Multi-Station Exercise Machine With Multi-Exercise Press Station

The present invention relates to exercise machines having multiple exercise units of the type which operate via a cable and pulley system in opposition to a single set of weights, and which do not require cable connecting and disconnecting to shift activity from one exercise unit to another. The invention also relates to exercise machines including a press station at which a variety of press exercises can be performed.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,972 discloses an exercise machine with multiple exercise units each of which is connected to a respective one of multiple cables in a cable and pulley system connected to a weight stack. Each of the cables is tensioned when one of the exercise units is used, and each cable which is connected to an exercise unit has a stop adjacent the corresponding exercise unit to resist retraction of the cable when such unit is not in use. The exercise machine includes a press exercise unit providing a swing frame arranged to be swung upwardly about a fixed pivot in opposition to the weight stack responsive to an upward shoulder press normally performed with the exercising person reclined on a bench beneath the swing frame.

Instead of using a swing frame with a fixed pivot for a press exercise, the present invention utilizes a floating swing frame positioned to be operated from a semi-recumbent body support position, making it possible to perform decline, incline, chest and shoulder presses. The pivot axis of the swing frame is located at the rear of a swing link unit which is pivotally mounted at its forward end at a lower elevation. The swing frame has a lever extension connected to one end of a weight-loaded cable.

Forward swinging of the swing frame relative to the swing link unit is limited for performing decline press exercises in which the forward pivot of the swing link unit is the only pivot in use. Downward swinging of the swing link unit is limited for performing shoulder press exercises in which the pivot of the swing frame on the swing link unit is the only pivot in use. Incline press and chest press exercises are performed in an intermediate swinging range of the swing frame and swing link unit in which the forward pivot of the swing link unit and the pivot of the swing frame on the swing link unit are both in use. A detachable transverse bar is provided on the swing frame for chest engagement when abdominal exercises are to be performed.

The body support used for the press exercises is also used when performing leg curl exercises with apparatus connected at the other end of the weight-loaded cable.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exercise machine embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view illustrating various press exercise positions of the press exercise station;

FIG. 3 is a detail perspective view taken as indicated in FIG. 1 and showing the press exercise assembly in the shoulder press position;

FIG. 4 is a detail perspective view taken as indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective exploded view showing the transverse bar and its manner of attachment used when performing abdominal exercises;

FIG. 6 is a schematic of the cable and pulley system for loading the exercise stations with the weight stack;

FIG. 7 is a detail vertical sectional view taken as indicated by line 7--7 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 8 is a detail vertical sectional view showing the stop in engagement between the swing frame and swing link unit.

Referring to the drawings, it is seen that for purposes of example the present invention is incorporated in an exercise machine with multiple exercise stations comprising a high pull station 12, a low pull station 14, a leg curl and extension station 16, and a press station 18, operating in conjunction with a weight stack unit 20 of standard construction. The present invention relates principally to the press station 18.

The exercise machine is supported on a generally triangular base 22 having tubular pedestals 23, 24 and 25 mounted at its vertices. As indicated schematically in FIG. 6, weights in the weight stack resist exercise motions at the exercise stations by means of (a) a cable 26 connected to a pick-up rod extending through the weights of the weight stack 20, and to a handle bar 27 at the high pull station, (b) a second cable 28 connected at its ends to a grip 29 at the low pull station 14 and a stop 31, and (c) a third cable 30 connected at its ends to the leg curl and extension station 16 and the press station 18. Cables 26 and 28 are operatively associated via a floating pulley unit 32 in pedestal 23, cables 28 and 30 are operatively associated via a second floating pulley unit 34 in pedestal 25. Cable 26 trains over pulleys 35, 36 and 37 supported at the top of pedestal 23, and under the upper pulley 32a of floating pulley unit 32 between pulleys 36 and 37.

Cable 28 trains around pulley 38 at the base of pedestal 23, over the lower pulley 32b of floating pulley unit 32, around pulleys 39, 40 at the bases of pedestals 23 and 25, respectively, and then over an adjustable pulley 41 in the top of pedestal 25 and beneath the upper pulley 34a of floating pulley unit 34 before dead ending at 31 at the top of column 25. The third cable 30 connects between the stations 18, 16 via a pulley 42 at the base of pedestal 25, the lower pulley 34b of floating pulley unit 34, and lower pulleys 43 and 44 at the lower ends of pedestals 25 and 24, respectively.

Stops 45, 46, 47 and 48 are mounted on cables 26, 28 and 30 at the exercise stations 12, 14, 16, and 18, respectively, to prevent retraction of the cables when one of the exercise stations is being used. The result is that the weight stack 20 loads each of the exercise stations. The amount of load is selected by engaging a lock pin through the appropriate one of the weights into the pick-up rod. Such a system is present in the exercise machine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,972. This patent also discloses a leg curl and extension station operating in the manner of the station 16. This station includes a seat 46 supported on the pedestal 24 and having a semi-reclined back support 47. The seat 46 has side handles 48 and may be pivoted upwardly at the front at pivot 46a. A dual-purpose element 49 of inverted T-shape having padded bottom arms 49a is pivotally mounted at 50 from a pivot support 51. The cable 30 connects to an arched cable guide member 52 at the back of the element 49 so that forward swinging movement of the latter is resisted by the load on the cable 30.

For the leg curl exercise, the exerciser sits on the seat 46 and swings the element 49 forwardly by leg engagement with the arms 49a. For the leg extension exercise, the exerciser stands on the floor facing rearwardly and grabs the handles 48 with the seat 46 swung upwardly at the front. The arms 48a are then engaged by the back of the respective legs and swung forwardly by backward movement of the leg.

The seat and back 46, 47 are also used as a body support for a person exercising at the press station 18 which will now be described. The press station 18 provides a swing assembly which includes an upper generally U-shaped swing frame 54 and a lower swing link unit 56 having a pair of swing links 56a, 56b connected together at their ends by front and back pivot pins 56c, 56d which project laterally beyond the links for receiving bearings provided by the base 22 and ears 54f, 54f' to the back of a central element 54c of the swing frame 54. The latter also has a pair of transversely spaced arms 54a, 54b with opposed handle grips 54d, 54e at their forward ends. The pivot pin 56d defines an articulation axis for the swing assembly 54, 56.

Extending downwardly from the swing frame 54 by way of a rigid connection to the central element 54c at a bracket 54g, is a leg extension 60 functioning as a leveraging arm. The cable 30 is connected to the lower end of this leg. The arrangement is such that the swing frame 54 can swing downwardly relative to the swing link unit 56 a limited amount before the lower edge of the central element 54c engages the upper surface of the swing link unit 56 at a stop 57 (FIG. 8) whereat the swing frame 54 is at an acute angle of about 60 degrees with the swing links. When the swing frame 54 and swing link unit 56 are in such engagement (position A in FIG. 2) they are in position for the performance of incline press exercises. A stop 62 is mounted at the front of the pedestal 25 for engagement by the pin 56d during downward swinging of the swing link unit 56 so as to limit downward swinging thereof (position C in FIG. 2) to thereby fix in space the location of the articulation axis between the swing frame 54 and the swing link unit 56 so that a shoulder press exercise can be performed during which only the swing frame 54 is manipulated.

In the central range of swinging motion of the swing frame 54 in which the swing link unit 56 remain unrestricted by the rear stop 62 and the swing frame 54 is not in engagement with the swing link unit 56 for incline press exercises (see position B in FIG. 2), the pivot 56d is free to swing and the swing frame 54 is free to move in a compound swinging motion for intermediate exercises such as an incline press in opposition to the loaded cable 30 acting on the leg 60. The pull line of the cable 30 between the leg 60 and the pulley 42 varies in length and angle relative to the horizontal as the swing frame 54 swings relative to the swing link unit 56 and the swing link unit swings relative to the base 22 during intermediate exercises. As a result of the described geometry the press stroke during the intermediate exercises is unrestrained in the sense that there is not a fixed swing axis for the swing frame 54. This makes possible a more complete workout because additional supportive musculature is put to use.

For performing an abdominal exercise there is provided a detachable padded chest bar 70 for bridging between the outer ends of the arms 54a, 54b of the swing frame 54. As shown in FIG. 5, the chest bar 70 has a pair of U-hooks 70a at its ends arranged to interfit with eyes 72 at the underside of the swing frame arms adjacent the handles 54d, 54e.

The exerciser normally assumes a semi-recumbent position resting on the seat 46 and semi-reclined back 47 while performing the decline press, incline press, and shoulder press exercise by arm movements. During the abdominal exercise the exerciser is seated on the seat 46 and moves his(her) upper body forwardly away from the back 47 while engaging the chest bar 70.

The geometry for the press station is preferably selected so that when incline press exercises are performed the resultant of the force exerted via the cable and pulley system at the weight stack 20 at the press exercise station 18 is aligned within a ten percent tolerance with the direction of the force exerted by the exerciser on the swing frame.

A typical press station can have swing links with a length of about 42 inches between its forward pivot 56c and the articulation axis defined by the pivot pin 56d, a swing frame 54 with a length of about 41 inches from the handle grips 54d, 54e to the pin 56d, an included angle of about 120 degrees between the plane of the swing frame 54 and the leg 60, a leg length of about 14 inches to the connection with cable 30, a horizontal distance of about 42 inches between the forward pivot 56c and the rotary axis of the pulley 42, and a vertical distance of about 16 inches from the stop 62 to the rotary axis of the pulley 42. These dimensions are by way of example, and are not intended as a limitation.

In the illustrated embodiment the swing axis 56d for the swing frame 54 swings on an arc centered at front pivot 56c for the swing link unit 56. It will be appreciated that the travel path for the swing axis 56d can also be defined by roller tracks rather than using the swing frame unit 56, in which case the swing frame unit would have follower rollers mounted thereon at the swing axis 56d.

It will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.