Exercise apparatus with weight stacks and elastic bands

An exercise machine with a bench press and a pair of weight stacks, which are operationally connected to a lifting bar of a barbell. Pushing motion on the lifting bar transmits the force to a series of wheels connected by flexible bands and to a pair of weight stacks positioned behind the bench press. The weight members of the weight stack are connected by pins, such that upward movement of the uppermost weight members causes pulling force to be applied to successive lower weight members one at a time, thereby allowing incremental increase in the resistance force to the lifting motion of the user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a weight training exercise machine, and more particularly to an exercise machine having a pair of weight stack assemblies with adjustable resistance and elastic bands of varying resistance.

Weight plates and other weight elements are extensively used in the exercise industry; these elements come in various shapes and sizes. However, large weight plates cannot be adjusted for increments of the weight resistance and often jump from 5 to 10 pounds without the possibility of using an increment of weight.

Some of the exercise machines are provided with barbells and bench press assemblies whereby the user positions himself/herself on the bench and lifts the barbells positioned above the bench press. Some of the conventional exercise equipment uses chains and rubber bands, which are stored near the exercise equipment and are assembled for a particular user. This task is often time consuming and arduous. Many of such exercise machines use chains and elastic bands to facilitate exercising muscles in different ways throughout the full range of motion. The chain and cable oftentimes occupy a large space and interfere with the movements of the exercise machine user.

The present invention contemplates elimination of drawbacks associated with the prior art and provision of an exercise machine that allows the user to lift, as well as pull incremental selections of weights while positioned on the bench press.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an exercise machine, which allows lifting and pulling exercises to be combined in one motion of the user.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a compact exercise machine that allows the user to incrementally lift and pull greater weights in one motion, depending on the strength of the user.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an exercise machine that allows to modify the resistance elements to be pushed/pulled by the user without requiring the user to leave his position on the weight lifting equipment.

These and other objects of the present invention are achieved through a provision of an exercise machine, which allows the user to push barbells upwardly and cause operationally connected weight elements of two weight assemblies to be pulled in sequence, allowing incremental weight resistance to the pushing motion and/or to use elastic bands.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now to the drawings in more detail, numeral10designates the weight exercise machine of the present invention. The apparatus10comprises a frame structure12, a pair of weight assemblies14and16, and a bench18.

The support frame12comprises a first upright support20fixedly secured with a first horizontal bar22, which extends at a right angle to the vertical axis of the upright member20. The first upright member rests on a front shim plate21(FIG. 4), which resists sliding. A second horizontal bar24is secured to a free end of the first horizontal bar22and extends at the right angle thereto. A third horizontal bar26is secured above the second bar24. Opposite ends of the support bars24and26are rigidly attached to spaced-apart second upright member28and third upright member30. A bench support bar32is attached above the first horizontal bar22(seeFIG. 4) extending between the first upright support20and the third horizontal bar26. A bench40is positioned on top of the bench support bar32extending from the first upright member20past the edge of the third horizontal bar26, as can be seen in the drawings.

The second upright member28has a hook-shaped rest42for a lifting bar50of a barbell assembly. A similar hook-shaped rest44is secured on top of the third upright member30for receiving an opposite end of the lifting bar50.

The weight assemblies14and16are mirror images of each other, and it will understood that description of structure and operation of the weight assembly14applies equally to the second weight assembly16. The weight assembly14comprises a weight stack61(FIG. 2) having a plurality of weight members60(FIGS. 4,6and7) which are secured together by a plurality of telescopic pins54(FIG. 6). The pins54extend between the weight members60and fit within openings62made in the weight members60.

A tubular guide extends through the center of the weight stack61. The guide64is made of two telescopically engaged members, with the lower telescopic member66fitting within an upper telescopic member68. One or more openings70are formed in the upper telescopic member68for receiving a locking pin72(FIG. 4) therethrough. When the locking pin is inserted in the opening(s)70, the weight members60can be moved in an upward direction. Conversely, when the locking pin72is removed or disengaged, the weight members60remain stacked together, as shown inFIGS. 5 and 7.

A traveling guide120is secured atop the uppermost weight member60. When an upwardly directed force is applied to the traveling guide120, the weight members60move upwardly in succession, depending on the range of motion of the user. The pins54slide within their respective pockets, or openings, causing the weight members to move in sequence one by one. It is envisioned that the pins54can be dimensioned such that a distance of less than an inch is created between the bottom of the upper weight member and the top of an adjacent weight member60. It is also envisioned that about 8 inches of vertical travel can be achieved by lifting the weight stack with the weight members60.

The weight stack assembly14further comprises a base plate74on which the bottom of the stack of weight members60rest. The weight stack assembly14further comprises a pair of upright brackets76and78, which support the weight members60on opposite sides. Extending between the upper ends of the brackets76and78is a rod80, which carries a pulley82thereon. A flexible band84is wrapped around the pulley82and travels with the rotation of the pulley82. A second weight assembly pulley86is located below the first pulley82. A free end of the band84is wrapped and secured to the pulley86. The pulley86is mounted on a rod88, which extends through the second bracket member78and serves as an axis for a rotating wheel90.

A lifting band92is wrapped around the wheel90and travels with the pushing of the lifting bar50. The band92is secured between the bar50and the wheel90. One of the ends of the lifting band92is secured to a hook-shaped attachment member96, which hooks over the lifting bar50. The second end of the band92is lowered to engage a guide94, which is positioned between parallel brackets98and104of the weight assembly14. The brackets rest on the ground forward of the weight stack61and form a unitary structure with the bracket78. The brackets98and104extend at an approximately right angle to the vertical axis of the bracket78. The guide94is positioned forward of the wheel90.

The bracket98is provided with a plurality of through openings100which are formed and configured to receive a turning sheave pin102. Similar openings108are formed though the bracket104, allowing extension of the pin102through the aligned openings100and108. The traveling guide120is provided with a slidably vertically moveable hook122(FIG. 4), which travels up and down when the locking pin72is not engaged within the opening70. A second hook124is fixedly attached to a bracket126, which is supported by a weight assembly pedestal106. An elastic band130is stretched between the hooks122and124. The elastic band130creates a different type of resistance force to the movement of the lifting bar50.

During use, the user positions himself/herself on the weight bench18and grips the lifting bar50with both hands. If desired, a pair of weight plates134and136can be added to increase resistance to the lifting force. The movement of the weight plates134,136can be better seen inFIG. 4, wherein the starting position is shown in phantom lines, and the end position—in solid lines. The flexible strap92is hooked to the lifting bar50and through the guiding wheel94, wheel90, axle88, pulley86and pulley82, transmits the lifting force to the weight stack members60. When the locking pin72is inserted, the weight members60are lifted in succession, starting with the uppermost weight member, in increments as the user pushes the lifting bar50farther away from the body. The pushing force on the lifting bar translates into a lifting force on the weight members60, offering incrementally increasing resistance force. The user can continue pushing the lift the bar50until such time as all weight members60are extended in a manner shown inFIG. 2. It is envisioned that the lifting bar50may be pushed up to 36″ upwardly during normal use.

If the locking pin is not inserted into the weight stack, the user can still exert the pushing force on the weight bar50against the resistance of the elastic handle130, which are positioned on the back of each weight stack61. The band130stretches to a position shown inFIG. 8, causing the traveling hook120to move with the upper telescopic member68while the weight stack61does not move.

The user may adjust the mass of the lifted weight by exchanging the weight plates134136carried by opposite ends of the lifting bar50to such a level of strength. The user may also use the weight stack61or the rubber band130as the resisting means for exercising the muscles of the body. The thickness and stretching resistance of the elastic bands130can be modified to further increase exercise benefits for the user. The weight members60can be modified to further increase/decrease the incremental stepwise resistance provided by this apparatus. The exercise machine of the instant invention provides for a compact unit, which does not require the use of separately stored chains that must be assembled before use. The machine of the instant invention provides for unitized equipment that allows addition of weights at periodic intervals. Many other changes and modifications can be made in the design of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof. I therefore pray that my rights to the present invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.