Portable exercise bar device

• US 5,389,055 A
• Filed: 05/02/1994
• Issued: 02/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert B. Gangloff
• Original Assignee: Robert B. Gangloff
• Inventors: Gangloff, Robert B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reichard, Lynne A.
• Application Number:
  US08/236,349
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 482/38, 482/39, 482/40, 482/41, 482/42, 482/143, 482/138, 482/17, 482/104, 482/107, 482/142
• US Class Current: 482/38
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 1/005 Safety devices for securing the rods
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4045 Reciprocating movement along, in or on a guide weights moving along or in guiding means A63B21/06; for cardio-training A63B22/201
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0252 supine
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03525 Supports for both feet or both hands performing simultaneously the same movement, e.g. single pedal or single handle A63B21/0724 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/12 for upper limbs or related muscles, e.g. chest, upper back or shoulder muscles bench press exercises A63B21/078; for teaching music G09B15/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1209 Involving a bending of elbow and shoulder joints simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1218 Chinning, pull-up, i.e. concentric movement

Abstract

A specially designed foldable exercise apparatus is provided for doing pull-ups or chin-ups while the heels of the feet remain on the floor. It includes a chrome-plated steel base with welded vertical bar supports extendable upward on each side of the base, with an uninterrupted space provided between the vertical bar supports for the torso of user'"'"'s body to be placed therebetween. The vertical supports extend upward with one on each side, approximately midway between a front edge and a rear edge of the base, so that the base extends outward in both directions from the vertical support bars. The pull-up supports are fabricated with apertures or notched vertical supports or hooks on the exterior for placement therein of a horizontal support bar which is movable. The support bar is preferably fabricated of tubular steel with rubber caps on each end to prevent slipping off the support bars. The user lies between the support posts and pulls himself or herself up to the desired level while the heels of the user remain on the floor.

Claims

1. A foldable portable apparatus with a chin-up/pull-up bar for use while the user lies supine on his or her back with the heel touching the ground, comprising:

a base having a front edge, a rear edge and a pair of opposite lateral edges, said lateral edges extending between said front edge and said rear edge;

a movable horizontal bar,

a pair of parallel vertical frame bars hingably extendable up vertically from said base;

each of said vertical frame bars having a plurality of apertures at selected predetermined vertical heights above said base,

said apertures corresponding to predetermined desired vertical height locations for said movable horizontal bar above said base;

each of said vertical bars positioned along each of respective opposite lateral edges approximately midway between said front edge and said rear edge;

said horizontal bar having at least one movable extension pin extending from an end of said horizontal bar;

said at least one pin of said horizontal bar being selectively insertable within at least one respective aperture of said pair of parallel vertical frame bars at one of said predetermined vertical height locations above said base;

said horizontal bar containing a means for selectively moving said horizontal bar to said one of said predetermined height locations above said base between said vertical frame bars, while the user is in a supine position, said means comprising;

said vertical bars being extendable above said base within predetermined positions permitting the torso of a user to be positioned therebetween,

said horizontal bar positionable in an uninterrupted recess space above said base permitting the torso of the user to be positioned therebelow in said uninterrupted recess space above said base and below said horizontal bar,

said means for selectively moving said horizontal bar further including;

at least one trigger handle,

said at least one trigger handle being located approximately at one end of said horizontal bar,

said at least one trigger handle extending above said horizontal bar, and,

said at least one trigger handle being compressible by the fingers of a hand of the user toward a top portion of said horizontal bar while the user holds said horizontal bar within the palms of the hands of the user.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said each of said vertical bars are positioned along each of respective opposite lateral edges between one quarter and three quarters of the length between said front edge and said rear edge of said base.

3. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said means to selectively insert said movable horizontal bar within said at least one aperture of at least one of said two parallel hinged vertical frame bars, comprises:

said extension pin being spring loaded, said extension pin including an outer projection connectable to a body portion, which said body portion being further connectable at an opposite end thereof to at least one inner projection connector, said at least one inner projection connector including a movement restriction knob member, said movement restriction knob member holding said at least one inner projection connector within at least one respective groove of at least one respective base portion of said at least one trigger handle;

said at least one extension pin of said at least one handle closable in a closed position within at least one aperture of at least one vertical bar, said at least one pin being urged within said at least one aperture by means of at least one spring, said spring urging at least one filler plug against said at least one movement restriction knob of said pin, said spring further urging said at least one pin within said at least one aperture of one of said vertical bars;

said at least one trigger handle including a manually operable trigger portion;

said at least one base lever portion insertable within an upper slot and a lower slot within said horizontal bar, wherein manual downward pulling of said at least one trigger portion urges said at least one base lever portion against a fulcrum point, said fulcrum point being located on an edge of said lower slot closest to an outside end of said horizontal bar;

said at least one base lever portion being rotatable about said at least one fulcrum;

said at least one extension pin being releasable from said at least one aperture of said vertical bar, upon the manual exertion of finger pressure upon said at least one trigger portion while the user holds said horizontal bar within the palms of the hands of the user.

4. The apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising said horizontal bar being dismantlable from said vertical bars for placement along the plane of the said flat base, and,

said two vertical bars being hinged swivelable down toward each other from a vertical to a horizontal position upon said flat base for easy storage and carrying of the apparatus, in a direction transverse to an axis of said base between said front edge and said rear edge.