Improvements in Adjustable Dumbbells for Gymnastic Exercises.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 13th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 21st Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Adjustable Dumbbells for Gymnastic Exercises. .
I STANISLAW BILINSKI of 28 Kopernikstrasse, Lemberg in the Empire of
Austria, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In order to make the dumbbells fit for gymnastic exercises under various
conditions their weight should be altered at will and with the least possible trouble.
This I attain by attaching to the handle on each end either a hollow receptacle
or one cr several disks. In the former case the receptacle may be filled up to a
certain degree with small shot or other material and closed by a removable cover.
This cover is provided with a bolt in the centre and a crosspiece made to turn round
the bolt and fits into the recesses or teeth of two or more racks cast inside the
casing. To make the inside depth of casing vary, the thickness of the cross piece
is made to the pitch of the racks while the ends are cut out so as to leave only
half that thickness.
12
The cross piece may be put in position on one face on the cover and turned so
as to fit into the teeth of the racks to give a certain inside depth. To increase
that depth by one half pitch the cross piece is put in position on the other face on
the cover and made to fit into the next following tooth.
In case weight disks are preferred they are put on the ends of the handle which
are lengthened and screw threaded and are fixed there by means of washers and
nuts. To vary the load of the dumbbells, I put on each end one or several disks,
the size of which may be equal or unequal so that the difference of the load may
be made as small as desired. To avoid rattling between the disks and to ensure
the tightness of the nuts, I place between the outer disk and the washer a piece
of indiarubber or other packing.
1000
R. HADDAN,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Adjustable Dumbbells for Gymnastic Exercises.
I STANISLAW BILINSKI, formerly of 28 Kopernikstrasse, Lemberg, in the
Empire of Austria, and now of Stanislaw, in the Province of Galicia, Kingdom of
Hungary, Engineer 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 dumbbells which may be rendered heavier or lighter at
will within very large limits, so as to be capable of being adjusted to an appropriate
weight according to the developement of the strength of the persons practising
therewith.
These improved dumbbells substantially consist of a handle A (Figs. 1, 2, 3
and 4) and of the detachable weights H.
The handle may either be straight and short (Fig. 1) or straight and long
(Fig. 2) or bent in U form (Fig. 3) or slightly bent and short (Fig. 4).
The handles (Figs. 1 and 4) are intended to be manipulated by one hand only.
The long handle (Fig. 2) is intended for the simultaneous use of both hands and

page_text: the U-shaped handle (Fig. 3) is more especially adapted to be used by one hand or
to be raised by the foot.
The weights H are made of iron or other suitable material in different thicknesses
and arranged in suitable succession on the threaded ends up to the welded or
screwed on collars R (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) or up to the adjustable nuts m (Fig. 3) of
the handle A and are secured by nuts I. To avoid noise and to increase the
friction between the constituent parts, rings of indiarubber or other packing K
are placed underneath the washers L.
In order that a small number of weights H may be sufficient to obtain a very
gradual increase or decrease between the total weight to be mounted on the
handle A, a set of disks H is made for each side of the dumbbell (Fig. 1) each of
which disks is of about one half the thickness of that next following it or in other
words, half the weight of the next disk. The single disks are put on according to
certain combinations, the purpose being to gradually increase the weight of
the dumbbells and thus successively add to the efforts of the persons practising
therewith.
.11
If for instance the set consists of only 3 disks, the latter may be put on in' the

page_text: at each end, each of which weights is about half as heavy as the preceding one,
there being added to each pair a longer handle and a U shaped handle the
handles having welded or screwed on collars R or nuts m, the securing of the
weights H being effected by nuts I capable of engaging along the whole length
of the threaded ends of the said handles.
Dated this 12th day of March 1894
R. HADDAN,
Of the Firm of Herbert Haddan & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, W.C., London.