Abstract:
A folding collapsible rowing machine is constructed to include a folding collapsible base frame equipped with a foot frame at the front side, a sliding seat horizontally slidably supported on the main shaft of the base frame, a rocker fastened pivotally with the main shaft of the base frame in front of the sliding seat, elastic cord members connected between the front end of the main shaft of the base frame and the sliding seat, and a friction wheel block unit coupled between the sliding seat and the rocket and adapted to impart a resisting force to the user.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to rowing machines and, more particularly, to a folding collapsible rowing machine, which can be operated in one of a number of operation modes to exercise the muscles of different parts of the body. 
       FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a conventional rowing machine. This design of rowing machine is functional, however it still has drawbacks. When not in use, this design of rowing machine requires much storage space. Further, this design of rowing machine provides only one operation mode, i.e., the rowing action only. 
     The present invention has been accomplished to provide a rowing machine, which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks. It is one object of the present invention to provide a rowing machine, which is folding collapsible. It is another object of the present invention to provide a rowing machine, which provides a number of operation modes for enabling the user to exercise the muscles of different parts of the body. According to one aspect of the present invention, the folding collapsible rowing machine comprises a folding collapsible base frame equipped with a foot frame at the front side, a sliding seat horizontally slidably supported on the main shaft of the base frame, a rocker fastened pivotally with the main shaft of the base frame in front of the sliding seat, elastic cord members connected between the front end of the main shaft of the base frame and the sliding seat, and a friction wheel block unit coupled between the sliding seat and the rocket and adapted to impart a resisting force to the user. According to another aspect of the present invention, elastic pull ropes can be selectively fastened to the front or rear support of the base frame or the foot frame for pulling by the user sitting on the sliding seat and resting the feet on the foot frame. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a rowing machine according to the prior art. 
         FIG. 2  is an elevational view of a folding collapsible rowing machine according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of a part of the present invention, showing the arrangement of the foot frame at the base frame. 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a part of the present invention, showing the arrangement of the friction wheel block unit at the base frame. 
         FIG. 5  is another elevational view of the folding collapsible rowing machine according to the present invention when viewed from another angle. 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of a part of the present invention, showing the arrangement of the sliding seat and the rocker at the base frame. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view in an enlarged scale of a part of the present invention, showing the positioning of the adjustment knob in the base frame. 
         FIG. 8  shows the folding collapsible rowing machine collapsed according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic drawing showing one operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic drawing showing another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 17  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 18  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 19  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 20  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 21  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 22  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 23  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 24  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 25  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 26  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 27  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 28  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 29  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 30  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
         FIG. 31  is a schematic drawing showing still another operation status of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2˜31 , a rowing machine is shown generally comprised of a base frame  1 , a rocker  2 , a foot frame  3 , a sliding seat  4 , a plurality of elastic cord members  5 , and a friction wheel block unit. 
     The base frame  1  comprises a main shaft  11 , a front support  12 , and a rear support  13 . The front support  12  comprises a horizontal bottom bar  122 , and a vertical top bar  121  perpendicularly upwardly extended from the horizontal bottom bar  122  on the middle and adapted to support one end of the main shaft  11 . The horizontal bottom bar  122  has two eyes  1221  protruded from the periphery near two ends. The rear support  13  comprises a horizontal bottom bar  132 , and a vertical top bar  131  perpendicularly upwardly extended from the horizontal bottom bar  132  on the middle and adapted to support the other end of the main shaft  11 . The horizontal bottom bar  132  has two eyes  1321  protruded from the periphery near two ends. The vertical top bar  131  comprises an opening  133 . The main shaft  11  comprises a barrel  111  transversely located on the top in front of the midpoint of the main shaft  11  for the coupling of the rocker  2 , a transverse locating hole  112  transversely spaced behind the midpoint of the main shaft  11 , a locating rod  113  mounted in the transverse locating hole  112  and adapted to support the rocker  2  when the rowing machine collapsed (see  FIG. 8 ), a plurality of front eyes  114  symmetrically bilaterally provided at the front side above the front support  12  for the positioning of the elastic cord members  5 . 
     The rocker  2  comprises a bottom fork  22 , a transverse frame  221  transversely suspended in the bottom fork  22  and spaced below the main shaft  11  of the base frame  1 , two barrels  21  aligned in the bottom fork  22  and pivotally connected to the two ends of the barrel  111  of the main shaft  11  by a pivot bolt  110 , two foot bars  222  respectively outwardly extended from the two bottom ends of the bottom fork  22 , and a handlebar  23  at the top side of the bottom fork  22  (see  FIG. 6 ). 
     The foot frame  3  is fixedly fastened to the vertical top bar  121  of the front support  12  near the top, having two footplates  31  and two eyes  32  symmetrically disposed at two sides (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     The sliding seat  4  comprises a seat frame  44 , a plurality of rollers  71  and  72  symmetrically pivoted to the seat frame  44  by respective pivots  45  and  46  and rotatably supporting the seat frame  44  on the main shaft  11  of the base frame  1  for enabling the sliding seat  4  to be moved back and forth along the main shaft  11  of the base frame  1 , a plurality of front eyes  40  at the front side of the seat frame  44  (see  FIG. 6 ), a seat cushion  41  at the top of the seat frame  44  for sitting, a back frame  42  at the back side of the seat cushion  41 , a back cushion  43  supported on the back frame  42  and adapted to support the back of the user sitting on the seat cushion  41 , a horizontal handlebar  421  located on the bottom side of the back frame  42 , and two lugs  440  at two sides of the seat frame  44 , a pivot  4402  fastened to the respective coupling portion  4401  of the lugs  440  (see  FIG. 5 ). 
     The elastic cord members  5  each have a front end  51  respectively fastened to the eyes  114  of the main shaft  11  and a rear end  52  respectively fastened to the front eyes  40  of the sliding seat  4  (see  FIGS. 5 and 8 ). 
     The aforesaid friction wheel block unit comprises a friction wheel block  6  mounted in the opening  133  and secured to the vertical top bar  131  of the rear support  13  by a screw bolt  134 , a friction wheel  61  mounted in the friction wheel block  6  and turnable about the screw bolt  134 , and a drag rope  62  mounted on the periphery of the friction wheel  61  and extended out of horizontal top and bottom holes  611  and  612  of the friction wheel block  6 , having two distal ends  621  and  622  respectively fastened to the pivot  4402  at the lugs  440  of the sliding seat  4  and the transverse frame  221  of the rocker  2 . 
     When in use, the user can sit on the seat cushion  41  and rested with the back on the back cushion  43 , and then hold the handlebar  23  of the rocker  2  with the hands and rest the feet on the foot bars  222  (see  FIGS. 9˜12 ), and then row the rocker  2  to alternatively stretch and release the drag rope  62 , and at the same time the sliding seat  4  is alternatively moved forwards and backwards along the main shaft  11  of the base frame  1 . During operation, the elastic cord members  5  impart a damping resistance to the user. This operation method enables the muscles of the user&#39;s hands, chest, abdomen, and legs to be exercised. The user can also rest the feet on the footplates  31  of the foot frame  3  (see  FIGS. 13 and 14 ) and then swing the rocker  2  with the hands. In still another operation mode, the user can hold the horizontal handlebar  421  of the sliding seat  4  with the hands and rest the feet on the footplates  31  of the foot frame  3 , and then stretch and release the legs to move the sliding seat  4  alternatively forwards and backwards along the main shaft  11  of the seat frame  1  (see  FIGS. 15 and 16 ). The user can also fasten two elastic pull ropes  8  to the eyes  1221  of the front support  12  (see  FIGS. 17 and 18 ) or to the eyes  32  of the foot frame  3  (see  FIGS. 19˜25 ) or to the eyes  1321  of the rear support  13  (see  FIGS. 26˜31 ), and rest the feet on the footplates  31  of the foot frame  3  with the hand holding the handles  81  of the elastic pull ropes  8 , and then alternatively stretch and release the elastic pull ropes  8 , causing the sliding seat  4  to be alternatively moved forwards and backwards along the main shaft  11  of the base frame  1 . 
     The main shaft  11  has a rear end pivotally connected to a top lug  1310  of the vertical top bar  131  of the rear support  13  by a pivot  115 , and a front end terminating in a mounting frame  117 , which is pivoted to the vertical top bar  121  of the front support  12  by a pivot  118  (see  FIG. 8 ). An adjustment knob  18  is provided having a threaded shank  181  threaded into a screw hole  332  in a lug  33  of the foot frame  3  and a screw hole  1172  in the mounting frame  117  and a screw hole  1212  in the vertical top bar  121  of the front support  12  (see  FIG. 7 ). Rotating the adjusting knob  18  adjusts the tension of the elastic cord members  5 . Further, a lock pin  116  is fastened to the top lug  1310  and the rear end of the main shaft  11  to lock the main shaft  11  in the operative position. 
     The back cushion  43  is fixedly mounted on a back support  48 , which is pivoted to an upright lug  422  at the horizontal handlebar  421  by a pivot  423 , and locked by a lock pin  49  (see  FIG. 5 ). 
     The handlebar  23  of the rocker  2  has a bottom extension bar  230  perpendicularly downwardly extended from the middle part thereof. The bottom extension bar  230  is axially slidably inserted into a hollow top shank  24  at the top side of the bottom fork  22 , having a plurality of locating holes  2301  longitudinally aligned in a line. A spring-supported lock bolt  240  is mounted in the top shank  24  and selectively inserted into one of the locating holes  2301  to lock the handlebar  23  at the desired elevation. 
     When not in use, the lock pin  49  is removed from the sliding seat  4  for enabling the sliding seat  4  to be turned forwardly downwards and closely attached to the top side of the main shaft  11  of the base frame  1 , and then the locating rod  113  is removed from the transverse locating hole  112  for enabling the rocker  2  to be turned forwardly downwards and closely attached to the top side of the main shaft  11  of the base frame  1 , and then the lock pin  116  is removed from the main shaft  11  and rear support  13  of the base frame  1  for enabling the rear support  13  to be turned forwardly upwards and closely attached to the bottom side of the main shaft  11  of the base frame  1 , and then the knob  18  is unfastened for enabling the front support  12  to be turned backwardly upwards and closely attached to the bottom side of the main shaft  11  of the base frame  1 . When the rowing machine collapsed, it occupies less storage space. Further, the user can also pull the spring-supported lock bolt  240  backwards from the from the bottom extension bar  230 , enabling the handlebar  23  to be separated from the rocker  2 . 
     Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.