The exerciser is adapted to simulate the motions and conditions incident to making turns on a ski slope, and for perfecting body movements that are important for the safety of skiers on a snow-covered slope. The exerciser has a platform for supporting a person and a support including a frame for supporting the platform for rotation in accordance with shift of weight and movements of the person. Restraining spring is coupled between the platform and the frame. The spring is effective to yieldably resist with increasing force the increasing tendency of the platform to rotate clockwise or counter-clockwise from a neutral position relative to the frame.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates in general to body exercising devices and, more 
particularly, to a sloping rotatable exerciser which functions to simulate 
the motions and conditions incident to making turns on a ski slope. 
2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Various such devices are already known which are useful in providing 
exercises for skiing. When used in the home by the average person, such 
devices generally suffer from one or more deficiencies: they are complex 
and therefore costly to construct, they do not allow full simulation of 
the conditions incident to making actual turns on a ski slope, and they 
cannot easily be moved to suit the convenience of the user or stored when 
not in use, or when in use they take up a large floor space. 
Therefore, there is still a need for a muscle exerciser which is safe, 
substantially trouble-free, and which enables a person of practically any 
age to exercise the lower body muscles in substantially the same manner as 
in actual skiing, but permitting such exercise to take place with a 
minimum investment in the equipment, and without the use of external 
devices such as pulleys and weights. 
The novel exerciser can be used in homes, gyms, ski lodges and other such 
establishments which house or are likely to be frequented by skiers. 
Because it is relatively simple and compact, it can be set up in any room 
or transported for use at a different location, and when not in use it can 
be readily stored in a closet. 
Accordingly, it is a main object of this invention to provide a new and 
unique approach to solving ski exercise problems which, although 
heretofore recognized, have not been effectively addressed in this field. 
It is a further object (1) to provide a simple and yet very effective 
sloping rotatable exerciser for perfecting body movements that are 
important for the safety of skiers on a snow-covered slope during a 
downhill run, (2) to allow for adequate muscle strengthening, and (3) to 
condition and prepare skiers to carry out more or less automatically 
swaying movements, one-footed skiing, and other movements of the type 
normally expected from a downhill skier while making turns. 
It is yet another object to provide an exerciser which can serve even the 
accomplished skier to develop and maintain his muscle tone and 
coordination, and to simulate exactly the sequence of movements necessary 
to properly execute ski turns on the slopes. In this manner, the user 
becomes aware of the conditions which develop in response to stressing of 
certain groups of body muscles. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The exerciser is adapted to simulate the motions and conditions incident to 
making turns on a ski slope, and for perfecting body movements that are 
important for the safety of skiers on a snow-covered slope during a 
downhill run, and to condition and prepare skiers to carry out swaying 
movements, one-footed skiing, and other movements of the type normally 
expected from a downhill skier while making turns. The exerciser has a 
platform for supporting a person and a support means including a frame for 
supporting the platform for rotation in accordance with shift of weight 
and movements of the person. Restraining means are coupled between the 
platform and the frame. The restraining means are effective to yieldably 
resist with increasing force the increasing tendency of the platform to 
rotate clockwise or counter-clockwise from a neutral position relative to 
the frame.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The sloping rotatable exerciser, generally designated as 10 (FIGS. 1-2), is 
designed particularly for preparing persons to make turns while skiing on 
snow or water. It has a platform, generally designated as 11, which is 
mounted for rotation on a frame 12 that is adapted to rest on a flat 
surface or floor 13. Platform 11 carries underneath a drum or shaft box 
14. 
Suitable adjustable lifting means, such as a nut-and-bolt device 15, allows 
the rear end of frame 12 to become adjustably elevated above floor 13, 
whereby the user can stand and exercise on platform 11 at a comfortable 
angle A relative to the horizontal which suitably simulates a snow slope 
for downhill skiing. 
Frame 12 has a vertical wall 16 and a bottom wall 17. The top surface of 
platform 11 is textured to prevent slippage of the user's shoes or feet. 
Upside down drum 14 consists of a cylindrical wall 18 (FIG. 5) and a 
circular bottom 19 which is secured to platform 11 by nuts-and-bolts 20. 
Bottom 19 has a center hole 21 which is concentric with a center bore 22 
in platform 11. 
A vertical shaft 23 extends upwardly from a conical beam 24 which is 
secured to the center of base 25 of frame 12 by a plate 26 and bolts 27. 
Vertical shaft 23 extends through a pair of bearings 28,29. Bottom bearing 
28 lies between a shoulder 30 on beam 24 and the inner surface of wall 18, 
and top bearing 29 rests within bore 22 upon the outer surface of wall 19. 
Bearings 28,29 support sloping platform 11 as well as the weight of the 
user thereon and permit platform 11 to rotate. Shaft 23 defines for 
sloping platform 11 a vertical axis 31 about which platform 11 is 
rotatable relative to stationary frame 12 either clockwise or 
counterclockwise within prescribed angular limits. 
A pair of coil springs 32,33 are coupled between cylinder 18 and the 
confronting face of wall 17 on frame 12 for resiliently resisting rotation 
of platform 11 relative to a neutral position shown in FIG. 3. While the 
resilient means are shown as coil springs, other resilient means which 
will resist rotation of drum 14 can be also employed. 
The opposite end hooks of nearly parallel springs 32,33 are connected to 
eyelets 34 on bolts 35 secured to cylinder 18, and to eyelets 37 on 
threaded bolts 40. Each bolt 40 threadedly engages a stationary nut 41 
secured to a bracket 42 on wall 17 of frame 12. The angular rotation of 
each bolt 40 is done by turning knob 40' which sets the amount of tension 
within the spring attached thereto, and hence the amount of reactive 
resistance to rotation offered by the spring when the user tries to rotate 
platform 11 away from its neutral position. The initial spring tension of 
each coil spring 32 or 33 can be adjusted by rotating knob 40', in this 
manner exerciser 11 can be made to accommodate users of varying size and 
weight. 
Springs 32,33 can be arranged at a wide angle to each other to provide the 
needed resistance to rotation. For example, instead of being parallel, 
springs 32,33 can be disposed in opposite directions. Also, the springs 
can have different stretching characteristics so as to effectively offer 
resistance to clockwise and counterclockwise rotation starting from 
different angular positions of platform 11. For example spring 32 can 
restrain rotation of drum 14 from the neutral position relative to frame 
12, while spring 33 can start offering resistance only after platform 11 
has been rotated say by 20.degree.. 
In use, the springs deform and stretch, and their individual 
characteristics are selected so as to provide a measured and increasing 
resistance. 
Adjustable braking to the rotation of drum 14 can also be provided by a 
braking mechanism 43 (FIG. 7) which includes a screw 44 having a knob 44' 
that is threadedly connected to an L-shaped plate 45 which carries a 
friction pad 46 on its upright leg 47. Plate 44 has a longitudinal slot 
39' through which extend a pair of bolts 39 which movably secure the plate 
to bottom wall 16 of frame 12. Rotation of knob 44' moves pad 46 away from 
or toward the smooth inner surface 48 of cylinder 18 thereby controlling 
the friction exerted by pad 46 against surface 48. 
The rotation of platform 11 is limited by a pair of stop members 49,50 
(FIGS. 3,4) secured to base 16 of frame 12 and by a stop member 49' 
mounted underneath platform 11. Stop members 49, 49' and 50 stop the 
rotation of platform 11 when it is angularly displaced to its maximum 
limit (FIG. 4) in either angular direction. This maximum angular limit is 
selected to provide a meaningful range of platform rotation. 
A pair of front coil springs 52 (FIG. 1) are attached to the opposite front 
corners of frame 12 to allow springs 52 to act as shock absorbers for 
frame 12 thereby simulating the flexing of skis. 
A pair of simulating ski poles 53 (FIG. 1) are rotatably received within 
tubular members 54 which are secured to the front edge of frame 12. Poles 
53 provide to the user the necessary support in exercising and in simulate 
the desired skiing conditions. 
In addition to exercising on platform 11, there is also provided an 
auxiliary deck 56 (FIG. 8) having notches 58, which receives poles 53 
therein. Platform 11 supports the weight of deck 56. 
In snow or water skiing the control of the direction of motion of the skis 
is obtained by leg and body shifting and rotation. 
Any rotation of the skis involves a very pronounced twisting of the feet 
and legs and in so doing the skier changes the angle of his skis with 
respect to their direction of motion, whether that motion is due to 
sliding downhill, or to the traction of a boat behind which he is being 
pulled. 
When the skier bends his knees forward and slightly inward, he causes the 
skis to ride on their inside edges, thus digging into the snow on the 
slope. This position is sometimes referred to as "edging," and by varying 
the edge angle the skier can control the speed down the slope. 
A skier can edge his skis primarily through banking or leaning to the 
inside of the turn. By twisting his knees and hip joints, the expert skier 
allows for more pronounced edging, better flexibility for terrain 
absorption, and better balance. 
Thus, ski turning requires the automatic accomplishment of certain precise 
and coordinated body movements that the beginner finds difficult to 
execute while on the snow slope for the reason that his attention is 
divided between the movements to be accomplished and the feeling of 
slipping that he faces on the slope. 
Ski turning also requires unweighting the internal ski while concurrently 
increasing the weight on the external ski, and at the same time inclining 
the ski more or less to set the edge angle of the ski according to the 
condition of the snow. 
By standing on one foot instead of two, the skier doubles the weight on one 
ski and thus doubles the force available to flex and bend the ski causing 
it to follow a rounded arc in the turn which produces a braking action 
that slows the skier down. 
In using the sloping exerciser 10, the skier will attempt to carry out 
simulated skiing motions (FIGS. 9-12) on sloping platform 11. His feet 
will assume positions on platform 11 so as to simulate for example "snow 
plow" or "stem" turns which are performed when a skier places his two skis 
in a V-shaped pattern with the front tip of the skis close to each other 
and the rear tails of the skis widely separated. 
Such body motions tend to rotate platform 11 because they transmit thereto 
turning forces or moments through the skier's feet. These moments must be 
strong enough to overcome the resistance of springs 32,33 as well as the 
braking action of pad 46. 
When the skier turns from one side to another about the rotation axis 31 or 
makes a change in his posture or weight distribution on platform 11, 
platform 11 will rotate depending on the slope of frame 12 and the weight 
of the skier. 
Newton's laws of motion state that when the user exerts a force on sloping 
platform 11, this force is resisted by an equal an opposite force 
developed by springs 32,33, and the inertia and friction of platform 11. 
This resistive force tends to limit the movement of sloping platform 11 
relative to frame 12. 
The learning process is rapid, effective, enjoyable, and requires a minimum 
of training for obtaining optimum results. 
Grasping the artificial ski poles 53, the user may engage in conventional 
stretching and all turn-making exercises. 
The rotation of sloping platform 11 simulates a right turn or a left turn 
with respect to the direction of presumed travel represented by its slope. 
In so doing, the skier learns to maintain his balance on platform 11 while 
his legs twist as in the execution of a turn on a downhill slope. 
Difficulty in maintaining balance increases with the slope angle A (FIG. 
2). 
All of the parts of the skier's body can be caused to be moved sequentially 
through the precise positions of balance necessary to execute parallel 
turns, exactly as would be experienced on a snow-covered slope. 
The skier can shift his body weight, lift or lower the right or the left 
foot, increase or decrease his weight on each foot, move them nearer to or 
further away from each other, etc. Rotation of platform 11 simulates the 
true feeling experienced while turning on skis. 
Such body motions are beneficial to improve the muscle tone of the feet, 
ankles, legs, trunk and back. 
On auxiliary deck 56 (FIG. 8), the skier may hold his feet together, hold 
on to poles 53, and then carry out jumping exercises. 
Therefore, it can be seen that the sloping exerciser 10 of this invention 
successfully accomplishes its objectives by virtue of its simplicity, 
rigidity, and versatility. It is capable of many varied uses for body 
exercising especially the lower portion of the body. Its use is therefore 
not limited to skiers.