Improvements in Dumb-bells.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Dumb-bells.
RICHARD LORD and ARTHUR ROBERT MILLER, of 17, High Street, Swindon, in
the County of Wilts, 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: —
In the use of dumb-bells for muscular exercises etc., it is customary as the
muscles are strengthened, to use dumb-bells of increased weight, the increase vary-
ing, for example, from a minimum weight of five pounds to a maximum weight of
twenty pounds, advancing on each change by one pound, so that it would neces-
sitate sixteen dumb-bells of various weights to carry out these conditions, other
similar conditions might be quoted in which the weights may vary in different
proportions.
Now our invention consists in means whereby one dumb-bell with its appur-
tenances is made to carry out the above named conditions; The method we adopt
in carrying out the change of weights, advancing from a five pound to a twenty
pound weight, is shewn in the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters
of reference are used in the various figures as far as possible.
We construct a dumb-bell, of an octagonal or circular shape, similar to the
one shewn in elevation in Figure 1, end elevation in Figure 2, on end of the same
is shewn in section, in Figure 3, with a cylindrical recess, b, a screwed rod, d,
secured in the end of the recess by a screw thread, the rod, d, should be of
sufficient length to admit of the cap, a, of the recess being secured thereon by the
screw thread, on the rod, d, to form the cover as shewn in Figure 3; by way of
example we have shewn the weight of the dumb-bell increased from five to eleven
pounds, this we carry out by placing six weights, a to a, each weighing half
pound, in each recess, secured therein by the thumb nut, f, on the screwed rod, d,
as shewn in Figure 3, the cap, a, is formed with a concave recess, so that it may
be secured in its place when the total number of weights (fifteen) are secured by
the thumb nut, f. It will be evident that if the recess is full of weights, and they
should protrude slightly beyond the distance shewn by the flange, i, of the cap,
that the cap would tend to keep the weights in their place in addition to thumb
nut, f.
In the modified forms for retaining the weights in position, one of which is
shewn in section in Figure 5, and end elevation in Figure 6, the weights are kept
in place by a spiral spring, g, pressure being put thereon by the cap, a, which is
kept in place by the thumb nut, f. The cap is free to slide in the recess as it
may be, or is found necessary to tighten the cap against the spring. Fig. 7 is a
section and Figure 8 an end elevation of same with the cap removed, in which the
cap is secured by a screw thread, and provided with an aperture for receiving the
end of screwed rod as shewn. Figure 9 is a section and Figure 10 an end eleva-
tion of same with the cap removed, in which the cap is screw threaded into the
recess, and provided externally with ribs or projections, h, so as to enable the cap
to be gripped by the hand for the purpose of screwing the cap into its place; these
same ribs may be applied to the caps shewn in Figures 7-Figures 3-13 and 15.

page_text: Fig. 13 is a section, and Figure 14 end elevation of same with the cap removed,
in which the cap is screw threaded on to the outside of recess. Figure 11 is a
section and Figure 12 end elevation of same, in which the recess is internally screw
threaded so that the cap only is used, with or without the spring, g, shewn in
Figure 5, to secure the weight or weights in their position, the cap is screwed down
the recess by an ordinary T key with prongs to fit the holes jj.
In place of the octagonal or circular shaped ends to the dumb-bells, we sometimes
use our improvements in dumb-bells shaped as shewn in Figure 15, in which one
end is in elevation and one end in section, Fig. 16 end elevation thereof, in this
figure is shewn the same method of securing the weights as in Figure 7, any other
of the methods hereinbefore described could be applied.
In Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 it will be noticed that the ends of the
dumb-bells are shewn as circular, it will be evident however that the methods
represented in these figures could be applied to Figures 1 to 6, although it is not
desirable as there would be difficulty in getting the flat sides of the cap to corre-
spond to the flat sides of the ends of the dumb-bell, when the cap was screwed
into the recess.
We have shewn in all the Figures 1 to 16, circular disc weights to be used, any
other shaped weights could be used in all the Figures 1 to 10, and 13 to 16.
It is not intended to use any other than a circular disc weight in Figures 11 & 12.
The recess b, can be cut out in each case, but we prefer to have the dumb-bell
cast with their hollow ends or recesses, and in some instances to cast the spindles or
rods, d, in their place instead of having them screw threaded into the metal.
It is obvious that an ordinary nut, f, as shewn in Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 13 & 14
may be used instead of thumb nuts as shewn in the other Figures 3-5, 6 & 15.
Figure 17 shews an elevation and plan of a circular disc weight, and Figure 18
an elevation and plan of a weight of the shape of a sector of a circle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. The hereinabove described improvements in dumb-bells, consisting of con-
structing the dumb-bell with hollow or recessed ends into which a removable
weight, or weights, is, or are, secured for the purpose of increasing the weight of
the dumb-bell, gradually, from a minimum to a maximum weight, substantially
as herein described, and for the purposes set forth, with reference to the accom-
panying drawings.
2. In combination with the subject matter of Claim 1, the hereinabove described
methods of securing any suitable shaped weight, or weights, within the hollow
or recessed ends of the dumb-bell, with the caps thereon, substantially as herein
described & shewn in the accompanying drawings Figures 1 to 10 & 13 to 16.
3. In combination with the subject matter of Claim 1, the hereinbefore described
method of securing the weight, or weights, within the hollow or recessed ends of
the dumb-bell substantially as hereinbefore described & shewn in the accom-
panying drawing Figures 11 & 12.
4. The improved dumb-bell substantially as described with reference to drawings
Figs. 1 to 10, and Figs. 13 to 16 and Figs. 11 & 12.
Tad : 1711 1
1000
RICHARD LORD,
ARTHUR ROBERT MILLER.