chambers; said adjustable bleed valve means being located within said partition wall means, and including a valve seat and a valve member cooperating with said valve seat, said valve member being movable against a spring bias by a push rod extending through said end wall, further including a ramp cam rotatable about the axis of said cylinder and cooperating with said push rod to move said push rod axially upon rotation of said ramp cam about said cylinder axis; and, journal means connecting said levers to said stub shaft for angular movement in a plane including the axis of said stub shaft and for movement about the axis of said stub shaft in unison with movement of said vane and said stub shaft within said cylinder.

Claim 3

A portable exercise machine including: an elongate frame; a foot rest rigidly connected to one end of said frame; a seat slidable longitudinally along said frame; energy absorber means rigidly supported by said frame at a position intermediate said seat and said foot rest; a first carriage supporting said seat for movement longitudinally of said frame, a second carriage supporting said energy absorber means for movement longitudinally of said frame, and means for securing said secondary carriage in a selected position of adjustment; and levers positioned on each lateral side of said frame and respectively connected to said energy absorber means; said energy absorber means comprising: a closed cylinder rigidly supported on said frame with a longitudinal axis of said cylinder extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of said frame; a vane rotatable within said cylinder about an axis coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said cylinder, and providing a stub shaft extending exteriorly of said cylinder through an end wall of said cylinder; partition wall means positioned internally of said cylinder and extending radially thereof, said partition wall means providing a closed chamber at each opposite side of said vane; a one-way valve means interconnecting one of said closed chambers with the other of said closed chambers; adjustable bleed valve means interconnecting said closed chambers; and, journal means connecting said levers to said stub shaft for angular movement in a plane including the axis of said stub shaft and for movement about the axis of said stub shaft in unison with movement of said vane and said stub shaft within said cylinder.

Claim 4

A portable exercise machine including: an elongate frame; a foot rest rigidly connected to one end of said frame; a seat slidable longitudinally along said frame; energy absorber means rigidly supported by said frame at a position intermediate said seat and said foot rest; a first carriage supporting said seat for movement longitudinally of said frame, a second carriage supporting said energy absorber means for movement longitudinally of said frame, and means for securing said secondary carriage in a selected position of adjustment; and levers positioned on each lateral side of said frame and respectively connected to said energy absorber means; said energy absorber means comprising: a closed cylinder rigidly supported on said frame with a longitudinal axis of said cylinder extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of said frame; a vane rotatable within said cylinder about an axis coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said cylinder, and providing a stub shaft extending exteriorly of said cylinder through an end wall of said cylinder; partition wall means positioned internally of said cylinder and extending radially thereof, said partition wall means providing a closed chamber at each opposite side of said vane; a one-way valve means interconnecting one of said closed chambers with the other of said closed chambers; adjustable bleed valve means interconnecting said closed chambers; and, journal means connecting said levers to said stub shaft for angular movement in a plane including the axis of said stub shaft and for movement about the axis of said stub shaft in unison with movement of said vane and said stub shaft within said cylinder.

Claim 5

A portable exercise machine including: an elongate frame; a foot rest rigidly connected to one end of said frame; a seat slidable longitudinally along said frame; socket means incorporated into said foot rest, a detachable support bar insertable into said socket means and securable therein in substantially perpendicular relationship with said frame, means carried by said seat for detachably attaching said seat to said support bar, and feet on an underside of said seat for engagement with a floor when said seat is attached to said support bar and said support bar is secured in said socket means to support said machine when moved from a prone position to an upright position, said foot rest also including feet for engagement with said floor to further stabilize said machine when moved from said prone to said upright position; energy absorber means rigidly supported by said frame at a position intermediate said seat and said foot rest; levers positioned on each lateral side of said frame and respectively connected to said energy absorber means; said energy absorber means comprising: a closed cylinder rigidly supported on said frame with a longitudinal axis of said cylinder extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of said frame; a vane rotatable within said cylinder about an axis coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said cylinder, and providing a stub shaft extending exteriorly of said cylinder through an end wall of said cylinder; partition wall means positioned internally of said cylinder and extending radially thereof, said partition wall means providing a closed chamber at each opposite side of said vane; a one-way valve means interconnecting one of said closed chambers with the other of said closed chambers; adjustable bleed valve means interconnecting said closed chambers; and journal means connecting said levers to said stub shaft for angular movement in a plane including the axis of said stub shaft and for movement about the axis of said stub shaft in unison with movement of said vane and said stub shaft within said cylinder.

Claim 6

A portable exercise machine including: an elongate frame; a foot rest rigidly connected to one end of said frame; a seat slidable longitudinally along said frame; socket means incorporated into said foot rest, a detachable support bar insertable into said socket means and securable therein in substantially perpendicular relationship with said frame, means carried by said seat for detachably attaching said seat to said support bar, and feet on an underside of said seat for engagement with a floor when said seat is attached to said support bar and said support bar is secured in said socket means to support said machine when moved from a prone position to an upright position, said foot rest also including feet for engagement with said floor to further stabilize said machine when moved from said prone to said upright position; energy absorber means rigidly supported by said frame at a position intermediate said seat and said foot rest; levers positioned on each lateral side of said frame and respectively connected to said energy absorber means; said energy absorber means comprising: a closed cylinder rigidly supported on said frame with a longitudinal axis of said cylinder extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of said frame; a vane rotatable within said cylinder about an axis coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said cylinder, and providing a stub shaft extending exteriorly of said cylinder through an end wall of said cylinder; partition wall means positioned internally of said cylinder and extending radially thereof, said partition wall means providing a closed chamber at each opposite side of said vane; a one-way valve means interconnecting one of said closed chambers with the other of said closed chambers; adjustable bleed valve means interconnecting said closed chambers; and journal means connecting said levers to said stub shaft for angular movement in a plane including the axis of said stub shaft and for movement about the axis of said stub shaft in unison with movement of said vane and said stub shaft within said cylinder.

Claim 7

A portable exercise machine including: an elongate frame; a foot rest rigidly connected to one end of said frame; said foot rest including strap means for engagement with the feet of the user, fork means pivotally mounted on an underside of said foot rest, and means for adjusting and securing said fork means in a selected position of adjustment, said fork means engaging bights of said strap means and acting to draw said strap means into engagement with the feet of said user; a seat slidable longitudinally along said frame; energy absorber means rigidly supported by said frame at a position intermediate said seat and said foot rest; levers positioned on each lateral side of said frame and respectively connected to said energy absorber means; said energy absorber means comprising: a closed cylinder rigidly supported on said frame with a longitudinal axis of said cylinder extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of said frame; a vane rotatable within said cylinder about an axis coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said cylinder, and providing a stub shaft extending exteriorly of said cylinder through an end wall of said cylinder; partition wall means positioned internally of said cylinder and extending radially thereof, said partition wall means providing a closed chamber at each opposite side of said vane; a one-way valve means interconnecting one of said closed chambers with the other of said closed chambers; adjustable bleed valve means interconnecting said closed chambers; and journal means connecting said levers to said stub shaft for angular movement in a plane including the axis of said stub shaft and for movement about the axis of said stub shaft in unison with movement of said vane and said stub shaft within said cylinder.

Claim 8

A portable exercise machine including: an elongate frame; a foot rest rigidly connected to one end of said frame; said foot rest including strap means for engagement with the feet of the user, fork means pivotally mounted on an underside of said foot rest, and means for adjusting and securing said fork means in a selected position of adjustment, said fork means engaging bights of said strap means and acting to draw said strap means into engagement with the feet of said user; a seat slidable longitudinally along said frame; energy absorber means rigidly supported by said frame at a position intermediate said seat and said foot rest; levers positioned on each lateral side of said frame and respectively connected to said energy absorber means; said energy absorber means comprising: a closed cylinder rigidly supported on said frame with a longitudinal axis of said cylinder extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of said frame; a vane rotatable within said cylinder about an axis coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said cylinder, and providing a stub shaft extending exteriorly of said cylinder through an end wall of said cylinder; partition wall means positioned internally of said cylinder and extending radially thereof, said partition wall means providing a closed chamber at each opposite side of said vane; a one-way valve means interconnecting one of said closed chambers with the other of said closed chambers; adjustable bleed valve means interconnecting said closed chambers; and journal means connecting said levers to said stub shaft for angular movement in a plane including the axis of said stub shaft and for movement about the axis of said stub shaft in unison with movement of said vane and said stub shaft within said cylinder.