Patent ID: 7201711

Claim:
A barbell for weight training adapted to use at least portions of dumbbells as exercise mass, wherein each dumbbell includes a handle having at least one weight plate carried on either end of the handle, which comprises: (a) a bar elongated along an axis; (b) a receptacle carried at each end of the bar, wherein the receptacle has a length which is long enough to permit the dumbbell including the handle and the weight plates carried on the handle to be placed into and received within the length of the receptacle, wherein the receptacle includes an open upper end which provides access to the receptacle from above to allow a dumbbell to be lowered into or lifted out of the receptacle; (c) a locking member pivotally connected to the receptacle for selectively closing or opening the open upper end of the receptacle, wherein the locking member pivots between a closed position in which the locking member overlies the open upper end of the receptacle and an open position in which the locking member clears the open upper end of the receptacle; and (d) a substantially rigid latching member that is movably mounted to either the receptacle or the locking member, wherein the latching member is biased by a spring into a first position in which the latching member latches the locking member to the receptacle after the locking member has been pivoted into its closed position, wherein the latching member is selectively movable against the bias of the spring to a second position in which the locking member is free to pivot from the closed position thereof to the open position thereof.