An Improved Portable Convertible Gymnastic Apparatus, Scoring Tent, Hammock-sling, and High-fly.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 17th May, 1889-Accepted, 27th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Portable Convertible Gymnastic Apparatus, Scoring
Tent, Hammock-sling, and High-fly.
I JAMES MCHARDY of Dollar N.B. Scientific Export do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention which has for its object the construction of a complete gymnastic
apparatus which shall be easily erected or removed, and shall be capable of being
changed into a tent, a hammock-sling, and High-Fly is constructed by a suitable
combination of the following parts, viz., Sole-plates, to form the base of the contrivance.
Poles, capable of being fitted to the sole-plates in any suitable manner, (but prefer-
ably by screwing into the sole-plates) so as to form one or more triangles upon each
of the said solo-plates.
Bolts, or other suitable fastenings for the apex of each triangle, gymnastic bars,
provided with bolts or other suitable fastenings, at their ends, capable of being fixed, either
at the apex of the triangle, or at any other point on the poles which form the triangles.
Suitable Eye-bolts, or loop-nuts into which, stay-ropes may be tied, if necessary.
A ratchet, or other suitablo strainer, for tightening the stay-ropes if used.
A transverse base and extra poles or rods if stay-ropes be discarded.
Oars or parts of oars for rowing, sculling, or feathering exercise.
Pneumatic and other springs, or weights capable of being attached so as to give the
resistance required for rowing, sculling, &c., and for dumb-bell exercise.
One or several rowing seats, either fixed or sliding in any suitable manner, capable
of being attached to the main contrivance.
Frames for Trapeze exercise, so arranged as to dispense with weights by moans of
springs.
A ladder with attachments, capable of being fixed in various positions. And Tent-
covers with fastenings, suitably fitting the other parts.
The principal combinations of which these parts aro capable are as follows, viz. ;
Two triangles, formed by fixing the poles to the sole-plates, may be placed in a
parallel position and joined, by a gymnastic har having an inserted bolt at each
end (or other suitable fastening) capable of receiving a stay-rope.
Thus a simple gymnastic bar may be erected so as to be perfectly rigid in tho
direction of the sole-plates and capable of being made equally rigid in the transverse
direction by means of stays.
By the same arrangement, having substituted a suitable fixing at the apex of each
triangle, to retain the stays, the gymnastic bar may be removed from the apex,
and parallel bars may be fixed to the poles forming the triangle, at any convenient
distance from the apex. This is the simplest and cheapest combination of parts.
If, however, a pair of triangles be erected on each of the beforementioned sole-
plates (i.e. if the last described combination be duplicated) it shall be possible to
procure two gymnastic bars and two sets of parallel bars; and, by fixing the ladder
to the two gymnastic bars the horizontal ladder-exercise is procured.
To the ladder-steps, rings with suitable fastenings may be attached, for ring-
exercise; or, the ladder may be removed and the trapeze-frames (with a spring to
hold them, each in the direction of the other) may be clipped on to the gymnastic
bars. Tent covers may be made to stretch over one or both triangles, (together or
separately) and hammocks may be slung either between the gymnastic bars, or
(transversely) from the stays.
The gymnastic bars may be fixed at a suitable distance from the sole-plates to render
it possible to attach springs, in such a manner as to give most or all of the dumb-
bell exercises ;
or a suitable rowing seat may be attached to the sole-plates, and
the springs or weights so arranged, that perfect rowing exercise may be accomplished.

page_text: For this purpose it may be necessary to construct pneumatic springs which shal
offer a gradually oscaping resistance to the stroke, but little or no resistance to
the return, (which I shall carry out by means of a kind of air-pump with an
adjustable escapement, either by the compressing of air alone or by vacuum in
coinbination with water).
The oars or oar-handles shall be in such a bearing as may be readily attached to the
poles of the apparatus and the seat may be framed either with or separato from an
adjustable foot-board.
The single-oar sculling or feathering exercise may be procured, by fixing the
oar-handle-bearing to a transverse bar, and attaching two pneumatic springs at
suitable angles to the oar-handle and the poles of the triangles; and a suitable
indicator may be provided to show the operator when he has got the exact turn
of the wrist for feathering.
N.B. Transverse rods with right and left screws (or their equivalents) may sorve
the purpose of holding the sole-plates in position; and pulleys may be introduced if
found necessary.
The complete form of this invention will include all the foregoing combinations,
but, having four of the poles of double the ordinary length so as to form a third,
(upper), triangle with the apexes of the lower triangles at its base, will give several
additional combinations. For example, a rope attached to the gymnastic bar at the
highest point, will give the hand-over-hand, or other climbing exercise: or, the
ladder attached to the same bar may be made to give the vertical ladder-exercise ;
or, the ladder may be fixed to the sides of the upper triangles, (in the transverse
position) so as to give the ring-exercise &c. on a higher level.
:
A swing carriage or high-fly may be attached to any of the gymnastic bars and a
tent cover may be made so as to fit any of the triangles at pleasure.
As a matter of course the staying of the apparatus may be at the apex of each or
any of the triangles.
I
propose to screw the poles into the sole-plates and fix the apex of each triangle
with a bolt or wood-screw, but I do not confine myself to this or any fixing, my
objects being rigidity, variety, and portability.
As all the parts are detachable, the whole contrivance may be made to pack up in a
single box.
Dated this 2nd day of Amount 1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Portable_Convertible Gymnastic Apparatus, Scoring-
tent, Hammock-sling, and High-fly.
I JAMES MCHARDY of Dollar N.B. Scientific Expert 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:-
This invention, which has for its object the construction of a complete gymnastic
apparatus, capable of being easily erected or removed, and convertible into a tent,
hammock-sling &c. is put into practice in the following manner.
Longitudinal sole-plates, of wood or other material, of any suitable length, are
provided with holes at various points, so that, forming in themselves the base of a
triangle or triangles, they are capable of receiving and retaining the sides of such
triangles. The sides of such triangles are threaded at the lower ends, and screw into
the sole-plates; or, the sides of such triangles are provided with hooks which lock
them into suitable eyes on the sole-plates; or, the parts may be joined to the base or
sole-plates in any suitable manner; or,
The sole-plates and sides of the triangles are so hinged to each other, that they fold
up like the blades of a knife. The sides are provided with several holes for adjusting
the height of the gymnastic bars,

page_text: I do not confine myself to hingeing the parts, as the advantage is gained by the
sole-plate.
A gymnastic bar, reduced at each end, and provided with a wooden nut, forms, in
itself, a sufficient fastening for the apex of the triangle, but any suitable fastening may
be used, such as, a metal eye-bolt, or a rainshorn nut.
As the sole-plates give longitudinal rigidity, so also, stay-ropes fixed or tied, in any
suitable manner, to the upper part of the triangles, and strained to fixed points, in the
transverse direction, prevent oscillation, and retain the apparatus in a workable
position. As a matter of course, the required steadiness may be procured by supplying
à transvorse base, rigid with the longitudinal sole-plates and rods or ropes will be
suitable as stays.
The simplest form of this invention consists of the above mentioned triangles with
a gymnastic bar, stay-ropes, a swing which may be attached in any suitable manner,
and a tent-cover which fits over the whole erection. The hammock, in this case, is
slung from the stays through below the apex of the triangles, in the transverso direction.
Another, and more varied form is procured by erecting two triangles upon each of
the sole-plates. These triangles are fixed as before by the horizontal bars. The
frame thus procured, forms, in a manner a duplicate of the first combination, before
described. Having thus procured two horizontal-har-positions, a ladder is easily fixed
to the horizontal bars. This I prefer to do by means of bolts with rounded ends
which hook on to the said bars and cramp the ladder in position by ramshorn nuts,
which are screwed down upon clamps that grip the ladder transversely.
The trapeze-frames consist of sides, held together by small gymnastic bars with nuts
at their ends, either in wood or metal, or by right and left screws; and these may be
clipped on to the horizontal bars by means of spring hooks; or, the sides of the
trapeze frames may be provided with a row of transverse holes, corresponding to
another such series of boles in the ladder, so that the said trapeze-frames may be
hinged on to the said ladder at any height or distance apart, convenient for the
gymnast. In this case a ring-bolt (with a split pin) passed through the trapeze-frame
and the ladder, forms the required hinge.
The trapeze-frames are provided with suitable springs which incline them one to
another. Those springs fulfil the office of the weights generally placed above trapeze-
frames, for a like purpose.
The High-fly consists of a board, or boat-like contrivance provided with cords which
suspend it, attached to the bars of the trapeze-frames. By this means the operator is
enabled to recline upon his back and swing himself by grasping the trapeze-bar abovo
his head.
The Rings are provided with cords which take the rungs of the ladder, if ring
exercise be required; and it is obvious that any of the ordinary gymnastic appliances
may be readily attached to the frame; such for example, as, parallel bars &c. &c.
The Rowing and Sculling exercise inay be applied in any of the ordinary ways, but
I claim for this, especially the application of a pneumatic or vacuum spring.
The pneumatic spring is constructed simply like an air-pump inverted. A cylinder
is provided with such valves and parts as shall admit of the following conditions ;
viz., Easy return-action-regulable resistance. The parts necessary, are, a cylinder,
a piston-rod, a piston with a valve on the inner side, and a cylinder-cap with adjustable
escape valve.
The piston-rod is connected directly, or indirectly, with the oar-handles. In
making the return stroke, the piston valve opens and allows air, to enter freely into
the cylinder; but whenever the operator pulls, the air in the cylinder becomes an
elastic, and gradually escaping resistance, exactly like water on a boatsman's
oar.
:
The cylinder is closed at the piston-rod end, but is provided with the said escapement
which may be regulated at pleasure. If vacuum he used, the same perfection is
is obtainable in this case a cylinder is provided with a valve at a convenient point.
The cylinder has a closed end. The valve shall open freely in the downward direction
but shall close to pressure in the upward direction: a piston working in the cylinder,

page_text: above the said valve will close the valve when drawn up and the resistance offered to
the stroke will be easily regulated by a valve or stop-cock admitting air to the cylinder:
or, the same effect may be produced in a cheaper form thus; provide a cylinder
closed at the lower end-Into this cylinder a roughly fitting plunger with a valve (like
a water-pump valve) is mado to work by the movement of the oar-handles. The
cylinder is partly filled with water. When the oarsman pulls, he lifts the water which
is above the plunger and a vacuum is produced at the bottom of the cylinder. This
is a cheap construction whereby water is substituted for expensive fitting.
These air springs according to the position in which they are attached to the
apparatus may be used for all kinds of oarsman's exercise.
The rowing seat may be exactly similar to that of an ordinary boat with, transverse
bars or bearings to take the sole-plates of the apparatus for fixing-But, where it is
desirable to have the sliding seat, the transverse bars beforementioned shall be
supplanted by transverse axles with wheels to run upon the sole-plates as if these were
rails.
When desirable, the outer sides of the two pairs of triangles may be made of
such a length as to meet at a much greater height, and so, form one large trianglo
with two smaller triangles contained in it. Three horizontal-bar-positions with their
local variations and now varieties, such as hand over hand climbing, vertical-ladder
exercise &c. &c. are thus obtained.
The hammock may be slung in many ways, upon the complete apparatus, and the
tents may be varied according to taste.
By fixing the gymnastic bars breast-high, they will be capable of receiving springs
for dumb-bell exercise.
The accompanying drawings set forth the principal details of this invention, but, as
a matter of course many other varieties may be produced by the interchangeable parts.
Fig. I
ground plan or position of sole plates.
1, 2, 3, 4.
-
=
Points at which the sides may be fixed in any manner whatsoever; or,
the sides may be bolted to the solo plates at or about the said points by transverse
bolts, which will admit of their being folded like the blades of a knife, without being
detached.
a, a.
= Cross pieces which serve to bind or hold the sole-plates in the parallel
position, when necessary. As a rule these pieces are unnecessary and where a trans-
verse base is introduced they are supplanted by such base. Neither the transverse
base nor the cross-pieces form any part of the invention.
Fig. II.
5, 6.
=
-
Side view of one triangle consisting of
Sides joined to.
1, 2, 3, 4. =
the sole plate.
7. The apex of the triangle through which the bolt is entered for fixing the
triangle.
Fig. III.
8. =
=
End view of two triangles joined by the insertion of
the horizontal bar each end of which is provided with a bolt and nut.
The points of fixture by the said bolts and nuts.
Stay-ropes to which may be attached the cords of
=
9, 10. =
C, C.
11, 12.
the hammock (dotted lines). The hammock is thus slung through the
triangles in the transverse direction.
Fig. 1V. =
End view of tent which is made to fit over the triangles and horizontal
bar as shown in Fig. III.
9, 10.
=
=
The ridge of the tent supported by the bar.
1
1, 2, 3, 4. The base of the tent distended by the sides of the triangles.
Fig. V. =Side elevation of more complete apparatus.
1, 2, 3, 4.
drawing.
9, 10. =
a, a. =
described.
=
Sole-plates, long enough to receive two triangles, as suggested by the
The apex of the triangle joined by the bar.
A ladder, resting upon, and fastened to the horizontal bars, as hereinbefore
b, c = Trapeze frames which may be clipped on to the bars; or, hinged on to the

page_text: ader a, a. by means of an axie or eye-bolt and a split pin. As suggested these
ramnes have several holes by which the height may be regulated. The ladder has a
imilar series of transverse holes, for adjusting the distance between the trapeze frames.
e. == Representation of the spring action which supplants weights for holding the
rapeze bars in position. The arrow points indicate the inclination of the frames, the
ower ends of which spring in the direction of each other.
The frames, b, c, being detachable, are also used to form supports for parallel bars,
s suggested. In this case the sides, b, c, are fixed to the sole plates and the sides of
he triangles by bolts, or suitable clips.
The High Av or Boat-swing suspended by cords. (the dotted lines) from the
dder a, a. by means of an axie or
a spre pi
frames have several holes by which the height may be regulated. The ladder has a
similar series of transverse holes, for adjusting the distance between the trapeze frames.
e. = Representation of the spring action which supplants weights for holding the
trapeze bars in position. The arrow points indicate the inclination of the frames, the
lower ends of which spring in the direction of each other.
The frames, b, c, being detachable, are also used to form supports for parallel bars,
as suggested. In this case the sides, b, c, are fixed to the solo plates and the sides of
the triangles by bolts, or suitable clips.
– The High Aly or Boat-swing suspended by cords. (the dotted lines) from the
trapeze frames, b. c.
Fig. VI.
=
Pneumatic spring for rowing attachment.
A = A cylinder, open at the lower end.
1, 2.
3.
==
=
Piston, fitting A.
A valve, opening upwards, and admitting air, freely, in the direction of the
arrow point.
4
5
6, 7,
A =
Piston-rod attachment for rowing apparatus.
Escapement, consisting of a cone, held in position by any suitable means.
Cylinder cover, or cap.
=
Fig. VII. == Vacuum and water-packed spring for rowing attachment.
Cylinder closed at the lower end, and capable of containing water.
1, 2, Piston, similar in action to that in Fig. VI, but fitting the cylinder very
loosely.
-
If there be water in the lower part of this cylinder, the loose piston goes to the
bottom freely, as the water passes through the valve. On pulling it up, however, the
resistance of vacuum is presented until the water has passed down by the edges of
the piston.
Fig. VILL
=
The complete form of the apparatus.
N.B. The numerals correspond with those in Fig. V.
1 & 4 x = Sides of such a length as to meet, and thus inclose the smaller
triangles.
x=
A third horizontal bar, which affords a support for rope-ladder and other
extended exorcises.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is;
1. The sole-plates (particularly described herein) used in the construction of port-
able triangles, as applied to a gymnastic apparatus, a tent, or a hammock-sling.
2. The combination of a gymnastic apparatus and tent.
3. The combination of a gymnastic apparatus and hammock-sling.
4. The combination of a tent and hammock sling.
5. The High-Fly, as particularly herein set forth.
6. Pneumatic or vacuum springs in connexion with artificial boating exercises.
ML... 1980
JAMES MCHARDY.