Exercise Machine With User Interface Element Operable in Multiple Directions Against Bodyweight Resistance

1. An exercise machine, comprising: a base, said base having a forward end and an after end and including first and second receiving means, said receiving means disposed between said forward end and said after end; first and second parallel support bars, each of said support bars having a forward end and an after end and being sized, shaped, and disposed to fit slidably within one of said first and second receiving means, respectively; front and rear connecting bars; said front connecting bar joining said first and second support bars at their forward ends; said rear connecting bar joining said first and second support bars at their after ends; a body support platform, said platform having a forward end and an after end, and being fixedly attached at its forward end to the front connecting bar and being fixedly attached at its after end to the rear connecting bar; a resistance device, said resistance device having an upper end and a lower end and being removably attached at its upper end adjacent the forward end of the body support platform and being removably attached at its lower end adjacent the forward end of the base; a first pulley, said first pulley being fixedly attached adjacent the after end of the base; a cable tightening means, said tightening means being fixedly attached to the first and second parallel support bars; a cable, said cable having a first end and a second end and being fixedly attached at its first end to the rear connecting bar, passing through the first pulley, and being fixedly attached at its second end to the cable tightening means; and whereby, when the cable tightening means is operated by a user in either of a first and a second direction, the after end of the body support platform is urged toward the base against the resistance device and the weight of the user.

2. An exercise machine as described in claim 1, wherein the cable tightening means further comprises: first and second mounting blocks, each of said first and second blocks having an inner side, an outer side, a lower surface, a circular orifice of a first internal diameter and a stop lug fixedly attached to said inner side and being spaced from said orifice; each of said first and second mounting blocks being fixedly attached at its lower surface to one of said first and second support bars, respectively, such that the orifice of the first mounting block is collinear with the orifice of the second mounting block, the inner side of the first block is parallel to the inner side of the second block, and the stop lug of the first block is disposed facing the stop lug of the second block; a first rigid, tubular shaft, said first tubular shaft having a first end, a second end, an internal bearing having the first internal diameter, a first predetermined length and being sized, shaped and disposed to fit slidably between said first and second mounting blocks; a first bearing shaft, said first shaft having a first end and a second end and being sized, shaped, and disposed to fit slidably within the internal bearing of the first tubular shaft and to extend through the orifices of the first and second mounting blocks; means for securing the first bearing shaft between the first and second mounting blocks; first and second travel-limiting arms, each of said first and second arms having a first end and a second end and being fixedly attached at its first end adjacent one of the first and second ends of the first tubular shaft such that a long axis of each of the arms is perpendicular to a long axis of the first tubular shaft; each of said first and second travel-limiting arms being sized, shaped and disposed to limit a rotation of the first tubular shaft about the bearing shaft by engaging one of the first and second stop lugs adjacent one of the second ends of the travel-limiting arms; a hollow support column, said column having an upper end, a lower end, a front surface, a rear surface, a first side, a second side and being fixedly attached at its lower end perpendicular to the first tubular shaft between its first end and its second end; said support column including a hollow, pulley support arm, said support arm having a first end and a second end and being fixedly attached at its first end perpendicular to the rear surface of the support column adjacent its upper end; a second pulley, said second pulley being rotatably mounted adjacent the second end of the pulley support arm; said support column including a first opening and a second opening, said first opening penetrating one of the front and rear surfaces of the column adjacent its lower end and being sized, shaped and disposed to permit passage of the cable, said second opening penetrating one of the front and rear surfaces of the column adjacent its lower end and being sized, shaped and disposed to permit the introduction of a third pulley; said third pulley being rotatably mounted within the support column between the first and second openings thereof; a second rigid, tubular shaft, said second tubular shaft having a first end, a second end, a second internal bearing having a second internal diameter, and a second predetermined length less than the first predetermined length and being fixedly attached perpendicular to the support column adjacent its upper end and parallel to the first tubular shaft; a tensioning frame, said tensioning frame including first and second parallel side members, a lower cross member, first and second parallel offset members and a hollow actuating bar; each of said side members having an upper end, a lower end, an inner side, an outer side and a circular orifice of the second internal diameter disposed adjacent its upper end, said orifices being collinear; said side members being spaced apart by the second predetermined length; said cross member being fixedly attached to each of said side members adjacent its lower end and having an anchoring means disposed between said side members; a second bearing shaft, said second shaft having a first end and a second end and being sized, shaped, and disposed to fit slidably within the internal bearing of the second tubular shaft and to extend through the orifices of the first and second side members; means for securing the second bearing shaft between the first and second side members; said first and second offset members each having a first end and a second end, said second end including a circular orifice sized to rotatably accommodate said actuating bar, and being fixedly attached at its first end to one of the outer sides of one of the first and second side members adjacent its upper end; said actuating bar having a first end, a second end and being rotatably mounted within the orifices of the first and second offset members; means for removably securing the actuating bar to one of the first and second side members of the tensioning frame; means for applying a twisting force to the actuating bar; and whereby, when the cable is fixedly attached at its first end to the rear connecting bar, passing under the first pulley, over the second pulley, under the third pulley, and is fixedly attached to the anchoring means of the lower cross member of the tensioning frame, the actuating bar may be twisted in either one of a clockwise and anti-clockwise direction to cause the cable to be tightened and thereby urging the after end of the body support platform toward the after end of the base against the resistance device and the weight of the user.

3. An exercise machine as described in claim 2, wherein the actuating bar, first and second side members and the means for removably securing the actuating bar to one of the first and second side members of the tensioning frame further comprise: a locating plate, said locating plate having a first side, a second side, a mounting portion, a distal edge and being fixedly attached at the mounting portion adjacent one of the first and second ends of the actuating bar such that the first and second sides of the plate are orthogonal to a long axis of the bar; said locating plate having at least one alignment hole of a third predetermined diameter and extending from the first side to the second side of said plate, said hole disposed adjacent the distal edge at a third predetermined distance from the long axis of the bar; a securing hole, said securing hole being of the third predetermined diameter and penetrating the outer side of one of the first and second side members at the third predetermined distance from the long axis of the bar; a spring-loaded pin assembly, said pin assembly including a hollow pin housing, a pin, a means for retracting the pin and a spring urging the pin outwardly from the housing, said pin being sized and shaped to slidably engage the alignment hole in the locating plate and the securing hole in one of the first and second side members; a mounting bracket, said bracket being fixedly attached to one of the first and second side members and the hollow pin housing and being sized, shaped and disposed to position the pin to engage the securing hole and the alignment hole, said bracket being spaced from one of the first and second side members to permit the locating plate to fit slidably between the hollow pin housing and one of the first and second side members; and whereby, when the pin is urged toward the locating plate by the spring and passes through the alignment hole and into the securing hole in one of the first and second side members, the actuating bar will be removably secured to one of the first and second side members and thus the tensioning frame, thereby permitting twisting force to be applied through the actuating bar to the tensioning frame to tighten the cable and urge the body support platform toward the after end of the base against the resistance device and the weight of the user.

4. An exercise machine as described in claim 2, wherein the cable tightening means further comprises: first and second operating handles; and means for removably attaching said first and second operating handles to one of the first and second ends of the actuating bar.

5. An exercise machine as described in claim 4, wherein means for removably attaching said first and second operating handles to one of the first and second ends of the actuating bar further includes: at least two locating notches, said notches disposed at the first and second ends of the actuating bar, said actuating bar having a long axis; at least two first locking holes, said first holes being spaced inwardly from the first and second ends of the actuating bar and penetrating said bar perpendicular to its long axis; said first and second operating handles having a first end, a first portion adjacent said first end, a second end, a second portion adjacent said second end, said second portion extending from said first portion at a right angle; said operating handles being formed of rigid cylindrical material and being sized and shaped to allow said first end to fit slidably within the hollow actuating bar; at least two first locking buttons, said first buttons being disposed adjacent the first end of the first and second operating handles and being sized and shaped to removably engage the first locking holes in the actuating bar; and at least two locating lugs, said lugs being disposed adjacent the first end of the first and second operating handles and being sized and shaped to removably engage the locating notches disposed at the first and second ends of the actuating bar when the first locking buttons engage the first locking holes.

6. An exercise machine as described in claim 5, wherein the first and second operating handles further include: at least two second locking buttons, said second buttons disposed adjacent the second end of the first and second operating handles; first and second handle extensions, said extensions having a first end, a first section adjacent said first end, a second end, a second section adjacent said second end, said second section extending from said first section at a right angle; said handle extensions being formed of hollow rigid cylindrical material and being sized and shaped to allow the second ends of the first and second operating handles to fit slidably within the first section of the handle extensions; and said first section including a plurality of second locking holes, said second locking holes being spaced from the first ends of the first and second handle extensions and being sized and shaped to removably engage the second locking buttons of the first and second operating handles, thereby removably securing the first and second handle extensions to the second ends of the first and second operating handles in at least one position.

7. An exercise machine as described in claim 6, wherein the first and second handle extensions further include a resilient padding material disposed upon the second section of the handle extensions.

8. An exercise machine as described in claim 1, wherein the body support platform further includes a seat member, a back support member and a foot support member.

9. An exercise machine as described in claim 1, wherein the resistance device further includes: at least one resilient member, said member having a first end and a second end; a lower mounting bracket, said lower bracket having a first end, a second end and being fixedly attached at its first end to the base adjacent its forward end; said lower mounting bracket including means for removably attaching the lower bracket to the first end of the resilient member, said means disposed adjacent the second end of said lower bracket; an upper mounting bracket, said upper bracket having an upper end, a lower end and being fixedly attached at its upper end to the body support platform; and means for removably and adjustably attaching the second end of the resilient member to the lower end of the upper mounting bracket.

10. An exercise machine as described in claim 9, wherein the means for removably and adjustably attaching the second end of the resilient member to the lower end of the upper mounting bracket further includes: an offset bar, said offset bar having a first end, a second end, a top surface and having a means fixedly attached adjacent its first end for removably attaching to the second end of the resilient member and being pivotally mounted adjacent its second end to the lower end of the upper mounting bracket; an actuating handle, said actuating handle having a first end, an elongated body, a second end and being mounted to the top surface of the offset bar adjacent its second end; a plurality of adjusting notches, said adjusting notches being affixed to the body support platform adjacent the upper mounting bracket and being sized, shaped, and disposed to removably engage the elongated body of the actuating handle; and whereby, when the actuating handle is pivoted in a first direction it will be disengaged from one of the adjusting notches and when the actuating handle is pressed toward the forward end of the base, the offset bar will pivot at the lower end of the upper mounting bracket and thereby impart tension to the resilient member, and when the elongated body is aligned with another adjusting notch and the actuating handle is pivoted in a second direction the elongated body will engage said notch and the resilient member will retain the imparted tension and the actuating handle may be released, thereby increasing the effort required to operate the exercise machine.

11. An exercise machine as described in claim 1, wherein the resistance device further includes: at least one adjustable shock absorber, said shock absorber having a first end and a second end; and said shock absorber being removably attached at its first end to the base adjacent its forward end and being removably attached at its second end to the body support platform adjacent its forward end.

12. An exercise machine as described in claim 1, wherein the resistance device further includes: an adjustable friction clutch assembly, said clutch assembly including a driven plate member, a friction disk member, means for rotatably mounting the friction disk member to the driven plate member and a means for tightening the disk member against the driven plate member; a first mounting arm, said first arm having a first end, a second end and being fixedly attached at its first end to the driven plate member and being removably attached at its second end to the body support platform adjacent its forward end; a second mounting arm, said second arm having a first end, a second end and being fixedly attached at its first end to the friction disk member and being removably attached at its second end to the base adjacent its forward end; and whereby, when the disk member is tightened against the driven plate member using the means for said tightening, the effort to operate the exercise machine will be increased.

13. An exercise machine as described in claim 1, wherein the first and second parallel support bars are each formed of two removably joinable portions, the rear connecting bar is readily detachable from said support bars at after their ends, and the body support platform is formed of two removably joinable portions, thereby facilitating transport and storage of the machine.