EXERCISING DEVICE

Abstract: An exercising device in which motion is convened from a crank (8) manually operated by handles (21) (25) to a reciprocating piston (22) contained in a fluid filled cylinder (24). The device may be used to simulate bicycling or rowing and for arm, leg and body exercises. By using pin (12) in different locations a lesser amount of exercise is provided in use. The device may be mounted on a stand and oriented in different positions. In all the mentioned uses work applied to the handles (21) (25) by a user, is resisted by the piston (22) in the cylinder (24).

Description: T1TLE: EXERCISING DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an exercising device. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Many exercising devices have been proposed in the past which utilize spring means and friction means against which work is to be done for the purpose of exercising a user. Each such device will offer resistance to the work of the user but with very few exceptions the rate of increase of resistance with time is usually substantially linear with respect to rate of increase of work input with time. Indeed, in some such devices, particularly friction devices, increasing rate of work input with time actually results in decrease in resistance. PRIOR ART One device, however, is not subject to the above problem; that device was a bicycle having blades attached to a driven wheel. In use, those blades are resisted against moving by air and the resistance increases the greater the rate of rotation of the wheel but in a non-linear manner. Thus, that exercise device is more representative of the work involved in non-stationary exercising such as running, bicycling and rowing than various prior art devices. However, the wheel with its blades is bulky and the present invention seeks to provide an exercise device which can, if desired, be made more compact. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an exercise device comprising a frame, a crank mounted to the frame for at leas partial revolution about an axis, means operable by a human being to so at least partially revolve the crank, a cylinder containing a fluid and a piston in the cylinder wherein one of the cylinder and piston is connected to the crank to move therewith and the other is connected to the frame whereby, in use, at least partial revolut on of the crank will cause the piston to move with respect to the cylinder and resist work applied by the human being to said means. PREFERRED ASPECTS OF THE INVENTION In one i nstance- the -fl ui d is air and wherein one of thepiston and cylinder is provided with means for con¬ trolling the escape of air from, and the entry of air into, the cylinder. In another instance the fluid is a liquid and wherein one of the piston and cylinder is provided with means for controlling the movement of said liquid within the cylinder from one side of the piston to the other. The control of air or fluid movement may be variable so as to vary the work required to effect relative movement of the piston and cylinder. It is preferred that the crank is provided with means whereby said one of the cylinder and piston can be connected thereto at a selected one of a number of different eccentricities with respect to said axis. Preferably the cylinder and piston are double acting such that substantial work must be done to move the piston with respect to the cylinder in one and the opposite direction. Preferably the first mentioned means includes a handle eccentrically mounted wi h respect to said axis which can be turned by the human being to at least partially revolve the crank about said axis. The device may include another such crank but extending generally oppositely of said axis to the first- mentioned crank and another such cylinder and piston one of which being connected to said another such crank and the other of which being connected to the frame. The device may include another such handle eccentrical y mounted with respect to said axis. Preferably the two handles are mounted such that the user may select between them both being to one side of said axis or to one and the opposite side of said axis. Different size or shape handles may be provided and some may be intended for foot operation. Preferably the frame is mounted to a stand to take up a selected one of a plurality of orientations with respect to the stand. The piston(s) and cylinder(s) are preferably automobile shock absorbers as such are easy to obtain. Specific constructions of exercise devices in accordance with this invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings. DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEW OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a front elevation of a first exercise device, Figure 2 is a side view of the first exercise devi ce, Figure 3 is a cross-section on line 111 — 111 in Fi gure 1 , Figure 4 is a side elevation of the first exerci device mounted to a first stand, Figure 5 is a side elevation of the first exercis device mounted to a second stand, Figure 6 is a front elevation of a second exercise device, and Figure 7 is a cross-section on line VII-VII in Figure 6 but showing a modification of the second exerci device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS The first exercise device shown in Figures 1 , 2 and 3 comprises a frame 20, a pin 26 passed through the frame 20, and a shock absorber having a body 24, a bush 28, which bush 28 being mounted on the pin 26, a piston rod 22 and a bush 14 connected to the piston rod 22. The device of Figures 1-3 further includes axles 6 and 18 which are mounted to rotate in the frame 20 and which carry cranks 8 and 10 and a crank pin 12 to which bush 14 is mounted. Pin 12 is secured by split pins 16. Handles 21 and 25 are secured to the axles 6 and 18 and handle 21 is secured by a pin 4 which can be OMPI moved and replaced after relocation of handle 21 to the position shown in dash line in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 3, the crank 8 (and also the crank 10) has holes 23 and 27 and 29 which enable the pin 12 to be relocated to vary the eccentricity of the pin 12 and hence the bush 14. In use, a user may turn or rock the handles 21 and 25 and this will revolve the cranks 8 and 10 and pin 12 to reciprocate the rod 22 to do work against the fluid in the shock absorber and hence provide exercise. Further, the faster the handles 21 and 25 are turned, the harder it is and thus more exercise is provided. By using pin 12 in one of the holes 23, 27 or 29, a 1 esser ' amount of exercise is provi ded in use . The exercise device may be- used in a number of ways but most uses will generally require the device to be mounted so that it will not move about excessively in use. Accordingly, the frame 20 will usually be mounted and oriented to suit a particular use. If desired, the exercise device may be used to simulate bicycling or rowing but can be used in other ways for arm, leg and body exercise. The exercise device might be mounted to a wall , floor, ceiling, overhead rail , horizontal track, seat or to any other desired thing. One particularly preferred way of mounting the exercise device of Figures 1-3 is shown in Figure 4 in which the stand comprises a base 41 which can be fixed to a oor or w c , su c en y mas v , be fixed, a vertical post 44, a sleeve 42 which slides on the post 44 and which can be secured at one of a number of selected heights on the post 44 by passing pins through holes 43 in the post 44 and sleeve 42, an arm 45, a ball , 34, and socket, 38, arrangement, a lock bolt 40 for locking the ball 34 in a selected orientation in the socket 38, an arm 32 and a frame 30 connected to the frame 20. The frame 30 is so constructed as to allow the outer ends of the cranks 8 and 10 to move on the dash line circle 14. The frame 30 may alternatively be connected to the frame 20 in the region c, d or e. Alternatively, the frame 30 may be made so that it can be connected to .the frame 20 at a selected one of the positions c, d, e or that shown in Figure 4. The stand shown in Figure 4 will enable the exercise device to be located in a selected one of a plurality of different orientations. In a modification of the stand shown in Figure 4 the base ' 41 is omitted and the post 44 is provided with mounting means to enable it to be mounted to a wall or to some other object. The stand shown in Figure 5 is an alternative to that shown in Figure 4 and comprises a post 66 which is of rectangular cross-section and which contains a spacer 72 provided with holes 74 and through which holes 74 and holes in the post 66 pins may be passed to select the height of the spacer 72. - 7 - The spacer 72 carries wheels 58 and 60 which are mounted on axles 68 and 70 and which run on the inside of the post 66. Arms 50 and 54 are pivotally mounted to the axles 68 and 70 and extend through a slot in the post 66. The arms 50 and 54 have arms 52 and 56 tel escopi cal ly received within them and secured by screws 62 and 64 so that the effective length of the arms 50 and 52, and 54 and 56 can be selected. The arms 52 and 56 are pivotally mounted to brackets 46 and 48 secured to the frame 20. It will be realized that altering the height of the spacer 72 and effective length of the arms 50 and 52, and 54 and 56 enables the exercise device to take up a plurality of ori entations . It may be desirable to use two posts 66 and two sets of arms 50 and 52, and 54 and 56 to provide additional stability, If desired the brackets 46 and 48, instead of being connected to side y of the frame 20, might be connected, at h and i . The exercise device shown in Figures 6 and 7 is similar to that of Figures 1 - 3 but has two shock absorbers 81 and 83, the axles 6 and 18 are connected to cranks 80 and 85 which are oriented at 90° to one another, and pin 12 is replaced by a cranked shaft 87 to which bushes 82 of the shock absorbers 81 and 83 are connected. It should be noted that the cranks 80 and 85 have additional holes 84 which enable the eccentricity of the bushes U80/00099 - 8 - 82 to be altered. The construction of Figures 6 and 7 will operate more smoothly than that of Figures 1 - 3. The claims form part of the disclosure of this specification. Modifications and adaptations may be made to the above described without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which includes every novel feature and combination of features disclosed herein. — S

Claims: The claims defining the invention are as follows: 1. An exercise device comprising a frame, a crank mounted to the frame for at least partial revolution about an axis, means operable by a human being to so at least partially revolve the crank, a cylinder containing a fluid and a piston in the cylinder wherein one of the cylinder and piston is connected to the crank to move there¬ with and the other is connected to the frame whereby, in use, at least partial revolution of the crank will cause the piston to move- with respect to the cylinder and resist work applied by the human being to said means. 2. An exercise device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fluid is air and wherein one of the piston and cylinder is provided with means for controlling the escape of air from, and the entry of air into, the cylinder. 3* An exercise device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a liquid and wherein one of the piston and cylinder is provided with means for controlling the movement of said liquid within the cylinder from one side of the piston to the other. ^* An exercise device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the crank is provided with means whereby said one of the cylinder an.d piston can be connected thereto at a selected one of a number of different eccentricities with respect to said axis. . An exercise device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cylinder and piston are double acting such that substantial work must be done to move the piston -£ΪTREA OMPI - 10 - with respect to the cylinder in one and the opposite di rection 6. An exercise device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first mentioned means includes a handle eccentrically mounted with respect to said axis which can be turned by the human being to at least partially revolve the crank about said axis. 7. An exercise device as claimed in any preceding claim, including another such crank but extending generally oppositely of. said axis to the first mentioned crank and another such cylinder and piston one of which being connect to said another such crank and the other of which being connected to the frame. 8. An exercise device as claimed in claim 6, includi another such handle eccentrically mounted with respect to sai d axi s . . An exercise device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the two handles are mounted such that the user may select between them both being to one side of said axis or to one and the opposite side of said axis. 10. An exercise device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the frame is mounted to a stand to take up a selected one of a plurality of orientations with respect to the stand. 11. An exercise device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings . - 11 - 12. Th e a rti cl es thi ngs parts, elements, steps, features, methods, processes , ' compounds and compositions referred to or indicated in the specification and/or claims of the application individually or collectively, and any and all combinations of any two or more of such.

Inventors: LEWIS R
Applicants: LEWIS R
Application year: 1980
Main classification: A63B21
IPC codes: A63B21