Abstract:
A removably mountable, height adjustable pull-up bar allows the device to be rapidly mounted at a number of different heights to the pair of vertical support members. The pull-up bar interconnects a pair of brackets, the top end of each bracket containing a pin which slides into apertures on the sides of each vertical support member from a first direction while the bottom end of each bracket includes a U-shaped member which may be clamped around the front and/or sides of a vertical support member and secured thereto.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to weight training and physical fitness apparatus, and in particular to height adjustable pull-up bar apparatus. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Physical training equipment comes in different configurations intended for different purposes. One classic training device is the pull-up bar which is used to develop upper body strength, particularly in the arms, shoulders and chest. Pull-up bar apparatus which may be utilized with pre-existing parallel support structures currently exist, however, they are typically secured to the support structure at a fixed height. A single height pull-up bar may be awkward to use by persons whose height is not exactly suited for the current height at which the bar is fixed. Moving the bar oftentimes requires tools for undoing multiple screws and/or other fasteners and reinstalling the pulled bar at a more desirable height, a process which breaks the rhythm of the trainees work out. 
         [0003]    Accordingly, a need exists for a height adjustable pull-up bar which may be easily and quickly removed by the user from its current height position and reinstalled at a different position height relative to its respective support structure. 
         [0004]    A further need exists for a height adjustable pull-up bar which may be removed by the user from its current height position and reinstalled at a different height position without any tools. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Disclosed herein is a height adjustable pull-up bar apparatus which may be utilized with a pair of pre-existing parallel support structures having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough to facilitate attachment of the pulled apparatus at the number of different heights above ground. According to one embodiment, a removably mountable pull-up bar allows the device to be rapidly mounted at a number of different heights to the pair of vertical support members. The pull up bar interconnects a pair of brackets, the top end of each bracket containing a pin which slides into apertures on the sides of each vertical support member from a first direction while the bottom and of each bracket includes a U-shaped member which may be pivotally clamped around the front and sides of each vertical support member and secured thereto with an adjustable pin, which, in one embodiment, secured to the vertical support members from a second direction different than the first direction. 
         [0006]    According to one aspect of the disclosure, removably mountable pull-up bar apparatus comprises: a pair of brackets, each bracket having a first end securable to one of the support structures from a first direction and second end mountable to one of the support structures from a second direction; and a bar extending between and secured to the brackets. In various embodiments, the second direction may be the same, as opposite to, or perpendicular to, the first direction. 
         [0007]    According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method for mounting a pull-up bar apparatus to pair of support structures each structure, comprises: A) providing a removably mountable pull up bar apparatus comprising a bar extending between and secured to a pair of brackets, each bracket having a first end securable to one of the support structures and second end mountable to one of the support structures; B) mounting the first end of each bracket to one of the support structures from a first direction; and C) mounting the second end of each bracket to one of the support structures from a second direction. In various embodiments, the second direction may be the same, as opposite to, or perpendicular to, the first direction. 
         [0008]    According to still another aspect of the disclosure, an article of manufacture comprises: a bar extending between and secured to a pair of brackets, each bracket comprising a projection extending outwardly from a first end of the bracket, the projection shaped to be received within an aperture on a support structure, and an aperture extending through a second end of the bracket, the aperture shaped to retain a movable locking member therein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The present invention is illustratively shown and described in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a removable pull-up bar apparatus as attached to a typical support structure in accordance with present disclosure; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the removable pull-up bar apparatus in accordance with present disclosure; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is top view of the removable pull-up bar apparatus of  FIG. 2  in accordance with present disclosure; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a right side view of the removable pull-up bar apparatus of  FIG. 2  in accordance with present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a height adjustable, removably mountable pull-up bar apparatus  20  in accordance with the disclosure may be utilized with existing commercially available support structure  10 , such as any of the Again Faster Rig Base series of products available from Again Faster, Boston, Mass. The Again Faster Rig Base product series is available in either floor or wall mountable configurations and in varying height configurations, e.g. ranging from 10 feet to 24 feet. Support structure  10  comprises a plurality of vertical support members  12 A-B which may be fixed relative to each other by a top connecting member (not shown). The vertical support members  12 A-B may be characterized by a substantially rectangular tubular cross-section with a plurality of circular apertures  16  extending through opposing side walls thereof. At least two apertures  16  are substantially centered on an axis which is paralleled with the bar  25  of pull-up apparatus  20 , as will be explained in greater detail, hereinafter. 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , a height adjustable, removably mountable pull-up bar apparatus  20  in accordance with the disclosure comprises a bar  25  extending between and secured to a pair of brackets  22 A-B. 
         [0016]    In the illustrative embodiment, bar  25  may comprise a hollow cylindrical tube or solid bar and is fastly secured to brackets  22 A-B proximate the center apex there of, typically by welding. Note that bar  25  is disposed perpendicular to the axis of vertical support members  12 A-B but substantially parallel to the direction by which at least one end of apparatus  20  may be secured to support structure  10 , as explained herein. 
         [0017]    In the illustrative embodiment, each of brackets  22 A-B has a substantially V-shaped body member with a first or top end securable to one of the vertical supports  12 A-B from a first direction via a top securing mechanism  24 A-B, and, further has second or bottom end mountable to one of the vertical support structures  12 A-B via bottom securing mechanisms  30 A-B, respectively. 
         [0018]    The securing mechanism  24 A-B of each bracket  22 A-B comprise a projection  26  extending outward from one side of the V-shaped body member of a bracket  22 . Projections  26  are shaped to be received within an aperture  16  of one of the vertical support members  12 A-B. The illustrative embodiment, the projection  26  on each of brackets  22 A-B may be in the form of a cylindrical pin attached to a different side of bracket  22 A-B, respectively, so as to enable the pins to be slid into apertures  16  as the pull-up bar  20  is slid in a first direction, which may be either right to left or left to right, at the designer&#39;s discretion. 
         [0019]    In the illustrative embodiment, projections  26  have a substantially circular cross-sectional profile to match the perimeter shape of apertures  16  in vertical support members  12 A-B of support structure  10  and to allow the bottom ends of brackets  22 A-B to be pivoted or rotated into place so that securing mechanisms  30 A-B thereof may be secured to support structure  10 , as explained herein. 
         [0020]    Securing mechanisms  30 A-B at a second or bottom end of each brackets  22 A-B comprise an L-shaped member  33 , a movable locking member  36 , and a threaded nut  34 . As illustrated in the figures, the U-shape of securing mechanisms  30 A-B may be formed by securing or welding L-shaped members  33 A-B, respectively, to the bottom end of brackets  22 A-B, respectively. One side of the L-shaped members  33 A-B may include an aperture for receiving the movable locking member  36 , as described herein. 
         [0021]    In the illustrative embodiment, movable locking members  36 A-B, may be Implemented with pins or screws which are movably securable to vertical support members  12 A-B by at least partial insertion into apertures  16  other than those into which projections  26 A-B are inserted. In one embodiment, one or both of movable locking members  36 A-B comprises screw having a 1-8 threaded shaft and a knurled head and which are receivable within a 1-8 threaded nuts  34 A-B, respectively, welded to the surface of one of L-shaped members  33 A-B and aligned with the aperture extending through each L-shaped member. In another embodiment, one or both of movable locking members  36 A-B comprises any of a number of commercially available pop-pin designs, also known as clamp pins, weld-on pins, or spring-loaded plungers, which may be secured to nuts  34 A-B and receivable within one of apertures  16  until at least a portion of each pop-pin rests within its respective aperture  16  on vertical support member  12 . It will be obvious to those reasonably skilled in the arts that other securing mechanisms may be used to implement movable locking members  36 A-B, including any of positive locking pins, spring-loaded plunger pins, quick release pins, etc. 
         [0022]    In one embodiment, movable locking members  36 A-B are both securable to vertical support members  12 A-B from a second direction which is different than the direction in which pins  26 A-B are inserted into vertical support members  12 A-B. In another embodiment, movable locking members  36 A-B are both securable to vertical support members  12 A-B from a direction which is the same as the first direction. In still another embodiment, movable locking members  36 A-B are securable to vertical support members  12 A-B from different directions, i.e. one from the left and the other from the right. 
         [0023]    The method for mounting a pull-up bar apparatus  20  to support structure  10  is as follows. First, with the pull-up bar  25  pivoted away from support structure  10 , the projections  26 A-B at the top ends of brackets  22 A-B, respectively, are aligned with and slid into a first set of apertures  16 , one on each of vertical support members  12 A-B, respectively, from the same direction which is right to left in the illustrative embodiment. Note that pins  26 A-B extend substantially through one set of parallel sides of the substantially rectangular vertical support members  12 A-B. Next, pull-up bar apparatus  20  is pivoted downward until each of vertical support members  12 A-B are received into the U-shaped cavity defined by securing mechanisms  30 A-B, respectively. Thereafter, movable locking members  36 A-B and nuts  34 A-B, respectively, are aligned with a second set of apertures  16 , one on each of vertical support members  12 A-B, respectively, and threaded therethrough until at least a portion of each screw of the movable locking member rests within its respective aperture  16  on vertical support member  12 . In the embodiment where one or both of movable locking members  36 A-B comprises a pop-pin, the movable locking members  36 A-B are aligned with a second set of apertures  16 , one on each of vertical support members  12 A-B, respectively, and inserted therethrough until the movable locking member is at least temporarily secured to vertical support member  12 . 
         [0024]    In an alternative embodiment to that described above, at least one or both of securing mechanisms  30 A-B at the bottom end of each brackets  22 A-B may be securable to vertical support members  12 A-B from the same direction as pins  26 A-B, respectively. In such configuration, the screw or pop-pin and nut  34  of one or both of the movable locking mechanisms  36 A-B are disposed on the opposite side of the respective bracket member  22 , than as illustrated in the Figures. 
         [0025]    One or more of the constituent components comprising pull up bar  20  may be made from steel or other rigid materials or combinations thereof. For example, pull-up bar  25  may comprise a 1 inch steel tube or solid bar welded to brackets  22 A-B which may comprise ¼ inch steel with the configurations, as illustrated in the Figures. Similarly, L-shaped members  33 A-B may comprise ¼ inch steel welded to brackets  22 A-B, respectively, as also illustrated in the Figures. 
         [0026]    It will be obvious to those reasonably skilled in the art that modifications to the apparatus and process disclosed here in may occur, including substitution of various component values or nodes of connection, without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure.