An Improved Rotary Gymnastic Apparatus
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 20th May, 1898
An Improved Rotary Gymnastic Apparatus.
I, GUSTAV GRADE, of Lindenstrasse 55, Cologne, in the Empire of Germany,
Artist, 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 relates to an improved gymnastic apparatus which allows several
persons to practise gymnastics simultaneously whilst the apparatus is in rotary
movement.
Reference being made to the annexed drawing :-
A vertical shaft a rests with its under end in a conveniently arranged bearing n
and is kept in the vertical position by means of a tube b surrounding the shaft
and connected with a disks fastened on the floor by means of bolts, this tube b is
supported by the legs c and connected at the top with the floor by means of four
wires, ropes, or chains d. The shaft a ends at the top in a prismatic pin a', on
which a circular, square, or polygonal hoop r is arranged by means of an opening
corresponding with the form of the pin. In order to obtain an elastic bearing, the
pin a¹ is surrounded by a spring f enclosed in a case h displaceable on the shaft a
and pressed down with the spring when the hoop r is put on.
In many cases it will be of advantage instead of the one hoop to use two or
more cross lying or superposed or adjacent hoops, so that they can also rotate
simultaneously.
In the example of construction shown in the annexed drawing there are fixed
four gymnastic apparatus, I. II. III. IV. on the hoop r; the apparatus I. and II.
represent two devices arranged laterally from the shaft for executing drawing up,
head and hand balances, exercises with the strength of the teeth, and other
gymnastic exercises, whilst the apparatus III. shows a trapeze suspended in the
hoop just over the shaft a and the apparatus IV. shows a platform arranged above
the hoop. The devices I. and II. consist each of a pair of hollow arms supported
mutually by means of cross connections, in which hollow arms there are arranged
displaceable rods n, with handles e adjustable by means of screws m.
adjustability is required when the two devices I. and II. are used by two gymnasts
of different weight, in order to balance the equilibrium by displacing the arms
on the hoop and by adjusting the handles. When this is done the arms are fixed
on the hoop r by means of pins passing through them and through corresponding
holes in the hoop.
This
The shaft a can be turned by means of any kind of device, by the disk by means
of the chain . By means of the prismatic pin a¹ the shaft turns also all the
gymnastic devices, so that the gymnastic exercises are carried on during the rotary
movement of the whole device.
Instead of placing an opening in the hoop on the pin of the rotary shaft, one can
also provide the hoop with a pin and introduce it into a corresponding socket in
the shaft.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. An improved gymnastic apparatus adapted to turn round a vertical axis and
on which several persons can carry on gymnastic exercises at the same time
during the revolution, whereby one or more circular or polygonal frames r
connected with one another are provided with different gymnastic devices arranged
according for equilibrium and are turnable by means of a driving device by
arranging the frame on a vertical shaft a.
2. An improved gymnastic apparatus as in Claim 1 with rods in having
handles e, e, which can be adjusted on the frame r and in themselves serve for
giving equilibrium for gymnasts of different weights, and with further gymnastic
devices, which are fixed in position of equilibrium on the hoop above the shaft a.
n
3
1
1 1000
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C., London.