Improvements relating to Dumb-balls, Clubs, Bar-bells and other Appliances or Requisites for Physical Culture Exercise.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1900-Accepted, 3rd Nov., 1900
Improvements relating to Dumb-balls, Clubs, Bar-bells and other
Appliances or Requisites for Physical Culture Exercise.
I, EUGEN SANDOW, Sandow Hall, Savoy Corner, Victoria Embankment, Lou-
don, W.C., Professor of Physical Culture, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to render dumb bells, bar bells, clubs, weights
and other appliances used for physical and recreational purposes more easily
portable than at present is the case, in such a way that they can be packed away
in a very small compass for travelling purposes for instance, and further that
by the method of construction adopted their weight and size can be so diminished
that they will not add perceptibly to a person's luggage for instance whilst
travelling or when required to be packed away, an additional advantage being
that they will not readily break, whilst, the weight can be readily altered accord-
ing to the strength requirements or taste of the person using same or according
to the special feat it is desired to perform.
Taking the case of an ordinary dumb bell, for travelling purposes, these in
accordance with my invention 1 construct hollow and of a waterproof material
of a collapsible nature such as india rubber or the like. A suitable valve can
be adapted to the dumb bell which is filled with water or anything else to occupy
the intervening space so that the weight in addition to being variable at will
can be also retained constant, whilst, the handle portion being also hollow,
will be compressible and "give" according to the grip of the user and the pressure
of the water or resistance of the internal weight and cavity filling media; the
dumb bell when empty being folded up and readily stowed away.
The before described arrangement can be employed with clubs, weights
and other lifting or exercising appliances, and, in the case of bar bells for weight
lifting the bar or stem may be of wood or the like, solid or hollow, and the
end weights or balls, being constructed of a collapsible nature of a similar manner
and material to the dumb bell above described, can be secured in position by
collars, screws, nuts or equivalent fastenings so that the parts can be readily
taken apart and fitted together again.
To further ensure the utility of dumb bells, clubs bar-bells and the like
to accomplish the objects above pointed out I propose to construct same inter-
nally in sections, either duplicating the construction of the article and filling
the intervening space with water, air or other media to increase the weight
and produce the required shape of the uumb-bell or other article; or, I may
construct the same internally with diaphragms, divisions cells or sections or
receptacles, and, instead of filling all these with water, some may contain air
so that the weight can be regulated to a nicety without in any way affecting
the appearance of the dumb bell, bar bell club or other weight, recreational or

page_text: lifting appliance before described according to the particular article to which
my improvements may be adapted.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1899
Improvements relating to Dumb-bells, Clubs, Bar-bells and other
Appliances or Requisites for Physical Culture Exercise.
I, EUGEN SANDOW, Sandow Hall, Savoy Corner, Victoria Embankment, Lon-
don, W.C., Professor of Physical Culture, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of my invention is to render dumb-bells, bar-bells, clubs, weights
and other appliances used for physical and recreational purposes more easily
portable than at present is the case, in such a way that they can be packed away
in a very small compass for travelling purposes for instance, and further that
by the method of construction adopted their weight and size can be so diminished
that they will not add perceptibly to a person's luggage for instance whilst
travelling or when required to be packed away, an additional advantage being
that they will not readily break, whilst the weight can be readily altered accord-
ing to the strength requirements or taste of the person using same or according
to the special feat it is desired to perform.
Taking the case of an ordinary dumb-bell, for travelling purposes, these, in
accordance with my invention, I construct hollow and of a waterproof material
of a collapsible nature such as india-rubber or the like. A suitable valve can
be adapted to the dumb-bell which is filled with water or anything else to occupy
the intervening space, so that the weight, in addition to being variable at will,
can be also retained constant, whilst the handle portion, being also hollow,
will be compressible and give according to the grip of the user and the pressure
of the water or resistance of the internal weight and cavity filling media; the
dumb-bell when empty being folded up and readily stowed away.
The before described arrangement can be employed with clubs, weights
and other lifting or exercising appliances and, in the case of bar-bells for weight
lifting, the bar or stem may be of wood or the like, solid or hollow, and the
end weights or balls being constructed of a collapsible nature of a similar manner
and material to the dumb-bell above described, can be secured in position by
collars, screws, nuts or equivalent fastenings so that the parts can be readily
taken apart and fitted together again.
To further ensure the utility of dumb-bells, clubs, or bar-bells and the like
to accomplish the objects above pointed out, I propose to construct same inter-
nally in sections, either duplicating the construction of the article and filling
the intervening space with water, air or other media to increase the weight
and produce the required shape of the dumb-bell or other article; or I may
construct the same internally with diaphragms, divisions, cells, or sections or
receptacles, and, instead of filling all these with water, some may contain air
so that the weight can be regulated to a nicety without in any way affecting
the appearance of the dumb-bell, bar-bell, club or other weight recreational or

page_text: lifting appliance before described according to the particular article to which
my improvements may be adapted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:―
The improvements relating to dumb-bells, bar-bells, clubs, and other appliances
or requisites for physical culture exercise consisting in constructing such articles
hollow of a waterproof material of a collapsible nature such as india-rubber
and formed internally in sections or duplicated in such a manner that the same
may be inflated with air or filled with water or otherwise as and for the purposes
herein before more fully set forth.
BENJ. T. KING, (A.Inst.Mech. E.),
Registered Patent Agent, 165, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for Applicant.