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Athletic exerciser pulling device

  • US 6,929,589 B1
  • Filed: 09/17/2004
  • Issued: 08/16/2005
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2004
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An athletic exerciser pulling apparatus, comprising in combination:

  • (a) a plurality of spring housing assemblies;

    each spring housing assembly comprising;

    a multiplicity of circular, constant force spring assemblies;

    an elongate housing member made of molded hard plastic and including a cylindrical bore having a longitudinal axis extending from one end to a distal end, said bore being sized in diameter to permit stacking said spring assemblies therein;

    a first end cap and a second end cap made of molded hard plastic for capping both open ends of said housing member; and

    means for manually selected engagement of one or more said spring assemblies by a user, as a spring resisting force;

    said spring assemblies each comprising a constant-force coiled spring;

    a generally disc shaped, molded plastic base having a coaxial, deep circular recessed portion that is sized to seat said spring, cut in one face of said base, leaving a wide rim around said base, said rim having a multiplicity of edge openings that are spaced equidistantly apart around said rim for the purpose of engaging said base;

    said recessed portion having a flat bottom surface which includes a concentric first hole for holding a hub, said recessed portion also including means for fastening an external end of said spring thereto; and

    a molded plastic hub that is sized to rotate freely inside said first hole, said hub having a concentric second hole for sliding along a central shaft, said second hole including a spline that extends radially inwards for engaging said shaft, said hub including a deep slit in one face for retaining one end of said spring;

    said housing member including a multiplicity of lateral slots cut in one longitudinal face to equal the number of spring assemblies that are stacked inside said bore, said longitudinal face with said lateral slots cut therein, defining a control face for accessing and selecting any spring assembly for engagement;

    said slots being cut to a depth that provides access to said bore through each slot, said slots each being located a distance apart so that each slot faces a peripheral edge of a spring assembly in said housing member;

    said first end cap being a thick, rigid flat plate which is shaped and sized to match an end of said housing member, said plate including two ears, one projecting on each of two parallel edges, each ear having an earhole for use in clamping said first end cap to an end of said housing member, said plate having a deep, circular recess cut in the surface of one flat side, said recess being located so that it is concentric with the longitudinal axis of said bore in said housing member when placed on an end of said housing member;

    said second end cap being a thick, rigid flat plate which is sized and shaped to fit on an end of said housing member, said plate having a centrally located third hole cut through, said third hole being located so that it is concentric with said bore in said housing member when placed on an end of said housing member, said second end cap acting to couple a pulley wheel assembly to a housing member;

    (b) a pulley wheel assembly comprising a rigid plastic, tray-like holder, a metal pulley wheel that fits in said holder, and a pull handle that is attached to a cord which is wound around said pulley wheel;

    said holder being shaped and sized to fit against a flat surface of said second end cap, and including a semicircular shaped deep cavity in which said pulley wheel is seated, with part of said pulley wheel extending over an open side edge of said holder, said holder including a fourth hole for allowing passage of a central shaft;

    (c) means for clamping said spring housing assemblies and said pulley wheel assembly together in a column, when said pulley wheel assembly is held between the second end caps of two spring housing assemblies;

    said pulley wheel assembly being oriented so that said pulley wheel in said holder extends with its pull cord in the open space created between the ends of said spring housing assemblies at said control face of said apparatus; and

    ,(d) an elongate metal shaft having a longitudinal groove extending from one end of said shaft to a distal shaft end, said shaft being disposed along the longitudinal axis of the bores in said spring housing assemblies and through the hub of said pulley wheel, engaging the hubs of all rotatable components that are contained in said apparatus;

    said pulling apparatus operating in the following manner;

    manually pulling said pull handle rotates the pulley wheel, causing the central shaft to rotate the hubs of all contained spring assemblies and thereby to rotate also the bases and contained springs of unselected assemblies;

    however selected spring assemblies will have their bases engaged by said first means for selected engagement, and be prevented from rotating, generating a resisting force that is created by a rotating hub pulling one end of a fixed position coiled spring.

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