Abstract:
An exercise apparatus that exercises at least four groups of muscles is disclosed. The apparatus exercises the hamstring muscle, the quadriceps muscle, the maximus gluteus muscle and the abdominal muscle. The apparatus uses a seated position for the person exercising and incorporates elastomeric tension members to provide the resistance. The exercise apparatus incorporates a backrest and a footrest.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to an exercise apparatus and more particularly the present invention is directed to an exercise apparatus that will exercise at least four groups of muscles.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Many devices exist for exercising various parts of the body for commercial and home use. Some of these devices are:  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,016 B1 to Johnson Kuo.  
           [0006]    This exercise apparatus exercises only the abdominal muscles.  
           [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,425 to Gvoich et al.  
           [0008]    This exercise apparatus describes a device where a person lays on their back and pushes two levers up with their arms.  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,741 to Robert Fan.  
           [0010]    This exercise apparatus simulates horse riding and rowing type exercises.  
           [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,013 to W. R. Dofel.  
           [0012]    This exercise device provides a mechanical resistance assembly which employs a resistant strap which is stretched by use of a pulley system pulled by the user.  
           [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,450 to Steams.  
           [0014]    This exercise machine provides for abdominal exercising. This machine also allows a chest pod to rotate, which is resisted by either a viscous fluid resistance or stacked weights.  
           [0015]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,287 to Brewer.  
           [0016]    This exercise apparatus employs a resistance that is experienced by a person exerting a force to pull or push the body engagement members. The resistance can be varied.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0017]    It is the object of the present invention to provide an exercise apparatus to exercise four groups of muscles.  
           [0018]    It is another object of the present invention to exercise the abdominal muscles, the hamstring muscles, the maximus gluteus muscles and the quadriceps muscles.  
           [0019]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an exercise apparatus that can be efficiently and economically manufactured.  
           [0020]    Briefly, in accordance with the present invention there is provided an exercise apparatus that has a rectangular seat which is attached to a main rectangular member. The main rectangular member has fitted therein a rectangular footrest member having a attached thereto a tee footrest. The rectangular footrest member is longitudinally adjustable for different torsos sliding in the main rectangular member. The seat is also adjustable along the main rectangular member to adjust to different physical dimensions of an exerciser. The backrest is fastened to a backrest member that has an adjustable headrest on the upper end. Fastened to the bottom end of the backrest member are hand holds on each side. The backrest member is hinged to a link member on one end and the link member is hinged to an extension of the main rectangular member on the other end. The main rectangular member is divided into two members, terminating at a cross member fastened at the end of the two members. Fastened to the end of two members is a rod extending outward where one end of an elastomeric fitted on the rod, the other end of the elastomeric being fastened to a rod extending outward and attached to each side of the backrest member. Also attached to the upper side of the back rest member is a rod having attached thereto two flexible Webs have hand grips on one end to assist the exercise when performing the various exercises.  
           [0021]    These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent upon detail consideration of the following Description of the Preferred Embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the present invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is a left side view of the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 is a front view of the present invention.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 is a right side view of the present invention.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 is a rear view of the present invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 6 shows the present invention configured to provide abdominal exercises.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 7 shows the present invention configured to provide leg exercises.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 8 shows the present invention in a folded position for storage. 
     
    
       [0030]    The nominal features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as its organization and its method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which a presently preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and description only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0031]    Turning now to FIG. 1 there is seen an exercise apparatus generally shown as  10 . The exercise apparatus  10  has a backrest  12  and a seat  14 . The backrest  12  and seat  14  are made from a hard material such as wood or fiberglass covered by foam material and having an outside cover of waterproof material. The seat is attached to a main rectangular member  16  and the seat  14  is adjustable along the main rectangular member  16  to account for different physical dimensions of an exerciser. The push pin  15 , as seen in FIG. 2 is provided for the longitudinal adjustment of the seat. The main rectangular member  16  has fitted thereon a rectangular footrest member (as seen FIG. 2 as  18 ) having attached thereto a tee configured footrest  20 . The rectangular footrest member  18  is longitudinally adjustable by sliding inside the main rectangular member  16 . This adjustment allows for various physical dimensions of the exerciser. The longitudinal adjustments for the footrest  20  is provided by pushpins  22  in the main rectangular member  16 . The footrest  20  also folds down toward the rectangular member  16  utilizing a hinge provided by hinge pin  24 . FIG. 1 also shows handles  26  and  28  that the exerciser holds with their hands when performing the leg exercises. This configuration is more readily shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 1 shows the extension of the main rectangular member  16  ending at cross member  30  that is provided for stability. Attached to the cross member  30  is a link bracket  32  that has pivoting means on one end for link member  34 . The pivoting means is provided by pivot pin  36 .  
         [0032]    Turning now to FIG. 2 there is seen a left side view of the present invention. In this view there is seen the backrest  12  having a backrest member  37  with a headrest member  38  that slides in backrest member  37 . The headrest member  38  has brackets  40  attached thereon and contains a circular padded headrest  42  which is covered with a waterproof material. The headrest  42  is adjustable by the headrest member  38  fitting into backrest member  37  and utilizing adjustment means  44 . Also seen in this view is tension member  46 . Tension member  46  fits on rods  48  and  50 . The tension member  46  is held on rods  48  and  50  by retaining means which in this case are push pins  52  and  54 . Also seen in FIG. 2 is a link bracket  35  that has pivoting means on one end for link member  34 . The pivoting means is provided by pivot pin  39 . Also in bracket  35  is locking pin  41 . This locking pin  41  prevents the bracket  12  from rotating past a certain point as the locking pin  41  engages the link member  34  when the exerciser is performing the leg exercises. This condition is seen in FIG. 7. It should be noted that the present invention is supplied with a series of tension members having various tensions that can be fitted to the requirements of an exerciser. The tension members in the present invention are elastomerics. FIG. 2 also shows a bar  48  that is attached to headrest member  38 . The flexible straps  52  and  54  are attached to bar  48 .  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 3 shows the headrest  42  and headrest member  48  with other exercise apparatus members that are described in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 3 also shows footrest  20 , seat  14 , handles  26  and  28  and cross member  30 . FIG. 3 shows the flexible straps  52  and  54  that have hand grips  56  and  58 . The hand grips  52  and  58  assist the exerciser when performing the various exercises, specifically the abdominal exercises.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 4 shows a right side view of the present invention. It is essentially mirror of the present invention shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 shows the flexible straps  54  and hand grips  58 . Also seen in FIG. 4 is tension member  60  fitted on rods  62  and  64 . The tension member  60  is held on rods  62  and  64  by retaining means  66  and  68  which in this case are push pins.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 5 is a rear view of the present invention. FIG. 5 provides a good view of the two tension members  46  and  60 . FIG. 5 also shows that bracket  35  is attached to main rectangular member  16 . Bracket  35  also holds rods  50  and  64 .  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 6 is a view showing how the present is used to provide abdominal exercises. The exerciser sits on seat  14 , places the back on backrest  12 , places the feet on footrest  20 , places the head on headrest  42 , places the hands on hand grips  56  and  58  (not shown) and pulls forward with the hands and arms. This provides a resistance by tension members  46  and  60  (not shown) and the abdominal muscles are exercised. The exerciser relaxes and the tension member pulls the exerciser back to the original position. The exerciser repeats this movement until a complete abdominal exercise is accomplished.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 7 is a view showing how the present invention is used to provide leg exercises, namely, the hamstring muscles, the quadriceps muscle and the maximus gluteus muscle. The exerciser sits on seat  14 , places the feet on footrest  20 , places the back on backrest  12 , places the head on headrest  42 , places the hands on hand grips  26  and  28  (not shown) and pushes back with the back on the backrest  12  which lifts the exerciser&#39;s rear off the seat  14 . The linking member  34  will rotate upward and locking pin  41  will present backrest  12  from rotating further since the locking pin  41  engages linking pin  34 . This movement will in turn provide a resistance in tension members  46  and  60  (not shown) and exercise the leg muscles. The exercises relaxes and the tension members  46  and  60  will allow the exerciser to sit back on seat  14 . The exerciser repeats this movement until a complete leg exercise is accomplished.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 8 shows the present invention in a collapsed position for storage.  
         [0039]    The present invention includes that contained in the appended claims as well as that of the foregoing description. Although, this invention has been described in its  
         [0040]    The present invention includes that contained in the appended claims as well as that of the foregoing description. Although, this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularly, it is understood that the present disclosure of this preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.