Abstract:
An exercise apparatus for performing a wide range of full body motions against cabled weight resistance by providing user-selectable arrangements of pulleys. A pulley carriage carries one or more carriage pulleys and is slidable on a vertical stanchion. Each pulley arrangement comprises the combination of a user-selectable, vertical height for the carriage pulleys together with user-selectable locations on the frame of the apparatus for attachment of a pair of hand pulleys, whereby the amount of slack in cables routed through the pulleys is adjustable by varying the height of the carriage pulleys.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 61/462,494 for the same invention, filed on Feb. 3, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY APPROVED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     None. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to apparatus for performing bodily exercises, and more particularly to an exercise machine for performing a wide range of full body motions against cabled weight resistance by providing user-selectable arrangements of pulleys. A pulley carriage carries one or more carriage pulleys and is slidable on a vertical stanchion. Each pulley arrangement comprises the combination of a user-selectable, vertical height for the carriage pulley(s) together with user-selectable locations on the frame of the apparatus for attachment of a pair of hand pulleys. Adjustment of the vertical height of the carriage pulley(s) permits the user to increase or decrease the amount of slack in the cables attached to the hand pulleys to an amount that is optimal for each kind of exercise. 
     2. Background Art 
     Various machines for strength training are well known in the art. These include machines that utilize a weight stack and pulley system mounted to a frame to provide resistance to an exercise movement. Such machines provide either a single, centrally-disposed weight stack or a pair of laterally spaced-apart weight stacks. As is the case with the instant invention, one or more of the pulleys may be fixed to the frame, one or more of the pulleys may be attachable to the frame at any of multiple locations on the frame, and one or more of the pulleys may move in response to movements of a cable threaded through the pulley(s). U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,683, issued to Tolles, for instance, disclosed an exercise machine that incorporated a dual adjustable pulley system that included first and second movable pulleys. Unlike the movable, carriage pulleys of the instant invention that are height adjustable on a vertical stanchion by the user for optimal cable slack, however, the movable pulleys disclosed by Tolles were disposed above, and attached to, a weight stack, not slidably mounted to a vertical stanchion, and not height-adjustable by the user for optimal cable slack. 
     In order to permit a wide variety of pulley arrangements, the instant invention provides a pair of laterally spaced-apart swivel pulleys, mounted to an upper portion of the frame, through which left and right cables pass; the left and right cables thence pass around left and right hand pulleys, and from there connect to left and right hand grips, respectively. The swivel pulleys permit the cables to be angled variously outward from an upper, rear portion of the frame, depending on the user-selected positions for attaching the hand pulleys to the frame. Swivel pulleys have been incorporated into exercise machines prior to the instant invention. U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,453, issued to Sollenberger, for instance, disclosed an exercise machine having a pair of laterally spaced-apart swivel pulleys from which portions of cables extend angularly outward with respect to the machine frame. Unlike the instant invention, however, Sollenberger&#39;s cables did not extend to left and right hand pulleys, but instead extended directly to a pair of hand grips. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,600 B, issued to Ullman, disclosed an accessory device that was attachable to a conventional exercise machine and provided a user an infinite number of angles for use in exercising muscles. Ullman&#39;s device included top and bottom braces attachable to top and bottom portions of an exercise machine, respectively, and left and right, semicircular beams pivotally attachable to the top and bottom braces and lockable in place by pairs of nuts and bolts. Inside edges of each of the beams comprised a slide rail with a plurality of spaced-apart holes. Left and right track pulleys were selectably attachable to the left and right beams at any of the holes therein. Left and right weight stacks and left and right cables were provided. Each cable extended from a weight stack up and over a guide pulley attached to the top brace, thence around a track pulley and thence downward to a hand grip. By rotating the beams about a vertical axis, and by selecting the positions of the track pulleys along the beams, a wide variety of exercises could be performed by pulling on the handgrips. Unlike the instant invention, however, Ullman&#39;s device included no carriage pulleys slidable on a vertical stanchion and no means for a user to adjust the slack in the left and right cables. Moreover, unlike Ullman&#39;s device, the instant invention provides indicia labels for each selectable position of the carriage pulleys on the vertical stanchion, and for each selectable position of the hand pulleys on the frame. Accordingly, once optimal positions have been determined by the user for each kind of exercise, those indicia can be used to quickly and easily reconfigure the pulley arrangements for a particular exercise to those indicia-labeled locations on the stanchion and on the frame that have been found to be optimal for that exercise—including the optimal amount of cable slack. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Thus, there remains a need for an exercise apparatus that permits rapid and easy conversion between pulley arrangements, each pulley arrangement being chosen as optimal for any one of a wide range of bodily exercises. There further remains a need for such an exercise apparatus that permits easy adjustment of cable slack to that which is optimal for a particular user who desires to perform a particular kind of exercise. The instant invention provides these and other features and advantages that will become apparent from the detailed description and drawings set forth below. 
     To achieve these features and advantages, the invention in a first embodiment provides a frame having a plurality of spaced-apart openings; a vertical stanchion attached to the frame and having a plurality of vertically spaced-apart holes; a pulley carriage assembly slidably mounted for vertical travel along the stanchion, which carriage assembly includes a pulley carriage and carriage pin, said carriage being manually adjustable to a desired height and then fixed at said desired height by inserting the carriage pin into a selected one of the openings of the stanchion; left and right weight stack assemblies attached to the frame and disposed on opposite sides of the stanchion; left and right weight pulleys attached to the left and right weight stack assemblies, respectively; left and right swivel pulleys mounted to upper, left and right, rear portions of the frame, respectively; left and right hand pulleys, each hand pulley being attachable to any one of openings in the frame; left and right pairs of horizontally spaced-apart guide pulleys mounted on upper, left and right, rear portions of the frame, respectively; a left cable; a right cable; and left and right hand grips. The left cable extends from a first end to an opposite, second end. The first end of the left cable is attached to an upper, rear, left portion of the frame, from whence the cable extends around the underside of the left weight pulley, thence up to and over the left pair of guide pulleys, thence down to and around the underside of the left carriage pulley, thence up to and over the left swivel pulley, thence to and around the left hand pulley from whence the second end extends downward to the left hand grip. The same is true for the right cable if we but substitute “right” for “left.” In a preferred embodiment, the openings in the stanchion are labeled with indicia—the numerals 1 through 35, for instance; and the openings in the frame are labeled with indicia—the letters A through Z for the left side of the frame and, again, the letters A through Z for the right half of the frame, for instance. By adjusting the height of the carriage assembly, a user can create an optimal amount of slack in the left and right cables for performing a particular exercise. 
     In a second, alternative embodiment, the invention provides a frame that includes left and right, laterally spaced apart, upright, symmetrically and oppositely-disposed, rectangular loops with rounded corners. The loops comprise tubular material of circular cross-section, preferably steel, and are oriented with respect to one another at an angle θ of 70° to 130°, and preferably at 90°. Each loop includes a horizontal top member, a horizontal bottom member, an outer vertical member, and an inner vertical member, which members, joined by the four rounded corners, form a rectangular loop. The frame further includes a horizontal, rear, top cross bar that joins the upper, inner corners of the left and right loops to each other; a horizontal, front, top cross bar that joins the upper, outer corners of the left and right loops to each other; and a horizontal, bottom cross bar that joins the lower, inner corners of the left and right loops to each other. The frame further includes horizontal, upper and lower weight stack mounting plates attached to the top and bottom members of each loop, respectively. A vertical stanchion is provided for each loop. Each stanchion has a plurality of vertically spaced-apart openings and has a lower end attached to a lower weight stack mounting plate and an upper end attached to an upper weight stack mounting plate. A pulley carriage is provided for each stanchion, mounted for vertical travel thereon. Each pulley carriage carries a pulley disposed for rotation about a horizontal axis. A carriage pin is provided for each pulley carriage, which pin is insertable into any one of the openings in the stanchion in order to temporarily fix the position of the pulley carriage on the stanchion. Left and right weight stack assemblies are provided for the left and right loops, respectively, which assemblies are attached to, and extend between, the lower and upper weight stack mounting plates and are substantially identical to those of the first embodiment. Left and right swivel pulleys are mounted to upper, left and right portions of the frame, respectively. Left and right upper pulley means together with guide pulleys are attached to left and right, upper weight stack mounting plates for routing cable from the left and right weight stacks to the left and right stanchions, respectively. Each of the loops has a plurality of spaced-apart openings. Left and right hand pulleys are pivotally suspended from left and right, slotted collar assemblies that are slidably mounted on the left and right loops, respectively, and can be located adjacent to any one of the user-selectable openings in the respective loops. Each collar assembly includes a collar that has an interior diameter that is slightly larger than the external diameter of the tubing of the loop to which it is attached and a spring-loaded pop pin inserted radially through the collar and insertable into any one of said openings of a loop. A guide rail extends radially outward from a peripheral surface of each loop and extends substantially the full length of each loop. A longitudinal slotted cut out in each collar is dimensioned to receive the guide rail, whereby each collar is prevented from rotating about the tubing of the loop to which it is mounted. The slotted openings in each collar also permit sliding the collars past the portions of the loops to which the upper and lower weight stack mounting plates are attached. Accordingly, the invention permits a maximal range of adjustment of the positions of the hand pulleys, both quickly and easily. The second embodiment of the invention further includes left and right cables, each of which extends from a first end to an opposite second end. The route of each cable is as follows. A first end of each cable is attached to a weight stack post, thence rises up and over upper pulley means, thence down to, and partially around, a carriage pulley, thence up and over a swivel pulley, thence down to, and partially around, a hand pulley (attached to a slotted collar assembly), from whence a second, opposite end of the cable is attached to a hand grip. 
     A third embodiment of the invention, intended principally for physically impaired and wheelchair-bound persons, retains most of the components of the second embodiment but reduces the height of the loops, attaches weight stack pulleys instead of turnbuckles to the weight stack posts, provides a second pair of hand grips, and routes the cables through the apparatus differently. The pulley carriages, slotted collar assemblies, and both sets of hand grips can all be grasped and manipulated by a person seated in a wheelchair that is disposed adjacent to the weight stacks. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front, perspective view of the frame of the apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  is a front, perspective view of the entire apparatus; 
         FIG. 3  is a fragmentary, front, perspective view of an upper portion of the apparatus; and 
         FIG. 4  is schematic diagram showing an arrangement of pulleys and cables according to the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a reprise of  FIG. 1 , except that indicia-labelled, individual chain links are substituted for openings in the frame of the apparatus. 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged, front, elevational view of an alternate embodiment of a carriage assembly of the apparatus, which alternate assembly is depicted separated from the remainder of the apparatus and is shown to have an upper opening and a lower opening for insertion of a carriage pin. 
         FIG. 7  is a front, perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a top, plan view of the frame of the second embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a top, plan view of a bottom portion of the frame of the second embodiment as it appears prior to attachment thereto of the left and right stanchions and weight stack assemblies; 
         FIG. 10  is an enlarged, rear, perspective view of a left, upper portion of the second embodiment of the invention, showing the upper pulley means and swivel pulley attached to the left, upper weight stack mounting plate; 
         FIG. 11  is an enlarged, front elevational view of a slotted collar clamp assembly slidably mounted on the tubular frame thereof, from which is suspended a hand pulley; 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view thereof taken along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 9 , wherein the tubular frame and its peripheral track are depicted in phantom lines for clarity; and 
         FIG. 13  is a right side, elevational view thereof, with the hand pulley removed therefrom for the sake of visual clarity. 
         FIG. 14  is an enlarged, frontal, perspective view of a single weight plate of the kind employed in the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a front, perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention, intended for physically impaired and wheelchair-bound persons. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A first embodiment of the exercise apparatus of the present invention, denoted generally by the numeral  10 , is depicted in  FIG. 2 . The apparatus  10  includes a frame  12 , depicted separately for clarity in  FIG. 1 . The frame  12  comprises an assembly of straight, hollow, tubular, members, each member preferably being of square cross-section (not shown). The frame  12  includes vertical, left and right front members  50 , the upper ends of which are joined by a horizontal, front cross bar  52 ; a top, rear cross bar  51  disposed parallel to, and to the rear of, the front cross bar  52 , the opposite ends of said cross bar  51  being joined to the front cross bar  52  by a parallel pair of laterally spaced-apart, upper brace members  53 ; vertical, left and right, rear members  55  that each extend from a lower end to an upper end, said upper ends being attached to the opposite ends of the top, rear cross bar  51 ; a horizontal, weight stack support member  58  that joins the lower ends of the left and right, rear members  55 ; horizontal, left and right base members  54  having first ends  54 F attached to lower ends of the left and right, front members  50  and extending part way toward each other and terminating in opposite, second ends  54 S; and horizontal, left and right lower brace members  56  that join the second ends  54 S of the left and right base members  54  to left and right portions of the weight stack support member  58 , respectively. Certain ones of the frame members—that is, those denoted in the drawings as  50 ,  52 ,  54  and  58 —have spaced-apart openings  14 . These openings  14  are labeled with indicia—for example, proceeding clockwise, as viewed from the front of the apparatus, from a central portion of the top, cross member  52 , the openings  14  are labeled A, B, C, D, et cetera, proceeding down the right, front member  50 , leftwards along the right base member  54 , and leftwards along a right portion of the weight stack support member  58 ; and, the openings in the left half portion of the frame are similarly labeled sequentially in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the front of the apparatus, as A, B, C, D, et cetera. In a preferred embodiment, the frame  12  has overall width of eight feet two inches, height of seven feet six inches, and depth two feet, which makes the apparatus suitable for installation in residences as well as in commercial fitness centers and in clinics for physical therapy and rehabilitation. 
     Also depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is a vertical stanchion  22  disposed intermediate the left and right, rear members  55  and extending upward from a central portion of the weight stack member  58  to a central portion of the top, rear cross bar  51 . The vertical stanchion  22  preferably comprises Unistrut® and has a plurality of vertically spaced-apart openings  23 , which are preferably labeled sequentially 1 through 35. Unistrut® is a registered trademark of Unistrut Corporation of Wayne, Mich. Slidably mounted on the stanchion  22  for vertical travel is a carriage assembly, denoted generally by the numeral  21 . A user can choose the vertical position of the carriage assembly  21  by manually pushing it up or down along the stanchion  22 , and then fix it in a desired position by inserting a carriage pin  25  into an opening  23  at the desired position of the carriage assembly. The carriage assembly  21  carries left and right carriage pulleys  26  in laterally spaced apart, side-by-side relation, which pulleys are mounted therein for rotation about horizontal axes. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , the apparatus further includes left and right weight stack assemblies  16 . Each weight stack assembly  16  includes a pair of horizontally spaced-apart, vertical guide rods  20  that extend from the weight stack support member  58  up to the rear cross bar  51 . Each weight stack assembly  16  further includes a plurality of triply-apertured, horizontal, weight plates  27  ( FIG. 14 ) mounted for vertical, sliding movement along the guide rods  20 , and a vertically-disposed weight post  29  or bayonet (depicted in phantom lines in  FIG. 4 ) inserted through a central aperture of each of the weight plates. Each weight post  29  has vertically spaced-apart openings into which may be inserted a horizontally-directed weight pin  31  to select a desired number of weight plates  27  for attachment to the weight post. 
     Left and right swivel pulleys  36 ,  36  are mounted to the top, rear cross bar  51  on opposite sides of an upper portion of the stanchion  22  such that the hub and rim portions of each swivel pulley extend downward from the cross bar  51  and are free to rotate about a substantially vertical axis. Mounted to a front surface of the top, rear cross bar  51 , on opposite sides of the left and right swivel pulleys  36 ,  36 , are left and right pairs of guide pulleys  90 ,  90 . The guide pulleys of each pair  90 ,  90  are disposed in side-by-side relation for rotation of the pulley wheels thereof around parallel, horizontal axes. For each pair of guide pulleys  90 ,  90 , pairs of guide rollers  91 ,  91  are mounted on the front surface of the top, rear cross bar  51  on opposite sides of, and adjacent to, each pair of guide pulleys  90 ,  90  for rotation about parallel, horizontal axes. 
     Attached to an upper end of each of the left and right weight posts  29 ,  29  is a weight stack pulley  38 ,  38 . The pulley wheels of the weight stack pulleys  38  are oriented for rotation about horizontal axes. Left and right, downwardly directed, turnbuckles  81  are mounted to the top, rear cross bar  51  above the left and right weight stack pulleys  38 ,  38 . Left and right hand pulleys  32 ,  32  are provided and each has an upper, claw end  32 C that is insertable into any one of the indicia-labelled openings  14  in the frame  12 . 
     Left and right, cables  30 ,  30  are provided, preferably steel cables, each of which are routed through the apparatus as here described for the left cable  30 . It will be understood that the same route description applies to the right cable  30  if one substitutes the term “right” for the term “left”. Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , it may be seen that a first end of the left cable  30  is attached to a left turnbuckle  81 . From the left turnbuckle  81 , the left cable  30  descends down, underneath, and around a left, weight stack pulley  38 , thence vertically upward to a left portion of the top, rear cross bar  51  where the left cable is routed between a left guide roller  91  and a first of a pair of left guide pulleys  90 , thence over both left guide pulleys of said pair of left guide pulleys  90 , thence down to, underneath, and around a carriage left pulley  26 , thence up to, over, and around a left swivel pulley  36 , and thence to, over, and around a left hand pulley  32 , and thence down to a second, opposite end of the left cable  30  that is attached to a left hand grip  34 . The guide rollers  91  help prevent the cable  30  from slipping off the guide pulleys  90 . 
     In a preferred, alternate embodiment, as depicted in  FIG. 6 , the carriage assembly  26  has two vertically spaced-apart openings  23 ′, which increases the number of possible locations for setting the height of the carriage assembly  21  on the vertical stanchion  22  by insertion of a carriage pin  25  into either of said openings  23 ′. Further, as depicted in  FIG. 5 , individual chain links  14 ′ are substituted for the openings  14  in the frame  12 . 
     Open space  100  is provided within the frame  12  for a user to place an exercise bench or to stand, sit, lie or kneel while performing bodily exercises with the apparatus. There are just three kinds of adjustments that a user will make to the apparatus  10  during a work out session. As he proceeds from one exercise routine, to the next, he will reposition the hand pulleys  32 ,  32 , and/or change the number of weight plates  27  attached to the weight pulleys  38 ,  38 , and/or adjust the amount of slack in the cables  30 ,  30  by repositioning the rest position of the carriage assembly  21 . The configurations of the hand pulley  32 ,  32  positions and of the carriage assembly  21  can be notated using the labeled indicia for ease of reference by the user—such as “22 [carriage assembly position], D [left hand pulley position], D [right hand pulley position].” The range of bodily exercises that can be so notated and performed with the apparatus  10  can include, for instance, squats, dead lifts, bench presses, pull downs, pull ups bent-over rows, seated rows, punching movements, the clean and jerk, chest flyes, back flyes, et cetera. 
     A second, alternative embodiment  110  of the present invention is depicted in  FIG. 7 , wherein, among other changes, hollow, tubular frame members having circular cross-section are substituted for the hollow, square cross-section, tubular frame members of the first embodiment  10 . The frame  112  includes a left rectangular loop  111 L and a right rectangular loop  111 R, which loops are laterally spaced apart, of equal size, and oriented at an angle θ with respect to each other, where θ is preferably in the range 70° to 130°, and most preferably 90°. Each loop  111 L,  111 R includes a horizontal top member  152  and a horizontal bottom member  153 , an outer, vertical member  150  and an inner vertical member  155 , an upper, outer corner  161  that joins the top member to the outer vertical member, a lower, outer corner  163  that joins the outer, vertical member to the bottom member, an upper, inner corner  165  that joins the top member to the inner, vertical member, and a lower, inner corner  167  that joins the inner, vertical member to the bottom member. Each of the corners  161 ,  163 ,  165 ,  167  is rounded through a 90° angle such that each loop  111 L,  111 R, although generally rectangular, has four rounded corners. As depicted in  FIG. 7 , the frame  112  further includes a horizontal, rear, top cross bar  172  that joins the upper, inner corners  165 ,  165  to each other; a horizontal, front, top cross bar  170  that joins the upper, outer corners  161 ,  161  to each other; a horizontal, bottom cross bar  171  that joins said lower, inner corners  167 ,  167  to each other. Thus, the rear, top cross bar  172 , the front, top cross bar  170  and the bottom bar  171  maintain the loops  111 L,  111 R in fixed positions with respect to each other. It will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art, however, that, although it is essential that means be provided to maintain said loops  111 L,  111 R in fixed positions with respect to each other, that can be accomplished in other ways as, for example, by attaching the bottom member  153  of each of the loops to a floor surface of an exercise room and the top member  152  of each of the loops to a ceiling surface of the room with appropriate fasteners, such as U bolts (not shown). 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 9 , the frame  112  further includes flat, horizontal, rectangular, left and right, lower weight stack mounting plates  154 L,  154 L, each said plate being disposed below a top member  152  and having front edge  149  attached to a central portion of a bottom member  153  from which it extends perpendicularly and rearwardly. For each lower weight stack mounting plate  154 L,  154 L, a first support brace  156  extends rearwardly from the bottom member  153  to which it is attached to a first, rear portion of said plate, and a second, opposite, rear portion of each said plate is attached to the nearest end of the bottom cross bar  171 . A second support brace  158  extends from a rear portion of the bottom member  153  to said second, rear portion of each said lower weight stacking plate  154 L,  154 L. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  10 , the frame  112  also includes flat, horizontal, rectangular, left and right upper weight stack mounting plates  154 U,  154 U disposed above the left and right, lower weight stack mounting plates,  154 L,  154 L, respectively. The size of the upper weight stack mounting plates  154 U,  154 U is about equal to that of the lower weight stack mounting plates  154  U,  154 . To a central portion of a top member  152  of each loop  111 L,  111 R is attached a front edge  159  of one of the upper weight stack mounting plates  154 U,  154 U, which plates extend perpendicularly and rearwardly from said top member. For each upper weight stack mounting plate  154 U,  154 U, a first support brace  176  extends rearwardly from the top member  153  to which it is attached to a first, rear portion of said plate, and a second, opposite, rear portion of each said plate is attached to the nearest end of the rear, top cross bar  172 . For each upper weight stack mounting plate  154 U,  154 U, a second support brace  158  extends from a rear portion of a top member  153  to said second, rear portion of said plate. The support braces  156 ,  158 ,  176 ,  177  preferably comprise square steel tubing. 
     In order to maintain the loops in fixed positions with respect to each other, a front, top cross bar  170  extends between, and joins, front portions of the top members  152 ,  152 , and rear, top cross bar  172  extends between, and joins, said second rear portions of each of the upper weight stack mounting plates, and is attached to rear portions of the top members  152 ,  152  as well. Alternative means for maintaining the loops in fixed positions with respect to each other are possible, however, such as by attaching with U bolts (not shown) the upper and lower weight stack mounting plates  154 U,  154 L to a floor and ceiling of an exercise room, respectively. 
     For each loop  111 L,  111 R, a vertical stanchion  22  extends from, and joins, its lower weight stack mounting plate  154 L to its upper weight stack mounting plate  154 U. Each vertical stanchion  22  preferably comprises Unistrut® and has a plurality of vertically spaced-apart openings  23 , which are preferably labeled sequentially 1 through 35. A pulley carriage  126  is mounted to each of the left and right stanchions  22 ,  22  for vertical travel thereon, and each pulley carriage carries a single carriage pulley that is disposed for rotation about a horizontal axis. For each pulley carriage  126 , a carriage pin  25  is provided that is insertable into a stanchion opening  23  immediately below the carriage or through an aperture in the carriage itself and thence into a stanchion opening. Thus, the vertical positions of each of the pulley carriages can be separately adjusted on the stanchions  22 ,  22  merely by removing the pins  125 ,  125 , sliding the pulley carriages up or down on the stanchions to desired, new locations, then reinserting the pins into the stanchion openings  14  to retain the carriages in their new locations. 
     Left and right weight stack assemblies  16 ,  16  are disposed over the left and right, lower weight stack mounting plates  154 U,  154 U, respectively. Referring to  FIG. 7 , each weight stack assembly  16  includes a weight pin  31 ; a pair of laterally spaced-apart, vertical guide rods  30 ,  30  that extend from the lower, weight stack mounting plate  154 L up to the upper, weight stack mounting plate  154 U; and a plurality of horizontal, vertically-stacked, weight plates  27  mounted for vertical, sliding movement along the guide rods. Each weight plate  27  has a pair of laterally spaced apart, vertically-directed openings  27 A,  27 B through which the guide rods  30 ,  30  are inserted (or are upper and lower weight stack mounting plates  154 U,  154 L to a floor and ceiling of an exercise room, respectively. 
     For each loop  111 L,  111 R, a vertical stanchion  22  extends from, and joins, its lower weight stack mounting plate  154 L to its upper weight stack mounting plate  154 U. Each vertical stanchion  22  preferably comprises Unistrut® and has a plurality of vertically spaced-apart openings  23 , which are preferably labeled sequentially 1 through 35. A pulley carriage  126  is mounted to each of the left and right stanchions  22 ,  22  for vertical travel thereon, and each pulley carriage carries a single carriage pulley that is disposed for rotation about a horizontal axis. For each pulley carriage  126 , a carriage pin  125  is provided that is insertable into a stanchion opening  14  immediately below the carriage or through an aperture in the carriage itself and thence into a stanchion opening. Thus, the vertical positions of each of the pulley carriages can be separately adjusted on the stanchions  22 ,  22  merely by removing the pins  125 ,  125 , sliding the pulley carriages up or down on the stanchions to desired, new locations, then reinserting the pins into the stanchion openings  14  to retain the carriages in their new locations. 
     Left and right weight stack assemblies  16 ,  16  are disposed over the left and right, lower weight stack mounting plates  154 U,  154 U, respectively. Referring to  FIG. 7 , each weight stack assembly  16  includes a weight pin  31 ; a pair of laterally spaced-apart, vertical guide rods  30 ,  30  that extend from the lower, weight stack mounting plate  154 L up to the upper, weight stack mounting plate  154 U; and a plurality of horizontal, vertically-stacked, weight plates  27  mounted for vertical, sliding movement along the guide rods. Each weight plate  27  has a pair of laterally spaced apart, vertically-directed openings  27 A,  27 B through which the guide rods  30 ,  30  are inserted (or are insertable), a vertically-directed, central opening  27 C, and a horizontally-directed opening  27 D that is dimensioned to receive a weight pin  31  and is aligned with said central opening; see  FIG. 14 . Each assembly  116  further includes a weight post  29  inserted (or insertable) through the central opening  27 C of each of the weight plates  27 . Each weight post  29  has vertically spaced apart openings, such that a weight pin  31  inserted through a horizontally-directed opening of any of the weight plates  27  may be further inserted into any one of the openings of the weight post to thereby select a desired number of weight plates for attachment to the weight post—i.e., all the weight plates attached to and/or disposed above the weight pin. 
     The second embodiment of the invention  110  further includes left and right swivel pulleys  36 ,  36  mounted to upper, left and right portions of the frame  112 , respectively, which swivel pulleys are substantially identical to those of the first embodiment  10 . In the illustrated second embodiment as depicted in  FIG. 10 , the swivel pulleys  36 ,  36  are suspended from angle brackets  165 ,  165  attached to the left and right upper, weight stack mounting plates  154 U,  154 U.  FIG. 10  further shows that, for each of the weight stack assemblies  16 ,  16 , upper ends of the guide rods  30 ,  30  are attached by U bolts  21 ,  21  to a rear surface of an upper, weight stack mounting plate  154 U. Left and right, upper pulley means  211  is attached to left and right upper portions of the frame  112 , respectively, which means, as illustrated in  FIG. 10 , includes a first pulley  161  and a laterally spaced apart, second pulley  163  attached to a rear surface of an upper, weight stack mounting plate  154 U for rotation about horizontal axes. For each of said upper pulleys  161 ,  163  there are provided an adjacent guide roller  157 ,  159 , respectively, which rollers are also rotatable about horizontal axes, for retaining the cables  30 ,  30  on said pulleys. As depicted, the guide roller  157  is mounted to an upper, weight stack mounting plate  154 U, whereas the guide roller  159  is mounted to an angle bracket  155  attached to said plate. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 7 ,  11 - 13 , it is seen that for each loop  111 L,  111 R of the second embodiment  110  a hand pulley  32  is provided that is suspended from a slotted collar assembly  200  slidably mounted to the loop. Each slotted collar assembly  200  includes a cylindrical collar  201  having an internal diameter slightly greater than the external diameter of the tubular members of the loops  111 L,  111 R, an apertured ear  205  that projects radially from a peripheral surface of the collar, and a collar pin  202 . The collar pin  202  includes a shaft portion  202 S that is inserted through a radially-directed, aperture  209  of the collar, which aperture is circumferentially spaced away from the apertured ear  205 , a broadened, head portion  202 H attached to the shaft external to the aperture, and a coil spring  203  circumposed about the shaft portion that urges it radially inward into the aperture. A longitudinally-directed, slotted cut out  204  of uniform width extends entirely through the wall of the collar and throughout the full longitudinal length of the collar  201  in a direction parallel to the collar axis. Such a collar pin is available, for instance, from McMaster-Carr of Elmhurst, Ill., item number 90222A518. As shown in phantom outline in  FIG. 12 , a guide track or bead  206  is attached to, or integrally incorporated into, a peripheral surface of each of the members of each loop  111 L,  111 R, and extends continuously around each of the loops, except where the lower, weight stack plate  154 L and the upper weight stack plate are attached to said loops. The width of each cutout  204  is a little greater than the width of the track  206  in order to permit the cutouts  204  to receive, and the collars  201 ,  201  to slide along, the tracks. The portions of the tracks  206  that are nearest to the places where the upper and lower weight stack plates  154 U,  154 L are attached to the loops  111 L,  111 R are aligned with downturned flanges at the front edges  179 ,  189  of those plates, respectively, such that the slotted collar assemblies  200 ,  200  can be smoothly slid across those junctions. The left and right hand pulleys  32 ,  32  are suspended from the collars  201 ,  201 , as by claw projections from the pulleys inserted into apertures in the ears  205  of the collar assemblies  200 ,  200 , such that the pulleys can be placed at whatever location around each of the loops  111 L,  111 R a user may select. Preferably, as in the first embodiment  10 , the openings on the stanchions  22  of the second embodiment bear indicia such as numbers  1  through  32  (not shown), and the openings  14  on the left and right loops  111 L,  111 R also bear indicia, such as the letters A through Z (not shown). 
     In a third embodiment  210  of the present invention, the second embodiment  110  is modified to adapt it for use by physically impaired persons, including wheelchair-bound persons. As illustrated in  FIG. 15 , the third embodiment  210  retains from the second embodiment  110  the following components: the left and right loops  111 L,  111 R laterally spaced apart at an angle θ; the left and right, upper weight stack mounting plates  154 U,  154 U, and lower weight stack mounting plates  154 L,  154 L attached to, and extending rearwardly from, the upper members  152 ,  152  and the lower members  153 ,  153  of said loops, respectively; the left and right stanchions  22 ,  22  extending between said upper and lower weight stack mounting plates, respectively; the rear, upper braces  176 ,  176 ; the front, upper braces,  176 ,  176 ; the rear, lower braces  158 ,  158 ; the lower, front braces  156 ,  156 ; left and right pulley carriages  126 ,  126  mounted on said stanchions for vertical travel, each carrying a single carriage pulley mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis; left and right weight stack assemblies  16 ,  16  comprised of the same components as the weight stack assemblies of the second embodiment and similarly disposed between the lower weight stack mounting plates and the upper weight stack mounting plates; left and right slotted collar assemblies  200 ,  200  comprised of the same components as those of the second embodiment, and slidably mounted in the same manner on the left and right loops; a lower, cross bar  171  that extends between, and joins rear, lower portions of the left and right loops; an upper, rear cross bar  172  that extends between, and joins, upper, rear portions of the loops; left and right upper pulley means  211  attached to upper rear portions of the frame, as depicted, for example, in  FIG. 10 ; left and right swivel pulleys suspended from the left and right, upper weight stack mounting plates, respectively; and left and right cables  30 ,  30 , which cables, however, are routed somewhat differently in the third embodiment. As in the second embodiment, the frame includes an upper, front cross bar  170 , but that cross bar is elevated above the loops  111 L,  111 R by having its opposite ends joined to the left and right, upper weight stack mounting plates  154 U,  154 U by upstanding, left and right, vertical spacers  180 , which spacers extend upward from the left and right, upper weight stack mounting plates, respectively. Compared to the second embodiment, the loops  111 L,  111 R of the third embodiment are more squat (i.e., have lesser height) in order to improve accessibility of the invention to wheelchair-bound persons. The third embodiment  210  eliminates the left and right turnbuckles employed in the second embodiment  110 . Instead, upper ends of the weight posts  29 ,  29  are attached to weight stack pulleys  38 ,  38  disposed for rotation about horizontal axes. Moreover, unlike the second embodiment  110 , the third embodiment  210  provides a second pair of laterally spaced apart, left and right, top pulleys  302 ,  302  mounted to the upper, front cross bar  170  for rotation about horizontal axes. 
     The routing of the left cable  30  of the third embodiment  210  is as follows. A first end of the left cable  30  is attached to a first, left hand grip  34 ′; extends thence up to, over and around the left, top pulley  302 ; thence over and around a first, left swivel pulley  300 ; thence down to, underneath and around the left weight stack pulley  38 ; thence up to, over and around the left, upper pulley means  211  (depicted by dashed lines in  FIG. 15 ); thence down to, underneath and around the left carriage pulley  126 ; thence up to, over and around a second, left swivel pulley  36 ; thence to, over and around the left hand pulley  32  (wherever on the left loop  111 L it may be situated) and thence to a second, opposite end that is attached to the second, left hand grip  34 . The routing of the right cable  30  of the third embodiment  210  is the same if we but substitute the word “right” for the word “left.” 
     The following components of the third embodiment are accessible for manipulation by a person seated in a wheelchair (not shown) adjacent to the weight stacks  16 ,  16 : the weight stack pins  31 ,  31 , which permits adjusting the number of weight plates  27  attached to each of the weight posts  29 ,  29 ; the pulley carriages  126 ,  126  and pulley carriage pins  25 ,  25 , which permits adjusting the height of the carriages  126  on the stanchions  22 ,  22 ; and even the locations of the slotted collar assemblies  200 ,  200  on the loops  111 L,  111 R by virtue of the reduced height of the loops. While it may appear from  FIG. 15  that the second hand grips  34 ′,  34 ′ are out of reach of such a wheelchair-bound person that is not the case. The first hand grips  34 ,  34  are releasably attachable to the second ends of the cables  30 ,  30 ; that is, said hand grips have snap attachments (not shown) for quickly and easily attaching them to, and disattaching them from, the second ends of the cables  30 ,  30 . To reach and grasp the second hand grips  34 ′,  34 ′, the first hand grips  34 ,  34  are detached from the second ends of the cables  30 ,  30 . Then the carriage pulleys  126 ,  126  are relocated from a first, lower positions on the stanchions  22 ,  22  up to a second, higher positions on the stanchions, which creates slack in the cables  30 ,  30 . The slack in the cables  30 ,  30  permits the second hand grips  34 ′,  34 ′ to descend low enough for a person seated in a wheelchair to grasp them. To aid in the initial lowering of the first hand grips  34 ,  34 , prior to their removal from the second ends of the cables  30 ,  30 , the first hand grips  34 ,  34  preferably are weighted to be heavier than the second hand grips  34 ′,  34 ′. 
     Thus, it should be evident that an exercise apparatus according to the concepts of the present invention has been shown and described in sufficient detail to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention. Variations on the disclosed embodiments of the invention are within the scope of the invention. For example, the turnbuckles  81  of the first embodiment  10  could be attached to the left and right, upper brace members  53  instead of to the top, rear cross bar  51 . For further example, the left and right, lower base members  54 ,  54  and the left and right, lower brace members  56 ,  56  of the frame  12  of the first embodiment  10  might be omitted if one were to attach the lower ends of the front, vertical members  50  to a floor surface. Similarly, the cross bars  170 ,  171 ,  172  could be eliminated from the second embodiment  110  and/or third embodiment  210  by securing the loops  111 L,  111 R and/or the frame to a floor and/or ceiling of an exercise room. Since various modifications in the details, materials, and arrangement of parts, and equivalents thereof, are within the spirit of the invention, the scope of the invention should be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.