IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EXERCISING THE HUMAN BODY, APPLICABLE ALSO TO MACHINES FOR TESTING CHAINS, AND SUCH LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Melville Clark at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th October 1876. A communication
from abroad by Mrs. Jennie De La Montagnie Lozier, of Orange, Essex County,
State of New Jersey, United States of America.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EXERCISING THE HUMAN
BODY, APPLICABLE ALSO TO MACHINES FOR TESTING CHAINS, AND SUCH LIKE
PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to various improvements in health lifts or apparatus for
exercising the human body, which are herein-after more fully specified, and which
are also applicable to machines for analogous purposes, such as inachines for testing
chains and other devices.
The Invention consists principally in constructing such machines with a hori-
zontally movable equalizer bar, and also in various ingenious devices for regulating
or adjusting the position and motion of parts, and in an improved handle; also in
a peculiar arrangement of a compound lifting lever used between the lifting rope or
chain and a counterbalancing weight.
The Invention also consists in other features of improvement, all as herein-after
more fully described.
According to this Invention the machine consists of a bed plate which is pro-
vided with a heel supporting plate; the same being placed in a recess at one end of
the bed plate, and supported by a screw so that it can be adjusted on said screw to
greater or less height in order to allow it to be lowered for persons the heels of
it
whose boots are longer than proper for a correct position in lifting, that is to say,
is intended that the operator, whose feet rests upon the bed plate, should, with the heels
of his boots or shoes, stand upon the heel plate. This heel plate is made adjustable
in order to keep the feet from standing in a tilting position. For more perfectly
regulating the position of the operator I supply the said heel plate with guards or
heel gauges, against which the heels of the boots are placed. The form of the heel
plate is partly circular, it being locked by a lock or latch, after adjustment, to the
proper height. The heel plate is at liberty to turn on its screw support as soon as
the latch is lifted clear of the plate.
In using the machine, a person standing on the bed plate, and as stated, partly on

page_text: the heel plate, grasps handles which connect with cords or chains, passing around
friction rollers, and are attached to the ends of a horizontal movable equalizer bar,
said equalizer bar extending across the surface of the bed plate. The equalizer bar
is connected by a cord or chain with a segmental lever which is pivoted to the bed
plate; this segment carries a sliding block that connects with the plunger rod of a
spring cushion or of a weight, said spring when used being placed into a pivoted
frame or yoke. The slide block can be adjusted by means of a screw with which it
connects to a greater or less distance from the pivot of the segmental lever.. When
the block is drawn as near as may be to said pivot the degree of vibration of the
segmental lever caused by means of the equalizer bar will be small, and the
resistance of the spring reduced to a minimum, and the only motion possible to the
rod will be on a small circle owing to the proximity of the pivoted end of the rod
to the pivot; but when the block is moved as far as possible away from the pivot,
the swing of the lever will cause a far greater degree of compression of the
spring, and a consequent greater resistance to and exercise of power will be required
in moving the equalizer bar.
The properly regulating the position of the slide block on the lever a scale may be
drawn on said lever, or the scale may be formed on the head of the screw, or a
graduated tape line may be applied to the screw, or other means may be employed
for ascertaining the proper position of the slide with reference to its result upon the
exercising person. A proper scale may also be placed under the equalizer bar to
show the extent of forward motion of said bar, or of a separate slide, that can be
moved by said bar and retains its position on the return of the bar. To the seg-
mental lever is attached a spring clapper which, upon striking a suitable pin or gong
will inform the operator when the proper limit of motion of said lever has been
reached; but such spring clapper may, if desired, be also placed under the equalizer
bar to be worked by a lug projecting therefrom.
To ascertain the time properly required for lifting the handles or moving the
equalizer bar, a time glass may be attached to a rod projecting from the farther end
of the bed plate, which time glass I propose to supply with a lid or gate so that the
person exercising may from time to time vary the amount of sand therein, and the
consequent length of time required for moving the equalizer bar. The said time
glass is adjustable on the rod that holds it, so that it can be set opposite the eyes
of the operator, which requires him to remain erect. Its adjustment adapts it
to use by persons of all ages. A slate for recording the various matters may also be
attached to the bed plate.
The upward play of the lever and the expansion of the spring can be controlled,
and more or less limited by means of a set screw, which, in connection with the
adjustable slide renders the apparatus absolutely adjustable, as to the initial ex-
pansion of the spring and the limit of compression thereof during operation. Each
handle consists of a grip bar and shank, the latter connecting with the draft chain;
the end of the chain is placed in an ✓ shaped groove formed at the lower part of
the shank. This groove can be closed by a suitable gate, and serves to securely
confine the chain, as the same is bent at a right or equivalent angle.
In case it is desired to make the length of the chain adjustable in the handle I
supply the latter with a vertically adjustable screw block, over which the chain is
passed, which block moves along a suitable scale on the side of the shank; the
grip bar is placed out of line of the vertical axis of the shank for the purpose
of counteracting by its position the tendency of the operator to incline the
handles, and thus serving as complement to said tendency for causing a proper vertical
motion of the handles.
Above the grip bar I secure a rubber pad which can be regulated as to length by
an eccentric clamp, and which by bearing upon the hand guards it against slipping,
and increases the power of the gymnast over the instrument.
The shaped groove
or recess, and the gate for securing the end of the chain may for like purpose be
also formed at the ends of the equalizer bar. The operator may, if desired, pull
directly on the chain which connects the equalizer bar to the segmental lever, and

page_text: discard the equalizer bar and double handles. According to a modification of the
machine a compound lever is employed, this lever being hung by a pivot or axle in
rigidly projecting standards supported by the base or bed plate. The lever is forked
at its upper part, or slotted, and carries in its fork or slot a friction roller which is
hung on a pin that has its bearings in the upper jaws of said lever. The lower end
of the lever is preferably segmental in form, and connects with a rope or chain that
connects either with a single lifting handle, or with an equalizer cross bar, said rope
or chain passing round a friction roller before reaching the handle, but this friction
roller may be dispensed with in case a horizontal pull or side lift is desired. When
the equalizer bar is used its ends connect by chains or cords with the handles.
In this modification an adjustable weighted bar has to be lifted by the operator ;
this bar has its nearest or front end provided with downwardly projecting lugs
which are pivoted by pins in the standards, said pivot pins being at some distance
behind, and also above the pivot of the compound lever. A hook shaped toe pro-
jects from a lower cross bar that joins the lower parts of the lugs or directly from
the weighted bar, projects into the slot of the compound lever directly beneath the
friction roller. Now a person putting on the handle or handles will vibrate the
lever, and thereby swing the same with its upper end backwards, causing the friction
roller to approach the pivot of the weighted bar, and in so doing to ride on the
eccentric toe of said bar, and swing said bar on its pivot. Now it is clear that the
farther the lever is thus vibrated the nearer will the roller approach the pivot, and
consequently the more difficult will it be to vibrate said bar against the counter-
acting influence of its weight. This is the principle to be attained by this
modification of the Invention, to wit, the gradually increasing resistance of the
weight to the action of the operator.
Another feature of the Invention consists in the use of a simple trigger attach-
ment to the lever which, when the weighted bar has beeen elevated to its greatest
hight, reaches and acts upon a hammer, and causes the same to strike an alarm or
gong.
A further feature of this Invention has reference to the construction of tho
adjustable weight on the bar, being made in the form of a cross bar, riding and
being adjustable thereon, and which can be fastened thereto by a suitable set screw.
The ends of this weight are made hollow so that they may be more or less filled
with additional weight or emptied as may be desired, the cavities being closed by
suitable gates. An additional weight may be placed on the bar whenever desired,
and on any suitable part thereof. The end of the draft chain or rope connects with
the handle by passing through an aperture into a small chamber, which is closed at
one side by a pivoted latch, and at the front by another latch, the chain locking
over a lug that projects into the chamber; by this means the chain is firmly secured.
For additional security a set screw may be applied through the latch against
the chain.
The shank of the handle is made in two parts, which are connected by a screw or
analogous device, such as a ratchet, so that the length of the handle may be re-
gulated to suit taller or shorter persons. A scale may be formed on one of the
parts of the handle to allow accurate adjustment. The single handle is made with
adjustable rings, working on a scale, so that they may be placed exactly as
far apart as the operator requires them, and always equidistant from the middle of
the handle.
The two apparatus described in the foregoing Specification may be combined into
one by uniting the same equalizer bar by one chain, with a segmental lever, as first
described, and by another chain with a compound lever, the operator throwing either
chain out of action according to his pleasure.