Exercise device having sled or wheelbarrow configuration

An exercise device having a sled or wheelbarrow configuration comprises a frame that is pushed across a support surface by a user. The frame carries a wheel that movably supports the frame in the wheelbarrow configuration and at least one skid that movably supports the frame in the skid configuration. A pair of handles is selectively repositionable on the frame from a vertical orientation used in the sled configuration and a horizontal orientation used in the wheelbarrow configuration to quickly and easily convert the device between its different configurations. The frame has a carriage that supports a plurality of exercise weight members with the carriage being movable in a fore-and-aft direction on the frame for changing the effort required from the user to push the frame.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to exercise equipment and, more particularly, to sled and wheelbarrow type devices that are manually moved by a user over a substantially horizontal support surface, such as the ground or a floor, to thereby build strength.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Exercise devices are known, often popularly called “sleds”, which comprise a ground engaging frame that the user moves over a substantially horizontal support surface, such as the ground or a floor, to build leg and upper body strength. In many cases, such a sled includes handles which the user, who is standing behind the sled, grips and pushes forwardly against to push the sled over the support surface in a generally forward direction of motion. In other cases, the sled includes some type of harness which the user, who is now standing ahead of the sled, wears to pull or drag the sled behind the user in a generally forward direction of motion as the user moves forwardly. In most cases, the frame includes means for adjusting the total weight thereof to increase or decrease the effort required from the user to move the frame over the support surface. The effort required is greater when the total weight of the frame is increased and is lesser when the total weight of the frame is decreased. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,727,089 and 7,955,223 to Gilman are typical examples of push type exercise sleds.

Most exercise sleds, including those referenced above and issued to Gilman, adjust the total weight of the sled by having some type of vertically extending peg or pin on which a plurality of conventional barbell type weight plates can be stacked. Thus, the total weight of the sled varies depending upon how many weight plates it carries. The total weight of the sled is obviously higher when the sled carries more weight plates and is lower when the sled carries fewer weight plates. To allow the total weight of the sled to vary over a relatively large range, the peg or pin carrying the weight plates has to be long enough to accommodate a large number of weight plates, or multiple pegs or pins have to be provided on the frame, or each of the weight plates has to be relatively heavy, or some combination of the above.

While this is a workable way of varying the total weight of the sled, it has a number of disadvantages. For one thing, if heavy weight plates, such as 45 pound weight plates are used, then the total weight of the sled can be adjusted in only relatively large, e.g. 45 pound, increments, with adjustments in between not being possible. If smaller weight plates are used, many more of these weight plates have to be on hand and accessible for stacking to get to a total weight that is large enough. In addition, the frame of the sled must be provided with many more pegs or pins for carrying such weight plates.

In addition, if a user selects a very heavy total weight for the sled and then moves the sled a considerable distance over the support surface, the user might decide that the same very heavy total weight is now too much for the user to move over the return trip back to the starting point due to the effort the user expended in the first half of the trip. The only way to lessen the total weight of the sled in this eventuality is for the user to offload some of the weight plates before moving the sled back to the starting point. Unfortunately, this leaves the offloaded weight plates at some distance away from the starting point and requires the user to subsequently go and retrieve them. Accordingly, a way of easily adjusting the effort required by the user to move the sled that would avoid these disadvantages would be an advance in the art.

Other exercise devices that are somewhat related to the sleds described above are wheelbarrow type devices which comprise a frame that incorporates a ground engaging wheel at one end of the frame. Such exercise wheelbarrows lack the typical material carrying bucket or hopper found on the types of wheelbarrows found in lawn and garden stores. Instead, the frame of the exercise wheelbarrow carries the types of pegs or pins typically found on exercise sleds for being able to load a selected number of weight plates onto the exercise wheelbarrow to adjust the total weight thereof.

The exercise wheelbarrow typically has two rearwardly extending, laterally spaced, elongated handles on the end of the frame opposite to the end of the frame that carries the wheel. The user grips these handles towards the outer end thereof, lifts up on the handles to lift the total weight of wheelbarrow up off the ground and place such weight on the ground engaging wheel, and then pushes forwardly on the handles in the manner of a typical wheelbarrow to roll the exercise wheelbarrow forwardly on its wheel. The effort required from the user to do this is a function of how many weight plates are stacked on the pegs or pins carried on the frame of the wheelbarrow and where such pegs or pins are placed on that frame. U.S. Pat. No. 8,858,405 to Agate shows an exercise wheelbarrow of this type.

To the extent that exercise wheelbarrows simply use pegs or pins for carrying a selected number of stacked weight plates in order to adjust the total weight of the wheelbarrow, exercise wheelbarrows suffer the same weight adjustment disadvantages as their exercise sled brethren. Thus, a way of easily adjusting the effort required by the user to move an exercise wheelbarrow without suffering from these same disadvantages would also be an advance in the art.

Finally, exercise sleds and exercise wheelbarrows are typically built and sold as entirely separate devices. A user wishing to have both devices on hand for use in exercising would have to buy both devices separately, namely both a sled as well as a separate wheelbarrow. The Agate patent referenced above discloses a single device that is convertible between sled and wheelbarrow configurations.

However, the manner of construction of the Agate device and the nature of the conversion is unduly complicated and somewhat cumbersome. For example, separate handle styles having separate parts need to be used in the Agate device depending upon whether one is in the sled or in the wheelbarrow configuration. These separate handles are prone to being lost on unavailable when needed. In addition, the Agate device uses the traditional peg or pin/stacked weight plate method of total weight adjustment and thus suffers from the weight adjustment disadvantages discussed above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of this invention relates to an exercise device which comprises a frame having a support surface engaging portion that permits the frame to move forwardly over the support surface as a user pushes the frame forwardly using at least one pair of handles provided on the frame. A carriage is provided on the frame configured to support at least one exercise weight member thereon for adding mass to the frame. The carriage is selectively movable on the frame by the user into different fore-and-aft positions on the frame to vary the resistance to pushing that the user must overcome in order for the user to push the frame forwardly. The carriage and the frame have a cooperable lock disposed therebetween for retaining the carriage in one of the positions selected by the user.

Another aspect of this invention relates to an exercise device which comprises a frame having a front end and a rear end. Two laterally spaced handles are carried on the frame adjacent the rear end of the frame. The handles are selectively repositionable by a user on the frame from a first generally horizontal orientation to a second generally vertical orientation and vice versa. At least one support surface engaging wheel is carried on the frame adjacent the front end of the frame with the at least one wheel being rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation to permit rolling the frame over a support surface. At least one support surface engaging, fore-and-aft extending skid is provided on the frame. At least one exercise weight member is carried on the frame for adding mass to the frame. The at least one skid is positioned relative to the at least one wheel such that the at least one skid is lifted up out of contact with the support surface while the at least one wheel remains in contact with the support surface when the handles are positioned in their first generally horizontal orientation and a user grips the handles and elevates the rear end of the frame by lifting up on the handles to incline the frame downwardly towards the front end of the frame in the manner of a wheelbarrow such that the user is thereafter able to push forwardly on the handles to roll the frame forwardly over the support surface in the manner of a wheelbarrow. In addition, the at least one skid remains in contact with the support surface when the handles are positioned in their second generally vertical orientation such the user is thereafter able to push forwardly on the handles to slide the frame forwardly over the support surface in the manner of a sled. The frame may be quickly and easily converted from use in the wheelbarrow manner to use in the sled manner and vice versa depending upon whether the user has installed the handles in their first generally horizontal orientation on the frame or in their second generally vertical orientation on the frame, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A first embodiment of an exercise device according to this invention is illustrated in the drawings generally as2.FIGS. 1-3depict device2set up for use as an exercise sled4. Device2includes a pair of laterally spaced handles6that can be gripped by a user when device2is being used by the user for exercising. Handles6can be quickly and easily repositioned from a substantially vertical orientation to a substantially horizontal orientation to convert device2from sled4to an exercise wheelbarrow5without the need for any additional parts or separate specially shaped handle assemblies.FIG. 4depicts device2after device2has been converted into wheelbarrow5.

Device2includes a T-shaped frame8having a fore-and-aft extending, hollow, tubular rail10. Rail10is fixed at one end to a hollow, tubular cross member12that extends laterally beyond either side of rail10to form the T-shape. Frame8is oriented generally horizontally with rail10and cross member12being contained in a common plane. An open, upwardly facing, handle receiving mount in the nature of a socket14is provided on the top surface of cross member12adjacent each end of cross member12.

As best shown inFIG. 2, a plurality of downwardly extending, support surface engaging skids16are rigidly fixed to frame8. The support surface can be any surface, either a natural surface such as the ground or a turf surface or an artificial surface such as a floor or a paved surface, which is able to support device2for movement of device2over the support surface. A first skid16ais provided adjacent the front end of rail10. Second and third skids16b,16care respectively provided adjacent the left and right ends of cross member12. Each skid16preferably comprises a flat, rectangular plate18with upturned front and rear edges19resembling ski tips. The underside of flat plate18of each skid16preferably includes a friction increasing member20of some type, such as a smooth or knurled rubber pad. Member20is removably attached by fasteners to flat plate18of each skid16to allow easy replacement with a new member20when the member20currently in use has become worn.

A support surface engaging wheel22is rotatably journalled between the laterally spaced arms24of a pivotal yoke26that is carried on the front end of rail10of frame8. The rear ends of arms24of yoke26are pivotally journalled on a bolt28, which is best shown inFIG. 3, which serves as a pivot for yoke26. Bolt28is supported within a bushing30located on the underside of an L-shaped mounting bracket32at the junction between the horizontal top and vertical rear walls34,36of bracket32. Rear wall36of bracket32is affixed by a plate38to the front end of rail10by the same attachment bolts40that secure first skid16ato plate38. SeeFIG. 3.

Referring further toFIG. 3, a rotatable adjustment knob42has a threaded, downwardly extending shank44. Shank44is threadedly received in a threaded aperture46in top wall34of bracket32. Arms24of yoke26are joined together by a bottom cross plate48. Shank44is positioned generally in alignment with and below shank44of knob42so that the bottom of shank44always contacts the top of cross plate48. This is due to the fact that wheel22carried on yoke26always rests on the support surface which engagement will rotate yoke26upwardly about the pivot axis formed by bolt28to keep cross plate48engaged with the bottom of shank44.

When knob42is rotated by a user to move shank44in a downward direction, the engagement of the bottom of shank44against cross plate48of yoke26forces the front end of rail10and first skid16ato jackknife or lift upwardly relative to yoke26and wheel22and thus relative to the ground or floor. In this situation, yoke26and wheel22are, in effect, being forced downwardly relative to the front end of rail10and first skid16ato progressively take some of the weight off the front end of rail10and first skid16adependent upon how far up the bottom of shank44is raised by rotation of knob42. Conversely, when knob42is rotated in the reverse direction by a user to move shank44in an upward direction, the jackknife action will reverse with the front end of rail10and first skid16alowering back down towards the ground to reabsorb increasing amounts of weight depending upon the amount of the reverse rotation of knob42. Thus, knob42and the engagement of shank44of knob42with cross plate48of wheel22is an adjustment device that allows the weight of frame8at the front of rail10to be carried substantially entirely by first skid16a, or substantially entirely by wheel22, or at any desired ratio between first skid16aand wheel22, as determined by the vertical position of the bottom of shank44. This adjustment allows the pushing resistance offered by sled4to be varied according to the preference of the user.

Referring now toFIG. 2, a carriage50is provided on rail10of device2between the front end of rail10and cross member12. Carriage50comprises a generally box-shaped carriage frame52that is capable of supporting one or more exercise weight members for adding mass to device2. Top and bottom pairs of flanged rollers54are rotatably carried on each of the front and rear ends of carriage frame52. The top and bottom pairs of rollers54at the front and rear ends of carriage frame52grip and roll along the top and bottom sides of rail10to support carriage50for rolling motion along a substantial portion of the length of rail10.

As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, carriage50is disposed on rail10in one of its most rearward positions in which carriage50is relatively close to cross member12. However, rollers54would allow carriage50to be rolled towards the front of rail10to vary the fore-and-aft distance between carriage50and wheel22. This forward motion decreases the lever arm between the additional weight or mass borne by carriage50and wheel22to decrease the force required to lift and push device2when device2is configured as wheelbarrow5. Rearward motion of carriage50obviously increases the lever arm to thereby increase the lifting and pushing force required to move wheelbarrow5.

Carriage50can be locked in a desired fore-and-aft position along rail10using a cooperable lock having a first portion provided on carriage50and a second portion provided on rail10of frame8. The lock comprises a spring biased pop pin56on carriage frame52that is selectively engaged with one of a plurality of spaced locking holes58along the length of rail10. Pop pin56has an enlarged head60to allow the user to pull up on pop pin56against the bias of a spring (not shown) to disengage or release the locking action provided by pop pin56. With pop pin56so released, the user can roll carriage50fore-and-aft along rail10until pop pin56is centered above another locking hole58. The user then releases head60of pop pin56to allow the spring force to reengage or reset pop pin56into the newly selected locking hole58to relock carriage50in its newly selected position along the length of rail10. While use of a lock which is released and reset by the user is preferred, the lock could alternatively comprise either a friction type lock which is continuously engaged but with the friction being capable of being overcome by the user pushing against carriage50to move carriage50into another position along rail10or a lock that is provided by the holding force of the screw threads on a threaded rod that must be turned or cranked by the user to move carriage50along rail10.

Referring again toFIG. 2, carriage50includes a pair of upwardly facing trays62at the top thereof which are configured for supporting a first type of exercise weight member, namely a pair of selectorized dumbbells64known as PowerBlocks® manufactured and sold by PowerBlock, Inc. of Owatonna, Minn. Dumbbell64is disclosed more fully in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,637,064 and 7,775,947, which are hereby incorporated by reference. Trays62are spaced apart in a fore-and-aft direction such that there is a front tray and a rear tray. In addition, trays62extend laterally relative to rail10such that dumbbells64supported on trays62are also laterally disposed with the axis of the handle of each dumbbell64extending perpendicularly to rail10. Trays62are preferably centered atop carriage frame52so that the weight or mass provided thereby is centered on carriage50both in fore-an-aft and lateral directions.

In addition, carriage50includes pins66that extend laterally outwardly from opposite sides of carriage frame52. Pins66are centered on carriage frame52between trays62at a vertical location below that of trays62with pins66extending outwardly beyond the corresponding sides of rail10. A second type of exercise weight member comprising a plurality of barbell type weight plates68can be mounted to either side of carriage frame52by slipping the center holes in each weight plate68onto one pin66. Pins66are desirably long enough to allow a plurality of such weight plates68to be slipped onto each pin66. When weight plates68are loaded onto pins66, weight plates66, which may be as large as standard 45 lb. barbell weight plates, will extend downwardly past the sides of rails10but will not extend so far down as to touch the support surface on which device2is supported.

FIG. 1demonstrates one way in which carriage50can be loaded with additional weight. Two relatively large weight plates68(e.g. standard 45 lb. barbell weight plates) are capable of being slipped onto each pin66. These weight plates68collectively provide180lbs. of weight. Obviously, smaller barbell weight plates68could be received on pins66as well with each pin66possibly accommodating more than two such weight plates68as the weight plates get smaller. In addition, one or both of trays62of carriage50can carry dumbbell64.

FIG. 1shows two fully loaded dumbbells64carried on trays62in addition to the four 45 lb. weight plates68. Since a fully loaded dumbbell64can be as heavy as 125 pounds, using two fully loaded dumbbells64would allow the total weight placed on carriage50to be as much as approximately 430 pounds, namely the collective weight of weight plates68and the weight of dumbbells64. However, in a selectorized dumbbell like dumbbell64, a selector is provided which can be moved selectively by a user to “select” or couple different numbers of weights to the handle of dumbbell64. Thus, the user has relatively fine control of the total weight placed onto carriage50by adjusting dumbbells64into any desired weight less than their maximum weight before they are placed onto trays62. Obviously, further adjustment is possible by using only weight plates68, or only dumbbells64, or only one dumbbell64, on carriage50. Thus a wide range of weight can be placed onto carriage50at the preference of the user.

While use of rollers54on carriage50is preferred as a way of facilitating movement of carriage50along rail10, such rollers54could be deleted in favor of a non-rotatable sliding interface of some type, such as a key/keyway interface. Thus, the term “carriage” as used herein is intended to cover any component or structure that supports something, namely the weight plates68and/or dumbbells64, and that moves relative to frame8to shift the position of what is being supported thereon.

Finally, handles6received in sockets14adjacent the opposite ends of cross member12preferably comprise simple cylindrical pipes or tubes which are separate from one another. Sockets14have a circular shape with an internal diameter that is slightly larger than the outer diameter of handles6. This allows the circular form of the lower ends of the pipes or tubes that form handles6to be easily and quickly slipped downwardly into sockets14in a telescopic fit without using a separate locking device to hold handles6in sockets14. However, some type of handle locking device between the lower ends of handles6and sockets14, e.g. a screw thread connection or a locking pin received in a through bore, could be optionally used if so desired.

The cross-sectional shape of handles6and sockets14could be other than cylindrical, e.g. square, as long as the shape permits a telescopic interconnection between the two. In addition, sockets14could comprise upwardly extending mounting posts with the open ends of handles6being somewhat larger so that the posts telescopically fit inside the open ends of handles6. Thus, the mounts that connect handles6to frame8are preferably telescopic in nature for ease of use, but it is not important which member is the male member and which is the female member in such a telescopic interconnection.

The form of device2comprising sled4as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2is obviously intended to be pushed by a user standing behind sled4who grips the upper end of each handle6and then pushes sled4over the support surface using leg and upper body strength. In doing this, the user can obviously place a desired amount of weight on carriage50to form the exercise weight that he or she must move by pushing sled4. In addition, the user can adjust the position of wheel22using the rotatable knob42to vary the amount of the weight at the front of frame8that is carried by first skid16a. When more weight is carried by wheel22and less by first skid16a, sled4will be easier to push, and vice versa.

When device2is used as sled4, the position of carriage50along rail10can also affect the force the user must apply to sled4to push sled4or affect how sled4behaves when being pushed. For example, in the situation where wheel22is adjusted upwardly into a non-weight bearing position and skids16are bearing the entire mass of sled4, carriage50is preferably moved to a centered or even a somewhat rearward position on rail10so that the additional mass provided by carriage50and the exercise weight members carried thereon is not too far forward and too close to wheel22. This is useful in avoiding the tendency of a forwardly positioned carriage50that is close to wheel22to cause sled4to pitch or overturn forwardly when sled4is being pushed forwardly by the user.

In addition, when wheel22is adjusted downwardly to take some of the mass of sled4off first skid16a, and even into a position where first skid16ais lifted completely off the support surface such that sled4has only second and third skids16band16cin contact with the support surface, then the position of carriage50along rail10can affect how much force the user must apply to sled4to push it forwardly. For example, if carriage50is moved rearwardly on rail10to at least partially overlie second and third skids16band16c, then the additional mass provided by carriage50and the exercise weight members carried thereon forces second and third skids16band16cmore firmly into engagement with the support surface making it harder for the user to push it forwardly over the support surface. If carriage50and the exercise weight members carried thereon are moved forwardly to be somewhat close to wheel22when wheel22is in at least a partial weight bearing engagement with the support surface, then sled4is markedly easier to push than when carriage50is more rearward. In this situation, since wheel22is in at least a partial weight bearing engagement with the support surface, wheel22helps sled avoid the pitching or overturning tendency that it might otherwise have with a forwardly positioned carriage.

Instead of pushing sled4forwardly using the substantially vertically oriented handles6as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, a user may couple himself or herself to sled4using a body harness of some type (not shown) that is attached to some type of eyelet or anchor (not shown) on the front of frame8. In this type of exercise, the user stands in front of sled4and leans forwardly and walks or runs forwardly to pull sled4behind the user. The upturned “ski tip” type front and rear edges19of skids16help skids16travel over the support surface without digging into the support surface whether sled4is being pushed from the rear via handles6or pulled from the front via the body harness.

Referring now toFIG. 4, device2in the form of sled4can be very quickly and easily converted into wheelbarrow5simply by repositioning handles6. Handles6as used on sled4are first pulled upwardly out of sockets14located on the top of cross member12to disconnect handles6completely from cross member12. Then, handles6are reconnected to cross member12into open, rearwardly facing, horizontal sockets70contained on a rear wall of cross member12with such horizontal sockets70passing through cross member12to terminate in capped front ends72. Horizontal sockets70are laterally spaced apart from one another along the length of cross member12but by a distance which is slightly less than the distance of vertical sockets14used in sled4. When one end of each handle6is pushed forwardly into the open rear end of each horizontal socket70, the pair of handles6will be laterally spaced apart from one another and substantially horizontal or in the same plane as frame8of device2as shown inFIG. 4.

With handles6repositioned as shown inFIG. 4, device2can be used as wheelbarrow5by a user standing behind device2. The user simply reaches down, grabs handles6, lifts upwardly on handles6to elevate frame8using handles6until all of the skids16are lifted up off the ground and the weight of device2is borne by wheel22, and then pushes forwardly on handles6to roll wheelbarrow5over the support surface in the manner of a typical wheelbarrow. The force required from the user to do this depends upon two factors.

The first factor is the total amount of weight placed on carriage50in the form of weight plates68, dumbbells64, or both. The second factor is the location of carriage50relative to wheel22. If carriage50is moved forwardly towards wheel22, the force required from the user for a given amount of weight carried by carriage50goes down. The converse is true if carriage50is moved further back on rail10away from wheel22. Then, the force required from the user for the same given amount of weight carried by carriage50goes up.

The provision of carriage50and its movability along rail10coupled with the ability to change in rather large amounts the weight carried by carriage50itself provides the user with an ability to easily change the effective weight of wheelbarrow5. This can be done quickly and easily for the most part by putting a total weight on carriage50that is in the moderate range for a particular user and then simply rolling carriage50back and forth along rail10to make this weight more or less effective for the user. There is no longer a need to have many different weight plates available and on hand or to continually change or adjust the weight by stacking or unstacking different numbers of weight plates on frame8of device2. All the user has to do is load carriage50with a sufficient amount of weight and then roll carriage50back and forth as need be. This enhances the ease and use of wheelbarrow5by the user.

In addition, the ability to convert device2from sled4to wheelbarrow5in a quick and simple manner is advantageous. All the user has to do is slip handles6out of one set of sockets14and into the other set of sockets70. The vertical sockets14are used for sled4, the horizontal sockets70for wheelbarrow5. There is no need for two sets of specially shaped handles in order to make the conversion or for two entirely separate exercise devices2with one being the sled and the other being the wheelbarrow.

Referring now toFIGS. 5 and 6, a second embodiment of an exercise device according to this invention is illustrated generally as2′. The same reference numerals used inFIGS. 1-4to refer to components will be used inFIGS. 5 and 6to refer to the same or corresponding components with a prime designation being used to refer to those components in the second embodiment, e.g. device2′ inFIGS. 5 and 6as opposed to device2inFIGS. 1-4.

Frame8′ of device2′ is no longer T-shaped but has a rectangular box-like shape in which rail10′ extends between laterally extending front and rear cross members12′. Instead of three skids arranged in a tripod configuration as in device2, device2′ is provided with two much longer side skids16b′ and16c′ that are bolted to opposite ends of front and rear cross members12′. Side skids16b′ and16c′ run substantially the entire fore-and-aft length of frame8′.

Device2′ has a different wheel height adjustment mechanism for wheel22′. As shown inFIG. 5, wheel22′ is rotatably journalled at hole74to a rotatable height adjustment lever76that is pivotally carried on a wheel mount78that extends forwardly from front cross member12′. Lever76has a plurality of vertically spaced height adjustment holes80that will receive a laterally extending locking pin (not shown) on wheel mount78. Lever76can be flexed or pivoted to the side to disengage the locking pin from whatever hole80it is currently received in, lever76can then be rotated to position another hole80adjacent the locking pin, and lever76can then be reset into its normal position such that the locking pin enters the newly selected hole80. The height of wheel22′ relative to frame8′ is thus adjusted up or down depending upon which hole80is used to receive the locking pin. This type of wheel height adjustment mechanism which permits height adjustment in discrete increments is well known in the walk behind lawn mower art for adjusting the height of lawn mower wheels and need not be further described herein.

As further shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, carriage50′ is still movable along fore-and-aft along rail10′, but now includes only a single, large rectangular tray62′ that is open at the top for receiving therein two dumbbells64′. Dumbbells64′ extend in a lateral direction relative to rail10′ with a dumbbells64′ being arranged in tandem in a fore-and-aft direction inside tray62′. Thus, carriage50′ can be much more vertically compact than its counterpart20as it lacks any of the pins needed to support the barbell type weight plates. A releasable and resettable pop pin56′/hole58′ lock is still used to retain carriage50′ in a desired adjusted position along rail10′, but this time such lock is positioned along the bottom of rail10′ rather than the top of rail10′. A pivotal lever type handle82extends out from beneath rail10′ to the side of carriage50′ to allow the user to manipulate pop pin56′ from the side without having to get down on his or her knees and reach beneath rail10′. SeeFIG. 6.

Finally, each of the front and rear cross members12′ carries both pairs of vertical sockets14′ and horizontal sockets70′ for reception of handles6′ and a second wheel22b′ is carried at the rear end of frame8′ on rear cross members12′. Second wheel22b′ may be a different size than wheel22′ and may lack any height adjustability. Alternatively, second wheel22b′ may be exactly the same as wheel22′ and may be provided with height adjustability in the same manner as wheel22′, effectively being a duplicate of wheel22′ on the rear end of frame8′.

The duplication of sockets14′ and70′ on both ends of frame8′ along with wheels22′ and22b′ on both ends of frame8′ means that a user when exercising would not necessarily have to turn frame8′ around in order to go back in the direction that he or she just came from. This would be useful if device2′ is being used in tight or restricted spaces. After making a first pass in one direction and coming to the end of the pass, the user could simply remount handles6′ in one set of sockets14′ or70′ at the opposite end of frame6to then begin pushing frame8′ back in the opposite direction to that which it was traveling in the first pass. This avoids having to muscle frame8′ around in order to go back in the direction from which it has just come.

Various modifications of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, device2,2′ is most economically sold and used with only a single pair of handles6,6′. This enables the user to switch handles6,6′ from one set of sockets to the other set of sockets14′,70′ to quickly and easily convert between the sled and wheelbarrow configurations of device2,2′. However, rather than requiring such a conversion, it would be possible for a user to purchase at least two pairs of handles6,6′ rather than a single pair of handles so that the user would install one pair of handles6,6′ in the vertical sockets14,14′ and the second pair of handles6,6′ in the horizontal sockets70,70′ and leave them permanently in place. While not as economic as having to purchase only a single pair of handles, some users might prefer having two pairs of handles and simply leaving them in place in order to use the sled or wheelbarrow configurations of the device without having to reposition the handles. Thus, the scope of this invention is to be limited only by the appended claims.