Exercise machine with multiple exercise stations

Abstract

An exercise machine has multiple stations at each of which two or more exercises are performed in opposition to a selected amount of weight in a weight stack. A cable and pulley system connects the exercise apparatus at the exercise stations with the weight stack in such a manner that only one pull cable in the system is connected to the weight stack.

We claim: 
     
       1. 
     
     
       2. 
     
     
       3. 
     
     
       4. 
     
     
       5. An exercise machine comprising: a load;   first, second and third exercise units;   a first set of floating pulleys coupled together;   a second set of floating pulleys coupled together;   a first cable passing over one of said floating pulleys of said first set and one of said floating pulleys of said second set, and connected at one of its ends to said load and connected at its other end to said first exercise unit;   a second cable passing over the other of said floating pulleys of said first set and connected at one of its ends to said second exercise unit and connected at its other end to a stop;   a third cable passing over the other of said floating pulleys of said second set and connected at one of its ends to said third exercise unit and connected at its other end to a stop; and   stops for said exercise units whereby a manual exercising force applied either to said first cable by use of said first exercise unit, or to said second cable by use of said second exercise unit, or to said third cable by use of said third exercise unit, applies a like force to said load and to all of said stops except the stop for the exercise unit in use.   
     
     
       6. An exercise machine comprising: a load;   first, second, third, fourth and fifth exercise units;   a first set of floating pulleys coupled together;   a second set of floating pulleys coupled together;   a first cable passing over one of said floating pulleys of said first set and one of said floating pulleys of said second set, and connected at its other end to said first exercise unit;   a second cable passing over the other of said floating pulleys of said first set and connected at its ends to said second and third exercise units;   a third cable passing over the other of said floating pulleys of said second set and connected at its ends to said fourth and fifth exercise units; and   stops for said exercise units whereby a manual exercising force applied either to said first cable by use of said first exercise unit, or to said second cable by use of said second or third exercise units, or to said third cable by use of said fourth or fifth exercise units, applies a like force to said load and to all of said stops except the stop for the exercise unit in use.   
     
     
       7. An exercise machine comprising: a base support;   a column mounted on said base support and having first and second reach arms projecting therefrom;   first, second and third exercise units arranged with said first exercise unit at a higher elevation than said second and third exercise units located adjacent the outer end of said second reach arm;   a weight carried by said base support and positioned beneath the outer end of said first reach arm;   a first cable connected at one of its ends to said weight and connected at its other end to said first exercise unit;   first and second floating pulleys coupled together, said first floating pulley having said first cable passing thereunder below the level of said reach arms and adjacent said column;   guide means on said reach arms for guiding said first cable from said weight to the outer end of said first reach arm, along said first reach arm and down to said first floating pulley, up to said second reach arm from said first floating pulley, and along said second reach arm to said first exercise unit;   a second cable connected at one of its ends to said second exercise unit and connected at its other end to said third exercise unit;   said second cable passing over said second floating pulley;   guide means for guiding said second cable from said second floating pulley to the base of said column and from there to said second and third exercise units;   each of said exercise units having a respective stop whereby a manual exercising force applied either to said first cable by use of said first exercise unit, or to said second cable by use of said second or third exercise unit applies a lifting force to said weight and a force of the same magnitude to all of said stops except the stop for the exercise unit in use.   
     
     
       8. An exercise machine comprising: a base support;   a column mounted on said base support and having first and second reach arms projecting therefrom;   first, second, third, fourth and fifth exercise units arranged with said first exercise unit at a higher elevation than said second and third exercise units and located adjacent the outer end of said second reach arm;   a weight carried by said base support and positioned beneath the outer end of said first reach arm;   a first cable connected at one of its ends to said weight and connected at its other end to said first exercise unit;   first and second floating pulleys coupled together, said first floating pulley having said first cable passing thereunder below the level of said reach arms and adjacent said column;   first guide means on said reach arms for guiding said first cable from said weight to the outer end of said first reach arm, along said first reach arm and down to said first floating pulley, up to said second reach arm from said first floating pulley and along said second reach arm to said first exercise unit;   a second cable connected at one of its ends to said second exercise unit and connected at its other end to said third exercise unit, said second cable passing over said second floating pulley;   second guide means for guiding said second cable from said floating pulley to the base of said column and from there to said second and third exercise units;   third and fourth floating pulleys coupled together at a level lower than that of the first and second floating pulleys, said first cable also passing under said third floating pulley;   a third cable passing over said fourth floating pulley, said third cable being connected at one of its ends to said fourth exercise unit and connected at its other end to said fifth exercise unit;   third guide means for guiding said third cable from said fourth floating pulley to the base of said column and from there to said fourth and fifth exercise units;   each of said exercise units having a respective stop whereby a manual exercising force applied either to said first cable by use of said exercise unit, or to said second cable by use of said second or third exercise unit, or to said third cable by use of said fourth or fifth exercise unit, applies a lifting force to said weight and a force of the same magnitude to all of said stops except the stop for the exercise unit in use.   
     
     
       9. An exercise machine according to claim 8 in which a pedestal is mounted on said base support and carries said third and fourth exercise units, and part of said second and third guide means is carried by said pedestal. .[.10. An exercise machine comprising: a load;   first, second and third exercise units;   two floating pulleys coupled together;   an adjustable idler pulley;   a first cable passing over one of said floating pulleys and said adjustable idler pulley, and connected at one of its ends to said load and connected at its other end to said first exercise unit;   a second cable passing over the other of said floating pulleys and connected at one of its ends to said second exercise unit and connected at its other end to said third exercise unit;   stops for said exercise units whereby a manual exercising force applied either to said first cable by use of said first exercise unit, or to said second cable by use of said second or third exercise unit applies a like force to said load and to all of said stops except the stop for the   
     
     
        exercise unit in use..]. 11. An exercise machine comprising: a load;   first, second, third, fourth and fifth exercise unit;   a first set of floating pulleys coupled together;   a single floating pulley;   a second set of floating pulleys coupled together;   a first cable passing over one of said floating pulleys of said first set and one of said floating pulleys of said second set, and connected at one of its ends to said load and connected at its other end to said first exercise unit;   a second cable passing over the other of said floating pulleys of said first set and connected at one of its ends to said second exercise unit and connected at its other end to said single floating pulley;   a third cable passing over the other of said floating pulleys of said second set, and connected at one of its ends to said third exercise unit and connected at its other end to said fourth exercise unit;   a fourth cable passing over said single floating pulley and connected at its ends to said fifth exercise unit;   stops for said exercise units whereby a manual exercising force applied either to said first cable by use of said first exercise unit, or to said second cable by use of said second exercise unit, or to said fourth cable by use of said fifth exercise unit, applies a force to said load and to   
     
     
        all of said stops except the stop for the exercise unit in use. 12. An exercise machine comprising: a load;   first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth exercise units,   a first set of floating pulleys coupled together;   a second set of floating pulleys coupled together;   first and second single floating pulleys;   a first cable passing over one of said floating pulleys of said first set and one of said floating pulleys of said second set and connected at one of its ends to said load, and connected at its other end to said first exercise unit;   a second cable passing over the other of said floating pulleys of said first set and connected at its ends to said second exercise unit and to said first single floating pulley;   a third cable passing over the other of said floating pulleys of said second set and said second single floating pulley, and connected at its ends to said fourth and fifth exercise units;   a fourth cable passing over said first single floating pulley and connected at its ends to said third exercise unit;   said sixth exercise unit being connected to said second single floating pulley;   stops for said exercise units whereby a manual exercising force applied either to said first cable by use of said first exercise unit, or to said second cable by use of said second exercise unit, or to said third cable by use of said fourth, fifth or sixth exercise units, or to said fourth cable by use of said third exercise unit, applies a force to said load and   
     
     
        to all of said stops except the stop for the exercise unit in use. 13. 
     
     
            An exercise machine comprising: a weight;   first, second, third and fourth exercise units;   two floating pulleys coupled together as a set;   a single floating pulley;   a first cable passing over one of said floating pulleys of said set and connected at one of its ends to said weight and connected at its other end to said first exercise unit;   a second cable passing over the other of said floating pulleys of said set and over said single floating pulley, and connected at one of its ends to said second exercise unit and connected at its other end to said third exercise unit;   said fourth exercise unit having a pull element connected to said single floating pulley and having a swing arm which is pivoted at a first of its ends, has a handle at its other end, and is centrally pivotally connected to said pull element whereby manual force applied to said handle will be   
     
     
        multiplied at said single floating pulley. 15. An exercise machine according to claim 14 in which said arm is pivotally connected at its said first end to a hollow column in which said set of floating pulleys is 
     
     
        housed. 16. An exercise machine according to claim 15 in which said column has a first reach arm extending over said weight and has a second reach arm from which said first exercise unit is suspended by said first cable, and in which said first cable extends from said first reach arm to said weight; said second cable passing out of said column to said column below the level of said set of floating pulleys to pass over said single floating pulley   
     
     
        and to connect to said second and third exercise units. 17. An exercise machine according to claim 14 in which said swing arm extends over a hollow pedestal in which said single floating pulley is housed, said hollow pedestal having a transverse element connected thereto with an opening through which said pull element passes; and said pull element having a stop above said opening for engaging the transverse element to restrict downward movement of said single floating   
     
     
        pulley when said fourth exercise unit is idle. 18. An exercise machine according to claim 17 in which said pedestal has entry and exit guide pulleys below the level of said single floating pulley, said second cable passing over said guide pulleys and said third exercise unit being located 
     
     
        adjacent said exit guide pulley. 19. An exercise machine according to claim 17 in which a bench is swing mounted about a vertical axis at one of 
     
     
        its ends on said pedestal below said handle. 20. 21.  22. An exercise machine comprising: a load;   first, second, and third exercise units;   two floating pulleys coupled together;   a single pulley;   a first cable passing over one of said floating pulleys and connected at one of its ends to said load and connected at its other end to said first exercise unit;   a second cable passing over the other of said floating pulleys and connected at one of its ends to said second exercise unit and connected at its other end to said single pulley;   a third cable passing over said single pulley and connected to said third exercise unit; and   respective stop means for said exercise units whereby a manual exercising force applied to said first cable by use of said first exercise unit, or to said second cable by use of said second exercise unit, or to said third cable by use of said third exercise unit, applies a force to said load and to all of said stop means except the stop means for the exercise unit in   
     
     
        use. 23. An exercise machine according to claim 22 in which said third exercise unit is a butterfly exercise unit including a pair of swing arms 
     
     
        operatively associated with the ends of said third cable. 24.  25. An exercise machine comprising: a load;   first, second, third and fourth exercise units;   two floating pulleys coupled together;   a third floating pulley;   a first cable passing over one of said two floating pulleys and connected at one of its ends to said load and connected at its other end to said first exercise unit;   a second cable passing over said third floating pulley and the other of said two floating pulleys, and connected at one of its ends to said second exercise unit and connected at its other end to said third exercise unit;   said fourth exercise unit being operatively associated with said third floating pulley;   stops for said exercise units whereby a manual exercising force applied either to said first cable by use of said first exercise unit, or to said second cable by use of said second or third exercise units, or to said third floating pulley by use of said fourth exercise unit, applies a force to said load and to all of said stops except the stop for the exercise   
     
     
        unit in use. 26. An exercise machine comprising: a movable load;   first, second, and third exercise units;   a first floating pulley unit;   a second floating pulley unit;   a first cable receiving said floating pulley units and said load and connected to said first exercise unit such that a force exerted on either one of said floating pulley units or on said first exercise unit responsively tensions said first cable and is resisted by said load;   a second cable carried by said first floating pulley unit and connected at one of its ends to said second exercise unit;   a third cable carried by said second floating pulley unit and connected at one of its ends to said third exercise unit; and   stops on said three cables whereby a manual exercising force applied either to said first cable by use of said first exercise unit, or to said second cable by use of said second exercise unit, or to said third cable by use of said third exercise unit, responsively tensions said first cable and   
     
     
        applies a force tending to move said load. 27. An exercise machine comprising: a weight unit;   first, second, and third exercise units;   first and second floating pulley units;   a first cable operatively receiving said floating pulley units and loaded by said weight unit;   first and second nonfloating pulley units receiving said first cable and located, respectively, between said weight unit and one of said pulley units and between said weight unit and said first exercise unit;   a second cable carried by said first pulley unit and connected to said second exercise unit;   a third cable carried by said second pulley unit and connected to said third exercise unit; and   stops for said three cables arranged such that a manual exercising force applied to any of said three exercise units responsively tensions each of   
     
     
        said three cables and is resisted by said weight unit. .Iadd.28.  An exercise machine comprising a vertically movable weight;   first, second, third and fourth exercise units;   a set of upper and lower floating pulleys coupled together for unitary vertical movement;   a bodily moveable pulley associated with said fourth exercise unit such that a manual exercising force applied to said fourth exercise unit causes displacement of said bodily moveable pulley;   two upper guide pulleys at a higher elevation than said set of floating pulleys;   two lower guide pulleys at a lower elevation than said set of floating pulleys;   an additional guide pulley;   a frame assembly supporting all of said guide pulleys;   a first cable passing part way around said additional guide pulley, over the top of said upper guide pulleys and looping downwardly between the latter by a loop passing beneath the underside of the upper one of said floating pulleys, said first cable being connected at one of its ends so as to be loaded by said weight and connected at its other end to said first exercise unit, said first cable also looping part way around said bodily moveable pulley at a location between said upper guide pulleys and said additional guide pulley;   a second cable passing beneath the underside of said lower guide pulleys and looping upwardly therebetween by a loop passing over the top of the lower one of said floating pulleys, and said second cable being connected at one of its ends to said second exercise unit and connected at its other end to said third exercise unit; and   stops for said exercise units whereby a manual exercising force applied either to said first cable by use of said first and fourth exercise units or applied to said second cable by use of said second or third exercise unit, applies a lifting force to said weight and a force to all of said stops except the stop for the exercise unit in use, whereby said set of floating pulleys remains vertically stationary and said weight lifts when said first or fourth exercise unit is used, and whereby said set of floating pulleys lowers and said weight lifts responsive to use of said   
     
     
        second or third exercise unit. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29.  An exercise machine according to claim 28 in which said additional guide pulley is located between said upper guide pulleys and said first exercise unit. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. An exercise machine according to claim 29 in which said additional guide pulley is located between said upper guide pulleys and said weight. .Iaddend.