Exercising apparatus

Abstract

An exercise apparatus having a frame with a predetermined reference position, an engagement assembly for use by an operator during exercise, a system for resisting movement of the engagement assembly by the operator during exercise and a mechanism mounting the engagement assembly for selective movement along a path of travel relative to the reference position for purposes of controlling the exercise of the operator positioned relative to the reference position.

1 . An exercise apparatus comprising a frame having a predetermined reference position, an engagement assembly for use by an operator during exercise and means for resisting movement of the engagement assembly by the operator during said exercise.  
     
     
         2 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1  including means mounting said engagement assembly for selective movement along a path of travel relative to said reference position for purposes of controlling the exercise of said operator positioned relative to said reference position.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said engagement assembly is mounted for movement along a second path of travel for use in exercising.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said resisting means resists movement of the engagement assembly along said second path of travel during said exercising.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2  including an operator's station adapted to receive said operator in substantial coincidence with said reference position for contact by the operator during said exercising.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said path of travel is an arc substantially concentric to said reference position.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said reference position is substantially coincident with the shoulders of said operator in the operator's station.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said mounting means includes a track defining said path of travel and a carriage borne by said track for movement along said path of travel and mounting said engagement assembly for said movement along the path of travel whereby said engagement assembly can be moved relative to the reference position to vary the exercise of said operator.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  including means selectively for moving said carriage along the track during exercise by said operator so as to permit selective variation in the attitude of said exercising during said exercising.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  having a control system including a control member borne by the engagement assembly and selectively engageable by the operator to cause said selective variation in the attitude of said exercising.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said engagement assembly is mounted for movement along a second path of travel for use in exercising and wherein said controlling means further includes a system for resisting movement of the engagement assembly along the second path of travel.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said controlling means further includes means selectively for varying, from said operator's station, the amount of resistance applied by said resisting system for resisting movement of the engagement assembly along the second path of travel.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said resisting system is pneumatic so as to be capable of resisting movement of the engagement assembly in an environment of substantially reduced gravity.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said engagement assembly is mounted for movement along a second path of travel for use in exercising and wherein said resisting means is operably connected to said engagement assembly through a linkage selectively operable to change the resistance applied to said engagement assembly during said movement along the second path of travel.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said resisting means includes a pressurized vessel having a pressure member therein from which a linking member is extended and which, in turn, is operatively connected to the engagement assembly to resist movement of the engagement assembly along said second path of travel against pressure within said vessel and wherein said linkage operatively interconnects the linking member and the engagement assembly so as to be movable between a first position, to resist movement of the engagement assembly in a first pattern in the second path of travel, and a second position, to resist movement of the engagement assembly in a second pattern in the second path of travel.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  including pressure means selectively for moving said linkage between said first and second positions.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein said pressure vessel and said pressure means are pneumatic cylinders.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 5  including a second reference position disposed in spaced relation to said first reference position, a second engagement assembly mounted for movement along a path of travel relative to the second reference position and second means for resisting movement of the second engagement assembly along the path of travel thereof whereby an operator received in said operator's station can simultaneously, independently contact said first and second engagement assemblies for use in exercising.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein said operator's station is defined by a surface of contact for the back of an operator received in the operator's station substantially between said first and second reference positions for contact by the hands of the operator with said first engagement assembly and contact by the feet of the operator with said second engagement assembly for simultaneously exercising the upper and lower body of said operator.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  including at least one restraint borne by said frame for attachment to an operator received in said operator's station to restrain the operator therein for said exercising in an environment of substantially reduced gravity.  
     
     
         21 - 46 . (canceled)