Patent ID: 6976944

Claim:
A lower back stretching apparatus comprising: a padded, waist-high bench comprising: a horizontal forward portion adapted to support a user's prone upper torso, wherein the forward portion is comprised of: a generally flat, rectangular, horizontal, padded element having an upper surface, an opposite lower surface, a front end, a rear end, and two opposite sides interconnecting the front end with the rear end, said front end and rear end defining a front portion longitudinal axis; four vertical support legs attached to the padded element lower surface, two of which vertical legs are front legs attached near to the element front end, one each near to each opposite side, and two of which vertical legs are rear legs attached near to the element rear end, one each near to each opposite side; a pivotable rearward portion adapted to support a user's legs, wherein the rearward portion is comprised of: a generally flat, rectangular, horizontal, padded element having an upper surface, an opposite lower surface, a front end, a rear end, and two opposite sides interconnecting the front end with the rear end, said front end and rear end defining a rearward portion longitudinal axis; two leg holders mounted on the rearward portion element upper surface near to the rearward portion rear end, said holders adapted to removably grip a pair of user legs during a stretching procedure; an elongated, hollow support bar attached longitudinally to the rearward portion lower surface, said support bar having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rearward portion, said support bar having a row of apertures along a bar side; a crank mechanism interconnecting the forward portion and the rearward portion, said crank mechanism adapted to pivot the rearward portion from a zero degree horizontal position through a forty-five degree downward and rearward tilted position, wherein the crank mechanism is comprised of: a support cross-bar attached to the two rear support legs of the forward portion; an elongated crank lever pivotally attached to the support cross-bar, said crank lever comprising: a forward portion in front of the support cross-bar, said crank lever forward portion terminating in a Y-shaped element having two element ends, each said element end terminating in a hand grip positioned to the forward portion padded element sides; a rearward portion to the rear of the support cross-bar, said crank lever rearward portion terminating in a U-shaped element having apertures formed along its sides, said U-shaped element adapted to fit about the rearward portion support bar, wherein the U-shaped apertures are aligned with the support bar apertures; a center section rotatably attached to the support cross-bar; an elongated removable pin adapted for joining the U-shaped element and the support bar together, said elongated pin adapted for removable attachment through the U-shaped element apertures and support bar apertures; a damper piston interconnecting the forward portion rear end with the crank mechanism rearward portion.