US3819176A

US3819176A - Exercise complex including bump ring and platform-type exerciser therein

Info

Publication number: US3819176A
Application number: US00397235A
Authority: US
Inventors: A Cummins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-09-14
Filing date: 1973-09-14
Publication date: 1974-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 1991-06-25

Abstract

An exercise complex is presented having a bump ring supported a few inches above a smooth surface such as a floor or platform, with user grip handles rigidly connected to the upper side of the bump ring and extending vertically upward a few feet, together with a platform-type play exerciser which rolls easily in any direction on the smooth surface and inside of the bump ring, the user standing, squatting, kneeling, or in any other desired position and moving the play exerciser around the interior portion of the bump ring while steadying himself on the fixed grip handles.

Description

United States Patent [191 Cummins June 25, 1974 [76] Inventor: Alfred B. Cummins, 401 Miles Rd.,

Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44022 [22] Filed: Sept. 14, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 397,235

[52] US. Cl 272/63, 272/57 A, 272/57 .1, 272/DIG. 5, 280/870], 293/62 [51] Int. Cl A63b 3/00, B62b 11/00 [58] Field of Search 272/1 R, 57 R, 57 A, 57 E, 272/57 J, 63, 70, 70.3, 70.4; 280/8701, 87.02 W, 87.04 A; 297/5, 6; 293/62 3,173,826 3/1965 Campbell et al.. 293/62 UX 3,197,227 7/1965 Anselmo 280/8701 3,659,844 5/1972 Cummins.... 3,693,998 9/1972 Cummins 280/8701 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-R. T. Stouffer Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Baldwin, Egan, Walling & Fetzer [5 7] ABSTRACT An exercise complex is presented having a bump ring supported a few inches above a smooth surface such as a floor or platform, with user grip handles rigidly connected to the upper side of the bump ring and ex tending vertically upward a few feet, together with a platform-type play exerciser which rolls easily in any direction on the smooth surface and inside of the bump ring, the user standing, squatting, kneeling, or in any other desired position and moving the play exerciser around the interior portion of the bump ring while steadying himself on the fixed grip handles.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEnJuuzslsm FIG.

EXERCISE COMPLEX INCLUDING BUMP RING AND PLATFORM-TYPE EXERCISER THEREIN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Educators say that slow learners normally reach a certain learning level responsive to suitable mental stimuli, after which learning progress levels off and further progress usually is slow. The purpose of the present invention is to encourage creative use of the same due to the fact that the exercise complex presented is very flexible and adaptable to unprogrammed uses, and this creative physical activity seems to stimulate further mental progress of the user.

Additionally, the generally recognized deterioration of leg and body development, with increased sports injuries, calls for a flexible creative means for self development of muscles and stamina.

The object of the present invention is to provide an exercise complex wherein a bump ring is supported a few inches above a smooth surface, such as a floor or platform, with grip means rigid with the ring on the upper side thereof and extending generally vertically therefrom to a level a few feet above the smooth surface, together with a castered platform-type play exerciser having a generally annular rim and a flat horizontal deck firmly secured in the center of the ring, this assembly having three or more universal swiveling casters secured to the underside of the platform and assembly and supporting the same so that it rolls easily in any direction within the bump ring with the rim of the play exerciser at a height where it engages the bump ring.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and specification and the essential features thereof will be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exercise complex of this invention showing the circular play exerciser inside of a circular bump ring and with two parallel bars rigidly connected on opposite sides of the bump ring and extending to a level where they are easily grasped by a user supported on the play exerciser;

FIG. 2 is a fragmental sectional view, enlarged, taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; while FIG. 3 is a fragmental elevational view taken from the near side of FIG. 1, and slightly enlarged to show a modified structure for supporting the parallel grip bars.

The exercise complex comprises a bump ring which is here shown as circular, although other shapes of ring would be suitable, but the circular shape is preferred. A strong but light rigid structure for this ring is clearly shown in FIG. 2 as comprising a hollow tube of square cross section. Means is provided to support this ring a few inches above a smooth surface such as a floor 11. The means here shown comprises a plurality of legs 12 welded to the underside of the ring 10 and finnly supporting the ring horizontally parallel to a surface 1 1 and a few inches, such as 4 or 6 inches, above the surface 11.

Grip means is provided extending upwardly from the ring 10 in position to be grasped by the user of this invention. As clearly seen in FIG; 1, parallel bar struc-v tures 13 are provided one on each side of the ring 10. Each parallel bar structure comprises an inverted generally U-shape rod having a horizontal tOP member 13a and two parallel legs 13b extending vertically downtightly against the legs 13b to hold the parallel rods in different vertical positions relative to the bump ring 10. Preferably, but not necessarily, each parallel bar 13 has the legs 13b bent laterally at 16 adjacent the top member 13a so as to hold the top member l3aa few inches laterally displaced from the plane passing through the legs 13b. In one form of the invention, the offset portion 13c is about 4 inches in length so that if the tubular members 13 are spaced 28 inches apart across the ring 10, then the horizontal top member 13a when turned inwardly as shown in full lines in FIG. 1 will provide about 24 inches between the parallel bars, whereas if the offset portion is turned outwardly, as shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 1, then the parallel bars 13a will be about 32 inches apart. It is obvious that with the parallel bars in the full line position of FIG. 1, it is only necessary to unscrew the thumb screws 15 slightly and then the horizontal bars can be reversed to the dot-dash position, after which the thumb screws 15 are again tightened.

The exercise complex of this invention is completed by use of castered platform-type play exerciser similar to that shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,998, granted Sept. 28, 1972. The essential features of this play exerciser for use in this invention are that it has a generally annular rim l7 and a flat horizontal deck 18 fimrly se: cured centrally of the rim and a plurality of universally swiveling casters 19 mounted on the other side of the platform or deck 18 and supporting the play exerciser so that it rolls easily in any direction on the smooth surface 11 inside of the bump ring 10. In the above mentioned patent, the rim 17 is an uninflated automobile tire shoe which is firmly secured to the deck or platform 18 by a plurality of rope laces 20 which pass through the opposite sides of the tire shoe near the bead thereof and also through the platform 18. The platform is of greater diameter than the interior diame ter of the tire beads so as to form a strong structure.

Preferably, but not necessarily, a brake shoe 21 has a hinge suspension 22 at the center of the platform 18 and a brake actuator 23 is normally held in inactive position by a spring 24 but the user of the device may use his hand or foot to cause the brake to frictionally engage the smooth floor or other support 11 to control the rolling movement of the play exerciser. All of this is more thoroughly described in the above mentioned patent.

In one form of this device, the bump ring is about 48 inches in diameter, although this may vary from say about 42 inches to about 72 inches in diameter. The play exerciser tire 17 is usually between 24 inches and 28 inches in outside diameter. The height of the horizontal top member 13a of the parallel bars will usually be set from about 36 inches to 48 inches above the floor 11. For tall basketball players a separate set of parallel bars will be required. The legs 12 in this embodiment were about 4 inches long but the essential dimension is that the bump ring 10 should be at a proper height to be engaged by the rim 17 of the play exerciser as it rolls about on the floor 11 and this relationship is clearly seen in FIG. 2.

A modified support for the parallel grip bars is shown in FIG. 3. Here helical compression springs 25 are housed inside the four tubular members 14, two only being shown. The members 14' are welded to the bump ring as in FIG. 1. The parallel legs 13b of each parallel bar structure terminate in heads 26 which rest firmly upon the upper ends of springs 25. The grip bars then provide a resilient resistance to the user. This appeals to skiers as the grip bars rise and fall.

It is obvious that this complex may be assembled on a gym floor or the like as indicated at 11. However, it is within the scope of this invention that a separate smooth platform in the position of the supporting surface 11 might be permanently fixed to the bottom of the legs 12. However, as herein shown and described, the complex as shown would use an area four feet square on a gymnasium floor, or an area 6 feet square if a larger bump ring 10 were used. This complex is assembled and disassembled in about two minutes and is quickly removed and compactly stored.

This invention is useful for the development of tough, flexible, balanced bodies of athletes in football, basketball, baseball, skiing, socker, golf, tennis, swimming, track and gymnastics, and also for general physical health and stamina. In use, the athlete stands, squats, kneels, or takes whatever position he likes on the play exerciser when the device is assembled as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The complete body trunk muscle system can be driven in maximum exercise. A complete, exhausting workout is possible in to minutes. The exercise complex of this invention is a flexible, multiple service physical workout implement. Two of these units side-by-side promote amazing competitive creativity, such as parallel bar routines, twists, bends, etc. This complex is a versatile departure from restricted, specific, one-by-one exercise steps. It was created for a limited space and budget, for creative workouts for normal bodies. It is not intended or recommended for therapy, except under the guidance and control of a professional therapist.

Physical education experts who desire to regulate the twisting of the play exerciser or count the contacts between its rim l7 and the bump ring 10 may fasten suitable standard counters at proper locations on ring 10 in position to record such contact engagements.

What is claimed is:

1. An exerciser complex, comprising a bump ring and support means on the underside thereof for supporting said ring a few inches above a smooth surface, user grip means rigid with said ring on the upper side thereof extending generally vertically therefrom to a level of a few feet above said smooth surface, and an assembly of a castered platform-type play exerciser inside of said ring of a size to move laterally in said ring and having a generally annular rim and a flat horizontal deck firmly secured centrally of said rim and at least three universal swiveling casters secured to the underside of said assembly and supporting the same so that it rolls easily in any direction on said smooth surface with said rim at a height where it engages said ring.

2. An exerciser complex as defined in claim 1, wherein said bump ring is substantially circular.

3. An exerciser complex as defined in claim 1, wherein said bump ring is substantially circular and between about 42 inches and about 72 inches in diameter.

4. An exerciser complex as defined in claim 1, wherein said user grip means comprises parallel bars secured to opposite sides of said bump ring.

5. An exerciser complex as defined in claim 1, wherein said user grip means comprises parallel bars secured to opposite sides of said bump ring, each of said parallel bars comprising an inverted U-shape rod having a horizontal top member and parallel downwardly extending legs at its opposite ends, tubular members one for each leg fixed to said bump ring in position to receive its associated leg telescopingly, and securing means on each tubular member engageable with its associated leg to vary the height of said U-shape rod.

6. An exerciser complex as defined in claim 5, wherein each of said legs adjacent said top member is bent laterally a few inches, both legs similar and in the same direction, whereby said U-shape rods may be assembled in their associated tubular members to present said top members laterally in either of two directions.

7. An exerciser complex as defined in claim 1, wherein said user grip means comprises parallel bars secured to opposite sides of said bump ring, each of said parallel bars comprising an inverted U-shape rod having a horizontal top member and parallel downwardly extending legs at its opposite ends, tubular members one for each leg fixed to said bump ring in position to receive its associated leg telescopingly, and including spring means in each of said tubular members operatively associated with said downwardly extending leg received therein and effective to provide a resilient resistance in a vertical direction to a user holding said grip bars.

8. An exerciser complex as defined in claim 1, wherein said rim of said play exerciser is an automobile tire shoe.