Compact multi-station exercise machine

• US 5,779,601 A
• Filed: 02/02/1996
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vectra Fitness
• Original Assignee: Vectra Fitness
• Inventors: Ish, A. Buell III
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MULCAHY, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US08/597,522
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 482/94, 482/97-103, 482/112, 482/113, 482/130, 482/133-138, 482/142, 482/148, 482/908, D21/195
• US Class Current: 482/100
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0252 supine
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0257 prone
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/10 specially constructed to fit in the corner of a room
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/105 each station having its own resisting device, e.g. for training multiple users simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03566 the multiple stations having a common resistance device
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0494 primarily by articulating the knee joints A63B23/0405, A63B23/0476 take precedence

Abstract

A multi-station exercise machine in which each of the exercise stations is interconnected with a weight stack using a reeving system having corner frame with right and left wings at right angles to one another. High and low pull cables in the reeving system extend from the corner frame. The wings have butterfly and press stations at their outer end. The press station connects to the reeving system via a horizontal extension member which turns responsive to swinging of a press arm. An adjustment linkage permits the starting position of the press arm to be varied by operation of a lever at the press station. An adjustable bench with a leg exercising mechanism is optionally used at the press station as only a bench, or is used in a diagonal position at which the leg exercising mechanism is connected to the low pull cable.

Claims

1. A multi-station exercise machine for operating in a corner area comprising:

a frame assembly having a rear upright corner frame and frame extensions extending as first and second wings from said corner frame in respective first and second vertical wing planes which are in generally perpendicular relationship to one another at the rear of the corner area, said frame assembly having a ground engaging outrigger projecting by an outer end into said corner area;

high pull and low pull exercise stations facing said area and located at the top and bottom, respectively of said corner frame so as to be arranged to be used by an exerciser occupying said area;

a butterfly exercise station mounted at the outer end of said first wing to occupy a position entirely within said corner area, said butterfly exercise station including a seat extending into said area in generally parallel relation to said second wing plane and including two butterfly arms arranged to swing over said area about vertical swing axes within said area;

a press exercise station at the outer end of said second wing and including a press arm arranged to swing within a swing range entirely over said area about a horizontal swing axis which is perpendicular to said first wing plane;

a bench in said area partly seated on said outrigger and adjustable in position horizontally at one end relative to said outrigger;

a weight load at said corner frame;

and a pulley and cable system mounted on said frame assembly and continuously operatively connecting said exercise stations with said load whereby said load is moved responsive to performance of the respective exercises at said exercise stations.

2. An exercise machine according to claim 1 in which said bench has leg exercising apparatus at an outer end thereof to be operated in said area when the opposite end of the bench has a position adjacent said corner frame with the bench extending outwardly in said area between said wings clear of said seat, said leg exercising apparatus having an extension cable detachably connected to said pulley and cable system adjacent said low pull exercise station for connecting said apparatus with said load, said bench having an alternate position in said area in which its said opposite end is adjacent said press exercise station and the bench is in generally parallel relation to said first wing plane to be occupied by an exercising person at the press exercise station.

3. An exercise machine according to claim 2 in which said outrigger is arranged to be seated upon by said bench when the bench is in either of its positions.

4. An exercise machine according to claim 1 in which said bench is positioned in said corner area to extend from said press station in generally parallel relation to said first wing and spaced from said seat, said bench engaging said outrigger adjacent the outer end of the outrigger.

5. An exercise machine according to claim 4 in which said bench has an alternative position in said corner area to extend from said corner frame between said wings and beyond said seat, said bench having a leg exercising apparatus optionally connectable to said pulley and cable system by a cable extension at said low pull station.

6. An exercise machine according to claim 4 in which said bench has leg exercising apparatus at an outer end remote from said corner frame, said bench having an alternate position in said corner area extending from said corner frame between said wings and clear of said seat, for use of said leg exercising apparatus, and means for extending said system to said leg exercising apparatus.

7. An exercise machine according to claim 1 in which said outrigger extends at the outer end of the second wing into said area at ground level in generally parallel relation to said first wing.

8. A multi-station exercise machine comprising:

a frame assembly having a corner frame section and having first and second wing sections extending in generally perpendicular relation to one another and defining the rear of a corner exercise area;

a press exercise apparatus mounted on said first wing to operate entirely in said area;

a second exercise apparatus mounted on said second wing to operate entirely in said area;

high pull and low pull stations in said area at the top and bottom, respectively, of said corner section;

a weight load at said corner section;

and a pulley and cable system carried by said frame assembly and including;

a high pull cable extending between said high pull station and said load;

a low pull cable extending between said low pull station and a first floating pulley;

a double floating pulley unit having an upper pulley engaged by said high pull cable and a lower pulley engaged by said low pull cable;

a second exercise cable passing over said first floating pulley and extending to said second exercise apparatus;

a second floating pulley having said low pulley cable passing thereunder;

and a press cable extending downwardly from said second floating pulley under a guide pulley mounted on said corner frame section and then extending forwardly to said press exercise apparatus, said second floating pulley having a vertical travel range adjacent said corner frame section;

said press exercise apparatus including;

a press arm;

an elongated horizontal tube fixed to said press arm and mounted at an outer end on said first wing and mounted at an inner end on said corner frame section to turn about its longitudinal axis responsive to up and down swinging movement of said press arm;

a swing-mounted cam unit interconnected with said tube adjacent its said inner end and connected to said press cable such that said cam unit engages and causes tensioning of the press cable responsive to upward swinging of said press arm and responsive forward swinging of the cam unit;

and a stop element extending between said cam unit and said corner frame section for limiting swing movement of said cam unit responsive to tensioning of said press cable when said high pull station low pull station or second exercise unit are used, said stop element extending adjacent the portion of said press cable which is between said second floating pulley and said guide pulley.

9. An exercise machine according to claim 8 in which said tube is interconnected with said cam unit via an adjustment mechanism carried by said frame assembly for varying the swing range of said press arm, said adjustment mechanism including a rocker shaft extending within said tube from a position adjacent to said press arm to a position adjacent said corner frame section.

10. An exercise machine according to claim 8 in which said pulley and cable system includes a low pulley engaged by said low pull cable and mounted near the base of said corner frame section, said low pull cable having an extension;

said exercise machine also having a bench carrying an exercise device detachably connected to said extension, said bench having alternative positions in said area extending from said corner frame section or from said press exercise apparatus at said first wing.

11. A multi-station exercise machine for operating in a corner area comprising:

a frame assembly having a rear upright corner frame and frame extensions extending as first and second wings from said corner frame in generally perpendicular relationship to one another, first and second exercise apparatus at the top and bottom, respectively, of said corner frame, and arranged to be used by an exerciser occupying said area;

third and fourth exercise apparatus mounted at the outer end of said first and second wings, respectively, and arranged to be used by a exerciser occupying said area;

a weight load at said corner frame;

a pulley and cable system mounted on said frame assembly and continuously operatively connecting all four of said exercise apparatus with said load whereby said load is moved responsive to operation of each exercise apparatus;

a ground engaging outrigger on said second wing extending into said area;

a bench having a fifth exercise apparatus at an outer end thereof to be operated when an inner end of the bench is positioned at a first position adjacent said corner frame with the bench extending outwardly into said corner area approximately midway between said wings, said bench having an alternative second position in which its said inner end is adjacent said fourth exercise apparatus and the bench is in generally parallel relation to said first wing;

said bench interfitting with said outrigger at an interfit position in said area outwardly of said fourth exercise apparatus when said bench is in either of said first and second positions; and

an extension cable on said fifth exercise apparatus detachably connected to said pulley and cable system adjacent said second exercise apparatus for connecting said fifth exercise apparatus with said load.

12. An exercise machine according to claim 11 in which said interfit between said bench and outrigger comprises an upstanding roller on said outrigger at said interfit position and a downwardly facing channel along part of the length of said bench.

13. An exercise machine according to claim 11 in which said bench overlies an outer end portion of said outrigger whereby the weight of an exerciser occupying such bench assists in resisting tilting of said frame assembly.

14. An exercise machine according to claim 11 in which said third and fourth exercise apparatus comprise butterfly exercise apparatus and press exercise apparatus respectively;

and

said butterfly exercise apparatus includes a seat in said area.

15. An exercise machine comprising:

a cornerframe section;

first and second wing frame sections connected to said corner frame section and extending in perpendicular relation to one another;

said first section having a ground engaging outrigger remote from said corner frame section;

a bench engaging said outrigger to assist in keeping the outrigger in ground engagement when the bench is occupied by an exercising person;

an extension member having a rotary axis and journal mounted at inner and outer ends, respectively, on said corner section and first wing frame section to turn on said axis;

a press arm mounted on an outer end portion of said member to swing over said bench;

a swing member mounted on an inner end portion of said member to swing responsive to swinging of said press arm;

an adjustment plate beside said swing member and mounted to swing on said rotary axis;

a latching finger extending through a slot in said swing member to selectively latch said adjustment plate when said latching finger is in a latching position at an inner end of said slot and to disengage from said adjustment plate when said latching finger is at an outer end of said slot;

an adjustment lever adjacent said press arm adapted to be swung between engaged and disengaged positions;

a linkage mechanism between said lever and said finger for selectively moving said finger in said slot relative to movement of said lever;

a load;

and a load transfer mechanism between said load and adjustment plate for moving said load responsive to operation of said press arm when said finger is in said latching position.

16. An exercise machine according to claim 15 in which said load transfer mechanism includes a cam coupled to said adjustment plate, and a pulley and cable system interconnecting said load and cam and including a cable arranged to wrap on said cam responsive to swinging movement of said adjustment plate in a direction opposed by said load.