Saw exercise box

An exercise device includes a shoe having a wooden sole resting upon a wooden base plate. A backsaw handle is attached to the shoe. Therefore, stroking the handle causes the shoe to reciprocate upon the base plate providing a satisfying sound of the wooden shoe rubbing on the wooden base plate. A heel notch on the top of the shoe provides means for stroking the shoe with the foot. The weight of the shoe may be increased by placing weight straps in a tray upon the shoe. In a second embodiment the shoe includes a backsaw and miter box. The base plate forms the bottom of a box which encloses the shoe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: 
(1) Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to the exercise devices for physical therapy for an 
elderly or injured person. A physical therapist is one having ordinary 
skill in this art. 
(2) Description of the Related Art 
The benefits of exercise and bodily movement and movement of joints is 
recognized for elderly persons as well as those persons who are recovering 
from injury. 
Many elderly people suffer from arthritis. In any event, it is recognized 
that normally any impact type exercise is detrimental to an elderly 
person. Also, characteristic with aging is a clinging to older, familiar 
objects and surroundings including feel and sound. 
For the above reasons, it will be seen that chopping wood with the 
resulting impact would not be recommended for elderly people. Sawing wood 
would be recommended. For many elderly people, the feel of the saw handle 
in the hand would be familiar. Also, the resulting rasping would be a 
familiar and reassuring sound to the person. 
Before this application was filed, the applicant was aware of the following 
United States patents: 
______________________________________ 
Inventor U.S. Pat. No. 
______________________________________ 
Schmidt 1,418,401 
Feist 2,097,273 
Uhl 2,830,816 
Matt 3,295,847 
Dalton 3,807,730 
Dienner 3,654,917 
Roman 4,229,001 
Kaiser 4,395,039 
Killen 4,513,961 
______________________________________ 
Applicant does not consider that these patents are pertinent but believes 
that the Examiner would be interested in any patent reported by an 
experienced patent searcher. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: 
(1) Progressive Contribution to the Art 
This invention discloses an exercise device which, in the manual mode of 
operation, is reminiscent of sawing. A saw handle is mounted upon a shoe 
which is stroked over a wooden base plate. The reciprocation results in a 
smooth, nonimpact movement. The sliding of the wooden shoe against the 
wooden base plate produces a familiar reassuring sound. The exercise moves 
various joints in the body so the joints do not tend to "freeze up" as 
arthritic joints tend to do if there is no movement. However, the movement 
is neither strenuous enough and is free of impact that it does not 
aggravate, traumatize nor inflame the joints. 
A tray is placed upon the wooden shoe so that weights may be placed in the 
tray to increase the force required to stroke the saw handle. However, in 
extreme cases, resulting either from injury or from advanced age, the 
weights may be removed so that little more than movement of the joints 
results. 
It will be understood that a person may adjust his body and the movement so 
that not only arm and shoulder joints are moved, but also the back and the 
leg joints may be moved if the body is so positioned for such movement. 
Likewise, a heel notch or foot support may be placed upon the shoe so that 
the shoe may be reciprocated upon the base plate by stroking the shoe with 
foot motion 
Also, the weights which may be put in the tray are provided in the form of 
lead shot in bands so that they may be strapped to the wrist or ankle to 
provide additional exercise in this form as well as to weight the shoe to 
produce additional frictional resistance to movement. 
Also, the base plate is made in the form of a box having a top so that when 
the box is closed and the top in place, the exercise device is in the form 
of a footstool or low table. This, too, provides a familiar object for the 
elderly person, which, unlike other exercise devices, does not constantly 
remind the person that he no longer receives his exercise by labors as he 
did during his earlier years, but now is forced to use "artificial" 
devices to obtain the needed movement for his deteriorating joints. 
Thereby, the total results of the invention is to provide an exercise 
devices which is comforting and familiar to either the injured or 
handicapped person or the aging person, and it is not disturbing to the 
person, either when in use or when in storage. 
(2) Objects of this Invention 
An object of this invention is to provide exercise for elderly or injured 
persons. 
Further objects are to achieve the above with devices that are sturdy, 
compact, durable, lightweight, simple, safe, efficient, versatile, 
ecologically compatible, energy conserving, and reliable, yet inexpensive 
and easy to manufacture, adjust, operate and maintain. 
Other objects are to achieve the above with a method that is rapid, 
versatile, ecologically compatible, energy conserving, efficient, and 
inexpensive, and does not require skilled people to adjust, operate, and 
maintain. 
The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses, and 
advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the following description and 
from the accompanying drawing, the different views of which are not scale 
drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT: 
Referring to the drawings, there may be seen box 10. The box will include a 
bottom panel or wooden base plate 12. Two side panels 14 are attached to 
the base plate 12. Closed end plate 16 closes one end while hinged end 
panel 18 closes the other. The hinged end panel is hinged to the base 
plate by piano hinge 20. 
Groove 22 at the top on the inside of each side panel mates with lid guides 
or tongue 24 attached to the underside of the lid or top panel 26. 
Catch or latch 28 is mounted on the inside of the closed end panel 16. It 
cooperates with the other half of the top latch 30 so that when the lid is 
closed, it latches the lid in place so it will not accidentally slide 
open. However, the lid may be pushed against the latch; therefore, freeing 
it to slide open. Such latches are well known and commonly used for 
cabinet doors. 
Magnetic holder 32 on the inside of one of the side panels 14 near the top 
and the hinged end panel cooperates with plate 34 upon the hinged end 
panel to hold the hinged end panel closed. 
The box, as measured by the sides, is about 10" wide, 10" high, and 20" 
long. The top 26 projects over the sides and the ends approximately 3/4" 
and forms overhang or ledge 36. This provides not only an aesthetically 
pleasing appearance, but also provides a convenient grip so that the box 
may be lifted by placing the fingertips under the overhang or ledge 36 
when the top panel 26 is in place. 
So that the base plate 12 does not scratch table tops or the like and also 
so that it is stable in use, nonskid strips 38 are placed upon the bottom 
of the base plate 12. Also, a single strip 40 is placed near the outside 
top of the hinged end panel 18. When the hinged end panel is down, the 
nonskid strip 40 will rest upon the same supporting surface as the base 
plate. 
Shoe 42 is mounted within the box 10, resting upon the base plate 12. The 
shoe includes a friction board or wooden sole 44 which has the same 
dimensions as the inside dimensions of the base plate 12 with clearance. 
The sole 44 has approximately 1/32" clearance between the sides 14. i.e., 
when the sole is against one side, it will be 1/16" from the other side. 
Therefore, the bottom of the sides 14 form a portion of guide means on the 
base plate 12 for guiding the shoe 42 with its sole 44 on the base plate. 
The shoe has about 1/8" clearance from end to end. I.e., when the shoe is 
against the closed end panel 16, it is about 1/4" from the sides at the 
hinged end 18. 
Handle 46 is attached to the shoe 42. The handle is located adjacent to the 
hinged end panel 18 of the shoe. The handle is either the handle of a 
carpenter's backsaw or a replica thereof. 
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 8, and 9, the handle 42 is a 
portion of replica 48 of a backsaw. I.e., it is a rectangular board, the 
bottom edge which would be the tooth edge of a real backsaw, is resting on 
and attached to sliding platform 50, which is that part of the shoe to 
which the sole 44 is attached. Tray 52 is built upon the platform 50 and 
facilitates the attachment of the replica 48 to the platform. The tray 
also provides a convenient receptacle for weight bands 54. As explained 
above, normally the weight bands 54 would be in the tray 52 to increase 
the frictional resistance of the movement of the sole 44 upon the base 
plate 12. Also, the tray provides a convenient storage place for the 
weight bands as well as stretch rope or elastic shock cord 56. The stretch 
rope is also used for other exercises for the person using the box; 
however, it structurally has no other relationship to the box. 
Foot support or heel notch 58 is attached to the top of the replica 48 
adjacent to the handle 46. The heel notch is a block of wood having a 
notch between forward flange 60 and rear flange 62. It provides a 
convenient place for a person to place the heel of a shoe or the heel of 
the foot if no shoe is worn, to stroke or reciprocate the shoe 42 upon the 
base plate 12. 
Finger hole 64 is cut in the replica along the face adjacent to the closed 
end. 
As seen in the drawings, side stops 66 are mounted on sides 14 immediately 
above the top surface of the sliding platform 50. Therefore, normally they 
hold the shoe 42 within the box 10 and prevent the shoe from bouncing 
against the top panel of the box. To remove the shoe from the box, a 
finger may be engaged in finger hole 64 and elevate the end of the shoe, 
and thus remove the shoe from the box (FIGS. 9 and 10). 
Shoe stop 68 is mounted upon each side of the sliding platform 50 at the 
rear of the platform, which is the end away from the handle 46. The shoe 
stop and the side stops are so constructed and arranged so that the shoe 
does not slide from the box when the shoe is being stroked or reciprocated 
upon the base plate 12 (FIG. 7). 
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, it may be seen there is a shoe 142 
which is very similar to the shoe 42. I.e., the shoe will have a sole, 
handle 146, and sliding platform 150. However, in this embodiment, there 
will be a real backsaw 148 attached to the handle 146. The backsaw will be 
attached to the bottom of miter box 152. The miter box is in turn, 
attached to the top of the sliding platform 150. Heel notch 158 is 
attached to the top of the miter box. The same unchanged box 10 is used. 
It is preferred to use bolts with thumb screws to attach the saw 148 to the 
bottom of the miter box 152 and also to attach the miter box to the 
sliding platform 150 as shown in the drawing. Therefore, the thumb screws 
can be readily removed and the miter box removed from the sliding platform 
150 and the backsaw 148 removed from the miter box, and then the saw and 
miter box used for cabinet making or woodworking purposes. 
It will be noted that the front and the back of the sole 44 has bevel 70 
for convenient stroking or sliding or reciprocation. Also, the sole is 
preferably attached by wood screws to the sliding platform 50 for 
replacement if it wears thin. 
Lid pull 74 is attached to the underside of the top panel 26 adjacent to 
the hinged end panel 18. The lid pull 74 provides a convenient finger hold 
to slide the top panel 26 to remove it from the sides. 
Bumpers 72 are provided at the bottom of the closed end panel and the 
inside surface of the side stops to prevent shock. Sponge rubber is 
suitable material for the bumpers 72. 
The embodiment shown and described above is only exemplary. We do not claim 
to have invented all the parts, elements or steps described. Various 
modifications can be made in the construction, material, arrangement, and 
operation, and still be within the scope of our invention. 
The restrictive description and drawing of the specific examples above do 
not point out what an infringement of this patent would be, but are to 
enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The limits of 
the invention and the bounds of the patent protection are measured by and 
defined in the following claims.