A IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GYMNASTIC EXERCISES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Washington Bacon, of No. 48, Paternoster
Row, in the City of London, Publisher, for the Invention of "A
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GYMNASTIC EXERCISES."-Partly a communication
from abroad by Edwin Faxon Bacon, of New York City, United States
of America.
Sealed the 20th April 1866, and dated the 26th October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Washington
Bacon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 26th October 1865.
I, GEORGE WASHINGTON BACON, of No. 48, Paternoster Row, in the City
of London, Publisher, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GYMNASTIC EXERCISES," partly a communication,
to be as follows:-
The object of the said Invention is the construction of a light, portable, and
cheap apparatus upon which a great variety of gymnastic exercises can be.
performed, the said apparatus being particularly adapted for use in dwelling

page_text: houses, ships, and other structures where great space cannot conveniently be
obtained. The apparatus consists chiefly in two hand rings and stirrups
suspended by straps or cords from hooks fixed in a joist or other strong por-
tion of the ceiling. The said straps or cords are arranged about eighteen
inches apart, and are made capable of vertical adjustment in order to regulate
the height of the hand rings and stirrups from the ceiling and floor, or to alter
the distance between said rings and stirrups according to the nature of the
exercise being performed. The suspending hooks are of iron or steel of
sufficient strength to support safely the strain they will have to bear during
the performance of the various exercises. The said hooks are firmly screwed
or otherwise securely fastened to the joist in any convenient position in the
room. When leather straps or bands are employed they are secured to the
band rings by means of buckles, the other end of each of the said straps being
provided with a metal T-piece. The strap is pierced with holes at equal
distances apart, and being passed over the suspending hook the T-piece is
inserted into one of these holes, thereby holding the apparatus firmly in the
required position. By changing the hole in which the T-piece is inserted the
distance of the hand ring is increased or diminished, and when it is required
to bring said hand rings very close to the ceiling, the end of the strap after
being passed over the suspending hook is brought down again and passed
through the hand ring, and the T-piece is then pushed through the double
thickness of strap above the said ring. The strap by which the stirrup is
suspended from the hand ring is also attached, thereto by means of a buckle,
and provided with a T-piece at its lower end, by which its length can be
lated in the same manner as described for the upper strap connecting the
apparatus to the suspending hook. The distance between the holes in the
lower strap is less than that between the holes in the upper strap, so that a
greater nicety of adjustment for the stirrup is obtained. As by lowering the
upper strap one hole and raising the lower strap one hole the stirrup would
only be lowered for a distance equal to half the difference between the distance
of the holes of the upper and lower straps. Instead of leather straps, bands
of webbing or other suitable material may be used, and in this case the holes
fer adjustment are provided with eyes of brass or other suitable material, and
instead of a T-piece the end of the band is supplied with a hook which is
inserted into each one of said eyes as required, the hand ring being attached
to the bands by a buckle as already described. Or instead of straps or bands
with holes for adjustment, the rings and stirrups may be suspended by cords
or lines having knots formed thereon at regular distances apart, and provided
regu-

page_text: at the ends with forked hooks or claws, which are made to take hold upon the
knots and so sustain the rings and stirrups in the required position. Or these
knotted ropes may be taken over the suspending hooks and over additional
hooks fixed at the side of the said suspending hook and secured to holders
fixed in the wall, the vertical position of the apparatus being altered by
changing the knots in the said holders. To perform some of the exercises it
will be necessary to increase the distance between the two bands or cords from
eighteen inches to about three feet. For this purpose extra hooks are
provided, fixed in the joist near the wall or at any convenient distance on
each side of the other hook, an additional cord is attached to each of the hand
rings and passed over the extra hooks. The cords are provided with knots,
by which they are attached to holders fixed in any convenient position in the
wall, and the distance between the hand rings is regulated by changing the
knots in the holders, or the cords may be simply attached to the extra hooks
in any convenient manner. Instead of these extra side cords for regulating
the distance between the two hand rings, I employ a cross bar formed of hard
wood or other suitable material, whose ends are provided with metal points for
insertion into the holes in the straps. This bar is inserted horizontally
between the two straps, and holds the apparatus in the position required.
Where greater space under this cross bar is necessary I make the said bar in
the form of an arch, and support it by the suspending hooks. The hand rings
may be of iron, brass, hard wood, or other suitable material covered with
leather, velvet, or other soft substance to prevent injury to the hand. The
straps may be embossed or otherwise ornamented, and may be of various
colours, with any desired pattern or figure formed thereon. The stirrups,.
buckles, and hooks are of brass, iron, or steel, well polished, and securely
fastened in their respective positions on the straps or cords. The suspending
hooks may be suitably ornamented, and are easily taken down when required.
A very limited space is sufficient for the use of the apparatus, upon which a
great variety of exercises, including all those of the ordinary gymnasium, can
be performed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Washington Bacon in the Great Seal Patent Office:
on the 26th April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WASHINGTON BACON, of No. 48, Paternoster Row, in the City of London,
Publisher, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of.
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said George Washington Bacon, Her special licence that I, the said.
George Washington Bacon, iny executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said George Washington Bacon, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and.
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GYMNASTIC EXERCISES," partly a
communication, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Washington Bacon, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in.
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date.
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Washington Bacon, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings making a part of this Specification:-
The object of the said Invention is the construction of a light, portable, and
cheap apparatus upon which a great variety of gymnastic exercises · can
be performed, the said apparatus being particularly adapted for use in dwelling
houses, ships, and other structures where great space cannot conveniently be ob-
tained. The apparatus consists chiefly in the use of and mode of adjusting two
hand rings and stirrups suspended by straps or cords from hooks fixed in a joist
or other strong portion of the ceiling. The said straps or cords are arranged about

page_text: eighteen inches apart, and are made capable of vertical adjustment in order to
regulate the height of the hand rings and stirrups from the ceiling and floor;
and to alter the distance between the rings and the stirrups according to tho
height of the performer or to the nature of the exercise being performed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents the apparatus in use; Figures 2 and 3 are front and
edge views of one of the straps or bands supporting the hand rings; Figures
4, 5, and 6 represent a suspending link; Figures 7 and 8 represent a sus-
pending link of a modified form; Figures 9, 10, and 11 represent one of the
buckles employed in securing the straps; Figures 12 and 13 represent a
buckle of modified form; Figure 14 represents the apparatus adjusted for
exercises with a trapeze bar; Figures 15, 16, and 17 represent the links for
connecting the said bar with the straps; Figures 18 and 19 illustrate the
method employed to combine the advantages of a flat strap or band with those
of a rope or cord; Figures 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24 represent other methods
of accomplishing the same object; Figure 25 represents the apparatus used
as a swing for children."
The suspending hooks A, Figure 1, are formed of iron or steel of sufficient
strength to withstand the strain to which they may be subjected during the
performance of the various exercises. These books are firmly. secured to the
joists B or other strong portion of the ceiling. The straps or bands C, shewn
in several Figures, are made of leather, webbing, or other suitable material.
The upper straps are attached to the hooks A by means of the connecting
links a, Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. The links a are made of iron, brass, or.
other suitable metal, and of any convenient shape; they are formed to admit
their free movement in any direction upon the hooks A. These links are pro-
vided with a shank a, Figures 4, 5, and 6, or with two openings b and c,
Figures 7 and 8, for the purpose of preventing the said straps wearing by the
friction between the surfaces of the straps and links, which would otherwise be
caused by the swinging of said straps. The straps or bands C are secured to
the hand rings E by means of buckles D); the said buckles D resemble somc-
what in construction the ordinary buckle, but the mode of using these buckles
is peculiar to my improved apparatus. One end of the strap C is secured to
the part d of the buckle frame instead of the usual method of securing the.
strap to the side to which the tong is attached. The lower end of the strap C
with the buckle D attached is passed through the ring E. A loop of said.
strap is then passed through the frame of the buckle D and over the tong or
bar d. The width of the bär d¹ is so proportioned to the inside width of the

page_text: buckle frame that when the bar d¹ is shut down upon the frame of the buckle
the strap is firmly held between the said bar and frame when weight is
applied to the rings E. This construction and arrangenient prevents the
accidental slipping of the buckles D upon the straps C without preventing
their ready and convenient adjustment by simply raising the tong or bar d
when the weight is removed from the rings. The mode of constructing the
said buckles also enables the strap to be inserted therein without drawing its
end through, as is the case with ordinary buckles. On the other end of the
straps. C is secured in any convenient manner a T-piece e, as represented in
Figures 2 and 3. The said straps are pierced with holes e¹ at frequent and
equal distances apart. The said T-piece is passed through the lower eye
of the connecting link a; this T-piece is inserted in any one of the holes e¹,
according to the required height of the ring, and the apparatus thereby held.
securely in position during the performance of the exercises.
When wooden rings are used, in order to ensure great strength a thin
strip of wood is wound around a cylinder of the proper size in parallel
layers, one above another. The layers are glued together as the strip is wound.
around, and the number of layers required are made to give the required strength.
and thickness to the ring. The strips employed may be of sufficient width to be
sawed down separate rings. The rings are turned to give them the required shape.
and smoothness.
If the rings are made of metal, I prefer to cast them in two halves or
sections which are rivetted or soldered together; or the two sections may be
formed by stamping with a die and united by rivetting or other suitable
means. The height of the rings E may be adjusted either by changing the
T-pieces from one hole to another, or by sliding the buckles up or down upon
the straps. When it is required to bring the rings E close to the suspending.
hooks, the end of the upper straps C, after being passed through the eye of
the connecting link a, is brought down and passed a second time through
the rings E, and the T-piece is then pushed through double thickness of strap
above the said rings, the said strap being then fourfold. The lower straps C¹,
by which the stirrups F are suspended from the rings E, are also provided
with a buckle at one end and a T-piece e at the other, by which the length
of said straps may be regulated in the same manner as the upper strap C
above described. The fourfold shortening of the straps C may also be
accomplished by means of the buckle D as well as by the T-piece e, by passing
the strap a second time through the frame of said buckle and through the
ring E. The distance between the boles in the lower strap C¹ is less than
that between the holes in the upper strap, so. that a greater nicety of adjust-
'

page_text: ment for the stirrup F is obtained. As by lowering the upper strap one hole
and raising the lower strap one hole, the stirrup F would only be lowered for
a distance equal to balf the difference between the distance of the holes of
the upper and lower straps C, C'. When the buckles D are used to obtain
the fourfold shortening of the straps, and at the same time a nice adjustment
of the stirrups is required, this adjustment may be effected by raising the
T-piece of the upper strap one hole and lowering the T-piece of the lower
strap one hole, as above described. Instead of leather straps bands of
webbing or other suitable material may be used, and in this case the holes for
adjustment are provided with eyes of brass or other suitable material, and
instead of the T-piece e the end of the band is supplied with a hook, which
is inserted into any one of said eyes as required, the hand ring E being
attached to the bands by the buckle D, as already described. These hooks
and also the T-piece above described may be dispensed with by sewing one
end of the upper strap or band to the connecting link a, and by sewing one
end of the lower strap to the stirrup F. The buckle alone would then be
used for regulating the length of the strap and band. The advantage of this
method is that the forning of holes in the. straps or bands is avoided; the
disadvantage is that the straps or bands cannot be shortened to the same
degree as when the T-piece or hook is employed, as the latter can be passed
a second and third time through the ring and link, by which the rings are
raised nearer to the ceiling than when the buckles alone are employed. In
using the apparatus as a trapeze, as represented in Figure 14, the rings E and
lower straps are removed, and the bar G is attached by means of the links H'
to the upper straps. The ends of the bar are inserted in the eye g of the
said links. The link is sufficiently wide to allow the buckle D on the end of
the strap to pass through, which permits the strap to be readily connected
and disconnected with the said link. By the use of the buckle represented
in Figures 9 to 13 the apparatus can be adjusted for either gymnastic or
trapezium exercises without removing it from the suspending hooks A. The
bar G can be adjusted to any desired height by means of the said buckle D
in the same manner as the hand rings E. In applying the apparatus to
exercises with the bar the flat strap will be found inconvenient, as they cannot
be held firmly in the hand. To obviate this difficulty and yet retain the strap
of the most advantageous form for the gymnastic exercises performed with
the rings, the straps may be made tubular, as represented in Figures 18 and 19,
and are provided with cylindrical pieces I of wood or other substance to
slide up and down inside the said straps. The straps will thus remain flat,
except at the portion occupied by the cylindrical piece, which causes a short

page_text: portion of the strap to assume a round form. These pieces I can be casily
moved to the required position to suit the position of the operator, whose
hand will thus have a firm hold upon the strap. The same object is also
attained by the method illustrated in Figures 20 and 21. In this case the
ordinary flat strap is retained, and the cylindrical piece J slides up and down
outside the said strap. The strap passes through a metal slide K, which is
let in flush with the surface of the said cylindrical piece, and is provided with
the openings h in the two cross bars to admit the strap, which can be inserted
through the said openings without the necessity of passing its end through
the eye.
When the cylindrical piece J is adjusted in the required position
the operator grasps it and the strap firmly in his hand, and is thereby enabled
to obtain a firm hold upon the strap, and as long as he retains his hold thereon
the friction between the cylindrical piece, the strap, and the slide prevents
slipping. When released from the hand of the operator, the said piece can
be readily moved and adjusted to any required position. Instead of using
one cylindrical piece as above described, two semi-cylindrical pieces may be
employed, which compress the strap between them. One of these pieces is
provided with a metal eye similar to that shewn in Figures 20, 21, and the
other piece is secured by a hinge or by an elastic band.
Another method is that illustrated in Figures 22, 23, and 24, in which L
and L are two half-round taper pieces of wood or other suitable material,
united at the top by the binge M. The strap passes between these two pieces,
and is held by moving the ring N to the largest part of the pieces L, L',
which compresses them tightly together. When the said ring is moved to
the small end of the taper pieces the strap is released from pressure, and can
be adjusted as desired. The projection O is provided to cause the necessary
friction between the strap C and the pieces L, L'.
The same purpose may be accomplished by various other arrangements,
the object being to combine the advantages of a round rope or cord with those
of a flat strap or band.
Though the straps or bands for sustaining the rings and stirrups have
been found in practice most convenient and sightly, and are therefore prefer-
able, ropes or cords may be employed. These ropes may have knots formed
thereon at regular distances apart, and provided at the end with forked hooks.
or claws.
These ropes pass over these suspending hooks or through suitable
eyes in the links, and the claws upon the end take hold of the knots, thus
retaining the rings E and stirrups F in any required position. Or these
knotted ropes may be taken over the suspending hooks, and over additional
hooks fixed at. the side of the said suspending hook, and may be secured to

page_text: holders fixed in the wall, the vertical position of the apparatus being altered
by changing the knots in the said holders. To performe some exercises it will
be more convenient to increase the distance between the two bands or cords
from eighteen inches to about three feet. For this purpose extra hooks are pro-
vided fixed in the joist near the wall, or at any convenient distance on each side
of the other hooks. An additional cord is attached to each of the hand
rings E, and passed over the extra hooks. These extra cords are provided
with knots by which they are attached to holders fixed in any convenient
position in the wall, and the distance between the hand rings is regulated by
changing the knots in these holders, or the cords may be simply attached to
the extra hooks in any convenient manner. Instead of these extra side cords
for increasing the distance between the two hand rings, a cross bar may be
employed formed of hard wood or other suitable material, whose ends are
provided with metal points for insertion into the holes in the straps. This
bar is inserted horizontally between the two straps, and holds the apparatus
in the position required. Where greater space under this cross bar is
necessary I make the said bar in the form of an arch, and support it in the
suspending hooks A.
The apparatus may also be converted into a swing for children by simply
attaching a flat board to the stirrups F, as represented in Figure 25. The
cylindrical piece may also be used to advantage with this exercise. The
apparatus may also be further used in connection with baby jumpers,
rocking horses, nursery yachts, see-saw, and other games, amusements, and
exerciscs.
While it is not necessary or practicable without illustrations to describe the
various gymnastic exercises that may be performed upon my improved
apparatus, it may be remarked that it is adapted to all or nearly all the
exercises performed "on the bars, ladder, swing, and other apparatus of an
ordinary gymnasium. While the cost of the apparatus is completely
trifling, and from its peculiar construction the exercises may be performed in
a small room, it combines all the advantages of a public gymnasium without
any of its inconveniences; most of the exercises may be performed by ladies
without impropriety; it proves an amusement to children, and properly used
cannot fail to increase the strength of the muscles, and the vigour of both
body and mind.
Having thus fully described the said improvements, and shewn how the
same may be conveniently and advantageously used to perform the various
exercises, I wish it understood that I do not confine myself to the exact
details herein set forth and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings; but I

page_text: claim as my Invention, the employment for gymnastic apparatuses of rings
in connection with stirrups, and the modes of and means for adjustment,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Washington Bacon, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
GEORGE WASHINGTON BACON. (L.S.)
Witness,
GEORGE HASELTINE,
International Patent Office,
8, Southampton Buildings,
W.C.