Adjustable exercise device

First and second rigid bars may be connected together by a support to form an elongated bar assembly having a longitudinal axis. A pair of hand grips are spaced from one another, and each hand grip includes a mounting portion which is freely pivotally supported on a bar for pivotal movement about pivot axis extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bar assembly. A hand grip portion is supported on the mounting portion for swivel movement through 360 degrees about an axis of rotation disposed substantially perpendicular to and passing through the pivot axis at the point where the mounting portion is pivotally supported by the bar assembly. The swivel connection can be locked to prevent swiveling of the hand grip portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an adjustable exercise device, and more 
particularly to an exercise device which is especially adapted to exercise 
the upper and lower muscles of the back. Additionally, the device is 
adapted to work the triceps, biceps and shoulder muscles from almost every 
angle imaginable for more complete and thorough development of these 
muscles. 
The invention relates to the type of exercise device having a pair of hand 
grips which are adapted to be gripped by the hands of a user, and wherein 
it is desirable to vary the width of the hand grips as well as the angular 
orientation of the hand grips while exercising with the device. With such 
a construction, many different types of exercises may be carried out to 
work the various muscles of the upper body. It is desirable that the 
device can be used in various manners such as with weight machines, free 
weights or as a chin-up pull-up bar. Furthermore, it is desirable that the 
device should be of such a construction that it can be readily transported 
to and from a gym while being capable of being disassembled and stored in 
a relatively small space. 
The prior art requires the use of many different specialty bars in order to 
perform a variety of different exercises. Known devices provide a limited 
number of widths of adjustment of the hand grips, and the angular position 
of the hand grips is also limited so that the range of movement during 
exercises prevents some types of exercises from being carried out. In 
particular, prior art devices do not permit simultaneous width and 
rotational adjustments of the hand grips to be made so that slight width 
changes can occur during certain exercises which is a very desirable 
feature since such a mode of operation keeps pressure off the wrists and 
forearms of a user. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The fully assembled invention employs a pair of bars connected together 
which can be anchored overhead and used as a universal chin-up bar, or it 
can be attached to a weight stack machine and used for a variety of lat 
pull downs. When the device is disassembled, one of the bars of the device 
may be used with free weights or a weight machine in order to perform a 
variety of rowing exercises, shoulder presses or bicep and tricep 
exercises. 
The assembled device employs a pair of rigid bars connected to one another 
with a hand grip supported by each bar. Each hand grip includes a hand 
grip portion and a mounting portion. The mounting portion of each hand 
grip is pivotally supported on one of said bars. Each hand grip portion is 
supported on an associated mounting portion by a swivel connection so that 
the hand grip portion can swivel with respect to the support portion. One 
of the rigid bars can be separated from the other bar so that either a 
wide or narrow bar arrangement can be used. This permits the hand grips to 
be moved to either a wide or narrow hand grip position. As an exercise is 
being performed, the distance between the hand grips can adjust to be 
slightly wider or narrower in order to keep pressure off the wrists and on 
the muscles to be developed. 
The hand grip portions can swivel through an angle of 360 degrees with 
respect to the mounting portion of the hand grips, and means is provided 
for selectively locking the hand grip in any desired position with respect 
to the mounting portion so that no movement can occur between these 
components. 
The construction of the invention provides many different initial spacings 
between the hand grips and permits simultaneous width and rotational 
adjustments of the hand grips while exercising. The distance of the hand 
grip portion from the supporting bar and the angle to the supporting bar 
also changes during certain exercises. This mode of operation keeps 
pressure off the wrists and forearms. The invention provides a tremendous 
number of initial positions of the hand grips for numerous different 
exercises, and the grips may move into numerous different planes while the 
exercises are performed. 
The invention device can be set up and changed in an easy and rapid manner. 
The space between the hand grips portions may be varied widely, and in a 
typical example may be varied between about four to fifty-eight inches. 
More pulling positions are provided in the invention than in prior art 
devices, thereby involving and developing more muscles. The invention 
construction allows deeper and longer pulling motion without chest, neck 
or wrist interference.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate 
corresponding parts throughout the several views, as seen in FIG. 1, the 
device includes a first rigid bar 10 and a second separate rigid bar 12 of 
similar construction. Each bar is formed of a strong material such as 
steel and is of tubular construction having a generally square 
cross-sectional configuration and being open at opposite ends. Plastic 
inserts 13 and 14 are inserted in one open end of bars 10 and 12 
respectively to close off the ends and present a neat appearance. 
The upper portion of bar 10 has a plurality of spaced slots 16 formed 
therein, the slots being shown as eight in number, although the number and 
spacing of the slots may be varied. In a typical example, bar 10 may be 
about thirty inches in length, and the centers of the slots may be spaced 
about four inches from one another. Bar 12 is of similar construction to 
bar 10 and has eight slots 18 formed in the upper portion thereof. 
A support 20 formed of steel or the like is also of tubular construction 
open at both ends and having a generally square cross-sectional 
configuration with an inner dimension sized to receive ends of bars 10 and 
12. In a typical example, the support may be about six inches in length. 
One end 20' of support 20 has a press fit with the associated end of the 
first bar 10 so that these two components are permanently connected to one 
another. The other end 20" of support 20 has a sliding fit with the 
associated end of the second bar 12 so that the second bar can be slid 
into and out of engagement with the support as desired. A connector in the 
form of an eye bolt 22 extends through suitable holes formed in the top 
and bottom walls of the mid-portion of support 20. The threaded shank of 
the connector is disposed between the adjacent ends of bars 10 and 12 and 
has a nut 24 threaded onto the lower end thereof to retain the connector 
in the position shown. 
An eyebolt connector 26 is adapted to extend through suitable holes formed 
in the top and bottom walls of the mid-portion of bar 10, and a nut 28 is 
adapted to be threaded onto the lower end of the shank: of the connector 
to retain the connector in position. An eyebolt connector 30 extends 
through suitable holes formed in the top and bottom walls of the 
mid-portion of bar 12, and a nut 32 is threaded onto the lower end of the 
shank of the connector to retain the connector in position. 
Hand grips 34 and 36 are adapted to be supported on bars 10 and 12 
respectively. The hand grips include steel pins 38 and 40 which are 
adapted to be seated in suitable slots in bars 10 and 12 respectively so 
that the hand grips are adapted to pivot about the longitudinal axes of 
the pins 38 and 40 and swing in a vertical plane bisecting the bars 10 and 
12 respectively. This plane will also pass through the axes of the shanks 
of the connectors 22, 26 and 30 when the device is in the assembled 
position shown in FIG. 2. 
As seen in FIG. 2, the device is shown as being mounted as a chin up bar to 
an overhead wood rafter, the undersurface of which is indicated by line 
44. Woodscrew eyebolts 46, 48 and 50 having a diameter of at least 5/16 
inch and a threaded length of at least 11/2 inch are screwed into the 
rafter and epoxied into place with a strong wood epoxy. Connectors 26 and 
30 are connected to eyebolts 46 and 50 respectively by chains 54 and 56 
with no slack in the chains. Chains 54 and 56 normally support the device 
in the operative position shown. A further chain 58 connects connector 22 
with eyebolt 48 with some slack in the chain. Chain 58 acts as a safety 
device in case the support for either of connectors 26 or 30 should fail. 
Referring now to FIGS. 3-5, the construction of the hand grips is 
illustrated. Hand grip 34 includes a hand grip portion 60 having a knurled 
cylindrical portion 62 which is gripped by the hand of a user. Portion 62 
is rigidly connected as by welding to a pair of arms 64 and 66 which are 
in turn interconnected by a cross-member 68. All of these components of 
the hand grip portion are rigidly interconnected and are formed of steel 
or the like. 
As seen in FIG. 5, the hand grip portion further includes a rigid member 70 
formed of steel or the like which is welded at 71 to cross-member 68. 
Member 70 is in turn welded at 72 to a further member 73 formed of steel 
or the like, member 73 having an enlarged annular shoulder 74 extending 
radially outwardly thereof. Member 73 also includes an annular portion 76 
which has an outer surface 77 which defines a portion of a spherical 
surface. 
Referring to FIG. 3, the hand grip also includes a mounting portion 78 for 
mounting the the hand grip portion on a bar. The mounting portion as seen 
in FIG. 3 includes a pair of spaced generally parallel legs 80 and 82 
formed of steel or the like and having suitable holes formed through the 
outer ends thereof for slidably receiving the pin 38 which rests within 
one of the slots in an associated bar as previously described. The pin 
includes a ring 84 extending through a hole formed through one end of the 
pin, the ring being adapted to receive the finger of a person when the pin 
is being inserted or removed from its operative position. The opposite end 
of the pin includes a conventional ball detent 86 for retaining the pin in 
position relative to the hand grip to ensure that the pin is not 
accidentally released from the mounting portion of the hand grip during an 
exercise. The pin provides a means for quickly and easily connecting or 
disconnecting the hand grip relative to any portion of the associated bar. 
The inner ends of arms 80 and 82 are welded to a rigid hollow member 90 
formed of steel or the like and having a threaded cylindrical bore 92 
formed therein as seen in FIG. 5, the hollow member including a radially 
inwardly extending shoulder 94 formed at one end thereof for engaging 
shoulder 74 formed on member 73 of the hand grip portion of the hand grip. 
This construction provides a swivel connection between the hand grip 
portion and the mounting portion of the hand grip so that the hand grip 
portion can swivel through an angle of 360 degrees with respect to the 
support portion when exercising with the device. The mounting portion may 
at the same time pivot with respect to the associated supporting bar, and 
in this manner, the hand grips may be moved into many different positions 
relative to the supporting bars. 
For the purpose of carrying out certain exercises, it is desirable that the 
hand grip portions of the hand grips be locked in position with respect to 
the support portions thereof so that the hand grip portions cannot swivel 
with respect to the support portions. The device is provided with an 
adjustable locking member 100 formed of steel or the like having a 
cylindrical portion 102 and a reduced cylindrical portion 104. Portion 102 
has threads formed on the outer periphery thereof which are threaded into 
the threaded cylindrical bore 92 of member 90. A bore 106 is formed 
through member 100, and a surface 108 is formed at one end of the bore, 
surface 108 forming a portion of a spherical surface and being 
complementary in configuration to and engageable with the surface 77 on 
member 73 of the hand grip portion of the hand grip. Four holes 110 are 
formed through portion 104 at equally spaced points around the periphery 
thereof. 
When it is desired to lock the hand grip portion in a desired position so 
that it will not rotate with respect to the support portion of the hand 
grip, member 100 is rotated so that it is threaded into member 90, thereby 
bringing surfaces 77 and 108 into tight engagement with one another. These 
surfaces coact in the same manner as in a conventional plumber's union to 
prevent relative rotation between members 73 and 90. To assist in 
tightening member 100 into its locked position, a tool is provided as seen 
in FIG. 8. This tool includes a plastic handle 120 which carries a 
cylindrical steel rod 122 which fits snugly within holes 110 of member 100 
and which is of sufficient length so that it can be inserted through 
diametrically opposite holes 110, whereupon pressure on the plastic handle 
120 can be applied to turn member 100 into the desired position. When it 
is desired that the hand grip portions swivel with respect to the support 
portions of the hand grips, locking member 100 is backed off so that 
surfaces 77 and 108 are no longer in engagement with one another. 
Referring to FIG. 2, hand grips 34 and 36 are shown in dotted lines in the 
position they would occupy when the grips are mounted as close to one 
another as possible and are used for pull ups when the device is fully 
assembled. In FIG. 6, bar 12 has been disassembled from support 20 and 
connector 30 is connected by a chain 130 to a weight machine for 
performing a tricep pushdown exercise. A special S-clip may be provided 
for connecting the device to a weight machine. In FIG. 7, bar 12 is 
connected by a rope 132 to free weights 134 for performing an upright 
rowing exercise. Numerous other exercises may be performed wherein the 
hand grips can be placed in various slots in the rigid bars, and the angle 
of the hand grips can be varied as required. The hand grip portions can 
then swivel 360 degrees with respect to the associated support portions of 
the hand grips, or the hand grip portions can be selectively locked in 
fixed relationship to the support portions of the hand grips. 
The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. 
Obviously, various modifications, alterations and other embodiments will 
occur to others upon reading and understanding this specification. It is 
our intention to include all such modifications, alterations and alternate 
embodiments insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims 
or the equivalent thereof.