[0001] The invention relates to an apparatus suitable for training muscles and the stamina
of the human body, which apparatus comprises an elongated, bar-shaped member, which
includes a guiding member at a first end thereof, over which a rope or cord can be
passed, wherein said bar-shaped member is provided near its first end with two first
guides for guiding the two parts of the rope or cord on either side of the guiding
member, wherein said bar-shaped member is furthermore provided with second guides
disposed some distance away from said first guides, which second guides are preferably
adjustable in circumferential direction over said bar-shaped member, all this in such
a manner that the number of times that the two parts of the rope or cord are wound
round the bar-shaped member can be adjusted therewith.
[0002] An apparatus of the kind referred to above is disclosed in US 4,040,627.
[0003] With the apparatus disclosed therein, a rope or cord is passed over the guiding member.
The two ends of the rope or cord on either side of the guiding member are passed through
the first guides and subsequently wound round the bar-shaped member a few times, after
which they are passed through the second guides. The person doing his training exercises
can alternately pull at the two ends of the rope or cord. The forces that is to be
exerted thereby depends on the number of times that the rope or cord is wound round
the bar-shaped member. The number of times that the rope or cord is wound round the
bar-shaped member can be regulated quite easily by adjusting the two guides in the
circumferential direction. In this manner it becomes possible to regulate the force
with which to pull at the rope. Thus, the person doing his training exercises can
regulate the force to be exerted and adapt it to the desired circumstances. This enables
the person doing his training exercises to work through a predetermined programme,
for example starting with a light programme, wherein the rope is only wound once or
twice round the bar-shaped member, followed by a more strenuous programme, wherein
the rope is wound several times round the bar-shaped member. In practice it has become
apparent that setting and changing of the force with which the rope or cord is to
be pulled off the bar-shaped member by rotation of the second guides has a few drawbacks.
One of said drawbacks is the fact that the free ends of the rope or cord can be twisted
together as a result of the rotation of the second guides, so that the person who
is training needs to unravel said ends each time. Another drawback is the fact that
the direction in which the rope or cord runs in and out will vary according to the
position of the two guides, seen in the circumferential direction of the bar-shaped
member, which leads to varying friction conditions, which have an adverse effect on
the accuracy of the force with which the rope or cord is to be pulled off. The object
of the invention is to provide a training apparatus wherein the above drawbacks are
eliminated, and which is based on the insight that the force with which the rope or
cord is to be pulled off the bar-shaped member depends not only on the number of times
that the rope or cord is wound round the bar-shaped member, but also on the length
of the windings, or, in other words, on the pitch of the windings. In order to accomplish
that objective, the apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that
the two second guides are mounted on a sleeve, which is capable of sliding movement
in axial direction over said bar-shaped member. In this manner it is quite easy to
vary not only the number of times that the rope or cord is wound round the bar-shaped
member, but also the length of the windings. This enables a very accurate, practically
infinitely variable regulation of the force with which the rope is to be pulled off
the bar-shaped member. With the apparatus according to the invention, a first regulation
of the force with which the rope is to be pulled off the bar-shaped member can be
obtained by winding the rope round the bar-shaped member a number of times by hand
or otherwise, following that, it is possible to set and vary said force further, in
particular also while carrying out a training programme, by moving the sleeve in axial
direction. As a result of this, the length of the windings will become larger or smaller,
resulting in a lower or higher resistance for pulling off the rope. A major advantage
in this respect is the fact that the second guides will remain oriented in the same,
preferably horizontal, plane upon movement in axial direction, so that the two rope
ends will continue to meet with the same frictional resistance. Another advantage
is the fact that axial movement of the two guides will not result in the outgoing
rope ends being twisted together, so that the training programme can be completed
without interruption.
[0004] In this manner an apparatus of light and simple construction has been obtained, which
makes it possible to work through a precisely adjustable training programme, which
is remarkable for its ease of operation and which can be easily transported from one
location to another.
[0005] Although it is possible to wind the rope or cord round the bar-shaped member by hand
a number of times when starting a training programme, and subsequently regulate the
pull-off resistance by moving the sleeve in axial direction, it is according to another
embodiment also possible to mount the sleeve rotatably on the bar-shaped member. With
this embodiment, the number of windings can be set by rotating the sleeve. Of course
it must be possible to secure the second guides in a desired position, and according
to another advantageous embodiment, the sleeve is to that end provided with means
for securing the bar-shaped member in position, which means may consist of clamping
means, whilst it is also possible to secure the sleeve in its desired position by
means of one or more pins present in said sleeve, which can mate with openings formed
in the bar-shaped member.
[0006] According to another embodiment of the apparatus, the bar-shaped member is provided
at its first end with means by which the apparatus can be connected to a fixedly disposed
object, such as a wall or a pillar.
[0007] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing,
which schematically illustrate an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus according to
the invention.
[0008] Figures 1 and 2 schematically show, not to scale, a training apparatus according
to the invention in two views oriented perpendicularly to each other.
[0009] Figure 3 is a sectional view along line III - III.
[0010] Figure 4 shows another embodiment of the sleeve mounted on the bar-shaped member.
[0011] Figures 5 and 6 show the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 in a situation in which the
two guides have been moved axially over the bar-shaped member.
[0012] In the drawing, numeral 1 indicates a bar-shaped member. Said bar-shaped member is
provided at a first end thereof with two tie plates 2 and 3, with a pin 4 present
therebetween, about which a pulley 5 rotates. Pulley 5 is used for passing cord 6
thereover. The two parts 7 and 8 of cord 6 on either side of pulley 5 are passed through
first guides 9 and subsequently wound round bar-shaped member 1 a few times. On the
other side of the bar-shaped member 1, the two parts 7 and 8 of the cord are passed
through second guides 10, which are mounted on a sleeve 11, which is capable of rotating
and sliding movement on bar-shaped member 1. A person doing his training exercises
can exert a pulling force on both ends 13 and 14 of said cord, whereby said ends may
be provided with handgrips to make it easier to take hold of the cord. The number
of times that the two ends of the cord are wound round the bar-shaped member can be
varied by rotating sleeve 11 round the bar-shaped member 1. When the desired number
of windings of the cord round the bar-shaped member is reached, sleeve 11 can be secured
in position by means of pins 16 present therein, which are each urged in the direction
of the bar-shaped member by means of a spring 17, thereby engaging in openings 18
formed in the bar-shaped member 1.
[0013] Instead of securing the sleeve 11 in position on the bar-shaped member 1 by means
of pins, which engage in openings present in the bar-shaped member, it is also possible
to secure the sleeve 11 on the bar-shaped member by means of a clamping force, as
is indicated in Figure 4. For example, one or more pins 16 may be used thereby, which
pins are provided with screw thread and which are received in screws 25 present in
sleeve 11. The sleeve 11 can be secured in any desired position on bar-shaped member
1 by screwing down pins 16 to a greater or lesser degree.
[0014] The force with which the person doing his training exercises must pull at the ends
13 and 14 of the cord so as to move said cord over bar-shaped member 1 strongly depends
on the number of times that the cord is wound round bar-shaped member 1. When sleeve
11 is rotated about bar-shaped member 1, guides 10 will also move round said bar-shaped
member and thus determine the number of times that the cord is wound round bar-shaped
member 1. In this manner a training programme can be set quite easily, for example
starting with only one winding round the bar-shaped member 1 and subsequently gradually
increasing. The force with which the cord can be pulled off the bar-shaped member
1 not only depends on the number of times that the cord is wound round the bar-shaped
member 1, but also on the length of the windings of the cord on bar 1. In order to
vary said length of the windings on bar 1, the sleeve 11 is not only capable of rotating
movement about bar 1, but also of sliding movement in axial direction over bar 1.
In this manner it is made possible not only to vary the number of windings of the
cord round bar 1, but also the length of said windings, so that the force with which
to pull at the ends 13 and 14 can be varied almost infinitely over a very wide range.
[0015] The situation wherein sleeve 11 and its guides 10 have been moved in the direction
of the first guides 9 is shown in Figures 5 and 6. Said figures clearly show that
the rise of the windings of the cord on bar-shaped member 1 is much steeper now than
in the situation which is shown in Figures 1 and 2. This results in an increase in
the force with which the cord can be pulled off bar 1. It will be apparent that it
is possible with the apparatus according to the invention to vary the force with which
the cord can be pulled off both by varying the number of times that the cord is wound
round bar 1 and by varying the rise of the windings or the length of the windings
on bar-shaped member 1. This enables a nearly infinitely variable regulation of the
force with which to pull at the ends of the cord. Thus, a training programme can be
set with great precision.
[0016] A plate 20 is pivotally connected to tie plate 2 so as to make it possible to attach
the apparatus to a fixed object, for example a wall. Said plate 20 can be inserted
into an opening 21 of a receiving member 22 which is fixed to said wall. Said receiving
member 22 is furthermore provided with two openings, into which pins 24, which are
fixed to tie plate 3, can be inserted. In this manner the apparatus can be readily
attached to a wall, and be easily detached therefrom again in order to be used at
another location. It will be apparent that it is also possible to attach the apparatus
by means of other fastening elements, for example by means of screws.
[0017] It will be apparent from the foregoing that the invention provides a very simple
and readily adjustable training apparatus.
1. A training apparatus suitable for training muscles and the stamina of the human body,
which apparatus comprises an elongated, bar-shaped member, which includes a guiding
member at a first end thereof, over which a rope or cord can be passed, wherein said
bar-shaped member is provided near its first end with two first guides for guiding
the two parts of the rope or cord on either side of the guiding member, wherein said
bar-shaped member is furthermore provided with second guides disposed some distance
away from said first guides, which second guides are preferably adjustable in circumferential
direction over said bar-shaped member, all this in such a manner that the number of
times that the two parts of the rope or cord are wound round the bar-shaped member
can be adjusted therewith, characterized in that the two second guides are mounted
on a sleeve, which is capable of sliding movement in axial direction over said bar-shaped
member.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the sleeve is also capable
of rotating movement about said bar-shaped member.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said sleeve is provided
with means for securing it in desired position on said bar-shaped member.
4. An apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said means for securing the
sleeve in position consist of clamping means.
5. An apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said means for securing the
sleeve in position consist of one or more pins present in said sleeve, which can mate
with openings formed in said bar-shaped member.
6. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said
bar-shaped member is provided at its first end with means by which the apparatus can
be connected to a fixedly disposed object, such as a wall or a pillar.