Patent Publication Number: US-6220993-B1

Title: Leg press machine

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to leg press exercise machines of the type including a movement arm in the form of a foot member engageable and movable by the feet of an exerciser against the opposition of a resistance typically one or more weights attached or connected to or mounted on the movement arm. 
     OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved leg press machine of the type described above. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide in such a leg press machine a linkage mechanism which mounts the movement arm to the stationary frame such that the work force required to initially move the movement arm increases as the movement arm is extended from a starting position adjacent the exerciser and an extended position displaced away from the exerciser. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved leg press machine which facilitates entry to and exit from the machine. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved leg press machine which facilitates the handling of free weights from a storage area on a frame of the machine to a resistance arm which is connected to the movement arm to oppose movement of the movement arm in one direction. 
     SUMMARY OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     One preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a movement arm mounted to a fixed frame by a pair of links pivotally connected to the movement arm and pivotally connected to the frame for allowing movement of the movement arm including a foot board between a first or start position adjacent the exerciser and an extended position displaced away from the exerciser. Movement of the movement arm towards the extended position is opposed by a resistance including a resistance weight arm pivotally mounted to the frame while also being connected to one of said pairs of links by another link. One or more free weights are mounted to the resistance weight arm. The frame includes a storage rack for storing resistance weights at a convenient level in the waist-chest area of the exerciser to facilitate the handling of the weights between the storage rack and the resistance weight arm. In order to facilitate entrance to and exit from the machine, a prop is mounted to the stationary frame for movement between an idle position where it is spaced from the weight arm and an active position wherein it engages the weight arm and holds it in a raised position allowing entrance to or exit from the machine by the exerciser. The prop arm is moved between its positions by a handle conveniently within the reach of the exerciser. 
    
    
     DRAWINGS 
     Other objects an advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a right-side elevational view of a leg press exercise machine constituting a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown at rest with a prop holding a weight plate arm in a raised position facilitating entrance to and exit from the machine by the exerciser; 
     FIG. 2 is a front-end elevational view of the machine shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a left-side elevational view of the machine when in the position corresponding to that of FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 4,  5  and  6  are views corresponding to FIGS. 1,  2  and  3  respectively however with the machine shown in a different position which occurs at the start of an exercise; 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 are views corresponding to FIGS. 4 and 6 but with the machine shown in a different position when the movement arm has been moved forwardly beyond the position shown in FIGS. 4,  5  and  6 ; 
     FIGS. 9 and 10 are views corresponding to FIGS. 7 and 8 but with the machine shown with the movement arm shown in a fully extended position; 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the machine when in the position corresponding to that shown in FIGS. 4,  5  and  6 ; 
     FIG. 12 is a fragmental perspective view to enlarged scale of a portion of the machine showing a prop holding the weight arm in the raised position to facilitate entrance to and exit from the machine. 
    
    
     DETAIL DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail there is shown for illustration purposes only a leg press exercise machine constituting a preferred embodiment of the present invention and including a stationary frame including a right-hand portion generally designated  10  and a left-hand portion generally designated  12  interconnected by a horizontal cross member  14 , as best shown in FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 . The frame maybe constructed in any suitable manner for example structural steel or alloy frame members. Suitably mounted on the frame is a seat  16 , and back rest  18 , for supporting an exerciser with the legs bent at the knees in a start position and an extended or finished position achieved by pressing the feet on a foot board included in movement arm generally designated  22 . Back rest  18  is provided with a pair of shoulder rests generally designated  20 , engageable on the shoulders during the exercise. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 11, the foot board  22 , in the preferred embodiment has a generally planar shape and is fixed to a link  24 , which in turn is mounted to the frame by a pair of mounting links  26  and  28  pivoted by pivot pins  31  and  34  to link  24  and pivoted by pivot pins  30  and  32  to a horizontal frame portion  29 . FIGS. 4 through 6 show the start position of the exerciser wherein the foot board  22 , is located adjacent the exerciser with the legs bent at the knees with the feet engaging the foot board  22 . FIGS. 7 and 8 show the foot board  22 , advanced from the position shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 achieved by the exerciser continuing to press against foot board  22  while moving the legs toward extended position. FIGS. 9 and 10 show the finished position of the exerciser where the foot board  22 , has been advanced to its extreme position. During such movement mounting links  26  and  28 , move from the position shown in FIG.  3  through the position shown in FIG.  8  and into the extreme position shown in FIG. 10 which is also defined by a stop  75 , engaged by link  28 , as shown in FIG.  10 . In the preferred embodiment shown links  26  and  28 , are generally parallel to each other. 
     Movement of the foot board  22 , from the retracted or normal position to the extended position shown in FIG. 10, is resisted by a resistance mechanism including a resistance weight arm generally designated  54 , and one or more weight plates which are free weights  50 , mounted to arm  54 , by a horn  52 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 11. Resistance weight arm  54  is pivotally mounted at pivot  56 , to the stationary frame for movement between the start position shown in FIGS. 4 through 6 and the finished position shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Such movement of the weight arm  54 , is achieved through a linkage including link  40 , pivotally connected at pivot pin  42 , to the weight arm  54 , and pivotally connected to the lower end of the mounting link  28 , by pivot pin  38 . Thus motion of the mounting links  26  and  28  is transferred to weight arm  54 , to raise the weight arm when the foot board  22 , is moved to extended positions. When the exerciser releases pressure on the foot board  22 , the foot board  22  will return to the start position under the force of the weight arm  54  and free weights  50 . The dimensions and arrangement of links  26 ,  28 ,  40 , and portions of the frame between the pivot pins and portions of the weight arm  54 , between the pivot pins are such that in the beginning of an exercise, less force is required to move the foot board  22 , during the initial phase of movement from the start position but as the foot board  22 , is extended the force required to move the foot board  22 , gradually increases to a peak just short of a fully extended or finished position. This compensates for the fact that in the initial start position, less force is available to the exerciser for moving the foot rest but the exerciser&#39;s available force gradually increases as the foot board continues to be extended. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, free weight plates  50 , may be stored on the frame of the machine at various vertical elevations including an elevation which lies within the waist-chest area of the exerciser so as to facilitate movement of the plates between storage and the resistance weight arm  54 . In a preferred embodiment shown, a plurality of weight plate horns  62  are provided on a rack including a vertical frame member  11  and horizontal members  60  fixed to vertical member  11 , as best shown in FIG.  11 . Additionally, shown in FIG. 11 is a horn  52 , fixed to the weight arm  54  for receiving a weight plate  50  at the waist-chest level. A horn  53 , may also be provided at the end of weight arm  54 , for receiving additional weight plates  50 . 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, a prop arm  70 , holds the weight arm  54 , in a raised position with the foot board  22 , advanced somewhat away from the start position. Once the exerciser enters the machine and is in place ready to start the exercise, the weight arm  54 , is lifted by pressing the foot board  22 , and pivoting the prop arm  70 , out of the way allowing the foot board to be extended to maximum extended position. Once the exercise is complete, the foot board  22 , is pressed until the prop arm  70 , can be swung back into the position shown in FIG. 1 to support the weight arm  54 , to facilitate exit from the machine. In the preferred embodiment, prop arm  70  is pivotally mounted to the frame by pivot  72 , shown in FIGS. 4 and 12. A handle  77 , is fixed to prop arm  70 , for rotating it between the active position engaging the weight arm  54 , shown in FIG.  12  and the idle position disengaged from weight arm  54 , as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     Although one preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described above, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications and adaptations of the present invention may be made but without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention which is defined in the appended claims.