Improvements in Apparatus for Therapeutic, Gymnastic, and Orthopedic Purposes, and for Measuring the Amount of Human Force Exerted.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd June, 1898-Accepted, 12th Nov., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Therapeutic, Gymnastic, and
Orthopedic Purposes, and for Measuring the Amount of
Human Force Exerted.
I, RUDOLF FUNKE, of No. 499, Prague II, in the Kingdom of Bohemia and Austrian
Empire, Doctor of Medicine, 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 :-
Apparatus for the systematic exercise of the human body for the purpose of regular
adjustable movements in order to assist assimilation to train and increase physical
and moral strength, to remedy chronic disease in the organs of motion or to correct
deformation of the frame exists in great varieties. However such apparatus which answers
effectively the purpose for which it is designed is very expensive and is not applicable
for any other purposes, or for other parts of the body. There is also a great variety of
simple and cheap apparatus designed to be applicable for various purposes, but
such apparatus does not permit the determination of the amount of force to be exerted
independent of the will of the person using the apparatus in a manner which is free
from objection and permitting a systematic increase of the effort. In consequence
the object sought to be attained is only partially attained. A further disadvantage of
such apparatus is that india rubber or other elastic material is used therein and that
therefore the resistance cannot be determined or maintained uniformly.
This invention consists of apparatus designed to remedy the above disadvantages
and to be applicable for all above mentioned purposes. It is constructed so that it
may be used for any or all parts of the body and the exercises may be combined, and
regulated as to amount of effort required, in such a manner that the effort to be
made is independent of the will of the person exercising, and of other circumstances
which may affect the resistance to the effort in course of time.
This apparatus is characterised by its adaptability to a great number of hygienic
purposes; by rendering it possible to exercise the various parts of the body either
separately or together; by adjsutability of the amount of effort to be required, inde-
pendently of the will of the person exercising, avoiding material subject to deteriora-
tion, and by measuring the effort or force used.
In order that this invention may be the better understood I now proceed to describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures
marked thereon.
The apparatus consists of a foundation board a on which are arranged, by means
of a foot plate b, two supports d with bearings c. A bar e, which is perforated is
inserted into these bearings and has an adjusting screw f. One of the bearing ends
of the bar e is formed rectangular, at g, adapted to receive, a hand crank h, a handlez,
or a foot bar c¹, which are attached by means of an attachment screw i to 'the rect-
angular piece g.
A rod having holes is placed through the perforation of the bar e and is fixed
in the latter by the adjusting screw f in any desired position as hereafter described.
The holes of the rod serve for fixing the latter in the bar e by means of the

page_text: heights can be used for the simultaneous exercise of the upper and lower
extremities.
Further a handle s or t may be attached at each end of the rod l, to allow of two
persons practising simultaneously.
By the application of a dynamometer D, Figures 1 and 4, the amount of effort or
work done can be indicated directly, or it may be previously determined with the
help of tables.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. A universal apparatus for exercising the human body either in parts, or wholly,
for therapeutic, gymnastic and orthopedic purposes, consisting of two supports d,
having bearings c, and arranged on a foot plate b, and a hollow bar e, in which is
fixed a rod with holes by means of a screw f, the rod being weighted by
running weights m m¹ according to the purpose for which the apparatus is to be
used.
2nd. In apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 the arrangement of handles z ta or a
saddle v, or a stirrup u, or a strap w, or a foot-bandage b provided with rings a in
order to exercise the various extremities or parts of the body in striking, lifting
or swinging movements according to requirement.
3rd. In apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 the elongation of one end of the bar e in
the form of a rectangular piece g adapted to receive a hand crank h, a handle 2, or a
foot bar cl, Figure 8, which are fixed thereto by means of a thumb screw or equivalent
means, in order to practise systematically various turning movements of the body or
its parts.
4th. In apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 the arrangement of a safety strap g,
attached by means of an adjustable loop p and a screw o to the rod and to the
holt respectively, and closed by a lock to prevent the weighted rod falling too low
suddenly.
5th. In apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 the use of a dynamometer D in order to
indicate or determine the effort or force of the lift or pull or similar movement,
Figures 1 and 4.
6th. In the arrangement as claimed in Claim 3, the arrangement of a stirrup n on
the crank h by means of a rope or a rod d¹ in order to practice stepping or treadle
movements.