Improvements in Gymnastic Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: We, JACQUES HAPPEL and ALBERT HAPPEL, both of 132, Avenue des Arts,
Anvers, Belgium, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to elastic gymnastic apparatus suitable for the execution
of gymnastic exercises of all kinds, and the graduation of these exercises, whereby
accidents inherent to the heavy iron handles and rollers of apparatus of the same
kind hitherto employed may be avoided.
The improved apparatus comprises an elastic cord, made of elastic tissue and
threads, of suitable length and diameter, and at each of the extremities of which
is fixed an eyelet or hook of steel wire, made of numerous fine wires which are
intertwined with the tissue and with the fine threads of the cord, the parts where
connected being bound securely together.
To one of these eyelets or hooks, is secured by a slip knot. or the like, a flexible
band which constitutes the working handle of the apparatus, and to the other
eyelet or hook is similarly secured another like band forming the loop of attach-
ment of the elastic cord to the means to which it is connected.
The cord taken at its whole length may serve for gymnastic exercises for weak
persons, persons of less strength and persons gifted with considerable power; to
this effect, three sizes or kinds of such elastic cords of relative increasing resis-
tance are used.
:
The same elastic cord can serve for easy exercises, in which case a single cord
is used and for moderate exercises, in which the cord is doubled, the slip knot
or the like of the handle being placed round two ends of the folded cord and the
free end of the handle passed between the two cords, above the knot, then the
same is done under the knot; and also for hard exercises, in which case the cord
can also be tripled.
Improvements in Gymnastic Apparatus.
We, JACQUES HAPPEL and ALBERT HAPPEL, both of 132, Avenue des, Arts,
Antwerp, Belgium, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
annanatura and is

page_text: characterized by elastic cords which allow the execution of exercises of all kinds
and the graduation of these exercises, avoid the liability of accidents inherent to
the use of the heavy iron handles and rollers of the Brutweiter and other known
health exercisers, and are capable of attachment to the different members of the
body.
On the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1, represents one of the two ends of an elastic cord provided with an
eye at each end; ·
Fig. 2, represents the cord broken, showing its two ends, the one of which is
provided with a handle, and the other with an attachment loop;
Figs. 3, and 4, represent the manner of attaching the handle and the attach-
ment loop to the eyes of the cord;
Figs. 5, represent the manner of attaching the elastic cord to the head;
Figs. 6, represent the manner of attaching the cord to the foot;
Figs. 7, to 11, represent the successive operations to be performed for pre-
paring the cord so that one can work simultaneously with the hand and the foot:
Fig. 12, represents a single cord.
Fig. 13, represents a doubled cord; and
Fig. 14, represents the same cord tripled.
a, represents the cord (say of 140 c/m length and from 6 to 9 m/m diameter,)
made of fibrous tissue and elastic threads; b, b, (Figs. 1, and. 2,) are eyes each of
which is secured to or made at one of the extremities of the elastic cord; these
eyes are made of steel wire (say, of 2 m/m diameter,) and are composed of fine
wires which are intertwined, for the attachment of the eyes to the cord, in the
tissue and threads of the latter and are securely held in position by being bound
at e. Through one of the eyes, b, is passed a band, c, secured by a slip-knot to
said eye (Fig. 2); this band, c, constitutes the working handle of the elastic
cord; to the other eye, b, is secured, in like manner, a band, d, which constitutes
the attachment loop of the cord. There is thus obtained, for the handle, a loop
which can be seized by the hand, with all or any of the fingers, or even by passing
it around the wrist and between the thumb and index finger, or can be placed
around any member; Figs. 5, and 6, showing the manner of placing it around
the head or the foot.
If it is desired to exercise with the hand and the foot simultaneously, a handle, c,
is threaded through the two eyes of the same cord, a, by a slip-knot, then,
around the top of the loop thus formed, is attached a loop or band, d, by means
of a slip-knot (Figs. and 8,); to prevent this knot from slipping, the free loop
of the band is passed between the two members of the double cord above the
knot (Fig. 9,) and is then passed below the knot through the loop of the cord
(Fig. 10,); and is then tightened (Fig. 11,); when the cord will be ready for
the aforementioned use.
For the graduation of exercises, three numbers or sizes of cords of different
resistances are used, one for weak, persons, another for moderately strong persons,
and another for strong persons.
With any of the above cords, the series of exercises may be made easy by using
the single cord, moderate by using the doubled cord, and hard by using the
tripled cord. Figs. 12, 13, and 14. represent respectively the three aforesaid
ways in which the cord may be used.
The elastic cords above described can be used for the exercise of all members
of the body, and these exercises may be varied at will, by the movements of the
arms, legs and head, and also by the simultaneous movements of two or more
members at a time; they may be used for imitating certain sports from a practice
or exercise point of view; for example, rowing can be imitated; for this purpose
the gymnast should sit on a low seat, with his legs stretched out and his feet
placed against a suitable stop; by alternatively drawing and relaxing the cord,
which he should hold by a handle and which is secured by its loop to a suitable
hook, he performs the same work or exercise as that of a rower.

page_text: The elastic cords may be used anywhere in rooms, in the garden, in the gym-
nasium and in the country or fields. In a room, the cords may be attached to
a door or door frame, in which are screwed six hooks; two at the bottom, two
at the middle and two at the height of the extended arms; in the gymnasium,
the cords may be attached to bars or posts, in the garden or in the country, they
may be attached by a string to a tree, a gate, a post or a hedge.
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
1. An elastic cord, for use in performing gymnastic exercises, capable of
being attached to any one of the members of the body or to several at the same
time, allowing the performance of all kinds of exercises, characterized by a cord
made up of fibrous tissue and elastic threads, by two eyes of steel wire respec-
tively secured to one of the ends of the cord by being bound around, by a work-
ing handle secured by a slip-knot to one of the said eyes and by an attachment
loop secured in like manner to the other eye, as set forth.
2. In an elastic cord as in Claim 1, the arrangement of the cord in a single
manner, or doubled or trebled, with the object of fitting it for use for easy,
moderate or hard exercises, and for graduating the said exercises, as set forth.
3. An elastic cord designed for gymnastic exercises and formed and adapted
as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1900.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.