Weight lifting exercising devices

Claim 2

A machine capable of high muscle fiber involvement exercise of at least one prime body part connected to a prime body joint; said machine including a frame having a front side, a rear side, and a body receiving area for an exerciser in which the complete body of such an exerciser can be completely received therein, said area being disposed on the front side which is opposite to said rear side; structural means, located on said front side and rotatably supported by said frame, for receiving force from a prime body part of an exerciser positioned in said body receiving area; resistance means adapted to act in opposition to movement of said force receiving means by a user, which said resistance means may be variable; resistance resolving means for resolving gravity pull of said resistance means into varying force components that are resisted by a user during rotation of said resistance resolving means, said resistance resolving means being operably connected to said force receiving means, said resistance resolving means being located on said front side and being rotatable with said force receiving means; said resistance resolving means having a variable moment arm whereby the product of said variable moment arm and said resistance means determines the torque applied to said force receiving means; the axis of rotation of said resolving means and, the axis of the joint about which a prime body part to be exercised is rotated are essentially coaxial and the distance from said body joint to a place where the prime body part is applied to said force receiving means is practically the same as the distance from the axis of rotation of said resolving means to the place of application of said prime body part on the structural means for receiving a force from a prime body part.

Claim 3

Machine according to claim 1, wherein said resistance resolving means comprises generally spiral pulley members.

Claim 4

Machine according to claim 2, wherein said spiral pulley members are rigidly connected to said force receiving means for rotation therewith.

Claim 5

Machine according to claim 3 wherein said resistance means includes a re-directional pulley system, said system comprising a plurality of rotatable pulleys, cable means for transmitting the pull of said resistance means to said spiral pulleys while being reeved about said rotatable pulleys with the opposite ends of said cable means being fixedly secured respectively to lack of said spiral pulley members, and portions of said cable means immeidately adjacent to lack of said respective ends thereof, during operation of said machine, being adaptable to wind or unwind around the circumference of said spiral pulley members, the tension in said cable means constitutes a component of said resistance means which is continuously resolved by said resolving means into a force which acts in opposition to any force applied to said force receiving means when acted upon by a user.

Claim 6

Machine according to claim 3, wherein a re-directional pulley system comprises a first pair of spaced apart pulleys rotatably mounted on said resistance means, the pulleys of said first pair of pulleys have parallel axes and, a second pair of spaced apart pulleys rotatably mounted on said frame the pulleys of said second pair of pulleys have parallel axes, cable means for transmitting the pull of the resistance means wrapped around said first pair of pulleys by which a force applied to said force receiving means tends to raise said resistance means, and cable means extending from under said first pair of pulleys and over said second pair of pulleys to redirects said cable means to said spiral pulley members to which the respective ends of said cable means ar fixedly secured.

Claim 7

Machine according to claim 5, including treadLe means disposed adjacent the lower portion of said frame are provided for independently raising the resistance means thereby relieving the tension in said cable means on said spiral pulley members prior to the beginning of an exercise program.

Claim 8

Machine according to claim 6, wherein each of said spiral pulley members includes a hub member from which said force receiving means extends radially therefrom and is integral and rotatable therewith.

Claim 9

Machine according to claim 7, wherein counterweight means for rotating the force receiving means to a position to be engaged by a user''s limbs when no pull is exerted by the resistance means, integral with said hub member and extending radially therefrom.

Claim 10

Machine according to claim 8, wherein said force receiving means comprises a pair of generally L-shaped levers each of which has one leg integral with and extending from said hub member and a second leg at the free end of which extends an inwardly directed angled portion and a transversely directed stabilizing bar connecting said angled portions, said stabilizing bar and said angled portions defining a generally U-shaped constraction.

Claim 11

Machine according to claim 9, further including means for seating an exerciser, said last mentioned means being mounted on said frame.

Claim 12

Machine according to claim 6, in which said treadle means is pivotally secured on said frame and includes a resistance means lifting end and an end actuated by the force receiving means.

Claim 13

Machine capable of high muscle fiber involvement exercise of at least one prime body connected to a prime body joint; said machine including a frame, resistance weight means for resisting a user''s movement during an exercise program, resolving means rotatably supported on said frame for varying a user''s force necessary to lift and lower said resistance weight means, force receiving means for permitting engagement by a prime body part during rotation of said force resolving means, said force receiving means being supported for rotation about a first axis on the frame, said resistance weight means being independently pivotally mounted on a second axis, said second axis being spaced from and not in alignment with the first axis on said frame, said resistance weight means being operatively connected to, and resisting the movement of the force receiving means about the first axis, said resolving means adapted to resolve the gravity pull of said load or resistance weight means into a continuously variable balanced resistance force in opposition to any force applied to said force receiving means over the full range of rotation of said force receiving means.

Claim 14

Machine capable of high muscle fiber involvement exercise of at least one prime body connected to a prime body joint; said machine including a frame, resistance weight means for resisting a user''s movement during an exercise program, resolving means rotatably supported on said frame for varying a user''s force necessary to lift and lower said resistance weight means, force receiving means for permitting engagement by a prime body part during rotation of said force resolving means, said force receiving means being supported for rotation about a first axis on the frame, said resistance weight means being independently pivotally mounted on a second axis, said second axis being spaced from and not in alignment with the first axis on said frame, said resistance weight means being operatively connected to, and resisting the movement of the force receiving means about the first axis, said resolving means adapted to resolve the gravity pull of said load or resistance weight means into a continuously variable balanced resistance force in opposition to any force applied to said force receiving means over the full range of rotation of said force receiving means.

Claim 15

A machine capable of high muscle fiber involvement exercise of at least one prime body part connected to a prime body joint; said machine including a frame having a front side, a rear side, and a body receiving area for an exerciser in which the complete body of such an exerciser can be completely received therein, said area being disposed on the front side which is opposite to said rear side; resistance means for resisting movement of a prime body part of a user during an exercise program; structural means, located on said front side and rotatably supported by said frame, for receiving force from said prime body part; resistance resolving means for resolving gravity pull of said resistance means into varying force conponents that are acted on by user''s prime body parts engaging said structural means, said resistance resolving means being located on said front side and being rotatable in unison with said structural means; said resistance means acting in opposition to a force applied to said structural means, which resistance means may be variable; said resistance resolving means having a variable moment arm whereby the product of said variable moment arm and said resistance means determines the torque acting on said force receiving means; said force receiving means and said resolving means both including portions dIsposed on opposite sides a user while a user is in the body receiving area; the axis of rotation of said resolving means and the axis of the joint about which a prime body part to be exercised is rotated are essentially coaxial and the distance from said body joint to a place where the prime body part is applied to said force receiving means is practically the same as the distance from the axis of rotation of said resolving means to the place of application of said prime body part on the structural means which receives a force from prime body parts.

Claim 16

A machine capable of high muscle fiber involvement exercise of at least one prime body part connected to a prime body joint; said machine including a frame having a front side, a rear side, and a body receiving area for an exerciser in which the complete body of such an exerciser can be completely received therein, said area being disposed on the front side which is opposite to said rear side; resistance means for resisting movement of a prime body part of a user during an exercise program; structural means, located on said front side and rotatably supported by said frame, for receiving force from said prime body part; resistance resolving means for resolving gravity pull of said resistance means into varying force conponents that are acted on by user''s prime body parts engaging said structural means, said resistance resolving means being located on said front side and being rotatable in unison with said structural means; said resistance means acting in opposition to a force applied to said structural means, which resistance means may be variable; said resistance resolving means having a variable moment arm whereby the product of said variable moment arm and said resistance means determines the torque acting on said force receiving means; said force receiving means and said resolving means both including portions dIsposed on opposite sides a user while a user is in the body receiving area; the axis of rotation of said resolving means and the axis of the joint about which a prime body part to be exercised is rotated are essentially coaxial and the distance from said body joint to a place where the prime body part is applied to said force receiving means is practically the same as the distance from the axis of rotation of said resolving means to the place of application of said prime body part on the structural means which receives a force from prime body parts.