US3606318A - Fluid resistant type exercising device - Google Patents

Sept. 20, 1971 Filed July 5, 1969 J. B. GILSTRAP FLUID RESISTANT TYPE EXERCISING DEVICE F IG. 1

FLUID RESISTANT TYPE EXERCISING DEVICE Filed July 5, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lilr.

FLUID RESISTANT TYPE EXERCISING DEVICE Filed July 15, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 4- INVENTOR JAMES 8. GI LSTRAP ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofice Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,606,318 FLUID RESISTANT TYPE EXERCISING DEVICE James B. Gilstrap, 8440 Thames St., Springfield, Va. 22151 Filed July 3, 1969, Ser. No. 839,001 Int. Cl. A63b 21/00 US. Cl. 272-79R Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fluid control apparatus comprising a pair of fluid chambers in fluid communication with each other and including pistons for moving the liquid from one chamber to the other through restricted valve openings, the size of the valve opening being dependent upon the magnitude of an external force applied to the pistons. An adjusting device sets the amount of the fluid force required to open the valve. The pistons are connected to a manually movable cross bar. The rate of movement of this cross-bar is dependent upon the force exerted by the exerciser on the bar.

BACKGROUND This invention relates to fluid flow apparatus, and in particular, it relates to a fluid flow apparatus which is adaptable for use in an exercising device; and this invention also relates to the exercising device itself.

It is commonly known to utilize, for a number of different practical purposes, the damping action which characterizes the flow of fluid through a restricted opening. However, in such devices the fluid flow opening is normally of a size which is fixed during operation of the device, although it may be varied in size to adapt the device to diflerent levels of operation.

While such fluid devices are satisfactory for many purposes, they are undesirable for many other purposes.

For example, it is known to utilize restricted flow devices to simulate other forces such as an exercising device. However, at least as applied to such exercising devices, the previously known devices have the disadvantage of being unrealistic. For example, in many exercises, the results achieved by the exerciser should increase in proportion to the force applied by the exerciser. For example, in lifting weights, if a greater force is applied to lift the weights, it should, of course, follow that the weights should be raised at a faster rate. Similarly, when rowing, a greater rowing force should result in faster movement of the boat and hence a greater movement of the oars in a given span of time. However, with known fluid flow devices having an orifice of a size which is [fixed during use, a greater applied force will be met only with a greater resistancewithout a corresponding increase in the resultant movement of the object.

Thus, there exists a need for an improved fluid control apparatus, and in particular, a hydraulic apparatus, wherein the mechanical output achieved increases in proportion to the force applied. Moreover, while such devices could find a number of different uses in practice, there exists a need for an exercising device using such an improved fluid control apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thus, it is a purpose of this invention to provide a new and improved fluid control apparatus, such as a hydraulic fluid control apparatus, and also to provide a new and improved exercising device using the said hydraulic apparatus.

This result is achieved in accordance with the present invention by providing an arrangement wherein an external force, which may be the force supplied by an exerciser upon an exercising apparatus, is applied to piston means or the like within the fluid control apparatus to cause movement of the fluid through a restricted opening, such that the applied external force is resisted by the damping action of the fluid as it attempts to flow through the restricted passage. In the present invention, however, the said fluid does not act directly upon the opening itself, but rather it acts upon a secondary control means which in turn varies the size of the opening by an amount dependent upon the magnitude of the said external force. Consequently, the rate of fluid flow through the said opening increases in proportion to the magnitude of the applied force.

In accordance with a preferred arrangement of the present invention there is provided a fluid control apparatus, preferably a hydraulic fluid control apparatus, having a pair of chambers in fluid communication with each other through the said valve opening. A valve ele ment which controls the size of this opening includes an actuating rod which extends to a position exterior of said chambers. Normally this actuating rod is retained in a position to close the valve opening. However, this actuating member is also moved by means of a device which is responsive to the pressure in either of the chambers. Adjustable spring means are provided between the said fluid responsive members and the said actuating member to vary the magnitude of the fluid pressure required to eflect a given opening of the valve element.

The actuating member, together with the fluid responsive members and the other elements associated therewith, form a control means, which control means may be located directly on the cylinder housing the chambers or at a position remote from said cylinder.

The present invention is also directed to an exercising device utilizing the new and improved fluid control apparatus of the present invention. The exercising device comprises a pair of upstanding housing members having a cross-bar extending therebetween. A chain is located in each housing member, the cross-bar engaging one chain at each end, the chains being operatively connected to a fluid control apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention such that movement of the cross-bar constitutes the external force applied to the pistons of the fluid control apparatus. The cross-bar housing members may be located at a number of difierent positions so that the cross-bar may be raised directly upwardly to simulate weightlifting or pulled substantially horizontally to simulate rowing. Obviously, the cross-bar may be arranged for movement at any position between the said vertical and horizontal positions whereby the bar may be used for any number of different exercising procedures, the number of procedures being limited only by the imagination of the user.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved fiuid control apparatus.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved fluid control apparatus, such as a hydraulic apparatus, wherein fluid flow between two chambers takes place at a rate dependent upon the external force applied to cause such movement.

It is another object of this invention to provide a fluid control apparatus such as a hydraulic apparatus wherein the rate of fluid iflow between two chambers is dependent upon the magnitude of the external force applied to cause such fluid flow, and wherein the rate of fluid flow is adjustable so that a given force causes one rate of fluid flow in one direction and a different rate of fluid flow in the opposite direction.-

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved exercising device.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved exercising device wherein a force applied by the exerciser is resisted by restricted fluid flow whereby the rate of the fluid flow is dependent upon the magnitude of the force applied by the exerciser.

Other objects and the attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description to follow, taken together with accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS There follows a detailed description of preferred embodirnents of the present invention, taken together with accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the detailed description and the accompanying drawings are provided solely for purposes of illustration and that the invention is capable of numerous modifications and variations apparent to those skilled in the art.

FIG. 1 illustrates schematically an exercising device constructed in accordance with the features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a hydraulic unit utilized in the exercising device of FIG. 1, with parts removed for clarity.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGS. 2 and 4 and including the control elements which were omitted from FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the center of the hydraulic unit shown in FIG. 2, but showing the control elements.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of. an element shown in FIGS. 2 through 4.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the invention and taken along line 77 of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, like numerals are employed to represent like elements throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exercising device constructed in accordance with one feature of the present invention and employing as a central element therein, a fluid control unit constructed in accordance with another feature of the invention.

The fluid control unit shown herein is preferably a hydraulic unit since this provides a more direct response between the applied force and the movement. Moreover, the fluid control apparatus is capable of numerous and varied applications only one of which, namely the exercising device, is specifically disclosed herewith. However, as an example of another application, the device could also be used as a control unit for a torque wrench.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail with respect to preferred embodiments thereof, it should be apparent that the invention is capable of numerous modifications and variations apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An exercising device of the type wherein a force is exerted against a member having limited yielding characteristics, comprising a control member movable in a first direction and in a second direction, guide means for guiding the control member in said first and second directions, a fluid operated control means operatively associated with the control member for limiting the freedom of movement thereof, said control means being initially actuated and thereafter movable at rates dependent upon the forces exerted on the control member, said control means comprising a pair of fluid filled chambers, flow restricting means for limiting the flow of fluid between the chambers, said flow restricting means comprising a valve having a variable size opening between the two chambers, an actuating means for opening said valve, piston means movable in said fluid filled chambers in response to movement of said control member for building up fluid pressure in one of said chambers, said fluid pressure causing the fluid in said one of said chambers to flow through the valve when the actuating means opens said valve, fluid pressure sensitive means exterior to the chambers for receiving pressurized fluid from one of said chambers as the pressure builds up in that chamber, said pressure build up causing said actuating means to open said valve at pre-set minimum fluid pressure values, said actuating means varying the size of said valve opening in relation to the magnitude of the force applied by said pressure sensitive means on said actuating means, movement of said actuating means being dependent on the force applied to the control member.

2. An exercising device according to claim 1 wherein said control means further includes a hydraulic cylinder in which said fluid filled chambers are provided, said piston means in said cylinder and a chain means for operatively connecting the piston means with the control member for movement therewith.

3. An exercising device according to claim 2 wherein the control member is a cross-bar connected at its ends to the chain means for movement therewith, such that movement of the cross-bar is resisted by the said flow restricting means.

5. An exercising device according to claim 4 wherein said piston means of said first and second chambers comprises a piston head in each chamber, said piston heads being integrally connected for movement with each other, such that as one piston head moves to cause the fluid to pass into the other chamber, the other piston head moves to permit the entry of fluid in its chamber.

9. An exercising device according to claim 8 including indicia means for indicating the amount of travel for a required force applied to the cross-bar.

10. An exercising device according to claim 4, including an adjusting means for adjusting the amount the valve opens for a given force applied to the control member, and hence to the piston means, and wherein said adjusting means further includes means operatively associated with each said chamber, separate from the other chamber, for regulating the amount which the valve opens for a given amount of fluid pressure in its respective chamber, whereby the valve may be made to open a certain amount upon a given fluid pressure build up in one chamber and a different amount upon a different fluid pressure build up in the other chamber.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,465,592 9/1969 Perrine 27279R RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner W. R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner US. l. X.R. 267-126; 251-54; 272-72