US3791646A - Exercising and teaching apparatus for limb training and for teaching swimming - Google Patents

Abstract

A self-training exercising device to develop the proper limb movement for swimming comprising a central box support and two triangularly shaped arm units, all of which enclose a geared wheel mechanism, chain drive and reduction gear linked by the chain drive to a horizontal bearing shaft, the user of the device placing his body on the box support and stretching his arms to the arm units. The user''s legs fit into reciprocating adjustable lever-supported foot rests which are attached to a horizontal shaft. The recirpocating leg levers and leg supports move alternately along vertical planes parallel to each other to provide the proper leg movement for crawl stroke and back stroke and the hand movements are carried out by movement of the arms which grasp a handle member moving along an elliptical track or guideway. A motor serves to drive the leg and arm levers.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Marchignoni EXERCISING AND TEACHING APPARATUS FOR LIMB TRAINING AND FOR TEACHING SWIMMING [76] Inventor: Albano Marchignoni, Mura DAzeglio 4, Bologna, Italy [22] Filed: Sept. 27, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 183,806

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 30, 1970 Italy 3564 A/70 [52] US. Cl. 272/71, 35/29 B, 128/25 R [51] Int. CI A63b 69/10 [58] Field of Search... 272/69, 71, 73, 74, 79 R, 80;

Great Britain 272/71 [451 Feb. 12,1974

Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-R. T. Stouffer [5 7 ABSTRACT A self-training exercising device to develop the proper limb movement for swimming comprising a central box support and two triangularly shaped arm units, all of which enclose a geared wheel mechanism, chain drive and reduction gear linked by the chain drive to a horizontal bearing shaft, the user of the device placing his body on the box support and stretching his arms to the arm units. The users legs fit into reciprocating adjustable lever-supported foot rests which are attached to a horizontal shaft. The recirpocating leg levers and leg supports move alternately along vertical planes parallel to each other to provide the proper leg movement for crawl stroke and back stroke and the hand movements are carried out by movement of the arms which grasp a handle member moving along an elliptical track or guideway. A motor serves to drive the leg and arm levers.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDFEBY 2 Y 3,791,646

INVENTOR ATTORNEY EXERCISING AND TEACHING APPARATUS FOR LIMB TRAINING AND FOR TEACHING SWIMMING The present invention relates to an exercising and teaching apparatus for limb training and for teaching swimming, particularly to teaching the arm and leg movement for swimming in the crawl stroke and in the back stroke.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for teaching limb movement which is low in cost and easy to build, by means of which it is possible to teach the basic movements of swimming, with reference to crawl or back stroke.

An important feature of the teaching device of the invention is to provide a single exercising unit having a housing means with a central portion for the body and two side portions, one on each side of the central portion, with a first pair of mechanically operative means for training leg movements supported by the central portion in the rear portion thereof and having a reciprocating or oscilating motion along two vertical planes parallel to each other, and a second pair of mechanically operative means for training arm movements mounted on the side and controlled in an elliptical motion of translation in a plane along guideways inclined to the vertical. The first and second pairs of mechanically operative means facilitate alternate movements of the lower and upper limbs in accordance with movements corresponding to the crawl stroke and the back stroke. I

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment thereof particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective rear view of the apparatus, partly in cross-section;

FIG. 2 is a front view, partly in cross-section; and

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus, partly in cross-section.

Eachsleeve element 12 pivots intermediate its ends at 8 on a shaft 9. The end ofsleeve 12 extending to the right of shaft 9 co-acts with acam disc 17 secured to arotary shaft 19 whereby rotation ofcam 17 oscilates the end ofsleeve 12 and thereby gives an oscilating or up and down vertical movement to the leg training means 6 and stirrup 13. In a similar manner,cam disc 18, also secured toshaft 19, oscilates leg training means 7 and itsstirrup 14.

Thus, the leg training means 6 and itsstirrup 13 will be moved, say, down while stirrup 14 will be moved up. The movements given tostirrups 13 and 14 simulate the movements of a swimmers legs executing the crawl and back strokes.

Shaft 19, to which earns 17 and 18 are secured, is supported within housing portion 2 by suitable bearings and is rotated by apower unit 20 secured to the floor ofhousing 1.Unit 20 is preferably an electric motor provided with a reduction gear means suitable for powering the several mechanisms of the device.Unit 20 carries asprocket wheel 21 which is connected by a sprocket chain 21A to asprocket wheel 21B secured toshaft 19. Thus, chain 21A transmits rotary motion fromunit 20 toshaft 19 and thereby to cams 17 and 18 for oscilating leg training means 6 and 7.

Ashaft 22 is mounted in suitable bearings supported by the floor of the device. Asprocket chain drive 22A connectsshaft 22 topower unit 20 to be driven thereby. The shaft extends through portion 2 and terminates inend portions 3 and 4 (FIG. 2). Pairs ofbevel gears 25 and 26couple shaft 22 toshafts 23 and 24, respectively. As illustrated in FIG. 2,shaft 23 secured at one end to abevel gear 25 of the pair, carries asprocket wheel 27 at its other end to support the arm training means inportions 3 and 4 so that they move in a plane inclined to the vertical.

Aninclined support plate 32 is secured by bracket I means within thehousing portions 3 and 4 generally parallel to the sloping orinclined walls 32A ofportions 3 and 4. An endless member, such as asprocket chain 29, is trained overwheel 27 andadditional wheels 31 to form a general elliptical configuration. Gears 31 are supported on suitable pivots inplate 32. Similarly, agear 26 is connected to ashaft 24 and agear 28 supported by anotherplate 32 located within portion 4 (FIGS. 2 and 3), and asecond sprocket chain 30 is trained aroundwheels 31 to form a configuration aschain 29 in portion 3 (FIG. 3).

An arm training means 35 is connected tochain 29 and asimilar means 36 tochain 30. As illustrated in FIG. 2, each means 35 and 36 comprises a rod like element 37A telescoping insleeve 37, whereby the overall length ofmeans 35 and 36 may be adjusted.

To cause movement ofmeans 35 and 36 in an elliptical path,elliptical trackways 33 and 34 are provided in the slopingwalls 32A ofportions 3 and 4.Arms 35 and 36 project through the trackways as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Ahand grip 38 is secured to each of themeans 35 and 36 to be grasped by the user.

The operation of the apparatus of the invention is now described with reference to the leg movements in FIGS. 1 and and 3 and to the arm movements in FIGS. 2 and 3.

When the user who practices with the apparatus lies down on the body pad support 5 with his abdomen on the pad, the leg training means 6 and 7 are adjustable for his legs so that his toes fit into thestirrups 13 and 14 while his hands grasp thehandles 38 which are secured to adjustable arm training means 35 and 36 guided in theelliptcal trackways 33 and 34. Obviously, if the back stroke is to be practiced, thestirrups 13 and 14 can accommodate the heels of the user, or the stirrups may be modified to accommodate heels.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that the preferred device employs a single motor and reduction gear for operating arm movements in an elliptical path in the directions indicated byarrows 42 and 43 shown in FIG. 3 and for operating the vertical reciprocating or oscilating paths of the leg moving means as shown by thearrows 40 and 41 in FIG. 1. The arms will be moved in planes which are inclined to the vertical to closely and accurately simulate the movement of the arms of a swimmer doing the crawl or back stroke.

I claim:

1'. A self-training exercising device to develop the proper limb movements for swimming comprising:

a housing means having a center portion to support a body and two side portions each to house an arm training means, each of said arm training means comprising a hand grip, means to move said hand grip in a generally elliptical path in a plane inclined to the vertical to thereby simulate the arm movements of a swimmer executing the crawl stroke,

said means to move the hand grip in an elliptical path comprising a flexible, endless drive means trained over a series of wheels to shape the endless drive means in a general elliptical configuration, attaching means to secure the hand grip to said endless drive means, and a support plate for mounting said wheels, said support plate being so mounted in a plane inclined to the vertical and thereby cause the hand grip to move in a plane inclined to the vertical, two leg training means extending from the central portion of the housing and each carrying a stirrup means to be engaged by the feet of the user, power means and mechanical drive means connecting said power means to said means to move said hand grips and to said leg training means to oscilate the same to simulate the leg movement in a crawl stroke.

2. The device as set forth inclaim 1, wherein the endless drive means is a sprocket chain and one of the wheels is of the sprocket type operatively connected to the power unit to be rotated thereby.

3. The device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the attaching means comprises elongated, relatively movable, interconnecting members whereby the overall distance between the hand grip and the sprocket chain is adjustable to fit various arm lengths.

4. The device as set forth inclaim 3, wherein the elongated members comprise a sleeve member having an offset end secured to the flexible endless driving means and a rod telescoping within said sleeve, the rod carrying the hand grips and an elliptical trackway engaged by said offset end to guide the hand grips in an elliptical path.

5. The device as set forth inclaim 4, wherein each of said leg training means comprises elongated, relatively movable, interlocking members to adjust the overall length of said leg training means, means pivoting said leg training means intermediate its ends, cam means engaging the end remote from the end carrying the stirrup means to oscilate said leg training means, and drive means connectingsaid power units to said cam means to rotate said cam means.

6. The device as set forth in claim 5, wherein said elongated members comprise a sleeve member mounted for pivoting movement and having one of its ends engaged by the cam means, and a rod member telescoping within said sleeve and carrying the stirrups.

Claims (6)

1. A self-training exercising device to develop the proper limb movements for swimming comprising: a housing means having a center portion to support a body and two side portions each to house an arm training means, each of said arm training means comprising a hand grip, means to move said hand grip in a generally elliptical path in a plane inclined to the vertical to thereby simulate the arm movements of a swimmer executing the crawl stroke, said means to move the hand grip in an elliptical paTh comprising a flexible, endless drive means trained over a series of wheels to shape the endless drive means in a general elliptical configuration, attaching means to secure the hand grip to said endless drive means, and a support plate for mounting said wheels, said support plate being so mounted in a plane inclined to the vertical and thereby cause the hand grip to move in a plane inclined to the vertical, two leg training means extending from the central portion of the housing and each carrying a stirrup means to be engaged by the feet of the user, power means and mechanical drive means connecting said power means to said means to move said hand grips and to said leg training means to oscilate the same to simulate the leg movement in a crawl stroke.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the endless drive means is a sprocket chain and one of the wheels is of the sprocket type operatively connected to the power unit to be rotated thereby.

3. The device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the attaching means comprises elongated, relatively movable, interconnecting members whereby the overall distance between the hand grip and the sprocket chain is adjustable to fit various arm lengths.

4. The device as set forth in claim 3, wherein the elongated members comprise a sleeve member having an offset end secured to the flexible endless driving means and a rod telescoping within said sleeve, the rod carrying the hand grips and an elliptical trackway engaged by said offset end to guide the hand grips in an elliptical path.

5. The device as set forth in claim 4, wherein each of said leg training means comprises elongated, relatively movable, interlocking members to adjust the overall length of said leg training means, means pivoting said leg training means intermediate its ends, cam means engaging the end remote from the end carrying the stirrup means to oscilate said leg training means, and drive means connecting said power units to said cam means to rotate said cam means.

6. The device as set forth in claim 5, wherein said elongated members comprise a sleeve member mounted for pivoting movement and having one of its ends engaged by the cam means, and a rod member telescoping within said sleeve and carrying the stirrups.

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