Exercise device with combined spring tension and frictional resistance

• US 3,893,667 A
• Filed: 04/03/1974
• Issued: 07/08/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cranmer W. Wilson, Owen D. Snyder Jr
• Original Assignee: Cranmer W. Wilson, Owen D. Snyder Jr
• Inventors: Snyder, Owen D. Jr., Wilson, Cranmer W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkham, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taylor, Joseph R.
• Application Number:
  US05/457,601
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 272/57R,58,72,73,79R,80,83R 273/55
• US Class Current: 482/114
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/018 including a rope or other flexible element moving relative to the surface of elements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/04 attached to static foundation , e.g. a user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/02 incorporated in chairs

Abstract

A compact exercise device which also serves as a decorative and utilitarian piece of furniture. The frame of the piece of furniture houses coil springs. To an end of one of the springs is attached a pull cord which extends parallel to the spring axis and out through a tapered opening in one end of the frame. To an end of another of the springs is attached a pull cord which extends 90* to the spring axis and out through a tapered opening in one side of the frame. The diameters of the pull cords and tapered openings are such that the openings impose a frictional resistance to movement of the cords therethrough.

Claims

1. A portable exercise device comprising in combination a frame, support means, and exercise means, said frame having a longer and shorter dimension, bottom, interior and exterior surfaces and two ends, said frame having a bottom surface, an exterior surface and an interior surface, said frame being attached to and supporting said support means, and said frame housing exercise meanS, said exercise means comprising at least one side pull exercise means comprising attachment means, coil spring means, a side pull, a side pull loop, an eyelet and a side pull channel intersecting the bottom surface of the frame and being generally curvilinear in cross-section, said attachment means attaching one end of said coil spring means to one end of said frame whereby said coil spring means is positioned so that its direction of elongation is substantially parallel to the longer dimension of said frame, the other end of said coil spring means being attached to one end of said side pull, said side pull extending from said coil spring means to said eyelet in a direction substantially parallel to the longer dimension of said frame, said eyelet being attached to the other end of said frame passing and changing direction by about 90* through said eyelet and passing through said side pull channel in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longer dimension of said frame, the other end of said side pull being attached to said side pull loop, said side pull channel having a vertical depth at the interior surface of said frame of from about two to five times the maximum dimension of said side pull, a radius of curvature at the interior surface of said frame of from about 2.5 to about 4.5 times one half the maximum dimension of said side pull, a radius of curvature at the exterior surface of said frame of from about 1.25 to about 2 times one half of the maximum dimension of said side pull and a horizontal dimension at the bottom surface of said frame at least equal to the widest horizontal dimension of said channel in the plane parallel to the exterior surface of said frame and containing said horizontal dimension and said end pull exercise means comprising attachment means, coil spring means, end pull, end pull loop and end pull channel intersecting the bottom surface of the frame and being generally curvilinear in cross-section said attachment means attaching one end of said coil spring means to one end of said frame whereby said coil spring means is positioned so that its direction of elongation is substantially parallel to the longer dimension of said frame, the other end of said coil spring means being attached to one end of said end pull, said end pull extending from said coil spring means and passing through said end pull channel in a direction substantially parallel to said longer dimension of said frame, the other end of said end pull being attached to said end pull loop, said end pull channel having a vertical depth at the interior surface of said frame of from about two to about four times the maximum dimension of the end pull, a vertical depth at the exterior surface of said frame of from about one to about two times the maximum dimension of the end pull, a radius of curvature at the interior surface of said frame of from about 2.5 to about 4.5 times one half of the maximum dimension of said end pull, a radius of curvature at the exterior surface of said frame of from about 1.25 to about 2 times one half of the maximum dimension of said end pull, and a horizontal dimension at the bottom surface of said frame at least equal to the widest horizontal dimension of said channel in the plane parallel to the exterior surface of said frame and containing said horizontal, dimension, whereby said exercise device provides healthful and invigorating exercise activity resulting from the interaction of spring tension and frictional resistance and, when not in use for exercising, provides a useful and decorative piece of furniture.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the exercise means comprises two side pull exercise means and two end pull exercise means.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the support means comprises an attached cushion attached to and resting within said frame and an unattached cushion resting upon the attached cushion.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein legs are removably attached to said frame by attachment means.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the attachment means is a 2-position attachment means whereby the two legs on either end of said frame may be removed and the two legs on the other end of said frame support the frame in a slanting position.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein brackets are positioned on the underside of said frame for storing the legs when not in use.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein grasping means suitable for removable attachment to said pull loops are additionally included.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein an exercise bar suitable for inserting in pull loops and in grasping means is additionally included.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein a bracket in the underside of said frame is provided for storage of the storage bar when not in use.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the coil spring means in the side pull exercise means is a coil spring which under no tension has a length of substantially one-fourth of the distance from the attachment means to the eyelet and a fully extended length of at least equal to the distance from attachment means to the eyelet and upon full extension to said distance said coil spring means fully retracts to its original unextended size and the coil spring means in the end pull exercise means is a coil spring which under no tension has a length substantially one-fourth of the distance from the attachment means to the end pull channel and a fully extended length of at least equal to the distance from attachment to the end pull channel and upon full extension to said distance said coil spring fully retracts to its original unextended size.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the side pull channel and the end pull channel are openings in the frame and a grommet is inserted in each opening, said grommet having an inside diameter of from about 1.1 to about 2 times the diameter of the pull.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the pull grasping means is in a button-shape.