Abstract:
A golf exercising and training apparatus for varying the resistance of a hand hold bar is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an L-shaped member(s) that transfers resistance via a plurality of pulleys and a cable from a stack of weights to the hand hold bar. Two strike lines are provided on an artificial turf for accommodating both right and left-handed users.

Description:
This is a continuation-in-part application claiming priority from patent application Ser. No. 09/667,078 filed on Feb. 9, 2001, now abandoned. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the field of exercise equipment. More particularly, the present invention is drawn towards an exercise machine that uses weights and pulley systems for strength training. By employing weights to provide resistance to a user&#39;s exercise movement, the present invention exercises various muscle groups of the user&#39;s body. 
     Many weight training devices are used to target a selected group of muscles in athletes. These weight training devices have made modern athletes faster and stronger than their predecessors. It has been realized that strength conditioning of selected muscle groups can greatly enhance an athlete&#39;s performance. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,344 to Hundley discloses a limb movement exercising and training apparatus. The apparatus is equipped with a weight rack and accompanying plates for providing adjustable resistance. The resistance is controlled to provide a relatively large resistance during a first portion of a limb motion and a relatively small resistance during a second portion of the limb motion. 
     Athletes are various shapes and sizes. Moreover, limb motion among athletes varies greatly. The Hundley machine is rigid in form and requires a user to follow the designed motion of rotation of the machine. Thus, many users may find that the Hundley machine does not suit their needs for strengthening limb motion. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a tube steel constructed machine comprising a standing platform. The platform is covered with indoor/outdoor carpet having two strike lines thereupon. The strike lines indicate left and right handed golf pattern swings. A user points the handhold bar towards these lines while using the machine to parrot a golf swing. 
     The machine further comprises a stationary frame that includes a vertical member. A sub-frame is connected to the vertical member via a sleeve. Thus, either the vertical member or the sub-frame is sleeved onto the other. The vertical member and the sub-frame are connected together with a hitch pin and bolt for stability. 
     A swing stabilizer is uniquely designed to control movement of the cable. A handhold bar is connected to one end of a cable. The cable is snaked through an array of pulleys and connected at a second end to a weight selector bar. The weight selector bar is designed to allow a user to quickly vary the resistive effect of the handhold bar. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine that accommodates various limb motions from a multitude of users. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a machine that can be used to strengthen the torso muscles of a golfer. By strengthening the torso muscles, the golfer can add distance to his drive on a golf course. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a machine that strength trains other muscles essential for playing golf such as wrist and forearm muscles used in gripping a golf club. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a machine that can be easily moved and quickly disassembled for storage in a garage or other room having a low ceiling. 
     The embodiments of the present invention presented hereinafter are merely exemplary of the invention. The present invention may be embodied in various configurations. It is to be understood that the specific structural and functional details disclosed in the following embodiments are not to be interpreted as limiting, rather they are the basis for the claims and are to be used to teach a skilled artisan of the art how to practice the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a view of the stationary frame or base of the machine. 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the exercise machine. 
     FIG. 3 is a detailed back plane view of the apparatus showing the cable stabilizer, working members and cable connection to the handhold bar. 
     FIG. 4 is a front plane view showing the weights, working members and the cable connection to the weight selector bar. 
     FIG. 5 is a detailed elevation of the weight, weight selector bar and the spring ball pin used as the selector. 
     FIG. 6 is a detailed elevation view of the machine having an adjustable horizontal extension member. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact construction illustrated and described herein, but that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the claims presented at the end of the detailed description. 
     FIG. 1 is a view of the stationary frame  75  for machine  100 . The stationary frame  75  comprises outer stationary frame members  51  and  54 . The stationary frame members  51  and  54  typically comprise tube steel. However, other suitable known materials such as composites, aluminum, etc. may be substituted so long as they are lightweight and durable. 
     Lateral support members  60 ,  61  and  62  connect stationary frame member  51  to stationary frame member  54  and provide stability. The lateral support members may be bolted to the stationary frame members. Alternatively, they may be welded together or connected via known methods. Weight landing members  63  and  64  are attached between the base of the vertical member  47  and lateral support member  62 . The weight landing members  63  and  64  add structural integrity to stationary frame  75 . The weight landing members  63  and  64  also provide a surface upon which weight landing pad  49  rests, as discussed below. 
     Holes  65  are provided in each outer stationary frame member for receiving platform screws. Angled support members  42  and  43  are connected between base  47  and vertical support member  39  to enhance the structural integrity of the stationary base  75 . A securing bolt  57  passes through vertical support member  39  for affixing a portion of the sub-frame  31 . 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the exercise machine  100 . The platform  55  is coupled with outer stationary frame members  51  and  54  via bolts or screws which pass through holes  70 . Indoor/outdoor carpet  56  is affixed to platform  55  via an adhesive (not shown). Other known methods may be substituted for the adhesive, for example hook and latch attachment means. 
     Indoor/outdoor carpet  56  is shown with two parallel strike lines  50  and  52 . The parallel strike lines  50  and  52  indicate where the free end of the handhold bar  2  should be pointed during operation. The parallel strike lines  50  and  52  are used by left-handed and right-handed golfers, respectively. 
     A sub-frame is comprised of vertical extension member  31  and horizontal extension members  21  and  28 . The sub-frame is typically made of tube steel or other lightweight durable material. The members  21 ,  28  and  31  may be welded together or affixed to one another by other known methods. In the preferred embodiment, vertical extension member  31  has an outer diameter that is smaller than the inner diameter of vertical support member  39 . Thus, vertical support member  39  has a sleeve for accepting a portion of vertical extension member  31 . Vertical extension member  31  slides into vertical support member  39  and is secured by hitch pin  38  and securing bolt  57 . Thus, the machine  100  may quickly be disassembled for storage purposes. Pulleys  29 ,  27  and  23  are attached to horizontal extension members  21  and  28  via bolts  30 ,  26  and  22 . 
     The cable  5  is attached at one end to a stack of weights as discussed below. The cable  5  is routed through pulleys  7 ,  11 ,  23 ,  27  and  29 . An opposite end of cable  5  is connected to handhold bar  2 . 
     FIG. 3 is a back plane view of the apparatus showing a detailed view of the cable stabilizer  80 . The stabilizer arm  20  is coupled to horizontal extension member  21  at one end via bolt  25 . An opposite end of stabilizer arm  20  is connected to control arm  18  via bolt  19 . The stop arm  16  is coupled to horizontal extension member  21  via bolt  24 . When not in operation, control arm  18  rests against stop arm  16  via the biasing force provided by spring  13 . Other known methods may be employed for biasing control arm  18  towards stop arm  16 . For example, a counter weight or other device may be used to bias the control arm  18  towards the stop arm  16 . The pulley  15  is connected to an end of control arm  18  via bolt  11 . The bolt  11  also secures pulley guide  12  to control arm  18 . 
     Pulley  23  is connected to horizontal extension member  21  via bolt  22 . The bolt  22  also secures pulley guide  59 . Spring  13  is shown as being connected to pulley guide  59  and pulley guide  12 . However, the spring  13  may be coupled between any portion of the cable stabilizer and horizontal extension member  21  such that control arm  18  is biased to rest against stop arm  16  when the machine  100  is not in use. 
     Control arm  10  is connected to control arm  18  via bolt  14 . Pulley  7  is connected to control arm  10  at an end opposite the end connected to control arm  18 . A bolt  8  connects pulley guide  9  and pulley  7  to control arm  10 . 
     Cable  5  is linked by cable thimble  4  to snap hook  3  which connects to eye hook  17  on handhold bar  2 . Breakout views are provided for each of these elements. It should be noted that various other methods of connecting cable  5  to handhold bar  2  are known. These known methods may be substituted without deviating from the spirit of this invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a front plane view showing the weights  46  and the cable connection to the weight selector bar  67 . Weights  46  rest upon weight landing pad  49  which is coupled to weight landing members  63  and  64  as shown in FIG. 1. A guide rod bracket  35  is typically welded to a spacer  34  which is connected to vertical extension member  31 . Guide rods  36  and  37  pass through holes in weights  46  and ensure that weights  46  are moved in a vertical manner only. In the preferred embodiment, guide rods  36  and  37  pass through guide rod bracket  35  and wing nuts  32  and  33  are affixed thereto. However, guide rod bracket  35  may comprise indentations rather than holes for receiving an end of rods  36  and  37 . Thus, the need for wing nuts  32  and  33  may be eliminated. A second end of cable  5  comprises a loop as shown in the breakout view. A D-ring or carabineer  71  connects to the loop and affixes a weight selector bar  67  via eye hook  41 . 
     FIG. 5 is a detailed elevation of the weights  46 , weight selector bar  67  and the spring ball pin  48  used to vary the resistance of the handhold bar  2 . Screws or bolts (not shown) pass through holes  66  to secure weight landing pad  49  to weight landing member  63  and  64 . Weights  46  comprise holes  53  for receiving guide rod members  36  and  37 . Hole  69  in weights  46  receives selector bar  67 . Selector bar  67  comprises holes  68  for varying the amount of resistance on the handhold bar  2 . 
     It should be noted that various types of weights could be employed for practicing the invention. The weight means could be accomplished by several different methods. For example, hydraulic means, resistive bands, electrical resistive means or force means such as a fluid filled piston connected to an end of the cable for providing resistance training. 
     FIG. 6 shows a modified version of the cable stabilizer  80  discussed above with respect to FIG.  2 . The stop arm  16  comprises a slot  110  and is coupled to control arm  18 . In this embodiment, the horizontal extension member  21  is adjustable via adjustment means  90 . Two complementary circular flanges  91  and  92  couple horizontal extension member  21  together. One flange is equipped with an extended portion, while the other flange has a recessed portion for receiving the extended portion. A plurality of holes  93  is provided in flange  91 . The other flange  92  is equipped with a single hole. Pin  95  is used to adjust the horizontal extension member  21  to various angled positions. Machine  100  is also equipped with wheels  98  for ease in moving it. Spring  13  is not shown in FIG. 6 for ease in understanding the drawing. 
     It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact construction illustrated and described above. Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.