Exercise chair

A chair which is convertible to an exercise machine comprises a front L-shaped frame member (51) and a substantially straight rear frame member (52) which is pivotable between a vertical position to form a chair and a horizontal position to form an exercise machine. In the configuration as an exercise machine, the seat (90), which has wheels underneath, slides along the rear frame member (52) as the user pulls on a bar (80) against the force of springs (85, 86). Cross-members (66, 67) serve as foot rests. The bar may be replaced by two spring members (40, FIG. 3) attached to the top of the vertical limbs of the front frame member.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates to an exercise chair and more particularly a 
chair that can be converted into an exercise machine, e.g. a rowing 
machine. 
BACKGROUND ART 
There is known from GB No. 1133927 a chair which is convertible to a 
sculling machine. However, the conversion procedure is relatively 
complicated and the chair is relatively bulky and does not have an 
aesthetically pleasing appearance. 
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
The present invention seeks to provide an exercise chair of pleasing 
appearance, which comprises only a relatively small number of component 
parts, and which can readily be converted from one configuration to 
another. 
According to the present invention there is provided a chair which is 
convertible to an exercise machine characterised in that it comprises a 
front frame member of generally L-shaped cross-section having a vertical 
portion and a horizontal portion, and a substantially straight rear frame 
member which is pivotally connected to the end of the said horizontal 
portion remote from said vertical portion and is pivotable between a first 
position in which it constitutes the back of the chair and a second 
horizontal portion in which it constitutes an extension of said horizontal 
portion of the front frame member.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings, there is shown a chair 10 
comprising two relatively-movable frame members 11, 12 connected together 
by hinges 13. The hinges may be arranged to be locked in an adjusted 
position. Frame member 11 comprises two parallel horizontal struts 20, two 
parallel vertical struts 21 and a further horizontal strut (not shown) 
interconnecting the tops of struts 21 and concealed by seat 30 in use as a 
chair, FIGS. 1 and 2. Frame member 12 comprises two elongate struts 23 
interconnected at an intermediate point by a horizontal strut (not shown) 
concealed by seat 30 in use as a chair and interconnected at their ends 
remote from hinges 13 by a horizontal strut 32 located behind back rest 31 
in use as a chair. Struts 23 are vertical in normal use as a chair and 
horizontal in use as a rowing machine, FIG. 3. 
Back rest 31 is mounted on struts 32 by means of an arm 35 freely pivotally 
mounted at both ends. 
Seat 30 is attached to the horizontal struts (not shown) of frame 11 and 
12, e.g. by a snap-fitting arrangement. This serves to prevent or assist 
in preventing relative rotation of the frame members. The underside of 
seat 30 has attachment means for securing in a concealed manner two 
exercise springs 40 (one of which is shown in FIG. 3). The springs are 
concealed by side walls 37. The corners of the underside of seat 30 are 
each provided with a wheel which is grooved or flanged so as to be capable 
of riding on the rails formed by struts 20 and 23 in the rowing machine 
configuration of FIG. 3. 
Two horizontal struts 24, 25 interconnect the struts 21. Strut 24 has two 
rearwardly-extending substantially semi-circular loops 26 and strut 25 has 
two similar forwardly-extending loops 27. The loops are shaped to be 
comfortable for receiving the feet. Struts 20 and 23 are provided with 
pads 36 to space them from the floor. 
In use, starting from the chair configuration of FIGS. 1 and 2, seat 30 is 
first detached from the frame members. Frame member 12 is then rotated to 
its horizontal position shown in FIG. 3 and hinges 13 are locked, when 
this facility is provided. Back rest 31 is pivoted to its new position 
shown in FIG. 3. The two exercise springs 40 are then detached from the 
underside of seat 30 and attached to the tops of struts 21. The wheels on 
the underside of seat 30 are then placed on struts 20 and 23. 
The exercise machine is now ready for use. The user sits on seat 30 with 
his or her heels resting on the inside (i.e. rear) of loops 27 and toes on 
the inside (i.e. front) of loops 25. With the arms pulling on handles 41 
of springs 40 and with the toes pulling on loops 26, the user moves 
forward with seat 30 until springs 40 slacken. The user then pushes 
against loops 27 to move the seat 30 backward and to tension springs 40 
again. 
When exercise has finished, the chair is assembled by reversing the 
dismantling process. 
An advantage of the above-described embodiment is that the chair is of 
pleasing appearance when being used as such. The parts used solely in the 
exercise mode are concealed from view and the parts having a dual role do 
not appear out of place. 
Furthermore the chair comprises only a relatively small number of parts and 
can quickly be converted from a chair to a rowing machine and back again. 
Various modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment. For 
example the wheels on the underside of the seat can be replaced or 
supplemented by sets of rollers which may be arranged in inverted channel 
members secured to the underside of the seat. 
In a further preferred modification the springs 40 are permanently attached 
by their ends to the tops of struts 21; clips (not shown) are conveniently 
provided for holding the handles 41 against the bottom of the seat 30 
during use as chair. This modification has the advantage of further 
facilitating conversion. 
Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5 there is shown an exercise chair 50 
comprising two relatively-pivotable frame members 51,52. Frame 51 
comprises vertical struts 61,62, horizontal struts 63,64 and horizontal 
cross-members 65-69. In use as a chair, the front of seat 90 rests on 
cross-member 65. 
Frame 52 is hinged at 70 to frame 51, and comprises two parallel struts 
71,72 which are vertical in FIG. 5 and horizontal in FIG. 4. Frame 52 also 
comprises two horizontal cross-members 73,74 and a fixed back rest 75. In 
use as a chair, the rear of seat 90 rests on cross-member 73. 
Pivotally connected to cross-member 69 of frame 51 is a T-shaped bar 80 
having a shaft 81 and a cross-bar 82. Shaft 81 is telescopic and means are 
provided for locking the parts thereof in an adjusted position. 
In use as an exercise machine, seat 90 is arranged to slide on wheels (not 
shown) over the entire length of struts 71,72 including the parts 
embracing back rest 75. One end of a rope 84 is attached to an 
intermediate point along shaft 81. The rope 84 passes around cross-member 
68 and is attached to first ends of two coil springs 85,86. The other ends 
of springs 85,86 are attached to spaced points (not shown) of cross-member 
73. Springs 85,86 are preferably 10 cm long. 
The user sits on seat 90 and engages his or her feet with cross-members 
66,67. Holding the ends of cross-bar 82 he or she then moves backwards and 
forwards to exercise. 
To convert the exercise machine of FIG. 4 into the chair of FIG. 5, seat 90 
is removed, frame 52 is pivoted to its vertical position, and seat 90 is 
then located in position on cross-members 65 and 73. If desired rope 84 
and springs 85, 86 may be detached and stowed in storage means on the 
underside of seat 90; alternatively, to save time, the rope and springs 
may remain in position. Means may also be provided on the underside of 
seat 90 for receiving and holding the cross-bar 82 in its FIG. 5 position. 
This procedure is reversed to obtain the exercise machine again. 
The above described arrangement has similar advantages to the exercise 
chair described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 3. In addition there is the 
advantage that, in the exercise configuration, the back rest 75 does not 
limit backward movement and thus the seat 90 can slide along the entire 
length of frame 52. Furthermore time is saved during conversion, since 
pivoting of the back rest into its desired position is avoided. 
The adjustability of the length of shaft 81 has the advantage of making the 
apparatus adaptable to be used by people of different heights and arm 
lengths. 
Any of the features of the exercise chair of FIGS. 1 to 3 may replace or 
modify the corresponding features of the chair of FIGS. 4 and 5 and vice 
versa. For example the hinges 70 may be lockable, the foot rests 66,67 may 
be shaped and/or the back rest 75 may be pivotable. If the back rest is 
not pivotable, special stop elements (not shown) may be provided on the 
struts 71, 72 and on the underside of seat 90 to prevent the seat sliding 
off the back of the exercise machine during use. 
In a modified exercise chair 150, FIG. 6, rope 84 is attached to the two 
springs (85, 86 not shown in FIG. 6) via an adjustment device 100 which 
permits the tension in the springs to be adjusted. This has the advantage 
of permitting exercise by a wide range of users and also permits the force 
necessary to operate the apparatus to be gradually increased as an 
individual user becomes fitter and stronger. 
Two additional bracing bars 101, 102 are provided between cross-members 
68,69. In addition cross-member 65 is omitted; instead, when in use as a 
chair, the front corners of seat 90 rest on stops 105, 106. A grooved 
rubber or plastics tube 107 is also provided around cross-member 66 to act 
as a foot grip. 
In another modified exercise chair, FIGS. 7 and 8, the T-shaped bar 80 is 
stressed in a different manner. The bar itself is pivotally mounted on 
cross-member 69. The bottom ends of two rods 161, 162 are pivotally 
connected to cross-member 68. The top ends of the rods are pivotally 
connected to a sleeve member 165 which is slidably mounted around the 
shaft 81 of bar 80. A strong compression spring 168 surrounds shaft 81 
between the sleeve 165 and cross-member 69. 
As the user pulls bar 80 in the direction indicated by arrow A, the rods 
161, 162 pull sleeve member 165 down as indicated by arrow B. Spring 168 
is compressed and rods 161,162 pivot as indicated by arrow C. Rod 161 and 
sleeve member 165 then occupy the positions shown in dotted lines in FIG. 
8. 
Instead of or in addition to springs 40; 85, 86; the pulling means may 
comprise a hydraulic and/or a pneumatic device.