Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to the field of swimming exercise devices. More specifically, the invention comprises a restraining harness which allows the user to perform swimming strokes in a pool without moving significantly, and a mounting bracket allowing the attachment of the harness to certain types of pools. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
   This invention represents a refinement of my own prior invention. The prior invention, entitled “Elastic Swing Exercise Device”, is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,049. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,049. 
   Swimming restraint harnesses have been in use for some time. U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,020 to Carter (1976) discloses a belt harness intended to be anchored to the side of a pool. The harness has two inelastic cords attached to fixed anchor points. These anchor points must be drilled into the concrete near the edge of the pool. While effective in restraining the swimmer, the Carter device does require disfiguring the pool by installing two permanent anchor points. In addition, the harness assembly is substantially rigid. With a substantially rigid harness, it is difficult for the swimmer to know how much energy he or she is exerting. A preferable arrangement is to have an elastic member in the harness, so that as the swimmer strokes more vigorously, some forward progress is noted. 
   An elastic harness is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,905 to Meier (1978). The Meier device has a short elastic section near the anchor point which does allow some stretching of the harness. Unfortunately, however, the Meier device also requires a fixed anchor point. Additionally, the harness disclosed is rudimentary and impractical. 
   A more sophisticated harness is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,404 to MacLennan (1993). The MacLennan device uses a vest type life jacket as a harness, thereby distributing the load on the swimmer&#39;s body in a different fashion. The MacLennan invention also provides for attaching the harness to a pool ladder, eliminating the need for dedicated anchor points. The MacLennan device does not, however, have any elastic members in the harness. An additional drawback is that many pools do not have ladders, making it impossible to attach the device. Finally, the use of a vest type life jacket as a harness significantly restricts many swimming strokes. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,514 to Horn (1997) addresses the attachment problem with suction cups. This device uses two large suction cups on a substantially rigid plastic frame. The device is intended to work in compression though; i.e., the swimmer is trying to force his way toward the attachment point. This approach would not work if the swimmer swims in the other more conventional direction. 
   Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,982 to Croushmore (1998) discloses a radical approach to the anchoring problem. The Croushmore device discloses a collapsible bag used as an anchor. The swimmer fills the bag with water and then drags it up on the side of the pool. The bag anchors a mesh to which is attached the swimming harness. Of course, a swimmer can exert considerable force while exercising. Thus, the bag will need to be quite heavy in order to be an effective anchor. This fact means that the user will have to fill the bag with many pounds of water, making it quite difficult to drag up and over the side of the pool. 
   Anchoring issues have been further complicated by the introduction of a new type of pool. Traditional pools have a solid lip running around their perimeters (see  FIG. 1  of U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,049). Pool water is pulled into the filtration system through several ports in the side of the pool. More modern pools—particularly larger pools at public facilities—often incorporate a skim gutter running around the entire perimeter.  FIG. 1  of the present disclosure ilustrates this feature. Pool  10  incorporates skim gutter  16 , which is separated from the bulk of the pool by gutter lip  64 . The height of gutter lip  64  is set to be just below the water level in the pool. The pool circulation system is configured to pull water from skim gutter  62 . As skim gutter  62  constitutes a trip hazard for swimmers entering the pool, it is often covered by a grate. 
   Pools employing the configuration illustrated in  FIG. 1  present difficulties for the attachment of elastic exercise devices. The known devices for restraining a swimmer while exercising are limited in that they:
     1. Do not provide sufficient elastic extension of the harness in order to allow the swimmer to gauge his or her level of exertion;   2. Require the placement of permanent anchor points in the pool;   3. Require the presence of a pool ladder;   4. Encumber the user in the swimming exercise;   5. Require the lifting of a heavy bag or other type of anchor; and   6. Are not adaptable to a pool incorporating a skim gutter.   

   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A system for allowing a swimmer to exercise in a pool while remaining approximately in place. The device includes an adjustable belt which fits around the swimmer&#39;s waist. An elastic harness connects this belt to an anchor bracket which is fixed to the side of the pool. The harness elastically deforms as the user exerts greater swimming force, thereby indicating to the user his or her level of exertion. The anchor bracket in configured to attach to a pool incorporating a skim gutter. 
   Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:
     1. To provide sufficient elastic extension of the harness in order to allow the swimmer to gauge his or her level of exertion;   2. To eliminate the need for permanent anchor points in the pool;   3. To eliminate the need for a pool ladder;   4. To not encumber the user in the swimming exercise;   5. To eliminate the need for an inordinately heavy anchor; and   6. To provide a means of attachment to a pool incorporating a skim gutter.   

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view, showing a swimming pool incorporating a skin gutter. 
       FIG. 2  depicts the anchor bracket employed in the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  depicts the anchor bracket from a different perspective. 
       FIG. 4  is an isometric view showing a clamp assembly. 
       FIG. 5  is an isometric view showing the anchor bracket attached to a pool. 
       FIG. 6  is an isometric view showing a first type of exercise device attached to the anchor bracket 
       FIG. 7  is an isometric view showing a second type of exercise device attached to the anchor bracket. 
       FIG. 8  is an isometric view showing a third type of exercise device attached to the anchor bracket. 
   

   REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS 
   
       
         10  pool 
         16  belt harness 
         18  flex bow 
         20  flexible line 
         28  pool side 
         32  collector ring 
         36  belt 
         46  trailing line 
         48  harness union 
         50  harness leader 
         58  pool apron 
         62  skim gutter 
         64  gutter lip 
         66  anchor bracket 
         68  rear wall 
         70  front wall 
         72  top wall 
         74  boss 
         76  right attach point 
         78  center attach point 
         80  left attach point 
         82  clamp assembly 
         84  pad 
         86  base 
         88  threaded shaft 
         90  handle 
         92  split leader 
         94  slot 
         96  securing strip 
     
  
   DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1  shows a portion of pool  10 . Pool side  28  contains the water within the pool. Pool apron  58  is the area where swimmers walk around prior to entering the pool. The particular type of pool shown incorporates skim gutter  62  running around its perimeter. Skim gutter  62  is bounded on one side by pool apron  58  and on the other side by gutter lip  64 . Gutter lip  64  has an inner surface (facing skim gutter  62 ), atop surface, and an outer surface. Its top surface lies just beneath the water level. 
   The pool&#39;s fluid circulation pumps draw water from skim gutter  62 . Thus, the upper layer of water in the pool tends to flow over the top of gutter lip  64  into skim gutter  62 , and from there into the circulation pumps. As skim gutter  62  constitutes a tripping hazard, it is often covered by a grate which lies flush with the top surface of gutter lip  64 . 
   Attaching an exercise device to the type of pool shown in  FIG. 1  can be difficult. The present invention incorporates a device to overcome this difficulty.  FIG. 2  depicts anchor bracket  66 . It includes rear wall  68 , top wall  72 , and front wall  70 . In operation, top wall  72  fits over the top surface of gutter lip  64 . Rear wall  68  is then positioned to bear against the inner surface of gutter lip  64 . 
   Front wall  70  incorporates two bosses  74 . These include female threads for the mounting of two clamping assemblies  82 . When anchor bracket  66  is placed over gutter lip  64 , the two clamping assemblies  82  are tightened so that they clamp against the outer surface of gutter lip  64 , thereby locking anchor bracket  66  in position. Front wall  70  also incorporates additional features for the attachment of swimming exercise devices. Right hand attach point  76 , center attach point  78 , and left attach point  80  are all available at the user&#39;s option. 
     FIG. 3  shows anchor bracket  66  from a different perspective. The reader will observe that the inner facing surface of rear wall  68  is covered by pad  84 . Pad  84  prevents the marring of gutter lip  64  when the device is locked in place. 
     FIG. 4  shows some details of clamp assembly  82 . Its primary element is threaded shaft  88 . Base  86  is located on its inward-facing extremity. Base  86  is free to rotate with respect to threaded shaft  88 . As threaded shaft  88  is turned within boss  74 , base  86  does not rotate. This feature minimizes marring of the outer surface of gutter lip  64  as clamp assembly  82  is tightened. Base  86  is preferably provided with a pad to further minimize marring. Handle  90  is provided so that the user can tighten clamp assembly  82  without the need for tools.  FIG. 5  shows anchor bracket  66  clamped in position on gutter lip  64 . 
   A variety of swimming exercise devices can be attached to anchor bracket  66 .  FIG. 6  shows an elastic device as previously disclosed in my own U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,049 (2001). In this configuration, flex bow  18  is placed between gutter lip  64  and front wall  70  of anchor bracket  66 . Flex bow  18  may also be placed above the two threaded shafts  88 , so that it is locked in position. Additional securing means are also preferably provided. Returning now to  FIG. 2 , the reader will observe that front wall  70  is pierced by two sets of slots  94 . An elastic securing strap  96  resides within the slots  94 . A loop of each securing strap extends behind front wall  70 . These two loops secure flex bow  18  in place. The loops can be provided with an opening (preferably closed by VELCRO) to aid in the installation and removal of flex bow  18 . 
   As described in my prior patent, flex bow  18  is capable of substantial elastic deformation. Returning now to  FIG. 6 , the reader will observe that its two ends are attached via two flexible lines  20  to collector ring  32 . Collector ring  32  is attached to harness leader  50  which, in turn, attaches to two trailing lines  42 . Trailing lines  42  are attached to belt  36 , which is affixed around the swimmer&#39;s waist. The various lines described can be made of elastic tubing to provide an even greater elasticity in the device as a whole. This elasticity is a desired feature, since it allows the swimmer to gauge his or her level of exertion according to the total elongation of the device. 
   The use of anchor bracket  66  allows the use of flex bow  18  in pools that don&#39;t have a ladder or other convenient anchoring point for the flex bow. Thus, the configuration shown in  FIG. 6  represents the preferred embodiment. 
     FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment in which flex bow  18  is not used. In this embodiment harness leader  50  is simply attached to center attach point  78  on anchor bracket  66 . Harness leader  50  is preferably made of elastic material. Although this configuration possesses less elasticity than the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , it is simpler to install. 
     FIG. 8  shows another embodiment having more elasticity than the one shown in FIG.  7 . Two split leaders  92  are attached to right attach point  76  and left attach point  80 , respectively. The two split leaders  92  are then attached to collector ring  32 . Provided that elastic materials are used for the split leaders, this configuration provides greater elasticity. 
   Accordingly, the reader will appreciate that the proposed invention allows a swimmer to exercise within a pool without moving significantly, yet still allows the swimmer to gauge his or her level of exertion. The invention has further advantages in that it:
     1. Eliminates the need for permanent anchor points in the pool;   2. Eliminates the need for a pool ladder;   3. Does not encumber the user in the swimming exercise;   4. Eliminates the need for an inordinately heavy anchor; and   5. Allows the use of an exercise device in a pool having a skim gutter.   

   Although the preceding description contains significant detail, it should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but rather as providing illustrations of the preferred embodiments of the invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be fixed by the following claims, rather than by the examples given.

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