Exercise devices with an adjustable lever arm

Claim 2

An exercise device for exercising against a resistance, comprising: (a) a frame having a base and a leg connected to the base; (b) handle means for exercising against said resistance including a handle lever fixed to said handle means; (c) lever supporting means connecting said handle lever to said frame; (d) handle lever pivoting means pivotally connecting said handle lever to said lever supporting means; (e) resistance means for providing a source of said resistance; (f) resistance lever for providing a predetermined resistance at said handle means; (g) resistance lever pivoting means for pivotally connecting said resistance lever to said lever supporting means; (h) resistance connective means connecting said resistance means to the resistance lever for transmitting a resistance from the resistance means to the resistance lever; (i) engagement means for selectively engaging said resistance connective means to the resistance lever at a selected pivot point on the resistance lever to select a particular resistance at said handle means, so that rotation of the resistance lever about the resistance lever pivoting means requires a force having component perpendicular to the resistance lever, said rotation of the resistance lever is opposed by a resistance transmitted along and parallel to the resistance connective means which acts on the resistance lever at the selected pivot point of the engagement means; (j) lever connecting means for fixing an angle between said resistance lever and said handle lever to transmit a component of a force perpendicular to the handle lever, from said handle lever to said resistance lever whereby said force urges rotation of said resistance lever about said resistance lever pivoting means; and, (k) positioning means for selectively fixing said lever supporting means, handle lever pivoting means and resistance lever pivoting means to said leg at a predetermined distance from said base of the frame without affecting the resistance at said handle means.

Claim 3

The exercise device recited in claim 1, wherein said resistance connective means includes a flexible connector.

Claim 4

The exercise device recited in claim 2, whereby said engagement means is adapted to engage said flexible connector at more than one predetermined pivot points along said resistance lever to selectively change the resistance at said handle means.

Claim 5

The exercise device recited in claim 3, wherein said lever connecting means comprises a variable connector for connecting said levers at more than one predetermined angle between said handle lever and said resistance lever.

Claim 6

The exercise device recited in claim 4 further comprising more than one resistance lever providing additional resistance at said handle means.

Claim 7

The exercise device recited in claim 5, whereby said resistance means comprises a biased resistance source.

Claim 8

The exercise device recited in claim 6, whereby said biased resistance source is a spring.

Claim 9

The exercise device recited in claim 7, wherein said resistance means includes a prestretching means.

Claim 10

The exercise device recited in claim 8, wherein said base includes a bench.

Claim 11

The apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein said bench includes a foot retaining means.

Claim 12

The exercise device recited in claim 10, whereby said frame is made from telescoping tubular members for collapsing said exercise device for storage.

Claim 13

An exercise device for exercising against a resistance, comprising: (a) a frame having a base and a leg connected to the base; (b) handle means for exercising against said resistance including a handle lever fixed to said handle means; (c) lever supporting means connecting said handle lever to said frame; (d) handle lever pivoting means pivotally connecting said handle lever to said lever supporting means; (e) pneumatic resistance means for providing a source of said resistance; (f) resistance lever for providing a predetermined resistance at said handle means; (g) resistance lever pivoting means for pivotally connecting said resistance lever to said lever supporting means; (h) resistance connective means connecting said resistance means to the resistance lever for transmitting a resistance from the pneumonic resistance means to the resistance lever; (i) engagement means for selectively engaging said resistance connective means to the resistance lever at a selected pivot point on the resistance lever to select a particular resistance at said handle means so that rotation of the resistance lever about the resistance lever pivoting means requires a force having component perpendicular to the resistance lever, said rotation of the resistance lever is opposed by a resistance transmitted along and parallel tot he resistance connective means which acts on the resistance lever at the selected pivot point of the engagement means; (j) lever connecting means for selectively fixing an angle between said resistance lever and said handle lever to transmit a component of a force perpendicular to the handle lever, from said handle lever to said resistance lever whereby said force urges rotation of said resistance lever about said resistance lever pivoting means; and, (k) positioning means for selectively fixing said lever supporting means, handle lever pivoting means and resistance lever pivoting means to said leg at a predetermined distance from said base of the frame without affecting the resistance at said handle means.

Claim 14

An exercise device for exercising against a resistance, comprising: (a) a frame having a base and a leg connected to the base; (b) handle means for exercising against said resistance including a handle lever fixed to said handle means; (c) lever supporting means connecting said handle lever to said frame; (d) handle lever pivoting means pivotally connecting said handle lever to said lever supporting means; (e) pneumatic resistance means for providing a source of said resistance; (f) resistance lever for providing a predetermined resistance at said handle means; (g) resistance lever pivoting means for pivotally connecting said resistance lever to said lever supporting means; (h) resistance connective means connecting said resistance means to the resistance lever for transmitting a resistance from the pneumonic resistance means to the resistance lever; (i) engagement means for selectively engaging said resistance connective means to the resistance lever at a selected pivot point on the resistance lever to select a particular resistance at said handle means so that rotation of the resistance lever about the resistance lever pivoting means requires a force having component perpendicular to the resistance lever, said rotation of the resistance lever is opposed by a resistance transmitted along and parallel tot he resistance connective means which acts on the resistance lever at the selected pivot point of the engagement means; (j) lever connecting means for selectively fixing an angle between said resistance lever and said handle lever to transmit a component of a force perpendicular to the handle lever, from said handle lever to said resistance lever whereby said force urges rotation of said resistance lever about said resistance lever pivoting means; and, (k) positioning means for selectively fixing said lever supporting means, handle lever pivoting means and resistance lever pivoting means to said leg at a predetermined distance from said base of the frame without affecting the resistance at said handle means.

Claim 15

The apparatus recited in claim 12, whereby said resistance connective means includes a rigid connector.

Claim 16

The exercise device recited in claim 13, whereby said engagement means is adapted to engage said rigid connector at more than one predetermined pivot points along said resistance lever to selectively change the resistance at said handle means.

Claim 17

The exercise device recited in claim 14, wherein said lever connecting means comprises a variable connector for connecting said resistance levers at more than one predetermined angle between said handle lever and said resistance lever.

Claim 18

The exercise device recited in claim 15 further comprising more than one resistance lever providing additional resistance at said handle means.

Claim 19

The exercise device recited in claim 16, wherein said base includes a bench.

Claim 20

The exercise device recited in claim 17, whereby said bench includes a foot retaining means.

Claim 21

The exercise device recited in claim 18, whereby said bench further includes a rolling seat means.

Claim 22

The exercise device recited in claim 19, whereby said frame is made from telescoping tubular members for collapsing said exercise device for storage.

Claim 23

An exercise device for exercising against a resistance, comprising: (a) a frame having a base and a leg connected to the base; (b) handle means for exercising against said resistance including a handle lever fixed to said handle means; (c) lever supporting means which at one end connects said handle lever to said frame and having a pivot at another end to pivotally connect said other end of said lever support means to said frame; (d) handle lever pivoting means pivotally connecting said handle lever to said lever supporting means; (e) resistance means for providing a source of said resistance; (f) resistance lever for providing a predetermined resistance at said handle means; (g) resistance lever pivoting means for pivotally connecting said resistance lever to said lever supporting means; (h) a flexible resistance connective means connecting said resistance means to the resistance lever for transmitting a resistance from the resistance means to the resistance lever; (i) engagement means for selectively engaging said resistance connective means to the resistance lever at a selected pivot point on the resistance lever to select a particular resistance at said handle means, so that rotation of the resistance lever about the resistance lever pivoting means requires a force having component perpendicular to the resistance lever, said rotation of the resistance lever is opposed by a resistance transmitted along and parallel to the resistance connective means originating from the direction of the pivot connecting said lever support means to said frame, said resistance acts on the resistance lever at the selected pivot point of the engagement means; (j) lever connecting means for fixing an angle between said resistance lever and said handle lever to transmit a component of a force perpendicular to the handle lever, from said handle lever to said resistance lever whereby said force urges rotation of said resistance lever about said resistance lever pivoting means; and, (k) positioning means for selectively fixing said lever supporting means, handle lever pivoting means and resistance lever pivoting means to said leg at a predetermined distance from said base of the frame without affecting the resistance at said handle means.

Claim 24

An exercise device for exercising against a resistance, comprising: (a) a frame having a base and a leg connected to the base; (b) handle means for exercising against said resistance including a handle lever fixed to said handle means; (c) lever supporting means which at one end connects said handle lever to said frame and having a pivot at another end to pivotally connect said other end of said lever support means to said frame; (d) handle lever pivoting means pivotally connecting said handle lever to said lever supporting means; (e) resistance means for providing a source of said resistance; (f) resistance lever for providing a predetermined resistance at said handle means; (g) resistance lever pivoting means for pivotally connecting said resistance lever to said lever supporting means; (h) a flexible resistance connective means connecting said resistance means to the resistance lever for transmitting a resistance from the resistance means to the resistance lever; (i) engagement means for selectively engaging said resistance connective means to the resistance lever at a selected pivot point on the resistance lever to select a particular resistance at said handle means, so that rotation of the resistance lever about the resistance lever pivoting means requires a force having component perpendicular to the resistance lever, said rotation of the resistance lever is opposed by a resistance transmitted along and parallel to the resistance connective means originating from the direction of the pivot connecting said lever support means to said frame, said resistance acts on the resistance lever at the selected pivot point of the engagement means; (j) lever connecting means for fixing an angle between said resistance lever and said handle lever to transmit a component of a force perpendicular to the handle lever, from said handle lever to said resistance lever whereby said force urges rotation of said resistance lever about said resistance lever pivoting means; and, (k) positioning means for selectively fixing said lever supporting means, handle lever pivoting means and resistance lever pivoting means to said leg at a predetermined distance from said base of the frame without affecting the resistance at said handle means.

Claim 25

The exercise device recited in claim 21, whereby said engagement means is adapted to engage said flexible connector at more than one predetermined pivot points along said resistance lever to selectively change the resistance at said handle means.

Claim 26

The exercise device recited in claim 22, wherein said lever connecting means comprises a variable connector for connecting said levers at more than one predetermined angle between said handle lever and said resistance lever.

Claim 27

The exercise device recited in claim 23 further comprising more than one resistance lever providing additional resistance at said handle means.

Claim 28

The exercise device recited in claim 24, whereby said resistance means comprises a biased resistance source.

Claim 29

The exercise device recited in claim 25, whereby said biased resistance source includes a weight connected to a weight bearing means attached to said flexible connector, said flexible connector passing through a connection point which directs the resistance from the direction of the pivot connecting said lever support means to said frame.

Claim 30

The exercise device recited in claim 26, wherein said base includes a bench.

Claim 31

The apparatus recited in claim 27, wherein said bench includes a foot retaining means.

Claim 32

The exercise device recited in claim 28, wherein said base includes a backrest.

Claim 33

The exercise device recited in claim 29, wherein said bench further includes a rolling seat means.