Exercise machine

Abstract

An exercise machine for providing a motion, climbing a hill with hand weights, includes single swing arms with fixed foot platforms and forwardly extending substantially horizontal handles. The swing arms and foot platforms are interlocked through a flexible link and pulley arrangement. The machine has provision for adjusting the length of the travel arcs, which changes length of stride of the foot platforms, and the climbing effect, which alters the workout intensity. The machine of the invention is readily foldable for storage.

1 . An exercise machine comprising:
 a frame supporting vertically elevated and horizontally displaced pivots, a vertical plane through the horizontal axis of said pivots defining a zero position;   a pair of single swing arms, each including a foot platform rigidly secured thereto, rotatably coupled to respective ones of said pivots;   said single swing arms being interconnected to cause alternating movement of said foot platforms through a coincident position defined by said foot platforms being alongside each other; and   a bias system for biasing said swing arms such that said coincident position is in front of said zero position.   
     
     
         2 . The machine of  claim 1 , further including a pair of handles, each movable with a respective one of said swing arms, which extend substantially horizontally beyond said coincident position. 
     
     
         3 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein said bias system includes:
 a pulley arrangement coupled to said frame in front of said coincident position; and   a flexible link traversing said pulley arrangement and engaging said foot platforms.   
     
     
         4 . The machine of  claim 3  wherein the length of said flexible link is adjustable. 
     
     
         5 . The machine of  claim 4 , further including an adjustment mechanism for enabling a user to change the effective length of said flexible link. 
     
     
         6 . The machine of  claim 5 , wherein said adjustment mechanism includes:
 a movable pin on one end of said flexible link; and   a plurality of apertures, located adjacent a corresponding swing arm, engageable with said pin.   
     
     
         7 . The machine of  claim 6 , further including a pair of handles, at substantially the level of said pivots, said handles being movable with a respective one of said swing arms and extending substantially horizontally beyond said coincident position. 
     
     
         8 . The machine of  claim 3 , wherein the distance between said pulley arrangement and said coincident position is adjustable. 
     
     
         9 . The machine of  claim 3 , wherein:
 said pulley arrangement is rotatably mounted on said frame below said arcs; and   said flexible link engages the heels of said foot platforms, whereby said arcs may substantially overlap said pulley arrangement.   
     
     
         10 . The machine of  claim 9 , wherein said frame includes:
 front and rear supports hinged to form an “A” configuration; and   a pair of flexible tension braces connecting said front and rear supports.   
     
     
         11 . The machine of  claim 3 , wherein said bias system is adjustable for changing the distance between said zero position and said coincident position. 
     
     
         12 . The machine of  claim 3 , wherein said bias system is adjustable for changing the length of said arcs. 
     
     
         13 . The machine of  claim 3 , wherein said bias system is adjustable for independently changing the distance between said zero position and said zero position and changing the length of said arcs. 
     
     
         14 . The machine of  claim 13 , wherein said bias system is adjustable for simultaneously changing the distance between said zero position and said coincident position and the length of said arcs. 
     
     
         15 . An exercise machine comprising:
 a frame supporting vertically elevated and horizontally displaced pivots, a vertical plane through the horizontal axis of said pivots defining a zero position;   a pair of single swing arms, each including a foot platform rigidly secured thereto, coupled to respective ones of said pivots;   said single swing arms being interconnected to cause alternating movement of said foot platforms in arcs through a coincident position defined by said foot platforms being alongside each other;   a bias system, for biasing said swing arms such that said coincident position is in front of said zero position, said bias system including:   a pulley arrangement mounted on said frame below said arcs in front of said coincident position;   a flexible link traversing said pulley arrangement and engaging said foot platforms; and   said flexible link engaging the heels of said foot platforms, whereby said arcs may substantially overlap said pulley arrangement.   
     
     
         16 . The machine of  claim 15 , wherein said frame includes:
 front and rear supports hinged together to form an “A” configuration; and   a pair of flexible tension braces connecting said front and rear supports.   
     
     
         17 . An exercise machine comprising:
 a frame supporting vertically elevated and horizontally displaced pivots, a vertical plane through the horizontal axis of said pivots defining a zero position;   a pair of single swing arms, each including a foot platform rigidly secured thereto, rotatably coupled to respective ones of said pivots;   said single swing arms being interconnected to cause alternating movement of said foot platforms in arcs through a coincident position defined by said foot platforms being alongside each other; and   a bias system for biasing said swing arms such that said coincident position is in front of said zero position, said bias system including:   a pulley arrangement rotatably mounted on said frame; and   a flexible link traversing said pulley arrangement and engaging said foot platforms.   
     
     
         18 . The machine of  claim 17 , wherein said bias system is adjustable for changing the distance between said zero position and said coincident position. 
     
     
         19 . The machine of  claim 18 , wherein said distance between said zero position and said coincident position is adjustable by changing the length of said arcs. 
     
     
         20 . The machine of  claim 18 , wherein said distance between said zero position and said coincident position is adjustable by changing the location of said pulley arrangement on said frame.