Portable exercise bar device

• US 5,662,556 A
• Filed: 02/12/1996
• Issued: 09/02/1997
• 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): Reichard, Lynne A.
• Application Number:
  US08/600,401
• Time in Patent Office: 568 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 2208/0252 supine
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• 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 he feet remain on the floor. It includes a chrome-plated steel base with welded upright frame bar supports extendable upward on each side of the base, with an uninterrupted space provided between the upright frame 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 posts. 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 posts. An optional cross brace is provided to stabilize the support posts in place in a vertical position of use. 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. An exercise apparatus for allowing a user to perform at least one of a pull-up exercise and a chin-up exercise while lying supine on the user'"'"'s back with the user'"'"'s heel touching the ground, the apparatus comprising:

a base having a front edge and a rear edge;

a movable horizontal bar, having a pair of ends;

a pair of substantially parallel upright frame posts removably connected to and extending in a substantially vertically direction from said base;

each of said upright frame posts having a plurality of holding means located at a plurality of vertically spaced positions above said base, said holding means corresponding to a plurality of vertical height locations for said movable horizontal bar above said base;

each of said upright posts positioned along a peripheral edge approximately midway between said front and said rear edge of said base;

said horizontal bar including a handle portion and a pair of insertion members at opposite ends thereof;

said insertion members of said horizontal bar being selectively insertable within a pair of respective holding means of said pair of upright posts at one of said plurality of vertical height locations above said base, and,

a cross brace connecting said upright frame members,

wherein said cross brace member comprises a hinged cross brace member hingeably connected at one end thereof to one of said upright frame posts and removably engagable with another of said upright frame posts.

2. The exercise apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said cross brace member comprises an X-shaped folding arm brace allowing a user to raise said upright frame posts simultaneously with one hand while using the other hand to position said cross brace member in place,

said cross brace member including two joined leg members joined by a pivot fastener;

said two joined leg members alignable coaxially in a horizontal locking position; and

a further fastener being located on a longer leg member of said two leg members of said X-shaped folding arm brace, said fastener engagable with a shorter leg member of said two leg members, thereby providing a straight firm tie across a top region of said upright frame posts in the vertical position of use.

3. The exercise apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said shorter leg member is slightly longer than half of a span extending between said upright frame members in an upright vertical position of use, and said longer leg member is approximately the length of the span extending between said upright frame members in a vertical position of use.

4. The exercise apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said leg members of said X-shaped folding arm brace are joined at one half the distance of the span between said upright frame members by a pivot point fastener, said pivot point fastener being loose enough to allow said leg members to be rotated in relation to each other.

5. The exercise apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said leg members of said X-shaped folding arm brace are provided with similar end pivot points at each distal end thereof, whereby said leg members are attached by said end pivot points to said top regions of said upright frame posts, when said upright frame posts are in a vertical position of use.

6. The exercise apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said longer leg member of said X-shaped folding arm brace is provided with a further fastener engagable with said shorter leg member when said leg members are in the horizontal locking position.

7. The exercise apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said longer leg member is liftable until a crossover rotation point at said pivot fastener joining said leg members is reached, at which time a directional shift of pressure in said lifted upright posts causes a crossover of said upright posts.

8. The exercise apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said leg members are descendible in a lowering motion thereby moving said upright frame posts to a folded-down position, with said X-shaped folding arm brace folding down in between said upright frame posts.

9. The exercise apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said holding means within said upright frame members are holes.

10. The exercise apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said insertion members are movable and are insertable within said holes of said upright frame posts.

11. The exercise apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said holding means within said upright frame posts are slots.

12. The exercise apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said insertion members are immovable and are insertable within said slots of said upright frame posts.

13. The exercise apparatus as in claim 12 wherein said insertion members comprise extension pins extending from extension rods, which said extension rods extend from opposite ends of said movable horizontal bar, and wherein said movable horizontal bar has a first cross sectional diameter greater than a second cross sectional diameter of said extension rods, and wherein said extension pins extend from said end rods at outer ends thereof, said extension pins having a third cross sectional diameter greater than the second diameter of said extension rods, to prevent said extension rods from falling out of respective slots of said upright frame posts.