Abstract:
A machine for exercising the pectoral muscles having a pair of synchronous movement arms pivotable about oblique axes by the user moving the arms from the user&#39;s sides to outstretched convergent positions. A constrained linkage connects the movement arms to a vertical drive rod which drives a lever at the base of the machine. The lever drives a weight stack pin upwardly to lift one or more resistance weights keyed to the pin. The user is supported by a seat and backrest and linkages are provided to adjust the seat vertically and the backrest horizontally relative to the movement arms.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation in part of my prior co-pending applications, Ser. No. 07/947,284, filed Sep. 15, 1992 entitled EXERCISE MACHINES AND METHODS, pending; and Ser. No. 08/000,145 filed Jan. 4, 1993 and entitled EXERCISE MACHINE, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,107. The disclosure of my aforementioned applications are hereby incorporated by reference into the subject application as part hereof. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to machines for exercising the muscles of the upper torso of the human body, especially the pectoral muscles. Numerous machines exist and have been known in the prior art for exercising the aforementioned parts of the human body. Such machines commonly utilize some sort of a movement arm which is moved by the body upon exertion of the muscles to be exercised and against a resistance typically a weight stack. Commonly, the movement arm is connected to the weight stack by an overhead cable and pulley system which increases the height of the machine and also introduces a certain amount of friction in the transmission of the drive thereby reducing efficiency. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved exercise machine which utilizes a weight stack for resistance to the movement arm but which eliminates the need of an overhead cable and pulley system for transmitting the drive from the movement arm to the weight stack. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide novel and improved machines and methods for exercising one or more upper parts of the human body, including, for example, the upper torso including the pectoral muscles, and which are safe and effective. Included herein is the provision of such a machine and a method which incorporates an improved drive system for transmitting movement from a movement arm to a weight stack. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved machine and method for exercising the muscles of the upper torso through the movement of a movement arm about an axis that extends at an angle to the vertical and horizontal planes. 
     SUMMARY OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In summary, the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a movement arm pivotable by the user exerting the muscles of the parts of the body to be exercised. The movement arm is connected to a resistance weight stack by a drive rod pivotally connected at its upper end to the movement arm and its lower end to a weight stack shaft also termed in the art a &#34;pin&#34; which extends vertically through the weight stack and is selectively connectable to one or more weights of the weight stack. The connection between the drive rod and the weight stack shaft however is effected through a linkage including a main lever having an intermediate portion pivotally connected to the lower end portion of the drive rod. One end of the lever is pivotally mounted to a stationary support by a link while the opposite end is pivotally connected to the weight stack shaft. Pivoting of the movement arm in one direction by the user will, through the lever, raise the weight stack shaft and the weight(s) connected to the latter. When the exerciser relieves force on the movement arm, the movement arm will pivot in the opposite direction while the resistance weights descend to the starting position by gravity. In the preferred embodiment, the movement arm pivots about an axis which extends at an angle, preferably forty-five degrees (45°) to the vertical and/or horizontal planes. Additionally the movement arm includes two vertical extensions independently mounted on oblique axes but synchronized through a common connection to the drive rod. 
    
    
     DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a machine constituting one preferred embodiment of the present invention but with portions removed; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the right side of the machine; 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but also showing a user seated on the machine in the start position of an exercise; 
     FIG. 4 is a view generally to FIG. 3 but showing the machine moved to another position by the user during an exercise; and 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of the machine with parts removed. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown for illustrative purposes only, a machine embodying the present invention particularly suited for exercising muscles of the upper body especially the pectoral muscles. In the preferred embodiment shown, the machine includes a front frame generally designated 10 and a rear frame generally designated 31 extending at right angles to front frame 10 and including at one end an upstanding vertical weight stack frame 52 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. Front frame 10 includes a vertical upstanding frame 63 and 65 for mounting a movement arm 27 as will be described below. The frames are made from elongated rails or tubular stock of high strength metallic material, however any other suitable material may be utilized as long as it provides the necessary strength and weight. Front frame 10 includes a seat generally designated 43 mounted to the frame by means of a parallelogram linkage generally designated 55. Linkage 55 is adjustable vertically to change the elevation of the seat 43 to suit the user and once adjusted it is held in place by a latch plate 4a which receives a latch pin 2 on a latch arm 3 which is actuated by means of a handle 54 shown in FIG. 2. Seat 43 is connected to the linkage by link 55a and a link 57. Link 55a as well as opposite parallel links 55b are moveable relative to a stationary link formed by a stationary frame element 73 fixed to the front frame 10. 
     Front frame 31 further includes a backrest 48 which is mounted to front frame 10 via a parallelogram linkage 53. Linkage 53 is similar to seat linkage 55 except that the backrest 48 is connected by link 59 to the upper link 53a of the linkage 53 so that the backrest 48 will move in the forward-rearward direction. Linkage 53 is adjustable in the forward-rearward direction to change the position of the backrest 48 relative to the movement arm 27 to suit the user and once adjusted it is held in place by a latch plate 51 receiving a latch pin on arm 4 which is actuated by means of a handle 56 as shown in FIG. 2. Such adjustment enables the user to maximize convergence of the arms during an exercise to increase efficiency and exercise of the muscles. 
     To exercise the muscles, the user 74 sits on seat 43 as shown in FIG. 3 and with both arms grasps the movement arm generally designated 27 and pushes the movement arm outward away from his body (see FIG. 4) in a plane which extends at an angle preferably forty-five degrees (45°) to the vertical and/or horizontal. Such movement is yieldingly resisted by one or more weights in a weight stack housed in frame 52 situated to the rear and side of the user. Pressure against the movement arm 27 is then released by the user causing the resistance weight(s) to descend to the starting position. The user then repeats the exercise as may be necessary or desirable. Because the extensions 27a, 27b of the movement arm move along intersecting arcs, the hands of the user will converge as the movement arm is pushed forward by the user. In the start position shown in FIG. 3 the arms are bent and located laterally of the body as shown. In the finish position shown in FIG. 4 the arms are outstretched and convergent with the hands located adjacent each other. In the preferred method the exercise is effected with a resistance weight less than the maximum static strength of the muscles to be exercised and the exercise is repeated until the muscles are fatigued. In addition, the stroke of the resistance weight is limited to on the order of twelve inches (12&#34;) to substantially reduce kinetic energy of the resistance weight. 
     In the preferred embodiment shown, the movement arm 27 has two extensions 27a and 27b as shown in FIG. 1, each of which pivots about an axis that extends forty-five degrees (45°) to a vertical plane as best shown in FIG. 1. These axes are provided by pins 29a and 29b which receive bearing assemblies 62a and 62b having inner and outer races secured with respect to the pins 29a, 29b, and extensions 27a, 27b respectively as shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, pivot pins 29a, 29b are mounted in an inverted V-shaped frame portion 9 fixed to horizontal frame portions 65 which in turn extend forwardly from upstanding frame 63 which is of course stationary. Upper horizontal frame portion 65 is further secured to vertical frame 63 by diagonal strut 61, see FIG. 4. The movement arm extensions 27a and 27b are rotated about pivot pins 29a, 29b by means of handlebars 25 extending inwardly from the lower extremities of the extensions 27a, 27b as shown in FIG. 1. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a novel drive system is provided to transmit movements of the movement arm 27 to the weight stack. In the preferred embodiment it includes a vertical drive shaft or rod generally designated 37 which is pivotally connected at its upper end 38 to the rear end of a link 67. The latter in turn is pivotally connected at its upper end 42, to a pair of laterally spaced links 47, which in turn are pivotally connected at their forward ends 42a to the movement arm extensions 27a, 27b respectively. Links 47 have eyes on their rear ends receiving pins in clevis plates 42 fixed to a bar 67a fixed across the top of link 67. Clevis plates 42b are also provided on the movement arm extensions to receive the forward ends 42a of the links 47. The ends 42a have eyes which receive pins received in clevis plates 42b. It will thus be seen that links 47 unite the movement arm extensions 27a, 27b so that they will move together with the link 67 as will be described further below. Linkage 67 and 47 is constrained by a link 45 fixed at its upper end to an intermediate portion of link 67 while being pivotally mounted at its lower end on a pin 40 which is mounted in bearing blocks 64 (only one shown in FIG. 1) fixed to the diagonal frame 61 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. 
     The drive transmission of the present invention, further includes in the preferred embodiment, a vertical drive shaft or rod generally designated 37 which is connected at its top at 38 to the movement arm 27 via links 67 and 47 as described above. Drive rod 37 is elongated and extends to the bottom area of the machine in the rear frame 31 as best shown in FIG. 1 where it is connected to the resistance weight stack by means of a linkage. As best shown in FIG. 1, the latter includes a main link or lever 35 having an intermediate portion pivotally connected by pivot pin 32 to the lower end of drive shaft 37. One end of lever 35 is pivotally connected at pivot pin 24 to the lower end of the stack pin or shaft 33 which holds the resistance weight plates 90 and 92. The opposite end of lever 35 is pivotally connected to the stationary frame 31 by means, in the preferred embodiment, of a link 39 having one end pivotally connected by pin 28 to the lever 35 and having an opposite end pivotally connected by pin 30 to the frame 31. 
     It can be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4 that upon forward movement of the movement arm 27, link 47 is pulled forward causing link 67 to also move forwardly while pivoting (clockwise in FIGS. 3 and 4) about pivot axis 40, since link 45 is fixed to link 67. As link 67 pivots forwardly it raises drive shaft 37 by virtue of the pivot connection at 38. This causes link 35 to pivot clockwise as viewed in FIG. 1, in turn causing the weight stack rod 33 to move upward pivoting about axis 24. Link 39, of course, also pivots (about axis 30) to accommodate the pivoting movement of lever 35. The resistance weight plates 90, 92 being connected to rod 33 will of course provide the desired resistance needed by the user for the exercise of the pectoral muscles. Because of the arrangement of the movement arm extensions 27a, 27b, the arms of the user will converge to maximize the muscles that are exercised as the movement arm extensions are rotated forwardly. Upon release of pressure on the movement arm 27 after its forward movement just described, the aforementioned movement of the parts will be be reversed as the resistance weights descend by gravity to the starting position. 
     Any suitable resistance weight stack may be employed, however in the preferred embodiment a compond weight stack is utilized such as disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,365 entitled COMPOUND WEIGHT SYSTEM. The disclosure of my aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,365 is hereby incorporated by reference into the instant application as part thereof. In the instant embodiment, the compound weight stack includes a frame 52 including first and second independent groups 90 and 92 of weights as shown in FIG. 1. The upper group 92 of weights is connectable to the stack 33 through means of apertures 70 which receive pins which extend through the weights in well-known manner. The lower group 90 of weights is connectable in similar manner to the stack pin 33 through means of the apertures 71 shown in FIG. 1. 
     It will be seen that the present invention provides an exercise machine with extremely low friction in the transmission between the movement arm and the weight stack thus increasing the efficiency of the machine. In addition, the height of the machine of the present invention may be reduced when compared to prior art machines. Furthermore, the machine of the present invention also allows easy use of the machine by affording direct access to the seat and the resistance weight stack while also allowing the seat and backrest to be easily adjusted while the user is in position in the machine. The adjustment of the backrest enables different subjects with varying body thicknesses and arm lengths to achieve maximum convergence of the arms as the movement arm is pivoted forwardly during an exercise. Adjustment of the seat height enables emphasis upon different muscles, for example the upper, middle or lower pectoral major muscles. 
     The present invention also enables synchronous movement of both arms eliminating the adverse effects of unbalanced recruitment of the muscles and forces, as well as unbalanced motor control and strength. 
     Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, the scope of the invention is not limited to that embodiment but rather is indicated in the appended claims.